This is a public service announcement for the banshee’s wail.

If you’re a new Dungeon Master leery of an encounter involving a low-level adventuring party vs. a relatively high challenge rating monster like Agatha the banshee (CR 4), it’s understandable. How can a low-level party survive an encounter with a monster who can, with a single use of her Wail action, drop any character who fails their saving throw to 0 hp? Madness.

Here’s the thing to remember (and you can apply this to other monsters as well): if a player character can pull their punches in a combat with the intention of rendering an opponent unconscious rather than dealing a killing blow, so too can a banshee deliver her wail to render the characters senseless (reducing them to 0 hp) without intending to kill them (no death saves necessary).

Based on her past behavior, Agatha has shown a willingness to tolerate the living. Conyberry existed within the range of her Detect Life trait, which means every day the village had residents living there, Agatha was constantly aware of their presence. Since Conyberry existed as a settlement for some time, it’s implied that she tolerated the existence of the villagers; so much so that the residents of Conyberry regarded the banshee with affection, viewing her as a protector and friend.

So, an encounter with Agatha the banshee need not be fatal. Low-level characters foolish enough to push her to the point of using her banshee’s wail could simply find themselves waking up 1-4 hours later with their ears ringing, and Agatha nowhere to be found.

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