Will-o'-wisp and Magic Immunity

[Shandyan]

Will-o'-wisps have the following ability: "<b>Magic Immunity</b> A will-o’-wisp is immune to all spells except faerie fire , glitterdust, magic missile, and maze."

I'm trying to work out how this affects indirect or buff spells. For example, does a Blessed fighter benefit from +1 to hit vs the wisp? Are wisps automatically immune to illusion spells? Can the wisp ignore the effects of Sanctuary? Can summoned creatures and sustained spells like Spiritual Weapon affect it?

And to go further down the rabbit hole, what about magic items that duplicate the effects of spells? Is a wisp not affected by the an oil-of-potency'd weapon's bonus accuracy and damage? What about if the weapon is enhanced using the Magic Weapon spell?

My feel is that buff spells continue to work normally, but the wisp is unaffected by illusion spells and effects like sanctuary and summons. Is there a definitive list anywhere, and what are other people's thoughts?

[kaid]

It just means they are immune to spells cast at them. If they were immune to magic weapons it would say so. The caveat to that would be if an item or weapon casts actual spells those would be effected.

[kaid]

I forgot to add area effect things that are persistent would not effect the wisp. Basically if is a spell that would effect the wisp they would ignore it so walls of fire would do nothing but a wall of iron still blocks them because it is a physical object.

[masda_gib]

It would not be immune to magic weapons and summons because it say it's immune to spells. Magic weapons are items and summons are creatures.

As for illusions... that's more difficult. I'd say illusionary objects and invisibility on your ally still work since they are not cast ON the willowhisp.

[Zapp]

On that monster in general:

I'm thinking a will'o'wisp will want to use its abilities in the order of
1. Shock
2. Feed on Fear
3. Go Dark
(assuming there's something to feed on, of course)

This way Feed on Fear doesn't leave it exposed during the heroes' turn. While it's easy to come away with the impression Feed on fear is meant to expose it, it never actually says that Feed on Fear must be the last action in its turn and/or that it can't immediately use Go Dark after Feed on Fear reigniting its glow.

In a round with no Feed targets, and assuming the Wisp has already gone dark (no need to stay lit up once the enemy has been lured into melee combat), I'm suggesting
1. Shock
2. Shock
3. Move (to defeat observers knowing its location). Nothing says it must leave its current victim - it can even move around and end up in the same square it started in!

I predict Faerie Fire will be a big decider on how easy the heroes will perceive a Will'o'wisp fight! :-)

[Shandyan]

Thanks for the input everyone. Most of my questions were a bit rhetorical - I agree that magic items are fine, and ditto buff spells.

masda_gib wrote:

As for illusions... that's more difficult. I'd say illusionary objects and invisibility on your ally still work since they are not cast ON the willowhisp.

So if the wizard uses Illusory Object to 'create' a wall to protect the sorcerer from the wisp (ie boxing in their ally in the Illusory Object), does the wisp need to disbelieve it or not?

I'm really not sure on this one! My party has an illusionist wizard and so illusions are something I definitely need to be able to answer in play.

[Ravingdork]

I have a feeling it would only apply to things that directly target the wisp, as well as many kinds of area effects.

[masda_gib]

Shandyan wrote:

Thanks for the input everyone. Most of my questions were a bit rhetorical - I agree that magic items are fine, and ditto buff spells.

masda_gib wrote:

As for illusions... that's more difficult. I'd say illusionary objects and invisibility on your ally still work since they are not cast ON the willowhisp.

So if the wizard uses Illusory Object to 'create' a wall to protect the sorcerer from the wisp (ie boxing in their ally in the Illusory Object), does the wisp need to disbelieve it or not?

I'm really not sure on this one! My party has an illusionist wizard and so illusions are something I definitely need to be able to answer in play.

I would say so, yes. The whisp has to disbelieve. The spell didn't affect the whisp directly, it created an illisionary wall.

But if the created illusion would have direct effects - like Fascinating Pattern - the whisp would be immune.