D&D 5E Nightwalker: Really a CR 20?

[dave2008]

Ad_Hoc is blocked, so I can't see anything he says.

In any case, my PC's engage in Buffy style research where they hit up libraries, consult sages, cast divination spells, cash in favors from other supernatural beings, etc. So under most circumstances they have probably heard of something. And if they have not heard of something, they are more than willing to let people die to avoid rushing while they learn about their enemy. They are a weird bunch.

If they are doing all of that then they should be able to know its weakness. That is playing (in that style) as intended.

 

[Dausuul]

I don't have the fluff on the monster itself so I can't really make an accurate assessment.

The relevant passage: For each creature that enters the plane, a nightwalker is released to take its place. 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.

"Released" and "back" suggest that the nightwalker is indeed native to the Negative Plane.

 

[Dodec_Ahedron]

"Released" and "back" suggest that the nightwalker is indeed native to the Negative Plane.

I got a little flexible with that part. I could see it being interpreted as the nightwalker doesn't exist until someone is trapped in the negative energy plane, then they are created on the material plane to keep the balance. I described it as a portal opening the negative energy plane and the victim being sent through, displacing some amount of negative energy which flowed out of the portal into the material plane. Once the portal closed, the pool of dark energy began to take form and a Nightwalker was born.