Lich

Lich (Tank; CR 16)

Pure Evil - Medium - Undead

Lore:	Know (Religion)
30		51
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

24

Perception:
42	+32
Passive	Active

Ambush:

10+

on a d20

Senses:

• Standard Senses

Movement Types:

Defense

AC

39

Man Def

39

Monster Health
950	475	31
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+18
Refl:	+13
Will:	+18

Strong Against:

• DR 16/Common (Bludgeoning,  Crushing,  Piercing,  Slashing,  Slime)

• ER 16/Common (Acid,  Cold,  Fire,  Lightning,  Sonic)

• (Tank Role) Immunity (no effect): Tanks are immune to all effects which are not damage, except those they choose to allow to affect them. Attacks which deal damage and include a secondary effect (such as forced movement or a debuff) can only inflict the damage. (Abilities which specifically state they bypass the condition immunity of roles, such as a Prowler's Encroaching Jolt, also bypass this immunity.)
• (Undead 1) Immune (no effect): diseases (infected, diseased, blighted), poisons (tainted, poisoned, blighted), ability damage (dilution, damage, drain), and essence damage (suppression, omission, destruction)
• (Undead 2) Immune (no effect): bleeds (bruised, bleed, ruptured), fatigued, exhausted
• (Undead 3) Immune (no effect): magical sleep (drowsy, sluggish, asleep), paralyzed, stunned
• (Undead 4) Immune (no effect): any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)

Weak Against:

Offense

Size:	Medium
5 ft.		5 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+24

Man Off

+27

Action

1

Points

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 1x Rotted Rapier +24 (3d8+18/19-20 x2)
  as slashing (physical, common)
  plus: Lifetap

Full Attack (Melee):

• 3x Rotted Rapier +24 (3d8+18/19-20 x2)
  as slashing (physical, common)
  plus: Lifetap

Standard Attack (Ranged):

Full Attack (Ranged):

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

17

STR

15

DEX

31

CON

24

INT

21

WIS

25

CHA

Skills:

• Bluff: 27
• Diplomacy: 27
• Knowledge (Arcana): 29 (May use Knowledge (Arcana) in place of any Knowledge skill.)
• Perception: 32
• Sense Motive: 27
• All other skills: 22 (no ranks)

Languages: Common, Necril, Stilth, Fuligin, Erebral, Thanic, OM

Feats:

• Combat Casting (EFFECT: +2 scaling feat bonus on Bailiwick skill check to cast a spell defensively or while grappled.)

Special Abilities

Aura of Horror (Su, Aura)

Being near a Lich in battle causes all enemies to suffer horrific visions and icy-cold shooting pains as they see the true emptiness that awaits them in the grave. Once per round, when a Lich makes any attack action on its turn, including triggering special abilities, all enemy creatures within twenty feet of its space suffer 4d6+8 points of Necrotic (energy, uncommon) damage and suffer from the Trembling condition. This damage will activate its Lifetap ability, with the highest amount of damage inflicted to any one target (after saves) granting an equal amount of healing to the Lich. All affected creatures are allowed a Fort save against a DC of 27 to reduce the damage by half and lower the Trembling condition to Nervous. Note that the effects of Aura of Horror stack: If a creature has the Nervous condition and is affected by the Aura of Horror again, the Nervous condition is escalated to the Cowering condition. A successful save will then reduce it back to the Trembling condition. In the third round of combat, a Lich's presence will induce almost anyone into a Cowering status. Anyone outside of the aura for a full round may make a free Fort save against a DC of 27 at the end of their turn to attempt to end the condition (either Nervous or Cowering). This is a fear effect.

Undying Resolve (Ex)

The first time in an encounter in which the Lich successfully damages an enemy creature, the Lich gains a number of temporary hit points equal to their Bloodied Hit Points value (475 hit points). This ability can never be used more than once per encounter.

Sadistic Command (Sp)

Concentration: 1d20 + 23 vs. a DC of 31 (8 needed on the die) Up to once per round as an immediate action, when a creature within 50 feet of the Lich's space makes an attack (inflicting hit points or harmful conditions) that does not include the lich, the lich may issue a Sadistic Command to that creature. The creature must make a Will save, DC 27, or be forced to make an immediate bonus melee attack (at their highest BAB) against an ally in their reach. If there is no ally within their reach, they attack themselves instead. This attack is resolved as though the target is flat-footed, since it is unexpected, even if you are attacking yourself. The attack deals normal damage, including bonus damage, but does not include any precision damage the creature might normally be able to inflict. No creature may be the target of Sadistic Command more than once per round (assuming there is more than one Lich present). Damage caused by a Sadistic Command heals the lich due to its Lifetap ability.

Ice Strike (Sp)

Concentration: 1d20 + 28 vs. a DC of 31 (3 needed on the die) As a move action, a lich can cast an Ice Strike, affecting a 20-foot radius area (8 squares x 8 squares) within 200 feet of the lich. Creatures inside the area of effect must make a Reflex save, DC 27, or take 3d8+18 points of cold (energy, common) damage, and gain the Torpid condition until the start of the lich's next turn. Creatures who succeed on the saving throw take only half damage and are not made Torpid. This attack will activate the Lich's Lifetap ability.

Screaming Flames (Sp)

Concentration: 1d20 + 23 vs. a DC of 31 (8 needed on the die) As a standard action, a lich can cast their terrible Screaming Flames attack. Choose up to five enemy creatures within 50 feet, no two of which may be more than 30 feet apart. Each victim has horrible bloody-black fire erupt in their bodies, that tears free from their throats. These flames inflict 3d8+18 points of eldritch (energy, rare) damage to each victim. Victims are allowed a FORT save against a DC of 27 to reduce the damage by half. This attack will activate the Lich's Lifetap ability.

Undying Malice (Su)

The first time a lich is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, it collapses to the ground in a heap of dry bones and luxurious fabrics. It can take no further damage from additional attacks nor suffer any effects until the start of its next turn. At the start of its next turn, the lich rises again, restored to half its maximum health (475 hit points) and any status effects, ongoing effects, or other negative effects are immediately ended (tanks are generally immune to all of these things, but it is listed here for completeness). In addition, the lich reconstitutes in a standing position without the need to stand up from prone, and any creatures within 30 feet of the lich when it reconstitutes must make a Fort save, DC 27, or suffer 4d10+23 points of Negative (energy, uncommon) damage. Any undead in this area of effect are healed by this amount. If this effect harms any creatures, the lich is healed by the same amount due to its Lifetap ability. Creatures that make their saving throw take only half damage from this effect.

Walk in Darkness (Su)

Any time the Lich elects to make a five-foot step, it may use Walk in Darkness instead, which is a 15-foot teleport. This does not provoke, and acts in all other ways as a five-foot step.

Defy Death (Ex; Tank Role) Auto Upon Death

The first time in an encounter that a Tank is reduced to zero or fewer hit points, it is not killed. Instead, it gains immunity to all damage and effects until the beginning of its next turn, and its hit points are set to half its normal maximum (475 hit points). The Tank remains standing throughout all of this, and its ability to take actions (e.g. making attacks of opportunity or using its Dangerous to Ignore special ability) is not hampered in any way during this period of immunity. Despite suffering no obvious in-game effects, the Tank will still use this opportunity to gloat and taunt its enemies as it stands unbroken against their assault. It is obvious to anyone who successfully hits the tank during this period of immunity that the Tank is suffering no damage from their attacks. At the beginning of its next turn, the Tank may immediately slide up to 10 feet (2 squares) as forced movement which does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and then perform a Pull on up to 4 creatures it can perceive, sliding them up to 5 squares closer to itself. Each square of this forced movement must bring each targeted creature closer to the tank (movement into squares that are the same distance as the current space or further away from the current space is not permitted). Since this is forced movement, it does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and the target creature(s) may fall voluntarily prone in order to halt the movement at any point, if they wish. Once the Pull is resolved, the Tank's immunity to damage expires, and it can perform its turn as normal. The Tank's immunity to damage expires at the start of its turn even if it elects not to slide itself or pull any creatures with this ability. The Tank is killed for good the second time its hit points are reduced to zero or less.

Dangerous to Ignore (Ex; Tank Role) Immediate Action

Once per round, when a creature within 15 feet of the Tank performs an attack against anyone who isn't the Tank, or fails to include the Tank in the attack, the Tank may, as an Immediate Action, Slide up to two squares (10 feet) and perform a bonus attack against that creature. This bonus attack is resolved before the target creature resolves their own attack. If the creature is still alive after the Tank finishes, the target can resolve their attack as normal.

Invigorating Bloodthirst (Ex; Tank Role) Auto At Start of Encounter

At the start of any encounter, even during an encounter with a surprise round, Tanks gain a number of temporary hit points equal to their Bloodied Hit Points value (475 hit points). This ability can never be used more than once per encounter.

Agitation (Ex; Tank Role) Free Action 1/Rnd

Up to once per round as a free action, the Tank can target a creature within 40 feet to which they have both line of sight and line of effect, and Pull that creature up to 5 squares closer to the Tank. Each square of this forced movement must bring the creature closer to the tank (movement into squares that are the same distance as the current space or further away from the current space is not permitted). Since this is forced movement, it does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and the target creature may fall voluntarily prone in order to halt the movement at any point, if they wish. In addition, if the target is an enemy creature, it gains the Vexed condition until the start of the Tank's next turn. If the target creature is an ally of the Tank, using Agitation on them removes any status condition they are currently affected by, and doing so does not cause a synergy to trigger.

Lich

This creature possesses the Tank role, and therefore counts as 2 monsters for purposes of encounter size, XP award, and treasure.

Liches are one of the principle undead corrupters, often placing themselves in positions of political power in the communities of the living. Liches are the ultimate expression of necromantic art, turned towards the purpose of establishing an immortal vessel for the lich to continue its search for MORE. Each lich is a unique individual, retaining the personality, goals, ambitions and flaws of its once-living soul. However, over the centuries of existing in the husk of their physical form, without the pleasures of the flesh or the respite of sleep, most liches become quite insane. These liches remain ambitious, and seek to grow their own power and make themselves even more immune to the erosions of time and emotion, and often become quite twisted indeed.

Liches look very similar to skeletons, but often drape themselves in finery and surround themselves in a lavish mockery of luxury. Since they have no need for food, sleep or even air, they will often create palaces which lack bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms. Instead, these keeps feature prominent throne rooms, magnificent libraries, laboratories filled with bizarre experiments, and torture chambers designed to explore the limits of pain and despair. Liches will often employ living servants or slaves to help them maintain these grandiose furnishings, and as convenient fodder for their random outbursts of sadism.

A lich can employ magic to pass for a living humanoid, when it desires to do so, and frequently, liches work within a society as a member of the government or some other position of leadership and power. They are also highly capable at magical manipulation and control, making the jump to positions of secular power fairly easy for them. Once in place, they take pleasure in leading the living into a sense of oppressed fear and abject misery, usually through cruel and incremental indignities, invasive legislation, harsh taxes, and overreaching (and highly corrupt) law enforcement. To someone who knows what to look for, a society being led by a lich is fairly easy to spot.

Liches will rarely engage in fights directly, preferring to send trusted lieutenants to handle such distractions. However, this does not mean they are not fearsome combatants if they choose to take a hand in things directly. Liches are uniformly powerful spell casters, and are often gifted melee fighters as well, having spent centuries perfecting their own prowess.

Liches will often band together with other liches to achieve greater power and more towering heights of depravity. These circles are shrouded in secrecy and mistrust, but, since all the members are immortal, betrayals are often limited to subtle plays for primacy and social positioning.

Combat Tactics

If forced to engage in combat, a lich is a versatile and dangerous foe. It will fight intelligently, seeking out the most vulnerable or most easily slain foes to target first. It will avoid tanks and also seek positions to make flanks difficult. It will make liberal use of Sadistic Command any time a foe dares to ignore him in combat, healing himself each time the Command causes damage. It's Walk in Darkness ability makes it nearly impossible to pinn down or corner, its Flight allows it to attack from unexpected angles, and its Aura of Horror and Lifetap abilities make it very difficult to put down.

If no foes are within easy reach, it will use Icy Strike up to twice per round (a move action each time). If foes are nearby but spread out, it will move out of threatening squares and use Screaming Flames instead. In melee, it will use its rapier, demonstrating a remarkable grace and ease with the blade, fueling it's Lifetap and triggering the Aura against all who dare to melee it.

Like all tanks, liches are immune to pretty much anything that isn't damage, and liches also heal themselves with any damage they deal, making them fairly durable foes. Even worse, their Aura of Horror means that only the most durable and doughty of foes can engage them in melee for any length of time. Liches who are confident their phylacteries are safe will press into melee aggressively, getting good use out of their rapiers and Aura.

Liches have no fear of defeat in combat, assuming they believe their phylactory to be intact. They will not make brash or suicidal decisions, however, as being out of commission for a week is often detrimental to their plans. If they have any doubts about the safety of their phylactory, they will fight very cautiously, ordering allies and vassals to cover them, and will seek to escape at the first safe opportunity. Liches are obsessed with their wretched immortality, so they will not throw away their existence, terrible as it is, if there is any danger it is a permanent death.

Out of Combat

Immortality
Many undead creatures, such as this one, cannot be killed by normal means. It will lie shattered and dormant for a few days, possibly a week, before rising again to seek to rid the world of life. This creature can only be truly slain if its phylactory is destroyed at the same time the creature's body lies defeated. Neither a Resurrection (Cleric Spell), nor even a Wish (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell) can slay such a creature. Even if the creature's body is completely disintegrated, it can reincorporate after this period of time, as long as its phylactory remains intact. This creature's body will never decay (further than it already has) nor age due to time or neglect.

A phylactory is an object chosen by the creature to house some portion of its soul, as well as a powerful necromantic charm which uses that vestige of their soul to reconstitute the creature any time its body is destroyed. A phylactory must be of fine craftsmanship, but can be nearly any object. A phylactory will radiate a weak necromantic aura if seen with Detect Magic (Sorcerer/Wizard Spell) or some similar means of discerning magical auras.

Spellcasting (Sp)

All liches are powerful spellcasters, since the ritual to become a lich is arcane in nature, and requires absolute control and skill in the magical arts to perform. As such, when outside of combat, liches are assumed to have access to most arcane spells, with a caster level equal to their CR. Note that this does NOT mean a lich will begin any combat with a stack of buffs! In combat, they only have access to the powers described above, which should be more than enough.

Centuries of Self-Improvement (Ex)

Liches are often quite old, and spend the majority of their time making themselves even more powerful and terrible. As a result, outside of combat, a lich is assumed to be skilled at nearly any skill it might require. Liches are also nearly always wealthy, or have easy access to wealth. They are also likely to have useful contacts, friends and people who owe them favors or debts.

Rewards

XP: 153,600 (Tank role included.)

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 86,250 gp.

Weight: 320 lbs.     Volume: 12.8 cu. ft.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 8	Nothing Found
9 - 12	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
13 - 15	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
16 - 18	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
19 - 20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 3	4 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
4 - 7	4 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
8 - 11	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
12 - 15	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
16 - 18	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
19 - 20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 3	4 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
4 - 5	4 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
6 - 8	4 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
9 - 11	4 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
12 - 15	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
16 - 18	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
19 - 20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)