About the whole Irenicus thing, it’s not as though he doesn’t use Imoen’s soul... he gives it to his sister who’s just trying to feel alive again. Irenicus seemed more picky for himself, since he wants enough power to wreck the elven homeland. Charname is apparently at just the right level of “untapped power” (probably due to the whole priestess of Bhaal for a mother) versus “holy crap why do you have so much power?”
Also, all Liches with the exception of Coldhearth. keep their Phylactery attached to their bodies so adventurers need only kill them once.
What makes you say that? Charname doesn't actually destroy any lich phylacteries in BG2. Meaning, Charname doesn't actually kill any liches in BG2.
Meaning, for all those players who put Kangaxx together to snag a ring with a near- useless amount of regeration, and justify by claiming they only want to end the threat of the lich? Uh no, sorry buddy. You just unleashed the lich. His little magical trinket was simply the bait he used to dupe you. Why do you think his fighting tactics are so bad that he can't defeat an unusually angry warrior?? He wants to lose.
@subtledoctor You just made Kangaxx *way* more awesome, thank you.
I'm sure Kangaxx is more than willing to part with a reasonably powerful artifact (he probably has tons more) and then hope he doesn't cross paths with the significantly more powerful CHARNAME again in the future.
Kangaxx is smart, he won't mess with people he can't beat again, he'll stick to gaining power and knowledge like most liches. Oh and playing to take over the world.
Though I bet Szass Tam could give him a run for his money.
I was going through this thread because I was bored, and wanted to bring this back up for discussion, because a thought occurred.
What if the Ring of Gaxx IS Kangaxx's phylactery? It would certainly keep him alive as the party would never destroy such a powerful artifact that is benefiting them, and the respawned Kangaxx can then go about and do whatever he wishes.
Don't liches reform next to their phylacteries? Charname would probably notice. Maybe that's just 3e liches.
Also, all Liches with the exception of Coldhearth. keep their Phylactery attached to their bodies so adventurers need only kill them once.
What makes you say that? Charname doesn't actually destroy any lich phylacteries in BG2. Meaning, Charname doesn't actually kill any liches in BG2.
Meaning, for all those players who put Kangaxx together to snag a ring with a near- useless amount of regeration, and justify by claiming they only want to end the threat of the lich? Uh no, sorry buddy. You just unleashed the lich. His little magical trinket was simply the bait he used to dupe you. Why do you think his fighting tactics are so bad that he can't defeat an unusually angry warrior?? He wants to lose.
@subtledoctor You just made Kangaxx *way* more awesome, thank you.
I'm sure Kangaxx is more than willing to part with a reasonably powerful artifact (he probably has tons more) and then hope he doesn't cross paths with the significantly more powerful CHARNAME again in the future.
Kangaxx is smart, he won't mess with people he can't beat again, he'll stick to gaining power and knowledge like most liches. Oh and playing to take over the world.
Though I bet Szass Tam could give him a run for his money.
I was going through this thread because I was bored, and wanted to bring this back up for discussion, because a thought occurred.
What if the Ring of Gaxx IS Kangaxx's phylactery? It would certainly keep him alive as the party would never destroy such a powerful artifact that is benefiting them, and the respawned Kangaxx can then go about and do whatever he wishes.
Don't liches reform next to their phylacteries? Charname would probably notice. Maybe that's just 3e liches.
I'm not incredibly well versed in this stuff, but my personal thought is that the methods of becoming a lich are numerous, and incredibly secretive. Most liches do not go on to teach other mages their own methods, so each new mage seeking to become a lich must discover their own method.
Because of that I'd imagine the particulars of lichdom would vary a lot from lich to lich. The basic idea is always the same. They've put their soul in some mundane object, and now they cannot die so long as the object is unharmed. Beyond that, who's to say?
I think @Proont has a point actually, as far as phylacteries go.
If you can just put your soul in it and then leave it behind it ceases to be a phylactery and becomes a Horcrux.
"Phylactery" and "Horcrux" are pretty much just different authors coming up with different terms for the same general idea.
I don't think The Realms should be limited in their use of Phylacteries, because they don't want to stray too close another author's word invented decades after the fact.
Honestly, Horcrux is a much cooler name. But phylactery is the older term, so if you say Horcrux, everyone's going to think it's the Harry Potter kind.
Honestly, Horcrux is a much cooler name. But phylactery is the older term, so if you say Horcrux, everyone's going to think it's the Harry Potter kind.
I'd imagine the term "horcrux" is also J.K. Rowling's intellectual property, so using it outside of Harry Potter contexts is iffy anyway.
Edwin Logic: Expects Charname to venture into a tomb where a powerful lich is guarding centuries old magic and is willing to face off against god knows what to get there.
This is more D&D logic than solely BG. I'm a rich king/warlord/wizard/nobleman. I'm getting bored with all my wealth and power. What can I do? I know, I'll build a huge castle with all kinds of puzzles, secret doors and chambers, traps, random treasures lying all over the place and man it with hundreds of monsters/men at arms/undead/magic-users so as to protect what I have. Seriously, the logistics of this is staggering. It would literally take hours just to go outside for a walk!
"Hmmm, I feel like going for a late-night stroll. Which lever do I pull? What was the answer to that damned riddle again? Shit, forgot about those manticores I paid to patrol the halls. I hope somebody remembered to feed them..."
Are there that many instances of rich people building dungeons to protect their wealth?
Always felt like that was more of a monstrous thing. Big monster builds a lair with a bunch of lesser monsters. Kind of creature that just hangs out all day waiting for Adventurers to come slay them, doesn't move about too much.
Are there that many instances of rich people building dungeons to protect their wealth?
Firkragg built a lair partially to protect his own wealth as well as provide security for his home. He's not just a dragon, he's also a nobleman with a lot of connections.
Durlag also built a tower to protect his wealth and his family but that backfired horribly.
@Chronicler It's a very tragic story but you'll see it if you pay enough attention to the games lore. The short version is that Durlag Trollkiller (yes that's his real name) was a world famous adventurer who decided to retire to a fortress after his adventuring days were over. He created an awesome fortress for his family (and wealth) but the fortress was infiltrated by Dopplegangers who replaced everyone Durlag knew and loved. If I remember correctly, they also tricked Durlag into murdering his own family.
Durlag ended up going insane and locking himself up in the bottom of his dungeon laying nightmare inducing traps and enchantments and eventually dying sad, alone and defeated. The dungeon eventually became invested with undead and other monsters, most notably the Demon Knight that the party fights at the bottom of the tower as well as the strewn about corpses of the adventurers who attempted to conquer it's ruins before the party appeared there.
In my opinion, Durlag's Tower is the single greatest piece of Baldur's Gate Lore there is and perhaps the greatest example of what a dungeon should be. Don't get me wrong, Watcher's Keep is amazing, but Durlag's Tower is just simply a cut above the rest.
Same here with the elite hobgoblins. I assume it's primarily a balance thing but I saw a role-play explanation that they dip the arrows in poison just before they fire them.
Nah, that's the flesh golems you're thinking of. Someone once wrote about Thalantyr and his flesh golem servants in a crude way and I haven't got that dreadful picture out of my head still.
Sometimes they only have a couple poisonous arrows on them, so you've gotta kill them fast if you wanna loot them.
If you are talking about Hobgoblin Elites, well, no they don't. Stealth and backstab is one of the best strategies to use against them, and they only ever drop normal arrows. If you are finding some poison arrows or arrows of biting on them, it must be from a mod.
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Because of that I'd imagine the particulars of lichdom would vary a lot from lich to lich. The basic idea is always the same. They've put their soul in some mundane object, and now they cannot die so long as the object is unharmed. Beyond that, who's to say?
If you can just put your soul in it and then leave it behind it ceases to be a phylactery and becomes a Horcrux.
I don't think The Realms should be limited in their use of Phylacteries, because they don't want to stray too close another author's word invented decades after the fact.
Like are we teleporting or are we apparating?
Cool thanks.
Anyway, back on topic.
Edwin Logic: Expects Charname to venture into a tomb where a powerful lich is guarding centuries old magic and is willing to face off against god knows what to get there.
Craps his pants and runs in the face of Firkragg.
"Hmmm, I feel like going for a late-night stroll. Which lever do I pull? What was the answer to that damned riddle again? Shit, forgot about those manticores I paid to patrol the halls. I hope somebody remembered to feed them..."
Always felt like that was more of a monstrous thing. Big monster builds a lair with a bunch of lesser monsters. Kind of creature that just hangs out all day waiting for Adventurers to come slay them, doesn't move about too much.
Durlag also built a tower to protect his wealth and his family but that backfired horribly.
Never realized that was the backstory of Durlag's tower though.
It's a very tragic story but you'll see it if you pay enough attention to the games lore. The short version is that Durlag Trollkiller (yes that's his real name) was a world famous adventurer who decided to retire to a fortress after his adventuring days were over. He created an awesome fortress for his family (and wealth) but the fortress was infiltrated by Dopplegangers who replaced everyone Durlag knew and loved. If I remember correctly, they also tricked Durlag into murdering his own family.
Durlag ended up going insane and locking himself up in the bottom of his dungeon laying nightmare inducing traps and enchantments and eventually dying sad, alone and defeated. The dungeon eventually became invested with undead and other monsters, most notably the Demon Knight that the party fights at the bottom of the tower as well as the strewn about corpses of the adventurers who attempted to conquer it's ruins before the party appeared there.
In my opinion, Durlag's Tower is the single greatest piece of Baldur's Gate Lore there is and perhaps the greatest example of what a dungeon should be. Don't get me wrong, Watcher's Keep is amazing, but Durlag's Tower is just simply a cut above the rest.
Mystery House? Is that the one with the stairways that lead to nowhere or was that the Murder Hotel which has since been torn down?
A bone golem: a set of bones animated by magic.
One is undead while the other isn't...
A Bone Golem: A set fo bones gathered and assembled by hand. Animated by magic.
There are animate suits of armor you can fight for example. If you animated a suit of armor with a soul, would it be undead?
If so, why are undead creatures largely so limited to flesh?