When is a Night Walker not a party wipe?

[Ganymede]

Assuming a group of five, what is the minimum average level required to go up against a Night Walker with a reasonable chance of success? This is assuming no surprise or preparation is allowed and that combat is initiated inside of 30'.

Night Walkers can be found in Mordenkainen's.

[Foxhound438]

level 7, cast banishment GG

[Ganymede]

level 7, cast banishment GG

That won't quite work in this situation based on the encounter I'm trying to build. The Nightwalker reveals itself by crossing the border between the Sadowfell and the Negative plane; banishing it will move it five feet back into the Negative plane, where it is free to reenter.

I like where you head is at, tho.

[JackPhoenix]

That won't quite work in this situation based on the encounter I'm trying to build. The Nightwalker reveals itself by crossing the border between the Sadowfell and the Negative plane; banishing it will move it five feet back into the Negative plane, where it is free to reenter.

I like where you head is at, tho.

You can rule it that way, but Banishment doesn't return the creature to exactly where it came from, it kicks it back to a completely random (or rather unspecified) location on its plane of origin.

[Ganymede]

You can rule it that way, but Banishment doesn't return the creature to exactly where it came from, it kicks it back to a completely random (or rather unspecified) location on its plane of origin.

Yes, it is up to the DM to specify where the creature goes. That's correct.

[Foxhound438]

You can rule it that way, but Banishment doesn't return the creature to exactly where it came from, it kicks it back to a completely random (or rather unspecified) location on its plane of origin.

it also very specifically tells you that it's incapacitated.

But my meme answer aside, I ran a party of level 12's against one and they fought it straight up, they beat it by a pretty decent margin.

[Ganymede]

it also very specifically tells you that it's incapacitated.

The incapacitation only happens to targets banished from their native plane, like when you cast it on a human in Waterdeep. It doesn't kick in if you banish a fire elemental back to the plane of fire, for instance.


But my meme answer aside, I ran a party of level 12's against one and they fought it straight up, they beat it by a pretty decent margin.

Ok cool, this is good info. I was initially planning on this being a 12th level encounter (albeit with the party fresh off another combat), though it looks like I might need to bulk it up with some minions.

[hymer]

Ok cool, this is good info. I was initially planning on this being a 12th level encounter (albeit with the party fresh off another combat), though it looks like I might need to bulk it up with some minions.
Sounds like you have a ready explanation for adding minions. The best part about them is that you can add them to the encounter as you see how it goes. If the PCs do well, more minions arrive. If they do poorly, no additional minions come through the border. And the minions can flee when the boss goes down, or the boss can explode in a shower of angry minions, or anything in between, depending on what would be more fun and appropriately challenging.

[Ganymede]

Sounds like you have a ready explanation for adding minions. The best part about them is that you can add them to the encounter as you see how it goes. If the PCs do well, more minions arrive. If they do poorly, no additional minions come through the border. And the minions can flee when the boss goes down, or the boss can explode in a shower of angry minions, or anything in between, depending on what would be more fun and appropriately challenging.

Yeah, I'm thinking to throw in some flying monsters reskinned as Nightwalker analogs and have an additional one appear as needed at initiative count 20.

[djreynolds]

+12 to hit is whopper, even if players had blur or protection from evil, mirror image might help

The night walker does have a low wisdom save and the command spell is neither fear nor charm, could be helpful

With 40ft of movement and perhaps a warlock with repelling blast, 2 beams is 20ft back if they hit

I'd say its way too powerful and you will kill them, give them an out where they have to make a fighting retreat