Will o'the Wisps, What are they good for?

[Urpriest]

So recently I looked at the Will o' Wisp stats, and I've realized that they're actually pretty cool. Ex immunity to magic and Ex invisibility both are hard to get access to, while perfect flight at a decent speed is a nice perk.

My question is, what are good ways to exploit this? What is the best way to gain access to a Will o' Wisp as a PC? Aberrant Wild Shape? Is there a way to get it as a familiar?

[FearlessGnome]

Not mentioned as accessible through Improved Familiar. You might have trouble getting it past a DM, as it's 9HD and has those there fancy abilities you mentioned.

Yes, Aberrant Wildshape I think is the most common way of getting the form for yourself. Of course, using it all the time will likely just lead to an increase of Orbs of Acid and supernatural abilities coming your way. They are neat, though. Give em Darkstalker and have fun with hide and seek.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Metamorphosis? A bit later than Aberration Wildshape though and duration would be shorter but I am pretty sure it would still be useful.

[TroubleBrewing]

Besides the obvious Shapechange, Abberant Wild Shape is probably the soonest, best, and easiest way you'll get it online.

[Diefje]

I'm racking my brain, I thought I read some abberation summoning themed mage PrC, but I can't find it. Or maybe I was just thinking of Alienist all along.

It's late, don't judge.

[TroubleBrewing]

Alienist, probably.

It's strictly worse than going straight Wizard... :smallfrown:

[Kobold-Bard]

Homebrew, but i made a Will o Wisp (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9254674&postcount=170) monster class.

[Chronos]

Alienist, probably.

It's strictly worse than going straight Wizard...Not really. You give up a bit, and you gain a bit, but what you give up is worth about the same as what you gain, just different. Which is, after all, how prestige classes are supposed to work; it's not the alienist's fault that most wizard PrCs give something for nothing.

[Incanur]

Just a note: you need the spell enhance wild shape to get those juicy extraordinary abilities as early as possible. The the will-o'-wisp is one of the best defensive forms available to the druid.

[FearlessGnome]

Just a note: you need the spell enhance wild shape to get those juicy extraordinary abilities as early as possible. The the will-o'-wisp is one of the best defensive forms available to the druid.

Yes. The only problem there is that the spell can be dispelled. Still, the NPC has to have a backstory that justifies such intimate knowledge of Druidic capabilities, and even if they know about it they have to spend precious actions dispelling it.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Yes. The only problem there is that the spell can be dispelled. Still, the NPC has to have a backstory that justifies such intimate knowledge of Druidic capabilities, and even if they know about it they have to spend precious actions dispelling it.

Aren't you immune to Dispel Magic while in the form of a Will o' Wisp?


The solution to a Will o' Wisp is the Macross (Magic) Missile Massacre.

[FearlessGnome]

Aren't you immune to Dispel Magic while in the form of a Will o' Wisp?

I thought Dispel Magic can target the spells themselves? If they have to rely on area dispels, then... Why then you win as a Druid. Imagine that. :p

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I thought Dispel Magic can target the spells themselves? If they have to rely on area dispels, then... Why then you win as a Druid. Imagine that. :p

It still allows SR, even if you target the druid in question.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Not really. You give up a bit, and you gain a bit, but what you give up is worth about the same as what you gain, just different. Which is, after all, how prestige classes are supposed to work; it's not the alienist's fault that most wizard PrCs give something for nothing.

But it actually neuters your summoning capabilities as with Alienist you take out every outsider and replace it with Pseudonatural creatures which are quite bad (unless you use the ELH template :smalltongue:) so not it isn't a good prestige class.

[PlzBreakMyCmpAn]

That and the illithid roper are staples of aberrant wild sh

[Incanur]

Magic Immunity does nothing whatsoever to hinder dispel magic and company.

[FearlessGnome]

Magic Immunity does nothing whatsoever to hinder dispel magic and company.Having actually looked them up, you appear to be correct. Spellresistance: No.

[mootoall]

Hmm, are most Druid buffs SR: No or SR: Yes? 'Cause if they're the latter, you may have neutered some of the best uses of your spells.

[Incanur]

Hmm, are most Druid buffs SR: No or SR: Yes? 'Cause if they're the latter, you may have neutered some of the best uses of your spells.

Most druid buffs involve smashing face. You don't do that in will-o'-wisp form anyway. Even if immunity stops self buffs, you can still cast them before shifting into the form.

[ShriekingDrake]

Just a note: you need the spell enhance wild shape to get those juicy extraordinary abilities as early as possible. The the will-o'-wisp is one of the best defensive forms available to the druid.

Or Exalted Wild Shape, I believe.

[Xalops]

I had a Sorcerer/Master Transmogrifist/Warshaper that when I needed to ignore spell effects, I'd quick change into Will-'O-Wisp. Or When I got high enough level, I'd pull the Magic Immunity from it and add it to my Hydra Form.

[Saviour]

Or Exalted Wild Shape, I believe.

Nope. Will-o-the-Wisps are aberrations. Exalted Wildshape says that it lets you apply the Celestial template to any animal you could normally turn into.

[ShriekingDrake]

Nope. Will-o-the-Wisps are aberrations. Exalted Wildshape says that it lets you apply the Celestial template to any animal you could normally turn into.

Ah . . . the bane of speaking before looking.

[Cieyrin]

Frank & K's Tome of Necromancy has a Will-o'-Wisp based PrC, the Corpselight Whisperer (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19527634/Tome_of_Necromancy&post_num=2#331892418). It's an interesting Druid PrC, though not Planar Shepherd broken.