Anatomy of the Will-O'-Wisp

[Black Fang]

Simple question, what is the physical body of a will-o'-wisp look like? What magic item slots does one of them possess?

[Kevin Andrew Murphy]

Black Fang wrote:

Simple question, what is the physical body of a will-o'-wisp look like? What magic item slots does one of them possess?

From the description, they're basically a spherical sea sponge. No slots. But they'd look rather cool with some Ioun stones spinning around them.

[Ironballs]

as a DM I'd rule, that a small magical item can be immeresed inside the creature's spongy body - somthing like a small ring in the center of it - which gives him the magical benefit of that item.

Alternatively, you can use the Lichas an example, I read somewhere, that a Lich can put several magical items around his phylactery and gain their bonuses - even though he's not actually wearing them.
you can do somthing similar with will-O-wisps.

[Set]

Kevin Andrew Murphy wrote:

From the description, they're basically a spherical sea sponge.

Ah yes, I remember Harlan Ellison's Ecology of the Will-o-Wisp article now; "For I Have No Hands and I Must Pee."

Quote:

No slots. But they'd look rather cool with some Ioun stones spinning around them.

Ooh, that would be cool! Nice visual.

[Carbon D. Metric]

I would imagine (Or argue) they would have at least a body slot, armor, and/or a head slot. For example I would let a particularly wily individual take an armor proficiency and wear armor. I would also let it wear anything that can realistically survive and be made to fit on one such as a magical helmet, belt, or maybe even a sheathed weapon.

I can imagine a fun encounter with a (More) mischievous & insane Will-o-Wisp that has made a fun habit of stealing and disarming foes and running off to leach on the fear that is created by being unarmed in a hazardous area.

[Caineach]

Carbon, keep in mind that with their strength of 1 they have some issues flying carying most things. Also, they go invisible by becoming clear. They don't turn any equipment they might have clear. I would much rather have a natural invisibility (that I have ruled is not found by divinations since it is just difficult to see, not magical) than armor that would limmit my obsurd dex score.

[Carbon D. Metric]

The strength score is a valid argument against it but the natural invisibility simply gives the the ability to become invisible as per the invisibility spell, which grants invisibility to any equipment they are carrying, or otherwise have attended on them. While invisible if they pick something up it will stay invisible but if they change after they already have it, it too would disappear with them, just like how a wizard's clothing, wands, etc go invisible when he casts the spell. While the flavor text implies that they simply extinguish the glow, it still mechanically works like the spell.

[reefwood]

A head slot (headband and/or helm?) and waist slot seems fair, but unless the will-o'-wisp is a caster with mage hand or can summon a helper, I think it would be difficult for it to actually put on any items.

If there is a dead human with a magic belt strapped to its waist, I'm not sure how a limbless beachball would unstrap the belt, let alone restrap it around itself. Not to say your will-o'-wisp shouldn't have these things, but if it killed one of the PCs, I don't think a solo, non-caster one could immediately put on one of the PC's items.

Also, I'm not sure if the items would turn invisible. Apparently, the Bestiary 2 has somewhat clarified Natural Invisibility: you don't turn visible when you attack, which makes sense since this ability/effect is not magical, so it does not work exactly like the spell invisibility. Plus, it seemed odd that a creature that is "clear" would start to glow whenever it attacked.

Even though Natural Invisibility in Bestiary 1 says, "invisible, as per the spell," I feel like that was just supposed to mean you get the same effect of not being seen (i.e. "read the Invisibility section to see how this works") and not that it works in all ways like a spell...especially since it doesn't even specify which type of invisibility spell to base it on. It just says you become invisible, and multiple spells can do that (invisibility, greater invisibility, invisibility sphere, etc?).

But a seemingly floating headband and belt could be pretty fun to throw at a party too. Maybe two will-o'-wisps - each with one item - and one flies 10-15 above the other, so it maybe looks like the two items belong to a very tall, skinny invisible creature.

[Carbon D. Metric]

If it were as simple as becoming invisible then it could simply have stated that they became invisible. Invisibility is a specific status that has global rules that guide it, meaning, if they intended for the Will-o-wisps invisibility to function continuously and without the regard for gear, weapons, etc they would have left out the section that refers to "as per the spell."

[Crimson Jester]

Kevin Andrew Murphy wrote:

Black Fang wrote:

Simple question, what is the physical body of a will-o'-wisp look like? What magic item slots does one of them possess?

From the description, they're basically a spherical sea sponge. No slots. But they'd look rather cool with some Ioun stones spinning around them.

This is an idea I will be using at some point.