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In Dungeons & Dragons, one of the most formidable opponents you might encounter is the Lich, an ancient spellcaster that has become undead. But it’s not just their magical abilities or their undead status that define them; a Lich is truly a Lich only when they possess a phylactery.
This object is crucial as it allows the Lich to resurrect after being defeated. Instead of a simple encounter, facing a Lich can turn into a major quest since the existence of the phylactery raises the stakes. So, how exactly does a phylactery work, and is it possible for players to create one?
What Is a Phylactery?
A phylactery is a vessel that contains a part of a Lich’s soul, connecting them to the material world (or whichever realm the phylactery resides in). In earlier versions of the game, it was typically a jar or metal container, but now it could just as easily be an ordinary ring or necklace.
Creating a phylactery is often the first step in becoming a Lich, but more than that is needed. A Lich must also perform sinister rituals and may need to consume a dark potion, varying by game edition. The specifics are usually determined by the Dungeon Master.
In editions where drinking a potion is required, there’s always a risk that it could prove fatal.
How Does a Phylactery Work?
In gameplay, a phylactery allows the Lich to revive nearby within 1d10 days after being destroyed. There appears to be no restrictions on how far away or how many times this can happen, though each Lich is limited to one phylactery.
While the phylactery retains a fragment of the Lich’s soul, this alone is insufficient for resurrection. Older editions required a fresh body next to the phylactery (similar to the Clone spell), but newer rules necessitate a steady influx of souls instead.
This mechanic provides the Lich with an evil incentive to terrorize the living, ensuring that they remain active antagonists in your story. If a Lich fails to provide souls to their phylactery for too long, they risk becoming a Demilich—essentially a floating skull devoid of spellcasting abilities.
If the Demilich successfully feeds a soul to the phylactery, it can revert to its previous Lich form.
Finding The Phylactery
The essence of a phylactery is that it is well concealed, as its destruction would mean the end of the Lich’s life. However, because defeating the Lich is often the goal of a quest, the Dungeon Master will typically provide clues about its location. It could be stashed in a place significant to the Lich’s former life or hidden in a remote dungeon.
When searching for the phylactery in a social setting, Detect Magic is your most effective tool. Regardless of how ordinary the phylactery may appear, it will always emit necromantic magic, marking it as different from mundane objects.
Destroying The Phylactery
In past editions, a phylactery had 40 hit points, meaning it could be destroyed by simply dealing damage to it. Fifth Edition treats the phylactery more as an Artifact, with most damage being ineffective unless a specific condition is fulfilled.
The DM will ultimately decide the unique conditions required to destroy a phylactery. Still, it stands to reason that throwing it into lava or a Sphere of Annihilation would likely do the job.
How Are Phylacteries Made?
The pressing question arises: Can players create phylacteries? The answer is yes, but it is a daunting task. Knowledge about the dark rituals for crafting a phylactery is often hidden, and your DM might not offer any insights.
The Clone spell can offer many benefits of a phylactery without undergoing the transformation into a Lich; however, it requires a wizard and is an eighth-level spell.
A quick path to uncovering these rituals might involve serving Orcus, the Demon Prince of Undeath. He could provide a pre-powered phylactery, though it would come with a steep price: your eternal soul.
If making a deal with Orcus isn’t appealing, work with your DM to find a way for your character to learn these dark rites. One official means is through the Book of Vile Darkness, which includes dangerous information alongside useful details about becoming a Lich.
Possible Phylactery Recipe
Creating a phylactery should be a costly venture, potentially requiring an expense of 100,000 gold pieces, representing either the cost of the physical container or the components for the necessary spells.
According to the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide for Magic Item Crafting, you will also need proficiency in tools related to the item that functions as a phylactery. The tools vary depending on the item type—for instance, crafting a box would need tinker’s tools, while a ring requires jeweler’s tools.
Phylacteries are considered Legendary items, which would take around 250 days to create. While you won’t be able to cast spells with it, you’ll need to have certain spells prepared during the crafting period, like Magic Jar, Reincarnate, and Clone.
You can split the workload with assistants, reducing crafting time significantly.
Older editions imposed a cost where the creator would be weakened when forming a phylactery, as a piece of their soul would remain within it. You might lose a hit point die or experience points sufficient to drop a character level during this process.
The Ritual And Potion
If you’re moving towards phylactery creation, you probably wish to become a fully-fledged Lich, which includes several more steps. The emphasis in older editions was on dark rituals and a dread potion, which can be simplified into one combined event.
These ‘dark rituals’ generally refer to the process of transforming into a freely-willed undead, with the potion involving sacrificing innocent lives. You could envision the entire process as one grand dark ritual involving the sacrifice of innocents to fully transform into undead.
While there might be a monetary cost, that has already been addressed with the phylactery creation. The ritual should center on the evil nature necessary to become a Lich, with difficulty stemming from locating pure-hearted souls for sacrifice amidst the complex logistics.
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