Special Conversion Thread: Will o' wisps

Shade · 23rd July 2009, 11:08 PM

Another short, themed thread, this will focus on the unconverted variants will o' wisps.

Here's the 3.5 will-o'-wisp.

Here's the 2e Monstrous Manual version for comparison:

Will o'wisp
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any swamp
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night
DIET: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional (15-16)
TREASURE: Z
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING: 1 or 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: -8
MOVEMENT: Fl 18 (A)
HIT DICE: 9
THAC0: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-16
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
SIZE: S (2'-4')
MORALE: Fanatic (17)
XP VALUE: 3,000

The will o'wisp is a malevolent entity that makes its home in swamps, bogs, and moors. It subsists by luring unsuspecting creatures to their deaths amid the natural hazards of such places and feeding on the energies which their death struggles release.

When encountered in the wild, will o'wisps normally appear as faintly glowing balls of light. They can alter their own color, shape, and size to some extent and can be easily mistaken for lanterns, light spells, and similar sources of artificial illumination.

If they do not attack, will o'wisps are able to utterly blank out their glows, rendering them invisible to all those who cannot spot invisible objects, for 2-8 melee rounds.

The will o'wisp language is a most unusual one, being purely optical in nature. All communication between will o'wisps is by means of changes in color or brightness, many of which are far too subtle for the average observer to notice. Because this form of exchange is almost impossible to mimic, it is very difficult for travelers to communicate with these creatures. Exceptional examples of this race have mastered a very simple sound-based language. They produce sounds by vibrating very rapidly and thus have a shallow and ghostly-sounding voice when they ``speak.''

Combat: As a rule, will o'wisps seek to avoid physical combat with other creatures, preferring to lead them to their deaths in the swamps around them instead. When pressed, however, they are dangerous adversaries who must be attacked with the greatest care. In combat, they glow blue, violet, or pale green.

Will o'wisps are very versatile flyers. They can hover in place without effort, often looking like lanterns or similar beacons to lure others toward them. When they decide to move, they can do so with rapid bursts of speed or slow drifting movements.

A will o'wisp's main weapon in combat is its ability to manifest a powerful electric charge. In melee, it swoops at its foe and attempts to brush against the victim, discharging the stored energy. A successful strike by one of these creatures will cause 2-16 points of damage.

Those attacking a will o'wisp with any form of physical weapon are able to inflict damage normally. Persons making use of magical attacks, however, will find their powers almost ineffective against them. As a rule, the only spells which have any effect on the will o'wisp are protection from evil, magic missile, and maze. A will o'wisp which is reduced to 5 or fewer hit points will attempt to escape. If it is unable to flee, the creature will surrender to its attackers and attempt to buy its safety by offering up any treasure which it may have. It is important to note, however, that the chaotic alignment of the will o'wisp can make any agreement with the creature uncertain.

Habitat/Society: For the most part, will o'wisps will be found on their own. On rare occasions (10% of the time) groups of up to three may be found near a particularly fertile hunting ground. In the latter case, they will work together to trick victims into the traps which they have arranged.

Ecology: Although difficult to say with certainty, evidence indicates that the will o'wisp feeds on the fury of electrical activity given off by the brains of panic stricken individuals as they realize that death is inescapable. In order to prolong the suffering of their victims and increase the amount of ``food'' which they give off, will o'wisps will typically lure their victims into areas like quicksand pits which promise a slow and frightening death.

It seems certain that the unusual environment found in bogs and swamps is important to the creature's existence in some way, but the exact nature of this link is uncertain. It seems probable that the ominous and haunting nature of these places increases the fear and dread which their victims feel, and thus the energy which they give off prior to death.

Shade · 23rd July 2009, 11:09 PM

Will o’ Deep
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Subterranean
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Clan
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night
DIET: See Below
INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)
TREASURE: W
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVEMENT: Fl 12 (A)
HIT DICE: 5
THACO: 15
NO. ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d4 (x4)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Burning sparks
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Spell immunity, invisibility
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: T (1’ diameter)
MORALE: Champion (15-16)
XP VALUE: 1,000

The least powerful of all will o’ wisp variants, the will o’ deep is found only within the most remote tunnels and caverns. Whimsically evil, the wlll o'deep relishes leading unwary explorers Into terrible predicaments far away from even the slight comfort and protection of the cloudy skies of Ravenloft.

The will o'deep is a tiny, flickering energy being. Normally golden or redish In hue, the will o' deep can take on a variety of colors. Although capable of altering Its shape, the wlll o' deep most commonly takes on a rippling, teardrop shape very reminiscent of the flames of a small torch. As wlth most will o'wisp variants. If the wlll o'deep does not attack it can temporarily dampen Its glow for 2-8 (2d4) rounds, rendering the creature undetectable to all who cannot sense invisible objects.

These creatures communicate wlth each other through changes in color and Intensity. Any human being able to survive in the company of these creatures for an extended period of time might be able to pick up their language, but so far there Is no known case of this. There are reports, however, of drow and similar folk who have the ability to understand the conversations of these terrible monsters.

Combat: The will o' deep does not seek out direct combat, instead attempting to either trap Its victims or lead them Into ambushes and other dangers. Although not as physically dangerous as many of its cousins, the wlll o' deep is a crafty opponent and difficult to damage. Adventurers who find themselves the object of a wlll o' deep’s attention are wise to be on their guard, or better yet, retreat to the surface as soon as possible.

Wlll o' deep strategies often involves luring adventurers Into complex labyrinths or the lairs of dangerous creatures. Often found In small groups or clans, wlll o' deeps work together to accomplish such goals. Although the results of the wlll o' deep’s lure Is often deadly, more often than not the creature Is merely attempting to wear
down the adventurers so that It can trap Its victims deep underground. For example, a will o' deep might search out an area where only a small nudge is needed to cause a cave-in or trigger an old trap. Once this is done, the creature’s victims are available for long-term feeding.

Will o' deeps can physically attack wlth a series of small, white-hot sparks. Such sparks have enough force to knock small rocks over or push doors closed. When used as an attack each spark does 1-4 points of damage. Will o' deeps can form up to four such sparks per round.

Additionally, a will o' deep often knows where small pockets of cave gasses have built up. If the will o' deep feels it is in danger if will attempts to lead its pursuers to such a pocket and use one of its sparks to cause an explosion. Anyone wlthln 10' of such an explosion lakes 1-10 points of damage .Such explosions often cause cave-ins as well.

Will o' deeps are vulnerable to normal weapons; however, most magical attacks are useless against them. A lightning bolt or chain lightning spell will harm them, but all other known spells fail utterly against the wlll o' deep.

Habitat/Society: Will o' deeps prefer to travel and live in small clans of 2-4 Individuals, but are also often encountered alone. Will o' deeps never appear above the surface, preferring to remain as far underground as their feeding needs allow.

The will o' deep is highly self-protective and will attempt to flee if reduced to 25% of its original hit points. If pressed, the will o' deep may lead Its pursuers to some underground treasure in hopes of distracting them while it makes good Its escape.

Ecology: The will o' deep seems to feed on the energies given off humanoid brains, particularly the Impulses emitted by the brain when It is consumed by either fear or desperation. Will o' deeps can feed for weeks, even months, on humanoids they have managed to trap since the creatures sometimes go so far as to herd rats and the like to their captives' cells. They will keep heir captives alive until apathy and despair set in, conditions on which the monsters seem incapable of feeding.

Wlll o' deeps have been known to turn such captives over to drow or other creatures of the darkness In return for gold, gems, or fresh victims.

Originally appeared in Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendix III: Creatures of Darkness (1994).

freyar · 24th July 2009, 12:26 AM

More awesome!

Make this one Tiny and 5HD? The regular wisp is the same in both editions, so I guess this one should be too.

demiurge1138 · 24th July 2009, 09:40 AM

Tiny and 5 HD works. I had no idea there were so many wisps!

Shade · 24th July 2009, 04:28 PM

Yeah, I was surprised too!

Added to Homebrews.

Quote:

Will o' deeps can physically attack wlth a series of small, white-hot sparks. Such sparks have enough force to knock small rocks over or push doors closed. When used as an attack each spark does 1-4 points of damage. Will o' deeps can form up to four such sparks per round.

This is a bit different that the usual will o' wisp attack in 2e. Do we want to retain the multiple "sparks", or simplify it to the single "brush" attack?

Quote:

Additionally, a will o' deep often knows where small pockets of cave gasses have built up. If the will o' deep feels it is in danger if will attempts to lead its pursuers to such a pocket and use one of its sparks to cause an explosion. Anyone wlthln 10' of such an explosion lakes 1-10 points of damage .Such explosions often cause cave-ins as well.

Ability or flavor text?

Quote:

Will o' deeps are vulnerable to normal weapons; however, most magical attacks are useless against them. A lightning bolt or chain lightning spell will harm them, but all other known spells fail utterly against the wlll o' deep.

Change to "magical attacks that deal electrical damage"?

demiurge1138 · 24th July 2009, 07:51 PM

I like the multiple sparks. I think the pockets of explosive gas should be flavor text. I agree with their vulnerability to all electrical attacks.

freyar · 24th July 2009, 10:55 PM

Make the sparks ranged touch attacks doing 1d4 electricity, I guess. Should we put in anything about their use to trigger cave-ins, etc?

Shade · 28th July 2009, 04:06 PM

Sparks (Ex): A will-o’-deep attacks wlth a series of small, white-hot sparks. It may unleash up to four sparks as a full attack action. These sparks are ranged touch attacks with no range increments and a maximum range of x feet.

10-foot range for the sparks?

AC is 6 worse than the wisp. Simply reduce deflection bonus by 6?

demiurge1138 · 28th July 2009, 04:59 PM

Sounds reasonable.

freyar · 28th July 2009, 07:56 PM

Sounds right to me, too (10 ft and 6 lower AC). No need for Weapon Finess, by the way, since it uses ranged attacks.

I think that's all the SAs. Base skills on regular wisps? That would prioritize Bluff, Listen, Search, Spot, which seems reasonable. Similarly for the feats: Blind-Fight, Dodge, Imp Init?

freyar · 28th July 2009, 07:57 PM