Lich (CR +10)

"Lich" is an acquired template that can be added to any living creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature), provided it can create the required soul vessel. A lich retains all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Racial Traits


Standard Traits

  • CR: +10 (202 CP total)
  • Hit Dice: The lich adds 10 lich Hit Dice (d8) to the base creature's total Hit Dice. These HD stack with the base creature's HD to determine the number of ability score increases, feats, racial feats, skill proficiency increases, and any abilities or traits that scale off of the creature's total HD except for its base attack bonus, base saving throw bonuses, and skill ranks (see traits below). Upon gaining this template, the lich selects one spellcasting class it possesses levels in; its lich HD stacks with its levels to determine the class' effective level for its abilities and caster level. (10 CP)
  • Alignment: Any evil
  • Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. Do not recalculate the base creature's base attack bonus, base saving throw bonuses, and skill ranks.
  • Ability Score Adjustment: Int +4, Wis +4, Cha +4. Liches have no Constitution score, and instead use their Charisma score in place of it when calculating hit points, Fortitude saves, and any special ability that relies on Constitution. (17 CP)

Defense Racial Traits

  • Channel Resistance (Su): The lich adds half of it total Hit Dice as a bonus to saves made to resist the effects of channel energy, including effects that rely on the use of channel energy (such as the Command Undead feat). (2 CP)
  • Damage Reduction: The lich gains DR/blundgeoning and good equal to its total Hit Dice. If the base creature already has DR/blundgeoning and good, the value is equal to twice the lich's total HD. (8 CP)
  • Energy Immunity: The lich gains immunity to cold and electricity. (8 CP)
  • Natural Armor: The lich gains a natural armor bonus equal to its total Hit Dice. If the base creature already had a natural armor bonus, the lich instead gains Improved Natural Armor as a bonus feat. (2 CP)
  • Undead Immunities (Ex): The lich is immune to the following conditions: bleed, energy drain, exhaustion, fatigue, paralysis, sleep, and stunned. It is also immune to death, disease, mind-affecting, and poison effects and spells. It is also immune to ability drain, energy drain, nonlethal damage, and ability damage to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. It is not affected by raise dead or reincarnate effects or spells. Finally, the lich is immune to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). (85 CP)
  • Undead Saving Throws: The lich increases its base Will saving throw bonus by +7. (2 CP)
  • Vessel Rejuvenation: When the lich is reduced to 0 hp, its soul vessel immediately begins to rebuild the lich’s body nearby. This process takes 1d10 days—if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the soul vessel merely starts the process anew. After this time passes, the lich wakens fully healed (albeit without any gear it left behind on its old body). (2 CP)

Feat and Skill Racial Traits

  • Lich Feats: The lich gains the following as bonus feats: Command Undead, Spell Focus (necromancy), Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Spell Penetration, and Undead Master. If the lich already possesses one or more of these feats, it can select a different feat that it qualifies for in place of any of the bonus feats it already possesses. It uses its total Hit Dice as its cleric level or stacks its lich HD with its cleric levels to determine the DC and the amount of undead controlled for Command Undead, whichever is higher. (10 CP)
  • Lich Skills: The lich gains the following as class skills: Autohypnosis, Craft, Disguise, Fly, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge, Linguistics, Lore, Perception, Perform, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Truespeak, and Use Magic Device. (15 CP)
  • Skill Ranks: The lich gains 4 + Intelligence modifier skill ranks per lich Hit Die. (1 CP)

Offense Racial Traits

  • Base Attack Bonus: The lich increases its base attack bonus by +7 (medium progression). (0 CP)
  • Channel Negative Energy (Su): The lich can channel negative energy as a cleric of a level equal to its total Hit Dice. It can use this ability a number of times per day equal to its total HD + its Charisma modifier. The save DC is Charisma-based. If the lich gains the ability to channel negative energy from a class, it instead stacks its lich HD with its class levels to determine the ability's effective cleric level. (6 CP)
  • Fear Aura (Su): Creatures in a 60-foot radius that looks at the lich must succeed on a Will save or become frightened if their total Hit Dice are less than half of the lich's total HD, or become shaken otherwise. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same lich’s aura for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. At 7th Hit Die, and every 7 HD after, the aura's range increases by 5 feet. (13 CP)
  • Negative Touch Attack: The lich gains a melee touch attack that deals "other" natural attack damage for its size plus 1 for every 2 Hit Dice the lich possesses. Its damage is negative energy, and can be used to heal creatures with the Negative Energy Affinity or Powered by Negative Energy damage. At 7th HD, and every 7 HD after, the touch attack's damage die increases by 1 size. (5 CP)

Senses Racial Traits

  • Darkvision: The lich can see perfectly in the dark for up to 60 feet. At 7th Hit Die, and every 7 HD after, this range increases by 30 feet. If the base creature already had darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet. (2 CP)

Other Racial Traits

  • Powered by Negative Energy (Su): The lich is healed by negative energy and harmed by positive energy. (-1 CP)
  • Undead Biology (Ex): The lich does not need to breath, drink, eat, or sleep unless doing so benefits it. (15 CP)
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