D&D 5E 11th Lvl Wizard and Cleric OK to Take On Two Banshees?

[pontinyc]

Just like the title says, the party split up and now they're looking at a 2v2 fight against a couple of Banshees (CR5). All the numbers say that they should be ok but I'm worried about them failing their saves on the Banshee's wail, thus dropping them immediately to 0 hp.

Yes, they were rash in splitting up but the player's are having a blast so I'd really love not to kill them because of a save or suck ability, but the banshees are both close relatives of theirs that they must kill in order to free their souls.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Stormonu]

Let the dice fall where they may.

There's always risk in confronting an opponent, and there are many more ways to overcome an obstacle than fighting. If the only way they can free these two souls is through direct combat - that's on you.

That said, a simple silence spell would make this encounter trivial. If the two have some sort of forewarning (and both have access to various divination rituals at the least to give them a head's up of what may forthcoming), they should be more than prepared to face this sort of threat at this level. If they blindly charge in, they get what they deserve.

 

[Baumi]

The two Banshees should work fine. But with only 2 players any fights will be wonky, since even one character falling out (unconcious, failed save,..) will make a MAJOR difference.

I would run the fight with the two Banshees but have a failback at hand. Like an NPC, that might help if someone gets unconcious or that the Banshees don't kill the Characters when they both fall to 0 HP but possess them instead. Also you don't have to use the Wail or use it only when the first Banshee got killed...

 

[Charlaquin]

Save-or-die works best when well telegraphed, and when there are precautions that can be taken against the effect. Make sure the PCs are aware that a Banshee’s wail can kill instantly (either they could come across this information in research, or witness someone die to it), and that deafening one’s self (say by covering one’s ears) can prevent it.

 

[FrogReaver]

The only real concern in the encounter is the wail ability. Other than that they should be dispatched handily (too low of attack roll and fear effect isn’t scary vs casters).

Even if 1 pc drops to wail as long as they don’t focus on that pcs should win out.

The problem is that there’s a non-trivial chance they may both drop to the 2 wails. Even 1 wail has maybe a 10% to 20% chance of dropping them both to 0.

I’d suggest the following. Telegraph exactly what they are going to fight soon. Possibly by hearing 1 wail from a great distance. That gets them down to a single wail. The cleric and wizard then also has option of changing up spells. They definitely have the tools to handle 1 wail if they prep.

After that it’s on them IMO.

 

[Baumi]

Save-or-die works best when we’ll telegraphed, and when there are precautions that can be taken against the effect. Make sure the PCs are aware that a Banshee’s wail can kill instantly (either they could come across this information in research, or witness someone die to it), and that deafening one’s self (say by covering one’s ears) can prevent it.

Dropping to 0 HP doesn't kill you instantly, so there is time to save the character and as I said before, they might even stabilize them themself for some reasons (hostage, posession, sacrifice,..)

 

[aco175]

The DC13 Con save might be harder for the Wizard over the Cleric, but then the cleric and cure him. Should not be a terrible problem though.

 

[FrogReaver]

The DC13 Con save might be harder for the Wizard over the Cleric, but then the cleric and cure him. Should not be a terrible problem though.

Clerics don’t get proficiency with con saves either?

 

[Guest 7037866]

Thoughts?

A lot depends on how the encounter happens. Encounter distance, terrain, foreknowledge of the banshees, even knowing what a banshee is or can do, etc. Also, what magic or other bonuses the PCs might have for their CON saves since neither class is proficient. Of course, what spells they have prepared will also influence the outcome.

If the cleric survives the wail, turning can help, The banshees will likely face a DC 15 or 16 save, but have WIS +2. So there is a good chance at least one will fail.

If the Banshees win the initiative or have surprise, it is bleak for the PCs. At DC 13, both are looking at roughly a 50/50 chance (or worse) of failing the save (only 25% or so of making both saves!. With both banshees wailing, odds are drastically against them as at least one will likely fail and drop to 0 hp, and both might drop.

If either PC drops, the Banshees should act to kill the downed PC immediately. One banshee should wail first. If a PC drops, the other attacks the downed PC immediately and wails itself on the next round.

Honestly, by the numbers 11th level PCs would be a moderate encounter against 2 CR 4 (not CR 5 IIRC) creatures. If they save versus the wail, it should be an easy enough encounter. In some ways, a Banshee with a couple Will-o'-Wisps is even more scary.

 

[MarkB]

Encounter layout is going to play a part here. The wail only works at relatively close range, 30 feet, so if the characters see them 100 feet away they can do something to prep - they could let the banshees close some of the distance, then make up the rest and try to turn them, or they could place some summoned critters in their path.

If, however, they walk into a room and it's banshees right there, it's going to come down far more to pure chance.