Wights are broken.

[connivingsumo]

I'm not complaining as I just change the rules in my game and it's not a problem, but I've always wondered how other DMs have handled the issue of wights.

According to the rules, if a wight successfully hits a player character, they lose one level. If you get down to zero levels, you die.

Is this just a handy tool to get rid of characters you don't like?

I tried to imagine what that would look like...

A 6th. level thief is hit by a wight... now she's 5th. level. Hmmm... you UNlearned all of those skills, HPs, Saving Throws, etc. etc.

or... as one of my past players suggested... "you just lose the level, and a level doesn't mean much except in combat - so you could still do the same skills, same hps, etc. you just lose one off of the number that appears off of the line "LEVEL:___".

I always removed this rule from my games because I thought - why play or why use a wight? I don't know, it always seemed silly to me.

I'd love to hear how other DMs have used wights, or anyone's opinion on the subject.

[austrodavicus]

I must admit I've never been happy with the whole level draining thing. I house rule it in my games that such creatures drain Constitution, the more powerful the undead, the more Constitution points they drain per hit. Should the character sustain enough hits to drain him to zero, he becomes an undead creature. My players are happy with this rule and it saves us all a hell of a lot of hassle working out the new level, hit points, adjusted abilities, etc.

[connivingsumo]

One of the few times I've gotten to play (as a player), my DM used a similar rule. I like it, it seems to work.

[kiltedyaksman]

I have no problem with level draining. You don't want to fight them then flee.

[Blood axe]

You can lessen the effects of energy draining a bit by treating it as a normal wound. Say its "life force" anad it takes a week, or two weeks or a month to regain. It still hurts alot playing an adventure or two at lower levels.

[connivingsumo]

I have no problem with level draining. You don't want to fight them then flee.

This is my point exactly - why bother? Why bother putting them in the game at all? Players (other than elves, which I think might be immune) are going to flee, and who could blame them? WTF are the Wights protecting that would be worth losing a few levels, and taking the time to rework your character to put in the reduced skills, spells, HPs, etc.? Fleeing is exactly what I would do, which begs the question... why bother? - They're broke.

[austrodavicus]

I don't believe they are broken, I just don't like the hassle of dealing with dropped levels. The reason for having them is simple, they create fear in the players, which in turn adds to the playing pleasure and memorability of the game. Without any real challenge, the game becomes dull and boring. Players don't like the idea of losing levels and so they learn to fear such creatures. That's not broke, that's good gaming.

[connivingsumo]

Ya, except there are a lot of creatures that cause fear, and people use them... but not the wights. Players fear death too, but that doesn't make them unchallenged or the game dull and boring. If I play smart against tougher foes, maybe I'll live - that's rewarding. Being put into a situation where fleeing might be difficult, regardless of smarts, and I lose what I worked for... talk about dull & boring.

Using creativity makes good gaming, not throwing in some creature to cause fear - anyone can do that. I've had awesome adventures with the age-old orcs and had a blast.

Perhaps the Wight is for DMs that aren't that creative/still learning but need to create that 'fear'? I suppose if I really didn't want the players to go to a certain area - yet - then I might use them, but I've always had creative ways to steer them in the right direction so they didn't go and die right off.

[Dyson Logos]

We had no problem with them. Level draining isn't a bug, it is a feature!

Just part of the game. In fact, our elf was the one who lost the most levels to undead in the last LL campaign I was playing in.

For alternate rules to reduce the evil factor:

1. Allow a saving throw
2. Allow two saving throws (one immediately, one to get the level back the next day)
3. Allow a delayed saving throw (get the lost level back the next day)
4. Make it temporary

[bighara]

Wights are bad news, to be certain.

WIGHT
No. Enc.: 1d6 (1d8)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 90' (30')
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 1
Damage: Drain life energy
Save: F3
Morale: 12

Wights are undead creatures who were formerly humans or demi-humans in life. A wight's appearance is a weird and twisted reflection of the form it had in life. Wights attack by touching a victim and draining 1 level, or hit die, from a victim. For example, if a 3 HD monster is attacked and struck, it becomes a 2 HD monster. Likewise, if a 4th level character is struck, he becomes 3rd level. Any human or demi-human reduced to 0 level dies, and becomes a wight in 1d4 days. Wights may only be harmed by magical weapons, spells, and weapons made of silver. Like other undead, they are immune to the effects of sleep and charm spells.

Nasty, huh? Once a party gets up towards 4-5th level, they aren't SO bad. Most parties of those levels have a few magic items to help them, plus more spells per day. But even for 1st-2nd level PCs, there are a couple of factors to consider before labeling them as "broken":

• It's a 3HD creature, so even a 1st level cleric has a shot at turning 2d6 HD of them (up to 4, average of 2).
• 3HD also means an average of 13-14 hit points, which is 1-2 good hits.
• It's AC is 5, so even a 1st level fighter has a 35% chance to hit it (if he has an appropriate weapon), and that's without STR or DEX bonuses.
• Harmed by spells & magic weapons: usually in short supply for low level PCs, but not nonexistent. If the party possesses at least one +1 weapon and someone to wield it, then things aren't totally hopeless.
• One simple rule for dealing with things like wights: DON'T GET INTO MELEE WITH THEM! Turning, ranged spells, silvered arrows, or daggers are your best bet; and don't forget one of every low level PC's best friends: Oil Flasks. They are cheap, they can be thrown from a distance, and even though wights take half damage (1d4) from burning oil (LL54), it still hurts them. If you can afford holy water, so much the better (1d8).
• Protection from Evil. It's a 1st level spell (Cleric or MU), and it makes the caster IMMUNE TO THE WIGHT'S TOUCH. Even a magic user with a silver dagger will take out a wight eventually under those circumstances since the wight's attack does no normal damage!
• Cobb's Traverse.
  

Now, as a GM, you can mitigate your guilt from using these guys in a few simple ways as well:

• Don't make them random encounters unless it really makes sense for the adventure (ie. a lich's keep full of various undeadies).
• Don't throw 8 of them at the party at once unless you're confident they at least have a shot at handling it.
• Give the PCs opportunities to properly equip themselves (buy holy water, oil, silvered weapons, etc.).
• Give the PCs a chance to glean hints/rumors/clues that Here Be Undead Horrors.
• Place a flask of holy water or two (or a silver dagger or an Ward against Undead scroll) somewhere in the adventure. Or, if you are feeling SUPER generous, a +1 sword. (assuming the PCs have no magic weapons already).
• Have a 15th level cleric back in town that might be willing to cast Restoration on the PCs, if they'll perform some task for the temple in return, of course (adventure hook!).