Consume Life. As a bonus action, the will-o'-wisp can target one creature it can see within 5 feet of it that has 0 hit points and is still alive. The target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw against this magic or die. If the target dies, the will-o'-wisp regains 10 (3d6) hit points.
Ephemeral. The will-o'-wisp can't wear or carry anything.
Incorporeal Movement. The will-o'-wisp can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Variable Illumination. The will-o'-wisp sheds bright light in a 5- to 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional number of feet equal to the chosen radius. The will-o'-wisp can alter the radius as a bonus action.
Shock. Melee Spell Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d8) lightning damage.
Invisibility. The will-o'-wisp and its light magically become invisible until it attacks or uses its Consume Life, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell).
In terms of lightning damage: I wonder if it has to do with how the myths of will-o-wisps originating from people seeing the ball lightning phenomenon?
imagine watching the movie brave
LOL
All these posts by people thinking they'll be in a meme some day >_>
I have. Nat 1 on the saving throw. At the time I was on 2 successes for death saves. RIP Casa Blanca Butterfingers you were a great barbarian
i just call them spunkies
These things have a high armor class, the ability to just kill you if you're dying, these would be terrifying to fight as a low level, beginner player. Good thing that I'm a beginner DM instead.
These puns are what's keeping me CHARGED,
it's almost like they're CONDUCTing my creativity.
Wait, don't these things have Undead Nature? I remember the MM saying that off to the side of the statblock...
undead? these look like those things from brave the Disney movie
My Cavalier Fighter and Conjuration Wizard/Wild Magic Sorcerer Multiclass got into a fight with 2 of these. The Wiz/Sorc got a random wild magic surge that summoned a Quadrone, which proceeded to fight the Will-o'-Wisps since they're Chaotic Evil and Modrons are Lawful Neutral. When the Will-o'-Wisps were dead it did a backflip before it disappeared.
Edit: If you're wondering, the Sorcerer Levels are mainly so that they get to make better use of Metamagic Adept by going 2 levels for Front of Magic and it's Flexible Casting. Wild magic because it's not too much added flavor, and Tides of Chaos is nice, especially when your DM gives it back a lot :)
Consume Life lets these guys RECHARGE pretty quick if someone's down.
They do, it's just in the description area.
Oh my that Dex modifier is extremely high. if someone cast Mage Armor on one of these it would have 22 AC.
That's a really good idea! heh heh heh...
cool. I'm making a game with the will-o-wisp. the party is gonna hate me for its armor class.
Ok that explains the lighting, but still why are they undead?
Spirits/souls. That's probably why.
That armor class combined with the dexterity is ripe for abuse.
I did once actually, a necromancer tied me to his castle wall and was slowly draining away my magic until I was powerless and once he was finished the will'o'wisp shocked me to death, its shocking (no pun intended) that a small little creature (I thought it was a fey, not undead) can do so much damage, I was a sorcerer okay!?