Will-O-Wisp

Will-O-Wisp (CR 5)

Chaotic Evil - Small - Aberration

Lore:	K. (Dungeoneer)
10		25
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

8

Perception:
18	+8
Passive	Active

Ambush:

10+

on a d20

Senses:

• Standard Senses
• Darkvision 60 ft.

Movement Types:

• Hover 50 ft.

Defense

AC

21

Man Def

20

Monster Health
71	35	7
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+3
Refl:	+3
Will:	+4

Strong Against:

Weak Against:

Offense

Size:	Small
5 ft.		5 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+8

Man Off

+8

Action

0

Points

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 1x Shock +8 (1d8+4/19-20 x2)
  as lightning (energy, common)

Full Attack (Melee):

• 3x Shock +8 (1d8+4/19-20 x2)
  as lightning (energy, common)

Standard Attack (Ranged):

• 1x Arcing Shock +8 (1d8+4/19-20 x2)
  as lightning (energy, common)
  (Increment: 10 ft.; Max Range: 50 ft.)

Full Attack (Ranged):

• 2x Arcing Shock +8 (1d8+4/19-20 x2)
  as lightning (energy, common)
  (Increment: 10 ft.; Max Range: 50 ft.)

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

3

STR

19

DEX

14

CON

15

INT

16

WIS

14

CHA

Skills:

• Knowledge (Arcana): 8
• Knowledge (Deep History): 9
• Knowledge (Dungeoneering): 10
• Knowledge (Planes): 9
• Perception: 8
• Stealth: 8 (+2 when invisible)
• All other skills: 3 (no ranks)

Languages: Aklo, Common

Feats:

Special Abilities

Spell Resistance (Su) Always On

This creature has spell resistance. In order to affect them with a spell or spell-like ability, the caster must first make a Caster Check versus the creature's Maneuver Defense value (20). If the check is successful, the spell or spell-like ability is resolved as normal. If the caster check fails, the spell is cast, but does not affect the creature in any way.

Naturally Invisible (Su) Move Action

Will-o-wisps have the ability to extinguish their natural glow as a move action, effectively becoming Invisible, as per the spell. Use of this ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity, nor does it require any concentration. Note that an invisible will-o-wisp becomes visible after attacking. It must spend a move action to become invisible again. Attacking a Stealthed Enemy If you know that a stealthed enemy is in a particular square, you may attack him as though he has concealment (50% miss chance). However, in most cases, you don't know (in-game) which square a stealthed creature is in. In most cases, GM's should just disallow attacks when the target's location is unknown. However, area attacks and wild swings may sometimes come up, and the GM should calculate where the target could possibly be, make a roll to see if the right square was chosen and then roll miss chance. For example, a stealthy enemy is somewhere within an 80' x 80' room, and the insane gnome sorcerer wants to chuck a fireball at them, even though they don't have any real clue where the enemy is. Meta-game, the players can see a miniature on the board and know the enemy is in the northeast corner of the room. However, to simulate uncertainty, the GM could give the gnome a 25% chance to choose the right region of the room (since the fireball is a 40' diameter, and the room has roughly four 40' regions). Obviously, if the room were smaller, or the fireball bigger, the chance of guessing the correct region is improved. All of this is an attempt at ignoring the metagaming knowledge that the enemy is in a particular area, and instead simulate complete uncertainty. Generally speaking, the GM should announce how they're going to determine whether the attack had a valid target, but not reveal whether the check succeeded or not, since the players wouldn't know whether the fireball hit the enemy. If the enemy is later revealed, it may or may not look a bit charred.

Feed on Fear (Su) Automatic

The will-o-wisp gains Fast Healing 7 any time there is an enemy within 50 feet of it that is either dying or under the effects of a fear condition.

Will-O-Wisp

Faintly glowing lights in the middle of a dark, deadly forest.... It does not seem like simple glowing lights in the distance should be so frightening, but unless you have been lost in the woods, so very alone, and been bedeviled by a pack of Will-O-Wisp's, you have no idea the sheer terror will-o-wisp's evoke in their victims.

Will-O-Wisp's are terrible things, incorporeal fiends whose existence involves the torment and murder of innocents. They lurk in the wilds, attempting to lure the unwary to their death.

If a group of adventurers happens upon a pack of Will-O-Wisps, the encounter is rarely a conclusive one, unless the adventurers were specifically hunting he Wisps and are prepared for their odd and strange powers.

Combat Tactics

Will-o-wisps prefer to lure prey into hazardous terrain rather than confront them directly. They will try to lure travelers over cliffs, into bogs or quicksand, or into other hazards, and feed on their fear as they die. If the hazard merely injures the prey, they're more than willing to dive in and finish them off.

In direct combat, the will-o-wisp will become invisible and make use of its shock attack. Note that on making this attack, the wisp becomes visible until it uses another move action to become invisible again.

Because of their spell resistance and invisibility, will-o-wisps are very difficult opponents. Furthermore, if they feel over-matched, it is a simple matter for them to flee combat. Will-o-wisps are evil and ageless, and tend to hold grudges against those who manage to chase them off.

Out of Combat

Will-o-wisps are naturally hostile, suspicious, and murderous, but that doesn't mean that other monsters don't seek them out. More clever monsters, like gnolls, bugbears, and especially hobgoblins, appreciate the merits of some will-o-wisp friends, and will seek to make alliance with these awful things. Similarly, Undead such as Vampires and even Liches recognize the merits of a few will-o-wisp minions, and they can be found in many unusual places.

Rewards

XP: 1,600

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 1,625 gp.

Weight: 50 lbs.     Volume: 2 cu. ft.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 10	Nothing Found
11 - 14	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
15 - 17	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
18 - 19	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
6 - 10	3 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
11 - 14	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
15 - 17	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
18 - 19	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
6 - 8	3 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
9 - 11	3 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
12 - 14	3 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
15 - 17	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
18 - 19	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)