Lich Warlord
Medium Undead, Lawful Evil
- Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 209 (22d8 + 110)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 21 (+5) 24 (+7) 18 (+4) 23 (+6)
- Saving Throws Con +12, Int +14, Wis +11
- Skills Intimidation +20, Persuasion +13, Perception +11, History +14
- Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, stunned
- Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 21
- Languages None
- Challenge 23 (50,000 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.
Turn Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
Innate Spellcasting. The lich is a 16th level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 22, +14 to hit with spell attacks).
- Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, mage hand, minor illusion
- 1st-level (4 slots): detect magic, shield, silent image, thunderwave
- 2nd-level (3 slots): blur, detect thoughts, Hold person
- 3rd-level (3 slots): animate dead, dispel magic, Slow
- 4th-level (3 slots): confusion, dimension door
- 5th-level (2 slots): geas, dominate person
- 6th-level (1 slot): create undead, disintegrate
- 7th-level (1 slot): finger of death, teleport
- 8th-level (1 slot): power word stun
Actions
Eyes of the commander. Ranged Spell Attack: +14 to hit, range 60 ft., one creature. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 5) cold damage. The target makes a DC 22 Constitution saving throw. Failure: become incapacitated until the end of its next turn.
Raise Captains (Recharge 5–6). The lich raises 2 undead Captains (see page 4) at points of its choice within 120 feet of it, up to a maximum of six of them at once. Roll initiative for the Captains, which have their own turns.
Bonus Actions
Lord Aura. The lich emit a powerful glowing aura in a 20 foot radius. The aura moves with the lich and casts dim light inside its area. The aura disappears at the beginning of the lich’s next turn.
- Anti Magic Bubble. The aura becomes purple. Any spell cast with a 4th-level or lower spell slot from outside the aura can’t affect anything inside the aura. Using a spell to target something inside the aura or include the aura’s space in an area has no effect on anything inside.
- Shielding Aura. The aura becomes light-blue. Each Undead creature that starts its turn inside the aura gains 7 (2d6) temporary hit points (including the lich).
- Aggressor Aura. The aura becomes crimson red. Each Undead creature that begins its turn inside the aura increases their walking speed by 30 feet until the end of their turn and their next attack is made with advantage.
- Draining Aura. The aura becomes dull grey. Each creature that is not undead or contruct must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. Failure: gain one cumulative level of exhaustion that lasts for 1 minute and take 2d6 necrotic damage plus 1d6 necrotic damage for each level of exhaustion. A creature exhausted by this aura repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. Success: Remove all level of exhaustion from this effect.
Legendary Action(3)
Cast (1). The lich casts a cantrip or a 1st-level spell.
Command Soldiers (1). Up to 4 undeads controlled by the lich can either move up to their speed or make a single weapon attack.
Might of the Commander (1-3). The lich can expend any number of legendary action to empower each undead it control within 30 feet of itself. Until the start of its next turn, those undeads gain a +1 bonus to their attack rolls, damage rolls, and AC for every legendary action expended, up to a maximum of +3.
Apex Action
Round 1: Warcry. Each creature of the lich's choice that is within 120 feet of the lich and aware of it must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw. Failure: the creature become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. Success: the creature is not frightened and is immune to the lich's Warcry for the next 24 hours.
Round 2: Infantry. A Zombie or Skeleton rise next to each creature of the lich’s choice that it can see and dies on initiative count 20 of the following round. The raised undeads act on initiative count 10 of this round.
Round 3: Artillery. The lich call forth the spirit of its army. The first time a creature hostile to the lich take damage on this turn, it must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. Failure: take an additional 6d6 necrotic damage. Success: take half as much damage.
Description
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Follower of The Great One Having felled its archenemy the warlord was left without objective, until it caught the eye of The Great One a powerful entity traveling through dimensions, collecting monsters and unimaginable horrors. It was offered the position of General and the promise of new powerful foes.
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Strategic Genius Warlords are legendary battlefield commanders, whose names are spoken with awe. Using advanced tactics to take down their enemies. A warlord presence alone can bolster their allies and in the right circumstances they could easily take on the role of monarch or general after a string of decisive victories.
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Undead Nature. A lich doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
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A Lich walord's Lair. A lich often haunts the abode it favored in life, such as a lonely tower, an abandoned fortress, or an ancient battlefield. Alternatively, some liches warlord construct secret forts and tombs filled with powerful guardians and traps. Undead, constructs lurks 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 24 (62,000 XP)
Lair Action
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:
- Focus! 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.
- Rise! The lich causes up to four corpses within the lair to rise as skeletons or zombies.
- Ambush! 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 20 Constitution saving throw. Failure: take 42 (12d6) necrotic damage. Success: half as much damage on a success. The apparitions then disappear.
Tactics
Beginning of the Round
Use the Apex action corresponding to the round
Monster turn
Beginning of the turn
- If Raise Captain unavailable → roll to recharge
Targeting Priorities
- Enemy that dealt the most damage or incapacitated the most allies
- Enemy with low Hp
- Enemy supporting its allies
Bonus Action
- Lord Aura changes depending on target
∟ Spellcaster → Anti Magic Bubble.
∟ Ranged attacker → Shielding Aura.
∟ Melee attacker → Draining Aura.
∟ Target with 1/4 Hp or less → Draining Aura.
Movement
- Move behind allied creature
- Move toward target to affect them with aura
- Move in range to cast spell then move away
- If in danger cast teleport, blur or slow to retreat.
Action
- If Raise Captain available and no active Captain → Raise Captain
- If no other creature under the lich control → Cast create undead or animate dead
- Surrounded Target → Eyes of the Commander.
- Cast a spell
└ Low Dex target or inanimate obstacles → disintegrate
└ Low Hp or Low Con target → finger of death
└ Dangerous target → power word stun
└ Low Wis target → dominate person or hold person
Player turn
End of Turn
- Enemy near death or afflicted with a condition → Command Soldiers.
- Enemy in melee reach
∟ If allied creature within 30 feet → Command Soldiers.
∟ If no allied creature within 30 feet → Cast. - No enemy in melee reach and more than 1/4 Hp Might of the Commander.
Undead Captains
Description
- Fallen Captain The captains and elite fighters of a war horde hew through the front lines of battle with heavy blows and rehearsed tactics. Having followed their general through life they followed it in its new life and new war, even if some lost their mind and will in the process they still are master at their style of fighting.
Skeletal Cut-throat
Medium Undead
- Armor Class 15 AC
- Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 6 (-2) 8 (-1) 3 (-4)
- Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +4
- Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning
- Damage Resistances piercing
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
- Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speak
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Crippling Strike. When the cut-throat hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, its speed is reduced by 10 feet, to a minimum of 0, until the end of its next turn, and it can't take the Dash action until the end of its turn.
Actions
Multiattack (2).
- Rend Flesh (1). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage. If a target is hit twice by this attack on the same turn it takes an additional 3 (1d6) slashing damage.
Reactions
Deadly Riposte. When a creature within the cut-throat’s reach misses with a melee attack against the cut-throat or a creature within 5 feet, the cut-throat can make a Rend flesh attack against the attacker.
Art by David Astruga
Skeletal Cut-Throat
A deadly assasin, reborn in the form of a mindless soldier, they retain their skill with the blade and become even more cold and efficient killer with no concern for their own well being.
Art: Rank Officer By Nicholas Gregory
Graveborn Warden
Medium Undead
- Armor Class 16
- Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 6 (-2) 8 (-1) 5 (-3)
- Saving Throws Str +5, Dex +4
- Condition Immunities poison
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
- Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speak
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Regeneration. The graveborn warden regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn. If the graveborn warden takes fire or radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the graveborn warden’s next turn. The graveborn warden dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Actions
Multiattack (2).
- Longsword (1). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage, or 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands.
Reactions
Meat Shield. When a creature that the warden can see hits a target, other than itself, within 5 feet of it with an attack, it can choose to take the incoming damage in place of the original target and reduce the damage of the attack by 1d10+2.
Graveborn Warden
Graveborn wardens are typically solitary guardians and do not usually associate with other undead unless under the active control of a necromancer. But in such cases, they lead the charge and take damage for their less resistant allies.
Spell-Breaker Specter
Struck down by magic in a previous life, these specter swore revenge against a spellcasters, this anger fuel their power and let the bend the weave to to turn spells against their user.
Spell-Breaker Specter
Medium Undead
- Armor Class 14 AC
- Hit Points 44 (8d8+8)
- Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 7 (-2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 11 (+0)
- Damage Vulnerabilities
- Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
- Languages any languages it knew in life
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Incorporeal Movement. The specter can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Actions
Shocking Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 3) lightning damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage and the target has disadvantage on their next concentration check.
Reactions
Spell Reflection. When a ranged spell attack or a spell with an area of effect centered on a point targets a creature or point within 10 feet of the specter, the specter can redirect the spell. It can cause a ranged spell attack to target a different creature within 10 feet of the original target (after the attack roll is made but before the outcome is determined), or it can move the area of effect’s point of focus by up to 10 feet in any direction.