By Alan McCoy from Dungeons & Dragons: Fundamentals
How to build challenging encounters against a Specter
Note: This has been prepared utilizing only the 5E Core Rules. The Specter can be found in the Monster Manual on page 279. The variant Specter – Poltergeist (MM Page 279) has been merged with the standard specter to make for a more interesting monster.
The Specter is a type of undead entity in which the soul was forced from the mortal form without death occurring. If the resultant creature is confused and unaware that it is no longer alive, it is called a poltergeist. If the resultant creature is aware and obviously angry, then it is called a specter.
The process of severing the connection between body and soul can be accomplished in many ways, these include but are not limited to:
Displacement – the ejection of the soul from the body to allow occupation by another entity.
Dark Magic – usually a spell gone wrong
Dark Ritual – a voluntary transition with the intention of ‘cheating death’.
Undead action – some forms of undead sever the connection between body and soul.
Whatever the cause, the connection between the body and the soul has been severed. However, because death did not occur, the transition to the afterlife does not occur. The soul finds itself still on the prime material plane, but it is unable to interact with the world in any meaningful way.
This means that it is essentially “Stuck” on the prime material plane and cannot move on. It will continue to exist until its soul is obliterated.
As stated, the Specter is aware that its life has ended, almost all are angry, vengeful and full of hate. They can see the living moving around them, breathing, talking, eating, drinking, laughing, living… all the things that they quickly come to understand are now forever denied them. They feel cheated, they have been deprived of life and they know it.
The Specter quickly grows to hate any reminder of the life that they can no longer experience. Most quickly go insane, knowing that they are forever denied access to the afterlife.
The newly created Specter will soon learn that the only way that it can interact with the living world is by violent means, and that it can experience a small taste of life again, but only by stealing it from one of the living (LIFE DRAIN).
Because the mere sight of the living infuriates the Specter, most wander away from areas frequented by the living and into ruins or other deserted or desolate areas where they need not be reminded of life or the living.
The Poltergeists are confused spirits who have no idea that they have died or that they are even dead. They simply know that they are unable to interact with the living in any meaningful way.
Their connection to their mortal life hasn’t been completely severed yet, but their existence is one of maddening frustration. Eventually most Poltergeists surrender their sanity and sever the connection they have to the mortal word, becoming Specters.
The existence of the Specter is classified as incorporeal undead, which means that their natural state is out-of-phase with the living world, they must make an effort to interact with it, and those in the living world must make a special effort to interact with them.
The Specter is an unusual type of undead as they are a created, but not controlled. They have no master forcing them to act in any specific way. There are powerful creatures that understand the existence and the predicament of the Specter very well, and it is possible for these creatures to be unknowingly manipulated into specific areas where their hatred of the living can be used.
A final thought: because a Specter has no real connection to the living or real world, they have no connection to time and often no knowledge of its passage.
The only real world even they take notice of is sunlight, a phenomenon that causes them great pain. A side effect of this is that they can appear to go dormant or disappear for years, only to suddenly burst forth if disturbed.
Step 1) Let’s Review what we know about Poltergeists (and Specters):
Poltergeists do not ‘Walk’, they move by flying up to 50-feet per round and may hover if they choose to do so. They can move through walls and solid objects and even people if they choose to do so, though movement through objects is considered difficult terrain.
Physically the Specter is physically weak, unable to make things in the ‘real world’ move except with great effort. They are good at avoiding the touch of the living (DEX 14).
While the mental faculties of the Specter characterized as average in every way, it would be better to consider that the mental abilities of the Specter match those of the individual they were prior to being forced into their spectral condition, personality is just about all they have left.
Specters are resistant (1/2 damage) to damage from: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder and non-magical (Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing) weapon attacks.
Specters are immune to damage from Necrotic or Poison.
Specters are conditionally immune to Charm, Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained and Unconscious.
Specters can see with Darkvision (60-foot), they have a passive perception of 10.
Specters understand all the languages it spoke in life but cannot speak.
Step 2) Determine the probable Strategy.
The primary goal of most Specters is to either be left alone, or to vent their hatred and frustration by tormenting the living, this gives them the added benefit of being able to taste life once again by draining some of the life force from a victim.
Some Specters believe that they can escape their existence and have devised plans to allow them to re-enter life, there are others who believe that they can move on to the afterlife by following a soul of the newly dead.
The Specter is absolutely aware that it has all the time in the world can wait until the time to attack is right.
Step 3a) Determine Tactics: Straight Specter
The Specter will make use of its incorporeal movement to attack from within the walls or from the floor standing within and reaching out only to attack.
This tactic gives it effectively 100% cover, which means it cannot be directly targeted by a spell or melee attack. If you feel merciful, allow your players to ready an attack or if they match initiative, make an attack against the Specters lunge, vs 75% cover.
The party will soon realize that they must stay away from the walls, floor and ceiling, to avoid the life drain attacks.
The Specter will choose those who are least protected as its primary targets, but it knows it has time on its hands, it will get even the heavy armor types eventually.
Especially if still in Poltergeist mode, the Specter wants to be noticed. It wants to interact with the living and force them to acknowledge it.
Step 3b) Determine Tactics: Specter/Poltergeist combo:
The Creature is invisible except when attacking.
The creature may make ranged physical attacks using its Forceful Slam or Telekinetic thrust abilities.
The Creature may choose to use its Forceful Slam or Telekinetic Thrust to move objects. Things like shoving a door closed with a table to prevent egress or attempting to trip a target.
The Creature may attack physically or utilize its life drain in any given round, not both.
Step 4) DM Tips and Observations
As a creature with Incorporeal movement, the Specter needs to have Blindsight 60-feet, not Darkvision. What’s the point of being able to move through walls if you can’t see where you are going?
The Standard Specter is a powerful undead and can be an effective killer, but its general tactics are boring, it’s got one tool in its toolkit and that’s about it.
So how to make it interesting: First Combine with the Poltergeist as above, it now has some variety
Give the Creature the Cantrips: Mage Hand, Dancing Lights and Prestidigitation. It will use these to entice and lure potential victims within range. These give the Poltergeist/Specter the ability to really HAUNT vs just being a one trick pony.