Illithilich

Medium Undead, Lawful NX Chaotic Evil

STR
11 (+0)
DEX
16 (+3)
CON
16 (+3)
INT
20 (+5)
WIS
14 (+2)
CHA
16 (+3)
Legendary Resistance (3/Day).

If the illithilich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Rejuvenation.

If it has a phylactery, a destroyed illithilich 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.

Turn Resistance.

The illithilich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.

Magic Resistance.

The illithilich has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Innate Spellcasting (Psionics).

The illithilich's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components.

At will: detect thoughts, levitate

1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only)

Spellcasting.

The illithilich 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

Level 1 (4 slots): detect magic, magic missile, shield, thunderwave

Level 2 (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, Melf's acid arrow, mirror image

Level 3 (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, dispel magic, fireball

Level 4 (3 slots): blight, dimension door

Level 5 (3 slots): cloudkill, scrying

Level 6 (1 slots): disintegrate, globe of invulnerability

Level 7 (1 slots): finger of death, plane shift

Level 8 (1 slots): dominate monster, power word stun

Level 9 (1 slots): power word kill

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.

Tentacles.

Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) psychic damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 15) and must succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until this grapple ends.

Extract Brain.

Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one incapacitated humanoid grappled by the lich. Hit: 55 (10d10) piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the lich kills the target by extracting and devouring its brain.

Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6).

The illithilich magically emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw or take 27 (5d8 + 5) psychic damage and be stunned 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.

Legendary Actions

Legendary Action Uses: 3. Immediately after another creature’s turn, this creature can expend a use to take one of the following actions; it regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.

Tentacles.

The illithilich makes one attack with its tentacles.

Extract Brain (Costs 2 Actions).

The illithilich uses Extract Brain.

Mind Blast (Costs 3 Actions).

The illithilich recharges its Mind Blast and uses it.

Cast Spell (Costs 1–3 Actions).

The illithilich uses a spell slot to cast a 1st-, 2nd-, or 3rd-level spell that it has prepared. Doing so costs 1 legendary action per level of the spell.

Lair Actions

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

  • The illithilich rolls a d8 and regains a spell slot of that level or lower. If it has no spent spell slots of that level or lower, nothing happens.
  • The illithilich targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. A crackling cord of negative energy tethers the illithilich to the target. Whenever the illithilich takes damage, the target must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the illithilich takes half the damage (rounded down), and the target takes the remaining damage. This tether lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round or until the illithilich or the target is no longer in the illithilich's lair.
  • The illithilich calls forth the spirits of creatures that died in its lair. These apparitions materialize and attack one creature that the illithilich can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 52 (15d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. The apparitions then disappear.

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Illithilich

Source: Volo's Guide to Monsters, p. 172 - Licenses and attribution