Melee Sorc Lich Build

Pathfinder: WotR Class Builds
#1

I’ve taken InEffect’s build and tweaked it a bunch for WotR. So, credit to him for getting a good balance of classes and feats. I’ll also use a similar format to his for the class breakdown for ease of use. Now, This is more of a roleplay Lich, and I went with Dhampir with seriously low constitution as I suspect that when you transform into an undead creature, you’ll ignore it and your HP will be charisma based. This means some serious suffering early on. Make sure you’re enlarged and using him as a backliner. When you start to get sources of temp hitpoints, this is a non issue. Was wrecking things on core difficulty setting. Once I got my first Lich level, I was laughing. I’d suggest merging spellbooks for the higher caster level. Once you can push your caster level to 25+, you will/should be able to cast per round self buffs as 24 hour buffs with the right mythic feats selected.

InEffect’s Original Build Here: https://www.gog.com/forum/pathfinder_kingmaker/ineffects_guide_v2/post41

Melee Sorc

Race: Dhampir (Svetocher)

Background: Farmhand

Alignment: LE

Stats:
Str: 20 > 24
Dex: 14
Con: 5
Int: 11 > 12 @4
Wis: 7
Cha: 18

Final Build: Monk(Scaled Fist) 1/Sorcerer(Black Dragon) 5/Dragon Disciple 4/Eldritch Knight 10

Main skills: Mobility 3, Knowledge: Arcana (Max), Persuasion (Max)
Suggested secondary skills: Perception, UMD

Lvl 1: Monk - Martial Weapons // Crane Style
Lvl 2: Sorcerer - Extend Spell
Lvl 3: Sorcerer - Weapon Focus: Scythe
Lvl 4: Sorcerer
Lvl 5: Sorcerer - Dazzling Display
Lvl 6: Dragon Disciple
Lvl 7: Dragon Disciple - Outflank // Power Attack
Lvl 8: Dragon Disciple
Lvl 9: Dragon Disciple - Shatter Defenses
Lvl 10: Eldritch Knight - Cleave
Lvl 11: Eldritch Knight - Cleaving Finish
Lvl 12: Eldritch Knight
Lvl 13: Eldritch Knight - Improved Critical (Scythe)
Lvl 14: Eldritch Knight - Great Cleave
Lvl 15: Eldritch Knight - Improved Cleaving Finish
Lvl 16: Eldritch Knight
Lvl 17: Eldritch Knight - Greater Weapon Focus: Scythe
Lvl 18: Eldritch Knight - Weapon Specialization (Scythe)
Lvl 19: Eldritch Knight - *Blood Drinker (Dhampir)
Lvl 20: Sorcerer
*Optional. Bugged in alpha as well

Mythic Feats/Abilities (A lot of this is TBD for Alpha, you may want to change the order based on your preferences)
Lvl 1: Dance Macabre - Enduring Spells
Lvl 2: Extra Mythic Ability - Greater Enduring Spells
Lvl 3: Archmage Armor
Lvl 4: Improved Critical - Mythic (Scythe)
Lvl 5: Abundant Casting
Lvl 6: Power Attack - Mythic
Lvl 7: Improved Abundant Casting
Lvl 8: Weapon Focus- Mythic
Lvl 9: Favorite Metamagic - Extend (Free extends) or Greater Abundant Casting
Lvl 10: Sorcerous Reflex or Weapon Specialization - Mythic (Reflex lets you open with a sick quickened Lich spell and then get to melee’ing where you can get the same from the EK’s Spell Critical)

Important Spells:
Lvl 1: Shield, Enlarge Person, Mage Armor, Protection from Alignment, True Strike
Lvl 2: Mirror Image, Sense Vitals, Blur
Lvl 3: Haste, Displacement, Greater Magic Weapon, Resist Energy Communal.
Lvl 4: Vampiric Blade, Greater Invisibility, Animate Dead, Animal Aspect (Greater), Protection From Energy(Communal)
Lvl 5: Thoughtsense, Stoneskin Communal, Phantasmal Web, Deny Death
Lvl 6: Transformation, Heroism(Greater), Bone Shield, False Grace, Siphon Life, Siphon Time
Lvl 7: Legendary Proportions, Waves of Exhaustion, Firebrand, Blessing of Unlife, Restore Undead
Lvl 8: Frightful Aspect, Seamantle
Lvl 9: Fiery Body, Foresight

You’ll have access to all of the Lich spells. Not to say some of the other spells aren’t great, but these are more or less necessities for the build focusing on melee combat.

Gear: Wide Sweep Scythe(An AE scythe plus cleaving finish and vampiric blade, yes please!), Monk Robes, TBD

Let me know what you think.

1 Like
Lich Build help
#2

You’re a farmhand…a FARMHAND!!! Do you want to spend millennia with every other lich on Golarian telling jokes about you, a sheep, and a cold winter night?

More seriously, the build seems solid. I don’t know whether health is based on charisma for the lich path.

4 Likes
#3

I’m more of a goat man, myself…

But, seriously. You could pick pretty much whatever background you want. Geb Necromancer would be fine too, since you have access to the martial weapons from the start. A farmer is just so…Scythe’y. Plus, you can always use a higher save. Even if it’s fortitude.

As for the charisma thing. Here’s a screen of one of the raised companions. I’m fairly confident that this will end up happening during your transformation.

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#4

Here’s an idea of his stats without bard buffs when capped out. Or, any real gear for that matter.:

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20201029064139_1
20201029064139_13440×1440 829 KB

#5

A Lich Sorcerer Monk uses Charisma for almost anything. So unfair !

#6

Well, I made an archer who uses wis for almost everything.
(Zen Archer3, Fighter1, Empyrial Sorcerer6, Eldritch Knight10)
I did not play with it, but I think it OK (not the most powerful thing, just OK)

Its a good idea to use one stat for as many stuff as possible.
I hope in BG3 they add the hexblade, a warlock who uses cha instead of str for weapons.

#7

That’s the one and only thing that I like about Zen archer. The majority of that class is pointless. Although, you could probably say the same thing about most monks in general… As far as a full class goes. I’ve played around with Lann a bit in my playthrough’s, but honestly. His dex, wis and strength are all so high, that you can do almost anything with him. I’d probably stick with a ranger with an animal companion though.

The most popular classes are fairly well represented by your companions, so it can make it pretty tough to choose not only what you play, but what you do with said companions to make them feel different.

#8

…So Ainz Ooal Gown?

1 Like
#9

I’m running this build for my initial Beta run, it’s really nice once you get the Lich mythic levels going. The 5 con is a bit of a drag in unexpected ways, though.

Walking on the world map tends to exhaust you very frequently, not a big deal in beta, but could be problematic once the full camping rules are in. If you go this route I’d expend resources for as high a +con item as you can afford.

#10

I actually did this as a baseline for 1st level true neutral run to Drezen. This way I didn’t have to repeat the first 2 acts if I wanted to try another path. Took fighter at level 1 instead, so I didn’t have to be lawful for the monk. In hindsight, not the most well rounded or though out plan for the other mythic paths. But, I could always change the stats around through some save editing since respect isn’t in yet.

It definitely has drawbacks initially. However, I’m not even playing as a lich in my current playthrough and it’s still very doable. Like you mentioned, You wanna throw on some plus con belts initially. At least, until you have 24 hour spells. But, as an angel oracle with all of the angel buffs at 24 hours. I’m having zero issues now. Surprisingly, he’s got a higher AC than anyone else in the party, including pets. And, he’s using a 2 hander with the highest damage. Especially, with the improved crit pushing his multiplier to x5.

The main idea of the build is that you eventually turn into an undead creature(lich path obviously) and CON is taken out of the equation for you. Your HP will be based on CHA, which you’ll have in abundance. If you’re going with that stat spread for the first 2/3+ of the game though. You wanna make absolutely sure that you’re doing your best to not get hit. Even if you have to change weapon types to a reach weapon would be helpful. But, I’d suggest staying enlarged and in the second row with the scythe.

1 Like
#11

I’m on my second or third Lich mythic level now, and I’m really blown away about how well the whole build synergizes. Even with just the 24hr self buffs running, my main has turned into a wrecking ball.

My AC is off the charts, DPS is pretty darn good, and the self heal with Vampiric Blade more than make up for the reduced hps (still waiting to fully transform into undead).

I just got the Transformation spell, and I can’t wait to give that a whirl when I get to play next.

Kudos, this build kicks a$$, thanks for posting it.

#12

This is good to hear. Just started with this build the other day. And since I have no idea what I’m doing with my companions, my hope is that this build compensates for it :slight_smile:

1 Like
#13

Hah, yeah, I know what you mean about companions! This build so far has held up well through early-mid Chapter 3. I would say my biggest frustration to date was running out of gas on the world map, but once I found a +4 con item that was mitigated substantially.

The only thing that had me nervous when leveling was getting enough healing. I ended up throwing a bunch of Inflict Wounds spells on Camellia, and gave Daerin and few, and it ended up not being a problem.

Not to spoil you, but the problem is lessened even further at the beginning of Chapt 3.

1 Like
#14

Question,
Why not take Sohei?
it gives you Martial Weapons, Crane Style, the Armor Bonus + 1feat extra?
ok the Horse is realy low level…
but hey…

#15

Isn’t sohei WIS based? Scaled fist gets boni from CHA, so there’s synergy.

#16

you are totaly correct, and iam an idiot…
damn^^

#17

Don’t be so hard on yourself, friend. There’s a lot of variables to keep in mind.

#18

Hello,

Thanks for sharing, very happy to have a try. I’m mostly more ranged sorcerer usually, but the Lich path is very interresting.

I tried to use quick level up to have overview without doing game again, but in my tries, no way to have LICH PATH unlocked.
Always only Angel and Demon.

I read again and again this topic, and in the game no indication how to unlock this lich path.

Could you help me please ?

Thanks a lot.

#19
Summary

you can only get access to the lich path during act2… you need to find a wand, and not destroy it…
and when you go save your people from the gargoyls, give the wand to the lich

#20

Oh i missed that, so Ok i understand better. I’ll have a try so, thanks a lot.