Insubstantial wisp

Version 0.16: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

insubstantial wisp v
HP	16-24
HD	8
XP	162
Speed	10
AC	4
EV	18
Will	∞
Attack¹	12 (hit: blink)
Resistances	rF++, rC++, rElec++, Obsolete: This article refers to an aspect of the game which has been removed. It is retained for historical reference only. rPois++, rN+++, rTorm, rRot+++, rSticky, rConstr, rDrown, rWater
Vulnerabilities	None
Habitat	Land
Intelligence	Plant
Uses	Uses nothing
Holiness	Non-living
Size	Tiny
Type	insubstantial wisp, insubstantial wisp
Flags	Insubstantial Levitate

A thin wisp of floating gas, flickering, disappearing and reforming in a disconcertingly random fashion while building up an electrical charge.

“Lead then, said Eve. Hee leading swiftly rowld
In tangles, and made intricate seem strait,
To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joy
Bright'ns his Crest, as when a wandring Fire
Compact of unctuous vapor, which the Night
Condenses, and the cold invirons round,
Kindl'd through agitation to a Flame,
Which oft, they say, some evil Spirit attends
Hovering and blazing with delusive Light,
Misleads th' amaz'd Night-wanderer from his way
To Boggs and Mires, and oft through Pond or Poole,
There swallow'd up and lost, from succour farr.”
-John Milton, _Paradise Lost_

For a list of all vortices, see list of vortices.

Useful Info

Insubstantial wisps are very irritating monsters, even worse than early imps. They have high EV, blink constantly, and resist nearly everything. To make matters worse, they are encountered in packs and can be dangerous if they surround you. Wisps are found in the Dungeon, The Swamp, and the Abyss.

Spell: Blink

Spells

Spell set
Slot¹	Blink	Natural flag
Slot²	Static Discharge	Natural flag

Tips & Tricks

Melee characters can eventually take them out with standard attack strategies, and heavy armour greatly reduces the threat they pose. It just requires much more patience than usual.
Spellcasters should try to use Earth and non-elemental Conjurations, such as Magic Dart, Iskenderun's Mystic Blast, or the highly effective and 100% accurate Airstrike. Poison Arrow and Throw Icicle will also partially work. The Bolt spells can take them out with repeated uses, but lesser elemental spells will take too long.

History

Insubstantial wisps' AC was lowered from 20 to 5 in 0.11, mostly to reduce annoyance.