# The Lich It truly doesn't matter how you became a lich, what matters is what you choose to do now. A properly created Lich will always have a powered phylactery that sustains the Lich and reconstructs their body when they die, and the proper method for creating a lich is a closely guarded secret. However, there are many ways a "lesser lich" can be created. These liches have phylacteries that are simply random objects that were near their bodies when they died, and they can be created in a wide variety of ways. Ways a person could become a lich, or a lesser lich, which don't necessitate being evil: -Turned into a lich to serve a greater purpose, willingly or unwillingly. -Succumbing to your fear of death and seeking immortality at any cost. -Dying in a haunted land where most are brought back as zombies and skeletons. -Created as a byproduct of a flawed human sacrifice, or a backlash from wild necromantic magic. -Transformed into a lich by a cursed artifact. -An ancient and once great evil lich, brought back after being sealed away from a long time and willing to turn over a new leaf. ### A New Lease on Life Those who become a lich unwittingly may find themselves missing their humanity, but now they have new tools at their disposal to make the most of their situation. A lich can choose to branch out, focusing on spellcasting, fighting, or simply being an artist. Either way, they take advantage of their resilience as they do not have to fear the consequences of hitting 0 HP, as well as their ability to drain life from the living. Even as a dedicated spellcaster, a lich can be surprisingly hard to kill! ### Social Pariah That said, being a lich is not all fun and games. It takes a good number of great deeds to be able to walk around a town without inducing fear and suspicion amongst those who once considered them kin. Add on to the fact that they can only easily sustain themselves through grisly means and it becomes quite hard for them to earn trust. ### Creating a Lich Why play a lich? -You want to be a nightmare on the battlefield that feels supernatural in a way a warrior does not. -You want to be a morally ambiguous trickster and deceiver. -You want to explore morality and make a character who might be good but selfish, or a character who suffers from a tramautic experience and still holds fresh scars. ### Quick Build You can make a lich quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Intelligence your highest ability score, followed by your Constitution or Dexterity. Second, choose the sage or hermit background. Third, choose the Chill Touch, Prestidigitation, and Mage Hand cantrips, along with the following 1st-level spells: Chromatic Orb, Detect Magic, Fog Cloud, and Shield. ## Class Features As a lich, you gain the following class features. #### Hit Points **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per lich level **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier. **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per lich level after 1st. #### Proficiencies **Armor:** Light armor **Weapons:** Simple weapons, Shields **Tools:** None **Saving Throws:** Constitution, Intelligence **Skills:** Choose two from Arcana, Deception, Investigation, History, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, and Religion #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: • (a) scholar's pack or (b) diplomat's pack • (a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger • (a) leather armor or (b) a shield • A spellbook and component pouch ### Spellcasting Your research of forbidden arcane lore has granted you the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the *Player's Handbook* for the general rules of spellcasting, and the wizard spell list. #### Cantrips You know three cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn additional wizard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the lich table. #### Spellbook At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level wizard spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the wizard spells you know, except your cantrips, which are fixed in your mind. \pagebreakNum <div class='classTable wide'> ### The Lich | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Phylactery | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 2nd | +2 | Touch of Death | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 3rd | +2 | Greater Phylactery Channel | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 5th | +3 | | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 6th | +3 | Ethereal Walk | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 7th | +3 | Greater Phylactery Feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | | 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | | 9th | +4 | Improved Touch of Death | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | | 10th | +4 | | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | | 11th | +4 | Dominant Undead | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | | 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | | 13th | +5 | Greater Phylactery Feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | | 14th | +5 | Absolute Aura | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | | 15th | +5 | | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | | 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | | 17th | +6 | Greater Phylactery Feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 18th | +6 | Perfected Touch of Death | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 20th | +6 | Supreme Lich | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | </div> #### Spellcasting Ability Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your lich spells, as your magic comes from your intense study of dark magical arts. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a lich spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. **Spell save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier **Spell attack modifier** = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier #### Ritual Casting You can cast a lich spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your spellbook. You don't need to have the spell prepared. #### Spellcasting Focus You can use an arcane focus (see chapter 5, "Equipment") as a spellcasting focus for your lich spells. \columnbreak ### Your Spellbook The spells that you add to your spellbook as you gain levels reflect the arcane research you conduct on your own, as well as intellectual breakthroughs you have had about the nature of the multiverse. You might find other spells during your adventures. You could discover a spell recorded on a scroll in an evil wizard's chest, for example, or in a dusty tome in an ancient library. #### Copying a Spell into the Book When you find a lich spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it. Copying a spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the person who wrote it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation. For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells. \pagebreakNum #### Replacing the Book You can copy a spell from your own spellbook into another book-for example, if you want to make a backup copy of your spellbook. This is just like copying a new spell into your spellbook, but faster and easier, since you understand your own notation and already know how to cast the spell. You need spend only 1 hour and 10 gp for each level of the copied spell. If you lose your spellbook, you can use the same procedure to transcribe the spells that you have prepared into a new spellbook. Filling out the remainder of your spellbook requires you to find new spells to do so, as normal. For this reason, many wizards keep backup spellbooks in a safe place. #### The Book's Appearance Your spellbook is a unique compilation of spells, with its own decorative flourishes and margin notes. It might be a plain, functional leather volume that you received as a gift from your master, a finely bound gilt-edged tome you found in an ancient library or even a loose collection of notes scrounged together after you lost your previous spellbook in a mishap. ### Phylactery Starting a 1st level you become an undead who uses an unfinished phylactery, with the following advantages and disadvantages - As an Undead, you are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition. You do not require food, air, or sleep. You require a 4 hour trance to regain your spell slots, which counts as a long rest. - When an attack would reduce you to 0 HP, you may make a Constitution save with a DC of 8 + 1 per damage taken. If you succeed, you fall to 1 HP instead. You cannot use this ability again until you take a long rest. - When you fall to 0 HP, you do not get any saving throws. You die. However, your soul gets stored in your phylactery. - Your phylactery is not powered enough to bring you back on its own. A spellcaster can revive you by expending spell slots that total 5 levels or more on your phylactery. The spell slots can be expended over a long period of time. Doing so will cause you to revive in 1 hour with 1 HP after the last spell slot is used. - Other methods of revival will cause you to lose your Lich status. - Your phylactery functions as an Arcane Focus, but you can acquire a second one. Choose one of the following: - You are vulnerable to radiant damage, but can regain hit points through the use of healing spells. - You have advantage on Intelligence saving throws, but are disadvantaged against Charisma saving throws. - You cannot regain hit points through the use of healing spells, but have resistance to radiant damage. \columnbreak ### Touch of Death At 2nd level, you get the ability to shoot out from you a skeletal hand which siphons health from a living creature within 30 feet of you. At the cost of a level one spell slot, you may make a spell attack or drain a willing creature. On a successful hit, the creature takes 1d12 Necrotic damage. You may increase the cost of this ability by one spell slot to increase the damage by 1d12 per additional spell slot. Your Touch of Death ability gets more powerful as you reach the 9th and 18th level. #### Improved Touch of Death When you reach 9th level, you may double your proficiency bonus when applying it to your use of the Touch of Death ability. This ability's damage changes to 2d10 initially and increases to 2d6 damage per extra spell slot expended when using this ability. #### Perfected Touch of Death When you reach 18th level, your Touch of Death now deals the maximum amount of damage possible when within melee range of the target. This ability's damage changes to 3d8 initially and increases to 3d4 damage per extra spell slot expended when using this ability. ### Greater Phylactery Channel At 3rd level, your power increases to the point that your unfinished phylactery can no longer support you. You augment your phylactery, gaining new abilities, but at a cost. You must power your phylactery with one of these channels: Arcane Abstractor, Soul Snare, or Vitality Vacuum. Each Channel is detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at the 7th, 13th, and 17th levels. ### Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. ### Ethereal Walk Starting at 6th level, you can use your bonus action to hover off the ground as per the levitation spell. If you are attacked while levitating this effect ends until you use it again. You can use a reaction to reduce fall damage to 0 by expending a use of this feature. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier + your Intelligence modifier This feature replenishes all uses after a long rest. ### Dominant Undead At 11th level, you have established yourself as a greater undead compared to others. You can make any Undead that you can see within 60 feet of you roll a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC or fall under your complete control for 1 hour. Undead with an Intelligence \pagebreakNum above 12 have advantage on their saving throw and any Undead with an Intelligence above 16 are immune to this effect. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier. ### Absolute Aura At 14th level, magic lies so densely around you, that it forms a magic barrier. You and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to damage from spells as well as having advantage on saving throws related to magic. ### Supreme Lich At 20th level, your knowledge knows no bounds and your research into the arcane arts has paid off. Your Intelligence score increases by 4, up to a maximum of 24. ## Greater Phylactery Channels When you reach 3rd level, your power increases to the point that your unfinished phylactery can no longer support you. You augment your phylactery, gaining new abilities, but at a cost. You must power your phylactery. Upon reaching 3rd level, you get 10 charges for your phylactery for free. One charge powers your new phylactery for one day. After spending a number of days equal to 3 + your Constitution modifier with no power in your phylactery, you begin taking one level of exhaustion damage per day. If you die while your phylactery is powered, you revive after 24 hours with 1/2 hit points within 10 feet of your phylactery. Each phylactery uses its own unique resource channel. Choose one of the following resource channels: ### Arcane Abstractor Your phylactery is powered by magic; either yours, others, or through a connection to The Weave. This path is not common and usually aligns with a socially acceptable approach to obtaining power. Your newfound magical tap lets you circumvent more unpleasant means for powering your phylactery. Your Touch of Death additionally provides 1 phylactery charge for every 10 necrotic damage done to your target. #### Efficient Sustenance When you reach 3rd level, before you make a long rest, you may store any unspent spells into your phylactery as charges. If you store a level one spell, it counts as one phylactery charge. If it is a level two spell, it counts as two phylactery charges and so on. \columnbreak #### Magical Recharge When you reach 3rd level, you may expend phylactery charges to regain expended spell slots. For example, If you expend three phylactery charges, you may regain one level 3 spell slot, one level 2 spell slot and one level 1 spell slot, or three level 1 spell slots. Regained spell slots must be of a level you can cast according to your level on the Lich table. You may only use this ability once per short or long rest. #### Force Thief At 7th level, you may use your action to attempt to steal mana from a creature within 30 feet of you. If the creature is unwilling or hostile, it must make a Constitution saving throw versus your spell save DC. if the creature fails the save, you regain phylactery charges equal to your Lich level. The creature then loses half of its spell slots level four and under (if it has any available). If the creature succeeds, you only regain phylactery charges equal to half of your Lich level rounded down. You may only use this ability once per long rest. #### Stored Energy At 13th level, you have mastered the ability to harness your stored arcane might. If you cast a spell that requires an action during your turn, you may use your bonus action to expend an amount of phylactery charges equal to the level of spell casted. If you do this, you may cast another spell of equal to or lower level than the one casted. This also applies to Touch of Death but only if it was cast first. #### Draw of the Weave At 17th level, as an action you may open a drain in The Weave. You gain one phylactery charge per turn for 10 rounds. You regain this ability after finishing a long rest. ### Soul Snare Your phylactery is powered by consuming souls. This is the path that is traditional among liches. If you consume souls from non-evil creatures, (you ignore alignment restrictions if a creature is hostile to you) your alignment becomes evil. The same works in opposite cases as well. The target of your Touch of Death additionally must make a Constitution saving throw versus your spell save DC upon being hit. If the target fails, it becomes restrained until the end of your next turn. #### Afterlife Denial When you reach 3rd level, you may trap the soul of a creature that has died in the last minute in your phylactery. Doing so allows you to charge your phylactery with an amount of charges equal to the creatures Challenge Rating or your proficiency bonus; whichever is higher. \pagebreakNum #### Ethereal Protection When you reach 3rd level, as a reaction to failing a save, you may choose to expend one phylactery charge to roll 1d4 and add the result to your saving throw. You may also expend additional phylactery charges to add additional 1d4 per charge. #### Knowledge of the Damned At 7th level, as an action, your can provide your vast knowledge to friendly creatures. You may expend phylactery charges equal to however many creatures you choose within 30 feet of you including yourself. For the next 10 rounds, the affected creatures may add your proficiency bonus to saving throws, attack rolls, and damage rolls. #### Weakened Spirit At 13th level, as an action, you pluck at the very souls of creatures nearby. You may expend phylactery charges equal to however many creatures you choose within 30 feet of you. The affected creatures must make an Intelligence saving throw versus your spell save DC. If a target fails, for the next 10 rounds, the affected creatures must subtract your proficiency bonus from their saving throws, attack rolls, and damage rolls. #### Deadly Trance At 17th level, you may use your action to alter a creature's condition. The target must make a saving throw versus your spell save DC depending on which condition you want to impose: - Strength: Restrained - Dexterity: Blinded - Constitution: Petrified - Intelligence: Frightened - Wisdom: Stunned - Charisma: Charmed Using this ability costs five phylactery charges and can be used three times per long rest. ### Vitality Vacuum Your phylactery is powered by blood. It may be a messier approach, but it gets the job done. Besides, nobody's going to miss their pint or two of blood in a few days anyways, right? Liches who power their phylactery with blood are usually evil-aligned. Your Touch of Death additionally allows you to heal yourself for half of amount of damage dealt to your target upon a successful hit. #### Vile Means When you reach 3rd level, you can gain phylactery charges by draining the blood from a creature. One pint of blood generates one phylactery charge. You do this by placing the phylactery on a restrained, paralyzed, or incapacitated creature's chest. If the creature is alive, it makes a Constitution save versus your spell save DC or becomes paralyzed and loses a pint of blood. \columnbreak If the creature has innate spellcasting or is considered magical, it provides double the amount of phylactery charges per pint of blood. According to the following, there are a number of pints of blood each size of creature has available for you to take: - Tiny: One - Small: Three - Medium: Five - Large: Ten - Huge: Twenty - Gargantuan: Fourty #### Lifeblood When you reach 3rd level, you may use a bonus action to expend phylactery charges so that you may heal yourself. You can only expend a number of charges equal to your Lich level at a time. Each charge expended replenishes 1d8 hit points per expended charge. #### Lifeblood Transfusion At 7th level, you may use Lifeblood on creatures other than yourself. If you do so, choose one of the following: - They become resistant to nonmagical slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning. - They become resistant one magical damage type of your choice. - They lose all levels of exhaustion they currently have. #### Ichor Drain At 13th level, you may use your action to attempt to impose exhaustion on a creature by causing them to become anemic. You may expend phylactery charges up to your proficiency bonus and force your target to make a Constitution saving throw versus your spell save DC. If the target fails the save, they now have the number of levels of exhaustion equal to the expended phylactery charges used with this ability. This effect lasts for 10 minutes. This ability may be used once per short or long rest. #### HemoGorebin At 17th level, you may use your action to expend phylactery charges to bolster your dark abilities. You may gain one ability per phylactery charge expended and each effect lasts for 10 turns unless otherwise specified: - Whenever you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you may cast a cantrip as a bonus action. - You may add your Intelligence score to the damage of any cantrip you cast. - Hostile creatures within 30 feet of you lose one pint of blood and charge your phylactery. (only on this turn) - Hostile creatures within 10 feet of you gain one level of exhaustion. - You and friendly creatures regain 3d8 hit points. (only on this turn)