Creature Reference Back to Creatures

Pact Lich

Medium · Undead · CR 15 · Any Evil Alignment

Source. Creature Codex

17 (natural armor)

195 (26d8+78)

Ability Scores

Core attributes and their modifiers.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

Overview

Category Monsters

Size Medium

Type Undead

Alignment Any Evil Alignment

XP 13000

Initiative Bonus +3

Movement

Walk 30 ft (9.1 m)

Swim 15 ft (4.6 m)

Climb 15 ft (4.6 m)

Crawl 15 ft (4.6 m)

Senses

Truesight 120 ft (36.6 m)

Passive Perception 12

Saving Throws

Dexterity +8 Intelligence +8

Skills

Deception +10 Persuasion +10

Languages

any languages it knew in life

Resistances & Immunities

Damage Immunities

poison; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Resistances

cold, fire, necrotic

Condition Immunities

charmed, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned

Traits

Innate Spellcasting

The pact lich's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components:
At will: chill touch, detect magic, levitate, mage hand, prestidigitation, speak with dead, true strike
1/day each: banishment, bestow curse, compulsion, confusion, conjure elemental, dominate monster, eyebite, finger of death, fly, hellish rebuke (5d10), hold monster, slow

Legendary Resistance (3/Day)

If the pact lich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

One With Shadows

As a bonus action when in an area of dim light or darkness, the pact lich can become invisible until it moves or takes an action or reaction.

Pact Rejuvenation

If a fist-sized or larger diamond is within its lair, a destroyed pact lich usually gains a new body in 3d10 days, but its return to the Material Plane is ultimately dictated by its patron.

Patron's Blessing

When the pact lich reduces a target to 0 hp, the lich gains 25 temporary hp.

Actions

Enhanced Eldritch Blast

+10 to hit, range 300 ft (91.4 m). Hit: 1d10+5 force damage.

Ranged Spell Attack: +10 to hit, range 300 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) force damage. On a successful hit, the pact lich can push the target 10 feet away from it in a straight line.

Hurl Through Hell

1/day

The pact lich targets one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the target disappears and is paralyzed as it is hurtled through the nightmare landscape of the lower planes. At the end of the pact lich's next turn, the target returns to the space it previously occupied, or the nearest unoccupied space, and is no longer paralyzed. If the target is not a fiend, it takes 55 (10d10) psychic damage when it returns. The target must succeed on another DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of the lich's next turn as the target reels from its horrific experience.

Maddening Touch (Costs 2 Actions)

The pact lich uses its Maddening Touch.

Multiattack

The pact lich makes four enhanced eldritch blast attacks.

Legendary Actions

At Will Spell

Cost 1

The lich casts a spell it can cast at will.

Eldritch Master

1/day Cost 3

The lich entreats its patron for aid, regaining all expended spells.

Fiendish Resilience

Cost 1

The pact lich chooses one damage type, gaining resistance to that damage type until it chooses a different one with this feature. Damage from magical weapons or silver weapons ignores this resistance.

Maddening Touch

Cost 2

+10 to hit, reach 5 ft (1.5 m). Hit: 3d6 necrotic damage.

The pact lich uses its Maddening Touch.

About Pact Lich

Pact Lich is a medium undead with a Challenge Rating of 15. It has a any evil alignment alignment.

In combat, this creature maintains an Armor Class of 17 and possesses 195 hit points (derived from 26d8+78).

Pact Lich has communication capabilities including any languages it knew in life. This allows it to interact verbally with various creatures and characters.

GM Tips: Using Pact Lich

1 tips available

When using Pact Lich in your D&D 5e campaign, consider these tactical approaches:

Flight Control Strategy: Target flying creatures with spells like 'Hold Person', 'Web', or 'Grease' to ground them. Without flight restriction, they can escape melee range easily. Consider area denial spells below their flight altitude to force them into disadvantageous positions.

Player Guide: Facing Pact Lich

1 strategies available

When your party encounters this creature, keep these strategies in mind:

Counter Flight Advantage: This creature can fly! Use ranged attacks, reach weapons, or spells like 'Thunderwave' to push it away. Consider 'Gust of Wind' or 'Earthbind' to ground it. Melee characters need fly speed or flight magic to engage.

Encounter Building Calculator

Standard Party Encounter (4-5 characters):

This creature is a medium encounter for a party of 4 characters of level 15.

Solo Encounter:

A single character of level 19 (up to level 20) can face this creature in a medium to hard encounter.

Experience Point Thresholds:

Medium: 24,000 XP
Hard: 36,000 XP
Deadly: 48,000 XP

Based on D&D 5e Dungeon Master's Guide encounter building guidelines. CR roughly equals party level for medium encounters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the challenge rating of Pact Lich?: Pact Lich has a Challenge Rating of 15, making it appropriate for parties of level 15.0.
What type of creature is Pact Lich?: Pact Lich is a Medium Undead, which affects how certain spells and abilities interact with it.
What languages does Pact Lich speak?: Pact Lich can communicate in any languages it knew in life.