No way to resist their drains in melee range but some methods of reduction exist: extremely high willpower, amulet of protection from undead.
Even with that, very experienced lich kings and emperors will drain the PC in melee and that is inevitable with prolonged close combat.
Best is to just slay them from a safe distance - my favorite tool is the rune covered trident since it's an undead slayer and returns when thrown.
It doesn't always return so it's best to separate lich royalty away from the bulk one by one and destroy them in a safer location where you can recover the trident without risk.
Typically missiles of undead slaying are used but some will be destroyed, others will be lost due to the crowd of summons and unless you're an archer, there aren't that many to be found around to begin with.
Sun's messenger is the most reliable method since it turns every arrow into an undead slayer but it's not exactly a guaranteed artifact.
Extremely high strength and powerful weapon (like aotme) allow for 1-2 hit slayings of even lich kings.
With 7LB and high speed, you can time your melee attacks to hit once and then retreat to a distance. Rinse and repeat, like a quickling.
You could hit twice, turn after turn but you run the risk of missing due to their high DV and then they might land a few drains in a single turn of their movement.
This is especially bad if they decide to fight to the death in blind rage (which they often do once severely wounded; a likely scenario after one very powerful hit).
Their movements will double and allow them to drain in excess of 10 points total.
Last edited by Blasphemous; 01-09-2015 at 04:41 PM.
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."