Necromancy • Fatal Lament
Wail of the Banshee
Wail of the Banshee emits a fatal supernatural scream that affects multiple nearby creatures. Pathfinder 1e deals 10 damage per caster level to creatures that fail their Fortitude saves, while the original D&D 3.5e spell kills those whose saves fail. The two editions use different outcomes and must not be combined.
Wail of the Banshee at a Glance
| 5.5e / 2024 | No spell by this exact name in SRD 5.2.1 |
|---|---|
| 5e / 2014 | No core spell by this name |
| Pathfinder 1e | Witch 9, Sorcerer/Wizard 9, Shaman 9; 10 damage per caster level |
| D&D 3.5e | Sorcerer/Wizard 9, Death domain 9; save or die |
Spell Rules by Edition
Wail of the Banshee — D&D 2024
Status: this spell is not in SRD 5.2.1. Use the current edition’s own necromancy rules rather than importing old death effects or Pathfinder damage.
Wail of the Banshee — D&D 2014
Status: the 2014 core spell list has no Wail of the Banshee. Any adaptation is a separate house rule, not part of the 2014 SRD.
Wail of the Banshee — Pathfinder 1e
| School | Necromancy [death, sonic] |
|---|---|
| Components | V |
| Casting Time | 1 standard action |
| Range | Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) |
| Targets | One living creature per level within a 40-foot-radius spread |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Saving Throw | Fortitude negates |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
Level: Witch 9, Sorcerer/Wizard 9, Shaman 9; Death and Repose domains 9. The wail affects up to one living creature per caster level within the 40-foot-radius spread, starting with those closest to the caster. Each victim that fails its Fortitude save takes 10 damage per caster level, subject to spell resistance and applicable immunities. A successful save prevents the effect. The caster is unaffected by their own scream.
Wail of the Banshee — D&D 3.5e
| School | Necromancy [death, sonic] |
|---|---|
| Components | V |
| Casting Time | 1 standard action |
| Range | Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) |
| Targets | One living creature per level within a 40-foot-radius spread |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Saving Throw | Fortitude negates |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 9, Death domain 9. The original scream kills eligible living creatures that can hear it if they fail their Fortitude saves. Spell resistance applies. A successful save prevents the effect; the caster is excluded. Witch 9 is separately retained as a legacy Witch-archive placement, not default 3.5e core class access.
What Changed Between Editions?
Pathfinder 1e deals potentially lethal hit point damage rather than the automatic death effect of D&D 3.5e. Both have Fortitude negates and spell resistance, but they should not use each other’s results. Neither is an official fifth-edition spell by this exact name.
Using Wail of the Banshee in Play
A wail in a tomb, battlefield or haunted hall can announce a supernatural threat before anyone can find its source. The caster must consider where living creatures are positioned, how many targets qualify and whether nearby allies are vulnerable.
Counterplay and Rulings
- Check the target limit and distance: creatures closest to the origin are affected first.
- Saving throws, spell resistance and death-effect immunities are distinct layers of defence under the respective legacy rules.
- An appropriate counterspell may stop the casting. Dispel Magic cannot reverse a completed instantaneous death effect.
- Do not import Pathfinder’s damage result into the 3.5e save-or-die rule.
Preserved Original Legacy Entry
Read the original illustrated rules text
Wail of the Banshee
This material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.
Necromancy [Death, Sonic]
Level Death 9, Sorcerer/Wizard 9
Components V
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area One living creature/level within a 40-ft.-radius spread
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance Yes
You emit a terrible scream that kills creatures that hear it (except for yourself ). Creatures closest to the point of origin are affected first.
Related Spells
Mythical Context
The bean sídhe of Irish folklore is a supernatural woman whose keening warns of a death in a household. The roleplaying spell alters the omen into a lethal scream, but the original legend is more often a warning or lament than an attack. See the historical survey of banshee traditions.
Historical Context
Keening was a real form of ritual lament in Ireland and Scotland, practised by mourners and sometimes specialist singers. The folkloric death-portent grew in a society familiar with public mourning, but historical laments did not kill their listeners. See Encyclopaedia Britannica on keening.
Rules Sources and Licensing
Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e spell mechanics are preserved separately under their respective Open Game License v1.0a references. The original banshee illustration and full legacy material remain available on this page.
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