D&D 5E What magic items would a Lich King have (Thay and Szass Tam)?

[Urriak Uruk]

So my D&D campaign I'm running looks to be heading in the direction that the BBEG will be Szass Tam, the lich dictator of the Red Wizard's nation of Thay.

Now, as excited as I am for this, I'm also wondering how to do the villain justice. I have boosted the normal lich's stats somewhat to accommodate him being a 19th instead of 18th spellcaster (I stayed away from level 20, as Halaster Blackcloak and Acererak still feel a bit tougher than Szass), but I am a bit of a loss for what magic items the lich would have in combat.

Consider, as the dictator of a powerful wizard nation, that Szass should have some of the most powerful, most useful items that are available. I'm not super familiar with the wide catalog of 5E magic items, so I'm a bit at a loss at what items a lich may want to keep on hand in case they are suddenly in a duel.

Some baselines;

• I know Szass Tam probably has a bunch of items names in various books/novels, but unless they are actually given 5E rules I want to ignore these
• Please don't invent a magic item, I don't want my players saying "that's unfair, you just made that up!"
• Please don't suggest artifacts like the Orbs of Dragonkind... if there is only one of these items (or a set amount of them), I don't think Szass should have them.

If you don't know who Szass Tam is, I imagine the guy a lot like Xykon from Order of the Stick;

 

[auburn2]

Based on the novels Szass Tam has an entire underground treasury with multiple rooms full of magical artifacts .... so I would say just about any he wants.

 

[Flamestrike]

Robes of the Evil Archmagi. Likely slightly better ones that the standard ones, such as ones that give him resistance to Radiant damage.

Has the Book of Vile Darkness lying around somewhere. Also a Crystal ball.

Plenty of others.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

A staff of power sounds nice, and a sphere of annihilation.

 

[R_J_K75]

All of them. Im joking but I would give him as many and whatever you want. I would think that he is more powerful than both of the wizards mentioned in the OP. Considering he was one of the few beings to have any relationship with Larloch Id say his arsenal is both varied and unique, items the players have no clue idea exist. Id look through the 2e Encyclopedia of Magica for ideas.

 

[cbwjm]

I don't think Tam has much interest the way of items named after him, what he does have are unique spells but you'll have to look at earlier editions to find them.

I just looked through the 3e FR campaign book which has his stats. In it, his stat block includes 2 netherese artefacts, the death moon orb and Tharkosil's seat (neither of which I have stats for so you'll have to google them). It also says he has a staff of power, bracers of defence, and a ring of wishes in his possession at all times.

 

[Dioltach]

A scroll of Summon Kender.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Thank you, these are some great suggestions!

I think for the three attunement slots, the items should be a Robe of the Archmagi, a Staff of Power, and Bracers of Defense. These three combined make liches way harder to hit (AC 22!) and make them more likely to hit, hit harder, and avoid magical effects.

The ring of three wishes is obviously a curve ball that Szass can essentially use for anything, but I would probably as the DM nto abuse it too hard, so that it's used to supplant any 9th level spell, or to give Szass all the benefits of taking a long rest (ie completely heals and regains all spell slots).

Szass Tam (CR 22 Lich)

• Has Robe of the Archmagi, Staff of Power, Bracers of Defense, Ring of Three Wishes
• AC 22, HP 153
• Saving Throws: STR +2, DEX +5, CON +13, INT +14, WIS +11, CHA +5
• Spell save DC 22, Spell attack of +16, +2 damage
• Advantage on saves against spells/magical effects

If in his lair, I would also give him a Sphere of Annihilation. I will take a look at some of the named items in the 3E FR Campaign Book too, if I really want to make this fellow even more nasty.

Any other items he may want, that don't use attunement slots? Or an item with an attunement slot that is more useful than the three I picked?

 

[R_J_K75]

Any other items he may want, that don't use attunement slots? Or an item with an attunement slot that is more useful than the three I picked?

I know throughout the various editions the Red Wizards have used Tattoo magic but I havent kept up on the mechanics in years so not sure if its even statted in 5e. From what I remember there were limitations to it but allowed them to imbue spells into the tattoo. Might be another way to give him a few extra tricks up his sleeve. Then again a tattoo on a dusty old lich might have long since faded away.

 

[Dioltach]

One thing I've often thought would represent the "home advantage" of tackling a wizard in his tower, or a dragon in his lair, would be to metamagic all their spells. Or create magic circles that metamagic spells. Or magic traps that trigger beneficial spells (Heal, Haste and so on).