However, last year, I only completed 2 night ratings, because of the weather. It really does have to be a lot better than during the day.
The only night flying I've done is that I've had a few IR(R) lessons in the dark.
I was straight onto instruments after take-off, as there was nothing much to see out of the front window until levelling off at top of climb, and I wouldn't have wanted to do that without the instrument training.
Then the navigation is all electronic, one way or another (navaids or GPS), unless and until, I suppose, you've done a lot of night flying and got to recognise what your local area in particular, and the ground in general, look like at night. Dunno about others, but I'm unconvinced that I'd learn my way around sufficiently in the few hours that are required for the night rating to be comfortable navigating visually at night.
So, for me it's instrument training first, and night training second if at all, because you're going to need the instrument training to fly at night anyway. So, if I'm not worrying overmuch about the consequences of flying into a cloud I didn't see does that remove the "really does have to be a lot better than during the day" criterion? Do you teach night rating to mostly people who don't have IR(R), and does it make a difference if they do have it?