Blazing Wraith

NOTE: The blazing wraith previously featured here is now part of my Pay What You Want DMs Guild product Arachnids, Wraiths, & Zombies.

Author’s Note: The updated version of the monster below can now be found at the Free Game Resources page of World Builder Blog. Thank you for all your feedback and please keep it coming!

It’s October! For me that means a month of fascinating horrors and terrifying tales (and the mindless snacking of fun size candies)! Last week I brought The Lingering Havoc into the Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition world and that kicked off what will be several posts about dastardly denizens for your game. Since last time we were ice-cold, how about this time we get red-hot? This fire comes with a side of pissed off spirit. It’s time to behold the blazing wraith.

Light ‘Em Up

If you missed my first post on the blazing wraith, it’s pretty much exactly what you’re picturing – a fiery ghost throwing flames around. These bad boys and girls are the angry spirits of folk were burned alive in violent fires. Their spirits rise, full of hate for the living. The only pleasure these beings feel is watching another creature burn to death just like they did.

Blazing wraiths might be encountered individually, such as a gambler whose house was burned to the ground with him inside by the local mafia when he couldn’t pay his debts. Or burning wraiths might be encountered in groups, such as in a ruined village burnt to the ground by a fierce red dragon. Like a regular wraith, when a burning wraith rises it loses most memories of its former life, though it may have some passing impressions or familiarities.

Stat ‘Em If You Got ‘Em

When it came time to stat out the blazing wraith, I used the wraith in the Monster Manual as a base. I didn’t make too many changes to get the fiery goodness. I gave the blazing wraith fire immunity, a Hurl Flame ranged attack which deals fire damage, and added fire damage not just to its Life Drain attack, but also to its Incorporeal Movement ability. Since all of these things made the blazing wraith a tougher fight than its original wraith counterpart, I figured I would need to boost the challenge rating of the blazing wraith to 6. I looked at some other Challenge 6 creatures and figured I should also boost the blazing wraith’s hit points and Dexterity to give it a (tiny) bonus to attack rolls and AC. So the blazing wraith is born below. Happy to introduce it to ya!

The New New Lingering Havoc

On Thursday a bunch of people checked out, praised, and provided feedback for The Lingering Havoc. Thank you so much! I’d like to present a tweaked version of the creature right now thanks to your feedback!

The basic complaint was that Ultimate Death Ray was probably too good an ability for The Lingering Havoc to use once (possibly twice using Legendary Actions) per round. So I made it a recharge ability which costs either The Lingering Havoc’s action or two Legendary Actions. Then I gave the daddy of all undead an ability called Hurl Corpse to use in place of Ultimate Death Ray as an at-will along with its regular attacks. This was based on a lot of feedback I got in the comments and in forums – people wanted more corpse hurling! Who was I to deny? Anyway, take a look below!

Lingering Havoc

Gargantuan undead, chaotic evil

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Armor Class 25 (natural armor)

Hit Points  676 (33d20 + 330)

Speed  40 ft., burrow 40ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
30 (+10)	11 (+0)	30 (+10)	11 (+0)	11 (+0)	20 (+5)

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Saving Throws  Int +9, Wisdom +9

Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned

Skills Athletics +19, Perception +9

Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive perception 19

Languages The Lingering Havoc does not speak, but understands all which is spoken to it.

Challenge 30 (155,000 XP)

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Absorb the Dead. Whenever a creature dies within 120 feet, the dead creature’s remains join The Lingering Havoc’s form and The Lingering Havoc regains 50 hit points.

Cold Winds. A blizzard is constantly swirling around the The Lingering Havoc. All space in a 120-foot cube centered on The Lingering Havoc is considered difficult terrain.

Ice Walk. The Lingering Havoc can move across and climb icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn’t cost it extra movement.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If The Lingering Havoc fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Limited Magic Immunity. The Lingering Havoc is immune to spells of 7th level or lower which do not deal fire or radiant damage, unless it wishes to be affected. It has advantage on saving throws against all other spells and magical effects, including spells which deal fire and radiant damage.

Regeneration. The Lingering Havoc regains 30 hit points at the start of its turn. If The Lingering Havoc takes radiant or fire damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of The Lingering Havoc’s next turn. The Lingering Havoc dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.

Actions

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Multiattack. The Lingering Havoc can use its Frightful Presence or Hurl Corpse and then makes four attacks, which can be any combination of slam and frozen bone shard attacks.

Slam.  Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d10 + 10) bludgeoning damage.

Frozen Bone Shard. Ranged Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, range 120/360 ft., one target. Hit: The target takes 20 (3d6 + 10) piercing damage, 9 (2d8) cold damage, and has its speed reduced by 10 feet until the start of The Lingering Havoc’s next turn.

Hurl Corpse. The Lingering Havoc targets one creature within 120 feet and throws a Medium humanoid corpse at it. The target must succeed on a DC 27 Reflex saving throw, or become prone and grappled by the corpse, which becomes a wight under The Lingering Havoc’s control. The wight attacks immediately. If the target succeeds on the saving throw, it is not grappled, but they are adjacent to the corpse, which immediately rises and attacks as a wight under The Lingering Havoc’s control. All wights created this way are reabsorbed into The Lingering Havoc at the end of battle and The Lingering Havoc cannot regain hit points from these absorptions.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of The Lingering Havoc’s choice within 120 feet of it and aware of it must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if The Lingering Havoc is within line of sight, ending the effect of itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to The Lingering Havoc’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Ultimate Death Ray (Recharge 4 – 6). The Lingering Havoc chooses 1 creature to which it has a line of effect within 120 feet. That creature must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw. On a success, the target takes 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. On a failed save the target is reduced to 0 hit points.

Corpse Drop (Recharge 5 – 6). The Lingering Havoc shakes its massive form and 3d4 Medium humanoid corpses fall off The Lingering Havoc in a space adjacent to it and rise as wights under The Lingering Havoc’s control. All wights created this way are reabsorbed into The Lingering Havoc at the end of battle and The Lingering Havoc cannot regain hit points from these absorptions.

Poison Breath (Recharge 5 – 6). The Lingering Havoc exhales poisonous gas in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 27 Constitution saving throw, taking 91 (26d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature who fails this save is also poisoned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Legendary Actions

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The Lingering Havoc can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Lingering Havoc regains all spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Attack. The Lingering Havoc makes one slam or frozen bone shard attack.

Move. The Lingering Havoc moves up to half its speed.

Command Wights. The Lingering Havoc can cause up to four wights under its control to attack.

Ultimate Death Ray (Costs 2 Actions). The Lingering Havoc uses its Ultimate Death Ray.

So what do you think? Do you like this new Lingering Havoc better? How about the blazing wraith? Let me know what you think in the comments!

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