D&D 5E How would my group fight a Poltergeist?

[CTurbo]

I'm wanting to use the Specter Variant from the MM page 279 which is completely invisible. I've already had the Poltergeist harassing the party as they make their way through the dungeon but it has not outright attacked them yet. I kind of at a loss as to how they can even identify it much less attack it.

The party are level 1 newbies and consist of a Monk, Ranger, Cleric, and Barbarian. The Cleric has no spell slots remaining.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I'm wanting to use the Specter Variant from the MM page 279 which is completely invisible. I've already had the Poltergeist harassing the party as they make their way through the dungeon but it has not outright attacked them yet. I kind of at a loss as to how they can even identify it much less attack it.

The party are level 1 newbies and consist of a Monk, Ranger, Cleric, and Barbarian. The Cleric has no spell slots remaining.

I think they should go for a roleplaying encounter rather than a fight. AFB, but I guess it also have resistance to many damage source, so I think there's no way your party will be able to handle this fight.

 

[Ath-kethin]

I was tasked with a similar situation recently when converting a Pathfinder encounter to 5e. The reality: it is unlikely that a party, especially a party of low-level adventures, could effectively 'fight' such a spirit.

In folklore, the way to set such a haunt to rest is to either give its remains a proper burial or to complete whatever task they left unfulfilled (that in turn led to their curse of being a haunt).

The "how do they figure out what is going on?" part is challenging, sure, but if you know why the haunt is badgering them, it becomes easier to hint towards.

 

[Oofta]

I agree with what other posters have said from an RP/design standpoint but wanted to focus on mechanics for a minute.

Normally the specter variant of the poltergeist is not invisible, so you are creating a custom monster. Being invisible does not necessarily mean they don't know roughly where the monster is, but it does mean they will be at disadvantage for every attack which roughly equates to +5 AC.

Since you are modifying a monster, you can use the guidelines on page 274 of the DMG to get an idea of what DC the monster is after the modification.

Defensive Challenge Rating. Read down the Hit Points column of the Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating table until you find your monster’s hit points. Then look across and note the challenge rating suggested for a monster with those hit points.

Now look at the Armor Class suggested for a monster of that challenge rating. If your monster’s AC is at least two points higher or lower than that number, adjust the challenge rating suggested by its hit points up or down by 1 for every 2 points of difference.​

Since your specter is 5 AC higher than expected, you've created a CR 3 monster (according to the guidelines). Considering your group, and the life drain ability, that's an extremely deadly encounter and you are quite possibly looking at a TPK (Total Party Kill).

The first couple of levels are the most dangerous ones for PCs, and while the guidelines in the DMG are imperfect (they're just a guideline after all) I think you've made a very dangerous opponent.

So the question is ... why is it invisible? A Specter is a CR 1, and with it's life drain a challenging opponent for your group.

 

[CTurbo]

It clearly states in the Monster Manual on page 279 that the poltergeist is invisible and does NOT have the life drain ability. It has an AC of 12 and 22hp. Listed as a CR2.

Yes I know it's going to be tough for the party, but I don't think it will be impossible. It's slam does 3d6 and would likely one shot any one of them, but at the same time, would certainly out itself by attacking in which the other 3 players would probably be able to kill it. I have considered nerfing it's attack damage to 2d6 or 3d4 if I need to. I let the party find a potion of Faerie Fire, but at this point, I don't see them putting 2+2 together to use it on the Poltergeist. They also have a few healing potions so they could survive if a couple of players get KO'd. I think the Poltergeist makes a reasonable BBEG for the party. I do not want to TPK the low level party and will nerf the Poltergeist as much as necessary for them to win. I think as long as the party is trying, I would never kill any of them at level 1. I consider it a practice level.

The problem I'm having, is how to let them figure out what they're up against.

 

[Oofta]

It clearly states in the Monster Manual on page 279 that the poltergeist is invisible and does NOT have the life drain ability. It has an AC of 12 and 22hp. Listed as a CR2.

Yes I know it's going to be tough for the party, but I don't think it will be impossible. It's slam does 3d6 and would likely one shot any one of them, but at the same time, would certainly out itself by attacking in which the other 3 players would probably be able to kill it. I have considered nerfing it's attack damage to 2d6 or 3d4 if I need to. I let the party find a potion of Faerie Fire, but at this point, I don't see them putting 2+2 together to use it on the Poltergeist. They also have a few healing potions so they could survive if a couple of players get KO'd. I think the Poltergeist makes a reasonable BBEG for the party. I do not want to TPK the low level party and will nerf the Poltergeist as much as necessary for them to win. I think as long as the party is trying, I would never kill any of them at level 1. I consider it a practice level.

The problem I'm having, is how to let them figure out what they're up against.

The poltergeist version is invisible, the specter version is a different monster. At least that's how I read it. EDIT: just verified with D&D Beyond. No invisibility on Specter, Poltergeist has invisibility clearly labeled.

Poltergeists in my campaign are ghosts that have gone insane. Whispers, mad cackling, simply toying with the group at first are all par for the course.

 

[Eltab]

The poltergeist is going to have to talk to the PCs somehow, otherwise it's just an annoying DM-TPK waiting to happen at his option.

Let somebody make an INT check to remember that "ghosts" cannot stay invisible in fog.

If your players like to plan everything down to the last detail, with benefit of paranoid advice, then they can get away now but come back later when they are 'properly equipped'. Somebody might think to bring along bags of flour / sand that can be used to detect invisible creatures.
Or cast Ray of Frost all over the ceiling to cool the room and create ... fog.
NOW we are ready to proceed with an encounter with a Poltergeist.

 

[Thateous]

I made some changes to the poltergeist, like allowing it to speak, specters cant speak, and made it an innocent little girl, that spoke to the party. Since they decided to go along with the antics of essentially a 100 year old neglected child long enough, they passed the encounter. They played hide and go seek and had a tea party, all the while being totally unable to see her. Just now 1 of them is able to see her because he was 1 shot by the wraith, her father, and now has a connection to the after-life. Without being able to see it, it's not even worth the trouble of fighting one. Even if you can guess where it is, you are striking with disadvantage and only doing half damage. Chances of it missing are almost none existent as it gets advantage to hit you. Doesn't even have a ranged attack where it just throws things at people... yea you'd never find it then.