[RPG] What would happen if a Lich’s phylactery is a piece of salt and they put it in the ocean

dnd-5eundead

After my Ranger died, I talked to my DM about if the wizard I create next can eventually become a Lich and betray the party. He said he liked the idea and would try to implement it when I'm a level 17 wizard.

I was wondering what would happen if a Lich's phylactery is a piece of salt or sugar and it dissolved in the ocean. Would the ocean become the phylactery or would the Lich die? Would I even be able to make a piece of salt a phylactery? Even if I can do it, would it be too game-breaking?

I just want to know what I can and can't get away with.

Best Answer

This plan won't work (unless your DM allows it)

You are unable to create a phylactery purely out of salt

According to the Monster Manual entry for lich:

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.

Assuming you got a chunk of salt large enough that you can hollow it out it still has to have runes scribed in silver which means the phylactery can't be purely salt. And silver is not going to dissolve in water like salt would. Thus, the plan of dissolving the entire phylactery is not going to work as expected.

Dissolving a phylactery would destroy it

If you dissolve your phylactery you destroy it. Dissolving is the act of destroying the chemical bonds of something and allowing the physical form to be completely broken down. However, in the case of a phylactery that physical form is required. There has to be a tangible object that souls can be fed to. And that object must have a cavity and have silver runes scribed on it. When the phylactery dissolves it meets none of these requirements. And neither does the ocean at large.

Dissolving a phylactery would be very difficult if not impossible

Destroying a lich’s phylactery is no easy task and often requires a special ritual, item, or weapon. 

It is unlikely that simply submerging a phylactery in water would be enough to destroy it. Phylacteries are powerful magic items and would likely not be able to be destroyed by the simple act of submersion in mundane water because of the powerful magic energies that power it and hold it together.

So what happens if you submerge a salt phylactery in water? Either it will be destroyed by dissolving or it will simply be unaffected by the water. Neither option allows you to make the whole ocean to be your phylactery.

There are no rules for PC liches

Even beyond what I talked about above it is worth mentioning that this entire scenario is already outside the scope of the rules essentially. There are only rules for DM controlled liches and no options exist for PCs at all. So the DM is going to have to create the rules for it on the fly with little to no guidance from the rules.