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KelganthCreature 19


UniqueLELargeUndead
Source Pathfinder #185: A Taste of Ashes
Perception +35 (darkvision, lifesense (imprecise) 60 feet)
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Common, Draconic, Infernal, Jotun, Necril, Undercommon
Skills Arcana +37, Athletics +33, Crafting +37, Diplomacy +33, Intimidation +33, Medicine +33, Occultism +37, Religion +37, Stealth +31
Str +8, Dex +5, Con +8, Int +10, Wis +8, Cha +6

AC 42; Fort +33; Reflex +29; Will +35; +1 status to all saves vs. positive
HP 330 (negative healing, rejuvenation)
Speed 30 feet
Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious
Resistances Cold 15, Physical 15

Hand One Action +34 (+29, +24) to hit (magical) 6d8 Negative
Staff One Action +34 (+29, +24) to hit (magical, two hand d8) 3d4+16 Bludgeoning
Rock One Action +34 (+29, +24) to hit (brutal, range increment 120) 3d8+16 Bludgeoning

Darkvision

A monster with darkvision can see perfectly well in areas of darkness and dim light, though such vision is in black and white only. Some forms of magical darkness, such as a 4th-level Darkness spell, block normal darkvision. A monster with Greater Darkvision, however, can see through even these forms of magical darkness.

Lifesense (Imprecise) 60 feet

Lifesense allows a monster to sense the vital essence of living and undead creatures within the listed range. The sense can distinguish between the positive energy animating living creatures and the negative energy animating undead creatures, much as sight distinguishes colors.

+1 Status to All Saves vs. PositiveNegative Healing

A creature with negative healing draws health from negative energy rather than positive energy. It is damaged by positive damage and is not healed by positive healing effects. It does not take negative damage, and it is healed by negative effects that heal undead.

Catch Rock Reaction

Requirements The monster must have a free hand but can Release anything it's holding as part of this reaction.

Trigger The monster is targeted with a thrown rock Strike or a rock would fall on the monster.


Effect The monster gains a +4 circumstance bonus to its AC against the triggering attack or to any defense against the falling rock. If the attack misses or the monster successfully defends against the falling rock, the monster catches the rock, takes no damage, and is now holding the rock

Counterspell Reaction

Trigger A creature casts a spell Kelganth has prepared


Effect Kelganth expends a prepared spell to counter the triggering creature's casting of that same spell. Kelganth loses his spell slot as if he had cast the triggering spell.

Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental)

60 feet Aura DC 43 will


A creature that first enters the area must attempt a Will save.

Regardless of the result of the saving throw, the creature is temporarily immune to this monster's Frightful Presence for 1 minute.


Critical Success The creature is unaffected by the presence.

Success The creature is Frightened 1.

Failure The creature is Frightened 2.

Critical Failure The creature is Frightened 4.

Rejuvenation (arcane, necromancy)

When a lich is destroyed, its soul immediately transfers to its Soul Cage. A lich can be permanently destroyed only if its soul cage is found and destroyed.

Drain Soul Cage Free Action

Frequency once per day


Effect Kelganth taps into his Soul Cage's power to cast any arcane spell up to 9th level, even if the spell being cast is not one of his prepared spells. Kelganth's soul cage doesn't need to be present for him to use this ability.

Font of Death Three Actions (divine, necromancy, negative)

The tomb giant turns the spiritual tide on a creature that has just died, temporarily transforming it into a volatile vessel of negative energy. The tomb giant touches a creature that died in the past 24 hours, infusing its flesh and bone with negative energy. Once during the next hour, the tomb giant can spend a single action (from any distance) to release this negative energy from the corpse in an explosion that deals 11d12 negative damage in a 15-foot burst (DC 41 basic fortitude); if not released before the end of the hour, the energy dissipates harmlessly. The tomb giant can't use Font of Death while a previous corpse remains infused.

Paralyzing Doom (arcane, curse, incapacitation, necromancy)

A creature damaged by Kelganth's hand Strike is Doomed 1 and must succeed at a DC 41 fortitude save. The creature becomes Paralyzed for 1 round on a failure. On a critical failure, the creature is paralyzed permanently, falls Prone, and seems dead. A DC 25 medicine check reveals that the victim is alive.

Quickened Casting Free Action

Frequency once per day


Effect If Kelganth's next action is to cast an cantrip or spell that is 8th level or less, reduce the number of actions to cast it by 1 (minimum 1 action).

Steady Spellcasting

If a reaction would disrupt Kelganth's spellcasting action, he attempts a DC 15 flat. On a success, the action isn't disrupted.

Throw Rock One Action

The monster picks up a rock within reach or retrieves a stowed rock and throws it, making a ranged Strike.


Arcane Prepared Spells (DC 43, +35 to hit)

Cantrips (10th Level): Chill Touch, Detect Magic, Electric Arc, Ray of Frost, Shield
1st Level: Fleet Step, Ray of Enfeeblement, True Strike
2nd Level: Blur, Dispel Magic, Gentle Repose, Invisibility
3rd Level: Levitate, Lightning Bolt, Vampiric Touch
4th Level: Dimension Door, Fly, Private Sanctum
5th Level: Cloudkill, Cone of Cold, Sending
6th Level: Chain Lightning, Disintegrate, True Seeing
7th Level: Eclipse Burst, Project Image
8th Level: Horrid Wilting, Polar Ray, Power Word Stun
9th Level: Implosion, Massacre, Power Word Kill
10th Level: Time Stop

Divine Innate Spells (DC 41, +33 to hit)

1st Level: Harm
3rd Level: Bind Undead

Ritual

2nd Level: Create Undead


A wizard whose insatiable desire for arcane power eclipsed their mortal life, the lich is a truly devious and versatile spellcaster.


To gain more time to complete their goals, some desperate spellcasters pursue immortality by embracing undeath. After long years of research and the creation of a special container called a phylactery, a spellcaster takes the final step by imbibing a deadly concoction or casting dreadful incantations that transform them into a lich. While most undertake this drastic plan to continue their work or fulfill some long-term plan, others become liches because they fear death or to fulfill some malevolent purpose, such as long-sworn revenge. Regardless, the result is permanent and carries with it the potential to alter history-both that of those who transform themselves and of the countless mortals that will inevitably suffer as a result of a lich's new power.

After its metamorphosis, a lich often finds some quiet place to dwell, typically protected by a variety of guardians and traps, for two primary purposes. First, a lich requires solitude in order to plan its elaborate schemes, and second, few mortals (if any) deign to interact with these legendarily corrupt necromancers. One reason begets the other, as the self-imposed isolation of a lich often drives the lich insane, further solidifying its separation from civilization. The longer a lich lives, the more meticulous a planner it becomes, secreting itself within a labyrinth of deadly puzzles, misdirection, and monsters. A lich's servants and guardians are absolutely loyal, either due to their nature (such as constructs or other undead) or as a result of compulsion using powerful magic. Many liches go mad, in time, and the nature of a lich's lair is a good indicator of the undead's current mental state.

For all the protections it arrays around itself, a lich will go to greater lengths to guard its phylactery, as it knows that the destruction of this magical container spells doom for the lich. A lich is notoriously difficult to bargain with, though the threat of damaging its phylactery is a sure way to gain the upper hand in such a negotiation.


Traits

Unique

A rules element with this trait is one-of-a-kind. The DC of Recall Knowledge checks related to creatures with this trait is increased by 10.