Undead. Creature no longer requires air, food, drink, or sleep.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The dracolich has advantage on Saving Throws against Spellsand other magical Effects
Multiattack. The dragon makes one Bite attack and two Claw attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10+8) piercing damage plus 13 (3d8) force damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6+8) slashing damage.
Singularity Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon creates a shining bead of gravitational force in its mouth, then releases the energy in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 23 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 63 (14d8) force damage, and its speed becomes 0 until the start of the dragon’s next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and its speed isn’t reduced.
Spellcasting (Psionics). The dragon casts one of the following spells, requiring no spell components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 23, +15 to hit with spell attacks):
1/day each: blink, control water, dispel magic, freedom of movement, globe of invulnerability, plane shift, protection from evil and good, sending
Change Shape. The dragon magically transforms into any creature that is Medium or Small, while retaining its game statistics (other than its size). This transformation ends if the dragon is reduced to 0 hit points or uses a bonus action to end it.
Psychic Step. The dragon magically teleports to an unoccupied space it can see within 60 feet of it.
The dragon 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 dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Claw. The dragon makes one claw attack.
Psionics (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon uses Psychic Step or Spellcasting.
Explosive Crystal (Costs 3 Actions). The dragon spits an amethyst that that explodes at a point it can see within 60 feet of it. Each creature within a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must succeed on a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw or take 18 (4d8) force damage and be knocked prone.
Description
Even as long-lived as they are, all dragons must eventually die. This thought doesn’t sit well with many dragons, some of which allow themselves to be transformed by necromantic energy and ancient rituals into powerful undead dracoliches. Only the most narcissistic dragons choose this path, knowing that by doing so, they sever all ties to their kin and the dragon gods.
Beyond Death. A dracolich retains its shape and size upon transforming, its skin and scales drawing tight to its bones or sloughing away to leave a skeletal form behind. Its eyes appear as glowing points of light floating in shadowy sockets, hinting at the malevolence of its undead mind.
Though many dragons pursue vain goals of destruction and dominance, dracoliches are more nefarious than the most evil dragons, driven to rule over all. A dracolich is a fiendishly intelligent tyrant that crafts complex webs of foul schemes, attracting servants motivated by greed and a lust for power. Acting from the shadows and actively plotting to keep its existence a secret, a dracolich is a cunning and challenging foe.
Dracolich Phylacteries. Creating a dracolich requires the cooperation of the dragon and a group of mages or cultists that can perform the proper ritual. During the ritual, the dragon consumes a toxic brew that slays it instantly. The attendant spellcasters then ensnare its spirit and transfer it to a special gemstone that functions like a lich’s phylactery. As the dragon’s flesh rots away, the spirit inside the gem returns to animate the dragon’s bones.
If a dracolich’s physical form is ever destroyed, its spirit returns to the gem as long as the two are on the same plane. If the gem comes into contact with another dragon’s corpse, the dracolich’s spirit can take possession of that corpse to become a new dracolich. If the dracolich’s spirit gem is taken to another plane, the dracolich’s spirit has nowhere to go when its undead body is destroyed and simply passes into the afterlife.
Cosmological Study
Many amethyst dragons are fascinated by the existence of other worlds in the Material Plane, and especially the way individual dragons manifest unique echoes across those worlds. They also prize understanding of the cosmic forces that emanate from the Outer Planes, studying the opposing tides of good and evil, chaos and order, so they can offer counsel to those with the wisdom to accept it.
Amethyst dragons pay particular attention to intrusions of the Far Realm into the Material Plane. They loathe the corruption that accompanies such intrusions into the world, making them fierce opponents of the Far Realm and any creatures warped by its touch. Strangely, though, they are intrigued by and fond of flumphs. These Aberrations, which oppose the depredations of mind flayers and other wicked Aberrations, remind amethyst dragons that allies can be found in the strangest places.
Hoarded Arcana
In addition to material wealth, amethyst dragons delight in collecting knowledge and magic dealing with the nature of the planes of existence, cosmic forces, and distant worlds. They prize treasures drawn from different worlds of the Material Plane, especially magic items and artworks that highlight the unique nature of different worlds. Magic items that allow teleportation or travel between planes, spellbooks filled with similar magic, and treatises examining the nature of the multiverse form the centerpiece of an amethyst dragon’s hoard.
Lair and Lair Actions
An Amethyst Dragon’s Lair
Amethyst dragons make their lairs in caves next to or under secluded pools and lakes, preferring caverns with at least one entrance submerged underwater. They prize locations with a combination of open space, connecting tunnels, and dead ends to make the most of their natural and magical mobility, using flight and teleportation to navigate obstacles in their lairs.
The challenge rating of a legendary amethyst dragon increases by 1 when it’s encountered in its lair.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon can take one of the following lair actions; the dragon can’t take the same lair action two rounds in a row:
Beguiling Whisper. The dragon telepathically whispers to one creature within range of the dragon’s telepathy. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the dragon until initiative count 20 on the next round. A creature charmed in this way obeys to the best of its ability any command the dragon issues that isn’t directly harmful to the creature.
Imprisoning Force. The dragon casts the forcecage spell, using its spell save DC and requiring no spell components. The spell ends early if the dragon uses this lair action again or dies.
Spatial Projection. The dragon chooses a space it can fit into within the lair. It exists in its own space and the chosen space simultaneously until initiative count 20 on the next round. Whenever it moves or takes an action, it chooses which version of itself is moving or acting. If an effect or attack can target both of the dragon’s spaces at the same time, the dragon is affected only once.
Regional Effects
The region surrounding a legendary amethyst dragon’s lair is altered by the dragon’s magic, creating one or more of the following effects:
Background Check. Once per day, the dragon can cast the legend lore spell, requiring no spell components, naming any person, place, or object within 1 mile of the lair as the spell’s subject.
Crystal Profusion. Amethyst crystals and geodes form along muddy shores and lake beds within 6 miles of the lair.
Thriving Wildlife. Fish and other aquatic Beasts reproduce rapidly and thrive in bodies of water within 6 miles of the lair. Foraging in these waters yields twice the usual amount of food.
Watery Sight. Water within 6 miles of the lair is a conduit for the dragon’s psionic presence. As an action, the dragon can cast the clairvoyance spell, requiring no spell components and targeting any body of water in that region.
If the dragon dies, the populations of aquatic life near the lair return to normal levels over the course of 1d10 days. The existing abundance of amethysts remains, but new crystals and geodes form at a normal rate.
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