DISCLAIMER: IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE SPOILED WITHOUT CONTEXT, I ADVISE YOU TO AVOID THIS GUIDE TOPIC ALTOGETHER
How to make a cringe thumbnail - Black/Red text. Yes
Since there's often a lot of discontent over Nihilius in Elysian Realm, let's have some fun observing this obnoxious being!
For new players who intend to read through partial spoiler material, the only reason this enemy is hated is due to a debilitating IMG-Taint debuff, that builds up with every hit taken or exposure to Time fields conjured by Nihilius. Once full, it cripples the affected Valkyrie via 33% HP loss, draining SP and also reducing their mobility/agility.
Husk: Nihilius (Story spoiler alert)
tl:dr lesson: By commiting some elements of Nihilius' moveset to memory, you can predict the way it fights and let muscle memory control your evasive actions, and you shall no longer fear this Imaginary machine (as much anyway).
Nihilius first fights in 2 different stances, Sword & Swordless, each with it own movesets that it cycles between.
Attack name: The red name comes from the glossary
1) Sword Stance - Obviously, when Nihilius wields its blade. Attacks are in no specific order.
As an exception to the above, the initiating attack will always be the Triple Charge, and will never repeat the same move twice or consecutively in one stance cycle. (T) Indicates that the attack has a delayed time burst after the initial strike lands. To overcome Time burst attacks, observe the clock hands on the ground. When both hands meet, the time burst activates (Nihilius does not take cheap shots, so give the clock hands your attention)
Once it goes through the moveset, it switches into Swordless stance. There are cases where it goes into Swordless stance in as early as 3 moves.
Triple Charge
Nihilius' trademark initiating attack. This attack is also used at range from the Valkyrie and repeated thrice. If you're too close, Nihilius will glide away before initiating this attack.
- Counter: Anticipate and evade. The high-speed approach of this attack requires good timing. If you have good spatial awareness (ie. a mental picture of your surroundings), you can even evade off-screen charges without looking at Nihilius.
- Note: This attack is never used when the Void Shadow is present.
Triple Slash (Combo Slashes)
Three consecutive slash attacks. There are occasions where it chains into a 4th Charged Slash swing.
- Counter: Depending on your evade distance, you need to do it once or twice to create enough distance from the slashes. Nihilius also edges forward with each slash.
- Void Shadow: The Shadow copies from the 2nd blow onwards, getting struck can open you for up to 5 hits consecutively.
Charged Slash (T) (Imaginary Slash)
A delayed slash with a linear wave of time bursts
- Counter: The emitted aura is your signal. When the aura fades out, that's your sign to evade. Do so sideways, as a shockwave creates time bursts in a line behind you.
- Void Shadow: The Shadow will aim at the next spot you're at. But while there is a shockwave, the time burst is only on a single point. You will need both evades moves to cleanly avoid them.
- Note: Most players may evade twice out of panic, run out and get struck. Keep a clear head and wait.
Roundhouse slash (Slide & Slash)
Nihilius slides towards the Valkyrie and delivers a wind-up slash attack.
- Counter: The posture is the clue. It will lean low on one side and upon reaching you will slash immediately, unlike the high, upright posture for the Triple Slash.
- Void Shadow: Strikes the same spot as Nihilius
2) Swordless Stance - Once it uses the Time Void, the moveset changes.
In Swordless stance, the Time Void entraps an area the sword lands on in a large IMG-Taint field, which increases it the longer you stay inside. For the next 4 moves, it will chase after you to attack. It chooses 1 of 2 attack patterns, and will always end the 4th attack directly with a Charged slash, unless you're struck by the 3rd move.
Time Void (T) (Memory)
Nihilius raises its blade and stabs it into ground. When the pointer hands meet, a dome erupts from the ground and creates an IMG-Taint field. Fighting inside it raises the gauge, and also slows down all actions of the Valkyrie.
- Counter: The sword throw can hit the Valkyrie once if it lands on her. Simply get out of the dome before the pointer hands meet.
- Note: This move is only used up until its first stagger, after which it is never used again.
Nihilius then picks 1 of 2 of these patterns of attack.
Sweep / Stomp / Grasp (T) / Sweep into Charged slash (T)
Stomp / Sweep / Grasp (T) / Stomp into Charged slash (T)
Sweep
Nihilius glides towards the Valkyrie and crouches, pivoting into a spin
- Counter: Avoid attacking in most cases. This attack can hit thrice if you somehow withstand each blow without knockback. You can however, overcome the sweep attack with your own attack i-frames.
- Note: Unclear if the Void Shadow copies this, never encountered it.
Stomp
Nihilius glides towards the Valkyrie and stamps the ground
- Counter: Simply observe the foot and evade, the motion is the only clue you have
- Void Shadow: The Shadow copies Nihilius after a short pause
Grasp (T)
Nihilius glides towards the Valkyrie and conjures a time burst. If struck, the Valkyrie is rendered afloat, and struck 7 times. This move has the greatest IMG-Taint increment if it connects.
- Counter: There is a short delay before the time burst activates. If you kept count of the moves, this is always the 3rd attack without fail.
- Note: This attack is never used when the Void Shadow is present.
- Note 2: If struck by it, it cancels the Time Void immediately and resumes Sword Stance.
On the 4th attack, depending on which pattern it followed, it will repeat the Sweep or Stomp attack, while its sword swiftly returns to Nihilius leading directly into a Charged Slash. This sequence is cancelled if you have been hit by the Grasp attack earlier.
(Hour of Judgement) (Blade of Judgement)
Assuming Nihilius hasn't been staggered once, it resumes this attack cycle between both stances. At 7.5xHP (Story), or 15xHP (ER), Nihilius collapses and takes increased damage for a short time. After recovering, it initiates "Phase 2" and conjures the Void Shadow via a large Time Field. You can attack and evade through the explosion of the Time Field, and doing so can opportunistically reduce up to 40% of IMG-Taint.
- Note that in ER, not all characters have the ability to defeat the Shadow, and has to damage Nihilius enough or outlast the attacks for it to dispel.
3) Void Shadow - Summons a time-displaced copy of itself that replicates its own attacks
While the Shadow is active, it cannot use the Triple Dash, Grasp and the Time Void, and Nihilius takes reduced damage. Though in addition, it can now execute a Triple Slash which follows up into a Charged Slash.
After 6 attacks, the Shadow dispels and Nihilius resumes attacking normally with both movesets. The Void Shadow is resummoned after going through a set number of moves and the cycle repeats. Defeating the Shadow however, will cause Nihilius to take increased damage while it is staggered again.
The Void Shadow is often difficult to spot in the midst of combat, but looking for the Paralyse trauma gauge is your best bet when Nihilius attacks.
4) Rewind Phase
When Nihilius' HP is depleted, it moves towards the centre of the arena and executes a recovery shield. The player must then fight in a hazardous Time field while weaving through its pointer hands to destroy revolving gears surrounding the shield.
This phase is different in both Story & Elysian Realm
Story - The shield has 3 phases.
- Phase 1: Short clock hand, rotates clockwise. Gears follow pointer rotation
- Phase 2: Short & Long clock hand, counter-rotating against each other. Gears do not move
- Phase 3: 3 Long clock hands, fast counter-clockwise rotation. Gears follow pointer rotation
Elysian Realm- the shield is already in 3rd phase, the clock hands rotate a little slower and is also going clockwise instead of counter-clockwise. (As such, my ER guides advise going counter-clockwise to meet the gears rather than chase them the other way)
3 factors to note regardless of the mode:
- While in the time field, IMG-Taint increases rapidly
- When evading any hands, IMG-Taint cuts by 20%.
- When time fractured, IMG-Taint halts.
Once you shatter the final shield(s), Nihilius will be permanently staggered until defeat
Hope this guide has been helpful towards aspiring challengers of the Realm.
If you're interested to know more, why not follow into this other guide of interest?
