D&D 5E 5e Updates: Monstrous Compendium

[ChaosKing002]

I read the whole thing before he fixed it, and I didn't even notice. What IS the main difference between the two of them anyway? Anyone?

Lichlord Vecna appears to be a slightly more offensive Acererak, while they do share the same spells and slots, Vecna does have afterthought, flight of the damned, and rotten fate. Unlike epic Aecrerak however, he lacks the mythic trait which would give him more survivability in the short term. in the long term, Vecna can heal by using his Vile Teleport which heals him for 80 hit points every turn!
Lichlord Vecna also has three reactions one of which is an uncounterable counterspell. making him more defensive against spell casters. while Acereak gets his "Staff of the Forgotten One. He wears a talisman of the sphere and has a sphere of annihilation" Vecna has the book of darkness, which grants him all its positive traits at no downsides.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

And story-wise, who are they beyond "Mean Liches from Oerth"?

 

[dave2008]

Lichlord Vecna appears to be a slightly more offensive Acererak, while they do share the same spells and slots, Vecna does have afterthought, flight of the damned, and rotten fate. Unlike epic Aecrerak however, he lacks the mythic trait which would give him more survivability in the short term. in the long term, Vecna can heal by using his Vile Teleport which heals him for 80 hit points every turn!
Lichlord Vecna also has three reactions one of which is an uncounterable counterspell. making him more defensive against spell casters. while Acereak gets his "Staff of the Forgotten One. He wears a talisman of the sphere and has a sphere of annihilation" Vecna has the book of darkness, which grants him all its positive traits at no downsides.

I don't think @FitzTheRuke was talking about the mechanics. He was wondering what is there real difference story-wise / lore wise.

 

[ChaosKing002]

I don't think @FitzTheRuke was talking about the mechanics. He was wondering what is there real difference story-wise / lore wise.

Ahhh my mistake. let me try again haha

And story-wise, who are they beyond "Mean Liches from Oerth"?

Strangely enough, we actually know a lot more about Vecna than we do of Acererak. Vecna is a powerful lich lord from the realm of Oerth, he was a scribe for a group of wizards and decided he was done doing that when he killed them all. he eventually amassed an army of darkness (cymbal crash) when he was betrayed by his second in command Ka's (can't wait for that stat block). they both wound up in the domains of dread where Vecna escaped his imprisonment and worked to become a god (this stat block being before his murder/banishment)

Acerekrak on the other hand is... he might also be from Oerth? He is in the same league as Vecna in terms of followers and status but has no such aspirations to do so, Acerekrak spends his time searching the multiverse for strange and wonderful evils that he stores in his evil dungeons. he is the monster on the cover of the dmg and the main villain behind tomb of annihilation

 

[Helldritch]

Acererak was from Oerth. The Tomb of Horror is set in the World of Greyhawk.

 

[ChaosKing002]

I did assume he was from Oerth, as all great liches are. but I wasn't entirely sure.

 

[dave2008]

And story-wise, who are they beyond "Mean Liches from Oerth"?

I don't know what they have / will be changing in 5e, but traditionally Venca wants to become a god. Ace, according to ToA doesn't have such aspirations. Instead he wants to create dungeons and gods, and torment adventurers apparently.

 

[ChaosKing002]

I don't know what they have / will be changing in 5e, but traditionally Venca wants to become a god. Ace, according to ToA doesn't have such aspirations. Instead he wants to create dungeons and gods, and torment adventurers apparently.

Vecna is already a god as of 3rd edition, where they listed him as a lesser god in the player's handbook, in 5th edition In the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (2015), Vecna is mentioned as a possible God for the Arcana Cleric Domain, as well as a Warlock patron of the Undying. our information on Ace is limited to ToA unfortunately.

 

[dave2008]

Vecna is already a god as of 3rd edition, where they listed him as a lesser god in the player's handbook, in 5th edition In the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (2015), Vecna is mentioned as a possible God for the Arcana Cleric Domain, as well as a Warlock patron of the Undying. our information on Ace is limited to ToA unfortunately.

However, the Vecna presented on DnDBeyond is specifically not the deity version. So the most current 5e version of Vecna is pre-deity.

 

[ChaosKing002]

However, the Vecna presented on DnDBeyond is specifically not the deity version. So the most current 5e version of Vecna is pre-deity.

I do agree that the most current version of Vecna isn't a god. however "The accompanying stat block depicts Vecna in his archlich form prior to Kas’s betrayal. Because Vecna is said to have mastered magic allowing him to travel through time, he can appear in this form even on worlds where his severed hand and eye are already known artifacts." Because Vecna is now a time traveler according to the dossier. now he can consort with his other self like some sort of kingdom hearts villian.