Vecna the Archlich

Medium undead (wizard), lawful evil

Armor Class

18 (natural armor)

Hit Points

272 (32d8 + 128)

Speed

30 ft.

Saves

wis +15, con +12, int +14

Skills

insight +15, arcana +22, history +14, perception +15

Damage Resistances

cold, lightning, necrotic

Damage Immunities

poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Condition Immunities

charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, stunned

Senses

truesight 120 ft.

Languages

Common, Draconic, Elvish, Infernal

Challenge

26

Proficiency Bonus

+8

Special Equipment

Vecna carries a magic dagger named Afterthought. In the hands of anyone other than Vecna, Afterthought is a +2 Dagger.

Legendary Resistance (5/Day)

If Vecna fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Undying

If Vecna is slain, his soul refuses to accept its fate and lives on as a disembodied spirit that fashions a new body for itself after 1d100 years. Vecna's new body appears within 100 miles of where he was slain. When the new body is complete, Vecna regains all his hit points and becomes active again.

Actions

Multiattack

Vecna uses Flight of the Damned (if available), Rotten Fate, or Spellcasting. He then makes two attacks with Afterthought.

Afterthought

Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it is afflicted by entropic magic, taking 9 (2d8) necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. Immediately after taking this damage on its turn, the target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Until it succeeds on this save, the afflicted target can't regain hit points.

Flight of the Damned (Recharge 5-6)

Vecna conjures a torrent of flying, spectral entities that fill a 120-foot cone and pass through all creatures in that area before dissipating. Each creature in that area must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 36 (8d8) necrotic damage and has the frightened condition for 1 minute. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage only. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Rotten Fate

Vecna causes necrotic magic to engulf one creature he can see within 120 feet of himself. The target must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw, taking 96 (8d8 + 60) necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. A Humanoid killed by this magic rises as a zombie at the start of Vecna's next turn and acts immediately after Vecna in the initiative order. The zombie is under Vecna's control.

Spellcasting

Vecna casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 22): • At will: Animate Dead (as an action), Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, Fly, Lightning Bolt, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation • 2/Day each: Dimension Door, Invisibility, Scrying (as an action) • 1/Day each: Dominate Monster, Globe of Invulnerability, Plane Shift (self only)

Vile Teleport (Bonus Action)

Vecna teleports, along with any equipment he is wearing or carrying, up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space he can see. He can cause each creature of his choice within 15 feet of his destination space to take 10 (3d6) psychic damage. If at least one creature takes this damage, Vecna regains 80 hit points.