quote:

---

Creating A Demilich

“Demilich” is a template that can be added to any lich. It uses all the lich’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. A demilich’s form is concentrated into a single portion of its original body, usually its skull. Part of the process of becoming a demilich includes the incorporation of costly gems into the retained body part; see Creating Soul Gems, below.

---

quote:

---

Phylactery Transference (Su)

Headbands, belts, rings, cloaks, and other wearable items kept in close association with the demilich’s phylactery transfer all their benefits to the demilich no matter how far apart the demilich and the phylactery are located. The standard limits on types of items utilized simultaneously still apply.

---

quote:

---

Creating Soul Gems

Liches have phylacteries that allow them to reappear 1d10 days after their apparent death, as do demiliches. Demiliches also have eight soul gems, each of which acts like a phylactery in its own right. If all the soul gems, as well as the demilich’s phylactery, are not destroyed after a demilich is downed, the demilich reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death. The soul gems also allow the demilich to use its most devastating ability, trap the soul (see above). Each demilich must make its own soul gems, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The lich must be a sorcerer, wizard, or cleric of at least 21st level. Each soul gem costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation. Soul gems appear as egg-shaped gems of wondrous quality. They are always incorporated directly into the concentrated form of the demilich.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kentinal

It might depend on version, however what adventurer except a priest would not sell a gem even if the demi comes back to life. It could become a business deal and fighter spiting the money received from sale of gem. Granting a Demi is at greater risk of total destruction, however survival certainly possible.

---

quote:

---

Marc

Larloch preserves himself from becoming a demilich

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Marc

Lords of Darkness, under Demi-lichdom

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by althen artren

Hey crazed, those links didn't work at all for me.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ayrik

I'm deeply influenced by the descriptions in materials like Van Richten's Guide to the Lich ... demi-liches are as much beyond the power of normal liches as archmages are above simple peasants. It is fortunate that they are no longer concerned with the little attachments of flesh, mind, and spirit which once bound them to our worlds, their existence transcends our comprehension as much as we are inconsequential to theirs.

I would expect demiliches are more than simple random encounters, they are carefully placed in the setting, they are extremely rare (even in Faerûn, where there's two liches under every rock), and they are almost certainly not found by the stumbling accident of most adventurers. A few liches of comparably phenomenal age and power - notably Larloch and Szass Tam - continue to cling to their concerns within the mortal world, which suggests to me that the transition to meta-lich demi-existence is something which requires tremendous growth of power, inhuman focus of will, and special preparations which probably span several centuries or millennia. So I very much doubt their bones are simply lying in a heap in some dusty old dungeon corner - I suspect that instead the placement of their bodies and phylacteries was a foremost consideration during their transcension, they would be inaccessible, locked, trapped, warded, they would remain safely intact and undisturbed for as long as possible.

By extension, I would expect that the existence and locations of demi-lich remains are secrets known to very very few, perhaps lost to all but the memories of the gods. Discovering such hidden secrets might involve consulting with fiends or deities, travelling through the planes, travelling through time ... indeed, the demi-lair itself might only be accessible outside of normal time and space. In short; hunting a particular demi-lich should take as much research and preparation as hunting down a particular ancient dragon. No easy feat, since it's safe to assume the demi-lich (or more accurately, the uber-lich who was evolving - through supernatural instinct or through choice - into the demi-lich) simply sat and contemplated the impossibly fine details of his impending transformation over the course of many lifetimes.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Seravin

I always wanted to know more about Dracoliches surviving. Like the two (or three?) that Shandril kills in Spellfire, none of them had the Phylacteries destroyed, so they all still live, right? I think I read about them suriving in the 3rd Edition Draconomicon book anyway. Sorry if this is too off topic!

---