Lich (Final Fantasy)

Lich is the Fiend of Earth from the original Final Fantasy. He appears at the bottom of the Cavern of Earth. He is undead with the appearance of a skeleton.
== Stats ==
== AI script ==
=== First battle ===
Action 	Probability
Attack 	23.81%
Slow 	14.29%
Hold 	14.29%
Sleep 	9.52%
Fira 	9.52%
Thundara	9.52%
Blizzara	9.52%
Sleepra 	4.76%
Haste 	4.76%
Prior to Pixel Remaster, starting from WSC (includes PS1, GBA, PSP):
Action	Probability	Cycle
Attack	52.00% 	
Magic 	48.00% 	Blizzara → Sleepra → Haste → Thundara → Hold → Fira → Slow → Sleep
Prior to WSC (includes NES):
Action	Probability	Cycle
Attack	25.00% 	
Magic 	75.00% 	Blizzara → Sleepra → Haste → Thundara → Hold → Fira → Slow → Sleep
=== Second battle ===
Action	Probability
Attack	44.44%
Flare 	16.67%
Stop 	13.89%
Kill 	13.89%
Warp 	11.11%
Prior to Pixel Remaster, starting from WSC (includes PS1, GBA, PSP):
Action	Probability	Cycle
Attack	52.00% 	
Magic 	48.00% 	Flare → Stop → Warp → Kill
Prior to WSC (includes NES):
Action	Probability	Cycle
Attack	25.00% 	
Magic 	75.00% 	Flare → Stop → Warp → Kill
== Story ==
As the Earth-elemental fiend, Lich drains the power of the Earth Crystal, rotting the soil in Melmond. Lich was the third fiend to awaken, doing so shortly before the Warriors of Light set out on their quest. When the Warriors arrive at Melmond they find the earth rotting and people dying. They learn a vampire is blamed and travel into the nearby Cavern of Earth to defeat it, but upon returning to the town they see the earth is still decaying.
Using the Star Ruby found in the cavern to gain passage through the Giant's Cave, they travel to the Sage's Cave where they are told by Sadda that the vampire was only working for a greater force: Lich. The Warriors return to the Cavern of Earth where they find the Earth Crystal. After confronting Lich, the party prevails. The Earth Crystal shines again, and the land rots no more.
Later, the Warriors fight a younger version of the Lich in the Chaos Shrine 2000 years in the past. They defeat him once more, preventing him from journeying to the future and causing the earth to rot in the first place.
== Battle ==
=== First battle ===
Lich is the hardest boss faced at that point in the game. As an undead enemy, he is weak to Dia and Fire. Lich's physical blows have a chance to paralyze whoever it hits. Lich uses elemental and debilitating spells, and can complement his physical prowess with Haste.
==== Strategy ====
Fira, and Firaga (if available) are effective. Physical attacks on their own will not be very effective; they should be augmented with Haste and/or Temper.
It is recommended to use the spells NulFrost, NulShock and NulBlaze to halve the damage from Lich's elemental spells. The party should increase evasion with Invis or Blink to avoid his powerful physical blows and decrease the chance of getting paralyzed.
From Dawn of Souls to 20th Anniversary Edition, the player can also use Red Fangs for damage dealing, and the White Curtain, Blue Curtain and Red Curtain to cast the Nul- spells for protection instead of casting the spells.
In the NES version, a lucky pair of shots with Firaga and Diaga can, potentially, kill Lich in one round (as the spells do extra damage to undead and both have high-end damage at or over 200, while Lich only has 400 HP) or at least leave him in a state where one more round of spells will assuredly kill him. This tactic is less advisable in later versions, as Lich's HP has increased greatly.
=== Second battle ===
When the Warriors of Light travel through time they must fight the Lich of the past. On his floor of the Chaos Shrine contains many of the monsters from the Cavern of Earth and the stairway to the next floor is guarded by the past Lich, a fixed encounter. Prior to Pixel Remaster, the battle can be repeatedly triggered by walking through the same spots.
His stats are improved and his spell list uses only level 8 black magic. Lich also loses his weakness to fire.
==== Strategy ====
Everyone should resist time and instant death elements. Physical attacks should be augmented with Haste, Temper and Saber. White Mages/Wizards should cast Diaga or Diaja, while Black Mages/Wizards should use Thundaga or Flare. For versions earlier than Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls, players may wish to hold off on attack magic to conserve their spell charges, as Lich is only the first of several upcoming boss fights and there is no way to replenish charges while inside the dungeon.
== Other appearances ==
=== Pictlogica Final Fantasy ===
=== Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin ===
==Behind the scenes==
Lich is the only Chaos Fiend who does not talk to the party before fighting them. The same occurs when it reappears in Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. In the remakes the Lich does talk to the party.
Lich makes a major appearance in the Final Fantasy parody webcomic 8-Bit Theater, where he is one of the Four Fiends, and guards the Earth Orb from the Light Warriors.
Due to a bug in the PSP version, if the game crashes while in the Lich fight, more Liches may spawn. This may also happen if Final Fantasy is closed during the Lich fight. This can cause problems with leaving the cave.
== Gallery ==
Lich.PNG|Artwork by Yoshitaka Amano.
Lich DoS.png|Artwork for the GBA version.
FFI Blizzara EA.png|Blizzara in the 20th Anniversary version.
Lich-Attack-FFI-PSP.JPG|Normal attack in the 20th Anniversary version.
FF1_3DS_Lich.jpg|Lich in the 20th Anniversary version.
== Etymology ==
In the NES version, Lich's name is an all capitals when fighting it in the Cavern of Earth, but his name is normal when fighting it in the past Chaos Shrine.
== Related enemies ==
* Vampire
* Marilith
* Kraken
* Tiamat
de:Todbringer (FFI)
es:Lich (Final Fantasy)
pt-br:Lich (Final Fantasy)
Category:Bosses in Final Fantasy
Category:Antagonists