If you have managed to get to the castle enter Lost Castle 2then you've probably met a strange new character named Nia. The game will initially introduce her as an amnesiac girl, and she will be brought to your camp after you make significant progress on one of your runs.
Contrary to what you might see online, you don't actually have to defeat the final boss to face Nia, but she won't serve you any purpose until you've defeated the boss. Until then, she will simply live in your camp with an unnamed purpose that won't reveal itself until the final boss is dealt with.
What is Ethereal Nightmare Mode and how to unlock it
Ethereal nightmare mode is essentially that New Game+ or post-game content by Lost Castle 2. After defeating Steward the Demon Sealer and the subsequent demon boss at Black Castleyou will be brought back to camp and have successfully completed your first full run. Once back at the camp, go over to Nia, who is standing in the middle of the camp by the Ethereal device.
You should get a prompt telling you that Nightmare Mode has been unlocked, and you can also watch the cutscene that introduces Nia if she wasn't already hanging around your camp before this. Talk to Nia and ask to use the Ethereal Deviceand you will be taken to a screen showing you various debuffs you can put on your next run and how Ethereal Nightmare will affect your run.
Since the difficulty options in the base part of the game are Easy and Normal, you can consider this the game's hard mode.
When you apply debuffs, you'll notice that there are numbers at the top of a bar that fill up as you apply debuffs. These numbers are the depths of the ethereal nightmare. You need a certain number of debuffs to enter each depth, but you also need to complete each depth to unlock the subsequent one. So even if you think you're ready to jump to deep 3, you won't be able to without clearing 1 and 2 first.
On the right side, you'll also see an overview of the run, showing everything you've selected and a breakdown of its impact on you.
This mode is completely designed to test your ability to create a fully finished, cohesive construction. It's possible to beat the initial run with any random combination of items, but the same won't apply to Ethereal Nightmare Mode, and you'll need to strategize on a functional build to complete it. Doing so will reward you with rare resources and permanent upgrades to your build.
It is highly recommended that you work on a tank build, but there are a variety of builds that will work. There will be one achievement to unlock and complete each depth of Ethereal Nightmare Mode.
Lost Castle 2: Forest Guardian Boss Guide
How to defeat the Forest Guardian boss in Lost Castle 2.
What are the ethereal nightmare mode rewards
As mentioned, the rewards you earn from runs at all Ethereal Nightmare depths, in addition to unlocking the associated achievements, will be Soul Stones, Soul Flowers, and Master Relics. These items work as follows:
|
Point |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Soul stones |
Used to buff the base stats of a weapon. They work together with Soul Flowers and Champion's Relics, as you must first unlock a weapon's Soul Inscription. If you have a surplus of unused Soulstones, you will also be able to use the Soulstone Smelting feature to trade in 10 for a chance at a rarer Soulstone, depending on the level of the ones you trade in. |
|
Soul flowers |
Used to unlock a specific weapon's Soul Inscription, which is needed to permanently upgrade it. |
|
Champion's Relics |
Unlocks a random weapon's Soul Inscription without the need for Soul Flowers. |
Make sure to do that check in with Nia every time you return to camp to make sure she has nothing to offer you herself. Even if you don't plan to adjust the settings for your next run.
Lost Castle 2: Mad Gardener Boss Guide
How to beat Black Forest's Mad Gardener boss in Lost Castle 2.
