Demilich

Medium Undead, Neutral Evil

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Armor Class 23 (natural armor)

Hit Points 207 (18d8 + 126)

Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
6 (-2)	20 (+5)	24 (+7)	21 (+5)	20 (+5)	22 (+6)

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Saving Throws Dex +11, Con +14, Wis +11, Cha +12

Skills Arcana +12, Perception +11, Stealth +11

Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned

Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 21

Languages Common, Abyssal, Infernal

Challenge 18 (20,000 XP)

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Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the demilich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. The demilich has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Rejuvenation. If the demilich is destroyed, it regains all its hit points in 1d10 days unless its skull is sprinkled with holy water and a dispel evil and good spell is cast on it. If the demilich reforms, it does so with a full complement of hit points.

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Spellcasting. The demilich is a 20th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). The demilich has the following wizard spells prepared:

• Cantrips (at will): chill touch, mage hand, prestidigitation
• 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, magic missile, shield
• 2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, mirror image, web
• 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, dispel magic, fireball
• 4th level (3 slots): blight, dimension door
• 5th level (3 slots): cloudkill, telekinesis
• 6th level (2 slots): disintegrate, globe of invulnerability
• 7th level (2 slots): finger of death, plane shift
• 8th level (1 slot): dominate monster
• 9th level (1 slot): meteor swarm

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Actions

Multiattack. The demilich can use its Frightening Gaze. It then makes one Bite attack.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (4d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 21 (6d6) necrotic damage.

Frightening Gaze. The demilich fixes its gaze on one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the demilich’s Frightening Gaze for the next 24 hours.

Soul Devourer (Recharge 5-6). The demilich targets one creature it can see within 300 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or have its soul ripped from its body and trapped within one of the gems in the demilich’s skull. The soulless body immediately disintegrates. If the target’s soul is trapped, it can only be restored to life via a wish spell or similar magic. Additionally, the demilich regains hit points equal to the target’s hit point maximum.

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Legendary Actions

The demilich can take 3 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 demilich regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Telekinetic Storm (Costs 2 Actions). The demilich churns up its treasure, dust, bones, and other loose debris in the area into a whirling storm about its skull. Creatures within a 20-foot radius of the demilich’s skull must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 12d8 force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
• Greater Bestow Curse (Costs 2 Actions). The demilich targets one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or be cursed as if by the bestow curse spell.
• Wail of the Banshee (Costs 3 Actions). The demilich unleashes a terrifying wail. Each creature within 30 feet of the demilich’s skull must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 7d10 thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the demilich can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the demilich can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• Spectral Whispers: The demilich targets one creature it can see within 120 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or be affected by the confusion spell for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Necrotic Shroud: The demilich raises the ambient necrotic energy in its lair. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, all creatures within 30 feet of the demilich take 2d6 necrotic damage at the start of their turn.
• Abyssal Gateway: The demilich opens a temporary gateway to the Abyss within its lair. Two shadow demons appear in unoccupied spaces the demilich can see within 60 feet of it. The demons remain for 1 minute or until the demilich uses this lair action again.

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Tactics

In addition to its formidable spellcasting and legendary actions, the Demilich utilizes its lair to its advantage. It strategically employs lair actions to further weaken and disorient its foes, creating additional challenges for those who dare to confront it within its domain.

The Demilich utilizes Spectral Whispers to sow chaos among its enemies, causing confusion and discord within their ranks. Necrotic Shroud is employed to wear down its adversaries over time, draining their vitality with waves of necrotic energy. Additionally, Abyssal Gateway allows the Demilich to summon reinforcements from the Abyss, bolstering its forces and overwhelming its foes with sheer numbers.

Overall, the Demilich is a cunning and relentless adversary, utilizing every advantage at its disposal to ensure its eventual triumph over those who seek to oppose it.

Demilich CR 14

Glittering jewels encrust this leering skull as it floats up into the air on a swirling vortex of dust and shimmering magic.

XP 38,400
NE Tiny undead
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., true seeing; Perception +27

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 21, flat-footed 21 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural, +5 profane, +2 size)
hp 142 (15d8+75)
Fort +14, Ref +15, Will +21
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +5, rejuvenation, unholy grace; DR20/—; Immune acid, cold, electricity, magic, polymorph, undead traits
Weaknesses torpor, vorpal susceptibility

OFFENSE

Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks devour soul
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +25)

Constant—true seeing
At will—greater bestow curse (DC 21), telekinesis (DC 19), wail of the banshee (20-ft.-radius spread centered on the demilich; DC 24)

STATISTICS

Str 6, Dex 17, Con —, Int 21, Wis 20, Cha 21
Base Atk +11; CMB +12; CMD 30
Feats Ability Focus (devour soul), Alertness, Defensive Combat Training, Dodge, Flyby Attack^B, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility
Skills Bluff +20, Fly +23, Knowledge (arcana) +23, Knowledge(dungeoneering) +20, Knowledge (history) +15, Knowledge (planes) +15, Knowledge (religion) +18, Perception +27, Sense Motive +27, Spellcraft+23, Stealth +24
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Common, Draconic, Giant, Infernal

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Devour Soul (Su)

As a standard action with a range of 300 feet, a demilich can imprison the soul of a living creature within one of 10 special gems embedded in its skull. If the target succeeds at a DC 24 Fortitude save, it gains two permanent negative levels. If it fails, its soul is immediately drawn into one of the gems in the demilich’s skull. The soul remains trapped within the gem, visible as but a gleam except under true seeing.

The soulless body corrupts and decays rapidly, reducing to dust in a single round. As long as the dead creature’s soul remains trapped in the gemstone, it cannot be restored to life via any means save direct divine intervention. Gems with souls trapped in them can be retrieved from a destroyed demilich, at which point they can either be crushed to release any souls within to their afterlife or used in the place of the usual material components to restore the soul and body with resurrection or true resurrection.

After 24 hours, the demilich can choose to consume any soul trapped in a gem, healing it 1d6 hit points per Hit Die of the soul, at which point only miracle or wish can restore the dead creature to life. The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +2 bonus for the Ability Focus feat.

Greater Bestow Curse (Sp)

This spell-like ability functions like bestow curse, but can have one of the following effects: -12 to one ability score; -6 to two ability scores; -8 penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks; or a 25% chance to act normally. This ability is treated as a 6th-level spell.

Immunity to Magic (Su)

A demilich is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells function differently against the creature, as noted below.

• A dispel evil spell deals 2d6 points of damage, with no saving throw.
• Holy smite affects a demilich normally.
• A power word kill spoken by an ethereal caster deals 50 points of damage to the demilich if it fails a Fortitude save (with a DC determined as though the spell allowed a saving throw).
• A shatter spell deals 1d6 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 10d6), with no saving throw.

Rejuvenation (Su)

A destroyed demilich reforms in 2d6 days. To permanently destroy a demilich, holy water must be poured over its remains within the area of a hallow spell. To complete the destruction, holy word or dispel evil must be cast. If the caster succeeds at a caster level check with a DC equal to 10 + the demilich’s Hit Dice, the demilich is permanently destroyed.

Telekinetic Storm (Su)

As a special use of its telekinesis spell-like ability, a demilich can churn up its treasure, dust, bones, and other loose debris in the area into a whirling storm about its skull. The storm obscures vision as a fog cloudwithin a 20-foot spread centered on the demilich’s skull. Creatures within the storm take 12d6 points of damage per round on the demilich’s turn (Reflex DC 20 for half damage). The demilich can maintain the storm indefinitely by concentrating.

Torpor (Ex)

A demilich takes no actions against intruders unless its remains or treasure are disturbed.

Unholy Grace (Su)

A demilich gains a bonus on saves and a profane bonus to AC equal to its Charisma modifier.

Vorpal Susceptibility (Ex)

Vorpal weapons of any kind ignore a demilich’s damage reduction.

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure double

In their endless years of unlife, some liches lose themselves in introspection, and can no longer rouse themselves to face the endless march of days. Still others cast their consciousness far from their bodies, wandering planes and realities far beyond mortal ken. Absent the vitality of the soul, such a lich’s physical form succumbs to decay over the centuries. In time, only the lich’s skull remains intact.

Yet the bonds of undeath keep the lich’s remains from final dissolution. Vestiges of the lich’s intellect remain within the skull, and wake to terrible wrath should it be disturbed. Traces of the lich’s will to live strengthen the skull, rendering it harder than any steel. The lich’s greed and lust for power manifest in the growth of gems in its skull. Lastly, though only the barest remnants of the lich’s eldritch might survive, a demilich aroused to anger still retains enough power to flense the very soul from any defiling its final rest.

The lich’s phylactery invariably fails during the slow decline of lich into demilich, losing its last vestiges of enchantment if not crumbling into dust with the lich’s body. But even without the preserving power of the phylactery, demiliches retain a tenacious grip on existence. Only powerful and precise use of magic can permanently destroy a demilich and its remains. To the unwary adventurer, a demilich looks like nothing more than dust and bones within the lich’s former sanctum.

Indeed, until disturbed, a demilich has only the vaguest awareness of intruders, and ignores their presence. Any attempt to steal the demilich’s possessions, disturb its remains, or harm its domain rouses the demilich’s slumbering mind, causing it to rise up in the air and voice its wail of the banshee before again settling to the ground. Should the interlopers relent, the skull returns to its torpor. But if they persist, the skull rises again, not to rest again until all in its sight have perished. Fortunately for intruders, demiliches never pursue those wise enough flee.

Becoming a Demilich

Most demiliches achieved their state through apathy, not volition. For each decade that a demilich fails to stir itself to meaningful action, there is a 1% cumulative chance that its corporeal body decays into dust, save for the skull. Any return to activity resets the chance of transformation to 0%. Once the lich’s body decays, the lich’s intellect returns to its phylactery as normal.

However, the skull rejects the return of the lich’s consciousness, keeping the lich trapped in its deteriorating phylactery for 1d10 years. If during that time the lich’s remains are destroyed or scattered (for example, by wandering adventurers), the lich’s phylactery forms a new body and the intellect leaves the phylactery as normal, returning the lich to life. But if the lich’s remains survive unperturbed, the phylactery’s magic fails catastrophically, releasing the lich’s soul and causing 5d10 points of damage to the phylactery.

Regardless of whether or not the phylactery physically survives, the energies released by its failure channel into the lifeless skull of the lich, allowing the last remnants of the lich’s soul to transform it into a demilich. The lich’s soul itself either is utterly destroyed, reaches its final reward or punishment, or is condemned to wander the edges of the multiverse forever.

For wandering liches, the process is similar, but based on the number of decades the lich spends without its intellect returning to its body. While the lich’s body still decays, its mind remains at large, only becoming trapped in the phylactery if the lich tries to return during the period in which its body has failed, but it has not yet become a demilich. Should the lich’s phylactery fail before the wandering lich returns, the skull becomes a demilich, and the lich’s mind is doomed to wander until the end of days.

Section 15: Copyright NoticePathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC;

Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.