Banshee
Monster Manual (2025) p. 29
- Size
- Medium
- Type
- undead
- Alignment
- chaotic evil
- AC
- 12
- Initiative
- 2
- Hit Points
- 54 (12d8)
- Speed
- walk 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
- Saving Throws
- Wis +2
- Resistances
- acid, bludgeoning, fire, lightning, piercing, slashing, thunder
- Immunities
- cold, necrotic, poison
- Condition Immunities
- charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
- Senses
- darkvision 60 ft.
- Passive Perception
- 10
- Languages
- Common, Elvish
- Challenge
- 4
- Environment
- any
Traits
Proficiency Bonus
+2
Treasure
Relics: The monster's treasure hoard features magic items with the noted theme. The Dungeon Master's Guide details treasure hoards appropriate for each theme.
Detect Life
The banshee magically senses the direction of creatures up to 1 mile away that aren't Constructs or Undead.
Incorporeal Movement
The banshee can move through other creatures and objects as if they were Difficult Terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) Force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Actions
Multiattack
The banshee makes two Corrupting Touch attacks and uses Horrify.
Corrupting Touch
Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) Necrotic damage.
Horrify
Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 13, one creature the banshee can see within 60 feet that can see the banshee. Failure: The target has the Frightened condition until the start of the banshee's next turn. Success: The target is immune to this banshee's Horrify for 24 hours.
Deathly Wail (1/Day)
The banshee releases a mournful wail if it isn't in sunlight. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 13, each creature within 30 feet that can hear the wail and isn't a Construct or an Undead. Failure: If the target has 25 Hit Points or fewer, it drops to 0 Hit Points. Otherwise, the target takes 10 (3d6) Psychic damage.
recharge
1/DAY
Other data
description
Heralds of doom and plagues on the living, banshees are spirits obsessed by unresolved bitterness or sorrow. These storied phantoms slay any who glimpse them or hear their baleful wails. Although any tormented soul can arise as a banshee, some elven communities particularly fear them and believe that those who hoard or destroy beauty—natural or otherwise—risk returning as a banshee. All manner of torments might give rise to a banshee. Roll on or choose a result from the Banshee Sorrows table to inspire how a banshee's torment influences its behavior.
Banshee Sorrows:
| 1d6 | Torment Compels the Banshee To... |
|---|---|
| 1 | Appear prior to a family member's death. |
| 2 | Haunt the site where it was executed. |
| 3 | Lament a lost love and haunt their grave. |
| 4 | Presage a disaster or tragedy. |
| 5 | Seek the return of a stolen treasure. |
| 6 | Slay those more beautiful than it was in life. |