Nightmare

Nightmare is a creature type used for cards that depict terrifying monsters or evil spirits created by the unconscious mind. Nightmares are primarily black, although they occur in other colors.
The first Nightmare card was the equally named <c>Nightmare</c> in Alpha. This is a powerful, black flying horse that draws its power from the swamps.
==Storyline==
===Ashiok===
Ashiok is a planeswalker from an unknown plane who discovered not only a great skill at culling the nightmares from others but also the ability to make them manifest in reality (<c>Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver</c>). Ashiok enjoys watching those who see themselves as untouchable and superior reduced to screaming and blubbering. Because all sentient beings feel fear, Ashiok believes in its power as the great equalizer. Ashiok is known to have visited Theros, Ravnica, and Eldraine. While Theros and Ravnica are known to have native nightmares, Eldraine's nightmares have emerged with the advent of the Wicked Slumber.
===Capenna===
A certain hostile species of angels are also nightmares. Having awoken themselves from stasis, they have no desire to ease the pain of an ungrateful populace.<c>Angel of Suffering</c>
===Dominaria===
Dementia casters like <c>Chainer, Dementia Master</c> and other members of the Cabal on Otaria have the unique ability to summon horrors from their personal "dementia space", a place populated with the caster's greatest fears and all beings they have killed. These so-called Nightmare Horrors appear also in blue and red.
===Duskmourn===
On Duskmourn, nightmares are manifested embodiments of individual terrors and fears, spawned by the House because of the demon Valgavoth's influence. All nightmares are individual and specific to the fear they symbolize; if multiple people have the same nightmare, the nightmare in question will increase proportionally in size and power. A person can be responsible for contributing to multiple separate nightmares. Most nightmares are manifested subconsciously, but sometimes a cultist of Valgavoth will deliberately feed their fears to the House to birth a new nightmare. These nightmares are some of the most terrifying and warped, as the cultists have willingly opened up their repressed subconscious minds for the House to scour.
Nightmares are single-minded entities that only target those who created them. They don't aim to kill their victims, instead preferring to cause the person to relive the fear they embody. A person caught by a nightmare is pulled into the nightmare's body, where they're forced to live through their fear endlessly. Each nightmare has a weakness specific to its core concept, and thus a different method of overcoming it.
===Eldraine===
Nightmares began manifesting on Eldraine as a consequence of Ashiok's involvement in the Wicked Slumber.James Wyatt et al. (2023). "D&D Monstrous Compendium: Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures". Wizards of the Coast. They take the form of their victims' deepest fears, made tangible by Ashiok and able to attack the bodies and minds of those afflicted by the Slumber. Due to the collective trauma experienced by the people of Eldraine during New Phyrexia's Invasion, many nightmares take the shape of those invaders, having multiple limbs and inhuman visages. Smoky purplish energy wafts from their forms, suggesting their connection to the Wicked Slumber.
===Ikoria===
On Ikoria, nightmares are associated with Indatha and are one of the world's dominant clades. They are physical manifestations of humanity's fears and negative thoughts. Many either have extra eyes and appendages or none.Jay Annelli (2022). Magic: The Gathering - The Visual Guide, DK. ISBN-13 978-0744061055. They are considered the most dangerous clade, as they don't conform to the instincts or physiology of the plane's other creatures. The first White nightmares in the cards appeared on Ikoria.
===Innistrad===
The nightmares of Innistrad are twofold. One variant has little in common with the equines encountered on other planes. Instead, they manifest as spirit-like entities that torment sleepers <c>Persistent Nightmare</c>. Others resemble classical nightmares and are closely tied to the demons of Ashmouth. <c>Stallion of Ashmouth</c>
===New Phyrexia===
Ovika was born from the remains of Mirrodin after it had been ravaged for building material by the Phyrexian troops. He built his immense body from the salvage, giving himself all the eyes and limbs he would need to oversee and investigate his plane.
===Ravnica===
The Nightmares on Ravnica are aligned with the Rakdos. They resemble an eight-legged, two-headed horse with fleshless heads that are carnivorous. (<c>Carnival Hellsteed</c>) There are also a <c title="Nightmare Sphinx">Dream Eater</c> and a <c title="Nightmare Demon">Doom Whisperer</c> associated with the Dimir. Ashiok's presence during the War of the Spark also generated some different forms of Nightmares <c>Ashiok's Skulker</c>.
===Theros===
As a consequence of the actions of Ashiok, Nightmares manifested in reality on Theros.Flavor text of Some native Nightmares reside in the Underworld.<c>Devourer of Memory</c>, <c>Underworld Charger</c>
===Nightmare horses===
The original <c>Nightmare</c> was depicted as a literal mare (horse). These horse with fiery manes arise from the swamps. As the poisoned land spreads, so too does the Nightmares' rage and terrifying strength.
These Nightmares can be found across the multiverse, notably on Dominaria, Ravnica, Innistrad and Theros.
==Notable Nightmares==
==Nightmare mechanic==
The nightmare mechanic was designed by Richard Garfield for the Odyssey set but later moved to Torment. Torment featured seven black Nightmare Horrors and two red Nightmare Beasts. Judgement featured three red "Gorger" Nightmares and six blue "Wormfang" Nightmares. 
Whenever one of the Nightmare creatures, as featured in Torment, comes into play, another card (of a type specified in the Horror's rules text) in play or hand is removed. When the creature leaves play, the card it "replaced" is returned to play. Some nightmares make an opponent gain and lose life respectively, instead.
Each of the blue Nightmares of Judgement requires the loss of a particular resource, usually permanents, excluding the rare ones, which take a turn on your hand, but return them on leaving the field. There are two vertical cycles in this category. <c>Wormfang Drake</c> and <c>Wormfang Newt</c> in common, <c>Wormfang Turtle</c> and <c>Wormfang Crab</c> in uncommon and <c>Wormfang Behemoth</c> and <c>Wormfang Manta</c> in rare.
The Nightmare mechanic is currently moved to white and is retooled into the imprisoning aesthetic.
==Gallery==
File:IkoriaNightmareConcept.png|Ikoria Nightmare-clade monster concept.
File:RakdosElementalConcept.jpg|Rakdos Nightmare concept that would become <c>Carnival Hellsteed</c>. Art by Aleksi Briclot.
==Trivia==
*When Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths had a strong tribal theme in vision design, Nightmares were the black-centered tribe. They would have been Insects, had Creative not pushed for something more "lovable."Mark Rosewater (April 20, 2020). "Ikoria of the Beholder, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
==Tokens==
==Non-creature Nightmares==
*<c>Nightmare Lash</c> is an artifact.
*<c>Recurring Nightmare</c> is an enchantment.
*<c>Startled Awake</c> is a sorcery that transforms into the Nightmare creature <c>Persistent Nightmare</c>.
*<c>The Ultimate Nightmare of Wizards of the Coast® Customer Service</c> defies all logic.
*<c>Waking Nightmare</c>, <c>Nightmare Void</c>, <c>Nightmare Unmaking</c> and <c>Nightmare Incursion</c> are sorceries.
*<c>Collective Nightmare</c> is a instant.
==References==
==Sources==
*Nightmare
*Whispering Woods
*Chainer's Torment
Category:Miscellaneous mechanics