[Hero Concept] Nightmare - The Twice-Cursed Vlkodlak

[countrenal]

Nightmare​

"The Man the Shadow kept alive"​

Hi! I'm an aspiring junior game designer, and this is my attempt at building a Deadlock hero concept that tries to fit the game world and it's tone: both with thematic and gameplay language. This is a 'Document-A' version, with core ideas without expanded details and descriptions. 'Document-B' (expanded version) can be found at the end of this post via link to Google Docs, when I finish working on it, just in case if you ever would be interested. I'm open for any feedback! Thanks, and enjoy reading :)

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The Name​

• Nightmare
• Tags: Damned - Shadowbound - Unyielding

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Core Pitch​

Nightmare is a high-risk & high-reward hero with appearance of the Shadow-bound hunter whose personality is built around the concept of a failed try to get rid himself of one curse with another, but only to end up with something far greater and worse.

He's an outsider from the old world, borned at the Slavic region. He came to Cursed Apple to end what should have died long ago: the ritual what left him split between physical body and a living Shadow that refuses to let go.

His real identity now is that of a twice-cursed damned being - a predator but stoic figure split between duality of curses.

First curse (no longer present fully): Lycanthropy (Vlkodlak - Slavic werewolf)
And a second (actual active): Failed Veles ritual of Shadow (Veles - a chthonic god of the underworld and major deity in Slavic mythology)

The character does not embody the themes of "dream" and "werewolves" completely, but connected to them partially.

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Bio​

"Some curses you're born with. Others will find you later and decide you're worth the extra effort. Nightmare came to the Cursed Apple for one thing only - to end the lingering hunger, eating him from the inside. The ritual promised wishes, and he just wanted it gone. Funny how the Patrons don't grant 'undo' options."

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Lore / Backstory​

Nightmare is a twice-cursed Vlkodlak from far beyond the Cursed Apple, he's not born of its streets, but dragged into them by necessity. His first curse was old like a world: a lycanthropy, inherited from the day of birth. And the second was worse, far worse. In a desperate attempt to rid himself of the beast, he turned to an older rite tied to Veles, an old god, runes, and a promise that should have been left buried. It is worked, but the ritual did not free him. It split him apart.

What remains is something unfinished. His body lingers somewhere between life and death, still breathing, still fighting, but never fully whole. His lingering Shadow, meanwhile, has grown sharper, hungrier, and far more real than it should be. Every time Nightmare thinks he has mastered that thing, the Shadow reminds him otherwise - wearing his shape, feeding on his violence, and leaving behind tragedy he does not remember spilling.

He came to the Cursed Apple because something in the new Maelstrom offered last chance to complete the process and end both curses for good. But the deeper it goes, the clearer the truth becomes: this is no longer something that can be undone cleanly. The more he fights what he has become, the deeper it sinks into it. The more he accepts it, the more control remains. That is the contradiction he lives with now - there's no redemption, only management. No hope, but sheer commitment of endurance.

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Patron Dynamic​

Hidden King would likely talk to Nightmare more naturally than he should. There is something in him that feels old and broken in the right way, almost familiar - like a relic of an uglier age that still knows how to survive.

Archmother, on the other hand, would likely see him as impure. Not elegant decay, not proper rebirth, but a failed correction. A bad mixture of leftover past and unfinished future.

Nightmare himself would have little patience for either of them. He works with them because he has to, not because he believes them.

Example line toward Archmother:
"I don't like to work with that woman. She looks at me like I'm already dead!"
Or
"I don't like to work with that woman. She looks at me like I'm already dead, which is... nevermind"

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Appearance & Visual Direction​

Nightmare should portrayed as tall, lean, and dangerous at a glance - like a stalking predator, not like a brute.

Character silhouette must be in 'clear-black' tone. Long dark coat or robe, deep hood, layered occult details, and twin forged sickles as weapons. His face does not need to be fully visible at all times, obscuring it with shadow would likely help the character design language.

The overall look should blend:

• Occult Noir
• Ritual wearings
• Restrained Slavic symbolism
• Old-world, foreign presence

Hints: subtle runic embroidery, Veles motifs, wolf-track patterns, storm signs, old forged metal, ritual scars.

In bestial / Shadow-form, the original lycan curse should still remain visible, but only as a trace:

• Larger, harsher body language
• Glowing Red-demonic eyes with trails
• More monstrous, dark transparent silhouette
• Small horn remnants from the failed ritual, with one of them possibly cracked or broken

That broken asymmetry trying to sell the "twice-cursed" identity better than a lot of extra detail would.

Reminder: He is NOT WEREWOLF ANYMORE - the Shadow-form depicts it like an echo of a curse.

+A more pretentious depict+ (Optional)
If someone ever wanted to push it harder visually - there is room for a more dramatic shadow-beast presentation: a trailing wolf-like shadow that separates from character, or a more demonic-shape during his ultimate, for example, like it has transparent wings for a short fraction of animation or something.

With that being said, I personally think the cleaner version should suits him better.

Conclusion: The character overall is a walking reference to occult Slavic rites, like a relic lost in time. The presence of "demonic" cues like horns - is entirely optional. I'd leave that for the "ultimate form" only or not use it all, you decide.

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Personality & Voice​

Nightmare should sound and look like someone who has already survived the worst part and is now simply moving forward because stopping would be even more pointless:

• Sharp
• Self-contained
• Quietly arrogant
• Tired but never desperate
• Sarcastic without turning into comic relief
• Stoic in a unhealthy, functional way

Hints: Short lines and dialogues, hidden fatigue, and sometimes a soft, unexpected concern for weaker or kind-of related characters.

• He should not be like a complete edgelord! (even tho it can be a target-audience of players)
• It's more like a man who is carrying something with enough discipline to keep it pointed in the right direction.
• Slavic accent is a must to work well, just enough to give him a harder edge in certain sounds or words.

Example one-liners:

• "You call it a curse. I call it what's left."
• "Usually it's I'm the Thing everyone else is running from!"

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Gameplay Identity​

Nightmare is a character what mean to be a high-risk: Skirmisher / Duelist / Hunter / Forced isolation performer

Core game-loop idea and feeling:

• Visually mark the target
• Stack the Curse debuff
• Gain more pressure by paying for it yourself
• Isolate, control/terrify, and chase the target
• Commit hard all-in when the moment is right

He should feel dangerous in proximity, but not clean. Nothing about the gameplay should feel "free".
When Nightmare presses harder, he should also be dealing with the same curse that is killing him.
That risk is part of the fantasy.

"He is a risky mofo"

Core targets:

• Supports
• Low/mid health-pool targets
• Range-based 'mages' and 'shooters'

Core weaknesses:

• Harassing Rangers who can keep/maintain the distance
• Control-based characters who can stop/deny the pressure in the right moment
• High health-pool targets like Tanks at the early- and mid- stage of a game (mitigated at end-game)

Overall: it's a damage-dealing tunnel character, who's main goal is to generate the experience of:

• First: "Haha, you can't catch me"
• Then: "Get off me!"
• And also a big: "Oh no..."

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Weapon Concept​

Nightmare fights with a pair of old twin forged, runed, ritual Sickles. Ritual tools turned weapons.

Name (variants): Night's Edge / Wolf's Fangs / Veles Hunger / Shadowfangs / Shadowfang & Shadowclaw
My personal choice: the edgy last one

In combat, the feel should sit somewhere between mid to close range.

Weapon projectiles can be presented mechanically as ranged crescent-like throws and vicious close finishing tools.

In other words: A generic 'melee' gun with a runed curse layered on top. Throwing projectiles one by one. Reloading it with a twist'n'spin animation.

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Ability Kit​

(the most controversial part, every ability can be changed)​

0. Built-in Passive: [Veles Hunger] or [Veles Curse]​

(can be rearranged instead of ambitious 3rd ability, but initally this passive is tied to the 1st Active ability)

Nightmare's attacks and abilities apply [Veles Hunger], a stacking debuff that marks enemies as prey.
Marked enemies take increased damage from Nightmare and allow him to gain stronger sustain + lifesteal against them.

But the curse is not one-sided

Each escalation stack also feeds back into Nightmare himself! Applying a self-damaging DoT effect.

This self-inflicted damage should be trade-off his threatening, but not lethal by itself. And also capped.
In other words: the more aggressively Nightmare leans into the fight, the more he burns himself to keep control.

That is the intended tension: his power grows, but only up to the point where he can still manage it.

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1. Active: [Runed Sickles]​

Nightmare throws his Sickles forward at a calculated distance.
They travel out, and then return back to him boomerang-style, damaging enemies on both paths.

While the Sickles are away from him, he temporarily loses access to part of his weapon pressure (regular attacks).
That makes the cast a commitment rather than a free poke.

The throw can be canceled on a way out - turning the Sickles instantly back in hands.

On hit:

• Deals Damage
• Applies or adds stacks of [Veles Hunger]

This skill is meant to establish target marking, spacing, and last-hit opportunity.

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2. Active: [Howl of the Vlkodlak]​

Nightmare releases a charged cast for howl in a frontal cone, a call for the hunt.

The longer cast is charged - the stronger and wider the AoE becomes.
The cast itself should still remain reasonably fast, so it feels like a tool for pressure.

On hit for enemy hero-targets:

• Fear/Flee with Slow effect
• Enemies run away from Nightmare
• Receive reduced vision
• Brief sensory suppression or panic-effect feel
• (WIP-optional) Can also be used to interrupt several light-casts of other heroes

Pure CC skill
This is the moment where Nightmare is showing who's the prey

# Optional allied interaction​

A weaker secondary effect could briefly empower nearby allies in certain AoE radius with bonus MS or else (call for a hunt-vibe)
I see this as optional, not essential.

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3. Active: [Shadow Unity]​

IMPORTANT: This is the most mechanically ambitious part of the concept!
(can be replaced with [Veles Hunger] instead entirely, but hear me out...)

The idea is that Nightmare can manifest Shadow copies of himself - not full independent summons, but controlled extensions of his pressure.

The core thing should NOT BE raw summon spam.
It is coordinated hunting-pack summons and the feeling that his Shadow is a part of his identity.

# Base concept​

Nightmare places several charges of Shadow clones at a chosen point and direction.
(also could be a fast moving projectile and not just a spawn entity)

• These clones do not freely rotate on their own.
• They are positioned with intent, and their facing is preset by a player.
• The player determines where they appear and what direction they hold, creating a setup-based tool.
• Clones disappear with time on their own or by holding the button.

The clones act as imitators: they echo Nightmare's offensive actions within their own way of orientation.

That includes:

• Basic attacks (verticality is tied to player camera aiming)
• [Runed Sickles] throws and hits with reduced damage
• Modified version of [Howl of the Vlkodlak] (only slow effect)

It is skill for threat extension, angle pressure, curse application, and mindgame value.

# Why I know this can be controversial​

I fully understand - this is the part most likely to be considered too complex on implementation.
This is why there will be much more details in 'Document-B'

Because of that, I do not see the exact version as mandatory. But this is kind of the fantasy mandatory!

Nightmare's Shadow should be able to fight with him or appear, one way or another, not just "exist"

# Possible Versions​

If the full version is too ambitious, we could see the skill being scaled down in one of this ways:

a) Complex
Multiple clones (1-3), manual placement, manual facing, broad imitation potential. Potential high skill-cap.

b) Streamlined
Only one clone, easier placement rules, only basic attacks and [Runed Sickles] are copied.

c) Minimal
A single short-lived shadow echo that repeats Nightmare's next offensive action from a fixed angle.

# Personal Preference​

I still like the more involved version because it gives deeper gameplay and a more unique identity, but I can understand why a cleaner production version might be preferable. Tell me what you think or ask questions - will cooperate on that.

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4. Active: ["A Nightmare Come True"] (Ultimate)​

This is meant to be the hero's highlight moment.

Nightmare releases his wolf-like Shadow in a spectral predatory form and surges to chase a target.
The Nightmare body is remains in place, but it's in invulnerable state, it become one of the Shadow clone.
Meanwhile, player controling a new Shadow-form - a factual body-projectile.

During this state, the Shadow-form becomes the active threat:

• Extremely mobile (can perform movement)
• Built to pursue and chase
• Able to close distance rapidly
• Hunting manifestation, not a brawler
• Can't use skills or regular attacks

The goal is simple: catch the enemy hero while in this form.
If Nightmare's Shadow successfully reaches the target - the victim is dragged into a brief personal nightmare state.

# On successful catch​

The target suffers:

• Severe visual darkening
• A tiny effective AoE of vision
• Multiple blurred red eyes or panic imagery around them
• Heavy Slow / Disorientation
• A clear visible mark above them (such as sign of crossed sickles and red eyes)

At the same time, Nightmare teleports to the target position and erupts around in a short sequence of rapid shadow-assisted strikes - a fast burst of repositioning slashes

(can be animated as rapid teleports around target, forming the invisible pentagram-corners, meaning like ~5 attacks will be executed at the last upgrade level)

Potential problem and Bias: Drifter has kind of similar vision obstruction in his Ults, so to make it distinct - the ability can be changed. For example, make it fully damage-focus-driven.

# Skill behavior​

The Ultimate can be tuned in different directions, but preferred version is:

• Strong single-target pressure / damage by default (but still in AoE-like form)
• Nearby hero allies of the victim may help to absorb / split part of the damage if they stay close enough
• (Optional) The Shadow-form can be also released from the perspective of [Shadow Unity] clone

# After the Ultimate​

If catch is successful: Nightmare remains near the target after it ends.
On kill: I could see gaining a partial refund or accelerated CD recovery, but not necessarily a full reset.

# Miss penalty​

I am less attached to a hard miss-punishment now than I was at first.

A harsh self-stun is probably unnecessary, but can remain some fast ticking MS Slow, like for 1.5 sec.

The bigger point is that the ability should feel high-commitment because of its design.

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Other Things​

(little-big optional things and details)​

Example Voice Lines​

Nightmare can interact with characters who's got something similar with his appearance.

# General tone​

"You call it a curse. I call it what's left."
"Usually I'm the thing everyone else is running from."
"Never give up, yeah... and never even start hoping. That's what makes the difference."
"I always used to say 'never surrender' but some of you really should."

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# With Rem​

Rem: "Can I hide under your coat?"
Nightmare: "Sometimes I think about hiding in the dark myself, little one. But I guess there's room for more than just me."

Rem: "I don't like when I have nightmares..."
Nightmare: "Sometimes a nightmare is the only reason to keep dreaming." / "Sometimes a nightmare is the only reminder why it's worth dreaming on."

Rem: "You look scary..."
Nightmare: "Good. Means it's working." / "Good. Means Nightmare is working. Chasing away the bad guys."

Rem: "Mind if I hug the Shadow?"
Nightmare: "I mean... I would not recommend trying."
Rem: "...please?"
Nightmare: "I guess... Only if I'm looking after it."

# With Silver​

Silver: "I'm glad to see another one of my kind. Didn't see that in a while."
Nightmare: "I was. Not anymore."

Silver: "Do you always look like you're one bad day away from losing it?"
Nightmare: "One day? More like every night. Still full moons especially."

Silver: "This ritual can possibly save the day. And what are you? Sad?"
Nightmare: "Just focused. No reason to be happy. But at least you still have your pretty smile, sometimes."

Silver: "Never thought I would see this 'what if' in reality."
Nightmare: "And while your second curse is debts and bottles, mine is death itself. Which one’s you think is worse?
Silver: "Really?"
Nightmare: "I never thought of being here either."
Silver: "You're joking."
Nitghtmare: "Yeah, this is a 'joke', of course I did"

# With Venator​

Venator: "You fight like a man who has nothing left to lose."
Nightmare: "Because there's no any. The Shadow is, and I'll keep fighting 'til this thing is still breathing. Like forever."

# With Seven​

Seven: "With fighting like that, you should just give up. Plenty of options."
Nightmare: "Giving up is as pointless as continuing. I picked all of the wrong options already. (optional)No regrets."

Seven: "Never give up, huh?"
Nightmare: "Never give up, yeah... and never even start hoping. That's what makes the difference."

# With Holliday​

Holliday: "Moving fast. Running from something?"
Nightmare: "Usually I'm the thing everyone else is running from."

# With Drifter​

Drifter: "You don't belong here either, do you?"
Nightmare: "Somewhere I do. But right now - it's here."

# With Celeste​

Celeste: "Looks like you might snap trying to carry all that weight of the world!"
Nightmare: "This is just the shadow of it. World is still ahead."

# With Yamato​

Yamato: " その影……私のを思い起こさせるわ。面白い。"
Nightmare: "I kinda... didn't understand a damn thing."

# With Hidden King​

Hidden King: "Why are you still fighting? Denying this gift, denying death?"
Nightmare: "I am Death." (like easteregg)

# With Archmother​

Archmother: "Such a... troubled soul. You carry too much darkness, child."
Nightmare: "Then stop staring at me like I'm already a ghost. Try keeping up."

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Alternative Abilities​

This section exists as a conceptual draft that contains short ideas that did not make it into the main concept, but which I decided to leave for review.

[Ghost Walk]: Nightmare transforms into an alternate form and moves through the shadows, freeing himself from all slow effects and with immune to control abilities. All affected enemy heroes on his wake - receive a stacking [Veles Curse] debuff.

[Shadowstep]: Nightmare throws one of his sickles. If the projectile hits an enemy, it marks them for hunting, allowing Nightmare to teleport to them when ability pressed again.

[Shadow's Edge]: Nightmare perfroms a fast dash towards the marked point leaving a trail behind him. Leaved trail is slowing enemies and giving a stack of [Veles Curse] over time.

Additional alternative-cast for [Shadow Unity]: Swaps the position of the Nightmare with a clone.

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Final Thoughts​

What I wanted the most with Nightmare concept is was not to make just "another edgy dark hero", but also try to blend that type into Deadlock specifically: bringin in Slavic occultism, foreign and yet dangerous nature, with a controlled little tragedy, which is mechanically built around the idea that great power should always cost something too.

That is the point.

# Note on AI Use
In all my work and daily life I use AI as a tool in some ways.
But I might say if someone care: this is not AI generated concept.
AI used in the process only for several fact-checks and some translation.

Document-B (expanded details): WIP (working on it)