Lich

In the annals of dark sorcery and forbidden knowledge, the Lich reigns as an undying master of necromantic power. Once mortal, a Lich has traversed the treacherous path to immortality, forsaking their humanity in exchange for eternal existence and unparalleled magical might. Draped in tattered, rotting robes, their skeletal visage evokes both fear and awe.

The transformation into a Lich is a perilous ritual, requiring the mastery of necromantic arts and the sacrilege of binding one’s soul to a phylactery, an object that becomes the vessel of their essence. This unholy union grants the Lich immortality, severing the ties that bind them to the cycle of life and death, but at the cost of their mortal flesh and compassion. Their bodies decay, reduced to a skeletal form that houses their essence.

The Lich’s mastery over death magic is unparalleled, delving into the forbidden arts that manipulate life force and souls. They command legions of undead, raising them from the graves and imbuing them with dark vitality. Skeletons and zombies, their minions in unending servitude, obey the Lich’s every command, acting as guardians or extensions of their insidious will.

With the passage of time, Liches accumulate immense knowledge and arcane power. They become formidable spellcasters, wielding destructive and manipulative magics with ease. Ancient tomes and forbidden scrolls hold the secrets of their ever-expanding repertoire of spells, granting them dominion over life, death, and the very fabric of reality itself.

The phylactery, the anchor of the Lich’s existence, becomes their most prized possession and a source of vulnerability. Should the phylactery be destroyed, the Lich’s essence is severed, casting them into oblivion. Liches guard these objects with utmost care, hiding them in remote and well-protected sanctums, surrounded by powerful enchantments and deadly traps.

Encountering a Lich is a harrowing experience, as they are not only masters of necromancy but also cunning strategists. They are often found in secluded lairs, surrounded by undead guardians and intricate magical defenses. To face a Lich is to confront an ancient and malevolent intelligence, a being fueled by a hunger for power and a desire to conquer death itself.

Defeating a Lich requires not only strength of arms but also knowledge and resourcefulness. Destroying their phylactery is paramount, as it is the key to severing their immortal existence. However, the Lich will not be easily vanquished, employing their vast magical arsenal and manipulating the forces of death to protect their precious life essence.

The Lich represents the dark side of magic and the pursuit of immortality. Their existence serves as a cautionary tale, a reminder that the path to power can lead to the loss of one’s humanity and the corruption of the soul. The Lich is a testament to the enduring allure of forbidden knowledge and the eternal struggle between mortality and the desire for limitless power.

Special Abilities

Legendary Resistance

If the lich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Usage: 3 per day

Rejuvenation

If it has a phylactery, a destroyed lich gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the phylactery.

Spellcasting

The lich is an 18th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). The lich has the following wizard spells prepared:

– Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost
– 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, magic missile, shield, thunderwave
– 2nd level (3 slots): acid arrow, detect thoughts, invisibility, mirror image
– 3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, dispel magic, fireball
– 4th level (3 slots): blight, dimension door
– 5th level (3 slots): cloudkill, scrying
– 6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, globe of invulnerability
– 7th level (1 slot): finger of death, plane shift
– 8th level (1 slot): dominate monster, power word stun
– 9th level (1 slot): power word kill

Turn Resistance

The lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.

Actions

• Paralyzing Touch: Melee Spell Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Legendary Actions

• Cantrip: The lich casts a cantrip.
• Paralyzing Touch (Costs 2 Actions): The lich uses its Paralyzing Touch.
• Frightening Gaze (Costs 2 Actions): The lich fixes its gaze on one creature it can see within 10 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become frightened for 1 minute. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the lich’s gaze for the next 24 hours.
• Disrupt Life (Costs 3 Actions): Each living creature within 20 feet of the lich must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw against this magic, taking 21 (6d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Lair Actions

1. Spectral Hands: On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the lich can summon spectral hands that erupt from the ground within its lair. Each creature of the lich’s choice within 60 feet of it must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) necrotic damage as ghostly hands clutch and tear at the living.
2. Phantasmal Horror: The lich can create illusory images of a creature’s deepest fears, visible only to them. Each creature of the lich’s choice within 120 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of the creature’s next turn. This reflects the lich’s ability to manipulate the minds of its enemies.
3. Arcane Lockdown: The lich can temporarily seal doors, windows, and other openings within its lair. Up to three openings it can see within 120 feet of it become magically locked as if by the arcane lock spell. This action lasts until the lich chooses to end it (no action required), or the lich uses this lair action again.

Lich Regional Effects

• Unnatural Cold: The temperature within 1 mile of the lich’s lair drops significantly, causing water sources to freeze and plants to wither. The pervasive chill cannot be alleviated by normal means, reflecting the lich’s undead nature and its detachment from the warmth of life.
• Eerie Whispers: Eerie whispers and the faint laughter of the lich can be heard at night within 1 mile of its lair. These sounds can unsettle animals and make it difficult for creatures to rest, potentially leading to exhaustion if they cannot find respite from the lich’s haunting presence.
• Desecrated Ground: The ground within 1 mile of the lich’s lair becomes desecrated, as per the desecrate spell, enhancing the power of undead creatures. Undead within this area gain advantage on all saving throws, and the hit point maximum of any creature trying to rest in this area is reduced, reflecting the lich’s corrupting influence on the land.

Proficiencies

• Saving Throw: CON +10
• Saving Throw: INT +12
• Saving Throw: WIS +9
• Skill: Arcana +18
• Skill: History +12
• Skill: Insight +9
• Skill: Perception +9