- This article is about the standard creature; for the summons, see Lich (summon); for the pale master summons, see Lich (pale master).
Driven by ambition, some powerful spellcasters attempt to cheat death itself. Those who succeed become Liches. Those who fail are cast into the Abyss.
Statistics[]
Race: undead
Size: medium
Alignment: neutral evil (chaotic evil for the level 16 version)
Armor class: 17, 10, or 17
Hit points: 112, 136, or 184
Attack bonus: +6/+1, +8/+3, or +10/+5
Damage: 1d8 piercing-slashing damage (criticals: 20/x2)
Hit dice (level): 12, 16, or 20
Spellcasting: wizard 12, 16, or 20
Challenge rating: 17, 21, or 28
| Saves | ||
|---|---|---|
| fortitude | 5, 6, or 9 | |
| reflex | 6, 5, or 8 | |
| will | 11, 13, or 15 | |
| Abilities | ||
|---|---|---|
| strength | 10 | |
| dexterity | 14, 11, or 14 | |
| constitution | 13 | |
| intelligence | 21, 24, or 25 | |
| wisdom | 16 | |
| charisma | 14 | |
Trained skills:(‡) concentration (16, 20 or 24), hide (10, 8 or 10), listen (20, 22 or 24), lore (21, 26 or 30), move silently (10, 8 or 10), search (22, 25 or 27), spellcraft (21, 26 or 30), spot (15, 18 or 22)
Feats: alertness, combat casting, dodge, great fortitude (level 20 version), mobility (level 20 version), quick to master, spell focus (enchantment) (level 20 version), spell focus (evocation), spell penetration (level 16 and 20 versions), toughness, weapon proficiency (creature), weapon proficiency (wizard)
Blueprint:(‡) nw_lich003, nw_lichboss, or nw_lich001
Special abilities[]
A lich has most of the usual undead immunities, specifically to critical hits, disease, level drain, ability drain, mind-affecting spells, paralysis, poison, and sneak attacks. However, a lich does not have the usual undead immunity to death magic. (Probably a bug.)
The attacks of a lich stun on-hit. In addition, the level 12 and 20 versions of this creature have use of an aura of fear once per day, and the level 20 version has a doom gaze thrice per day. The level 16 version instead has use of an aura of unnatural three times per day.
A lich is a wizard with its caster level equal to its hit dice. The exact spells available to this creature depend upon which version it is, with the possibilities listed below.
| Level 2 | Melf's acid arrow (x4) |
|---|---|
| Level 3 | dispel magic, fireball (x2), haste (x2) |
| Level 4 | phantasmal killer (x2), wall of fire (x2) |
| Level 5 | cloudkill (x2), hold monster (x2) |
| Level 6 | chain lightning, greater dispelling |
| Level 2 | ghostly visage, invisibility, Melf's acid arrow (x2), see invisibility |
|---|---|
| Level 3 | dispel magic (x2), fireball (x2), haste |
| Level 4 | confusion, Evard's black tentacles, ice storm, phantasmal killer |
| Level 5 | animate dead, cloudkill, cone of cold |
| Level 6 | circle of death, greater dispelling, greater stoneskin |
| Level 7 | finger of death |
| Level 8 | horrid wilting |
| Level 2 | Melf's acid arrow (x4) |
|---|---|
| Level 3 | dispel magic, fireball (x2), lightning bolt (x2) |
| Level 4 | charm monster (x2), confusion, phantasmal killer (x2) |
| Level 5 | dismissal (x2), dominate person (x3) |
| Level 6 | chain lightning (x2), greater dispelling, greater spell breach, summon creature VI |
| Level 7 | finger of death (x4) |
| Level 8 | mass charm (x2) |
| Level 9 | time stop (x2), weird (x2) |