I'm planning an encounter against some sword wraith warriors and wondering how to describe what happens when a character destroys the wraith. In my head these are like ghosts, so I'm imagining that they would fade away completely rather than leaving?
My players came up against a Shadow spider a few sessions ago and at the end of the fight one of them asked if there was anything left of the body, so I can imagine them asking something similar for this.
I get that I can make this stuff up, but wondered if there was anything recorded anywhere.
It's likely they just dissipate into nothing. A wraith is an incorporeal creature made out of a dead humanoid's spirit and negative energy; it can pass through solid matter at will. Likewise, a shadow is born from a dead humanoid's literal shadow, and if that person is brought back to life they don't cast a shadow until the monster is slain.
That said the Monster Manual doesn't actually say whether either creature leaves a corpse so whatever you end up deciding can't possibly be wrong. And as the DM you're allowed to just ignore what the Monster Manual says altogether if it'll get in the way of your story.
It fades to nothing, but it's body is somewhere. Up to you on whether you want it nearby. As intelligent undead, you can have it speak to the group, potentially giving a clue about who it used to be, where it died, etc. Or you can have them find the body beforehand. I had my players come across a mangled corpse once that had a magic sword. Of course they picked it up, but then later they ran into the wraith. Wraiths hate reminders of their former lives, and when it saw the sword it used to carry it focused all it's rage on the group, specifically the player with the sword.
I'm planning an encounter against some sword wraith warriors and wondering how to describe what happens when a character destroys the wraith. In my head these are like ghosts, so I'm imagining that they would fade away completely rather than leaving?
My players came up against a Shadow spider a few sessions ago and at the end of the fight one of them asked if there was anything left of the body, so I can imagine them asking something similar for this.
I get that I can make this stuff up, but wondered if there was anything recorded anywhere.
Thanks in advance :)
It's likely they just dissipate into nothing. A wraith is an incorporeal creature made out of a dead humanoid's spirit and negative energy; it can pass through solid matter at will. Likewise, a shadow is born from a dead humanoid's literal shadow, and if that person is brought back to life they don't cast a shadow until the monster is slain.
That said the Monster Manual doesn't actually say whether either creature leaves a corpse so whatever you end up deciding can't possibly be wrong. And as the DM you're allowed to just ignore what the Monster Manual says altogether if it'll get in the way of your story.
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It fades to nothing, but it's body is somewhere. Up to you on whether you want it nearby. As intelligent undead, you can have it speak to the group, potentially giving a clue about who it used to be, where it died, etc. Or you can have them find the body beforehand. I had my players come across a mangled corpse once that had a magic sword. Of course they picked it up, but then later they ran into the wraith. Wraiths hate reminders of their former lives, and when it saw the sword it used to carry it focused all it's rage on the group, specifically the player with the sword.
Thanks guys that's really helpful :)