Dungeons & Dragons 2024 (D&D) Monster/NPC: Nightgaunt
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SGttEH 340
Nightgaunts are nightmarish beings, in the truest sense of the word. Originating from the demented slumber of a Great One, they are its will made manifest. Uncouth black things with smooth, oily, whale-like skin, unpleasant horns that curved inward toward each other, bat wings whose beating made no sound, ugly prehensile claws, and tails that lashed needlessly and disquietingly. They never speak or laugh, and never smile because they have no faces at all to smile with, only a maddening blankness where a face ought to be.
Nightgaunts are creatures that subsist on the raw emotions of their prey, lurking in the shadows as their victims writhe in the throes of vicious nightmares. They reveal themselves only when their hunger becomes unbearable, isolating unsuspecting individuals before tormenting them, releasing them only once they’ve had their fill. Nightgaunts don’t take lives, nor inflict grievous physical wounds, unless attacked first. However, the mental scars they wreak are hard to heal, leaving many of their victims with bouts of insomnia and a fear of the dark that can last for a lifetime.
| MOD | SAVE | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 16 | +3 | +3 |
| DEX | 21 | +5 | +8 |
| CON | 17 | +3 | +3 |
| MOD | SAVE | ||
| INT | 4 | -3 | -3 |
| WIS | 16 | +3 | +3 |
| CHA | 16 | +3 | +3 |
Traits
Blank Face. When a creature that can see the nightgaunt start its turn within 5 feet of the nightgaunt or enter that area for the first time on a turn, the creature must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the nightgaunt for 1 minute and gain a short-term madness. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the frightened condition ends for it, the creature is immune to the nightgaunt's Blank Face for the next 24 hours.
Flyby. The nightgaunt doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
Magic Resistance. The nightgaunt has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Silent Tormentor. The nightgaunt makes no sound, ever. It has advantage on Stealth checks and is automatically hidden from creatures that can’t see it.
Actions
Multiattack. The nightgaunt makes two claw attacks and uses its Tail.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 16). The nightgaunt has two claws, each of which can grapple only one target. Until this grapple ends, the nightgaunt can’t use that claw to attack any other creature.
Tail. The nightgaunt uses its tail in one of the following ways.
Tail Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (4d4 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Prehensile Tail. The nightgaunt flails its tail towards a creature that it can see within 10 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be overwhelmed by the pain and be incapacitated until the start of the nightgaunt's next turn. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target is instead stunned until the start of the nightgaunt’s next turn, as it loses control of its body. Creatures that have a speed of 0 have disadvantage on this saving throw.
Bonus Actions
Night Rush. The nightgaunt moves up to half its flying speed.
Reactions
Feed on Emotions. When a creature within 10 feet of the nightgaunt fails a saving throw against its Blank Face or Prehensile Tail, the nightgaunt can feed on the creature’s emotions—fear, anger, surprise—and regains 8 (1d10 + 3) hit points. If a creature fails the saving throw by 5 or more, the nightgaunt regains 14 (2d10 + 3) hit points instead
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