Demi-Lich

Tiny undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 20
Hit Points 110 (20d4 + 60)
Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
4 (-3)	19 (+4)	17 (+3)	20 (+5)	18 (+4)	17 (+3)

Saving Throws Dex +10, Con +9, Int +11, Wis +10
Skills Arcana +11, History +11, Perception +10, Religion +11
Damage Resistances cold, damage from spells
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 19 (22,000 XP) or 20 (25,000 XP if in lair)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Evasion. If the demi-lich is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the demi-lich instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
• Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the demi-lich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
• Turn Resistance. The demi-lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
• Rejuvenation. If it has a phylactery, a destroyed demi-lich’s skull reforms in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. The skull reforms within five feet of the phylactery.

ACTIONS

• Drain Life. Deep violet beams lance out from the demi-lich’s gemstone eyes and strike up to three creatures within 40 feet of it. Each target must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or take 17 (5d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the demi-lich regains hit points equal to that amount. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
• Soul Scream (recharge 5-6). The demi-lich unleashes a soul-shattering scream. All non-undead creatures within 30 feet of the demi-lich who hear the scream must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or drop to 0 hit points. On a successful save, the creature takes 11 (2d10) psychic damage and is frightened until the end of its next turn.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The demi-lich can take three legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The demi-lich regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Flight. The demi-lich moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Disrupt Life (costs 3 actions). Each living creature within 20 feet of the demi-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.
• Profane Curse (costs 2 actions). The demi-lich targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or be magically cursed. Until the curse ends, the target has disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the curse on itself on a success.
• Dreadful Glare (costs 2 actions). The demi-lich targets one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. If the target can see the demi-lich, it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened until the end of the demi-lich’s next turn. If the target fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed for the same duration. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the demi-lich’s Dreadful Glare effect for the next 24 hours.

LAIR ACTIONS

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the demi-lich can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects. The demi-lich can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row.

• Healing Suppression. All living creatures within 60 feet of the demi-lich must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or be unable to regain hit points until initiative 20 of the next round.
• Malevolent Echo. A short-lived echo of the demi-lich’s former self appears in the form of a wraith in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of the demi-lich and obeys the demi-lich’s telepathic commands (no action required). It rolls initiative, acts on its own turn, and disappears after one minute or when it drops to 0 hit points.
• Tap Phylactery. The demi-lich draws negative energy from its phylactery, if it exists and is on the same plane as the demi- lich, and regains 22 (4d10) hit points.

ABOUT

When the lifeforce of an ancient lich of incredible power finally diminishes and its material body decays – a process that often takes centuries of undeath – the undead being’s soul lingers in the area and possesses the only viable remains: the skull. After this second death, the eye sockets and the teeth of the demi-lich-possessed skull oddly transform into clear gemstones (each worth 1,000 gp), with a single gemstone growing in each eye socket to match the six gems that replace the teeth.