Ghost, Greater

Family: Ghosts

Medium undead, neutral evil

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
7 (-2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 20 (+5)

Skills Deception +9, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages any languages it knew in life
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Special Traits

  • Ethereal Sight. The greater ghost can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
  • Incorporeal Movement. The greater ghost 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 greater ghost doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Actions

  • Multiattack. The greater ghost makes two Draining Touch attacks.
  • Draining Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 5) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain by this attack rises 24 hours later as a ghost under the greater ghost’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. The greater ghost can have no more than three ghosts under its control at one time.
  • Etherealness. The greater ghost enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can’t affect or be affected by anything on the other plane.

About

Greater ghost have their own personalities, desires, and story to tell for those willing to listen.

Greater ghosts have the same base statistics, but many have differing traits and actions based on the events surrounding their deaths. Though not a comprehensive list of every possible way a creature can die and become a greater ghost, the below themes should provide you with enough information to create the greater ghosts of Tegel Manor or make variant greater ghosts of your own. Note that like in the rest of the adventure, some options may prove a little more hazardous to your players than others.

Themes

When creating a greater ghost, choose a theme that represents how the creature died. Each theme adds a variety of features to the base greater ghost or adjusts current features of it. Each greater ghost must have at least one theme, but it can have more. Increase the greater ghost’s challenge rating by 1 for each theme you add to it beyond the first theme. If you use two themes that replace or modify the same feature, pick one theme’s modification and ignore the other theme’s modification; do not apply both modifications to the same creature.

A greater ghost with four or more themes is of a sufficient challenge rating for an increase in its proficiency bonus. Such a greater ghost uses its Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for its traits and actions (DC equal to 8 + the greater ghost’s proficiency bonus + its Wisdom modifier).

Cold-Blooded

This theme applies to creatures that were killed in cold blood or suddenly without warning or provocation. Such a greater ghost always feels disoriented by its death and seeks the warmth of the living. A cold-blooded greater ghost retains its statistics except as noted below.

Sense Warmth. The greater ghost is drawn to warm places and creatures. It can pinpoint the location of a warm-blooded creature or other source of warmth such as a match or a campfire within 60 feet.

New Action: Possession (recharge 6). One humanoid that the greater ghost can see within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by the ghost; the ghost then disappears, and the target is incapacitated and loses control of its body. The ghost now controls the body but doesn’t deprive the target of awareness. The ghost can’t be targeted by any attack, spell, or other effect, except ones that turn undead, and it retains its alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and immunity to being charmed and frightened . It otherwise uses the possessed target’s statistics, but doesn’t gain access to the target’s knowledge, class features, or proficiencies.

The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points, the ghost ends it as a bonus action, or the ghost is turned or forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and good spell. When the possession ends, the ghost reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the body. The target is immune to this ghost’s Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the possession ends.

Corrupt

This theme applies to creatures that were despicable individuals in life, and their deaths were caused by their own deplorable actions. Such a greater ghost died with wickedness lodged like a stone in its heart. A corrupt greater ghost retains its statistics except as noted below.

Alignment. The greater ghost’s alignment is evil.

New Action: Multiattack. The greater ghost’s Multiattack action changes to: The greater ghost makes two attacks, only one of which can be with its Corrupting Gaze.

New Action: Corrupting Gaze. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, range 60 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (4d8) psychic damage, and the target’s Charisma score is reduced by 1d4. The target is incapacitated if this reduces its Charisma to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest.

Fearful

This theme applies to creatures who died while experiencing something truly terrifying. Such a greater ghost wails its terror at any creature it encounters, sharing its pain as it perpetually relives its death. A fearful greater ghost retains its statistics except as noted below.

Condition Immunities. The greater ghost can be frightened, but it can’t fall unconscious, cursed to never have reprieve from its death.

New Action: Terrifying Moan (recharge 5-6). The greater ghost releases a terrifying moan into the minds of creatures in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area with an Intelligence of 3 or higher must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 35 (10d6) psychic damage and is frightened for 1 minute. On a success, the creature takes half the damage and isn’t frightened. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target is instead paralyzed for 1 minute. A frightened or paralyzed creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on itself on a success.

Iniquitous

This theme applies to creatures who died armed and armored but who were killed in an unfair combat, such as overwhelming odds or the secret use of poison in an honorable duel. Such a greater ghost wears and carries spectral versions of the armor and weaponry that it was wearing when it died. An iniquitous greater ghost retains its statistics except as noted below.

Armor Class. The greater ghost’s armor class changes as if it is wearing the armor it wore in life. Though the armor it wears is a spectral version of the original armor, it provides the same bonuses and penalties of a suit of armor of its type. For example, an iniquitous greater ghost who died while wearing plate has an armor class of 18. When the greater ghost dies, the spectral armor disappears with it, unless the armor is magical, in which case the armor falls to the ground in the exact state it was when the greater ghost originally died (fresh bloodstains and all).

New Action: Multiattack. The greater ghost’s Multiattack changes to: The greater ghost makes three attacks, only one of which can be with its Draining Touch.

New Action: Weapon Attack. The greater ghost carries the spectral version of one weapon it was proficient with in life.

It is also proficient with that weapon in death, and, when it attacks with the weapon, it uses its Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for attack and damage rolls with that weapon. When the greater ghost dies, the spectral weapon disappears with it, unless the weapon is magical, in which case the weapon falls to the ground in the exact state it was when the greater ghost originally died (as dull or sharp as it was in the greater ghost’s original life).

Repulsive

This theme applies to creatures who died in a gruesome or grisly way. Such a greater ghost is permanently marred or disfigured by its killing blow, vexing the ghost’s fragile vanity. A repulsive greater ghost retains its statistics except as noted below.

Condition Immunities. The greater ghost can be charmed.

Horrific Presence. When a creature that can see the greater ghost’s wound starts its turn within 30 feet of the greater ghost, the greater ghost can force it to make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw if the greater ghost isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target ages 1d4 x 10 years. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save is stunned until the start of its next turn.

Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can’t see the greater ghost until the start of its next, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the greater ghost in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.

The aging effect of the greater ghost’s Horrific Presence can be reversed with a greater restoration spell, but only within 24 hours of it occurring.

Vain. The greater ghost has disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws made to avoid being charmed by a creature that complimented it within the last 1 minute.

Ruthless

This theme applies to creatures who were killed surreptitiously by someone they trusted or held dear. Such a greater ghost despises all beings who use their physical or magical strength to aid or protect others. A ruthless greater ghost retains its statistics except as noted below.

Ruthless. The greater ghost has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that has used the Help action, restored hit points to another creature, or aided another creature through a feature, such as Bardic Inspiration, or magic, such as the longstrider or aid spells, within the last 1 minute. This trait doesn’t give the greater ghost advantage on melee attack rolls against creatures who have features or traits that passively aid others, such as a paladin’s Aura of Protection or a wolf’s Pack Tactics.

New Action: Multiattack. The greater ghost’s Multiattack changes to: The greater ghost makes two Enfeebling Touch attacks.

New Action: Enfeebling Touch. The greater ghost replaces its Draining Touch action with the following action:

Enfeebling Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 5) necrotic damage, and the target’s Strength, Intelligence, or Wisdom score (your choice) is reduced by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. The target is incapacitated if this reduces its Intelligence or Wisdom to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest.

Withered

This theme applies to creatures who died from extreme exposure to necrotic damage or from an effect that drains the life out of its target. This theme can also apply to a greater ghost that has existed for a considerable period of time. Such a greater ghost appears more insubstantial than most ghosts and spectral pieces of it perpetually flake off in its wake. A withered greater ghost retains its statistics except as noted below.

Innate Spellcasting. The greater ghost’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast telekinesis at will.

New Action: Draining Touch. The greater ghost’s Draining Touch action can age its target. Add the following to the end of the Draining Touch action: Instead of reducing the target’s hit point maximum, the greater ghost can increase the target creature’s age by 2d4 years. The aging effect can be reversed with a greater restoration spell, but only within 24 hours of it occurring.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tegel Manor © 2019, Frog God Games, LLC; Authors: Bill Webb & Thom Wilson with additional material by Gabor Lux

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tegel Manor © 2019, Frog God Games, LLC; Authors: Bill Webb & Thom Wilson with additional material by Gabor Lux

This is not the complete license attribution - see the full license for this page