Incorporeal Movement. The wraith 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.
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the wraith has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Actions
Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 21 (4d8 + 3) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Create Specter. The wraith targets a humanoid within 10 feet of it that has been dead for no longer than 1 minute and died violently. The target's spirit rises as a specter in the space of its corpse or in the nearest unoccupied space. The specter is under the wraith's control. The wraith can have no more than seven specters under its control at one time.
How wraiths fight
A wraith is a CR 5 undead spirit of hate that flies at 60 feet and passes through walls and creatures as difficult terrain. Its one attack, Life Drain, hits at +6 for 4d8 + 3 necrotic damage (21 on average), and the target must make a DC 14 Constitution save or have its hit point maximum reduced by the same amount until it finishes a long rest. If the maximum hits 0, the target dies.
It’s hard to pin down. It has 67 hit points and AC 13, but resists acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder and nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered, and it’s immune to necrotic and poison damage. It can’t be grappled, restrained, paralyzed, knocked prone or charmed. And it builds an army: a humanoid that died violently within 10 feet in the last minute can rise as a specter under its control, up to seven at a time.
Running a wraith at the table
Come through the wall. Attack from inside the stone, strike, and go back in. It takes 1d10 force damage only if it ends its turn inside an object, so move out before the turn ends.
Harvest the fallen. Every guard, cultist or villager that dies violently near it becomes another specter. A wraith in a battlefield or a massacre site should arrive with company.
Pick on low Constitution. The drain save is Constitution, so the wizard’s shrinking hit point maximum is the real threat.
Avoid sunlight. It has disadvantage on attacks in sunlight, so it fights at night and underground.
Common questions
Does a wraith’s Life Drain reduce maximum hit points permanently?
No. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. Until then, healing can’t restore those hit points, and if the maximum drops to 0 the target dies.
What damage works best against a wraith?
Radiant and force damage, which it doesn’t resist, and magic or silvered weapons. Fire, cold, lightning, thunder and acid only do half, and necrotic and poison do nothing.
Can a wraith be grappled or knocked prone?
No. It’s immune to being grappled, restrained, paralyzed, petrified, prone, poisoned, charmed and exhausted. It can be frightened or stunned, and Turn Undead works on it.
How many specters can a wraith create?
It can control up to seven at once. Each one needs a humanoid that died violently in the last minute, within 10 feet of the wraith.
How hard is a wraith fight?
A wraith is CR 5, worth 1,800 XP. For four characters, that’s Deadly at 3rd level, Hard at 4th and Easy at 5th by the Dungeon Master’s Guide’s encounter math, before any specters join in.
CR 5. The same challenge, drains hit point maximum with its bite, and regenerates unless you bring radiant damage.
How many wraiths for a fight?
A wraith is worth 1,800 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many wraiths 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
4th
—
—
1
5th
1
1
2
6th
1
2
3
7th
1
2
3
8th
2
3
4
9th
2
4
5
10th
3
5
6
11th
4
6
9
12th
4
8
10
13th
5
9
12
14th
6
10
12+
15th
7
12
12+
16th
8
12+
12+
17th
10
12+
12+
18th
11
12+
12+
19th
12
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 wraith compares at CR 5
Against the 26 other challenge 5 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the wraith has more hit points than 1 of them, which makes it one of the frailest at its CR. See every CR 5 monster.
Statistic
Wraith
CR 5 average
Armor Class
13
14.6
Hit points
67
103
Best attack bonus
+6
+7
Wraith 2024 stat block
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the wraith, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
Speed: 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) → 5 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover).
Incorporeal Movement. The wraith 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.
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the wraith has Disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls.
Actions
Life Drain. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 21 (4d8 + 3) Necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, its Hit Point maximum decreases by an amount equal to the damage taken.
Create Specter. The wraith targets a Humanoid corpse within 10 feet of itself that has been dead for no longer than 1 minute. The target’s spirit rises as a Specter in the space of its corpse or in the nearest unoccupied space. The specter is under the wraith’s control. The wraith can have no more than seven specters under its control at a time.
