Tyrannosaurus Lich
King of the Dead
What happens when a T-Rex eats someone wearing a Headband of Intellect? And then it goes on to find out that its species is going extinct, and it begins to study necromancy to save itself and its species, only to fear death even more... ? This is how you get a Tyrannosaurus Lich, a Fossil with Arcane powers & a bite to back it up.
The T-Lich's Soul Cage is a strange one-- a single mosquito filled with the blood of the T-Lich from when it was alive. The mosquito has been encased in Amber, and hidden inside the T-Lich's vertebrae. When the T Lich is reduced to 0 HP, it falls out and is immediately noticeable. To destroy the Soul Cage, they need to remove the amber. Any amount of Acid Damage will do instantly, but not many people know that amber actually melts in acid! So, if placed in a fire for 3 rounds total, it will melt off. and destroy the Soul Cage (but the T-Lich has Mage Hand so... tiny arms aren't a problem for getting it out the fire!)
Inspiration behind the Monster
Dinosaurs are cool to start with, but when I originally made this monster (back in 2020), it was because I had visited a Science Museum to see a fossil exhibit, and I had a single thought: Many RPGs have skeletons as enemies, what if there was a fossil enemy? Hence: I needed to make such a thing.
I didn't want to just take the existing TRex stat block and slap "Undead" under it, though, or have it be some minion to another caster. The TRex is a King-- not a servant. So that meant to me that my creation needed to achieve undeath by itself-- hence, a Lich.
What followed was one of my deadliest statblocks of all time.
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Tyrannosaurus Lich
Undead (Skeletal TRex), Chaotic Evil
- Armor Class 15 (Fossilized Bones)
- Hit Points 136 (13d12 + 52) Speed 50ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 25 (+7) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 15 (2)
- Saving Throws Con +7, Int +7, Wis +6
- Skills Arcana 8, Insight +6, Perception +6
- Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non magical attacks
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
- Senses Blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 16
- Languages Common, Undercommon, Draconic, Sylvan
- Challenge 8 (3900 XP) Prof Bonus. +3
Fossil Fortitude. If damage reduces T-Lich to 0 hit points, its fossilized Skeleton immediately begins to show signs of reforming. If its Soul Cage is not destroyed by the start of its turn, it regains 20 HP.
Roaring Vocals (recharge 6) When T-Lich casts a spell with a vocal component, it can roar with tyrannical authority as a bonus action. Each creature that fails its save against this spell is also Frightened until the end of your next turn.
Spellcasting. The T-Lich is a 10th Level Caster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (Spell Save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). It has the wizard spells from the "T-Lich Spell List" Prepared.
Actions
Multiattack. The tyrannosaurus makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its tail. It can't make both attacks against the same target.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 33 (4d12 + 7) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the tyrannosaurus can't bite another target, or use its Swallow Spell.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Reactions
Swallow Spell. If the T-Lich is the target of a spell that requires an attack roll, or a spell would be cast with a point of origin within 10ft of the T-Lich, it may make a bite attack against it. If the Bite would hit an Armor Class equal to 10 + the triggering Spell's Level, the spell is countered, having no effect.
Legendary Actions
Legendary Actions (3): Bite (2), Cast Cantrip (2) or Move.
T-Lich Spell List.
Save DC 16, +8 to hit
- Cantrips : Acid splash, Fire Bolt, Mage Hand
- Level 1(4 Slots): Command, Thunderous Smite
- Level 2 (3 Slots): Shatter, Hold Person
- Level 3 (3 Slots): Pulse Wave, Melf's Minute Meteors
- Level 4 (3 Slots): Danse Macabre, Staggering Smite
- Level 5 (2 Slots): Cloudkill, Destructive Wave
How the T-Lich Hunts (D&D 5e)
Open up with a Cloudkill towards the party. Then, walk into it. Since it deals Poison Damage, you're immune to it. More than that, you're heavily obscured while in it, so creatures can't see you. The T-Lich has Blindsight, so that doesn't effect you either! Since you can see them, and they can't see you, you get advantage on attack rolls, and they get disadvantage!
At the start of each of your turns from here on, cloud kill will move 10ft towards the direction you cast it in, and you should keep using it for cover (like above). Since cloudkill specifies it deals damage when a creature enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn, that includes your turn if they move into it or it moves onto them for any reason. So long as you maintain Concentration on Cloudkill, your goal should be to Bite and drag creatures into it, ending your turn there (for defense). Alternatively, you can use Pulse Wave or Command to move several party members into the cloud kill at once!
Eventually, you will lose concentration on Cloudkill; then it's time to Danse Macabre! Drop one Veloci-zombie (use the Deinonychus stat block, but give them Undead Fortitude) per player on the field! Note that since Danse Macabre is Concentration, you're gonna want to avoid using your smite spells while its up.
While Danse Macabre is Active: Have your Veloci-zombies knock players prone and cause general chaos while you protect your Soul Cage. if you haven't dropped to 0 yet, maybe stay back and Command players to stall for time.
Once they defeat your raptors: Time to go Primal. Destruction Wave for a massive AOE damage, making sure to Roar on it for fear. When you're out of 5th level slots, switch to using your Bonus action to cast smite spells, then action to Bite & Tail (remembering that only one of those needs to hit for the smite to go off, not the first attack you make!) Honestly, if you get to this phase they're either taking so long on the Soul Cage that it's going to be a TPK or they keep killing your TLich and you keep losing concentration.)
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How the T-Lich Hunts (PF2e)
While the T-Lich's prior life as a Dinosaur would leave one to think it were a brute, never forget: It mastered the arcane arts. It's smart.
That's why it'll open up with Cloudkill. Since it is immune to poison damage, it can remain concealed in the cloud with little drawback. Note that the T-Lich has lifesense 60ft, so creatures outside of the cloud are not concealed to it. That 20% chance for all attacks to miss this round will certainly play in your favor!
While the cloudkill is alive (1 minute), keep moving to stay in it. If you don't need to move to stay in the cloud, consider using Roaring Vocals with a strong AoE, such as Cone of Cold or Vampiric Exsanguination (for that delicious temporary HP). You can even use Wall of Ice to trap them in with it! On turns where you have an extra action, consider Biting someone, & pulling them into the mist.
During other turns, keep an eye out for spells that can be counteracted with your Swallow Spell. If someone makes themselves a particularly large thorn in the T-Lich's side (such as a life cleric spamming positive energy at you), consider hitting them with your Necrotize; It's a great single-target problem remover. Drain Soul can be used as a free action to restore one spell slot as well-- that can be used to Necrotize a second time if needed, or gain another Vampiric Exsanguination for more hitpoints.
Between the instant rejuvenation & pure efficiency of the strategy-- be warned.
You come at the king, you best not miss.
Tyrannosaurus Lich CREATURE 11
jaws (deadly 1d12, reach 20 feet)
2d10+12 piercing plus Grabbed
foot (reach 15)
2d8+10 bludgeoning
Frequency Once per day. Effect
The lich taps into its soul cage's power to cast any arcane spell up to the highest level the lich can cast, even if the spell being cast is not one of the lich's prepared spells. The lich's soul cage doesn't need to be present for the lich to use this ability.
When T-Lich casts a spell with a vocal component, it can expend an additional action to roar with tyrannical authority. Each creature that fails its save against this spell is also Frightened 1, or Frightened 2 on a Critical Failure.
If the T-Lich is the target of a spell that requires an attack roll, or a spell would be cast with a point of origin within 20ft of the T-Lich, it may make a Bite Strike against it. If the Bite would hit an Armor Class equal to the caster's Spell DC, the spell is Counteracted.