Encounters: The Lowerdark (Underground, Desolate)
Nightwing (CR 14)
Huge Undead (Extraplanar)
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Senses: Listen +25 and Spot +25
Languages: telepathy 100 ft.
AC: 30 (-2 size, +4 Dex, +18 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 26
Hit Dice: 17d12+34 (144 hp)
Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +17
Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Space: 15 ft./10 ft.
Base Attack +8; Grapple +28
Attack: Bite +18 melee
Full Attack: Bite +18 melee
Damage: Bite 2d6+17/19-20 plus magic drain
Special Attacks: Desecrating aura, magic drain, spell-like abilities, summon undead
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 18, Con -, Int 18, Wis 20, Cha 18
Special Qualities: Undead, nightshade abilities
Feats: Combat Reflexes; Dodge; Flyby Attack; Great Fortitude; Improved Critical (bite); Improved Initiative
Skills: Concentration +24, Diplomacy +6, Hide +16*, Listen +25, Move Silently +24, Spellcraft +24, Spot +25, and Survival +5 (+7 following tracks)
Advancement: 18-25 HD (Huge); 26-34 HD (Gargantuan)
Climate/Terrain: Plane of Shadow
Organization: Solitary, pair, or flock (3-6)
Treasure: Standard
Source: Monster Manual
Magic Drain (Su): A nightwing can weaken magic armor, weapons, and shields by making a successful touch attack. The target item must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 20) or lose one "plus" (for example, a +2 sword becomes a +1 sword). An item that is completely drained becomes normal in all respects and loses any other powers (such as flame tongue) as well. Casting dispel evil upon the item reverses the effects of the magic drain, provided this occurs within a number of days after the attack equal to the caster's level.
Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage energy drain, or death from massive damage.
Nightshade Abilities: All nightshades share the following special abilities.
Chill Aura (Su): All nightshades radiate a 60-foot-radius aura of utter cold. While this aura does not damage living things, it spoils any food and drink it touches. In addition, it ruins holy water and magic potions, oils, and ointments unless the items succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 22). Items that successfully save cannot be affected again by the same nightshade's aura for one day.
This bone-numbing cold is so distinctive that anyone exposed to it once instantly recognizes it in the future, so it is difficult for a nightshade to surprise someone who has previously encountered such a beast.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will - cause disease, charm person, cloudkill, confusion, darkness, dispel magic, haste, hold person, and invisibility; once per night - finger of death. These abilities are as the spells cast by a sorcerer whose level equals the nightshade's HD total (save DC 14 + spell level).
Summon Undead (Su): A nightshade can summon undead creatures once every 4 hours: 2-5 shadows, 1-2 wraiths, 1 spectre, or 1 ghost. The undead arrive in 1d10 rounds and serve for 1 hour or until released.
Aversion to Daylight (Ex): Nightshades are creatures of utter darkness. While they loathe all light, if exposed to natural daylight (not merely a daylight spell), they suffer a -4 morale penalty to all attack rolls.
Cold Immunity (Ex): Nightshades suffer no damage from cold.
Resistances (Ex): Nightshades have acid, fire, and electricity resistance 50.
Spell Immunity (Su): Nightshades ignore the effects of spells and spell-like abilities of 6th level or lower, just as if the spellcaster had failed to overcome spell resistance.
Detect Magic (Su): A nightshade can continuously detect magic as the spell cast by a 20th-level sorcerer. It can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.
See Invisibility (Su): A nightshade can continuously see invisibility as the spell cast by a 20th-level sorcerer. It can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.
Telepathy (Su): Nightshades can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.
Damage Reduction (Su): All nightshades have damage reduction 25/+3.
Nightshades are powerful undead composed of equal parts darkness and absolute evil. Their chilling malevolence hangs heavily about them, along with the smell of an open grave on a winter's morning.
Nightshades can read and understand all forms of communication; however, they communicate with others by telepathy.
These horrible creatures appear as great bats composed of utter darkness.
Nightwings prowl the night sky and dive onto their victims. They are all but invisible, detectable only because of the stars they obscure in their passing.