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Being Batman’s first protege, Dick Grayson’sNightwingis a testament that a sidekick can forge their own path. Now the protector of Bludhaven, Nightwing takes his acrobatic prowess and detective skills to solve cases in his new city. And while Dick periodically goes back to Gotham to assist Batman in his affairs, it’s the untimely death of Bruce Wayne inGotham Knightsthat Nightwing is called to become one of his old home’s newest protectors.
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In the action RPG,Gotham Knightswill have Nightwing use his acrobatic skills and expertise in non-lethal force to ensure that Gotham stays well-protected without crossing the line to wanton murder. Armed with his trusty batons and martial arts, Nightwing easily becomesGotham Knights’resident heavy-hitter. However, how does one create an ideal Nightwing build in the game?
One-Shot Critical
With Dick Grayson serving as Batman’s “OG” Robin, there’s no denying that he’s perhaps the most learned of all the Dark Knight’s proteges. This is reflected with theOne-Shot Criticalbuild; here, Nightwing proves his combat prowess is so refined that he’s capable of not just securing high damage numbers but high enough that he knows exactly how much force to apply to incapacitate foes.
ThisOne-Shot Criticalbuild relies heavily on Nightwing securing enough Critical stats to grab high damage numbers capable enough of one-shotting enemies to oblivion. Thankfully, acquiring extra Crits from Gear and skill trees have been made much easier for players.
Gear Focus: Criticals Have Benefits, Too
The general principle regarding securing Nightwing’sOne-Shot Critical build inGotham Knights' gameplayrelies heavily on attaining high Crit stats and securing Gear that incentivizes the acquisition of said stats.
For instance,Escalation Suitensures that Critical Hits boost damage and defense, giving players the incentive that their gameplay style should suit proccing Crits as often as possible.
Meanwhile, the other Gears pave the way for Nightwing to secure more opportunities for Crits. For example,Jumpstart Escrima Sticksgives healing for Momentum-based knockouts, while being in low health boosts not only Critical Chance but also grants Momentum. Lastly,Lucky Dartsgrants a Critical Hit at full health, Ultimates grant more Critical Chance and Damage, and Criticals themselves generate more Momentum.
Skill Tree Focus: Secure Criticals
The idea players should have when choosing which skills to prioritize in Nightwing’s skill tree inGotham Knightsgameplay should always revolve around securing Criticals. This is made easier with theRaptortree, as a lot of its skills already focus on ensuring Nightwing is always prepared to secure more Critical Chances and higher Critical Damage than normal.
As such, other skill tree focuses should give Nightwing more damage opportunities so he can proc more Crits. This is whyAcrobataims to boost Momentum through an extra bar and better gains, whilePack Leaderboosts Momentum regen and grants Elemental Effects via Darts. Lastly,Knighthoodhas Triple Darts that give Nightwing more ranged opportunities.
Momentum Abilities Focus: Combo Supremacy
Tying Nightwing’s One-Shot Critical build together would be his Momentum Abilities. Unlike other builds intheBatmangame, One-Shot Critical ensures Nightwing is able to dispatch opponents easily through punchy attacks. WhereasNEST (Ultimate)is a nifty emergency buff, the rest of his Momentum Abilities are geared towards fast and loose abilities.
Elemental Shockwaveis a convenient AOE that boosts damage options via Elemental Effects. Meanwhile,Shotgun Dartsunleashes deadly damage up close to enemies who try to go melee. Likewise,Whirlwindis a nifty and ever-reliable AOE to hit multiple opponents at once.
Momentum Spam
With a game likeGotham Knightsbeing yet another part of theBatmanfranchise, the title would want to be separate from the ever-lovable classic, theArkhamseries. Aside from the aesthetic, the game sets itself apart with Momentum Abilities, or special “techniques” that set each Gotham Knight apart from their fellow Batman proteges. In the case of Nightwing, a lot of his Momentum Abilities rely on showcasing his skills as an acrobat, whipping out large jumps and deadly martial arts, coupled with his Darts.
In the game, Nightwing players can enjoy the punchiness and flashiness of his moves withMomentum Spam. Compared to other builds,Momentum Spamis designed to ensure Nightwing can regenerate his Momentum Bar and grab opportunities to use his Momentum Skills as often as possible.
Gear Focus: Crit-Momentum Balance
When it comes to gearing up Nightwing for his Momentum Spam build, a lot of success comes from Gear that gives Nightwing more room to pull off his Abilities. Ultimate Suit is key to this synergy, where attacks through the NEST Ultimate give health and damage boosts and Critical Chance and Critical Damage.
This Suit is also paired excellently withCryogenic Escrima Sticksthat emphasize knockout-based effects: KOs boosting Elemental Effect damage and resistance, Momentum-based KOs boosting Momentum build-up, and Perfect Attack KOs giving more Momentum.
Lastly,High Abilities Dartsfocuses on building Criticals, with Momentum-based KOs boosting Momentum build-up and Ultimates boosting Critical Chance and Damage.
Skill Tree Focus: Jump Away
When building skill trees for Nightwing inGotham Knightsgameplay, a key area to take note is to secure various means for Nightwing to consistently jump from one combat situation to another. This is because he’s built precisely to jump around battle. Key to this isAcrobat, where his skills encourage him to move around the battlefield.
Likewise,Raptorsecures his Critical Chance and Critical Damage, even when striking from a distance withGotham Knights’gadgets.Pack Leaderis a third choice when it comes to bolstering performance when doing co-op, whereasKnighthoodfurther increases striking distance.
Momentum Abilities Focus: Grab Crit
Players who want to pull off Nightwing’sgameplay properly would want Momentum Abilities that let him procure his Critical Hit and Critical Damage boosts as often as possible. Aside fromNEST (Ultimate)giving him much-needed performance, his other Abilities give him the chance to explore the battlefield.
For instance,Pounceallows him to maneuver around the battlefield as often as possible. Meanwhile,Elemental Shockwavecan proc Elemental Effects, making it easier for Nightwing to deal damage. Lastly,Shotgun Dartsgive Nightwing more damage options while also securing Criticals.
High Damage Consistency
Given Nightwing’s nature as the most learned of Batman’s proteges, it’s natural to assume that he’s the most capable leader of the team. Unlike the other characters, Nightwing is one of the most neutral characters to play with, as his toolkit allows him to cover distance, range, and melee more efficiently.
Players can capitalize on these advantages further withHigh Damage Consistency, which is a build that banks upon spamming Momentum Abilities for as much damage as possible. Compared to other high-damage builds, theHigh Damage Consistencybuild relies on knockouts to proc more benefits.
Gear Focus: Knockdown Potential
Unlike other builds, the best Gear forNightwing inGotham Knightsto secure as much damage as possible involves the full Linked Set. This equipment set allows Nightwing to secure benefits related to knockdowns that further incentivize staying in combat.
For instance,Linked Suitnot only has Ults boost damage and revives, giving extra health, but Perfect Attack KOs remove damage from the next attack Nightwing receives.
Building upon this defensive build isLinked Escrima Sticks, where Momentum-based KOs deal double damage with the next attack, and general KOs boost Elemental Effect resistance for everyone.
Lastly,Linked Dartswill have Momentum-based knockouts do double damage and general knockouts, boosting everyone’s Elemental Effect resistance.
Skill Tree Focus: Fast Momentum Gain
When it comes to building Nightwing’s toolkit inGotham Knightsgameplay, the ideal approach is to ensure his skill trees are able to help him grab as much Momentum as possible to perform his Momentum Abilities.
This has a lot to do with maximizing hisRaptorandAcrobatskill trees, as a lot of skills here help him gain more Momentum Bars, get faster Momentum Gain, and be able to attain extra Momentum through movement action, such as evasion.
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Meanwhile, hisPack LeaderandKnighthoodskill trees can focus on more precise actions, such as proccing Elemental Effects and securing more combos to make his damage more consistent.
Momentum Abilities Focus: Combos Matter For Damage
Given how the focus of this Nightwing build has to do with securing high damage as often as possible againstBatman’s villains, a lot of efficient Momentum Abilities rely on consistent movement and attacks. The key here isNESTand its buffing capabilities, as these help Nightwing shine in his natural acrobatic environment.
Meanwhile,Pounceis an ideal Momentum Ability to focus on, as this allows Nightwing to transition from one group of enemies to the next and maintain his combos. Likewise,Elemental ShockwaveandShotgun Dartsgive Nightwing much punchier options when alternating between AOE and single-target gameplay.
Heavy Hit All-Rounder
With Nightwing serving as the first Robin, he’s naturally the Batman protege with the most experience. And now that he’s taken up the position as protector of Bludhaven, Nightwing has acquired a lot of experience being the sole protector of a city. This is easily reflected inGotham Knights’gameplay, whereHeavy Hit All-Roundershows Nightwing being able to deal all sorts of damage from different vantage points.
Given how players can playGotham Knightssolo,Heavy Hit All-Rounderas a solo build ensures players have all the tools they need to be able to deal with threats quickly without the need for the extra firepower offered by allies.
Gear Focus: Secure General Attack Benefits
A key component in ensuring Nightwing can deal as much consistent damage as possible has to do with the right Gear. In thecontext ofGotham Knights’gameplay, Nightwing achieves peak damage efficiency if his Gear maximizes the benefits he can get with general combat mechanics. For instance,High Ultimate Suitensures that Ultimates boost Critical Chance and Critical Damage and that they also give health and damage boosts.
Meanwhile,Direct Hit Escrima SticksandDirect Hit Dartsfocus on ensuring hits grant Momentum generation, while Heavy Melee KOs guarantee that the next melee attack is a Critical Hit.
Skill Tree Focus: Buffs All Around
Another ideal way for Nightwing to secure consistent high damage is through skill trees. Key to this high damage build is theRaptortree that ensures Nightwing is able to procure not just high Critical Chance rates but also high Critical Damage in general.
The rest of the trees give Nightwing more flexibility when dealing with various scenarios. These include hisAcrobatskills boosting his Momentum gain, whereasPack LeaderandKnighthoodgive him as many buffs as possible to avoid early deaths.
Momentum Abilities Focus: A Strike For Every Occasion
Aside fromNEST (Ultimate)giving Nightwing much-needed buffs, his other Momentum Abilities are designed to give him an edge no matter the occasion.
For instance,Bright Nightis ideal for Nightwing to stun and be able to take care of heavier - and usually beefier - foes. Likewise,Whirlwindis a nifty AOE to get opponents off him. Lastly,Elemental Shockwavecan give Nightwing extra damage opportunities with Elemental Effects.
Gotham Knightswas released in 2022 for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
