Lich

Medium undead, any evil alignment

Armor Class

17 (natural armor)

Hit Points

135 (18d8+54)

Speed

30 ft.

STR

11 (0)

DEX

16 (+3)

CON

16 (+3)

INT

20 (+5)

WIS

14 (+2)

CHA

16 (+3)

Damage Immunities

poison, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons

Damage Resistances

cold, lightning, necrotic

Condition Immunities

charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned

Senses

truesight 120 ft.

Saving Throws

Con +10, Int +12, Wis +9

Skills

Arcana +18, History +12, Insight +9, Perception +9

Languages

Common plus up to five other languages

Challenge

21 (33,000 XP)

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): detect thoughts, invisibility, Melf’s acid arrow, 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

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.

medium
undead
cr21
monster-manual