Magic Resistance. The Lich Sapper has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects, and resistance to all magical damage.
Stalwart Self. The Lich Sapper cannot be possessed or controlled by a creature against its will. Spells that allow a caster to see through another's eyes have no effect when used on this creature.
Spellcasting. The Lich Sapper is a 18th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is wisdom (spell save DC 20, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The Lich Sapper has following Paladin spells prepared:
1st level (5 slots): alarm, detect evil and good, cure wounds, shield of faith
2nd level (4 slots): branding smite, lesser restoration, locate object
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, nondetection
4th level (3 slots): aura of purity, banishment
5th level (3 slots): hold monster
Bite. Melee Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 1 target. Hit: 25 (4d8 + 7) piercing damage.
Spell Leech. Feature: +5 to succeed. On a successful Bite, the Lich Sapper may attempt to leech out the spell slot of a caster, restoring one of its own. The DC for this is 10 + the caster's spell modifier + the spell slot level it is trying to leech. E.g., trying to leech a 3rd-level spell slot from a caster with a +5 modifier would be a DC 18.
Whip Lash. Ranged Attack: +3 to hit, range 30 ft., 1 target. Hit: 17 (2d6 + 10) slashing damage.
Constrict. Feature: On a successful Whip Lash, the Lich Sapper may attempt to grapple its target. It requires a successful DC 25 Athletics or Acrobatics roll to resist or escape the grapple. On its next turn, the Lich Sapper may choose to use the tail whip to bring the target closer to its mouth so that it can attempt to bite them.
Counterspell. The Lich Sapper can expend one of its level 3 or higher spell slots to use counterspell as a reaction.
Description
A torch was lit to show your way, but it seems not to penetrate past five feet in front of your eyes in the dank barrow. You were sent here to steal an item buried years ago with a powerful mage, but the way to the tomb seems fraught with a maze-like web of intercrossing tunnels. This is nothing like the map you were given. You think you hear whispers and it feels like something is watching you intensely as you pass through the twisting darkness. Were those footsteps? Was that the skittering of a rat? Or something... bigger?
You reach the door of the tomb - finally, your treasure waits on the other side. As you proceed through the arcane locks that bar your path, you are suddenly seized - not by fear, but by the lashing tail of a Lich Sapper, forever guarding its quarry.
With an appearance best likened to a scorpion, but the size of an elephant, its chitinous exoskeleton clatters against itself as the Lich Sapper skitters through its underground den, ever-watchful to prevent the escape of a powerful undead.
Lich Sappers are almost as rare as their prey, found in barrows and cairns of great mages, wizards, and sorcerors. They were made by an order of paladins in a previous age to station in the tombs of powerful casters to prevent them from becoming a dreaded enemy brought to life - a lich. As a result, they were made specifically to fight those who cast spells - and they are particularly good at it.
You feel as your energy is sapped from you, your spells fizzling out in your mind as you succumb to the bite of the Lich Sapper. As a desiccated corpse, your body is tossed to rest with the others who have come here to open the lich's tomb, a failed adventurer, like all the rest.
Lair and Lair Actions
A Lich Sapper's Barrow guards the tomb for the body of a powerful magic-user. As a result of a Lich Sapper's abilities, any creature or humanoid that enters the barrow has an unsettling sensation that they are being watched. Occasionally, this sensation can manifest in feeling like you're being followed.
Lair Actions
- Whenever a creature or humanoid enters the Lich Sapper's Barrow, the Lich Sapper is immediately aware of their presence and seeks their deepest fear. Every hour that the creature/humanoid is in the Barrow, roll a DC 20 wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the Lich Sapper learns one fear from the target, and begins to present visual and auditory hallucinations of that fear (e.g., a character who fears being left alone may begin seeing their party members disappear or leave them, or hear whispers to that end).
- When a creature/humanoid whose fear has been manifested experiences their fear, they must roll a DC 15 wisdom saving throw in order to resist being frightened while in the Barrow. Creatures/humanoids who are frightened in this way have a disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls. They may roll once per hour to see if they can overcome the effects of being frightened.
- A Lich Sapper's Barrow has a mystical darkness shrouding it that prevents torches and darkvision from being able to penetrate past 10 feet. A creature/humanoid with truesight or blindsight is not affected by this.
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