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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 9474393" data-attributes="member: 6915329">Back to Dragon Magazine. Here’s the last of the four undead templates from issue #300: the wraith.The wraith is one of those creatures that, IMO, really only exist because Basic D&D needed monsters for every PC level, and Gygax et al apparently didn’t think of just upping the power level of existing monsters, like saying you add another Hit Die or two for each level of the dungeon you're on. Unfortunately, this means that every D&D monster book since then, and a lot of monster books for other systems, is now saddled with an excessive number of monsters that they don’t really need.(I realize that I am not helping by creating even more monsters in this thread <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />)Anyway, the wraith. An evil incorporeal undead.Wraith (Template)The Risen Dead, Dragon Magazine #300Creature by Wizards of the Coast R&D“Wraith” is a template that can be added on any beast, giant, humanoid, monstrosity, or plant. It regains all of the statistics of the base creature except as noted below.Type. The wight’s type changes to undead. It loses any other tags it had.Speed. The wraith’s walking speed is reduced to 0 and it loses any climb or burrowing speeds it may have had. It gains a fly speed of 60 feet, unless it already had a faster fly speed, and can hover.Attributes. The wight’s Strength becomes 8 (-1) unless it was already lower. Its Dexterity and Charisma increase by 2 (maximum of 30).Resistances. The wraith is resistant to acid, cold, lightning, and thunder damage and damage from nonmagical, non-silvered weapons.Immunities. The wraith is immune to necrotic and poison damage, and to the charmed, fatigue, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, and unconscious conditions.Senses. If the wraith didn’t have darkvision, it gains darkvision to 120 feet. If it had darkvision, it’s darkvision’s range increases by 60 feet.Aura of Fear. A creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of a wraith must make a Wisdom saving throw (save DC = 8 + the wraith’s PB + the wraith’s Charisma modifier). On a failure, the creature is frightened until the start of its next turn. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, it is immune to any wraith’s Aura of Fear for 24 hours.Action: Create Specter. The wraith touches a humanoid corpse it killed less than 1 day ago. The creature’s spirit rises as a specter under the wraith’s control.Evil. The wraith radiates an Evil aura.Incorporeal. The wraith can move through creatures and objects. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. If it takes radiant damage, it loses this trait until the end of its next turn.Action: Life Drain. The wraith targets a creature within 5 feet, forcing it to make a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + the wraith’s PB + the wraith’s Constitution modifier). On a failure, the target takes necrotic damage depending on the base creature’s CR:CR 4 or lower: 7 (2d6) necrotic damageCR 5 – 16: 14 (4d6) necrotic damageCR 17 – 22: 21 (6d6) necrotic damageCR 23 or higher: 28 (8d6) necrotic damageIf the creature is frightened or surprised, it takes an additional 7 (2d6) necrotic damage on top of the listed amount. The creature’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. It dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.Light Sensitivity. While in sunlight or bright light cast by a fire, the wraith has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Perception checks that rely on sight.Undead Nature. A wraith doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.Wraith LordI don’t even need to go to Tom Moldvay’s article for a greater wraith because the Menagerie provides a wraith lord.This template can be placed on any creature that has the wight template and is CR 10 or higher. It regains all of the statistics of the base wight except as noted below.Attributes: The wraith lord’s Strength becomes 14 (+2), and its Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma increase by 4 (maximum of 30). Recalculate its hit points.Senses. The wraith lord gains truesight to 120 feet.Aura of Fear. The wraith lord’s Aura of Fear increases to 30 feet.Action: Multiattack. The wraith lord uses Paralyzing Terror and Life Drain twice. If corporeal, it also makes a melee weapon attack.Action: Altered Life Drain. The wraith targets a creature within 5 feet, forcing it to make a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + the wraith’s PB + the wraith’s Constitution modifier). On a failure, the target takes necrotic damage depending on the base creature’s CR:CR 10 – 16: 17 (5d6) necrotic damageCR 17 – 22: 24 (7d6) necrotic damageCR 23 or higher: 31 (9d6) necrotic damageIf the creature is frightened or surprised, it takes an additional 7 (2d6) necrotic damage on top of the listed amount. The creature’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. It dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.Action: Altered Melee Weapon Attack. The wraith lord’s melee weapon attack is enhanced with a poison created by the wraith lord’s own evil. A creature that is hit by the weapon takes an additional 17 (5d6) poison damage and must make a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + the wraith’s PB + the wraith’s Constitution modifier) or be poisoned for 24 hours. While poisoned in this way, the target can’t regain hit points. If a creature dies while poisoned in this way, its spirit rises as a wraith under the wraith lord’s control 1 minute after its death.Action: Paralyzing Terror. The wraith lord targets a frightened creature within 60 feet, forcing it to make a Wisdom saving throw (save DC = 8 + the wraith’s PB + the wraith’s Charisma modifier). On a failure, the target is paralyzed for 1 minute. It repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.Action: Corporeal Form (1/Day). The wraith lord takes on a material form. In material form, it loses its incorporeal trait, its fly speed, and its immunity to the grappled, prone, and restrained conditions. The wraith instantly reverts to its incorporeal form if it is bloodied, and it can do so voluntarily at any time as an action.Variant: Salient PowersAs I mentioned, there was no Van Richten’s Guide to Phantoms or whatever they would call a book for incorporeal undead. However, I think I’ll steal a few of the other powers from the Guide to Ghosts. Obviously, you can use any of these abilities with actual ghosts as well. Plus, you can use the saliant powers I listed for <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/a-leveled-up-bestiary-volume-two.701725/page-21#post-9468658" target="_blank">wights</a>, if they seem appropriate.Aura of Despair. The wraith radiates an aura of apathy and melancholy. A creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the wraith must make a Wisdom saving throw (save DC = 8 + the wraith’s PB + the wraith’s Charisma modifier) or be rattled and (at the Narrator’s discretion), is affected by the <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/new-conditions-agonized-forgetful-manic-placid-vexed.704224/" target="_blank">placid</a> condition for 1 minute. The creature may make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, it is immune to this wraith’s Aura of Despair for 24 hours.Bonus Action: Command Undead. The wraith can use a bonus action to command an undead creature which can hear it whose CR is lower than its. Undead with an Intelligence score of 7 or higher may (and all undead PCs, regardless of Intelligence) may make a Wisdom saving throw to resist throw to resist (save DC = 8 + the wraith’s PB + the wraith’s Charisma modifier). On a success, the undead is immune to that wraith’s Command Undead for 24 hours.Action: Dominating Stare (Gaze). The wraith magically targets a creature within 30 feet. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw (save DC = 8 + the wraith’s PB + the wraith’s Charisma modifier) or be charmed by the wraith for 1 hour. The wraith has a telepathic link with the charmed creature as long as they are on the same plane and can issue commands through the link, which the target must do its best to obey. The wraith can have up to three charmed targets at a time.Action: Entrancing Appearance (Gaze). The wraith taps into the inherent fascination the living have with death. It magically targets a creature within 30 feet. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw (save DC = 8 + the wraith’s PB + the wraith’s Charisma modifier) or be charmed for 1 minute. While charmed, the creature is incapacitated and its Speed is 0.--The following uses a snake lamia as the base creatureDesert PhantomLarge undead; Challenge 4 (XP)AC 12HP 85 (10d10+30; bloodied 42)Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)STR 8 (-1) DEX 18 (+4) CON 16 (+3)INT 14 (+2) WIS 16 (+3) CHA 20 (+5)Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 13Skills Deception +6, Perception +5, Stealth +5Damage Resistances acid, cold, lightning, thunder; damage from nonmagical, non-silvered weaponsDamage Immunities necrotic, poisonCondition Immunities charmed, fatigue, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconsciousSenses darkvision 1200 ft., passive Perception 15Languages Abyssal, CommonAura of Fear. A creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the desert phantom must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is frightened until the start of its next turn. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, it is immune to any desert phantom’s Aura of Fear for 24 hours.Chaotic Evil. The desert phantom radiates a Chaotic and Evil aura.Incorporeal. The desert phantom can move through creatures and objects. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. If it takes radiant damage, it loses this trait until the end of its next turn.Innate Spellcasting. The desert phantom’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components.At will: charm person , disguise self (humanoid form), major image , misty step 1/day each: geas , hallucinatory terrain , hypnotic pattern , scryingLight Sensitivity. While in sunlight or bright light cast by a fire, the desert phantom has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Perception checks that rely on sight.Undead Nature. A desert phantom doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.ActionsDizzying Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is magically charmed for 1 hour or until it takes damage. While charmed in this way, it has disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws and ability checks.Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the desert phantom can’t constrict a different target.Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and the target makes a DC 13 Constitution saving throw . On a failure, the target takes 10 (3d6) poison damage and is poisoned for 1 hour.Create Specter. The desert phantom touches a humanoid corpse it killed less than 1 day ago. The creature’s spirit rises as a specter under the desert phantom’s control.Entrancing Appearance (Gaze). The desert phantom taps into the inherent fascination the living have with death. It magically targets a creature within 30 feet. That creature must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute. While charmed, the creature is incapacitated and its Speed is 0.Hypnotic Pattern (3rd-Level; S, Concentration). A swirling pattern of light appears at a point within 120 feet. Each creature within 10 feet of the pattern that can see it makes a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw . On a failure, the creature is charmed for 1 minute. While charmed, the creature is incapacitated and its Speed is 0. The effect ends on a creature if it takes damage or if another creature uses an action to shake it out of its daze.Life Drain. The desert phantom targets a creature within 5 feet, forcing it to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 2 (7d6) necrotic damage. If the creature is frightened or surprised, it takes an additional 7 (2d6) necrotic damage on top of the listed amount. The creature’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. It dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.Bonus ActionsMisty Step (2nd-Level; V). The desert phantom teleports to an unoccupied space it can see within 30 feet. The desert phantom can’t cast this spell and a 1st-level or higher spell on the same turn.</blockquote>

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