Wail of the Banshee
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 9th-level necromancy
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- 60 feet
- Components
- V
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Classes
- Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
- Source
- Arcana Unleashed
You emit a terrible scream that can kill those who hear it. Choose up to ten creatures within range. Each target with 50 Hit Points or fewer dies. Targets with more than 50 Hit Points make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a target takes 12d10 Psychic damage and has the Deafened condition for 1 hour. On a successful save, a target takes half as much damage only. A target is unaffected by the spell if it can't hear you.
Wail of the Banshee 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Wail of the Banshee is a new spell for the 2024 edition.
How popular is Wail of the Banshee in 5e?
Wail of the Banshee is the #20 most popular level 9 spell (of 26) and the #5 most picked level 9 Warlock spell (of 12).
Among level 9 spells, Wail of the Banshee ranks just below Vision of Elapsing Eons and just above Imprisonment in popularity.
- #523 (of 580) most popular 5e spell
- #20 (of 26) most popular level 9 spell
- #5 (of 12) most picked level 9 Warlock spell
- #12 (of 22) most picked level 9 Wizard spell
- #6 (of 11) most picked level 9 Sorcerer spell
Read about how this popularity data is calculated and see Wail of the Banshee visualized with all other 5e spells.
Spells similar to Wail of the Banshee
Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting 8th-level necromancy
Its high-level necromantic blast hits multiple creatures instantly from a long distance, making it a comparable mass-damage option.
Players prefer Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting over Wail of the Banshee
Power Word Kill 9th-level enchantment
Both are 9th-level psychic spells from the same class lists that can kill creatures outright based on their hit points.
Players prefer Power Word Kill over Wail of the Banshee
Circle of Death 6th-level necromancy
Like the target, this is an instantaneous 6th-level necromancy spell that deals damage to many creatures at once for sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards.
Players prefer Circle of Death over Wail of the Banshee
Synaptic Static 5th-level enchantment
It provides an instantaneous, long-range burst of psychic damage against several creatures and is available to the same arcane classes.
Players prefer Synaptic Static over Wail of the Banshee
Weird 9th-level illusion
This high-level spell also delivers psychic harm to multiple creatures, though it relies on repeated saves and concentration.
Players prefer Weird over Wail of the Banshee
Psychic Scream 9th-level enchantment
It is a 9th-level psychic attack that instantly targets multiple creatures at range and shares all three of the same class lists.
Players prefer Wail of the Banshee over Psychic Scream