Re: Undead Armies

In a message dated 12/4/00 11:33:52 PM Central Standard Time,
psycho@??????.ca writes:

> Sneaking out from the shadows, I gotta say it...
>
>
>  > A supra-genius being should (and in game play this could be a MUST if
you
> do
>  > not want your villains to act as simple morons) be surrounded by a staff
> of
>  > councelors expert in all the fields that he needs, just to fillfull his
> own
>  > lack of expertise.
>
>  when you have enough power, the whole concept of lacking expertise gets
>  kinda overshadowed by super-ego, and delegating power to underlings
>  probably isn't a concept that the undead seem particularly prone to (why
>  tolerate another intelligent creature, especially since each creature
>  follows its OWN agenda....)  This is one of the few weaknesses of
>  liches.  What most of them lack in leadership, they tend to make up for
>  in raw power.  If this were not true,  there would be a lot more liches
>  controlling vast territories in most campaign worlds.
>
>  >
>  > A Lich engaging in a war WILL search Generals (undead or not) to guide
his
>  > own armies.
>
>  Possibly, but that also means creating a weakness, unless the underling
>  is capable of nothing but obediance to the liche's will.  Most who feel
>  that becoming a liche is worth becoming undead for, would tend to be
>  those who are not overly social to begin with....
>
>  >  Also, counting the free time that being Undead grants (you can
>  > wait eternity if you want, and you do not even have to waste time
sleeping
>  > or eating)
>  > only an idiot would not use a bit of his spare time in learning a little
>  > Tactics, Logistics and Strategy needed to conduct a war if the need
arises.
>
>
>  Assuming that the liche is driven by a RATIONAL MIND!!  A few centuries
>  (or millenia) of undeath could slant its thoughts a bit, and they would
>  be likely to spend their time doing whatever it was that made them want
>  to become a liche in the first place.
>
>  Just my own thoughts on the subject,
>  Blue coyote
>


All true, but egotistical, monomaniacal villains with no common sense are
rather cliche, overused and dull, IMHO.  I find the lich who's willing to use
generals or possesses sound strategic skill himself to be far more
interesting.  Or, better yet, put him in the center of a vast Machiavellian
plot with all sorts of pawns, making himself untouchable.  Guess it's really
a matter of style.

Jason Leinen