Kick Ass With Nightmare: A Comprehensive FAQ
Version 5.0
Created: 3:52 PM 11/4/02
By Allyourbase
Contact:
[email protected]
Soul Calibur forum handle: "Omnislash"
***********
Legal Stuff
***********
Nightmare, Siegfried and other characters mentioned in this FAQ are the
property of Namco. Soul Calibur and Soul Calibur 2 are the expressed trademarks
of Namco. This FAQ is the expressed intellectual property of Allyourbase (AKA
Emmanuel Lopez) and any infringement on copyright laws is bad. Readers may save
or print out this FAQ as long as it is done only for private use. If you would
like to post this FAQ on your site, please email me and let me know what you
intend to do. Any attempt to post this FAQ without giving me credit is
obviously against the law. So don't try it, or else you will get dropkicked!
This FAQ appears in:
- GameFAQs.com
- FAQs.IGN.com
If found anywhere else, I will personally email you demanding you take it down.
If not, keep in mind there are harsh penalties for copyright infringement.
To make sure the text is properly formatted check below
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If the above text lines up, you're free to go!
*****************
Table of Contents
*****************
I. Introduction/Why I made this FAQ
II. Version History
III. Getting to Know Nightmare
IV. Why Be Nightmare?
V. Movelist
VI. Move Analysis
VII. Advanced Tactics
VIII. Character-specific Strategies
IX. Closing Remarks
X. Thanks and Dedications
************
Introduction
************
I first started playing Soul Calibur when the original came to arcades in 1997.
Although the game "Soul Blade" had been out on Playstation for a while, I was
more of a Tekken geek at the time. My initial reaction to SC1 was, "Oh look,
Tekken with swords." I was in for a pleasant surprise. Instead, Namco was able
to take some ideas from Tekken and turn it into a whole new game.
My first choice of character was Nightmare, because he looked so damn scary
wielding a huge sword with an eyeball in it. And so I learned and progressed,
experiencing both triumph and defeat.
A while passed before I could play SC again, because I didn't have a Dreamcast.
When I heard SC2 was coming to arcades in July 2002, I felt a strange euphoria.
Now I'm not exactly the greatest Nightmare player in the world, but I feel this
guide is an accurate compilation of everything good Nightmare players say and
do. This guide should be your stepping stone towards getting a better
understanding of how Nightmare operates and how to make him an effective
fighter for you.
***************
Version History
***************
10:40 AM 9/26/03 - Added "FC/WS Out of Stances" section.
8:19 AM 9/8/03 - Just because somebody's in school doesn't mean they have to
study all the time right? I'm waiting for class to start, so I'll go ahead and
start the section "BT Just Frames."
3:59 PM 9/7/03 - I've completed the "Nailing the 1FS" and "The Not-So-Secret
3[B]:2G Trick." I've also updated the movelist to include the moves added in
the console versions.
7:30 PM 9/5/03 - As promised, there are a whole slew of updates. The question
is, are you ready?
9:36 PM 8/26/03 - I had to wait forever in line to get it, but I finally have
the U.S. PS2 version. Mmm... English voice acting.
7:26 PM 5/16/03 - You heard right, I took my last final exam today! No school
for the summer! Two more months till the SC2 U.S. release. I wonder if they
have any more new features to add?
3:05 PM 5/06/03 - Revised the entire FAQ to comply with the new stuff in the
console version of SC2. FYI, I have the PS2 version. It's sooo much fun!
3:07 PM 4/26/03 - Started the "WS [B]/3[B] Punishment" section.
3:34 PM 4/13/03 - Work commences on V4.0.
2:18 PM 3/31/03 - I've completed the "Got You Step" section. Now to move onto
the tougher strat. Eh... I'll try to be quick and thorough this time.
5:00 PM 3/19/03 - War... is here. Let us all take the time to wish the men and
women serving in the armed forces a speedy and safe return home.
3:21 PM 3/14/03 - Finally completed the "Nightmare Can Combo Too" section. I
will now focus on the other sections I promised I'd put in there.
7:51 PM 3/10/03 - Sorry the updates are so far and few now. I'm still working
the kinks out of the sections and finding more guaranteed combos. I'm sure I'll
get this done sometime...
8:17 PM 2/5/03 - Man, evening classes are such a killer. I'll try to get some
work started on the "Got You Step," "Nightmare Can Combo Too" and "Character
Specific Strategies." In the meanwhile, my main focus is to correct some
factual errors I might have made.
6:17 PM 1/24/03 - Finished the sections "8WR Buffering", "Soul Charge
Strategies" and "iFC/iWS Setups", along with some other sections I probably
forgot to name. With school hogging all my free time, I anticipate a major
slowdown in FAQ work.
12:24 PM 1/10/03 - Started working on the "Advanced Tactics" section.
4:03 PM 1/5/03 - Whew! That was one of the most spectacular comeback victories
I've ever seen! The Niners rock! Finished the "Move Analysis" section!
1:43 PM 1/4/03 - NFL playoffs start. I'll try my best to write and watch the
games. Go Niners!
10:35 AM 1/1/03 - Happy New Year! I feel so trashed. I think I'll go back to
sleep.
7:03 PM 12/30/02 - No actual update. Today is Kristin Kreuk's birthday. Isn't
this a holiday somewhere? No?!? Well, it should be!
1:58 PM 18/9/02 - Final exams are coming around the corner. Yes! More free time!
7:16 PM 12/5/02 - Expect work to slow down for the holidays. At least finals
are around the corner, so I should have a lot of free time. It's getting tough
to do move analysis. Your friends only want to be punching bags for so long.
5:57 PM 11/17/02 - No real reason to say anything. Just finished watching
"Smallville." Thank god they rerun that show every Sunday. Kristin Kreuk...
damn... that girl is too gorgeous for words. [drools] Oh sorry, back to work!
8:58 PM 11/16/02 - Thanks go out to Donny Chan for finding out Nightmare's
voice acting for me. Thanks dude! If you're a Cassandra fan (like me), or want
to learn her (also like me), I suggest scoping out his Cassandra FAQ at
<
http://www.gamefaqs.com>.
7:26 PM 11/13/02 - I have completed Version 1.0 of "Kick Ass With Nightmare: A
Comprehensive FAQ." I will now move on to V2.0, complete with "Move Analysis."
Bon apetit!
2:52 PM 11/12/02 - Whew! Completed the whole entire movelist! Wrote the
"Closing Remarks" section before the "Stance Roulette For Dummies" section.
Isn't that doing things backwards?
6:05 PM 11/11/02 - Let's take a moment to honor the soldiers who have fought to
protect our country and to honor those who out right now doing the same thing.
4:25 PM 11/4/02 - "Kick Ass With Nightmare: A Comprehensive FAQ" is born. I
think I spent enough money to know just about everything there is to know about
Night. Get the coffee ready! This will take a long ass time...
*************************
Getting to Know Nightmare
*************************
===========
Information
===========
[the following information was taken from <
http://www.soulcalibur.com>]
Age: Unknown
Weapon: Soul Edge Zweihander
Weapon Name: Soul Edge (Male)
Discipline: Original
Birth Place: Unknown
Birth Date: Unknown
Parents: Unknown
Other Family: Unknown
Height: 5' 6"
Weight: 209 lbs
Blood Type: Unknown
========
Costumes
========
1P - Nightmare wears a full suit of dark blue armor, with the visor down. The
most noticeable thing is the blood-red hair on the back of his head and the
horns on his helm. Otherwise, he looks like any other knight running around
with a big-ass sword and a mutated right arm. A big-ass sword with a demonic
eyeball in it anyway.
2P - This costume looks more like Siegfried, who Nightmare was before he came
into possession of Soul Edge. He only wears the bottom half of his armor along
with a light purple outer tunic. His sword doesn't look like Soul Edge, but
rather a mutated version of a Zweihander. Night's chest is exposed and you can
see there's a freaky lookin' eyeball on his chest. Yuck...
3P (console only) - This costume IS Siegfried from SC1. Surprised? I'm not.
It's nice, but I was hoping something more original would be in the console. Oh
well.
============
Voice Acting
============
Note: Thanks to Donny Chan for finding these out for me.
Japanese version - Hiyama Nobuyuki (Nobuyuki also voiced Nightmare and
Siegfried in the original SC game)
English version - Ted D'Agostino
===============
Character Story
===============
At one time, Nightmare committed countless cold-blooded murders while under the
control of Soul Edge. All who knew of him feared his crimson gaze and his
strange, one-eyed, giant blade.
Originally, he was the leader of a group of brigands known as the Black Wind,
whose stronghold was located in the Black Forest near the Roman Empire. It was
news of his father's death that drove him from his marauding lifestyle,
resolving to find his father's killer.
Hearing word of a sword known as Soul Edge, he became convinced that he could
slay his father's murderer if he found this ultimate weapon. He searched
through the battlegrounds in every region he traveled. Eventually, he came
across a sword in a Spanish harbor that emitted a strange aura beside the
corpse of its owner, who appeared to be a pirate. The dead body returned to
life, covered in flames, as if to protect the sword. Upon defeating the
apparition, he reached for the hilt of the mysterious blade.
It was then that he heard the voice of Soul Edge, the sword that feeds on souls.
It told him that if he used the souls absorbed by the sword, he would be able
to resurrect his father. Accepting his new goal, the man's body began to surge
with the evil energy of the sword. The energy became a beautiful pillar of
light that pierced the evening sky and dissipated into the atmosphere.
From that moment on, the man became Nightmare, the evil knight who would strike
fear into every corner of Europe.
Having determined that the power Soul Edge had at that moment was insufficient
to revive his father, Nightmare attacked village after village to nourish the
blade. Not satisfied, he sought out those with strong souls to feed the evil
sword.
The killings ended three years later, when Nightmare came across three
sacrifices for his blade. One of them wielded a spirit sword called Soul
Calibur, which possessed an aura that was the polar opposite of the evil power
emitted by Soul Edge. The battle between the swordsmen took place in a vortex
of hellfire and evil energy summoned by Soul Edge. After a raging battle, the
evil sword shattered, and both Nightmare and Soul Edge fell into the collapsing
void.
With Soul Edge severely weakened, Nightmare regained some of his humanity.
Along with lucidity came the horrifying memories of the sins he committed, as
well as the fear and anger of those who were slaughtered by him. Moreover, he
realized that he had been the one who murdered his father.
Expelled from the void into an unfamiliar place, Nightmare disappeared into the
night-the evil sword still in his grip. But Soul Edge was weaker now, and
splinters of itself were left in Nightmare's footsteps.
He knew Soul Edge must never fall into the hands of another man. He set off to
go as far away as possible from human settlements.
Yet each morning, he awakened to the sight of people slain by him during the
night. While he slept, Soul Edge took over his mind and flesh, and he was
burdened by this new guilt. Nevertheless, he did not choose to take his own
life and end things easily. He knew that if he died, the sword would only find
a new host to continue its evil ways. The only solution was to find a place
where the evil could be imprisoned forever.
Initially, the balance of power between him and the sword were equal. But as
time wore on, his control over his body became irregular, and the sword held
sway over him for slightly longer periods of time.
The number of those who fell victim to the blade continued to grow. The sword
healed itself gradually by feeding off the victims' souls. After four years,
the sword had nearly recovered to full strength.
The fragments of itself lost during its escape...The evil energy dispersed as
the Evil Seed-Soul Edge's shattered companion blade-the other Soul Edge...
With dominant control over its host body, Soul Edge, once again in the form of
"Nightmare," began to pursue the fragments of itself that it had lost. It was
on a quest to restore itself completely!
But at the same time, he continued to fight the evil sword's plans with the
little sanity left within him.
*****************
Why Be Nightmare?
*****************
Flat-out, simply stated, Nightmare (or Siegfried) is awesome. He has great
power and is fairly easy to use, like Mitsurugi. Both are usually stereotyped
as "beginner characters." Don't let that fool you. Despite their short learning
curves, it's not impossible for either to be viable for high-level play. A
short learning curve just means you'll have more time to perfect your play.
Nightmare has the edge over Mitsurugi in terms of power, and you won't feel
like a doofus when playing as Night.
Nighty's range is up there with Kilik and Astaroth's; only Ivy can out-reach
him. As such, he is a force to be reckoned with. In addition, he also has the
tools necessary to survive close-quarters skirmishes to a limited degree.
Night's wakeup game is among the best in the game; he has the firepower to
dispense a beatdown on grounded opponents. Finally, Nightmare has a great ring
out game, which can give you the psychological edge when fighting around the
edges. If you're not sold on that, here's a final tidbit; Nightmare looks and
plays intimidating. Now are you satisfied?
********
Movelist
********
Before we dive into the movelist, I would advise you to visit
<
http://www.guardimpact.com> to get a feel for game basics. Also, this will
make my notations seem less foreign. Before we continue, I must define some
Nightmare specific terms.
NBS - Night Back Stance. This is where Nightmare has his sword behind his back.
NBSR - Night Back Stance Running. Same as NBS, except Nightmare is running.
NLS - Night Lower Stance. Nightmare is kneeling with the sword on the ground.
NSSl - Night Side Stance Left. Nightmare is standing with the sword resting by
his hip. In this stance, the sword in on his left side.
NSSr - Night Side Stance Right. Same as NSSl, except the sword's resting by his
right side.
======
Throws
======
Name Position Command Escape Misc.
Hilt Impact front G+A A RO
Soul Devour front G+B B
Calamity Fall left G+A_G+B A_B RO
Unholy Terror right G+A_G+B A_B RO
Witch Hunt back G+A_G+B n/a #1
Flap Jack front L FC,G+A_G+B A_B RO
Notes:
#1: Only Voldo and Astaroth can escape.
================
Standard Attacks
================
Name Command Range Misc.
Evil Eye a6 h CFS; CONSOLE ONLY
Slash A h G-cancel
Slash [A] h ends in NSSr
Slash Cross A,A*B h,h,M delay last hit
for GC
Slash Cross A,A*[B] h,h,M ends in NLS
Quick Back Spin Slash agA h RO
Quick Back Spin Slash ag[A] h,L RO; ends in NSSl
Double Grounder A2AA h,L,L
Double Grounder A2a4 h,L ends in NBS
Spin Slash 6A h RO
Spin Slash 6[A] h RO; ends in NSSr
Right Slasher 66A h
Dark Bite 3A h GI's h/m attacks;
#1
Leg Hack 2A l recovers crouching
Shadow Slicer 1A L can RO; delay by
[A]
Backspin Slash 4A h G-cancel
Baskspin Slash 4[A] h,L ends in NSSL;
G-cancel
Splitter B M G-cancel
Splitter [B] M G-cancel; ends in
NLS
Splitter b7 n/a attack cancels
into NBS
Mail Splitter B,B M,M
Armor Breaker bgB M
Armor Breaker bg[B] M ends in NLS
Armor Breaker bgBB M,SM
Armor Breaker bgB[B] M,SM ends in NBS
Break Kick bgBK M,m
Fake Slash b7 n/a ends in NBS
Gauntlet Buster b6 m
Rampart Buster b4 M recovers
crouching; SCUB; GC-L1
Buster Grounder B2A M,L delay second hit
by [A]
Buster Grounder B2a4 M second hit
cancels into NBS
Piercing Strike 6B m GC-L2
Thrusting Strike 6B:B m CONSOLE ONLY
Piercing Fake 6b4B+K n/a ends in NLS
Rook Splitter 66B M recovers
crouching; SCUB
Sky Splitter 3B M
Sky Splitter 3[B] M ends in NBS
Shadow Buster 2B M recovers crouching
Shadow Buster 2[B] M ends in NLS
Thrust Throw 1B M SCUB; #2
Midnight Launcher 4B M G-cancel
Midnight Launcher 4[B] M G-cancel; GC;
SCUB; ends in NBS
Dive 44B M recovers
crouching; GC-L1; SCUB
Dive 44[B] M ends in NLS
Fatal Dive 44BB M,SM recovers
crouching; GC-L1; SCUB
Fatal Dive 44B[B] M,SM ends in NBS
Earth Divide 236B UB-M G-cancel
Dark Kick K h G-cancel
Jade Crusher 6K h knockdown on CH
Rush 66K m
Rush 66[K](2_8) m ends in NBS; #3
Rush Splitter 66KB m,M
Rush Splitter 66K[B] m,M ends in NBS
Rush Crusher 66kK m,h
Dropkick 66kB h ends in
knockdown; GC; SCUB
Axle 3KK m,L recovers crouching
= Headbutt B m
Grind Low Kick 1_2K L recovers crouching
Headbutt Tackle 4KK m,m
Headbutt Tackle 4K[K](2_8) m,m ends in NBS; #3
Jade Smasher 44K m causes bounce stun
= Breaker A h GI's h/m attacks
= Breaker 2_8A m
Stomping 236KKKKK L,L,L,L,L #4
Earth Trample 236[K] UB-L #5
Blaze Wind A+B M,M,M ends in NSSr
Blaze Storm A+BA M,M,L
Dark Soul Impact 3A+B L GC-L2
Flying Edge 2A+B M SCUB; [2] remains
in knockdown
Spin Kick A+K h
= Combo K h
= Slash A h
= Slash [A] h ends in NSSr
= Slash Cross AA*B h,h,M delay last hit
for GC
= Slash Cross AA*[B] h,h,M ends in NLS
= Double Grounder A2AA h,L,L
Night Back Stance B+K n/a ends in NBS
Night Lower Stance 4B+K n/a ends in NLS
NBS Running Stance 66B+K n/a ends in NBSR; #6
Night Side Stance Right 8B+K n/a ends in NSSr; #7
Leg Hack FC A l
Shadow Buster FC B M
Shadow Buster FC [B] M ends in NLS
Grind Low Kick FC K L
Maelstrom WS A Sm
Maelstrom WS [A] Sm ends in NSSr
Maelstrom WS AA(2) Sm,l pressing 2
cancels second hit
Rising Night Kicks WS K m,m
Notes:
#1: Shifts to non-escapable throw on successful GI.
#2: Shifts to throw on clean hit; changes position on successful throw
#3: Hold 2 to twirl into foreground, 8 to twirl into background.
#4: Alternate command is 2K,K,K,K,K when opponent is grounded.
#5: Alternate command is 2[K] when opponent is grounded.
#6: See section on Night Back Stance for NBSR attacks.
#7: When character is facing right. In 2P position press 2B+K.
===============================
Night Back Stance (NBS) Attacks
===============================
Name Command Range Misc.
Annihilation A h,m
Annihilation [A] h ends in NSSr
Carving Edge 2A_bA L
Carving Edge 2[A]_b[A] L ends in NSSl
Terror Stomper B M
Knee K m remains in NBS
Knee Rush K,K m,h
Running [6]_66 n/a goes to NBSR
= Blood Bath A,A h,h
= Blood Bath [A] h ends in NSSr
= Hell Slayer B M RO
Night Lower Stance 4B+K n/a ends in NLS
Night Side Stance Left 2B+K n/a ends in NSSl; #1
Night Side Stance Right 8B+K n/a ends in NSSr; #1
Notes:
#1: When character is facing right. In 2P position, reverse commands.
================================
Night Lower Stance (NLS) Attacks
================================
Name Command Range Misc.
Leg Hacker A l
Leg Hacker [A] l ends in NSSr
Death Horn Charge B m
Death Horn Charge [B] m ends in NBS
Cannonball Splitter 6B m,m,m GC-L2
Death's Claw K m GI's h attacks
Death's Claw [K] m GI's h attacks;
ends in NSSl
Rook Splitter A+B M GC-L1; SCUB
Night Back Stance B+K n/a ends in NBS
Night Side Stance Left 2B+K n/a ends in NSSl; #1
Night Side Stance Right 8B+K n/a ends in NSSr; #1
Notes:
#1: When character is facing right. In 2P position, reverse commands.
======================================
Night Side Stance Right (NSSr) Attacks
======================================
Name Command Range Misc.
Cross Grounder AA L,h
Double Grounder Alpha A2A L,L
Cannonball Lifter B M
Cannonball Lifter [B] M ends in NBS
Spinning Retreat bA M CFSc
Night Front Kick K h DOSc; RO
Reaver A+B m GC-L1
Reaver [A+B] m ends in NSSl;
GC-L1
Night Back Stance B+K n/a ends in NBS
Night Lower Stance 4B+K n/a ends in NLS
Night Side Stance Left 2B+K n/a ends in NSSl; #1
Notes:
#1: When character is facing right. In 2P position, reverse commands.
=====================================
Night Side Stance Left (NSSl) Attacks
=====================================
Name Command Range Misc.
Cross Grounder AA L,h
Double Grounder Alpha A2A L,L
Cannonball Lifter B M
Cannonball Lifter [B] M ends in NBS
Helm Shear bA M RO
Night Front Kick K h DOSc; RO
Reaver A+B m GC-L1
Reaver [A+B] m ends in NSSl;
GC-L1
Night Back Stance B+K n/a ends in NBS
Night Lower Stance 4B+K n/a ends in NLS
Night Side Stance Right 8B+K n/a ends in NSSr; #1
Notes:
#1: When character is facing right. In 2P position, reverse commands.
===========
8WR Attacks
===========
Remember, these attacks can only be executed if you go into 8WR run first. In
case you forgot, 8WR can be done by tapping and then holding the direction you
want to go. For example, to 8WR backwards, the command is 4,[4].
Name Command Range Misc.
Right Slasher 6A h
Rook Splitter 6B M SCUB
Sliding 6K L
Dropkick 6kB h ends in
knockdown; GC; SCUB
Axle Winder any direction,A+K L
Alternate Cross 3_9A m input affects hit
direction
Sky Splitter 3_9B M
Sky Splitter 3_9[B] M ends in NBS
Rush 3_9K m
Rush 3_9[K] m ends in NBS
Rush Splitter 3_9KB m,M
Rush Splitter 3_9K[B] m,M ends in NBS
Rush Crusher 3_9kK m,h
NBS Running 6B+K n/a ends in NBSR
Night Back Stance 3_9B+K n/a ends in NBS
Night Side Stance Right 2B+K n/a ends in NSSr; #1
Night Side Stance Left 8B+K n/a ends in NSSl; #1
Reverse Advance Slash 8A h
Reverse Advance Slash 8[A] h ends in NSSl
Reverse Advance Slash 8A[A] h,h ends in NBS
Reverse Advance Slash 8AAB h,h,M
Reverse Advance Slash 8AA[B] h,h,M ends in NLS
Reverse Revenge 8AA6B h,h,m RO
Armor Pierce 2_8[B] M ends in NLS
Break Kick 2_8BBK M,m
Armor Pierce 2_8BBB M,M,L
Armor Pierce 2_8BB[B] M,M,L ends in NLS
Armor Breaker 2_8bgBB M,L
Armor Breaker 2_8bgB[B] M,L ends in NLS
Break Kick 2_8bgBK M,m
Gauntlet Buster 2_8b6 m
Rampart Buster 2_8b4 M GC-L1; SCUB
Buster Grounder 2_8B2A M,L delay second hit
by [A]
Buster Grounder 2_8B2a4 M second hit
cancels into NBS
Spin Kick 2_8K h
= Combo K h
= Slash [A] h ends in NSSr
= Slash Cross AA*B h,h,M delay last hit
for GC
= Slash Cross AA*[B] h,h,M ends in NLS
= Double Grounder A2AA h,L,L
Advancing Slash 2A h
Advancing Slash 2[A] h ends in NSSl
Advancing Slash 2A*[A] h,h ends in NBS
Advancing Slash 2A*AB h,h,M RO
Advancing Slash 2A*A[B] h,h,M ends in NLS
Revenge 2A*A6B h,h,m
Backspin Slash 1_4_7A h G-cancel
Backspin Slash 1_4_7[A] h G-cancel; ends in
NSSl
Shadow Impact 1_7B L
Darkside Kick 1_7K m
Dive 4B M recovers
crouching; GC-L1; SCUB
Dive 4[B] M ends in NLS
Fatal Dive 4BB M,SM recovers
crouching; GC-L1; SCUB
Fatal Dive 4B[B] M,SM ends in NBS
Jade Smasher 4K m causes bounce stun
= Breaker A h GI's h/m attacks
= Breaker 2_8A h
Notes:
#1: When facing right. In 2P position, reverse commands.
*************
Move Analysis
*************
======
Throws
======
Hilt Impact G+A escape: A
Nightmare grabs his opponent and bashes them over the head with Soul Edge's
hilt twice. If you're close to the edge, you can ring out. A good mixup against
chronic blockers, and extremely dangerous on the edges of the arena.
Soul Devour G+B escape: B
The other basic throw. Night smashes his victim over the head before grabbing
them by the throat and throwing them a considerable distance.
Calamity Fall G+B_G+A from left escape: A_B
Nightmare does his best impersonation of a professional wrestler with this side
Russian Leg Sweep. Side throwing happens a lot more often than in Tekken, so
take it when the oppurtunity presents itself.
Unholy Terror G+B_G+A from right escape: A_B
A nasty looking throw, Nightmare grabs his victim and impales them on Soul
Edge. Then he throws the sword over his head with his opponent still attached.
Ouch!
Witch Hunt G+A_G+B from back escape: none
Night's back throw is nothing to holler about. He stabs the victim in the back
and shoves them away violently.
Flap Jack FC G+A_G+B escape: A_B
Nightmare grabs his opponent's feet and sends them flipping through the air.
You'll fall in love with this throw for many reasons. First, it serves as an
excellent attack after a ducked throw attempt. Second, few people know how to
break this move and fewer still can readily ancipate it. Finally, it sets up
Nightmare's excellent wakeup game well. A final note: you can grab fallen
opponents, although you'll only flip them over for little damage.
================
Standard Attacks
================
Evil Eye (console only) a6
Nightmare smashes his opponent in the face with the hilt of Soul Edge. This
causes Crumple Fall Stun on hit. A fairly slow move that doesn't cover step all
too well. Use sparingly.
Slash A
Slash [A]
A simple high-hitting horizontal slash. Nightmare has quite a range on his
horizontal slashes. Use this primarily to zone out opponents and to herd them
into Nightmare's ideal range. If you hold A, you will spin and shift into NSSr.
You can also cancel the attack by pressing G, which is great against GI-happy
opposition and for all-purpose fakeouts. It's a great tool to draw whiffed GI's.
Slash Cross AA*B
Slash Cross AA*[B]
Two horizontal slashes followed by a huge vertical chop. Nightmare has the
slowest A attack in the game and the last vertical is fairly easy to sidestep.
I'd leave this out of my moveset.
Quick Backspin Slash agA
Quick Backspin Slash ag[A]
Nightmare spins around while whipping his sword out in front of him. This is
the alternate command for Nightmare's 4A. It will not produce a crumple fall
stun like 4A, but it does knock people back a ways and RO's to the right.. This
is a 1FS command, so you'll have to hit those inputs like mad. An easier way is
to hold guard, press A, release G, re-tap and quickly hit A_[A]. (Thanks to the
great Srayer for this technique)
Double Grounder A2AA
Double Grounder A2Aa4
One high slash, followed by two slashes at ankle level. Around the edges, the
two low slashes will ring out. If you immediately press 4 before the second low
slash comes out, Nightmare will cancel into NBS. I use this after opponents
expect me to throw AA*B. To note, the NBS cancel works great on people who try
and anticipate the followup.
Spin Slash 6A
Spin Slash 6[A]
No Nightmare playing worth mentioning doesn't have this move in his/her
arsenal. Nightmare spins around, knocking his opponent down with a horizontal
slash. Hold down A to shift into NSSr. Spin Slash is marvelous at keeping
opponents out of Nightmare's face. You can pull it out as they charge in and
knock them away from you. It RO's to the right.
Right Slasher 66A or 8WR,6A
Easily confused with Spin Slash, Right Slasher is a slower and more powerful
variation. If it's blocked, you get minimal frame disadvantage, so you can use
it to bait people into attacking and eating CH.
Dark Bite 3A
Nightmare hits his opponent with a swift uppercut from his deformed hand. Dark
Bite also auto-GI's high and mid-hitting horizontal attacks. On a successful
auto-GI, Nightmare grabs his opponent and spikes them like a football.
Touchdown! As great as it sounds, Dark Bite isn't all that great. It has horrid
recovery and the damage is pathetic, even after the auto-GI throw.
Leg Hack 2A
A horizontal slash directed at the opponent's feet. Leg Hack is best used to
get in crouching position. From there, you can launch into Night's FC/WS
attacks, notably WS K, WS [B] or AA(2) and FC G+A_G+B.
Shadow Slicer 1A
Nightmare does a low spin slash similar to the second hit of his A2AA. It's
tempting to use this on grounded opponents, but it will only hit them if they
roll to the side. It's also great for cutting down people who attempt to 8WR
toward you.
Backspin Slash 4A or 8WR,1_4_7A
Backspin Slash 4[A] or 8WR,1_4_7[A]
The alternate command for agA. Holding A will shift Nightmare into NSSl. This
causes crumple fall stun on hit, allowing you to initiate a combo. As such,
avoid excercising the stance shift option in order to exploit your now falling
foe. Try cancelling for added spice!
Splitter B
Splitter [B]
Splitter b7
One, singular vertical slash. If you press G, you cancel the attack altogether.
Holding down B will put you in NLS and hitting 7 before the slash comes out
cancels into NBS. Your B slash will hit grounded opponents due to the sheer
size of Soul Edge. Of course, there are better alternatives..
Mail Splitter BB
Two large vertical slashes. Pretty much the standard BB combo every character
has. On CH, the second slash is guaranteed.
Armor Breaker bgB or 8WR,2_8bgB
Armor Breaker bg[B] or 8WR,2_8bg[B]
It looks like Nightmare's regular B, but with a little more startup time
because the first B is G-cancelled. Holding B will shift Night into NLS.
Armor Breaker bgB
Armor Breaker bgB[B]
A vertical slash followed by a lifting slash that looks like 2/3 of Siegfried's
BBB attack from SC1, except the last lifter hits special mid and not low. That
would make sense, since... uh... Nightmare was Siegfried before becoming
possessed by Soul Edge. Holding B after the lifter shifts Night into NBS. This
is a much better pressuring tool than BB because it has a variety of options in
terms of cutting the string short and shifting into stance.
Break Kick bgBK or 8WR,2_8bgBK
A vertical chop followed by a kick. Use this when opponents are anticipating
another vertical slash. The kick is fast and will most likely throw off an
opponent's GI timing if you've conditioned them thoroughly. This is a much
better pressuring tool due to its speed.
Gauntlet Buster b6 or 8WR,2_8b6
It resembles a regular B slash except it comes out faster and won't hit
grounded opponents. I prefer using this as a poking tool, since it's faster
than Nightmare's regular B attack. It causes a Forced Crouch State on hit or
block, nifty for forcing mixups.
Rampart Buster b4 or 8WR,2_8b4
Think of Rampart Buster as a slower, more powerful version of Night's regular
vertical slash. This is so dirty post-GI, especially if the opponent whiffs the
re-GI attempt. Also nice as a SCUB. Eek!
Buster Grounder B2A or 8WR,2_8B2A
Buster Grounder B2a4 or 8WR,2_8B2a4
Nightmare does a vertical slash followed by a sweeping low horizontal. Pressing
4 before the second attack comes out causes Night to cancel into NBS. Delaying
the second hit can mess up GI timing. Use it well. Oh yeah, tapping 4 will
cause Nighty to cancel the last hit into NBS for more fakery. Nice...
Piercing Strike 6B
Piercing Fake 6b4B+K
A lunging strike that can ring out near the edges. Nightmare reaches for this
one, making it his longest-reaching B attack. Don't abuse this move because it
is well-telegraphed and a savvy player can GI or step it. It's best used to
interrupt a long-ranged player's strings or as a surprise attack. If you
immediatlely press B+K, Nightmare will cancel the stab and shift into NLS.
Nifty for scaring people.
Thrusting Strike 6B:B
Similar in appearance to the last hit of 8WR 2_8AA6B. Nightmare will feint a
6B, but hesitate and use this instead. This requires a JF input. Time the
second press right before Nightmare is fully crouched.
Rook Splitter 66B or 8WR6B
Non-Nightmare players fear and loathe this move with a passion, and rightfully
so. Nightmare sidesteps and delivers a crushing vertical slash. In Version A,
this move had awesome tracking and sidestepping capabilities for a B attack and
was highly abusable. As such, it made for a very cheap Nightmare. With Version
D out, the tracking and sidestepping properties of the move were toned down,
but nevertheless, it's still a viable component of your arsenal. Rook Splitter
recovers crouching and also becomes unblockable after a level 3 Soul Charge
([A+B+K] in case you forget). Best used to punish charging opponents, step
obvious vertical attacks or to tag impatient risers. No Nightmare player would
be caught not using this move. Remember, don't abuse Rook Splitter because a
well-timed GI or step will but you in a heap of trouble.
Sky Splitter 3B or 8WR,3_9B
Sky Splitter 3[B] or 8WR,3_9[B]
Another of Nightmare's go-to moves. Night does a massive uppercut with his
sword. Holding B will shift him into NBS. This is a move you will use quite
often, primarily because it covers Night's front well, goes under high attacks
and can hit fallen opponents. Keep in mind this move will not lift if done at
its maximum range. Don't be too careless in throwing this out; Nightmare is
wide open if it's blocked unless you know the not-so-secret 2G trick. More on
this later.
Shadow Buster 2B
Shadow Buster 2[B]
Vertical chop that leaves Night crouching. If you hold B, he will shift into
NLS. Great for wakeups, FC/WS setups and getting into stance. Seriously, once
you master the art of iFC/iWS (more on that later), you'll only use these
attacks sparingly.
Thrust Throw 1B
Nightmare does a quick stab with his sword. On a clean hit, he will lift his
sword over his head, sending the still-impaled victim flying. Ouch! If
Nightmare's back is to the edge, he will throw his opponent out of the ring!
Outside of this circumstance, there's very little reason to use Thrust Throw...
unless of course, you're playing a total buffoon.
Midnight Launcher 4B
Midnight Launcher 4[B]
Replacing Night's old 4B headbutt is a nifty whirling sword uppercut. To shift
into NBS and Guard Crush hold down the B button. Midnight Launcher lifts 'em
pretty high and if you do it by the edge of the arena, ring out is possible.
Works best on wakeup with its tracking or post-GI. Throw in the G-cancel for
more mind games! Gotta love those!
Dive 44B or 8WR,4B
Dive 44[B] or 8WR,4[B]
Leaping high into the air, Night comes down hard with a big ass vertical chop.
He skys like Mike and is able to leap over low attacks like Ivy's 1A. If you
hold down B, Nightmare will shift into NLS. It's well-telegraphed, so it's
better to leave this move out.
Fatal Dive 44BB or 8WR,4BB
Fatal Dive 44B[B] or 8WR,4B[B]
Similar to Dive except Nightmare follows it up with a low lifting slash.
Holding B will shift him into NBS. As with Dive, it's well-telegraphed putting
it into "leave out" category. However, if the first hit connects, the second is
guaranteed. Plus, it tracks fairly well. Surprise!
Earth Divide 2,3,6B
Nightmare's standing unblockable. It's got a horrid startup time and tracks
like crap. If you wind up doing this, you can press G to cancel the attack.
Since's a total waste of time, avoid using Earth Divide at all costs.
Dark Kick K
A regular standing K. Night's regular K works best when used to interrupt
combos or delivering the last finishing blow. If an opponent gets in close, you
can use this to lock them down and buy yourself some time.
Jade Crusher 6K
THE Nightmare interrupt. Night punches his opponent in the face with his
grotesquely mutated right hand. If you don't incorporate this move into your
arsenal, you will have headaches against speedier characters. On CH, Jade
Crusher will cause the opponent to be knocked back quite a distance. The space
created by CH is invaluable to Nightmare's game. Trust me, skillful use of this
move is what seperates the wannabes from the pros.
Rush 66K or 8WR,3_9K
Rush 66[K] (2_8) or 8WR,3_9[K](2_8)
Nightmare charges in with his shoulder. Holding K will shift you into NBS.
(Console note: You must tap 2 or 8 to do the spin. This wasn't the case in the
arcade version.) This attack is fairly safe when it's blocked, so you can set
up a blockstun trap and bait people into eating CH like tacos.
Rush Splitter 66KB or 8WR,3_9KB
Rush Splitter 66K[B] or 8WR,3_9K[B]
A shoulder charge followed by Night's 3B. Holding B will shift into NBS. On CH,
the followup B is guaranteed. Unlike the regular 66K, this one leaves Nightmare
vulnerable if it's blocked. The tradeoff is good because a CH 66K means the
followup B is guaranteed. Mad ouchies everywhere.
Rush Crusher 66kK or 8WR,3_9kK
Shoulder charge followed by a Jade Crusher. This is much safer than Rush
Splitter on block, since the big fist will knock people backwards. The timing
on the second K is almost a JF, although you can always get it if you mash the
second K. On CH, the second K is guaranteed.
Dropkick 66kB or 8WR,6kB
Not the most effective move, but certainly the most entertaining. Nightmare
does his rendition of a pro wrestler with a spectacular running dropkick. He
ends up grounded whether the kick hits or not. I mostly like to use this move
to show off and elicit laughs from my audience. It is a SCUB, meaning you can
use it to take out turtles. Against more experienced competition, it's best
left out of your bag of tricks. Fear the dropkick! [laughs maniacally]
Axel 3K,K
= Headbutt B
Nightmare does a sidekick, a low sweep and has the option of ending the string
with a headbutt. By itself, the intial 3K is pretty speedy, thus making it
viable as an interrupt. The second K will put you into FC, which is highly
invaluable because of the mean FC/WS moves Night's got at his disposal. It's
better to stick with the first two hits rather than finish the whole string. If
the second hit is CH, the headbutt is guaranteed.
Grind Low Kick 1_2K
Just a plain old ducking kick that leaves Nightmare in FC. Grind Low Kick is
best used to set up FC/WS moves or to poke. Avoid doing 2K, especially when the
opponent is down. Otherwise, you'll wind up stomping. You will learn to love
this move when fighting faster characters like Cassandra or Taki up close.
Headbutt Tackle 4KK
Headbutt Tackle 4K[K](2_8)
Nightmare does a headbutt and a shoulder charge. When the headbutt hits, the
followup shoulder charge is guaranteed. If you hold K after the shoulder
charge, Night will spin and shift into NBS. Tapping 2 or 8 will determine the
direction of the spin. The headbutt is a great interrupt move when in close.
When I say up close, I mean REAL close. The range of the heabutt
itself isn't as hot, but the shoulder ram followup makes up for it. A good and
safe move to use in close, even if it's blocked. (Console note: You must tap 2
or 8 to spin into NBS. Otherwise, Night will shift without the spin.)
Jade Smasher 44K or 8WR,4K
= Breaker A
= Breaker 2_8A
After rearing back, Nightmare lunges forward with a fierce-looking punch from
his mutated arm. Afterwards, you have the option of throwing out an A or 2_8A.
Each of these slashes will auto-GI high and mid attacks. On hit, the punch
causes bounce stun, setting up some small juggle oppurtunities. On block, you
get some guard stagger, but I'm not sure what is guaranteed after that.
Personally, I don't use this move too often. In the future, I'll look into it.
Stomping 236KKKKK or 2KKKKK (when opponent is down)
Probably Nightmare's funniest move. He steps forward and proceeds to stomp the
crap out of his hapless foe. Stomping is an excellent wakeup attack, but it's
best to cut the stomping short no matter how funny it is. But if you're certain
you're playing against a scrub, go ahead and stomp them a mudhole! Otherwise,
it's better for post-round humiliation.
Earth Trample 236[K] or 2[K] (when opponent is down)
It's just one powered-up stomp that does as much damage as the regular stomps
combined. Earth Trample is an unblockable low. I love to set this up after I've
knocked the opponent down. I just run up, charge this baby up and watch them
get "deer-in-the-headlights" effect. Toe Hopping Stun results from a successful
stomp. Stomp away!
Blaze Wind A+B
Nightmare spins his sword in front of him three times before ending in NSSr.
SC1 veterans will recognize this as Siegfried's move. It covers Night's front
well, advances him forward and is pretty speedy as well. Nice to throw out
occasionally, but don't get too predictable with it.
Blaze Storm A+BA
Similar to Blaze Wind, but instead of ending in NSSr, Nightmare passes the
sword behind his back for a low hit. Otherwise, the move has the same
properties, and thus the same uses. Mix in with Blaze Wind for the best results.
Dark Soul Impact 3A+B or 8WR,1_7B
Night thrusts his sword at his foe's feet. Dark Soul Impact knocks down on hit,
hits grounded opponents and can ring out if by the edge. This attack is best
utilized as a surprise attack, especially when you've fooled the other player
into expecting a 6B stab. Make sure you'll score a hit though, because if
blocked or stepped, Nightmare will be in a vulnerable position.
Flying Edge 2A+B
= grounded [2]
Another old move with a new command. Nightmare falls down with his blade
extended, resulting in a devastating vertical blow. Holding 2 will keep
Nightmare in the grounded position, nice if you want to set up a WS attack.
Flying Edge becomes unblockable after a Soul Charge, so consider breaking this
out against stubbornly defensive people.
Spin Kick A+K or 8WR,2_8K
= Combo K
= Slash A
= Slash [A]
= Slash Cross AA*B
= Slash Cross AA*[B]
= Double Grounder A2AA
Night throws out an advancing spin kick followed up by a whole plethora of
options. Since Spin Kick links into most of Nightmare's standard combos,
there's no excuse for predictability. Don't go crazy with Spin Kick combos,
because the next hit after the kick is high. A smart opponent can easily
duckand punish. On CH, AA is guaranteed after the A+K/8WR 2_8K.
Night Back Stance B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Back Stance or NBS for short.
Night Lower Stance 4B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Lower Stance or NLS for short.
Night Back Stance Running 66B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Back Stance Running or NBSR for short.
Night Side Stance Right 2B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Side Stance Right. This command only applies if
Nightmare is in the 1P position onscreen.
Night Side Stance Left 8B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Side Stance Left. This command only applies if
Nightmare is in the 1P position onscreen.
Leg Hack FC A
Same as Nightmare's standing 2A. I like using this against people who attempt
to run in while I'm crouching. Great for keeping people out of range.
Shadow Buster FC B
Shadow Buster FC [B]
A smashing vertical slash identical to 2B. Holding B will shift Nightmare into
NLS. Besides that, not much else. 2B is a much better FC/WS setup anyhow.
Grind Low Kick FC K
Same as Night's standing 1_2K. Anyone seeing a pattern here? Nice to use when
everyone's expecting Nightmare's ground throw. That's eeeeeviiiil!
Maelstrom WS A
Maelstrom WS [A]
Nightmare does a whirling slash that hits mid. Holding A will put you in NSSr.
This move was slowed down in the console version.
Maelstrom WS AA (2)
The same as the other variations except Nightmare does two spinning slashes.
Pressing 2 after the second A will cancel the second attack altogether.
Remember this; it's an excellent option when facing GI-happy opponents or just
to fake people out altogether. In fact, cancelling leaves you crouching so you
can pull out more FC/WS trickery.
Sky Splitter WS B
Sky Splitter WS [B]
Nightmare does a rising vertical slash similar to his 3B, except this one
doesn't hit grounded. This move is invaluable for punishing a ducked high or a
blocked low. Holding B will put you into NBS. Learn to love this move; it'll
come in handy more than once.
Rising Night Kicks WS K
These two karate kicks hit mid and is damn fast. You can also bust this out
from knockdown position, so it shines as a good surprise attack. Words will not
express how valuable this move is against a conditioned opponent. If you can
instill a healthy fear of Night's ground throw, you can annoy them with FC
grabs and FC K's to no end. In addition, Rising Night Kicks is invaluable in
fending off close-range assaults, especially botched throw attempts. Thus, you
should try to get a feel for WS K's maximum range so you can throw it out when
needed.
===============================
Night Back Stance (NBS) Attacks
===============================
Annihilation A
Annihilation [A]
Nightmare whirls Soul Edge over his head twice, hitting high and then mid. If
you hold A, Annihilation only hits high and will put Nightmare into NSSr.
Annihilation is best used to zone out rush-happy opponents. The range is decent
and does an excellent job pushing people out. Note: You cannot do this move
while in NBSR.
Carving Edge 2A_bA
Carving Edge 2[A]_b[A]
A whirling, low-hitting slash. Holding A will shift you into NSSl. If you're
too close while in NBS, I seriously recommend Carving Edge to train people to
duck while still discouraging step. It'll do you a ton of good, even if it's
blocked.
Terran Stomper B
Nightmare brings Soul Edge down for a crushing vertical blow. Chances are you
will use this move quite a bit because it hurts a lot and has solid blockstun.
Don't get too happy with it though, because it does take a bit of time to come
out. At midrange, Terran Stomper is solid interrupt and will beat out a lot of
incoming attacks. If you land 3[B] up close, this is guaranteed damage. Note:
You cannot do this move while in NBSR.
Knee K
Simply put, Night throws out a knee while still remaining in NBS. Along with
Carving Edge, another useful move when in close, due to its sheer speed. In
fact, it's the fastest of all of Nightmare's stance-based moves. Thus, it's a
major asset for keeping slap-happy characters like Talim out of your way.
Knee Rush KK
An extension of the Knee, Nightmare follows up the initial knee with a high
kick. If the knee hits, the kick is guaranteed. The last kick does hit high, so
it can be ducked. Stick with the Knee, it'll do you more good.
Night Back Stance Running 8WR any direction
Puts Nightmare into Night Back Stance Running, or NBSR for short.
Night Lower Stance 4B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Lower Stance or NLS for short.
Night Side Stance Right 2B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Side Stance Right. This command only applies if
Nightmare is in the 1P position onscreen.
Night Side Stance Left 8B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Side Stance Left. This command only applies if
Nightmare is in the 1P position onscreen.
========================================
Night Back Stance Running (NBSR) Attacks
========================================
Note: You can still perform NBS K,K and NBS 2A_[A] while in NBSR.
Blood Bath AA
Blood Bath [A]
Nightmare charges in with two sweeping horizontal blows. Holding the first
horizontal slash will put him into NSSr. I gotta tell you, nothing's scarier
than a man charging at you preparing to swing his big-ass sword. Keep in mind,
this sucker can ring out quite a distance.
Hell Slayer B
Charging in while in NBS, Night delivers a massive sword uppercut. By the edge,
Hell Slayer will ring out like no one's business and will also tag grounded
opponents. So if you're far away from a grounded foe, charging at them and
making them pay might be something to consider.
================================
Night Lower Stance (NLS) Attacks
================================
Leg Hack A
Leg Hack [A]
Identical to Nightmare's 2A_FC A, except you can shift into NSSr by holding A.
Invaluable against run-ins, and even on block will put Nightmare in a safe
position to resume his offensive.
Death Horn Charge B
Death Horn Charge [B]
Nightmare rushes forward with a stab. Holding B will put you into NBS. I like
this move because it does an excellent job of pushing opponents out and is
pretty safe to throw out because of the solid blockstun it provides. Mix in
with other NLS attacks to cut down the opposition. Be wary of smart stepper
though.
Cannonball Splitter 6B
Not exactly abuseable, but it has its uses. Nightmare somersaults forward while
bringing his sword down for a tremendous vertical blow. Actually, opponents can
be hit while Night is somersaulting forward. At midrange, this move can stuff
run-ins because it covers so much ground. Up close, it's not the best option
since Nightmare can be hit out of his somersault with a fast attack. Get a feel
for your opponent's tendencies and this move will find a way to annoy the hell
out of them.
Death Claw K
Death Claw [K]
A twirling uppercut I've heard mixed reviews about. Holding K will shift you
into NSSl. Some Nightmare players prefer his old NLS K because of its awesome
interrupting ability. Others maintain Death Claw is better because it auto-GI's
attacks and has more options with the stance shift. Personally, I believe this
move shines in close and will catch a lot of people off guard with its odd
startup time.
Rook Splitter A+B
Same as Night's 6,6B. It doesn't give Nightmare crazy evasion like 66B does,
although it does sidestep verticals. Oh well, nice to toss in occasionally. And
it does become unblockable after a lvl3 Soul Charge like 6,6B.
Night Back Stance B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Back Stance or NBS for short.
Night Back Stance Running 66B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Back Stance Running or NBSR for short.
Night Side Stance Right 2B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Side Stance Right. This command only applies if
Nightmare is in the 1P position onscreen.
Night Side Stance Left 8B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Side Stance Left. This command only applies if
Nightmare is in the 1P position onscreen.
======================================================
Night Side Stance Left (NSSl) and Right (NSSr) Attacks
======================================================
I put these two stances together since they share identical attacks. Both of
these stances are identical, save for a few minor differences in attack levels.
Each of these stances has a time and place; NSSr is not necessarily better than
NSSl and vice versa.
Cross Grounder AA
A sweeping low slash followed by a spinning back slash. I advice against
completing this string because the last hit can easily be ducked because of its
startup lag. Still, best used against run-ins or people unfamiliar with
Nightmare's style.
Double Grounder Alpha A2A
Same as Cross Grounder, except the final slash goes low. This is a step better
than Cross Grounder because it forces opponents to keep blocking low at the
risk of eating a low slash that can possibly Ring Out. Watch out for the WS
attack after the last hit is blocked though. On CH, both slashes are
guaranteed. The NSSl variation RO's to the right and NSSr RO's to the left.
Cannonball Lifter B
Cannonball Lifter [B]
Nightmare spins around before bring his sword up high with a fierce vertical
blow. Holding B will put you into NBS. A solid option if you anticipate a
horizontal attack to break.
Spinning Retreat bA
Nightmare spins away from his opponent while whipping his sword out in a
horizontal arc. Similar to NBS B~A_2A, it's a decent tool to create some space
and to stuff run-ins. Holding NOTE: This move hits mid in NSSr and high in
NSSl. Also, Nightmare does not spin away from his opponent when this move is
performed in NSSl.
Night Front Kick K
Impersonating a cheerleader to the best of his ability, Nightmare breaks out
with a high kick. Night Front Kick can RO on regular hit. On CH, it will cause
crumple stun, making a 3[B] -> NBS B combo guaranteed. Cool...
Reaver A+B
Reaver [A+B]
Nightmare brings the sword high over his head before bringing it down with a
crushing blow. Holding A+B will shift Nightmare into the opposite NSS. For
example, if you do [A+B] from NSSr, then you will shift into NSSl and vice
versa. This creates very solid blockstun for you and you can probably get in a
CH NSS K if you're lucky.
Night Back Stance B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Back Stance or NBS for short.
Night Back Stance Running 66B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Back Stance Running or NBSR for short.
Night Side Stance Right 2B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Side Stance Right. This command only applies if
Nightmare is in the 1P position onscreen. NOTE: You cannot do this command if
you are already in NSSr.
Night Side Stance Left 8B+K
Puts Nightmare into Night Side Stance Left. This command only applies if
Nightmare is in the 1P position onscreen. NOTE: You cannot do this command if
you are already in NSSl.'
=====================
8WR Exclusive Attacks
=====================
These attacks can only be done from 8WR. Some of Nightmare's regular attacks
have 8WR equivalents. To find them, look up the move in question under the
"Standard Attacks" Section.
Axel Winder A+K
The best of Nightmare's 8WR moves, and probably the one your opponents will
come to fear. Nightmare does a spinning sweep that knocks opponents down and
also hits grounded opponents. It's the Swiss Army Knife of moves! Use after a
successful knockdown to tick away life or to knock down impatient risers. Any
Nightmare player worth his salt swears by this move.
Alternate Cross 3_9A
Nightmare's old 3A from SC1. He slaps his opponent with the flat edge of the
sword. You can ring out with this depending on which side you hit them towards.
Holding 3 will hit them into the background and 9 will hit them into the
foreground. Best used when mixed in with Nightmare's other, more popular 8WR
attacks.
Advancing Slash 2A
Advancing Slash 2[A]
Nightmare performs a horizontal slash while moving to the side. Holding A will
put you into NSSl. This, along with 6A and agA form the core of Nightmare's
containment arsenal. Keep in mind this command only applies to the 1P position.
Reverse commands if you're on the 2P side.
Advancing Slash 2A*A
Advancing Slash 2A*[A]
Nightmare does two high-hitting horizontal slashes while moving to the side.
You can delay the second hit. Holding A during the second hit will shift you
into NBS. Great for covering lots of ground and stuffing possible run-ins.
Whenever possible, throw this out to keep people out of your face.
Advancing Slash 2A*AB
Advancing Slash 2A*A[B]
Two horizontal slashes punctuated with a thunderous vertical blow. Holding B
will put you into NLS. You can use this to punish people who run in, expecting
you to do just 8WR,2A*A_[A]. Going to NLS opens up further options while still
giving you the initiative.
Revenge 2A*A6B
Two horizontal slashes followed with a forward thrust. Nothing special compared
to the regular Advancing Slashes, although it does ring out nicely. You'd
probably want to use this if you want to create some space between you and your
foe.
Reverse Advancing Slash 8A
Reverse Advancing Slash 8[A]
Looks similar to 8WR,2A but Nightmare spins after doing his slash. Holding A
will put you into NSSr. It's slower and not useful in containing stepping
opponents. Still, it has its time and place.
Reverse Advancing Slash 8AA
Reverse Advancing Slash 8A[A]
It's almost the same as the regular Advancing Slash, except you can't delay the
second hit. Holding A after the second hit will shift you into NBS. On CH, this
is guaranteed.
Reverse Advancing Slash 8AAB
Reverse Advancing Slash 8AA[B]
Getting tired of seeing moves with similar names? Me too. They really should do
something about it. Anyways, it's two horizontal slashes ending with a vertical
chop. Holding B will shift Nightmare into NLS.
Reverse Revenge 8AA6B
Same as regular Revenge except for all the spinning Nighty does. Like with the
regular Revenge, shy away from this unless you're fishing for a ring out or
trying to play keepaway.
Armor Breaker 2_8BBB
Armor Breaker 2_8BB[B]
Two quick vertical chops and a thrust directed at the opponent's ankles. If the
second hit is CH, the third is guaranteed. Not too useful, as it is easy to
sidestep.
Armor Breaker 2_8bgBB
Armor Breaker 2_8bgB[B]
An abbreviated version of the above move. It basically skips the first chop and
goes straight into the second chop and ankle thrust. Holding B will shift you
into NBS. Excellent for people who jump the gun anticipating the full series.
On CH, this is guaranteed.
Darkside Kick 1_7K
Nightmare's old 4K sidekick can only be done from 8WR in SC2. Not quite the
powerhouse it used to be, it doesn't even knock down anymore either, except on
CH. It can RO as well on CH. Use this maneuver to setup some nasty blockstun
traps. CH 66K[B] anyone?
Night Back Stance 3_9B+K
Nightmare spins while getting into NBS. The direction you press will determine
the direction of the spin. 3 spins Night into the foreground, 9 into the
background. The spin has some evasive properties, if you quickly input G, you
spin and quickly return to neutral state.
NBS Running 6B+K
Shifts Nightmare into Night Back Stance Running, or NBSR for short.
****************
Advanced Tactics
****************
===============================
The Not-So-Secret 3[B]:2G Trick
===============================
Before you learn anything else, this is the most important. Normally, Nightmare
eats an AA or throw after a blocked 3[B]/8WR 3_9[B]. Normally. With this trick,
you can quickly move out of NBS into a defensive position, putting yourself out
of harm's way.
To summarize, you must input 2G at the correct time. Unlike a JF attack, you
won't get a visual cue telling you that you've done the move correctly. If you
don't eat a 10-11 frame A, then you're good. Otherwise, keep practicing. The
8WR version of 3[B]:2G is easier to perform. So if you're going to do 33[B]2G,
then that's OK. It's just the timing for regular 3[B] is tighter.
As great as it is, the 2G trick is not a cure-all. This merely makes Nightmare
less suspectible to highs, mids and throws, but it doesn't protect him from
lows. Remember that and be prepared to defend appropriately.
=======================
Nightmare Can Combo Too
=======================
Just because Nightmare is a big, hulking powerwhacker doesn't mean he can't
combo like the best of them. He may not have the combo prowess of Taki or
Xianghua, but he certainly has some wicked guaranteed stuff up his sleeve.
Here's a list of guaranteed stuff. If you want the latest combo list visit
<
http://www.soulcalibur.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=595>.
Natural Combos:
3[B] -> NBS B
8WR 3_9[B] -> NBS B
NBS KK
4KK_[K]
6B:B:B (console only)
3KKB (if 2nd hit connects, 3rd is guaranteed)
8WR 2_8AA
44KA
44K 2_8A
44BB
44[B] -> NLS A+B
WS [B] -> NBS B
WL [B] -> NBS B
NLS [K] -> NSSl K
NSS [B] -> NBS B
3A -> 3B_[B]
66A -> 3B_[B]
CH required:
AA
BB
66K[B]/8WR 3_9K[B] -> NBS B
66K:K/8WR 2_9K:K
8WR 2_8KAA
bg[B] -> NLS A+B
NSS K -> 1B
NSS K -> 3[B] -> NBS B
bgBB
bgBK
8WR 2_8BBB (if 2nd hit connects, 3rd is guaranteed)
8WR 2_8BBK (if 2nd hit connects, 3rd is guaranteed)
8WR 2_8bgBB
8WR 2_8bgBK
6K -> 3A+B
Juggles:
44K -> b6 -> 3B_[B]
NBSR B -> b6 -> 3B_[B]
NLS [K] -> NSSl A2A
NLS [K] -> NSSl B_[B]
Stun combos:
4A -> 3[B] -> NBS B (might have to step in a bit after 4A)
4A -> throw
236[K] -> 4B
236[K] -> 3[B]
236[K] -> 2A+B
Regretfully, this list is small for the moment. If you have a combo that has
been thoroughly tested and proven to be guaranteed, email me with the words "NM
Combo" as your subject line.
======================
WS [B]/3[B] Punishment
======================
If you've ever seen Nightmare in a tournament setting, you'll come to realize
landing the WS [B]/3[B] -> NBS B combination is a large component of his
offense. The only problem is landing the first part. 3[B] and WS [B] leave
Nightmare wide open after they're blocked, so you can't go fishing for hits. In
this section, I'll list moves that Nightmare can easily punish with little risk
to himself.
++++++++
Xianghua
++++++++
2A+B (l) - WS [B] after blocking
3AK (l,h) - WS [B] after blocking first hit
2A+K,2K (L,L) - WS [B] after blocking last hit
aKB (M,L) - WS [B] after blocking last hit
FC 1A+BB_2B (M,h_L) - WS [B] after blocking/ducking last hit
++++
Taki
++++
1A (L) - WS [B] after blocking
BAA (m,h,L) - WS [B] after blocking
66K (sm x2) - 3[B] or WS [B] after blocking
WS BB (m,M) - WS [B] after blocking
PO A+K (m) - 3[B] after blocking
B[K]A - Duck after second hit and WS [B]
WRS KA - 3[B] after blocking first hit
++++
Maxi
++++
RC A/66A (m,M)- WS [B] after blocking
3A+K (L,h) - WS [B] after blocking
BL KK (L,h) - WS [B] after blocking first hit
RO KK/kBK (M,M) - WS [B] after blocking
RO KA/kBA (M,l) - WS [B] after blocking
6A+B - 3[B] after blocking (will not launch)
+++++++
Raphael
+++++++
Notes: I have only listed the regular variations of moves. If there is an
asterisk next to a listing, it means that the move also has a variation that
goes into Preparation Stances.
1K (L) - WS [B] after blocking
1A (l) - WS [B] after blocking
1BB (L,L) - WS [B] after blocking last hit
6BBB (h,h,m) - 3[B] after blocking last hit*
4K (h) - 3[B] after blocking
236B/Prep C B (m) - WS [B] after blocking
8WR 2_8AA (h,L) - WS [B] after blocking last hit
8WR 2_8AB (h,m) - WS [B] after blocking last hit*
8WR 3_99AB (h,L) - WS [B] after blocking last hit*
FC 3AAB (h,h,L) - WS [B] after blocking last hit *
FC 3B (L) - WS [B] after blocking *
Prep A 2B - WS [B] after blocking
+++++++++
Mitsurugi
+++++++++
2K (L) - WS [B] after blocking
2KB (L,M) - 3[B] after blocking
kB (M,M) - WS [B] after blocking (watch out for kB2!!!)
66BBB - WS [B] after blocking
1A - WS [B] after blocking
44[A] - 3[B} after blocking
MST K - WS [B] after blocking
+++++
Voldo
+++++
MC-HT 66 (L) - WS [B] after blocking
CR A+G_B+G (throw) - WS [B] after blocking (will not work if Voldo hops over
you)
BS 2A+B (L) - WS [B] after blocking
3A+B (h) - WS [B] after ducking
CR A+B - WS [B] after blocking
2A+B - WS [B] after blocking
+++++++++
Cervantes
+++++++++
1A+K (L) - WS [B] after blocking
4BK (m,h) - WS [B] after first hit and before second hit
+++
Ivy
+++
WS A+BA/ST AA (h,m,h) - Duck first hit and WS [B]
2A+K/8WR 2_8K (L) - WS [B] after blocking
WP A+B (h) - 3[B] after blocking
+++++++++
Cassandra
+++++++++
236B (m) - 3[B] after blocking
4K (m) - 3[B] after blocking
66A (m) - 3[B] after blocking
kB (SM) - 3[B] or WS [B] after blocking
8WR 2_8KK (L,m) - 3[B] after blocking last hit
=============
8WR Buffering
=============
Buffering an attack means to input the command while another action is
happening. With 8WR buffering, you can perform 8WR attacks while you're in the
middle of another attack. This technical skill is not exclusive to Nightmare,
but you'll definitely want to take advantage of it because of Nighty's great
8WR moves. Let's walk through an example.
66K into 8WR A+K. To do this right, the sequence would go 6,6K~6,[6]A+K. The
trick is to do the 6,[6]A+K motion as the 6,6K is coming out. If you did it
correctly, you should see Nightmare do his shoulder ram followed by his low
sweep.
===============
Stance Roulette
===============
Most characters have stances. Maxi, Mitsurugi, Ivy and Raphael to name a few.
Stance roulette is shifting into Nightmare's different stances in a seemingly
random order. Actually, an order known only to you. Unlike Maxi's Pure Soul
Loops, stance roulette does not follow a preset order. The purpose behind
shuffling stances is to fake out opponents and to lure them into falling for a
false opening. So let's start with a simple sequence.
Example #1: A roulette sequence may go NSSr -> NBS -> NSSr -> NBSR. First, you
would have to get into NSSr. Now the next three commands are B+K -> 2+B+K ->
B+K~6,6. If you did it correctly, you should see Nightmare move into each of
the stances listed. Congratulations! You have successfully done a stance
shifting sequence!
Now that you have the basic concept of stance roulette down, we should move on
to practical applications and theories.
Example #2: Suppose you're playing against a GI-happy Kilik. You just did [B],
putting you into NLS. For the most part, you tend to follow NLS with B and have
been GI'ed during previous attempts. Since you've conditioned your opponent to
expect this, you can now use some trickery. As the match progresses, you again
get into NLS and quickly switch into NSSl by hitting 8B+K. Your opponent,
already expecting the NLS B, attempts to GI. He's already whiffed so you can
punish him with a CH NSSl K. Surprise!
Example #3: You're pitted against an Ivy and the match has deteriorated into a
long range stalemate. You have more life than your opponent and there are only
15 seconds left in the round. Stance roulette works well in this situation to
force the opponent to attack on your terms. So now you shift into a seemingly
random sequence of stances. Your opponent becomes so confused, they don't even
notice you've shifted into NBSR! You charge and hit 'em with NBSR B. Pow!
I've done my best to explain the uses of stance roulette. It's really your
decision whether you want to incorporate it or not. I've seen plenty of great
Nightmare players who don't use it. Before we leave this section, let's go over
four key points. If you can remember these words of wisdom, you're on your way
to maximizing stance roulette's full potential.
1) Stance roulette has its time and place. It usually doesn't work against
faster characters like Cassandra or Taki. But it will work. Use wisely and you
will have tremendous results.
2) Never shift more than twice and vary the number of shifts you do at any
given roulette. Nightmare only has about 4 different stances. If you shift more
than twice, you lose the appearance of weakness and thus, stance rouletting
loses its fake-out power.
3) Keep the roulette unpredictable. What I mean by this is rouletting at odd
intervals. I also mean varying the sequence of the roulette and the number of
shifts. For example, if you always end your shifting at NBS, then it's much
easier to be predictable, which is always bad.
4) Be ready to attack. This means having full knowledge of every stances'
attacks. It also entails knowing in advance which stance you will attack from.
Try to get roulette down where you can come up with a sequence in a split
second. It's fast thinking that seperates a good shift sequence from a bad one.
==================
Where's the Sword?
==================
Foreword: Props go out to LAU for discovering this technical movement. Keep it
up!
"Where's the Sword?" or WTS, is a special subtype of stance roulette than only
involves two stances. In this case, it involves rouletting between NSSr and
NSSl. Although Nightmare is only shifting between two virtually identical
stances, the purpose is still the same: to bait the opponent into attacking.
Doing WTS is much simpler than conventional stance roulette. All it takes is
manually shifting into the opposite stance. For example, if you're in NSSr, all
you have to do is perform alternating shifts into NSSl and NSSr. Thus, you
would shift as such: NSSr -> NSSl -> NSSr -> NSSl... and so on. If you do it
right, it looks like Nightmare is shuffling Soul Edge behind his back, hence
the name "Where's the Sword?"
There is a special type of WTS that is called Rapid "Where's the Sword?" , or
rWTS. Basically, rWTS is where Nightmare attempts to shift, but cannot. As a
result, he appears to twitch spastically forward or backward. To perform this,
get into an NSS stance and attempt to 8WR shift into the opposite NSS stance.
For example, enter NSSr from the 1P side. The 8WR command to enter NSSl is
8B+K. What you want to do is hold 8 and mash B+K. If done correctly, you should
see Nightmare twitching and repeatedly saying "Got... got... got..."
The direction in which Nightmare will twitch is determined by which stance you
are in while attempting to spaz out.
Forwards: NSSr -> NSSl shifts
Backwards: NSSl -> NSSr shifts
As with most technical movements, you're best off applying this in moderation,
especially against those uninitiated in Nightmare studies.
=======================================
Night Back Stance Running (NBSR) Setups
=======================================
Night Back Stance Running is a new stance at Nightmare's disposal. Certain
attacks, such as NBS A_[A] and B, are disabled during NBSR. On the other hand,
Nightmare can still use NBS K,K and 2A_[A]. NBSR also allows Nightmare to use
the NBSR A... series as well as NBSR B, which factors greatly into his RO game.
You can use NBSR to chase down opponents who are too far away or to move into
his ideal range. The question is: how can I get into NBSR?
Here are some ideal setups:
8WR,6B+K -> NBSR - Shifts Nightmare into stance without a hitch. He will
advance forward and put the sword behind him in one smooth motion. This works
ideally when closing in on a faraway opponent.
Stance roulette -> NBSR - You might need a little practice to do this one
correctly. The trick is to get into NBS with B+K and then quickly hit 6,6 on
the joystick. You might have to mash the joystick to do it correctly. If that's
what it takes, go for it. The only problem is you might roulette incorrectly
and wind up getting into the wrong stance.
Get into NBS 6,6 -> NBSR - This one is real iffy at times. It really depends on
the situation and how you shift into NBSR. For example, 3[B], when used up
close, gives you horrible frame disadvantage on block. Shifting into NBSR from
there wouldn't be a good idea.
==========================
Night Running Cancel (NRC)
==========================
Nightmare can cancel NBSR by pressing G. In theory, cancelling NBSR - which we
will refer to from here on as Night Running Cancel, or NRC - can be used like
Taki's Possession Rush Cancel (PORC). Just to remind you, PORC is often used by
a Taki player to paralyze an opponent while he/she rushes in. The opponent
usually freezes up in fear of eating an attack while Taki can run in relatively
untouched. NRC can be used the same way. Here's how.
Example #1: NRC -> throw. Probably the most common use of NRC. You can get the
opponent to freeze because they anticipate NBSR B or something. At this point,
you can hold G to cancel NBSR and then go for the throw. This tactic works
especially well around the edges, where NBSR can RO.
Example #2: NRC -> NBS K. In an attempt to interrupt your attack, the
opposition might try to poke you out of NBSR. At this point, you can throw out
NBS K to beat them to the punch. NBS K has great priority so it could cut
through any poke attempts. If the knee scores, try G-cancelling and going for a
throw.
======================
Soul Charge Strategies
======================
Every character can power up via Soul Charge. You can perform a Soul Charge by
holding down A+B+K. Soul Charge has three levels, depending on the length A+B+K
is held. Each level of Soul Charge causes the character to glow a certain
color. In a nutshell:
SC lvl1 = green
SC lvl2 = yellow
SC lvl3 = blue
Using a Soul Charge bestows different modifiers to certain attacks. To list:
SC lvl1 = automatic CH
SC lvl2 = Guard Crush (blocked attack causes opponent to stagger)
SC lvl3 = certain attacks become unblockable (depicted by flame trails on
character's weapon)
Here's the list of Night's SC-enhanced moves, taken directly from LAU's post at
the "Night's Soul Charge Strat" thread:
Level 1 – moves that causes Guard Crush at this level
b4
44B
Level 2 – moves that cause Guard Crush at this level
6B
3A+B
NSS A+B
Level 3 – moves that becomes Unblockable
66B (woohoo!)
NLS A+B
4,4B
4[B]
66kB
1B
3A+B
2A+B
NLS 6B
Usually the best time to perform a Soul Charge is after you've knocked the
opponent too far away to do anything else. Remember, when you do a Soul Charge,
you can still walk around or 8WR. At first, your mobility takes a hit but that
only happens during the first couple of seconds of SC.
==============
iFC/iWS Setups
==============
In fighting games, you normally enter the crouching position by holding down on
the joystick. However, doing so in SC2 will cause your character to 8WR into
the foreground. Instead, the crouching state is accomplished by holding down
guard and quickly holding the joystick down. Thus, the input will appear as
[g2]. This is called Instant Full Crouch, or iFC for short. To further confuse
you (just kidding), there's also Instant While Standing, or iWS. To go into
iWS, you first must go into iFC. Then you can quickly return the joystick to
neutral position while letting go of the guard button simultaneously.
OK, at this point you must be extremely confused. Well, things are going to get
crazier. It's possible to enter the iFC/iWS after G-cancelling an attack. To
start, let's use 4A. To get to iFC from 4A, you would have to input the command
4a[g2]. If you did it correctly, you should see Nightmare start the animation
for 4A, cancel and then remain crouching. The timing can be a tad tricky, but
with practice, it can be done with ease. To do iWS from 4A, you would first do
4A~[G]~2 and then simultaneously relase the G button while returning the stick
to neutral.
==================
Got You Step (GYS)
==================
Foreword: Giving credit, where credit is due, I must give mad props to LAU for
discovering the Got You Step.
Got You Step (which I will refer to as GYS from now on) is a funky special
movement Nightmare can do. At first, GYS was considered to be a bizarre glitch
in the game, but its existence was verified with the Version D patch.
So the first question that must be popping in your head is, "Why the hell is it
called 'Got You Step'?" Easy! When Nightmare does 8WR 2_8B+K (the spinning
shift into NSSr/NSSl), he says, "Got you!" Now that we've cleared that up,
let's move into the sauce of the idea.
If you input another command IMMEDIATELY after 8WR 2_8B+K, say AAB, Night will
spin, twitch a little, say "Got you!" and then do AAB. You can do this with
other regular attacks, but sometimes you'll inadvertently do an 8WR attack or
something.
MGYS is the super-spazzed-out version of GYS. Nightmare basically spins several
times while stuttering, "Got... got... got..." and moving in really fast. If
you look closely, Nightmare is actually moving FORWARD and to the SIDE at an
incredible rate. It looks extremely bizarre and has probably confused a lot of
people I've played against. To do MGYS, first you have to take note of which
side of the screen you're on. 8WR shift into NSSr is highly dependent on which
side you're on; MGYS works better when you shift into NSSr from 8WR. To
summarize, it's 8B+K on the 1P side and 2B+K on the 2P side.
To perform MGYS, hold the appropriate direction and mash B+K like crazy. From
1P side, the command would be [8]B+K~B+K~B+K~B+K. If you've done it correctly,
Nightmare will spin like crazy. Let's add some more juice to this, eh?
While in MGYS, you can mash A, B, or K and get an NSSr attack after the
spinning stops. For example, if you perform MGYS and then mash B, you'll spin
several times before busting out with NSS B. Fun, yes? Have fun, but don't
abuse it!
===============
Nailing the 1FS
===============
For some odd reason, doing Nightmare's 1FS moves - agA_[A] and bgB_[B] - became
a trillion times more difficult in SC2. Thanks to this buffering trick provided
by Srayer, you can nail those 1FS's with the greatest of ease. Here's how to do
it.
Start by holding down the G button. Now, quickly input A or B while holding
down G. Then release G as you hit A or B and quickly hit G again. Finally, hit
A or B a final time. If you did it correctly, you should see Nightmare do
either agA_[A] or bgB_[B]. It's much easier to do on a console, since you can
rock your fingers to and fro while doing the move. In the arcade, you might
have to use two fingers. In terms of notation, this action will appear as
[gA]~gA.
Theoretically, you can bust this out from the blocking position. To make it
even sexier, try using this after G-cancelling a move. Nice! Now get
practicing, young Padawan.
=============
BT Just Frame
=============
A Just Frame, or "JF" for short, is an attack that requires a precise button
input to execute an attack. For example, 6B:B means the second B must be
pressed at an exact moment otherwise it will not come out. The majority of
characters have some sort of JF. BT refers to the backturned state and it comes
with its own unique set of moves. It is possible perform a move and quickly
perform a BT attack soon after. Most characters have BT JFs, the most notorious
being Cervantes.
Since Cervantes has the most plentiful BT JFs, let's use him as an example.
8A+Bg:A+B is probably the easiest to perform. When executed correctly,
Cervantes will wind up for his 8A+B attack, but cancel into his BT A+B. As I
hinted at earlier, Nightmare has his own BT JFs, namely BT B.
You can perform his BT JF by G-cancelling 4A and 4B_[B]. Try this out in
practice mode. Perform either move and cancel at the soonest possible moment
Nightmare shows his back. Now, quickly cancel with G and tap B. If done
properly, Nightmare will cancel and do BT B, which turns the opponent around.
Go ahead and feel free to practice this. It might be difficult at first, but
eventually you'll get a feel for it. The important thing to remember is you
only have a certain number of frames in which you can cancel an attack, so work
on timing everything.
In time, you'll be able to baffle people by pulling out BT B JFs out of nowhere.
====================
FC/WS Out of Stances
====================
As if Nightmare wasn't tricky enough with his stance-based mixups, it's
possible to add another dimension to his assault by inpcorporating FC/WS
attacks from his stances.
By holding down G and tapping/holding down 2, you can put Nightmare into an
FC/WS state. From there, you can force mixups with his FC grab, which hits low,
and WS [B] or WS K, which hit mid.
Keep in mind, you can only do this from a manual stance shift. For example, you
can enter FC/WS state by shifting with B+K, but you cannot do the same with
3[B]. In short, you can't have entered the stance through an attack or the
cancellation of an attack. The lone exception is 6B:4B+K. You also can't do
this from 8WR-based stance shifts, so 8WR 2_8_3_9B+K are out the question
altogether.
Example #1: Let's try shifting from NBS into FC grab. To do this, you'd have to
press B+K, hold down G briefly, hold down 2 and press G+A. Confusing? In
notation, this would appear as B+K[g]~[2]G+A. If you did it correctly, you
should see Nightmare briefly enter NBS and quickly go into his FC grab. Neat
huh? Let's try something tougher.
Example #2: Here's something to try out. Try shifting into NSSr and then going
into WS [B]. To do so, press 2B+K (1P side only), hold down G briefly, tap 2
and press [B]. This would appar as 2B+K[g]~2[B]. This is a little trickier,
since you have to hold down 2 a bit longer to register the FC state and then
let go. I've messed up and done FC [B] several times. If done correctly,
Nightmare will briefly go into NSSr, then crouch, and then do WS [B].
The craziness doesn't stop there! You can effectively use this in combination
with stance roulette! It's entirely possible to do NBS -> NLS -> NSSr -> WS K
or whathaveyou. The possiblities are limited only the by the scope of your
imagination.
**************
Closing Remarks
***************
This strategy guide should take some of the mystery out of the Soul Calibur 2,
specifically with Nightmare. Yet this guide is only the tip of the iceberg.
Don't get me wrong, it's great to have the movelist memorized, but there is no
substitute for experience. Nothing can be simulated to 100% accuracy. And with
no actual experience under your belt, it's impossible to detect your strengths
and weaknesses. Psychological issues also spring to mind. It's a common
occurence among newbies to experience a sort of panic and forget what they've
learned. Obviously, such episodes are counterproductive to your goal of being
the best Nightmare player you can be. The only way to get around this panic is
to practice and become comfortable with your arsenal and with the arcade
machine. To sum it up, practice, practice, practice! With time, your game will
be smooth and seemingly effortless and who knows? People might come to you for
advice.
Nightmare is by no means overpowered. He has his share of weaknesses and
deficiencies, as does any character. How good you become is dependent on your
ability to offset Nightmare's weaknesses with his strengths, your command of
the movelist and your ability to adapt to your opponent's playing style.
Consider every match a learning experience. At the conclusion of every match,
win or lose, you should be able to critique your game. Did you mix up your
attacks adequately or do you feel you got predictable? Were you too linear, or
did you use sidestep/8WR correctly to gain an advantage over the opposition?
It's questions like those that can pinpoint your fallacies and prompt you to
take action to correct them. If you feel you can't just critique yourself
objectively, grab a buddy or one of the better players out there. Sometimes,
it's best to get a second opinion. So enjoy, and go show everyone the greatest
nightmare!
**********************
Thanks and Dedications
**********************
To all those who perished in the tragic events of 9/11/2001 - I hope this great
tragedy opens eyes and makes people cherish life. Your deaths will not be in
vain. God bless you all.
To those who continue to protect our safety overseas - We might not ever say,
but I will. Thank you for sacrificing your time and possibly even your lives to
defend the rights that make this country great. I wish you all the best as well
as success and a safe trip home.
To all my family - They have always been people I could depend on when the
going gets tough. Trust me, it has been tough. If it weren't for my family, I
wouldn't be half the decent and law-abiding person I am today. Thank you, I
love you all!
Namco - For making such a kick-ass game and a kick-ass character like
Nightmare. Oh, I definitely have to thank 'em for Cassandra! She sexy.
Props to the regulars on the Nightmare SC forums.
To all the greatest Nightmare players: Srayer, Fury, tieTYT. You guys inspire
me to play a better Nightmare every time I hit the arcade.
Soulcalibur.com forums, and Guardimpact.com - Excellent resources for beginners
and experts alike. No SC2 player worth his weight in quarters would not visit.
I highly recommend it. Check each out at <
http://www.soulcalibur.com> and
<
http://www.guardimpact.com>.
Coldplay, Foo Fighters, U2, Elvis Presley, Coldplay, and Garbage - For
providing a great soundtrack while I went to work on this FAQ. Without these
awesome bands, I don't know how I'd still be up at 2 in the morning writing.
Kristin Kreuk - No real reason, except for the fact she's the sexiest woman in
the world!
