The flavour text for Nightwalkers in MToF states that for each creature that enters the Negative Plane, a nightwalker is released to take its place. Fair enough. It then goes on to say that in order for a trapped creature to escape, "the released nightwalker must be lured back to the Negative Plane by offerings of life for it to devour."
I have two problems with this statement. Firstly, nightwalkers have no language, so even spells like tongues and telepathy won't allow communication. Secondly, why would it leave in return for a few measly lives when it could stay and try to kill everyone? After all, the next paragraph says "nightwalkers exist to make life extinct."
So how do you get rid of a nightwalker? Killing it traps the person who travelled to the Negative Plane, so presumably banishment would have the same effect. I'm assuming nightwalkers can be banished, because the text doesn't say otherwise, just that you can only free a trapped person by persuading a nightwalker to go home.
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Frankly, my dear, I'd rather be listening to Rehn Stillnight.
I don’t think it means lure in the sense of convince it with a promise. I think it means trick it. And then we have this in the monster description:
”Generally, a nightwalker on the Material Plane is attracted to elements of the world associated with the creature responsible for its creation.”
So you use stuff associated with the creator as bait and lure it to whatever portal that person came through. Then someone gives it a shove.
And while it does say “must be lured back.” I’d probably house rule that banishment would work. It would send them back to their plane of origin, which is really the end goal. I guess it’s a little strange that a level 4 spell can one-shot a CR 20 creature, but still, I’d probably allow it.
Alternatively, a necromancer of at least 14th level can use Command Undead on it with an excellent chance of success, then just order it to go back to the Shadowfell (or keep it around as a super-powered minion).
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
The flavour text for Nightwalkers in MToF states that for each creature that enters the Negative Plane, a nightwalker is released to take its place. Fair enough. It then goes on to say that in order for a trapped creature to escape, "the released nightwalker must be lured back to the Negative Plane by offerings of life for it to devour."
I have two problems with this statement. Firstly, nightwalkers have no language, so even spells like tongues and telepathy won't allow communication. Secondly, why would it leave in return for a few measly lives when it could stay and try to kill everyone? After all, the next paragraph says "nightwalkers exist to make life extinct."
So how do you get rid of a nightwalker? Killing it traps the person who travelled to the Negative Plane, so presumably banishment would have the same effect. I'm assuming nightwalkers can be banished, because the text doesn't say otherwise, just that you can only free a trapped person by persuading a nightwalker to go home.
Frankly, my dear, I'd rather be listening to Rehn Stillnight.
I don’t think it means lure in the sense of convince it with a promise. I think it means trick it. And then we have this in the monster description:
”Generally, a nightwalker on the Material Plane is attracted to elements of the world associated with the creature responsible for its creation.”
So you use stuff associated with the creator as bait and lure it to whatever portal that person came through. Then someone gives it a shove.
And while it does say “must be lured back.” I’d probably house rule that banishment would work. It would send them back to their plane of origin, which is really the end goal. I guess it’s a little strange that a level 4 spell can one-shot a CR 20 creature, but still, I’d probably allow it.
Nightwalkers are Int 6, and no mental stat above 9.
They can easily be lured with staked living things. Think a line of staked rabbits, rather than peanut butter candies from ET.
Thanks for the replies. That's given me something to think about.
Frankly, my dear, I'd rather be listening to Rehn Stillnight.
Alternatively, a necromancer of at least 14th level can use Command Undead on it with an excellent chance of success, then just order it to go back to the Shadowfell (or keep it around as a super-powered minion).
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I don't think so because the nightwalker can't speak the language so it couldn't understand it
The necromancer's Command Undead ability doesn't require the targeted undead creature to speak any languages. It simply magically controls the target.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.