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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Corpselight

A will-o'-wisp that starves to death might rise as a cold, blue, glowing sphere of spongy wetness—a corpselight. A corpselight instinctively seeks out a host corpse to dwell within, as its physical form quickly deteriorates if not hidden within a dead creature.

Recall Knowledge - Undead (Religion): DC 21
Unspecific Lore: DC 19
Specific Lore: DC 16

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Weak are marked in red below.
NOTE: The -2 damage penalty to non-strike offensive abilities (-4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Weak CorpselightCreature 1

Legacy Content

Rare CE Medium Undead 
Source Pathfinder #163: Ruins of Gauntlight pg. 84
Perception +7; corpse sense (precise) 30 feet, darkvision
Languages Common, Necril
Skills Athletics +5, Intimidation +6, Stealth +6
Str +3, Dex +4, Con +1, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +2
Corpse Sense A corpselight can sense dead bodies within range. This is a precise sense that functions through solid barriers less than 5 feet thick.
AC 15; Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +5
HP 30 (negative healing); Immunities death effects, disease, fear, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious; Weaknesses bludgeoning 5 (in skeletal corpses) or slashing 5 (in fleshy corpses)
Sunlight Powerlessness A corpselight exposed to sunlight is stunned 2 and clumsy 2, and cannot Claim a Corpse.Wisp Form When a corpselight is reduced to 0 Hit Points while merged with a corpse, it is instead reduced to 1 Hit Point as the corpse collapses to the ground and the corpselight emerges in its wisp form. While in wisp form, a corpselight is Tiny and can take no actions other than Claim Corpse or Fly. A corpselight that starts its turn in wisp form must attempt a DC 16 flat check at the end of its turn; if it fails, it loses 1 Hit Point. A corpselight reduced to 0 Hit Points while in wisp form is destroyed.
Speed 25 feet, fly 25 feet (wisp form only)
Melee [one-action] jaws +8 [+3/-2], Damage 1d8-2+6 piercingMelee [one-action] claw +8 [+4/+0] (agile), Damage 1d6-2+6 slashingClaim Corpse [one-action] (necromancy) Prerequisites The corpselight is in wisp form and is adjacent to a Medium or Small corpse that hasn't been claimed by a corpselight in the past 24 hours; Effect The corpselight merges with the corpse, causes the corpse to Stand, and regains 3d6 Hit Points.Death Light [three-actions] (emotion, fear, mental, necromancy, occult) Prerequisites The corpselight is in a corpse; Effect The corpselight emits a sickly blue beam of light from its mouth and eyes in a 20-foot cone. All living creatures in this area must attempt a DC 16 Fortitude saving throw. If at least 1 creature fails its save, the corpselight regains 2d6 Hit Points, gaining any that exceed its maximum as temporary Hit Points that last for 1 minute. The corpselight can't use Death Light again for 1d4 rounds.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes 1d6 negative damage.
Failure The creature takes 2d6 negative damage and is frightened 1.
Critical Failure The creature takes 4d6 negative damage and is frightened 3.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Larger Corpselights

A typical corpselight can animate only a Small or Medium corpse, but particularly powerful corpselights can inhabit larger bodies. Their basic abilities remain the same, but the damage they deal and the DC of their Death Light increase as appropriate for their increased level.

All Monsters in "Will-o'-Wisp"

NameLevel
Corpselight2
Dread Wisp9
Flickerwisp2
Voidglutton8
Will-o’-Wisp6

Will-o'-Wisp

Source Bestiary pg. 333
Nethys Note: this is not an official family and is a gathering of related creatures