Monster Dossier

Banshee

Banshee BORN FROM TRAGEDY The banshee represents one of the most tragic of undead, a soul so wracked with agony and fury over a betrayal in life that, i...

Level 17

Traits

uncommoncemediumincorporealspiritundead

Rules & statistics

Monster Profile

Perception

32

Senses

  • Name
    darkvision
  • Type
    imprecise
    Name
    hears heartbeats
    Range
    60

Languages

Languages
  • common
  • elven

Skills

Acrobatics
31
Intimidation
32
Occultism
25

Ability Mods

Str
-5
Dex
6
Con
2
Int
0
Wis
7
Cha
7

Defenses

Ac
39
Saving Throws
Fort
25
Ref
29
Will
32
Hp
  • Hp
    250
    Abilities
    • negative healing
Immunities
  • poison
  • precision
  • disease
  • paralyzed
  • unconscious
Resistances
  • Amount
    12
    Name
    all damage
    Note
    except force, ghost touch, or positive; double resistance vs. non-magical

Speed

Fly
60

Attacks

  • Range
    Melee
    Name
    hand
    Attack
    32
    Traits
    • finesse
    • magical
    Effects
    • terrifying touch
    Damage
    4d10+14 negative plus terrifying touch
    Types
    • negative

Abilities

Top
  • Entries
    • The banshee can hear heartbeats within 60 feet (imprecise).
    Name
    Hears Heartbeats
  • Entries
    • If in direct sunlight, the banshee is slowed 1 and can't use actions that have the attack trait.
    Name
    Sunlight Powerlessness
Mid
  • Activity
    Number
    1
    Unit
    reaction
    Traits
    • evocation
    • occult
    Trigger
    A foe critically hits the banshee, or the banshee critically fails their save against a foe's damaging effect.
    Entries
    • The banshee lashes back at their tormentor, dealing 4d10+14 mental damage (38 basic Will save) and applying the effects of terrifying touch based on the results of the same Will save.
    Name
    Vengeful Spite
Bot
  • Entries
    • When a banshee Stride||Strides at least 10 feet, they're concealed until the start of their next turn.
    Name
    Spectral Ripple
  • Traits
    • emotion
    • enchantment
    • fear
    • occult
    Entries
    • A creature damaged by the banshee's touch that isn't already frightened must attempt a 38 Will save (43 if the attack was a critical hit). If the creature fails its save, it's frightened 2; on a critical failure, the creature also cowers with fear and is stunned 4. If the creature is protected against fear by a spell or magic item, the banshee's touch first attempts to counteract the protection effect, with the effect of a 9th-level dispel magic spell.
    Name
    Terrifying Touch
  • Activity
    Number
    2
    Unit
    action
    Traits
    • auditory
    • concentrate
    • death
    • necromancy
    • occult
    Entries
    • The banshee unleashes a soul-chilling wail of the banshee (38). This Wail overcomes silence and similar effects of 5th level or lower. The banshee can instead use Wail as a three-action activity to overcome such effects of up to 8th level.
    • The banshee's Wail resonates for 1 round, and any creature that comes within the area during that time must attempt a save against the effect. A creature can't be affected more than once by the same Wail. The banshee can't Wail again for 1d4 rounds.
    Name
    Wail

Background

Lore

Banshee

BORN FROM TRAGEDY

The banshee represents one of the most tragic of undead, a soul so wracked with agony and fury over a betrayal in life that, in death, it lingers on as a great evil. That most of those who become banshees were not evil in life only deepens this tragic theme, and many elven adventurers see it as their duty not only to put banshees to rest, but to right the wrong that saw their creation in the first place.

Banshees are the furious, tormented souls of elves bound to the Material Plane by a betrayal that defined the final hours of their lives. Some banshees arise from elves who were slain by trusted friends and allies, or whose loved ones betrayed them on their deathbeds. Others spawn from elves whose treacherous deeds shortly before their deaths left a stain upon their souls. Regardless of their origin, banshees despise the living. This hatred of life is all too often a horrific inversion of their personalities in life. Some speculate that the more kind-hearted the elf (and the more wrenching the betrayal), the crueler the banshee.

Banshees rarely stray far from where they perished and typically haunt thick forests and canopied swamps where little light graces the ground. Many banshees can be found in the elven nation of Thaebaikhil, specifically in Baekom, the sinister domain of the demon Nuzik. Similarly, a large number of banshees can be found lurking about the edges of drow settlements in the Veimaikhik, as plenty of cruelty and betrayal exists in drow culture.

Banshees' mere touch inflicts pain and primal fear, and those exposed to their wails of grief rarely survive the experience.