Exethanter

Medium Undead, Lawful Evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 99 (18d8 + 54)

Speed 30 ft.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

Saving Throws CON +10, INT +12, WIS +9

Skills Arcana +19, History +12, Insight +9, Perception +9

Damage Resistances cold, lightning, necrotic

Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, 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 10 (5,900 XP)

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Exethanter 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.

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

Spellcasting

Spellcasting. Exethanter 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

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

Cantrip. Exethanter casts a cantrip.

Paralyzing Touch (Costs 2 Actions). Exethanter uses its Paralyzing Touch.

Frightening Gaze (Costs 2 Actions). Exethanter 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 Exethanter 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.