Phantom Piper

Medium undead, neutral

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)

Skills Perception +2, Performance +5, Stealth +4
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands Common but can’t speak
Proficiency Bonus +2
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Ethereal Sight. The phantom piper can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
• Incorporeal Movement. The phantom piper can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
• Undead Nature. A phantom piper doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

ACTIONS

• Bagpipe Blast. Melee or Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (4d10 + 3) thunder damage.
• Discordant Song. The phantom piper plays a cacophony of magical sounds. Each humanoid within 120 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the phantom piper until the song ends. A frightened creature takes 7 (2d6) psychic damage at the start of its turn while the phantom piper is playing. A frightened creature can repeat the 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, the creature is immune to the phantom piper’s Discordant Song for the next 24 hours. The phantom piper must take a bonus action on its subsequent turns to continue playing. It can stop playing at any time. The song ends if the phantom piper is incapacitated or dies.
• Dire Dirge (1/Day). The phantom piper releases a haunting dirge audible to all within 120 feet. Any creature that can hear the dirge must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become overcome with despair manifesting as unshakable dread. Until the despair ends, the creature has disadvantage on all saving throws and gains the following flaw: “I’m convinced that I’m going to die.” The creature can attempt to end its despair each time it finishes a long rest, doing so with a successful DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. A calm emotions spell also ends the despair, as does any spell or other magical effect that removes a curse.

BONUS ACTIONS

• Ethereal Jaunt. The phantom piper can move from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane, or vice versa, as a bonus action.

ABOUT

The phantom piper appears as a translucent figure dressed in tattered attire, complete with a kilt and bagpipes slung across its shoulder. Its face is a shadowy, indistinct form, and its eyes emit a mournful light.

Phantom pipers are tragic spirits bound to their instruments by dark magic and the anguish of their untimely demise. They are often found in places associated with death, battles, and old castles, where their restless spirits continue to play their music for eternity.

Phantom pipers are driven by a compulsion to play their haunting melodies. When encountered, they draw upon their spectral powers to terrify and incapacitate their victims, using their eerie music and ethereal wails to unsettle and weaken their prey. These spirits rarely communicate or negotiate; they exist to fulfill their dark purpose and continue their forlorn melodies.