Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 features some of the toughest encounters in the franchise, but none are as chaotic and intense as The Nightmare. Whether you're progressing through the campaign or practicing mechanics inside Call of Duty Black Ops 7 Bot Lobbies to sharpen your aim and movement, this guide breaks down every phase of the fight and how to overcome it-even as a solo player.

Where the Nightmare Boss Appears

The Nightmare appears during one of the late-game campaign missions and serves as a major mechanics test before the final sequence.

How To Beat The Nightmare in Black Ops 7

The Nightmare is a massive, rooted plant creature with multiple weak points that change throughout the battle. Dealing damage to the wrong locations wastes time and ammo, so the key to victory lies in targeting priority and managing its waves of summoned enemies.

Phase 1: Destroy the Smaller Flower Buds

When the fight begins, you'll immediately notice several smaller flower buds attached to The Nightmare's stalk. These buds look identical to the ones you've been destroying throughout the mission.

How to handle Phase 1

·Focus all fire on the small buds-they are the only consistent weak points right now.

·Destroying each bud deals a significant chunk of damage to the boss.

·Keep your distance and continuously reposition to avoid incoming attacks.

Best Weapons for Phase 1

·Sniper Rifles

·DMRs

·Long-range ARs

You'll need range, precision, and the ability to quickly destroy buds while staying mobile.

Nightmare's Main Attacks in Phase 1

During this entire first segment, the boss cycles through two main attack types:

1. Poison Breath Attack

The Nightmare releases a wave of toxic gas that:

·Deals massive damage

·Causes knockback

·Forces you out of cover

Counterplay: Use tall environment objects for cover and step behind them just before the poison cloud reaches your position.

2. Homing Projectile Pods

The boss fires multiple slow-moving, glowing spheres that track your position.

Counterplay options:

·Sprint away and break the line of sight

·Or shoot them mid-air before they reach you

Either method works-just don't let them cluster behind you. Once all the small buds are destroyed, the boss becomes immune and transitions to Phase 2.

Phase 2: Clear the Zombie and Spider Waves

The Nightmare shields itself and summons:

·Standard zombies

·Mutant spiders

·Occasional explosive variants

Your Objective

Survive the onslaught until the immunity drops.

Tips for this phase:

·Stay on the move-standing still means getting surrounded

·Use grenades and abilities to thin out crowds

·Conserve rifle ammo by using SMGs, shotguns, or explosives

When the immunity ends, a new set of small buds appears. Destroy them again while managing continuous zombie pressure.

Players who want extra practice surviving swarms often buy CoD Black Ops 7 Bot Lobbies to rehearse crowd control and movement patterns before attempting this section.

Phase 3 (Final Phase): Target the Glowing Orange Weak Points

When The Nightmare reaches roughly 30% HP, all remaining buds stop spawning. Instead, the boss shifts to its final phase, exposing three large flower mouths on its body.

How Weak Points Work

·Each giant flower glows orange when preparing an attack

·The glow indicates the weak point window

·Shooting the glowing mouth deals huge damage

How to Survive This Phase

·Shoot weak points

·Avoid poison breath

·Dodge tracking projectiles

·Manage endless zombies

Keep moving between cover and don't tunnel-vision on the weak points-you'll get flanked quickly.

Recommended Ability: Grenade Launcher

·Deals massive AOE damage

·Instantly destroys zombie clusters

·Can heavily damage the glowing weak points

If you saved explosive ammo or abilities, this is where they shine.

Finishing the Fight

When a giant flower mouth takes enough damage:

·It wilts

·Stops glowing

·Becomes immune

This is your cue to move to the next weak point. After all three large flowers wilt, The Nightmare collapses, triggering a cutscene and completing the mission.

Tips for an Easier Nightmare Boss Fight

·Stay mobile-standing still means instant death.

·Prioritize weak points-shooting the body wastes ammo.

·Save explosives for the final phase.

·Use long-range weapons in Phase 1, high-damage bursts in Phase 3.

·Clear zombies quickly-don't let them overwhelm you.

·Use cover wisely to counter poison breath.

Conclusion

The Nightmare boss in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is one of the most unique encounters in the entire campaign. Its combination of weak-point targeting, wave management, and environmental hazards pushes players to play more tactically than in typical COD missions. With patience, mobility, and the right weapons, you can bring down this plant-based monstrosity and move on to the final stretch of the campaign.