They come in multiple pieces, usually in a cloth bag and often with a protective tube.
You take the pieces and assemble them so that the rod ends up thick at one end and much, much thinner at the other. It's not a difficult task, even most teachers can do this.
Some rods are stiffer that others.
Some rods are longer than others.
Most have cork handles to provide grip, some bits of bent wire to guide the fly line and a device for attaching a fly reel.
That about covers it unless anyone would like to add anything I may have missed. :lol:
You have missed the magic ingredient of the "wow" factor. Some rods just have it; most don't. I can't explain its presence, or absence, but when you pick up a rod which has it you just cannot stop grinning :D
My Hardy Demon 8ft #4 Smuggler has it, and so does my Helios 8ft 4" #3. The same applies with reels; Sage Clicks have it in spades.
Perhaps it's just me??