Buy me a coffee“Barrow Wight: The Haunting Spirit of Forgotten Tombs”
A Barrow-wight is a corpse-haunting spirit that lures the living into ancient tombs with chilling enchantments, binding them in grave-cold darkness to join its eternal, deathless vigil.
Barrow-wights manifest as tall, cadaverous figures draped in rotting grave-cloths and rusted ornaments of ancient kings. Their flesh is pallid and corpse-like, with eyes that glow a baleful green or sickly blue in the dark. Their movements are slow yet deliberate, as if pulled along by some unseen funereal rhythm.
Behaviour
These undead exude an aura of oppressive dread, speaking rarely and often in hollow whispers or bone-chilling chants. They prefer to wait in silence within their tombs, letting fear and enchantment soften their prey before revealing themselves. When roused, they are cruel, patient tormentors who take pleasure in binding the living with spectral cold.
Habitat
Barrow-wights dwell in ancient burial mounds, ruined barrows, and forgotten necropolises, haunting lands where kings and warriors of old lie entombed. They are territorial, claiming their burial site as a cursed domain, and seldom stray beyond it unless compelled by darker masters.
Modus Operandi
A Barrow-wight hunts by luring intruders into its domain with eerie lights, hypnotic chants, or illusory visions of treasure. Once its prey is ensnared, it overwhelms them with paralyzing fear, spectral touch, and necrotic magic, often binding victims in cursed wrappings or laying them upon cold stone altars as offerings to death. In combat, it relies on debilitating enchantments and attrition, sapping vitality until foes collapse helplessly.
Motivation
Driven by a hunger for eternal dominion over death, a Barrow-wight seeks to expand its crypt’s collection of lifeless thralls and cursed relics. Though mindless in some aspects, many are animated by the will of darker powers—ancient sorceries, cursed oaths, or the lingering malice of long-dead warlords—compelling them to guard the tombs of the forgotten and spread their pall of terror to the living.
Barrow Wight 5e 2024
Barrow Wight, Pathfinder
Barrow Wight 3.5
Barrow-Wight
Medium undead, chaotic evil
“A restless spirit of the dead, drawn to tombs and the warmth of the living.”
Armor Class: 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 112 (15d8 + 45)
Speed: 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 16 (+3) | 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 12 (+1) |
Saving Throws: Dex +6, Wis +5
Skills: Stealth +6, Perception +5
Damage Resistances: Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages: Common, Abyssal (telepathy 60 ft.)
Challenge: 6 (2,300 XP)
Traits
Incorporeal Movement. The Barrow-Wight 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.
Grave Chill Aura (Recharge 5–6). 10-foot radius. Creatures of the Barrow-Wight’s choice that start their turn in the aura must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) necrotic damage and have disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of their next turn.
Sunlight Weakness. While in sunlight, the Barrow-Wight has disadvantage on attack rolls, saving throws, and Wisdom (Perception) checks.
Actions
Multiattack. The Barrow-Wight makes two Spectral Blade attacks.
Spectral Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 2) necrotic damage.
Grave Command (Recharge 6). The Barrow-Wight targets up to three creatures within 30 ft. Each target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of the Barrow-Wight’s next turn.
Haunting Chant (1/Day). The Barrow-Wight emits a mournful, ethereal wail. Each creature within 60 ft. that can hear it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Reactions
Ethereal Escape. When reduced to 0 hit points, the Barrow-Wight can move up to 30 ft. into the Ethereal Plane instead of falling unconscious. It reappears at full hit points at the start of its next turn. This ability can be used once per day.
Legendary Actions
The Barrow-Wight can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn.
- Spectral Strike. Makes one Spectral Blade attack.
- Chilling Grasp (Costs 2 Actions). The Barrow-Wight targets one creature within 10 ft. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8) necrotic damage and have its speed reduced by 10 ft. until the end of its next turn.
Tactics
A Barrow-Wight strikes from the shadows of its tomb, opening combat with Haunting Chant or Grave Command to weaken foes and sow terror. It uses Spectral Blade to finish off paralyzed or frightened enemies and relies on its Grave Chill Aura to punish groups. When badly wounded, it retreats into the Ethereal Plane to regroup and ambush later, making it a cunning and persistent threat.
Barrow Wight
Akin to wights, these are only found near barrows, guarding treasure within.
The Dread Codex
Author Bret Boyd
Series Dread Codex
Publisher Adamant Entertainment
Publish date 2004
“Barrow wight” is a template that can be added to any sentient creature with an organic body and a culture with death rituals and has recently died either by a barrow wight’s energy drain ability or naturally; if naturally, the creature must be raised as a barrow wight by some magical force (referred to hereafter as the ‘base creature’).
The creature’s possession of a soul is a determination for the GM to make, but in most campaigns it includes any dragon, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid. fey, elementals, and other such creatures depend on the campaign’s cosmology; creatures that are a type of spirit are not subject to being raised as a barrow wight. It uses all the creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted below.
Size and Type: The base creature’s type changes to undead. As base creature
Hit Dice: Change to d12, and adjust hit points bonus for ability score modifications.
Speed: Same as the base creature but 5 ft. in daylight.
Armor Class: The barrow wight has +4 natural armor or the creature’s natural armor, whichever is better, though it loses any manufactured armor bonuses.
Base Attack: A barrow wight has a base attack bonus equal to one-half its Hit Dice.
Attack: The barrow wight retains any natural attacks, and gains 2 natural claw attacks if it doesn’t already have them, though it loses any attacks with manufactured weapons. Adjust retained natural attacks for ability score modifications.
Damage: Creatures without natural weapons gain 2 claw attacks based on the barrow wight’s size category. If the creature already has claws that do more damage, the creature retains these, but adjusted for ability score modifications.
| Size | Claw Damage |
| Fine | – |
| Diminutive | 1 |
| Tiny | 1d2 |
| Small | 1d3 |
| Medium | 1d4 |
| Large | 1d6 |
| Huge | 2d4 |
| Gargantuan | 2d6 |
| Colossal | 2d8 |
Special Attacks: A barrow wight retains all of the special attacks of the base creature. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 barrow wight’s HD + barrow wight’s Charisma modifier. It also gains the following:
Create Spawn (Su): Any sentient creature with a soul and death rituals slain by a barrow wight’s energy drain rises as a barrow wight the next night, as per this template. The new barrow wight is under the command of the barrow wight that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction as well as the destruction of every master in the direct line of creation back to the first master barrow wight of that line. Once the creator line of wights is destroyed, the wight spawn has free will. From that point on, every time the barrow wight uses its create spawn ability on a creature with a soul, it gains 1 HD and remains its original size.
Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a barrow wight’s claw attack gain one negative level. For each negative level bestowed, the barrow wight gains 5 temporary hit points. A barrow wight can use its energy drain ability once per round.
Special Qualities: A ghoul retains all the special qualities of the base creature and receives those special qualities listed below.
Damage Reduction 10/silver (Ex): The barrow wight ignores 10 hit points from most weapons and natural attacks. A silver weapon or better negates the ability.
Fire Vulnerability (Ex): A barrow wight takes double damage from fire attacks unless a save is allowed for half damage. A successful save halves the damage and a failure doubles it.
Life Sense (Ex): The barrow wight can sense the presence of any creature subject to its energy drain attack. One round of Concentration reveals the presence of life forces within 30 feet of the wight. A second
round of Concentration reveals the general number and Strength (Hit Dice) of the life forces. A third round of Concentration reveals the exact position of the life forces.
Nature Rejection (Ex): The barrow wight’s connection to the Negative Energy Plane is tangible to natural creatures within 200 feet of the wight, and they react accordingly. animals and fey become agitated in the presence of barrow wights, often exhibiting fear reactions.
Sunlight Vulnerability (Su): A barrow wight’s connection to the Negative Energy Plane is significantly impaired in sunlight. In sunlight, the wight’s abilities are all effectively reduced to 1, its speed is reduced to 5 feet, and the wight can only take partial actions. The wight cannot use its energy drain ability in sunlight and loses its damage reduction but not its natural armor. Time spent in sunlight does not count for recovering for those barrow wights who are spellcasters.
Turn Resistance (Ex): A barrow wight has +3 turn resistance. Saves: As base creature, modified by changes to abilities.
Abilities: As base creature, though an undead creature has no Constitution score.
Skills: Barrow wight class skills when advancing are Climb, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, and Spot. Barrow wights otherwise use the skills of the base creature and also gain a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks.
Environment: Any land or underground.
Organization: Solitary, gang (1 barrow wight and 1-4 spawn), or pack (1 barrow wight and 5-10 spawn).
Challenge Rating: As the base creature +2.
Treasure: Varies from none to double standard.
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil.
Advancement: Special; see the create spawn ability.
Barrow-Wight
Medium Undead (Incorporeal, Chaotic Evil)
“A restless spirit bound to its tomb, drawn to the warmth of the living and the treasures of the dead.”
CR: 6; XP: 2,304
Race: Undead; Alignment: Chaotic Evil; Size: Medium
Init: +3; Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Perception +12
Aura: Grave Chill 10 ft. (2d6 negative energy, Fort DC 14 half)
Defense
AC: 18, touch 16, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +4 deflection)
HP: 75 (10d8+30)
Saving Throws: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +7
Defensive Abilities: Incorporeal, channel resistance +2, undead traits
DR: 5/bludgeoning; Immune: undead traits, poison, necrotic, paralysis, disease, mind-affecting effects
Offense
Speed: 30 ft. (incorporeal)
Melee: Spectral Blade +10/+5 (1d8+2 plus 1d6 negative energy)
Special Attacks: Grave Command (Su, 1/day): Targets up to 3 creatures within 30 ft.; Will DC 14 or be paralyzed 1 round per HD. Haunting Chant (Su, 1/day): Frightens creatures within 60 ft.; Will DC 14 or be shaken 1d4 rounds. Grave Chill Aura (Su, 10 ft., 2d6 negative energy, Fort DC 14 half; recharge 5–6)
Spell-Like Abilities: At will—ghost sound, chill touch (1d6); 1/day—fear, magic circle against good (DC 14); CL 6th, concentration +6
Statistics
Str 14, Dex 16, Con –, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+8
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (Spectral Blade)
Skills: Stealth +12, Perception +12, Intimidate +8, Spellcraft +5
Special Abilities
Incorporeal: Can move through objects and creatures; force damage bypasses.
Ethereal Retreat (Su): When reduced to 0 HP, move to the Ethereal Plane and reappear at full HP next turn; usable once per day.
Sunlight Weakness (Ex): –2 penalty on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks in direct sunlight.
Combat
Barrow-Wights favor ambushes in crypts and tombs. They open combat with Grave Chill Aura, Haunting Chant, or Grave Command, focusing attacks on isolated or weakened foes with Spectral Blade. They exploit narrow corridors and confined spaces to maximize aura and paralysis effects, and retreat to the Ethereal Plane when outmatched.
Ecology
Environment: Underground crypts, ancient tombs, ruined barrows
Organization: Solitary, pair, or small group (2–4)
Treasure: Standard undead treasure plus valuables interred with the tomb