Banshee (5e Template)
Banshee
The original banshees were the spirits of beautiful elves who squandered their beauty in the pursuit of power and domination. Bound to the Material Plane as punishment, they haunt the places they knew in life for eternity. However, other banshees are known to have been born from the souls of those who squandered other natural gifts, be it their strength, beauty, intellect, or other talents. It matters not if the curse is the work of a cruel god or a vengeful sorcerer, these beings are bound to relive their missteps until the end of time. They hoard objects and people related to their unused talent. A fiendishly clever wizard may surround his demesne with books, puzzles and other intellectual trinkets to soothe the pain of the curse’s torment.
- Prerequisite
Any sentient aberration, dragon, fey, giant, or humanoid
Statistics
Speed. The banshee's land speed becomes 0 ft., and it gains a flying speed of 40 feet. It can hover.
Abilities. The banshee's Strength score becomes 1 (-5).
Cursed Pair. Banshees are created from creatures who squander their natural talents; as such, they possess one exceptional ability score compared to other creatures of their kind (usually Charisma). This ability score is increased by 8. As a curse for wasting this talent, the modified creature suffers a –8 penalty to another ability score.
Damage Immunities. The banshee is immune to cold, necrotic, and poison damage.
Damage Resistances. The banshee resists acid, fire, lightning, and thunder damage, and bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered.
Condition Immunities. The banshee is immune to the charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, and restrained conditions.
Skills. As base creature, accounting for modified ability scores.
Saving Throws. The banshee gains proficiency in Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.
Senses. The banshee has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.
Alignment The banshee's alignment is chaotic evil.
Traits
General. The modified creature retains the base creature's traits, except for ones that involve of living functions such as eating or sleeping.
Detect Life. The banshee can magically sense the presence of creatures up to 5 miles away that aren't undead or constructs. She knows the general direction they're in but not their exact locations.
Incorporeal Movement. The banshee can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. She takes 5 (1d10) force damage if she ends her turn inside an object.
Horrifying Visage. Each non-undead creature within 60 feet of the banshee that can see her must succeed on a DC X Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the banshee is within line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the banshee's Horrifying Visage for the next 24 hours. The DC of the Wisdom saving throw is equal to 8 + the banshee's proficiency bonus + the banshee's Charisma modifier.
Wail (1/Day). The banshee releases a mournful wail, provided that she isn't in sunlight. This wail has no effect on constructs and undead. All other creatures within 30 feet of her that can hear her must make a DC X Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature drops to 0 hit points. On a success, a creature takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage. The DC of the Constitution saving throw is equal to 8 + the banshee's proficiency bonus + the banshee's Charisma modifier.
Actions
Corrupting Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +[Proficiency Bonus + modified creature’s Dexterity or Charisma modifier] to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3d6 + [modified creature’s Dexterity or Charisma modifier] necrotic damage.
Other Attacks. Remove all weapon attacks.
CR Calculation
- AC. 12
- HP. 13 hit dice of the base creature’s size.
- See Cursed Pair statistics, Traits and Actions above.
Examples
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