Stench. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 ft. of the ghast must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the ghast's Stench for 24 hours.
Turning Defiance. The ghast and any ghouls within 30 ft. of it have advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
How many ghasts for a fight?
A ghast is worth 450 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many ghasts fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Party level
Low
Moderate
High
2nd
—
1
1
3rd
1
2
3
4th
2
3
4
5th
4
6
9
6th
5
8
12
7th
6
11
12+
8th
8
12+
12+
9th
11
12+
12+
Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.
How the ghast compares at CR 2
Against the 42 other challenge 2 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the ghast has more hit points than 12 of them, which makes it a little frailer than most at its CR. See every CR 2 monster.
Statistic
Ghast
CR 2 average
Armor Class
13
12.9
Hit points
36
47
Best attack bonus
+5
+5
Ghast 2024 stat block
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the ghast, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
Stench. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 10, any creature that starts its turn in a 5-foot Emanation originating from the ghast. Failure: The target has the Poisoned condition until the start of its next turn. Success: The target is immune to this ghast’s Stench for 24 hours.
Actions
Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) Piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) Necrotic damage.
Claw. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Slashing damage. If the target is a non-Undead creature, it is subjected to the following effect. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 10. Failure: The target has the Paralyzed condition until the end of its next turn.
