Nightmare Completion Guide

## A brief summary of Nightmare Mode

Nightmare mode is pure hell in a nutshell. It is a difficulty level in Escape the Backrooms, where you have to finish the entire game without anyone dying, with the game being reset to the loading screen if one person dies during the run. It can be played in Singleplayer, by yourself in a Multiplayer room, or Multiplayer. Nightmare is not very different from hard mode, as the Entity AI and Sanity drain the same. (Please confirm this) On Nightmare mode, RNG is significantly worse meaning you wont get amazing spawns for exits and items such as keys, and elevators.

## Guide

This section will contain tips and tricks for Nightmare Mode. These tricks will apply for both solo and Multiplayer players, if you're doing Multiplayer read the solo part as well, everything that applies for solo applies for multiplayer unless stated otherwise.

### General Tips

**Solo**

* Turn down any graphics setting related to shadows, this will make it much easier to see on a lot of levels.
* Learn how to Bunny Hop, as you can traverse big levels quicker.

**Multiplayer**

* Only divvy up almond water where you don't lose sanity unless you need to or have nothing to do.
* STAY TOGETHER with your Teammates

### Level 0

**Solo**

When doing the ladder cutscene you can lean and hold back to go premove a little bit to save time, you can turn while premoving so you can bhop but it's inconsistent. In the pitfalls you can stand on the edge at the beginning and spam lean either direction to fly to the side making it so you can reach the end quickly and easily, if this makes you get stuck in a wall leaning gets you unstuck usually. Speed is key on this level to prevent The Howler from spawning so memorize the ways to the ladder from each spawn and from the ladder to the door.

**Multiplayer**

You will spawn in different places. Make sure to memorize each path to the ladder room regardless where you spawn in. The 2 spawns in the pillar room aren't as fast to get to the ladder room but are about the same distance to get to the door. Have 2 people go to the ladder room to speed up getting the ladder pieces, the other 2 people should go straight to the door. Abuse the pitfalls glitch so you don't need to worry about teammates falling down, and possibly getting killed.

### Level 1: Habitable Zone

**Solo**

There's nothing special for Section I or Section II on solo. For Section III, make sure to test the door next to the ramp on the first floor. If it doesn’t open, immediately head to the second floor and test the door in the back left. If that doesn’t open, go down another ramp, and head to the back right of the next floor. That should be the door that opens. From the 2nd floor down, proceed with caution since there is a Skin-Stealer. You can turn down render distance to see through walls and tell where the elevator is before getting to it. On the first floor you can always see the elevator through the wall if render distance is lowered, but there's a pillar that only spawns when the elevator is there. When going down ramps stay in the middle and go slow so you can see the Skin-Stealer coming before he gets you. The Skin-Stealer can't go through the door to the elevator on the 3rd floor. For Section V you can get to the first room every time before the lights go out. From the 2nd to the 3rd room, as long as you hug the wall and bhop you'll never die (Smilers can still aggro so dont stop) meaning you can always get to the 3rd room the second time the lights go on. You can also most of the time run from the 3rd room to the 5th room, if the lights flicker before you pass the column, just go to the 4th room, but if they flicker after you pass it you can make it to the 5th. The door can only be on the left of the 3rd room or the right of the 5th room, so don't waste time checking others.

**Multiplayer**

For Section I, you should split up for looting to save time, have one person check the room with the code while the other(s) loot. Assigning rooms for each person is recommended. For Section II, split up to cover more ground. With 3 people if the last key is in the far back room have someone aggro each of the Skin-Stealers and loop around while one person gets the key in the back, as long as you don't touch the monsters while they have aggro you won't die. You're faster than the Skin-Stealers so the people who have aggro can keep looping. If you run out of stamina that means the Skin-Stealer lost trace of you. Let everyone know if the skin stealer stopped chasing you. With 4 people, one person should go to each of the rooms other than the main room and the room in the far back. If you don't get all the keys do the same thing as 3 people to get the one in the back. For Section III you can split up to find the door faster. For Section V you can have 3 people wait at the spawn and have one person go, once the person who went is in the exit to Level 2 everyone else can go through The Hub door and it will still take everyone to Level 2.

### Level 2: Pipe Dreams

**Solo**

Make sure to go to the left the first time and to the right the second time. If you don't have a flashlight there's a guaranteed spawn right before the dark area. Bhop until you see the light after the dark area, once you see the light you can full sprint.

**Multiplayer**

Same thing for multiple people but it's recommended to stop at the beginning of the dark area to make sure that you can all confirm you're close by.

### Level 3: Electrical Station

**Solo**

Nothing special, just make sure to watch sanity and keep in mind the Hounds can only be stunned once.

**Multiplayer**

It's recommended to split into 2 groups, group 1 explores the close area at the beginning while group 2 explores the farther spot with 4 possible spawns, after group 1 finishes they wait at the first gate and drop almond water if needed. Once the first gate opens, group 1 will go do the second part while group 2 loots the first part. Once group 2 is done looting they go wait at the second gate and drop almond water if needed. Once the second gate opens, group 2 does the third part. Group 1 should loot the second part and then go to the display and let group 2 know how many they've done. Every player will need about 2-3 almond waters if you know where the breaker box spawns are.

### Level 4: Abandoned Office

**Solo**

You only need to count three of the items, the fourth one just click through the options until you hear the door open. You have no sanity drain so take your time to find as much almond water as possible. Almond water gives the most sanity so prioritize carrying it over anything else. If you find extra stuff top off your sanity since it doesn't reset like Level 37. You can use the same strategy as on Level 1 where 3 people go to The Hub door just to save time, although it's not recommended since there's a lot of loot in this room. You can go to The Hub on this level to make it so if you're low on items in Level 37 you can come back here to loot and then go back through The Hub back to Level 37

**Multiplayer**

At the beginning one person should B-line to the vending machine puzzle while everyone else loots the first area. It's recommended to assign looting areas to each person so the same spot isn't checked twice for efficiency.

### Level 5: Terror Hotel

**Solo**

In the Entry Hall, you can sprint jump onto the locks, hold right and look at the center of the left door, when you use a key it'll clip you through the door making it so you only need 1 moth jelly. For The Hotel it can only be one of three codes making it so you can skip looking for the papers, these codes are: 05938, 17564, and 89472. Make sure to be hyper aware of your surroundings to make sure you don't get killed while you're in the lock (most of the time you'll have time to put in all 3 without a worry.) On the Boiler Room the heat waves don't show up in every spot where you can die so the map is recommended.

**Multiplayer**

DO NOT TRY TO CLIP THROUGH THE DOOR WITH 2 PEOPLE. The second person will clip out of the bottom of the map and softlock you. For The Hotel, have one person assigned to doing the lock. With 2 people, have the second person calling out if an entity gets to the spawn area. With 3 people, have the 2 people not on the lock each assigned to one side and keep watch to have a bigger time period to see entities. With 4 people do the same as 3 but have one person loot until the door is opened. If an entity comes into the main area someone who isn't on the lock should take aggro and hug the wall opposite of the person on the lock, that way the person on the lock doesn't have to leave.

### Level FUN

**Solo**

Watch a video and practice. If you're above around 25% sanity by the time you're past all the partygoers don't drink, just go to the end since sanity gets reset on the next level.

**Multiplayer**

Same as solo, you can still lose sanity on the slides and die if everyone isn't in.

### Level 37: The Poolrooms

**Solo**

You can bhop forever in here, you just have to be near frame perfect, dont go in the dark areas. You can eat an energy bar to somewhat ignore the decreased stamina. The increased stamina loss also takes place outside of water.

**Multiplayer**

You can use the same strategy as on Level 1 where 3 people go to The Hub door just to save time.

### Level !: Run for your Life

**Solo**

Practice, learn where you need to go.

**Multiplayer**

The first person can go up to the second door on the right, as long as they don't pass it the horde won't spawn. The last person can go up to the second corner of the perpendicular hallway, again, as long as they don't pass it, the horde wont spawn. This gives the most distance between the players and the horde. It also allows the most distance between players so if something falls and rolls in a weird way you'll have more time to see and react accordingly.

### The End

**Solo**

AS OF MAY 17, 2023 THE FIREALARMS ARE BUGGED, DO NOT RELY ON THEM. In the current patch as of May 17, 2023, sometimes The Scratcher will ignore the firealarms entirely or aggro through them, you can still use them but don't rely on them. Always keep an eye on The Scratcher and use the tables (you only have to touch them, you don't have to crouch under them) to break aggro if needed. Make sure you interact with the computer in the middle before collecting all the tapes or else you'll softlock yourself; interacting with it will always have it display the total amount of tapes, but if one is picked up it'll update the number.

**Multiplayer**

You can get The Scratcher aggro locked if you have one person aggro and run to a table, as long as you're touching the table you can't die so you can constantly jump to keep aggro.

### Level 9223372036854775807

**Solo**

You can stand on the edge and constantly cycle through "WDSA" to go insanely fast.

**Multiplayer**

Same as solo

### Level 94

**Solo**

Since using hiding spots can sometimes crash the game you can crouch jump onto the beds instead of hiding under them or in the closet. Make sure to get almond water from the trucks and dressers if needed. You can also jump into the trucks (the rightmost trucks at each group of trucks are the fastest way to the end) and they'll drive you forward. A lot of the time the Animations don't even spawn so you could just try running the whole way, not recommended though. For the Animated King there's 4 spots or 1 technique that will ensure success. For the spot shown in Figure 11.1, you just look down the pathway at where the king usually stands and you wont die. For the spot in front on the roller coaster in Figure 11.2 you move your camera as shown in Figure 11.1 and you wont die. For the other 2 spots shown in Figure 11.2 just move your camera back and forth between each end of the pathway. The technique previously mentioned can be done from any spot in the room and only requires you to spin in circles, you can go back and forth you just have to make sure that you keep your camera at the same height so you despawn the Animated King.

**Multiplayer**

If you need to drop almond water, do it in the street or a house so the cans don't roll away. 4 people can hide in the house if needed, 1 under the bed, 2 in the closet, and 1 crouch jumped on top of the bed.

### Level 6: Lights Out

**Solo**

   Take the first left and follow the right wall for a while. While on the right wall, skip both doors. When you get to the second door on the right, start following the left wall and take the second doorway on the left. Continue that path then take the next door on your right, followed by going on the large path on the right just outside of the doorway. Continue down the path and hug the left wall, taking each doorway while doing so. As long as you're touching a wall the Wretch can't get you while he's behind you unless you walk into him, crouching prevents death as long as you're on a wall. You can swap away from and back to the LiDAR to reset the cooldown meaning you can keep perma uptime.

**Multiplayer**

Same as solo.

### Level 7: Thalassophobia

**Solo**

Walk downstairs, touch the boat, celebrate.

**Multiplayer**

Same as solo.