Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the lich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
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.
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.
The lich can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The lich regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
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 non-undead 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.
A Lich’s Lair
A lich often haunts the abode it favored in life, such as a lonely tower, a haunted ruin, or an academy of black magic. Alternatively, some liches construct secret tombs filled with powerful guardians and traps.
Everything about a lich’s lair reflects its keen mind and wicked cunning, including the magic and mundane traps that secure it. Undead, constructs, and bound demons lurk in shadowy recesses, emerging to destroy those who dare to disturb the lich’s work.
A lich encountered in its lair has a challenge rating of 22 (41,000 XP).
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the lich can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects; the lich can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- The lich rolls a d8 and regains a spell slot of that level or lower. If it has no spent spell slots of that level or lower, nothing happens.
- The lich targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. A crackling cord of negative energy tethers the lich to the target. Whenever the lich takes damage, the target must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the lich takes half the damage (rounded down), and the target takes the remaining damage. This tether lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round or until the lich or the target is no longer in the lich’s lair.
- The lich calls forth the spirits of creatures that died in its lair. These apparitions materialize and attack one creature that the lich can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 52 (15d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. The apparitions then disappear.
My sons are playing lvl 17 characters. One is a pure sorcerer and one is a sorlock. They won on initiative, the sorlock did eldritch blasts for 36 damage. The sorcerer then did a subtle Power Word Kill. And that was that. I was left as a DM without a big bad.
oh boy its an angry dead guy
I’m glad I could help. Villains and patrons can add a lot to a game, but are also kind of tricky.
Well, the “supernaturally evil” rituals and need to consume souls are pretty steep barriers to entry.
Nevertheless, there are a few good (or at least non-evil) liches in official material, such as Renwick (in Princes of the Apocalypse) who was transformed into a lich by his brother, rather than of his own accord, but they are truly a rarity.
Much more common are very lawful liches, who do not see themselves as evil. A prominent example are the rulers of Thay, who basically operate as you describe, sacrificing criminals and other undesirables to sustain the brilliant minds whose magical innovations drive their society.
If only there was a spell that could be cast as a reaction that would stop the spell of another caster
You can't Counterspell a subtle spell and why would the lich Counterspell the cantrip? If he did Counterspell the cantrip, he'd be wide open for multiple spells thereafter.
just get your lich to cast clone. boom now you have to kill it sevrel times.
you can make your clone a younger version of you
nahh just give them a cople of lesser healing potians thell be fine
what about the planing permsiion from the counicl.kinda doubth they will let you build a evil in there city. oh wait bribery egists
hehehe
the only thing more evil than a lich is a dm
Liches must call witch bolt lich bolt
liches be shopping
3 Legendary Resistances and Paraltzing Touch and 3 Legendary Actions.
18th Level Wizard, it just isn't prepared.
As of Candlekeep Druid now works too.
Three way combat?
Liches for the win!
But anyway, here's a potential terrifying thought: What if there were a Lich (in lair) with a Demilich (who was Acerak in lair) as a familiar? Could anyone possibly survive that?
Wait, according to the description, does this mean that liches generally don't try to take over the world?