Nightmare

Story

Nightmare is a diabolical creature who lives to kill. Nightmare was once a human called Siegfried who became corrupted by Soul Edge and eventually became Nightmare. Siegfried had joined up with a team of bandits, and one day, on a raid against Knights who had deserted, he killed the leader of the troop, who turned out to be his father. Unable to accept his deed, Siegfried convinced himself that his father’s death was the work of a murderer and set out on a revenge mission to catch the killer. 

His search led him to Soul Edge, which he claimed for his own. The two entities became resonated as their goals were the same. Soul Edge was obsessed with destruction, while Siegfried was obsessed with revenge. This deadly cocktail created the monstrosity known as Nightmare. Nightmare is an evil creature with a huge hand the size of a tree trunk in which he wields Soul Edge. After claiming the city of  Ostrheinsburg, Nightmare began his reign of terror. Eventually, he would be attacked and defeated by Kilik, who shattered his armor. Soul Edge is now broken but not destroyed. Siegfried is once more free, but Soul Edge is not done trying its best to overcome Siegfried’s mind again. 

Siegfried fights back by using the power of Soul Calibur, but he finds himself trapped in the Astral Chaos realm. While trapped, his body is used by Inferno, the ruler of the Astral Chaos, who disguises as Nightmare to wreak havoc all around. Siegfried is doing his best to fight back, but with Soul Edge gaining power once more and Siegfried’s mind falling apart from the torment of his deeds, it only seems a matter of time before Nightmare is back in full force.

Personality

Little is known about Nightmare’s personality seeing as he is completely enslaved by Soul Edge. However, on the inside, Siegfried is doing his best to break free. Siegfried is a good character but is currently at the mercy of Soul Edge, which has twisted him into a monstrous being. Nightmare is driven by an urge to shed more and more blood as a means of catching up to his father’s killer and maybe even bringing him back to life. While there’s a part of him that understands that he is his father’s killer, he cannot fully accept this fact preferring instead to kill and continue his search for a fictional killer. 

Nightmare doesn’t care about anyone and is only interested in shedding blood and overwhelming all who dare to oppose him. A slave to Soul Edge, it would seem that there is no help for him whatsoever. 

Playstyle

Nightmare is easily one of the best characters in the game. For anyone who wants to play Nightmare, he is best utilized from a distance. Due to the size of his weapon, his attacks have great range meaning that you should look to keep the opponent at bay and maintain some space. He is also blessed with his ‘Night Terror Charge,’ which buffs him up and adds more damage to his attacks. His ability to attack from range means that you can whiff punish your foe even from a distance. However, you must be careful because when face-to-face with his foes, Nightmare is slower and can have his turn stolen. So ensure you always keep this in mind while playing him.

Appearance

Nightmare is clad in armor, and only his eyes can be seen. His eyes are red which shows that he has been completely taken over by Soul Edge. He also wears a worn cape, and his right arm is a horrendous-looking thing with three claws where his fingers should be. If you happen to break Nightmare’s helmet, you’ll see Siegfried with his blond hair, but you’ll also notice a scar above his eye.