Darth Nihl Respect Thread
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“We will disperse into the galaxy in small numbers, masking ourselves, hiding amidst the enemy. We will infiltrate governments on every planet. All must be brought down for something new to be created. Together or alone, we will slip onto worlds and strike from the shadows. We will be invisible. We will be patient. All that exists will be torn apart from within. Darth Krayt’s vision of the galaxy remade will be realized. He lives in us. The Sith will prevail.”
--Darth Nihl
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Physical Abilities
Darth Nihl was given a Yuuzhan Vong replacement arm, granting him supernatural strength.
Nihl is displayed as a blur in combat.
Nihl easily deflects numerous blaster bolts at close range.
Nihl's armor is immune to blaster bolts, and also shields him from their kinetic force.
Nihl withstands a powerful kick from Cade Skywalker as well as plummeting from a cliff, and receives no injuries in the process as he gets back to his feet shortly after.
Nihl was able to withstand the pain of the "Embrace of Pain", a biomechnical torture apparatus designed by the Yuuzhan Vong, several times during his training. Nihl used the pain from his first experience as a fuel that allowed him to single handedly kill the population of an entire village.
Darth Krayt explains further the mechanics of the Embrace, and Cade's pain caused by the apparatus is also displayed.
Nihl withstands a powerful kick from Cade Skywalker and continues fighting.
Lightsaber and Martial Arts Skill
Darth Nihl's species, the Nagai, is almost entirely populated with expert melee combatants. It is considered rare for a Nagai to not be at least an expert melee combatant with a wide range of weapons.
"Melee combat, especially the use of edged weapons, is highly integrated into Nagai culture. It is a rare Nagai who does not display an expert's hand in the use of blades of all sizes."
--Legacy Era Campaign Guide
The Nagai are experts of knife combat, in particular with the Tehk'la blade. They employ a fighting style in which the opponent is whittled down over time until the opportunity for a killing blow presents itself.
--Legacy Era Campaign Guide
Nihl was the greatest Nagai hunter.
Later, Nihl would become an infamous Nagai warlord.
"The man who would eventually take the name Darth Nihl was once a Nagai warlord and a scourge of the Unknown Regions before joining the Sith. Darth Nihl used his latent skill with the Force to lead bands of marauders in raids all across his world, well outside of the domain of the Galactic Alliance."
--Legacy Era Campaign Guide
Nihl's skill in battle was such that Darth Krayt offered him a place within the Sith Empire. Nihl would go on to become one of Darth Krayt's Hands.
While rebuilding the Sith, Darth Krayt encounters Darth Nihl and offers him a place within the Sith order. Nihl agrees, undergoes the training to become a Sith Lord, and rises to the rank of Emperor's Hand after his predecessor dies under mysterious circumstances. Darth Nihl is an ambitious Sith Lord who lets nothing stand in the way of his continued ascent."
--Legacy Era Campaign Guide
The Emperor's Hand is a highly contested and sought after title within the Sith Empire. Only the best achieve such status.
"A select few Sith Lords are given the title of Emperor's Hand, a tradition that Darth Krayt has resurrected from the days of Palpatine. These Hands function as the Emperor's agents throughout the galaxy, performing secret tasks at Krayt's whim. The position of Emperor's Hand is one of great honor, and it is fought over among the Sith Lords viciously."
--Legacy Era Campaign Guide
Nihl is the head enforcer in Darth Krayt's Empire and the Sith Order, meaning he is ranked as the best melee combatant in those organizations, barring only Darth Krayt himself.
--Star Wars Legacy #0.5
Nihl is a master of the long-handle lightsaber, for which he has developed a unique fighting style.
"Darth Nihl is a master of the long-handle lightsaber, for which he has developed his own unique fighting style."
--Legacy Era Campaign Guide
"A weapon favored by the Sith Lord Darth Nihl, the long-handle lightsaber caters to a particular fighting style. The weapon's handle grip is several times larger than the standard lightsaber, making it easier to swing the weapon around the body using arms, legs, shoulders, hips, and other joints as fulcrums upon which the lightsaber can be levered.
The fighting style used with a long-handled lightsaber takes advantage of the larger grip to allow the wielder to rotate the weapon around his body."
--Legacy Era Campaign Guide
--Star Wars Miniatures: Legacy of the Force
Nihl single handedly slaughtered an entire village during his Sith training.
Nihl was chosen to lead the Sith during the Massacre at Ossus, where he killed many Jedi.
"Two days after Coruscant fell to the new Empire, it was Nihl who led the assault on the Jedi praxeum on Ossus. A lot of Jedi are dead."
--Ellu Viss (Star Wars: Jedi vs Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force)
During the Massacre at Ossus, Nihl easily defeats Jedi Master Wolf Sazen, cutting off his arm and mortally wounding him.
After the Massacre at Ossus, Nihl was routinely tasked with hunting down any Jedi who escaped, a task he relished in completing.
"As the Emperor's Hand, Darth Nihl executes the will of Darth Krayt, and the Nagai Sith Lord particularly relishes dealing with Jedi who escaped the attack on Ossus (which Darth Nihl himself led.)"
--Legacy Era Campaign Guide
Seven years after the Massacre at Ossus, Nihl contends with Wolf Sazen. Wolf is later joined by the incredibly skilled and powerful Cade Skywalker, until Wolf is forced to leave the fight. Nihl and Cade engage in an even fight until it is interrupted by Jariah Syn, who shoots Nihl in the chest. After Nihl dispatched Syn, Cade is able to get the upper hand over Nihl in what otherwise would have been an even fight.
Darth Nihl engages Cade Skywalker again in a fierce, well contested duel. This was Cade after receiving re-training from the Jedi for two weeks, as well as several weeks of Sith training under Darth Talon and Darth Krayt.
It's worth noting that a great deal of this duel happened off-panel, while other events were being displayed. If you want to see how much time was spent fighting by watching the fight and the other events, click here.
While accompanied by other Sith, Nihl exterminates a group of Sith guards easily.
Darth Nihl contends with one of the most skilled Sith duelists in Krayt's Empire, Darth Talon, in her prime. Most of this fight happens off-panel, but it should have been a relatively long fight, considering that Talon was able to slay Nihl's Tuk'ata.
Telekinesis
Darth Nihl dispatches Jariah Syn with telekinesis.
Nihl, without any visible strain, is able to maintain a Force choke over the incredibly powerful Cade Skywalker until he is rendered unconscious. This is an incredible display of power, considering that Cade Skywalker previously showed himself capable of hurling a starship, among other impressive feats of power.
Force Lightning
Darth Nihl kills Kol Skywalker with Force Lightning.
Force Sense
Despite being hampered by the dark side miasma of Korriban designed to askew an intruder's senses, Darth Nihl is able to successfully sense and hunt down Darth Talon, a Sith whose skill in Force Concealment is such that she can manipulate her Force signature to confuse and mislead multiple Jedi. It's also noted that Nihl was the greatest tracker of his species, the Nagai.
Beast Control
Darth Nihl exerts his will over a Tuk'ata, dominating it's mind.
Tuk'ata are incredibly intelligent and relentless beasts, alchemically enhanced by the Sith Lord Exar Kun.
"Evil and frighteningly intelligent curs spawned from the depths of an otherworldly hell guard the tombs of the Sith necropolis world of Korriban. In reward for their faithful service, the beasts were taken to sites infused with the dark side, where they mutated into relentless and indefatigable Sith hounds. Exar Kun was especially fond of the creatures and personally brought them to the Massassi temples of Yavin 4."
--The Dark Side Sourcebook
