DnD Banshee (5e): Lore, Combat, and Homebrew Alternatives

It's winter in my 5e campaign, and I wanted some sort of monster encounter to pair along with a "Christmas" market, tavern, and a blizzard in my party's travels to a university up north (travel solution #5 from this blog post). 

And in flipping through the Monster Manual, I came across the image of the banshee, and just seeing the white I was like, "Yeah, I guess that works for winter!" So I started doing a little bit of digging and discovered the following three things: 

1. "Holy hell, this is a popular monster"
2. "The Celtic lore is juuuuuuicy"
3. "Eeeew the dnd version is hella boring and basic."

And THAT, my friends, is a perfect recipe for an Awesome Dice monster blog post! This post on the 5e banshee monster will cover D&D 5e lore, appearance, and abilities... and then do the same thing for the original Celtic version. Then I will try and combine them together to create some minor homebrew options for DMs like myself that are sick of the "selfish-elf-now-monster" trope and offer something unique for my players to encounter. 

Table of Contents

• The WOTC 5e Banshee
• Stat Block and Abilities
• Combat Encounter Tactics
• Official 5e Lore

• What Are the Origins of the Celtic Banshee?
• What Did the Celtic Banshee Look Like?
• Celtic Banshees Focus on Particular Irish Families

© WOTC

The Dungeons and Dragons Banshee (5e)

There's the stat block of the Dnd banshee (5e). Some key points: 

• CR 4: This is a monster for tier 1 adventuring parties (levels 1 - 4). 
• AC 12: Super low... player characters will not have a hard time hitting this monster with any kind of attack.
• Fly 40ft: They can move faster than 95% of tier 1 player characters.
• Spell Save DC 13: Kinda low... odds are good that 50% of player characters will immediately succeed. 
• Saving Throws: Not great, but... 
• Condition Immunities: ...it doesn't matter because they are immune to EVERY condition except: 
• 1) blinded
• 2) deafened (just means they can't hear... which would be better for PCs when encountering a banshee)
• 3) incapacitated
• 4) invisible (which would be a benefit)
• 5) stunned
• 6) unconscious (aka dead)
• Damage Resistances and Immunities: They take half damage from most evocation attacks and all non-magical weapons. Include the immunities and the ONLY damage they take full damage on are A) psychic, B) force, and C) radiant. 
• HP: Thankfully, will probably only take around 10 hits for a party of level 3 adventurers to take it down... so expect 3 - 4 rounds of combat. 

DnD Banshee Abilities and Actions

While the stat block isn't too impressive, the 5e banshee has abilities that prevent a combat encounter from being a fair fight. 

Darkvision: Obvious choice since all lore, both Celtic and 5e, features mortal encounters at night.

Detect Life: The DnD banshee can sense creatures up to 5 miles away. Basically perfect passive perception, which means no surprise rounds for players. 

Incorporeal Movement: Like a ghost, a 5e banshee can move through walls, trees, gravestones, etc... taking damage (5d10) if she ends up in an object. 

Corrupting Touch: The DnD banshee's "melee attack." Only +4 to hit, but 3d6 + 2 necrotic damage ain't bad against low level PCs. 

Horrifying Visage: Once players are within 60ft of a banshee, they have to succeed on a WIS saving throw or are frightened. 

• Details: Basically, if the player characters can see the banshee and are within 60 feet of her, then they need to succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom Save. On a failure, they gain the frightened condition (DIS on ability checks and attack rolls while the banshee is within line of sight, and can't move closer to the banshee). Can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turns, and if they succeed they are immune for 24 hours, but if they can still see the banshee when they make the save, then they make said saving throw at disadvantage.

Wail: The DnD banshee's notorious attack: 

• Creatures within 30ft... 
• Must succeed on a DC 13 CON save... 
• Or they DROP TO 0 HP... 
• And if they succeed, they take 10 (3d6) points of necrotic damage.
• A DnD banshee can only do this 1/day. 

Wait... does the 5e banshee wail attack kill a character?

Don't worry, if you fail your save against a banshee's wail attack, you drop to 0 hit points but DO NOT automatically fail 3 death saves. On your turn, begin making death saving throws. 

DnD Banshee (5e) Combat Encounter Tactics

Keith Ammann of "The Monsters Know What They Are Doing" is the monster strategist par excellence, and I am humble enough to know I cannot strategize better than he can. So there's the link, and if you want a quick summary: 

• Setting: Have it take place at night and on difficult terrain; the banshee will be able to see and move freely while the players will not.
• Round 1 (surprise round):
• Since you know where the players are, prepare an ambush.
• Use your speed to get within 30ft of all players.
• Use your action to hit them immediately with your "Wail."
• (Hopefully several PCs will go down and some of them will waste their turns healing those that did).
• (Your resistances protect you from taking too much damage for a single round).
• Round 2: 
• Use your Horrifying Visage... should frighten half of the remaining player characters.
• Your movement depends on who is still standing:
• If any players with radiant damage or magical melee attacks are standing and brave, then use your movement to get away from them.
• If you've frightened everyone, then you can stand over their companions and kill them one by one (the others will be frightened, so they cannot move closer to aid their allies).
• Round 3: You have several options for your next turn depending on the player characters remaining: 
• If the healer was incapacitated, attack whoever has a healing potion.
• If the party has no healing potions and the healer went down, move 40ft away from all but the strongest remaining PC (hopefully on their turn they will take the bait and you can kill them with Corrupting Touch).
• Remaining Rounds: If everyone is either incapacitated or frightened, kill the frightened ones first! Then auto-crit the ones making death saves. TPK time!

Any Effective Party Strategies Against a Banshee?

Kinda. A lot depends on the success of the Wail attack, but here are some tips:

1. Protect/save your healing potions for party members with high WIS saves and can resuscitate others (Clerics, Druids, and Paladins).
2. Wizards, Sorcerers, and Bards should only use spells that blind, incapacitate, or stun. 
3. The only type of attacks that deal full damage are 1) from magical weapons, 2) force damage, 3) psychic damage, and 4) radiant damage. 

But also... don't worry too much about a TPK. Players are creative, rolls are random, and characters of level 4 in a melee fray will be able to do some serious damage if the banshee is in a small space.

© WOTC

Official 5e Banshee Lore

I'm not going to spend that much time on this because there isn't that much to spend time on (yes I am reading G.K. Chesterton... how did you know?).

Basically, DnD banshees were beautiful female elves that were selfish and used their beauty for evil, and so were cursed to be a banshee. Now they are a deteriorating undead spirit that loves bringing death to all living things. The spirit of the female elf remains full of vanity and abhors the presence of creatures that are living or good.

Note: They also relive their lives with perfect memory... which I will use later because it is awesome... because it doesn't really fit with the rest of THIS lore. 

Anyways, that's it... it's an evil spirit of a female elf. 

And when I first read it, I was like: "Ok... yeah... that's fine, I guess." 

But there were two things that changed my mind: 

1. Sarah Dark Magic's blog post on banshees explains, quite succinctly I might add, that this is a trope with troubling implications to some TTRPG tables. She points out how it would be similar to someone believing that beautiful people owe it to the world to smile more. And for any character that plays a female elf, then the rules-as-written DM SHOULD tell them: "Are you beautiful? Great, you better do good things or she might become a banshee." And I think all of us think that is lame, and probably an unforeseen consequence by the designers of the Monster Manual. 

2. I read the Celtic lore of the banshee and it's 100x cooler. In fact, it is so much more awesome than the DnD banshee (5e) became intolerably lame. 

How Do Banshees Interact With Their Environment? 

Dungeons & Dragons banshees are undead creatures and decay what is around them. Whenever they appear, everything around them changes. Plants die, animals run away, and the air feels heavy with fear. Their homes are full of sadness and destruction, showing the curse that ties them to this ghostly life.

The Celtic Banshee

And now I'm going to share some of that Celtic lore with you, and hopefully it is enough to convince you to opt for one of the several homebrew DnD banshees at the end of this post.

Because unlike the Beholder, the DnD banshee is not a Gary Gygax original; it traces its roots to ancient Celtic mythology that was sustained to the modern day through Irish folklore. 

So if we want to "make our DnD banshee encounters better"... which is why I assume you are reading this blog post in the first place... then it makes sense to mine the source material. 

Where Do We Get the Word "Banshee"? 

Banshee means "fairy woman" or "woman of the fairy mound." It comes from the Gaelic bean sídhge. They were inspired by (or inspired the creation of) the "keeners": Irish woman mourners/singers who would weep and sing at funerals or other sorrowful occasions. 

Note: Scottish, Welsh, and French Celts have a similar myth of a Bean Nighe, or "washing woman." Her warning would be visual rather than auditory: this spirit would appear before a person about to die, crying as they washed their soon-to-be-bloody clothes. 

What Are the Origins of the Celtic Banshee? 

Pretty much all Celtic myths are going to have mixed messaging when it comes to origin stories. But when Victorian scholars toured the countryside for first-hand accounts and passed-down legends, there were two that stood out: 

1) Exiled Pagan Gods: The banshees are the spiritual remnants of the gods that used to rule Ireland before the arrival of the Irish Celts. These beings were called the Tuatha Dé Danann and they were forced underground, occupying small mounds in the countryside (known as sidhe). Over the ages, they diminished from deities to fae spirits and began to take on other fairy characteristics such as shapeshifting. The emphasis on death would be some sort of mysterious exacting or revenge on those that drove them from the surface. 

2) Ghosts of Family Members: Some of the origins are much more "ghost like." Each banshee is a disembodied female soul that was murdered, or died in childbirth, or otherwise SOMETHING happened to them to cause them to persist in the mortal realm in "service" of a distinguished and old Irish family. 

What Were Celtic Banshees Known for Doing?

The "basic banshee" has a consistent description: 

1. A "ghastly" woman... 
2. that hovers...
3. and warns of death...
4. via a distinctive wail.

Apart from the floating female specter, it is the "scream" that is most unforgettable about all banshee encounters. This was the case in the first documents related to banshees, and remains true in recent banshee subreddits (which are DEFINITELY worth a read). Described as a "cry," "scream," and "shriek," this wail is blood-curdling and "so shrill that it can shatter glass." Legends explain that it is unmistakable; one redditor commented that it was "the loudest most piercing scream I ever heard. I can't explain it, but it seemed to travel a huge distance to reach me, like it wasn't a close-by scream but one far away" (source). 

Bottom line: if you hear a banshee's wail, that means someone you know is about to die. The encounter can take place in the countryside, where banshees are known to roam, or they can appear out of nowhere right in your home garden in the middle of the night. 

What Inspires the Banshee "Wail"? 

There are two sources behind the iconic "wail." The first is the act of keening, where the crying would be periodically broken by both silence and shrieks of grief. Materialists and skeptics point out that the descriptions of the banshee wail are suspiciously similar to the cries of a vixen (listen to it here) or a barn owl screech (listen here).

What Did the Celtic Banshee Look Like?

At this point you are probably not surprised by my answer... it depends! 

The age and temperament of a Celtic banshee varies wildly. If they are a forgotten, evil, pagan god, they can appear small, stooped, and with a stench of despair like a ragged hag. 

However, The Banshee by Elliot O'Donnell includes a much more approachable banshee description: "Some Banshees represent very beautiful women—women with long, luxuriant tresses, either of raven black, or burnished copper, or brilliant gold, and whose star-like eyes, full of tender pity, are either dark and tearful, or of the most exquisite blue or grey."

But the most common descriptions include: 

• A young woman
• Long silver or white hair
• Pale skin
• "Ghastly," clouded presence
• Bloodshot red eyes
• Tear-stained face
• White clothes
• Gray or white cloak

Some descriptions opt for bright red hair instead of white. And many traditions include that the banshee combs her hair as she weeps... so much so that mothers warned their children not to pick up any random combs they found lying in a field. 

Celtic Banshees Focus on Particular Irish Families

No matter what a banshee looks like and regardless of her origin, they are almost always "attached" to some sort of old, noble, Celtic family. If their relationship to the family was positive, they will act as a "guardian" figure or one that warns. If it was negative, then they will antagonize and exacerbate fear as a "wraith." D.R. McAnally Jr.'s book, Irish Wonders, comments: 

• "The Banshee is really a disembodied soul, that of one who, in life, was strongly attached to the family, or who had good reason to hate all its members... The Banshee is of the spirits who look with interested eyes on earthly doings; and, deeply attached to the old families, or, on the contrary, regarding all their members with a hatred beyond that known to mortals, lingers about their dwellings to soften or aggravate the sorrow of the approaching death." (source) 

The variety of banshee origins and appearances explain the variety of banshee temperaments. If they are an evil pagan god that hates you more than you thought possible, then it is a declaration of doom designed to inflict misery. Same thing if someone in your family harmed a young woman, who in turn haunts his kin so that they too may feel grief and loss. However, if they are a ghost of a distinguished ancestor who passed away unexpectedly, then perhaps the family banshee functions more as a guardian, watching over the family, preparing them for death and joining you in your sorrow. 

What Is a Banshee? 

In general, a banshee is a female, mournful spirit of death from Celtic myth and folklore. It follows or finds descendants of pure Irish families and warns of death through a piercing scream. 

Like I said... WAY cooler than 5e lore. 

But don't worry... homebrew can fix that!

© WOTC

Better DnD Banshee Ideas (Other Homebrew)

Turns out, I'm not the only one that thinks the 5e banshee needs an upgrade!

The great DM Dave took some inspiration from the Celtic lore and created SIX VARIANTS for the DnD banshee (5e); a different banshee for every TTRPG situation he could think of. He went in more of a gameplay direction rather than the lore direction I intend to, but it doesn't matter... hats off to you sir! If you want to read that, just follow this link. 

I'll cover my alternative lore in a second, but first I want to point out an AWESOME reddit DnD banshee (5e) stat block that is worth your time... 

WEIRDGOBRRRRR and OH_HI_MARK's Banshee (5e)

Just found it on reddit somehow. Here is the link to it. This buffed up DnD banshee has more hit points, a higher spell save DC, higher attack bonuses, and FIVE more abilities. 

Personally, I think it is closer to a CR 6 or 7 rather than CR 5, but regardless, the goal was clearly to create a banshee that would inflict fear upon any Tier 2 party that faces it. And in that regard they were definitely successful. 

In fact, it is so good that I gave this section of the blog post the official dnd 5e banshee image above... because THIS is what it should be! And here are three reasons this version of the 5e banshee is downright badass: 

1) The Wail Becomes a Reaction

In my opinion, this prevents DMs from abusing the Wail ability. It also allows DMs to make the keening, screaming, crying distinct from the Wail. And when the Wail attack hits... players will definitely sit up in their chairs and take notice as the hair on their bodies stands straight. 

2) Its Abilities Overlap

A major complaint with the 5e banshee is how unpredictable the fight can be; DnD beyond commenters point out that the Wail can easily TPK a party, or if everyone succeeds their saving throw, the fight can be a minor inconvenience. And if the party is good at WIS saving throws, then it is really hard for the banshee to do anything to them. But with "Ill Omen" reducing one PC saving throw by 1d8... and "Aura of Hatred" having a stunned ability for any major failure... and "Draining Fear" allowing this DnD banshee to recover health when successful... the combat encounter has a much more balanced push-and-pull type as each banshee ability enables or reinforces another. 

3) Players Stay Afraid 

When this banshee is reduced to 1/2 health, not only does the "Wail" IMMEDIATELY happen, but all Wisdom saving throws against its abilities are rolled at disadvantage, and the range of "Aura of Hatred" is increased. In other words, as soon as you describe how bloodied the banshee is, and players feel relieved that they are almost there, you also describe an increase in power that puts that fear right back into their hearts and minds. 

4) They Can't Be Killed

A DnD banshee is an undead evil spirit... you can't just kill it outright! Players have to convince it to return to its corpse (FUN RP) or perform some sort of exorcism ritual. Either way... THAT is a multi-layered monster and dynamic combat encounter!

© Jana Heidersdorf

Better Lore for Better 5e Banshee RP

That said... and as I have said for both the Lamia and Vampire posts... I prefer my monsters to be unique and distinct. And the Celtic lore is just way too juicy to not create a 5e banshee lore parallel. Since I don't want to reinvent the wheel, I will also indicate which of DM Dave's banshee stat blocks or the reddit homebrew are the best fit. 

"Good Alignment" (DM Dave's "Banshee Guardian")

This spirit is the ghost of a long lost family member who died during the birth of her first child. Her motherly love compelled her to adopt the family as her children rather than move onto the afterlife. This banshee is melancholic, singing a dirge and gently weeping over her lost child, but also looks upon her kin with compassion. She serves two purposes: to warn those who are about to enter a situation where they most certainly will perish, or to inform them of the death of a beloved family member. She appears as she did in life, though now with paler skin and dressed in fine embroidered white clothing. Her soft crying and singing an be heard by all, but she can only be seen by those that she watches over. 

"Neutral Alignment" (DM Dave's "Herald of Death")

This banshee was never human, but is an exiled fey creature. What they did to deserve such an exile follows the orange/blue logic of all in the Feywild; perhaps they bowed wrong to the Queen of Summer, or perhaps they betrayed the true name of a Fae to a mortal. Regardless, they have been banished and restricted to a fairy mound in the Material Plane, where under starlight and moonlight they comb their hair as they weep. They perpetually mourn their cursed fate and are compelled to kill any that approach their mount to preserve their solitary existence, warning with dreadful wails any that approach. Their mound is often surrounded by Will-o'-Wisps who look to drain the final moments of poor souls that suffered the banshees power. 

"Evil Alignment" (WEIRDGOBRRRRR's Banshee)

These 5e banshees are tragedy personified. They were beautiful young woman that were cruelly murdered, assaulted, or abused... and now demand vengeance as undead spirits. In the throes of death, they made a deal with the devil. They now carry the banshee curse and hunt the kin of their abuser. They spend their existence luring members of their targeted lineage out in the open in the middle of the night to answer for their crimes and the crimes of their ancestors. They remember their trauma with perfect clarity, which fuels a sorrow and rage that never diminishes. Their white clothes are stained from the wounds, and their eyes are piercing blood red from the constant shrieking. As their soul deteriorates over time, they have grown ghoulish and ugly, and only a mirror can reveal their original innocence.