Is the Lich released yet?

[druid91]

So, having not yet obtained a monster manual, I am intensely curious as to Lich's and Lichdom in 5e.

Is it still something the players can do? How hard is it if so?

[Jeraa]

So, having not yet obtained a monster manual, I am intensely curious as to Lich's and Lichdom in 5e.

Is it still something the players can do? How hard is it if so?

There is nothing about a player becoming one. And as a Legendary monster, they may never be.

Edit: Then again, the vampire is also a Legendary creature, and does have a small section about player character vampires. Lycanthropes also have a small player section, so it seems like the lich is not intended for PC use, but only as a monster. Though the Dungeon Masters Guide may contain more information about playing monster PCs when it comes out.

[GAA]

Lich and Demilich are monsters. If you have the book, lich is page 202 and is a legendary, demilich is page 48 and also a legendary monster. They also specificially call out Acererak as a demilich. No player liches, the Lich is alreader a 21-22 cr monster.

[Steel Mirror]

Yeah there isn't a template given for the Lich in the MM, but if you really wanted to make one you could probably extrapolate from the Vampire template offered under that entry, changed to apply to lich traits. Just a quick and dirty version of what that might look like:

Player Characters as Liches
A player character transformed into a Lich changes Dex and Con to 16 if they weren't already higher. In addition, the character gains the lich's damage resistances, damage and condition immunities, truesight, traits, and actions. The exception to the traits gained is the player character's spellcasting ability, which replaces the spellcasting ability given in the lich's stat block. The save DC for paralyzing touch is equal to 8 + Cha mod + proficiency bonus. Since the transformation into a lich must be undergone willingly, change the player character's alignment to any evil, if it isn't already.

[Ramshack]

Anyone else feel the Lich's 135 HP is incredibly low for a cr21?

[Jeraa]

Anyone else feel the Lich's 135 HP is incredibly low for a cr21?

It does seem low, but then again its an undead wizard. It actually has more HP than an equivalent-level PC wizard (who only has a d6 hit dice instead of a d8, and is unlikely to have a 16 Constitution).

Add on its immune to all bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from non-magical weapons (remember, magic items are not guaranteed in 5e) and its resurrection (assuming the phylactery isn't destroyed, and the phylactery isn't easy to destroy), its somewhat harder to put down than it seems.


Destroying a lich's phylactery is no easy task and often requires a special ritual, item, or weapon. Every phylactery is unique, and discovering the key to its destruction can be a quest in and of itself.

[Ramshack]

That's true, though my Fighter had a magic longsword by level 3 in the LMoP Starter Adventure lol. I guess having to fight it a few times on a quest to destroy its phylactery should also be considered, still i think it's in danger of getting nova'd depending on who's fighting it. I'd probably up it's HP if I was running it.

[Inevitability]

Found this online:

http://battleblog.thebattlemat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Lich.jpg

[Vemynal]

I got a peak at the monster manual and yeah...they definitely are *not* intending for us to be able to utilize this as a template in the future.

In fact for the few templates I did see given in the monster manual such as half-dragon and vampire, there are no given level adjustments which means there is no negative to taking a template. Which means you and your DM are going to need to have a serious sit down over what negative will go with the bonuses.

Unless ya know, in the case of a vampire it flat out says your character can now be taken over by the DM if he or she chooses. I'd definitely call that a draw back.

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

One of Mike Mearls's articles hinted at epic destinies (similar to the 4e class options for levels 21-30) as being a character option that is independent of level. Things like founding a kingdom, inventing new magic items, or attaining immortality. I can't find it right now and I think it was only a paragraph in a longer article. Presumably that kind of thing would go in the DMG.