# 1e FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. APPEARING: 2- 16 ARMOR CLASS: 5 MOVE. 12" HIT DICE: 4 + 3 % IN LAIR: 70% TREASURE TYPE: [[B]] NO. OF ATTACKS. I DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Energy drain SPECIAL DEFENSES: Silver or magic weapon to hit MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below INTELLIGENCE. Average ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil SIZE: M PSlONlC ABILITY. Nil Attack/Defense Modes: Nil The term wight has lost its old meaning of a person and come to stand for those undead humans who typically inhabit barrow mounds or catacombs. These creatures are most evil and hateful, seeking to destroy any life form they encounter. Wights shun bright lights and hate sunlight. Because these monsters exist simultaneously on the normal and negative planes of the material plane, they are affected only by silver or magical weapons. This existence allows them to drain life energy levels - one such level each time they score a hit on an opponent. The creature so hit loses the hit points of damage scored (1-4) plus one experience level and all the bonuses derived from that level, i.e. hit dice, class bonuses, thief abilities, spell levels, etc. A 9th level magic user struck by a wight loses 1-4 hit points and he becomes an 8th level magic user; he has the spells and the hit points of an 8th level magic user, and he melees as an 8th level character of his class. Wights are not affected by sleep, charm, hold, or cold-based spells. Neither poison nor paralyzation harms wights. Holy water causes 2-8 hit points of damage for every vial-full which strikes. A raise dead spell will destroy a wight. Any human totally drained of life energy by a wight will become a half-strength wight under control of its slayer. # 2e | | | | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | | Climate/Terrain: | Any land | | Frequency: | Uncommon | | Organization: | Solitary | | Activity Cycle: | Night | | Diet: | See below | | Intelligence: | Average (8-10) | | Treasure: | [[B]] | | Alignment: | Lawful evil | | No. Appearing: | 2-16 (2d8) | | Armor Class: | 5 | | Movement: | 12 | | Hit Dice: | 4+3 | | THAC0: | 15 | | No. of Attacks: | 1 | | Damage/Attack: | 1-4 | | Special Attacks: | Energy drain | | Special Defenses: | Hit only by silver or +1 or better magical weapon | | Magic Resistance: | See below | | Size: | M (4-7') | | Morale: | Elite (14) | | XP Value: | 1,400 | In ages long past, the word “wight” meant simply “man”. As the centuries have passed, though, it has come to be associated only with those undead that typically inhabit barrow mounds and catacombs. From a distance, wights can easily be mistaken for any number of humanoid races. Upon closer examination, however, their true nature becomes apparent. As undead creatures, wights are nightmarish reflections of their former selves, with cruel, burning eyes set in mummified flesh over a twisted skeleton with hands that end in sharp claws. **Combat:** Wights are fierce and deadly foes in combat. When attacked, they are unharmed by any weapons that are not forged from silver or enchanted in some manner. The wight attacks with its jagged claws and powerful blows, inflicting 1-4 points of damage with each successful strike. In addition to this physical harm, the wight is able to feed on the life essence of its foes. Each blow that the wight lands drains one level from the victim, reducing Hit Dice, class bonuses, spell abilities, and so forth. Thus, a 9th-level wizard struck by a wight loses 1-4 hit points and becomes an 8th-level wizard; he has the spells and hit points of an 8th-level wizard and he fights as an 8th-level wizard. Persons who are slain by the energy draining powers of a wight are doomed to rise again as wights under the direct control of their slayer. In their new form, they have the powers and abilities of a normal wight but half their experience levels, class abilities, and Hit Dice. If the wight who “created” them is slain, they will instantly be freed of its control and gain a portion of its power, acquiring the normal 4+3 Hit Dice of their kind. Once a character becomes a wight, recovery is nearly impossible, requiring a special quest. Wights are unaffected by _sleep_, _charm_, _hold_ or cold-based spells. In addition, they are not harmed by poisons or paralyzation attacks. Wights can be engaged and defeated by individuals who are well prepared for battle with them. Physical contact with holy water is deadly to wights and each vial splashed on one burns it for 2-8 points of damage. In addition, a _raise dead_ spell becomes a powerful weapon if used against the wight. Such magic is instantly fatal to the creature, utterly annihilating it. Wights cannot tolerate bright light, including sunlight, and avoid it at all costs. It is important to note, however, that wights are not harmed by exposure to sunlight as [vampires](https://www.completecompendium.com/appendix/vampire) are. **Habitat/Society:** Like the other undead that infest the world, wights live in barrow mounds, catacombs, and other sepulchral places. They despise light and places which are vibrant with living things. As a rule, the wight is hateful and evil, seeking to satisfy its hatred of life by killing all those it encounters. Although wights are often found in small groups, they are actually solitary creatures. Without exception, encounters with multiple wights will be a single leader and a number of lesser creatures which it has created to serve it. In these cases, the leader of the group will be more than willing to sacrifice some or all of its minions to assure its own survival or victory. **Ecology:** Like all undead, wights exist on both the Prime Material and Negative Material planes simultaneously. It is this powerful link to the negative world that gives them their fearsome level-draining ability. Further, it is this draining which provides them with sustenance. As they are not living creatures and have no rightful place in our world, many animals can sense the wight's presence. [Dogs](https://www.completecompendium.com/appendix/dog) will growl or howl with alarm, [horses](https://www.completecompendium.com/appendix/horse) will refuse to enter an area which wights inhabit, and [birds](https://www.completecompendium.com/appendix/bird) and insects will grow silent when the creature passes near them. In addition, their presence will gradually cause the plant life around their lairs to wither and die, marking the region as unclean.