D&D General d&d arcane monsters

[Mind of tempest]

are there any really powerful arcane focused monsters other than the lich?
I can't think of any and I need some for my setting so I am trying to figure out if I need to work from scratch?

I suppose a race would also work but that just ends up as an elf and I do not really want to do elves.

 

[Stormonu]

There is the mind flayer arcanist and <erm> drow matriarch.

I’m surprised the dragons in the MM don’t have spell lists.

 

[Mind of tempest]

There is the mind flayer arcanist and <erm> drow matriarch.

I’m surprised the dragons in the MM don’t have spell lists.

more big powerful and love arcane magic like Mindflayers love psionics.
do we have anything like that?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Arcanaloth, Eladrins, Blue Abishai, Nagas, Genies of all sort, Hags, Oni.

Obviously none of them are as powerful as a lich, but they're not as ''lone-wolf'' as the lich, so you could have more than one of them in a lair.

and then there's the Nagpas, powerful mages transformed in vulture-like aberrations cursed to only be able to collect arcane lore from ruined civilization. Those are awesome.

 

[nevin]

are there any really powerful arcane focused monsters other than the lich?
I can't think of any and I need some for my setting so I am trying to figure out if I need to work from scratch?

I suppose a race would also work but that just ends up as an elf and I do not really want to do elves.

Ghost of a high level mage. Till the party can figure out how to resolve why he or she is a ghost itll just keep coming back

 

[Stormonu]

Ghost of a high level mage. Till the party can figure out how to resolve why he or she is a ghost itll just keep coming back

And along those lines, vampires as well, such as Strahd .

@Mind of tempest - are you looking for creatures with actual spell lists in their stat blocks or creatures with strong ties to arcane power?

If the latter, there's also Aboleths, Beholders and many demons and devils.

 

[dave2008]

Not sure what you mean by arcane casters, but:

• the beholder eye rays are magic.
• Pit Fiends are spell casters
• So are Star Spawn Larva Mages.
• The Archmage is an 18th level spellcaster. It is a template that can be added to any monster really.
• Dao, Djinn, Efreeti, and Marid are all good spell casters.
• Arcanaloth's are 16th level spell casters.
• Other magic using fiends: Amnizu, blue abishai (13th lvl casters), green abishai, molydeus, mordakhesh, oinoloth, rakshasa, sibriex, sire of insanity, & ultroloth.
• Niv-Mizzet is a 20th level spellcasting dragon
• Alhoon - 12th level spell caster
• Death Knight - 19th level caster
• Mind Flayer Lich - 18th level caster
• Mummy Lord - 10th level caster
• Skull Lord - 13th level caster
• Vampire Spellcaster - 9th level caster
• Androsphinx - 12th level caster
• Guardian naga - 11th level caster
• Gynosphinx - 9th level caster
• Isperia - 15th level caster
• Yuan-ti Anathema

 

[Eltab]

You could make a few of your own: add spell-like abilities to an animal.
Give a Warg Scare so its prey can only run away not fight it.
A Panther with Minor Illusion makes itself perfectly hidden (like a Star Trek cloaking device)
Swarm of Flying Insects plus Inflict Wounds veritably eats you alive.

Frostmaiden gave the crag cat a spell reflector ability and Nondetection: the death by your own spells that you cannot scry out ahead of time.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I do not mean as a mere boss monster like a dragon in its hoard, I mean big powerful setting changers as I have a particular role in mind for them.

would it help If I could find the words to explain what I want?

 

[dave2008]

I do not mean as a mere boss monster like a dragon in its hoard, I mean big powerful setting changers as I have a particular role in mind for them.

would it help If I could find the words to explain what I want?

Yes, if the list of 31 mid to high CR spell casting monsters I provided didn't have what you are looking for, then some more explanation is required I think.