Okay, so with the release of Dwimmermount it seem we have a true ACKS stat block for the Lich. Assuming I have a Chaotic Mage, becoming a Lich seems like the ultimate goal to achieve. I’m not sure if Zaharan classes are better for this or not, or if there is a more optimal path but I have tried to work out the process.
To create a Lich (using oneself) requires (ideally) 14th level mage with Int 18. Level 14 so we can re-create ourselves as a Lich with the max HD possible and Intelligence 18 so we can get all four '*'s for the abilities.
Now comes the cost.
Requires 2k per HD (14) = 28,000
5k per special ability (4) = 20k
Combined research cost is 48k in gold.
48k = 48 days duration of the procedure.
Success on magic research throw required. Target increased by 1 for every 5k of the cost, come out to be +9 to target value for cost I think depending on how you count the last 3,000.
Also require a private ‘mortuary and embalming chamber’ at least equal in value to the ritual cost (48k). 48k value. 96k combined for research costs and mortuary. 90k extra as ‘safety’ materials mitigates magic research throw penalty so that it is a simple unmodified magical research roll.
186k so far for mitigated research throw. (Roll of 3 or higher).
Or 96k for +9 penalty, ignoring extra investment into mortuary. (Roll of 12 or higher). Should probably go for the safety cash.
48k xp worth of monster guts plus parts of a creature with 4 special abilities ALSO required.
- Very Old Dragon satisfies 4 special abilities (7,200 xp)
- Vampire satisfies 4 special abilities (1,840-3,100 xp)
- There may be other creatures with that many abilities but those stand out.
Assuming a typical RPG career, vampires and potentially a very old dragon could have been killed. If we are a ‘plan ahead’ type of mage, we surely saved some monster guts from these creatures. Maybe helping fulfill the trope of a laboratory filled with odd samples in jars, to keep the organs from going bad before the eventual procedure. Even killing a very old dragon still leaves ~40k xp worth of monster guts to be gathered. Seems like you’d have to be saving for quite awhile, OR using the dungeon beneath your wizard tower to ‘farm’ parts that way.
So. As a chaotic mage, IF you save up monster guts (and preserve them) over the course of your career (to get towards 48k xp’s worth)AND nail a vampire or dragon, AND save up 186,000 gold (besides whatever you put into your wizard tower) to cover the costs of research and mortuary and ‘safety’ materials for the mortuary, turning yourself into a Lich comes down to having 48 days of downtime and being able to roll 3 and above on a d20.
Do I have this about right?