The emaciated creature smacks its withered lips in hungry anticipation as it reaches out with taloned claws.
In Eastern lands when men and women huddle in their homes behind stout shutters, they know the scratch of claws upon the door heralds an unending hunger for blood. Preta appear as human-like undead with sunken, mummified skin, narrow limbs, distended bellies and wide, unblinking eyes.
The Hungry Ghost. In many traditions, the preta is a pitiful creature suffering maddening hunger that can never be sated. They are often servants to blood cultists or ghouls.
Blood-Drinking Trickster. While some only desire love or food or companionship, the dangerous preta are the ones who hunger for blood. These preta roam the countryside picking off travelers or isolated farmers. They use their invisibility and mastery of illusions to mask their approach until it is too late for their prey to flee.
Hungry Dead Nature. The hungry ghost doesn’t require air or sleep.
Preta
Medium undead, neutral evilArmor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 (+2) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 10 (+0) | 13 (+1) | 15 (+2) |
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages the languages it knew in life
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Ethereal Sight. The preta can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
Actions
Multiattack. The preta uses its Blood Siphon. It then makes two attacks with its claws.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage.
Blood Siphon. The preta magically draws the blood from a target it can see within 30 feet into its ever-hungry mouth. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) points of necrotic damage. The preta regains hp equal to half the necrotic damage dealt.
Etherealness. The preta magically enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can’t affect or be affected by anything on the other plane.
Hidden Illusionist. The preta turns invisible until it attacks or uses Blood Siphon, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). While invisible, it leaves no physical evidence of its passage, leaving it traceable only by magic. Any equipment the preta wears or carriers is invisible with it. While invisible, the preta can create small illusory sounds and images like the minor illusion spell except it can create either two images, two sounds, or one sound and one image.