monster

Dracolich

CR 17

Huge Undead, Lawful Evil

Reveal Stat Block

Armor Class

Hit Points

225 (18d12 + 108)

Speed

40 ft., fly 80 ft., burrow 30 ft.

str

dex

con

int

wis

cha

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Lair).If the dracolich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Life Suppression.Creatures within 60 feet of the dracolich can't regain Hit Points|XPHB.

Magic Resistance.The dracolich has Advantage|XPHB on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Soul Gem.The dracolich has a magical gem. If the dracolich is destroyed while the gem is on the same plane of existence as it, the dracolich gains a new body in 1d20 days, regaining all its Hit Points|XPHB and appearing within 5 feet of the gem. The gem is a Tiny object that has AC 20; HP 50; and Immunity|XPHB to Necrotic, Poison, and Psychic damage. The gem regains all its Hit Points|XPHB at the end of every turn, but it turns to dust if reduced to 0 Hit Points|XPHB. If the gem is destroyed, the dracolich can create a new one by completing an 8-hour ritual using a gem worth 1,000+ GP and by expending 5,000 GP, which the ritual consumes.

Actions

Multiattack.The dracolich makes three Rend attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting to cast Ray of Sickness|XPHB (level 2 version).

Rend.m 13, reach 10 ft. ({@damage 2d10 + 7) Slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) Necrotic damage.

Necrotic Breath 5.con 20, each creature in a 60-foot Cone [Area of Effect]|XPHB|Cone. 52 ( Half damage.

Legendary Actions.The creature can take 3 legendary actions...

Pounce.The dracolich moves up to half its Speed|XPHB, and it makes one Rend attack.

Sickening Ray.The dracolich uses Spellcasting to cast Ray of Sickness|XPHB (level 2 version). The dracolich can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.

Terrifying Presence.wis 19, each creature in a 30-foot Emanation [Area of Effect]|XPHB|Emanation originating from the dracolich. 11 ( The dracolich can't take this action again until the start of its next turn.

Dracolich

Draconic Tyrant Reborn

The vilest dragons seek to escape the grip of death, employing ageless secrets and blasphemous magic to become horrors called dracoliches. These deathless dragons bind their spirits to gems and magically animate their rotting corpses. Eventually becoming skeletal horrors, dracoliches continue the centuries-spanning plots they pursued in life, seek revenge on those that brought them low, and strive toward vicious goals they couldn't indulge in life.

Dracoliches combine the corrupt immortality of the undead with the legendary power of dragons. A dracolich retains a breath weapon, but it is a chilling necrotic blast. These terrors gradually sicken the land near their lairs and attract sinister followers—usually other undead or cultists seeking to revel in their terrible might. Living dragons of all types loathe and seek to destroy dracoliches, viewing them as distortions of draconic magic.

There are untold profane routes by which a dragon might become a dracolich. However one is created, a dracolich chooses a gem that becomes the anchor for its spirit and binds the deathless dragon to the world. So long as a dracolich is on the same plane of existence as its soul gem, the dracolich can survive the destruction of its physical body. Its spirit retreats into the gem if the dracolich's body is destroyed, and the monster might one day regain its terrifying form. Dracoliches often sequester their soul gems within meaningful treasure from their hoard or in unassuming baubles. Roll on or choose a result from the Dracolich Soul Gem Vessels table to inspire what holds a dracolich's soul gem.

Dracolich Lairs

A dracolich lurks in a corrupted version of the lair it had in life.

And naught will be left save shattered thrones with no rulers. But the dead dragons shall rule the world entire...