Eldritch Lich
Eldritch Lich
Medium Undead, Typically Neutral Evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 165 (22d8 + 66)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
STR
11 (+0)
DEX
18 (+4)
CON
16 (+3)
INT
19 (+4)
WIS
14 (+2)
CHA
12 (+1)
Saving Throws INT +9, WIS +7
Skills Arcana +14, Perception +7
Damage Resistances Necrotic, Poison
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses Truesight 120ft., Passive Perception 17
Languages Common, Deep Speech, Telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +5
Traits

Far Realm Parasite. Inside the lich’s torso dwells a wormlike parasite that contains the lich’s soul. When the lich dies, it implodes into the parasite, which then vanishes into the Far Realm. In 2d4 days, the parasite causes the lich to reappear within 1d4 miles of where it died. If the lich died inside a magic circle cast to contain Undead, the lich instead reappears as an otyugh with all the lich’s memories.

Legendary Resistance (4/Day). If the lich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Unusual Nature. The lich doesn’t need air, food, drink, or sleep.

Actions

Multiattack. The lich makes one Parasitic Tentacle attack or uses Spellcasting. The lich also uses Psychic Whisper twice.

Parasitic Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 25 (6d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 25 (6d6 + 4) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. The poisoned target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The third time the target fails the save, the target dies and dissolves into a gibbering mouther that obeys the lich and uses the target’s initiative.

Psychic Whisper. The lich targets one creature it can see within 120 feet of itself. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or take 25 (6d6 + 4) psychic damage and be stunned until the end of the lich’s next turn as incomprehensible whispers fill the target’s mind.

Spellcasting. The lich casts one of the following spells, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 17):

At will: detect magic, mage hand, prestidigitation

2/day each: dispel magic, hunger of Hadar, lightning bolt

1/day each: arcane eye, dimension door, plane shift (self only)

Reactions

Far Realm Step. Immediately after taking damage, the lich, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, magically teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

Description

From beyond the stars, a Great Old One whispers promises of reality-defying knowledge and world-bending power. When a wizard or a warlock hears that whisper and listens too intently, they might set foot on the twisting path toward becoming an eldritch lich.

Like other liches, eldritch liches are spellcasters who have cheated death, but an eldritch lich does so by allowing a Great Old One to implant a Far Realm parasite in the lich. That parasite bestows undeath upon the spellcaster and causes strange tentacles to sprout from the body. The parasite’s mouth is visible on the lich’s torso, and the parasite guards the lich against destruction, reviving the lich a few days after death. Canny foes can sabotage an eldritch lich’s revival by slaying the lich in a magic circle, thereby forcing the lich to return in a distorted form, robbed of most of its power.

An eldritch lich constantly hears bizarre whispers from the Far Realm, to which the lich nods and mutters. Occasionally, the lich uses its telepathy to share those whispers with the minds around it.

Form of the Great Old One

Multiple entities bear the title Great Old One. You may roll on the Great Old Ones table to determine which entity gave an eldritch lich its parasite.

Great Old Ones

d6 Form
1 Cthulhu
2 Tharizdun, the Chained God
3 Dendar, the Night Serpent
4 Ghaunadaur
5 Zargon, the Returner
6 That Which Lurks

Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures, pg. 6

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