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Message: <blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 6034226" data-attributes="member: 3192">Visual differences (like other sensed differences) have everything to do with revealing mechanics and powers. A creature's body is part of the environment and while we might not explore those bodies (usually) until after they are dead, the two are one.I actually strongly agree with the goal of allowing players to recognize creatures by their description rather than their listed name, which could change across cultures. However, sometimes creatures look alike and that is part of the game. Take high level PC races versus low level ones. How do we tell them apart? Couldn't a 0-level king have all the wealth of 10th level Fighter? Sure physical stats could reveal themselves, but these also can be disguised by those proficient in the disguise ability.For the purposes of describing the three noncorporeal undead listed, here's my take:Ghosts typically only appear as ethereal apparitions and only in locations and at times viable for such viewings. They only manifest when noticeably engaged with the PM plane, like with a creature. Wraiths and Spectres are always manifest. From my understanding they don't have the option not to be.All have a bad attitude, all can have clothing or appearances as they did in life, but ghosts appear almost as imitations of their PM original selves when unperterbed. On the other hand, Wraiths & Spectres appear as the disembodied spirits of ghouls & ghasts. Coloring is going to depend upon the campaign like so much skin, hair, and eyes to distinguish humanoids from each other. I would say all undead live in the ethereal realm as well as in the Prime Material. Wraiths and Spectres are always in the PM and are empowered via the negative energy plane, therefore they give off a shadowy aura and could appear as part of a negative image nightmare realm, if looked at directly. Ghosts are trapped, but may give off luminescence depending upon the current state of their souls. Again, color is dependent upon whatever color means in the local campaign, but perhaps examples could be given like green for druidic or elfin magic. Red for fire, brown for earth, blue for water-based creatures, and so on.Shadows, which we are skipping I guess because their appearance seems obvious, are manifestations, they simply have lost all other than their form and shape seen under bright light. For my take, they are the counterparts to wights for the magical undead disease they spread. Only these are the incorporeal unlike the ghouls, ghasts, and wights which are corporeal.</blockquote>

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