This article is part of a directory: Gotham Knights Guide: News, Gameplay & More
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Gotham Knights, developed by WB Games Montreal, is an upcoming RPG based in the DC universe. While its October 21, 2022 release date means not everything has been revealed about the game's story and mechanics, what has been shared is bolstering excitement in DC fans. This article will be updated as new information becomes available.

After the death of Batman, the player must explore an open-world Gotham City as they fight crime and unlock the potential of each of the four protagonists: Nightwing, Red Hood, Batgirl, and Robin. Having four heroes to play in Gotham Knights means each player will be able to explore their different playstyles. The game's developers have said that this way of telling the story is meant to encourage exploration and experimentation. Each of the four protagonists brings something new to the table, and fans of acrobatic fighting styles will likely be drawn to Nightwing.

Related: Gotham Knights Reviews Praise Almost Everything... Except the Combat

Who Is Nightwing in Gotham Knights?

Nightwing in Gotham Knights

Dick Grayson, also known as Nightwing, was Batman's first protégé and the first one to don the "Robin" title. He grew up in a circus' acrobat family and is of the belief that fights are only worth it if there is something worth fighting for. After leaving Batman's tutelage, he became the hero and vigilante known as Nightwing. Nightwing is a master in acrobatics and wields dual escrima sticks.

How to Upgrade Nightwing's Abilities

There are four skill trees per character in Gotham Knights. Abilities in the different skill trees are unlocked using Ability Points, which are earned as the player progresses through the game. Some abilities have requirements that must be met to unlock them. This means the player must unlock certain skills or achievements before progressing further in the skill tree.

Related: Is Batman Really Dead in Gotham Knights?

Nightwing's Raptor Skills

Nightwing is using Freeze's moves in Gotham Knights

Nightwing's Raptor skill tree is themed around those abilities that pertain to dealing critical hits against single targets. There are seven abilities in the Raptor skill tree, each with its own requirements and costs.

  • Perfect Evade: A perfect evade followed by a follow-up attack
    • Requirements: Unlock the Raptor skill tree
    • Cost: Unknown
  • Critical Expertise: Critical damage is increased by 20%
    • Requirements: Unlock Perfect Evade
    • Cost: 1 Action Point
  • Assassin's Mark: Damage to a marked target is increased by 10%
    • Requirements: Unlock Perfect Evade
    • Cost: 2 Action Points
  • Trampoline: After using the Pounce ability, Nightwing performs a high jump on the enemy.
    • Requirement: Unlock Perfect Evade
    • Must be in an area in which high jumps can be made.
    • Cost: 1 Action Point
  • Precise Strikes: Chance of landing a critical hit increases by 10%
    • Requirement: Unlock Critical Expertise
    • Cost: 2 Action Points
  • Aerial Bounce: Allows for Nightwing to perform up to three bounces off enemies, followed by an aerial attack
    • Requirement: Unlock Trampoline
    • Cost: 2 Action Points
  • Critical Distance: Hitting an enemy at a distance increases critical chance and critical damage by 15%
    • Requirement: Unlock Aerial Bounce or Precise Strikes
    • Cost: 3 Action Points

Related: A Major Undead Batman Villain May Rise Again in Gotham Knights

Nightwing's Acrobat Skills

Nightwing is using Freeze's moves in Gotham Knights

The seven skills in Nightwing's Acrobat skill tree are granted momentum by evading enemies' attacks, which then increase the abilities' strength. This allows players to engage with Nightwing's circus background while attacking enemies.

  • Aerial Damage Plus: The damage done by aerial attacks increases by 20%
    • Requirement: Unlock the Acrobat skill tree
    • Cost: 1 Action Point
  • Extra Momentum Bar: Adds a second momentum bar to Nightwing's arsenal
    • Requirement: Unlock Aerial Damage Plus
    • Cost: 1 Action Point
  • Momentum Gain Plus: Nightwing's momentum is increased by 15%
    • Requirement: Aerial Damage Plus
    • Cost: 1 Action Point
  • Evade Chain: Performing quick backward jumps triggers a chain of perfect evasions
    • Requirement: Extra Momentum Bar or Momentum Gain Plus
    • Cost: 3 Action Points
  • Haly's Favorite: A successful evade chain knocks down nearby enemies
    • Requirement: Evade Chain
    • Cost: 2 Action Points
  • Evade Chain Momentum: A successful evade chain restores some momentum
    • Requirement: Evade Chain
    • Cost: 2 Actions Bars
  • Mind and Body: Momentum abilities restore some health
    • Requirement: Haly's Favorite or Evade Chain Momentum
    • Cost: 2 Actions Bars

Related: Gotham Knights: How to Play as Red Hood

Nightwing's Pack Leader Skills

Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood and Batgirl stand in a rain-soaked alley in Gotham Knights

The skills in Nightwing's Pack Leader skill tree cater to multiplayer, allowing players to buff or heal their teammates in battle.

  • Family Ties: Nightwing's resistance is increased by 10%, and his teammates also receive boosts (Batgirl receives a 15% boost to her melee damage, Red Hood receives a 20% boost to his ranged damage, and Robin receives a 15% boost to his stealth damage)
    • Requirement: Unlock the Pack Leader skill tree
    • Cost: 1 Action Point
  • Health Bolstered Defense: Nightwing receives a 5% defense bonus (which scales to 20%) when his health is above 70%
    • Requirement: Family Ties
    • Cost: 1 Action Point
  • Momentum Regen: Nightwing's momentum regenerates over time, and the speed of this regeneration is increased when working with others
    • Requirement: Health Bolstered Defense
    • Cost: 2 Action Points
  • Shared Skill: Passive skills that increase a player's stats are shared with allies at 50% value
    • Requirement: Health Bolstered Defense
    • Cost: 2 Action Points
  • Elemental Smart Darts: Elemental effect is built up on enemies struck by Nightwing's darts
    • Requirement: Momentum Regen OR Shared Skill
    • Cost: 2 Action Points
  • Elemental Smart Darts Plus: Darts reduce enemies' defense by 10% and increase damage done by allies by 5% for ten seconds
    • Requirement: Elemental Smart Darts
    • Cost: 2 Action Points
  • Revive Darts: Darts revive allies (one per night)
    • Requirement: Elemental Smart Darts
    • Cost: 2 Action Points

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Nightwing's Knighthood Skills

Nightwing is DC's Vulture in Gotham Knights

The Knighthood skill tree represents a moment of change for each of the four protagonists, which happens when they hit a key point in their individual character arcs. When they have these realizations, new skills are unlocked and added to the skill tree. Each protagonist needs to be pitted against several unique challenges in order to reach Knighthood.

  • Flying Trapeze: Nightwing uses his Flying Trapeze, a call back to his days in the circus, to glide from building to building
    • Requirement: Unlock the Knighthood skill tree
  • Triple Darts: 3 darts can be shot instead of 1
    • Requirement: Flying Trapeze
    • Cost: 1 Ability Point
  • Strike Distance +: Nightwing can strike with melee attacks from farther away
    • Requirement: Flying Trapeze
    • Cost: 1 Ability Point
  • Guardian: Nest Ability cooldown is reduced by 15% upon defeating an enemy
    • Requirement: Flying Trapeze
    • Cost: 1 Ability Point
  • Bigger Nest: Increases Nightwing's nest size
    • Requirement: Guardian
    • Cost: 3 Ability Points
  • Nest Buffs +: Nest damage is increased by 150%, and the healing effect is increased by 100%
    • Requirement: Strike Distance +
    • Cost: 3 Ability Points
  • Combat Expertise: Increases amount of attacks in Nightwing's melee combo by one, and the last hit is a knockdown
    • Requirement: Triple Darts
    • Cost: 2 Ability Points

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Nightwing's Momentum Abilities

Gotham-Knights-Nightwing_04

Nightwing's momentum abilities are unlocked by completing challenges unique to his character.

  • Shotgun Darts: Nightwing shoots a dart from each hand, which do greater damage to closer enemies
    • Momentum cost: 1
  • Elemental Shockwave: Smashing the ground creates an elemental trail that damages enemies
    • Momentum cost: 1
  • Pounce: Nightwing jumps at a ranged enemy, inflicting damage and knocking them down
    • Momentum cost: 1
  • Nest: Nightwing creates a nest around himself and his allies, granting a defensive bonus and healing over time. The nest damages any enemies that breach it and induces fear.
    • Cooldown: Five minutes
    • Momentum cost: N/A