Creature Cohorts:

The Lich
 Lich Cohorts

B
eneath the setting sun,
a legion's graveyard, the field's become,
below the baying horses,
What is a Cohort?
In short, a creature cohort is a monster, perhaps from the
two hundred bloodless corpses.
Yet amongst these men a tattered thing, Monster Manual that has been converted into its own race
and associated class (which are designed to be taken
grotesque, withered, chattering,
together). You create a cohort much like making a
the scourge of sun and stars,
character, following the same rules in the Player's
stood alone, unmarred.
'Twas no army that culled the war, Handbook. One difference, though, is that cohorts typically
don't pick a character background unless the monster in
no siege machine rain'd stone from the skies,
question had a prior profession.
'twas no army, but one man,
skull, bone, and scythe in hand. Cohorts are designed to be flexible, so that DMs can do
Through reaper's gaze he spoke, some of the following:
death's embrace, his cloak. DMs can use a cohort in place of the normal "Sidekick"
rules from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, allowing an
-The Ballad of Lord Lazric iconic monster to act as a friendly NPC or even as a
party member
A cohort can be used as a monster that levels with the
party (as a recurring enemy or rival, for instance)
Some cohorts can act as more powerful familiars, or as
substitutes for animal companions (or similar class
abilities)

Note: despite being mentioned above, you do not need

to own Tasha's Cauldron of Everything to use cohorts.
Keep in mind that as of the time of this writing, creature
cohorts are not designed for multiclassing nor balanced
for such.

Aspirant Racial Features

Though you have yet to reach your full potential, you have
started down the path between life and death, and are
already beginning to distance yourself from the mortal
world. You may have been revived in an obscure ritual, or
may have intentionally transformed yourself into your
current, undead state. Regardless, you are no longer
limited by the weaknesses of living flesh.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases
by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases
by 1.
Age. As an undead creature, you no longer age normally,
though you do not have eternal youth either. Your form is
likely dessicated, with leathery flesh and mottled hair. You
otherwise appear to be similar to the age you were before
your transformation.
Alignment. Your tendency to lean towards good or evil
likely has to do with how you became undead. If you
decide to sacrifice the souls of others to become immortal
(such as through the lich's Dread Lord subclass) then you
are likely irredeemably evil, as the destruction of souls is
one of the most profane acts known to the world.

art by Fran Fdez

cover art by Derrick Zha

2
However, not all undead are evil by nature. In the plane of
Eberron, the elves of Aerenal transform their most
respected citizens into a type of radiant undead-- the
New Class: The Lich
Deathless-- who are generally good-aligned and opposed
to other forms of undeath. Honored dead may wish to
consider the lich subclass, the Transcendent.
Class Features
Size. Your size is Medium, unless your former race was a As a lich, you gain the following class features.
different size by default. Your natural size does not change
during your transformation to undeath. Hit Points
Speed. Your base movement speed is 30 feet. Hit Dice: 1d6 per lich level
Darkvision. The eyes of the undead are well adapted to Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
seeing in dim and dark conditions. You can see in dim light Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) plus your
within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in Constitution modifier per lich level after 1st.
darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in
darkness, only shades of gray.
Proficiencies
Beyond Death. You count as a humanoid as well as an Armor: none
undead for the purposes of spells and effects. You can be Weapons: daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light
healed like a humanoid, but also turned as an undead. crossbows
Unceasing. You are immune to exhaustion effects, and Tools: none
do not need to eat, drink, breathe or sleep. However, Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
whenever you take a long rest you must spend at least Skills: choose two from Arcana, Deception, History,
four hours in a motionless, trance-like state. In this state, Insight, Investigation, and Religion
you appear asleep, but you are not unconscious, and you
can see and hear as normal. Equipment
Resilient. You have advantage on saving throws against You start with the following equipment, in addition to any
poison, and you have resistance to poison damage. equipment granted by your background:
Knowledge of the Ages. You gain one bonus proficiency
(a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
of your choice, in either the Arcana or History skill.
an hourglass and 50 gold
Innate Power. You learn one wizard cantrip of your
a spellbook
choice. Whenever you increase your level in any class, you
may replace this cantrip with another wizard cantrip.
Languages. You can speak, read and write Common, and art by David Astruga
one extra language of your choice.

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 The Lich
Proficiency Cantrips Spells
Level Bonus Features Known Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
Mask of Undeath, Natural Armor,
1st +2 3 2 2 — — — — — — — —
Spellcasting
2nd +2 Ascension Rite, Forbidden Lore 3 3 3 — — — — — — — —
3rd +2 Arcane Obscura, Frightening Gaze 3 4 4 2 — — — — — — —
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 4 5 4 3 — — — — — — —
5th +3 Disrupt Life 4 6 4 3 2 — — — — — —
6th +3 Ascension Feature 4 7 4 3 3 — — — — — —
7th +3 Death Mantle 4 8 4 3 3 1 — — — — —
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 9 4 3 3 2 — — — — —
9th +4 ─ 4 10 4 3 3 3 1 — — — —
10th +4 Ascension Feature 5 11 4 3 3 3 2 — — — —
11th +4 ─ 5 12 4 3 3 3 2 1 — — —
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 12 4 3 3 3 2 1 — — —
13th +5 Ascension Feature 5 13 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 — —
14th +5 Shun Mortality 5 14 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 — —
15th +5 ─ 5 14 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 —
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 15 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 —
17th +6 ─ 5 16 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1
18th +6 Ascension Feature 5 17 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 5 17 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1
20th +6 Master of Unlife 5 18 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1

You may use this ability once per point of proficiency

Mask of Undeath
If you are not already undead, then at 1st level your
appearance begins to change. Your skin may take on a
deathly pallor, your eyes begin to gloss over or perhaps
your hair becomes gray (if it does not fall out entirely). As
you increase your lich level, you begin to look less like a
living person and more so like a true undead. You can use
your innate magic to conceal these changes, though... for a
time.
As an action, you can make yourself appear as a younger
(and very much living) version of yourself. This otherwise
functions like the disguise self spell. However, whenever a
creature that had close knowledge of you before you
became a lich (such a family member, a close colleague or
long-time friend) comes within 30 feet of you and can see
you, that creature can make an Insight check at the DM's
discretion. The DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier. If the creature succeeds on the
check, they can see that you somehow look even better
than they remember you-- which may be seen as a good
thing, or just plain suspicious depending on how trusting
the creature is. A dog that formerly loved you may
suddenly think of you as a stranger, while a long time
friend may find you more comely than ever before. In
either case, they realize something is... different about
you.
bonus, and you recover any expended use upon
completion of a long rest.
Natural Armor
Your hide is calloused by the touch of undeath. While you
are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 13 +
your Dexterity modifier.
Spellcasting
As a former wizard, you were accustomed to keeping your
arcane knowledge in written form. Using a spellbook
allowed you a great many options at your fingertips.
However, your transformation into a lich has changed that
somewhat. On the one hand, you now have intimate
knowledge of many of your spells, such that you are no
longer fully reliant on your spellbook. On the other hand,
you quickly learn to adapt your spell repertoire as you go
(see the Forbidden Lore ability, below). You might feel
restricted in your spells known, at least initially. Over time,
this will become less of an issue as your ability to adapt
grows further.

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Cantrips
At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from
the wizard spell list. You learn additional wizard cantrips of
your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips
Known column of the Wizard table.
Spellbook
At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing four 1st-level
wizard spells of your choice.
Spell Slots
The Lich table shows how many spell slots you have to cast
your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these lich
spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher.
You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long
rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell burning
hands and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level slot available,
you can cast burning hands using either slot.
Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher
Lke a sorcerer, you have a vast repertoire of arcane
knowledge at hand wherever you go, with or without your
spellbook. Unlike a sorcerer, though, you do still retain
some of a wizard's spell flexibility and can adapt over time,
using your spellbook to expand your magical abilities.
You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the
wizard spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Lich table shows when
you learn more wizard spells of your choice. In addition,
each time you gain a lich level you can add one wizard
spell of your choice to your spellbook. These spells must
be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on
the Lich table. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in
this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level,
and can also add one new spell to your spellbook of 1st or
2nd level.
In short, the spells you know are the spells you have
available at any given time, and your spellbook may
contain those spells that you wish to have in a pinch, but
may not need accessible at all times. You do not prepare
spells, but you will learn to cast spells directly from your
spellbook on a limited basis (with the Forbidden Lore
ability, below).
On your adventures, you might also find other spells
that you can add to your spellbook (see the "Your
Spellbook" sidebar).
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can
choose one of the wizard spells you know and replace it
with another spell from the wizard spell list, which also
must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
art by Vyach Milinchuk
Your Spellbook
(from page 114 of the Player's Handbook) The
spells that you add to your spellbook as you
gain levels reflect the arcane research you
conduct on your own, as well as intellectual
breakthroughs you have had about the
nature of the multiverse. You might find other
spells during your adventures. You could
discover a spell recorded on a scroll in an evil
wizard's chest, for example, or in a dusty
tome in an ancient library.
Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find
a wizard spell of 1st level or higher, you can
add it to your spellbook if it is of a level for
which you have spell slots and if you can
spare the time to decipher and copy it.
Copying a spell into your spellbook involves
reproducing the basic form of the spell, then
deciphering the unique system of notation
used by the wizard who wrote it. You must
practice the spell until you understand the
sounds or gestures required, then transcribe
it into your spellbook using your own
notation.
For each level of the spell, the process takes
2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents
material components you expend as you
experiment with the spell to master it, as well
as the fine inks you need to record it. Once
you have spent this time and money, you can
prepare the spell just like your other spells.
Replacing the Book. You can copy a spell
from your own spellbook into another book—
for example, if you want to make a backup
copy of your spellbook. This is just like
copying a new spell into your spellbook, but
faster and easier, since you understand your
own notation and already know how to cast
the spell. You need spend only 1 hour and 10
gp for each level of the copied spell.
If you lose your spellbook, you can use the
same procedure to transcribe the spells that
you have prepared into a new spellbook.
Filling out the remainder of your spellbook
requires you to find new spells to do so, as
normal. For this reason, many wizards keep
backup spellbooks in a safe place.
The Book’s Appearance. Your spellbook is a
unique compilation of spells, with its own
decorative flourishes and margin notes. It
might be a plain, functional leather volume
that you received as a gift from your master, a
finely bound gilt-edged tome you found in an
ancient library, or even a loose collection of
notes scrounged together after you lost your
previous spellbook in a mishap.
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 Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard
spells, since you learn your spells through a near-
comprehensive level of arcane knowledge. This may be
due to your ascension to lichdom alone, through years of
study or through an arrangement with a powerful fiend.
You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your
spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence
modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard
spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier
Using Lore Points
At 2nd level, you can use lore points to cast a spell directly
from your spellbook. The spell must be a wizard spell for
which you have spell slots. To cast a spell this way, you
spend a number of lore points equal to the spell's level
when casting the spell. You also expend a spell slot of the
spell's level. In all other ways, the spell is treated as though
it were being cast normally.
In addition, whenever you would add your proficiency
bonus to an Intelligence-based ability check, you may
spend 1 lore point to add double your proficiency bonus to
that check instead. You may choose to use this ability after
the roll is made, but before the success or failure of the
check is determined.
You will learn new ways to use your lore points as you
level.

Ritual Casting
You can cast a wizard spell as a ritual if that spell has the
ritual tag and you either have the spell known or in your
spellbook.

Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus (found in chapter 5) as a
spellcasting focus for your wizard spells. If you choose, you
may instead use your spellbook as an arcane focus.

Ascension Rite
It is said that the methods used to achieve lichdom are
both profane and deadly. There are also rumors of far-
flung societies that have infused their honored dead with
radiant immortality. At 2nd level, you choose an ascension
rite to pursue-- the Dread Lord or the Transcendent-- and
you gain unique abilities depending on the path you
choose. Both of these ascension rites are detailed at the
end of this class description.

Forbidden Lore
Beginning at 2nd level, you can use ancient, formerly lost
techniques to cast spells directly from your spellbook.

Lore Points
You have 2 lore points. Whenever you level up, your
maximum lore points increases by one (your lore point
maximum is always equal to your lich level). You can never
have more lore points than your current lich level. You
regain all spent lore points when you finish a long rest.
As a bonus action during your turn, you may consume a
spell slot to recover a number of lore points equal to the
level of the spell slot used.

art by Xavier Leroux

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art by Anato Finnstark
Arcane Obscura
As a lich, you can draw upon knowledge lost to
generations of mortals. Your dark studies have given you a
view of the very underbelly of magic-- its secrets are no
longer beyond your ken.
Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Arcana
skill. If you are already proficient in Arcana, you may
instead choose another skill from the lich class
proficiencies list. In addition, whenever you roll a 1 on an
Arcana skill check, you can instead treat the roll as though
it were a natural 20.
Frightening Gaze
Starting at 3rd level, you learn to inspire dread in those
who oppose you. An ominous glow seeps from your eyes,
halting your foe's advance as they become bathed in fear.
Whenever a hostile creature that you can see enters a
space within 10 feet of you, you may use a reaction to
glare at them. The target must succeed on a Wisdom
saving throw against your spellcasting save DC or have
their movement speed reduced to 0 until the beginning of
their next turn. On a failed save, the creature also
becomes frightened of you for one 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.
Constructs and undead are immune to this effect.
Whenever a creature succeeds on a saving throw against
this ability or when the effect ends, that creature becomes
immune to this ability for 24 hours.
.
You may use this ability twice, and recover any expended
use upon completion of a long rest. When you have no
uses remaining, you can continue to use this ability, but
must expend 2 lore points and a 2nd-level spell slot each
time you choose to do so.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and
19th level, you can increase one ability score of your
choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your
choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score
above 20 using this feature.
Disrupt Life
In addition to embracing undeath, a lich also gains profane
knowledge of spells and spell-like abilities thought lost to
the ages. At 5th level, you may use an action during your
turn to blast your surroundings with raw negative energy.
All living creatures of your choice within 20 feet of you
must make a Constitution saving throw against your
spellcasting save DC. A target takes 6d6 necrotic damage
on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful
one. If a target is at half of their normal maximum hit
points or fewer, they roll their saving throw with
disadvantage.
You may use this ability once, and recover any expended
use upon completion of a long rest. When you have no
uses remaining, you can continue to use this ability, but
must expend 3 lore points and a 3rd-level spell slot each
time you choose to do so.
7

art by JasonTN
Death Mantle
Fell magic bridges the gap between life and unlife; as you
distance yourself from your mortality, you become less
reliant on that which once sustained you.
At 7th level, you now count as undead in addition to
your original creature type (such as humanoid) for the
purposes of spells and effects. From this point forward,
you also have advantage on saving throws against any
effect that turns undead.
In addition, you become immune to the charmed and
frightened conditions.
Shun Mortality
As you ascend further into lichdom, you leave behind
those who would litter the footnotes of history. At 14th
level, you have immunity to diseases, as well as immunity
to poison damage and the poisoned condition. In addition,
you now count only as undead for the purposes of spells
and abilities. As a result, you no longer age.
If you previously required air, food, drink or sleep... you
need these things no longer. However, whenever you take
a long rest you must spend at least four hours in a
motionless, trance-like state. In this state, you appear
asleep, but you are not unconscious, and you can see and
hear as normal.
In addition, whenever you complete a long rest, you may
choose one of the wizard spells you know and replace it
with another spell from the wizard spell list, which also
must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
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Master of Unlife
Your ascension is now complete-- yet you understand
more than ever that lichdom is the beginning of a new
journey just as much as it is the end of your living
existence. Looking upon the world of mortals, you may
find that your momentary ambitions dwarf their most
grandeur dreams. The power you wield is such that lesser
beings could never comprehend you, let alone hope to
stand against you.
Starting at 20th level, whenever you fail a saving throw,
you can choose to succeed instead. You may use this
ability once, and recover any expended use upon
completion of a long rest.
In addition, you learn to infuse your spells with remnant
soul energy, bypassing creatures' abilities to effectively
resist you. Whenever you cast a spell or use an ability that
requires a saving throw, you may force any number of
affected targets to roll a Charisma save instead of the
normal saving throw required by the spell or ability. The
targets roll against the normal save DC of the spell or
ability, and suffer the effects of a successful or failed save
per the spell or ability's description. You may use this
ability twice, choosing any number of affected targets each
time, and recover any expended use upon completion of a
long rest.
Ascension Rites
At 2nd level, the lich chooses one of the following
ascension rites to pursue their immortality: the Dread Lord
or the Transcendent. The dread lord is a traditional lich--
using a device called a phylactery, they trap their souls
(and consume the souls of others) to prolong their lives
indefinitely, and to revive themselves whenever they are
destroyed. The transcendent, however, pursues a path of
both radiant and necrotic energy, mastering both to leave
their mortality behind and reach a higher state of
existence.
The Dread Lord Karmic Bond
Starting at 10th level, you learn to reach out to another's
For the majority of liches, following the path to undeath soul to create a brief, if disrupting bond between you and
starts with a simple question: how much are you willing to another creature. As an action during your turn, you target
sacrifice to live forever? Binding their souls to phylacteries, one creature you can see within 30 feet, forcing them to
these wretched beings consume the souls of others to make a Charisma saving throw against your spellcasting
sustain themselves. Their foul abilities, too, lend save DC. On a failure, a crackling cord of negative energy
themselves to making others suffer in order to benefit the tethers the target to you. You only take half damage
dread lord exclusively. (rounded down) from all sources while the bond is in
place, and the target takes the remaining damage.
Phylactery This ability lasts for 1 minute, or until you and the target
Most liches (and all dread lords) gain their immortality become separated by more than 120 feet. The target can
through an object known as a phylactery-- a trinket unique repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
to them that contains part (and eventually all) of their soul. ending the effect on itself on a success.
At this early stage, you do not gain the full benefits of You may use this ability once, and recover any expended
having such a device, but you do not yet need to sacrifice use upon completion of a long rest. If you have no uses
souls to it. remaining, you can continue to use this ability, but must
Starting at 2nd level, over the course of 8 hours (or expend 5 lore points and a 5th-level spell slot each time
during a single long rest) you can bind archaic magics into you choose to do so.
a non-magical trinket, imbuing the item with a fraction of
your soul.
So long as your phylactery is intact (regardless of where
it is), you can spend a full minute concentrating on the
device and strengthening your bond to it. If you do so, you
recover a single expended spell slot with a spell level no
higher than half your lich level, rounded down. You may
not recover any spell slot above fifth level in this way.
You must remain motionless in order to use this ability.
If a creature has died within the last minute within a 120-
foot radius of you, you may instead spend 1 round
concentrating for the same benefit.
You may use this ability once, and gain another use for
every five lich levels you have gained (for a total of two
uses at level 5, to a maximum of three uses at level 10).
You recover all expended uses of this ability upon
completion of a long rest.
In addition, as long as your phylactery is intact, then
whenever you consume a spell slot to recover lore points,
you also regain 1d4 hit points per spell level of the
consumed spell slot.

Lich's Touch
At 6th level, you can imbue an opponent with dreadful
energy when you touch them. As an action during your
turn, you can make a melee spell attack against a target
within reach, dealing 2d8 cold damage on a hit. That
creature has disadvantage on the next attack roll they
make before the end of their next turn.
In addition, whenever you hit a creature with this ability,
you may spend 2 lore points to force that creature to
make a Constitution saving throw against your spellcasting
save DC or be paralyzed for 1 minute. A paralyzed creature
can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the paralysis effect on itself on a success. If a target
is at half of their maximum hit points or fewer, they roll
their saving throw with disadvantage.
This ability's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach
11th level (3d8) and 17th level (4d8).

art by Anna Marcano

9
 True Phylactery
Starting at 13th level, you must sacrifice souls to power
your phylactery. As long as your phylactery is intact and
powered by another's soul (see the 'Your Phylactery'
sidebar), you no longer have any need to fear death. If you
are reduced to 0 hit points, killed or destroyed, your body
crumbles to dust though your other equipment remains
intact. You gain a new body in 1d4 days, regaining all your
hit points and expended spell slots as though completing a
long rest. Your new body appears without any equipment
within 5 feet of your phylactery (or in the nearest
unoccupied space).
To sacrifice a soul, you must remain in contact with a
stable (0 hit point) creature for 1 minute uninterrupted.
You cannot take any other actions during this time, after
which they make a Wisdom save against your spellcasting
save DC. On a failed save, you extract their soul (killing
them) and the soul whisks away to wherever your
phylactery is located. You can only sacrifice a soul to your
phylactery if it is on the same plane as yourself. The
creature's soul may only escape if the phylactery is
destroyed or if dispel magic is cast as a 9th level spell
targeting the phylactery with their soul inside. If the soul is
not freed within 24 hours of entering the phylactery, the
soul becomes utterly consumed and nothing short of a
greater deity's intervention can restore them.
If your phylactery is destroyed and you are killed, your
soul travels to the appropriate afterlife. Given the
unmistakably evil act of consuming souls, you will most
likely become the plaything of a powerful fiend.
Recovering your soul from such a fate could require an
adventure onto itself.
In order to bind your soul to a new phylactery, you must
craft a new device over 8 hours and bind it with the
requisite magic. You must attune to the new phylactery as
though it were a magical piece of equipment, and remain
attuned to it with the item on your person for five days in
succession. After such a time, your phylactery will be
considered fully restored, and you no longer need to
remain attuned to the item.
Imprisonment
At 18th level, all of your soul is now contained in your
phylactery. In order to maintain the device's power,
however, you must continue to sacrifice the souls of
others.
You learn the imprisonment spell, which does not count
towards your number of spells known. When casting
imprisonment, you can only choose one fate for your
target-- trapping their body and soul into your phylactery,
powering it as though sacrificing a soul normally. When
you trap a soul in this way, you become rejuvenated. You
immediately regain a number of hit points equal to half of
your maximum (rounded up) and regain 9 lore points. You
may only benefit from this effect once per day.
You do not require any material components to cast
imprisonment in this way. If your phylactery is broken,
casting the spell has no effect. If you are in demilich form
(see the 'Your Phylactery' section), then you do not require
any somatic components to cast the imprisonment spell.
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Your Phylactery
Once you reach 13th level, your phylactery
becomes more than a source of arcane might-
- it can enable you to live for eons. Such
power only comes with sufficient sacrifice,
however.
Your phylactery has AC 13 and 10 hit points.
Destroying a phylactery. A phylactery is
reinforced with layer upon layer of forgotten
arcane magic, such that most methods to
destroy one prove ineffective. When you
create your phylactery, choose one of the
below options:
Impervious. Choose a damage type other
than psychic (such as acid or radiant
damage). Your phylactery is immune to all
damage types other than the chosen type.
Obscure. Choose a specific condition that
might break the wards on your phylactery
(such as the device being dowsed in the
blood of an elf, or being dropped into the
caldera of a volcano). If the condition is
met, your phylactery is immediately
destroyed. Until such condition comes to
pass, your phylactery is immune to all
damage. (Your chosen condition is subject
to DM approval).
Soul Hunger. Trapping a soul within your
phylactery powers the device for 10 days. If 10
days ever pass without a soul sacrifice, you
immediately gain one level of exhaustion. This
exhaustion ignores immunity to exhaustion
effects, and does not end upon completion of
a long rest.
Once you gain a level of exhaustion in this
way, your time in this form dwindles. At this
point, every 10 days that your phylactery goes
without a newly-fed soul, you gain another
level of exhaustion. You lose all levels of
exhaustion once a soul is consumed by your
phylactery.
If you would gain a sixth level of exhaustion
from this effect, you instead lose all levels of
exhaustion and devolve into a demilich.
Becoming a Demilich. The moment you
become a demilich, your body immediately
turns to dust, leaving behind only a skull. You
become incapable of using any items or
equipment except for headgear, and you
cannot use somatic components for spells.
You lose attunement to all magical items
except for attuned headgear. All of your
existing movement speeds become 0, though
you do gain a flying speed of 30 feet (hover).
You remain as a demilich until your phylactery
consumes a soul, in which case your body is
fully restored and you lose all the traits and
penalities of becoming a demilich.
 .
The Transcendent
To be buried with honors is, for most societies, a
respectable goal in and of itself. Some peoples, though,
have discovered ways to bestow the deceased with radiant
energy. In this way, it is possible to sustain the champions
of the world indefinitely-- to honor them not through
death, but beyond it.
The Deathless of Eberron are the most well-known
example of this path, but the transcendent represents
noble creatures as well as the neutral arbiters of the dead.
Those who control radiant and necrotic energies to pursue
perfection are best represented through the Rite of the
Transcendent.

Awaken Radiance
Starting at 2nd level, when completing a short rest, you
may recover a number of expended spell slots up to a
maximum of half of your lich level (rounded down). You
may then choose a number of creatures up to your
Intelligence modifier within 60 feet. Those creatures gain a
number of temporary hit points equal to half of your lich
level (rounded down).
Once you use this ability, you may not do so again until
you complete a long rest.

Assert Immortality
At 6th level, whenever you would be reduced to 0 hit
points, you may instead drop to 1 hit point. When you use
this ability, you may choose a number of creatures within
30 feet of you. Those creatures take 3d6 radiant or
necrotic damage (your choice) with no saving throw. You
must choose the same damage type for all affected
targets.
Once you use this ability, you may not do so again until
you complete a long rest.
art by Pierre Droal
Master of Energies
Your power over the forces of life and death reach new
Deathless One
heights. You thrive off of the twilight energies in your
At 13th level, if a spell, such as raise dead has the sole
environment, and can lace your spells with darkness or
effect of restoring you to life, the caster doesn't need
light.
material components to cast the spell on you.
Starting at 10th level, whenever you cast a spell that
In addition, you are always treated as though you are
deals damage, you may choose to convert half of that
humanoid (rather than undead) for the purposes of spells
damage (rounded up) into radiant or necrotic damage. For
that restore you to life. When you are revived, you always
example, using this ability while casting fireball would
return in your undead form.
result in a fireball that deals either half fire, half radiant
damage... or half fire, half necrotic damage.
You may use this ability once per point of proficiency
Innermost Light
bonus, and may recover any expended use upon Your body has become a true beacon of immortal power.
completion of a long rest. You may only use this ability Creatures that approach you cannot help but feel awed (or
once during the casting of a spell. terrified) by what you represent. At 18th level, any creature
who targets you with an attack or a harmful spell must
In addition, whenever one or more creatures is reduced
first make a Wisdom saving throw against your
to 0 hit points or less within 60 feet of you, if radiant or
spellcasting save DC. On a failed save, the creature must
necrotic damage was dealt to the creature as part of the
choose a new target or lose the attack or spell. This ability
killing blow (such as from a paladin's smite), then you may
doesn't protect you from area effects, such as the
choose up to one creature within 60 feet of you. Both you
explosion of a fireball.
and the chosen creature recover hit points equal to 1d6 +
your proficiency bonus. You may only use this ability once If you make an attack or cast a spell that affects an
per round. enemy creature, that creature becomes immune to this
ability for 24 hours.

11
 Lich Cohorts- Miscellany
Is there a reason your character believes their life is so

Challenge Rating for Liches important?

What if your character is engaged in research that could
The following challenge ratings are based on the Monster save the world from utter destruction? Sacrificing the souls
Statistics by Challenge Rating table on page 274 of the of a few nameless fools may then serve a greater purpose.
Dungeon Master's Guide. Note that the below numbers What if the sacrifices are from willing subjects? The ethical
were calculated without accounting for equipped magic and moral implications there could make for an interesting
items. character hook. One could roleplay as the reluctant leader
As a point of reference: The average level 20 player of a sacrificial cult, and without your leadership they could
character may have a CR around 12-14 depending on the go on to perform even more insidious acts. You might be
character's build and magic items, and can become higher the leash that contains the metaphorical beast.
still when using an optimized build and powerful items. In the case of a transcendent, the skills one would learn
may be similar to a classic lich, but might come from a
Cohort Level Recommended CR different path entirely. For example, you might learn
1 1/2 knowledge that is forbidden not because it is evil, but
because it is only available to those deemed worthy. As a
2 1/2
being that masters both radiant and necrotic energies, the
3 1 transcendent has some flexibility in how they see the
4 2 world. One could be the champion of a secluded people,
5 3 who has been reanimated (or transformed) to serve their
home for eternity. A transcendent could be a sort of
6 3
demigod that judges the dead, determining who else is or
7 3 is not worthy to learn their secrets.
8 4 That said, just because a transcendent makes use of
9 5 radiant energy does not guarantee that they are truly
'good'. A transcendent may be a zealot who destroys those
10 5
deemed 'impure' by their standards. A champion of one
11 6 people may be the scourge of another.
12 6 For more examples of transcendents, one might look
13 7 into the Deathless of Eberron (the Undying Court) or, for a
more neutral path, consider the possibility of a revenant
14 7
(undead who are reanimated by their quest for vengeance)
15 7 but with an undying light that guides them.
16 8
17
18
9
10
Liches as PCs
19 11 Compared to some of the other creature cohorts, liches
were designed from the start to be fairly seamless
20 12
between their cohort and player character versions. That
said, some adjustments are still recommended when

Roleplaying as a Lich playing a lich character:

Allow the lich character to choose a background

In most settings, the lich is seen as the ultimate evil... and normally.
for good reason. A classic lich, by definition, is a creature At higher levels, the lich becomes fully undead... and
so self-consumed that it would deny the afterlife to others many types of healing will no longer work on them.
just to prolong its own existence. If 'good' means 'selfless' While both the dread lord and transcendent have
to a degree, then the lich is the antithesis of all that is healing options, consider the Amulet of Anti-Divinity
decent in the world. Is it possible to portray a lich that below for undead PCs.
does not stoop to such depths? The short answer is yes,
but only if one accepts that such a lich would be atypical at
best, and would almost never be considered truly 'good'.
To roleplay as a lich without coming across as a
complete villian... you must consider why, exactly, your
character has chosen this path to immortality. In the case
of a dread lord (in other words, a classic lich), a life of
purity may indeed be impossible. A dread lord has made
the decision to prioritize themselves over the lives of
others, period.

12
 .

art by Isaiah Sherman Credits

Cover Art by Derrick Zha
(www.artstation.com/derrickzha)
Amulet of Anti-Divinity Page 2 Art by Fran Fdez
Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement by an (www.artstation.com/fran_fdez)
undead character) Page 3 Art by David Astruga
When you attune to this amulet, choose necrotic or (www.artstation.com/davidastruga)
radiant damage. You have advantage on saving throws Page 5 Art by Vyach Milinchuk
against spells and abilities that deal the chosen type of (www.artstation.com/milvyach)
damage. Page 6 Art by Xavier Leroux
In addition, whenever an ally within 30 feet targets you (www.artstation.com/coffeeater)
with a spell that deals the chosen type of damage, you can Page 7 Art by Anato Finnstark
choose to fail the saving throw. Instead of taking the
(www.artstation.com/anto-finnstark)
Page 8 Art by JasonTN
chosen type of damage, you regain a number of hit points
(www.deviantart.com/jasontn)
equal to half of the damage (rounded up) that would have
Page 9 Art by Anna Marcano
been dealt. (www.artstation.com/annamarcano)
Page 11 Art by Pierre Droal
(conceptartworld.com/artists/pierre-droal/)
Page 13 Art by Isaiah Sherman
(https://www.artstation.com/shermancg)
Back Cover Art by Sergey Vasnev
(https://www.artstation.com/sergey_vasnev)
Watercolor stains by Jared Ondricek
(https://watercolors.giantsoup.com/xgte/xgte
bottom-left/index.html)

13
 May Your
Sidekick
Live Forever
Creature Cohorts were created by me,
Mister_Thr33, and were inspired by Tasha's
Cauldron of Everything as well as the 3rd
Edition supplement Savage Species

'Creature Cohorts' is unofficial Fan Content

permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not
approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the
materials used are property of Wizards of the
Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.

No souls were consumed in the creation of this

document

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