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Could a phylactery of a lich be a mirror or does it have to be a box?

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Could a phylactery of a lich be a mirror or does it have to be a box?

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10

$begingroup$

Today I was thinking of a cool, high-level adventure to create. It involves a lich, and I thought it would be cool if his phylactery was a mirror.

Would such a thing fit the official lore/rules for liches? Or does the phylactery of a lich have to be a box in which their soul is stored?

dnd-5e undead

share|improve this question

edited 24 mins ago

Rubiksmoose

56.7k9274424

asked 13 hours ago

Wise ManWise Man

20917

New contributor

Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  What do you mean by "Is this legal?" Since you're creating the adventure, I'm assuming you're not being forced to abide by any rules. Or are you asking if this fits with the lore? (Also, there's a difference between "does it have to be a box?" and "can it be a mirror?". Which are you asking?)
  $endgroup$
  – V2Blast
  13 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I know that I can bend the rules anyway I see fit, I was just wondering what the rules say since I missed it when I went through.
  $endgroup$
  – Wise Man
  12 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

10

$begingroup$

Today I was thinking of a cool, high-level adventure to create. It involves a lich, and I thought it would be cool if his phylactery was a mirror.

Would such a thing fit the official lore/rules for liches? Or does the phylactery of a lich have to be a box in which their soul is stored?

dnd-5e undead

share|improve this question

edited 24 mins ago

Rubiksmoose

56.7k9274424

asked 13 hours ago

Wise ManWise Man

20917

New contributor

Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  What do you mean by "Is this legal?" Since you're creating the adventure, I'm assuming you're not being forced to abide by any rules. Or are you asking if this fits with the lore? (Also, there's a difference between "does it have to be a box?" and "can it be a mirror?". Which are you asking?)
  $endgroup$
  – V2Blast
  13 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I know that I can bend the rules anyway I see fit, I was just wondering what the rules say since I missed it when I went through.
  $endgroup$
  – Wise Man
  12 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

Today I was thinking of a cool, high-level adventure to create. It involves a lich, and I thought it would be cool if his phylactery was a mirror.

Would such a thing fit the official lore/rules for liches? Or does the phylactery of a lich have to be a box in which their soul is stored?

dnd-5e undead

share|improve this question

edited 24 mins ago

Rubiksmoose

56.7k9274424

asked 13 hours ago

Wise ManWise Man

20917

New contributor

Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited 24 mins ago

Rubiksmoose

56.7k9274424

asked 13 hours ago

Wise ManWise Man

20917

New contributor

Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 24 mins ago

Rubiksmoose

56.7k9274424

asked 13 hours ago

Wise ManWise Man

20917

New contributor

Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

edited 24 mins ago

Rubiksmoose

56.7k9274424

edited 24 mins ago

Rubiksmoose

56.7k9274424

asked 13 hours ago

Wise ManWise Man

20917

New contributor

Wise Man is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 13 hours ago

Wise ManWise Man

20917

3 Answers
3

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20

$begingroup$

Not a regular mirror.

A standard, silvered mirror doesn't have "an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic" can be scribed, so switch it up, and use an infinity mirror, which very much does.

You have two mirrors facing each other, creating a hollow space, and, conveniently, the sigils have to be scribed in silver, which is also how mirrors could plausibly be made in D&D: silvering glass. If the runes are along the periphery, you would have the neat effect of them marching off into infinity.

share|improve this answer

edited 8 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Daniel BDaniel B

1,118312

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I guess one of the points of a phylactery is for its nature as such to be hidden. I'm fairly certain that should the heroes make it into the evil lair and find a mirror with arcane symbols floating into infinity in the bedroom, that is the first thing that gets smashed. Points for flair though.
  $endgroup$
  – Suthek
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  It is worth to note that, for all effects, the Infinity Mirror is still a box - just a very flat, stretched and specifically-built one.
  $endgroup$
  – T. Sar
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

17

$begingroup$

From the Lich's description on page 203 of the MM:

A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.

A mirror probably doesn't count as having an "interior space into which arcane sigils are scribed" but if you're the DM and want to have the lich's phylactery as a mirror then you have the power to do just that. The rules are a guideline; they can be bent of broken as the DM sees fit.

share|improve this answer

edited 12 hours ago

V2Blast

23.4k375147

answered 13 hours ago

Purple MonkeyPurple Monkey

39.2k9162244

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Rule 0 does allow that. But if the characters know about the rules for a phylactery (assuming the players know) then they might ignore the mirror reasoning that it can't be it since it doesn't have an interior space. For that reason, if you do use a mirror, I'd suggest extra hints pointing the players towards it.
  $endgroup$
  – Allan Mills
  10 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  8
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Unless the mirror has a secret compartment?
  $endgroup$
  – Kyyshak
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  in an esoteric sense, the "universe on the other side of the mirror" could be considered an interior space perhaps
  $endgroup$
  – Nacht
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Kyyshak Ohhh, so it's a medicine cabinet!
  $endgroup$
  – David K
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Nacht Man! This gives me an idea! The runes are only seen in the reflection of the mirror, and when they look at the mirror they see runes in the room itself, but the room is not the container it's the mirror! Wheeeee :D
  $endgroup$
  – John Hamilton
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

1

$begingroup$

Any object can be a phylactery, as long as it has an interior space in which arcane sigils can be engraved. This goes for a mirror as well.

Traditionally, mirror does not have such a space, but with a bit of creativity, you can make sure your mirror does. For example:

• There can be a hidden compartment in the mirror's frame




• The bezels of the mirror can be raised, basically meaning that the mirror is at the bottom of a shallow "box". If you want, you can add a lid to the box in the form of a door (which can still be there or have been lost) that can close the mirror




• Extrapolating from that, the mirror could be the back pane of a "cupboard" that is hanging somewhere




• The mirror could be the "lid" of some object, the inside of which could possibly even be extra-dimensional (for added spookiness, it could be a one-way mirror if you want, allowing someone on the other side to see through it)




• Extrapolating from that, the mirror could actually be the door of a medicine cabinet as you often see in the real world

share|improve this answer

edited 2 hours ago

answered 2 hours ago

JasperJasper

523315

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

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20

$begingroup$

Not a regular mirror.

A standard, silvered mirror doesn't have "an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic" can be scribed, so switch it up, and use an infinity mirror, which very much does.

You have two mirrors facing each other, creating a hollow space, and, conveniently, the sigils have to be scribed in silver, which is also how mirrors could plausibly be made in D&D: silvering glass. If the runes are along the periphery, you would have the neat effect of them marching off into infinity.

share|improve this answer

edited 8 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Daniel BDaniel B

1,118312

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I guess one of the points of a phylactery is for its nature as such to be hidden. I'm fairly certain that should the heroes make it into the evil lair and find a mirror with arcane symbols floating into infinity in the bedroom, that is the first thing that gets smashed. Points for flair though.
  $endgroup$
  – Suthek
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  It is worth to note that, for all effects, the Infinity Mirror is still a box - just a very flat, stretched and specifically-built one.
  $endgroup$
  – T. Sar
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

20

$begingroup$

Not a regular mirror.

A standard, silvered mirror doesn't have "an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic" can be scribed, so switch it up, and use an infinity mirror, which very much does.

You have two mirrors facing each other, creating a hollow space, and, conveniently, the sigils have to be scribed in silver, which is also how mirrors could plausibly be made in D&D: silvering glass. If the runes are along the periphery, you would have the neat effect of them marching off into infinity.

share|improve this answer

edited 8 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Daniel BDaniel B

1,118312

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I guess one of the points of a phylactery is for its nature as such to be hidden. I'm fairly certain that should the heroes make it into the evil lair and find a mirror with arcane symbols floating into infinity in the bedroom, that is the first thing that gets smashed. Points for flair though.
  $endgroup$
  – Suthek
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  It is worth to note that, for all effects, the Infinity Mirror is still a box - just a very flat, stretched and specifically-built one.
  $endgroup$
  – T. Sar
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

Not a regular mirror.

A standard, silvered mirror doesn't have "an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic" can be scribed, so switch it up, and use an infinity mirror, which very much does.

You have two mirrors facing each other, creating a hollow space, and, conveniently, the sigils have to be scribed in silver, which is also how mirrors could plausibly be made in D&D: silvering glass. If the runes are along the periphery, you would have the neat effect of them marching off into infinity.

share|improve this answer

edited 8 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Daniel BDaniel B

1,118312

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 8 hours ago

answered 8 hours ago

Daniel BDaniel B

1,118312

answered 8 hours ago

Daniel BDaniel B

1,118312

answered 8 hours ago

Daniel BDaniel B

1,118312

17

$begingroup$

From the Lich's description on page 203 of the MM:

A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.

A mirror probably doesn't count as having an "interior space into which arcane sigils are scribed" but if you're the DM and want to have the lich's phylactery as a mirror then you have the power to do just that. The rules are a guideline; they can be bent of broken as the DM sees fit.

share|improve this answer

edited 12 hours ago

V2Blast

23.4k375147

answered 13 hours ago

Purple MonkeyPurple Monkey

39.2k9162244

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Rule 0 does allow that. But if the characters know about the rules for a phylactery (assuming the players know) then they might ignore the mirror reasoning that it can't be it since it doesn't have an interior space. For that reason, if you do use a mirror, I'd suggest extra hints pointing the players towards it.
  $endgroup$
  – Allan Mills
  10 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  8
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Unless the mirror has a secret compartment?
  $endgroup$
  – Kyyshak
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  in an esoteric sense, the "universe on the other side of the mirror" could be considered an interior space perhaps
  $endgroup$
  – Nacht
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Kyyshak Ohhh, so it's a medicine cabinet!
  $endgroup$
  – David K
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Nacht Man! This gives me an idea! The runes are only seen in the reflection of the mirror, and when they look at the mirror they see runes in the room itself, but the room is not the container it's the mirror! Wheeeee :D
  $endgroup$
  – John Hamilton
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

17

$begingroup$

From the Lich's description on page 203 of the MM:

A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.

A mirror probably doesn't count as having an "interior space into which arcane sigils are scribed" but if you're the DM and want to have the lich's phylactery as a mirror then you have the power to do just that. The rules are a guideline; they can be bent of broken as the DM sees fit.

share|improve this answer

edited 12 hours ago

V2Blast

23.4k375147

answered 13 hours ago

Purple MonkeyPurple Monkey

39.2k9162244

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Rule 0 does allow that. But if the characters know about the rules for a phylactery (assuming the players know) then they might ignore the mirror reasoning that it can't be it since it doesn't have an interior space. For that reason, if you do use a mirror, I'd suggest extra hints pointing the players towards it.
  $endgroup$
  – Allan Mills
  10 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  8
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Unless the mirror has a secret compartment?
  $endgroup$
  – Kyyshak
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  in an esoteric sense, the "universe on the other side of the mirror" could be considered an interior space perhaps
  $endgroup$
  – Nacht
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Kyyshak Ohhh, so it's a medicine cabinet!
  $endgroup$
  – David K
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @Nacht Man! This gives me an idea! The runes are only seen in the reflection of the mirror, and when they look at the mirror they see runes in the room itself, but the room is not the container it's the mirror! Wheeeee :D
  $endgroup$
  – John Hamilton
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

$begingroup$

From the Lich's description on page 203 of the MM:

A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.

A mirror probably doesn't count as having an "interior space into which arcane sigils are scribed" but if you're the DM and want to have the lich's phylactery as a mirror then you have the power to do just that. The rules are a guideline; they can be bent of broken as the DM sees fit.

share|improve this answer

edited 12 hours ago

V2Blast

23.4k375147

answered 13 hours ago

Purple MonkeyPurple Monkey

39.2k9162244

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 12 hours ago

V2Blast

23.4k375147

answered 13 hours ago

Purple MonkeyPurple Monkey

39.2k9162244

edited 12 hours ago

V2Blast

23.4k375147

edited 12 hours ago

V2Blast

23.4k375147

answered 13 hours ago

Purple MonkeyPurple Monkey

39.2k9162244

answered 13 hours ago

Purple MonkeyPurple Monkey

39.2k9162244

1

$begingroup$

Any object can be a phylactery, as long as it has an interior space in which arcane sigils can be engraved. This goes for a mirror as well.

Traditionally, mirror does not have such a space, but with a bit of creativity, you can make sure your mirror does. For example:

• There can be a hidden compartment in the mirror's frame




• The bezels of the mirror can be raised, basically meaning that the mirror is at the bottom of a shallow "box". If you want, you can add a lid to the box in the form of a door (which can still be there or have been lost) that can close the mirror




• Extrapolating from that, the mirror could be the back pane of a "cupboard" that is hanging somewhere




• The mirror could be the "lid" of some object, the inside of which could possibly even be extra-dimensional (for added spookiness, it could be a one-way mirror if you want, allowing someone on the other side to see through it)




• Extrapolating from that, the mirror could actually be the door of a medicine cabinet as you often see in the real world

share|improve this answer

edited 2 hours ago

answered 2 hours ago

JasperJasper

523315

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

1

$begingroup$

Any object can be a phylactery, as long as it has an interior space in which arcane sigils can be engraved. This goes for a mirror as well.

Traditionally, mirror does not have such a space, but with a bit of creativity, you can make sure your mirror does. For example:

• There can be a hidden compartment in the mirror's frame




• The bezels of the mirror can be raised, basically meaning that the mirror is at the bottom of a shallow "box". If you want, you can add a lid to the box in the form of a door (which can still be there or have been lost) that can close the mirror




• Extrapolating from that, the mirror could be the back pane of a "cupboard" that is hanging somewhere




• The mirror could be the "lid" of some object, the inside of which could possibly even be extra-dimensional (for added spookiness, it could be a one-way mirror if you want, allowing someone on the other side to see through it)




• Extrapolating from that, the mirror could actually be the door of a medicine cabinet as you often see in the real world

share|improve this answer

edited 2 hours ago

answered 2 hours ago

JasperJasper

523315

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

Any object can be a phylactery, as long as it has an interior space in which arcane sigils can be engraved. This goes for a mirror as well.

Traditionally, mirror does not have such a space, but with a bit of creativity, you can make sure your mirror does. For example:

• There can be a hidden compartment in the mirror's frame




• The bezels of the mirror can be raised, basically meaning that the mirror is at the bottom of a shallow "box". If you want, you can add a lid to the box in the form of a door (which can still be there or have been lost) that can close the mirror




• Extrapolating from that, the mirror could be the back pane of a "cupboard" that is hanging somewhere




• The mirror could be the "lid" of some object, the inside of which could possibly even be extra-dimensional (for added spookiness, it could be a one-way mirror if you want, allowing someone on the other side to see through it)




• Extrapolating from that, the mirror could actually be the door of a medicine cabinet as you often see in the real world

share|improve this answer

edited 2 hours ago

answered 2 hours ago

JasperJasper

523315

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 2 hours ago

answered 2 hours ago

JasperJasper

523315

answered 2 hours ago

JasperJasper

523315

answered 2 hours ago

JasperJasper

523315