D&D 5E Lich Incredible Legendary Action Economy

[Chaosmancer]

I looked at the Lich again because of the Silence spell discussion, and I saw something insane.


Now, I have a 1st printing, so I want to make sure this isn't an errata (and it doesn't appear in the errata document) or a mistake, but it looks like the Lich's cantrip legendary action does not actually cost any legendary action points.

Which would mean they get a Legendary cantrip at the end of every single players turn, which with the Ray of Frost they start with could quickly freeze a player or two (perhaps the melee types trying to close) in place unable to move.

So, is this legit or is this a misprint?

 

[Prakriti]

All legendary actions count as one action by default. Look at dragons and other legendary monsters and you'll see that the cost for a legendary action is only noted if it deviates from the norm.

 

[Harzel]

I think any legendary action that is not annotated with "(Costs x Actions)" is assumed to cost 1 action. Look at the stat blocks for dragons for more examples.

EDIT: Dang, Prakriti beat me to it.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Huh.... I would have sworn all those were listed as "Costs 1 Action", but I guess not.

Welp, guess that is that. Thanks.

 

[jasper]

Srd Cantrip 1 action, Paral Touch, Fright Gaze 2 actions Disrupt life 3 actions. Is the MM different?
edit
quickly freeze a player or two (perhaps the melee types trying to close) in place unable to move. .. How? Ray of frost is 1d8 and minus 10 feet movement. Are your thinking the -10 movement stacks?

 

[DeathMutant]

Cantrips scale based on character level and the character level for NPCs is their CR so a "standard" Lich, with a CR of 21, inflicts 4d8 with each Ray of Frost. If the Lich uses all 3 Legendary Actions to hit the same target it not only inflicts 12d8 Cold damage but, effectively, immobilizes it (if the target's speed is 30) since the speed reduction stacks.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

On the other hand, the lich does have an incredible Lair Action: regain a spell slot of level 1d8. In practice this means that a lich has nigh-unlimited 8th level spells. If you're in its lair, it can whistle up a dozen Magma Mephits and send them off to Heat Metal your party to death, and probably have the spell slot back before the Mephits even reach you.

It can Forcecage entire sections of its lair and fill them with ornery elementals just itching for a chance to kill something. (Remember, Conjure Elemental doesn't dispel the elemental when the spell ends--it just makes them uncontrolled.)

It can Teleport around the world pretty much as much as it wants to, as long as it hits its Lair every other trip to recharge spell slots.

Talk about Scry-and-Die.

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

On the other hand, the lich does have an incredible Lair Action: regain a spell slot of level 1d8. In practice this means that a lich has nigh-unlimited 8th level spells. If you're in its lair, it can whistle up a dozen Magma Mephits and send them off to Heat Metal your party to death, and probably have the spell slot back before the Mephits even reach you.

It can Forcecage entire sections of its lair and fill them with ornery elementals just itching for a chance to kill something. (Remember, Conjure Elemental doesn't dispel the elemental when the spell ends--it just makes them uncontrolled.)

It can Teleport around the world pretty much as much as it wants to, as long as it hits its Lair every other trip to recharge spell slots.

Talk about Scry-and-Die.

So in other words when populating a lich's lair with monsters, estimate how many creatures you think should be there, then double it. Then double it again. Is that about right?

 

[Tormyr]

Cantrips scale based on character level and the character level for NPCs is their CR so a "standard" Lich, with a CR of 21, inflicts 4d8 with each Ray of Frost. If the Lich uses all 3 Legendary Actions to hit the same target it not only inflicts 12d8 Cold damage but, effectively, immobilizes it (if the target's speed is 30) since the speed reduction stacks.

Effects from the same spell or magical effect do not stack. If the lich hits the same target with ray of frost​ 3 times in a round, the target still only has -10 feet of movement.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Effects from the same spell or magical effect do not stack. If the lich hits the same target with ray of frost​ 3 times in a round, the target still only has -10 feet of movement.

Really? Is there an official place that says that because I was always under the assumption they would stack. Same with a team of wizards casting ray of frost.

As for the rest of it

Yeah, Liches in their lairs are terrifying and (in my humble opinion) are nigh unbeatable if you give them even 100 years to prepare defenses against pesky adventurers coming to kill them.