PostRoll logo
Monster · SRD 5.1

Lich

Medium undead, any evil alignment

Armor Class
17
Hit Points
135 (18d8)
Speed
30 ft.
STR
11 (+0)
DEX
16 (+3)
CON
16 (+3)
INT
20 (+5)
WIS
14 (+2)
CHA
16 (+3)
Senses
truesight 120 ft., passive perception 19
Languages
Common plus up to five other languages
Challenge
21 (33,000 XP)

Traits

Legendary Resistance. 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): acid arrow, detect thoughts, invisibility, 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

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 living 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, any evil alignment

Special Abilities

Legendary Resistance

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): acid arrow, detect thoughts, invisibility, 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

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 living 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.

Related

Add D&D 5e to your library — free

Searchable in PostRoll and linkable from your worlds, wikis, characters, and sessions. Free forever.

Add to my library

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Reformatted and reorganized for presentation on PostRoll; text unmodified.

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.

srd-5.1 · Version 1.0.0 · Updated Jul 9, 2026