Medium undead, any evil alignment

• Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 135 (18d8 + 54)
• Speed 30 ft.

• Skills Arcana +18, History +12, Insight +9, Perception +9
• Damage Resistances cold, lightning, necrotic
• Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
• Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
• Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 19
• Languages Common plus up to five other languages
• Challenge 21 (33,000 XP)

Traits

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

Rejuvenation. If it has a phylactery, a destroyed lich gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the phylactery.

Spellcasting. The lich is an 18th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). The lich has the following wizard spells prepared:

• Cantrips (at will): Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost
• 1st level (4 slots): Detect Magic, Magic Missile, Shield, Thunderwave
• 2nd level (3 slots): Acid Arrow, Detect Thoughts, Invisibility, Mirror Image
• 3rd level (3 slots): Animate Dead, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Fireball
• 4th level (3 slots): Blight, Dimension Door
• 5th level (3 slots): Cloudkill, Scrying
• 6th level (1 slot): Disintegrate, Globe of Invulnerability
• 7th level (1 slot): Finger of Death, Plane Shift
• 8th level (1 slot): Dominate Monster, Power Word Stun
• 9th level (1 slot): Power Word Kill

Turn Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.

Actions

Paralyzing Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Legendary Actions

The lich 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 lich regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Cantrip. The lich casts a cantrip.
• Paralyzing Touch (Costs 2 Actions). The lich uses its Paralyzing Touch.
• Frightening Gaze (Costs 2 Actions). The lich fixes its gaze on one creature it can see within 10 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become frightened for 1 minute. The 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 lich's gaze for the next 24 hours.
• Disrupt Life (Costs 3 Actions). Each non-undead creature within 20 feet of the 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.