Nightmare

SilentSkillRare
Choose a card.
Next turn, add 3 copies of that card into your Hand.
Exhaust.

You choose a card in your Hand; the card stays where it is. At the start of your next turn, before you draw, 3 copies of it are created in your Hand, keeping its upgrade but with any affliction cleared. Nightmare itself Exhausts after the choice. The copies are generated cards that count toward the 10-card Hand limit. It costs 3, or 2 upgraded.

Character
Silent
Type
Skill
Rarity
Rare
Cost
32 Energy
Target
Yourself

When to take Nightmare

Pick the card whose third copy is worth the most, a Power like Noxious Fumes or Adrenaline. It suits slower decks that can spend a turn setting up, so upgrade it to keep Energy free.

Cards that synergize with Nightmare

Adrenaline
Skill
0
Gain .
Draw 2 cards.
Exhaust.
Adrenaline copies pay for themselves and draw 6.Gain .
Draw 2 cards.
Exhaust.
Noxious Fumes
Power
1
At the start of your turn, apply 2 Poison to ALL enemies.
Noxious Fumes and Wraith Form are Powers whose stacks add up.At the start of your turn, apply 2 Poison to ALL enemies.
Wraith Form
Power
3
Gain 2 Intangible.
At the start of your turn, lose 1 Dexterity.
Noxious Fumes and Wraith Form are Powers whose stacks add up.Gain 2 Intangible.
At the start of your turn, lose 1 Dexterity.
Burst
Skill
1
This turn, your next Skill is played an extra time.
Burst on a copied Skill doubles it again.This turn, your next Skill is played an extra time.
Bullet Time
Skill
3
You cannot draw additional cards this turn. ALL cards in your Hand are free to play this turn.
Bullet Time makes the crowded Hand free.You cannot draw additional cards this turn. ALL cards in your Hand are free to play this turn.
Blade Dance
Skill
1
Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.
Exhaust.
Blade Dance copies become 9 Shivs in one turn.Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.
Exhaust.

Relics that synergize with Nightmare

Burning Sticks
Burning Sticks triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Nightmare Exhausts itselfThe first time each combat you Exhaust a Skill, add a copy of it into your Hand.
Joss Paper
Joss Paper triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Nightmare Exhausts itselfEvery 5 times you Exhaust a card, draw 1 card.
Forgotten Soul
Forgotten Soul triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Nightmare Exhausts itselfWhenever you Exhaust a card, deal 1 damage to a random enemy.
Intimidating Helmet
Intimidating Helmet triggers on cards that cost 2 or more, and Nightmare is oneWhenever you play a card that costs or more, gain 4 Block.
✦
Adrenaline
Skill
0
Gain .
Draw 2 cards.
Exhaust.
Malaise
Skill
X
Enemy loses X Strength. Apply X Weak.
Exhaust.
Blade Dance
Skill
1
Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.
Exhaust.
Calculated Gamble
Skill
0
Discard your Hand,
then draw that many cards.
Exhaust.
Expose
Skill
0
Remove all Artifact and Block from the enemy.
Apply 2 Vulnerable.
Exhaust.
Mirage
Skill
1
Gain Block equal to Poison on ALL enemies.
Exhaust.
Piercing Wail
Skill
1
ALL enemies lose 6 Strength this turn.
Exhaust.
Scare
Skill
0
Apply 1 Weak to ALL enemies.
Exhaust.

Changes by version

  1. 2 Jul 2026Bug fixPlaytest
    Nightmare card can no longer be generated during combat
  2. 18 Jun 2026Bug fixv0.107.1
    Nightmare card VFX no longer plays for all players
  3. 4 Jun 2026Bug fixBeta branch
    Nightmare card VFX no longer plays for all players
All 11 patch notes8 older
  1. 26 Apr 2026ChangeBeta branch
    If you play it and select a card with an Affliction on it, that Affliction is now removed from the copies added to your hand the following turn
  2. 14 Nov 2024Bug fixInternal playtest
    Fixed Nightmare VFX
  3. 7 Nov 2024Bug fixInternal playtest
    Nightmare card now properlyspawns in cloned cards before hand is drawn
  4. 24 Oct 2024ArtInternal playtest
    Added VFX for Nightmare card
    Bug fixInternal playtest
    Effects applied to a card after its been selected by Nightmare no longer apply to its copies
  5. 5 Jul 2024Bug fixInternal playtest
    Nightmare card no longer makes copies share the same deck version (proccing Kindle when you don't want to)
  6. 17 May 2024Bug fixInternal playtest
    Nightmare now exhausts like in sts1
  7. 19 Apr 2024Bug fixInternal playtest
    Nightmare no longer softlocks after adding more than 10 cards
  8. 29 Apr 2023Bug fixInternal playtest
    Nightmare prompt not working

Internal playtest notes are from before the Early Access release. Names and numbers in them can differ from the game today.

Purchase today
If you haven't bought Slay The Spire 2 yet, it's time. Support the devs, they made an amazing game.Get it on Steam