NBNHMR teases ABA switch, flexes on Nago haters at Arc World Tour Finals

The Arc World Tour Finals are on, and NBNHMR is gunning for the crown. Read on for our exclusive interview with NBNHMR at the Arc World Tour Finals.

Esports.gg: First, congratulations on making it to the Arc World Tour Finals. You had a big 2023, winning Slashback, 2nd at EVO, and multiple big top eights. Looking back on the year, which accomplishment are you most proud of?

NBNHMR: This season, there wasn't too much stuff that happened as I qualified from points. The biggest one is definitely EVO. Just because it's EVO, it's the biggest tournament. Second place... I'd prefer to win. (Laughs) But second is still very, very strong. I was overall mostly happy with it because it was my first EVO, and it was just a big stage, a lot of people, a lot of nerves, and I managed to do really well. I wasn't expecting it. It wasn't my primary game, surprisingly, for that experience.

You’re in a group with Daru, Umisho, and Leo. Who do you think will give you the biggest challenge?

Definitely Umisho. I always play her a lot and it's very, very difficult. She's definitely the best Sol player. I've got a chance to fight Mochi, which is the person who knocked me out last week in World Tour. So there's gonna be a little bit of a challenge to fight Sol again this tournament, the character that knocked me out last time. Very strong character, and a very, very strong player.

Other than Umisho, Daru is also very strong. Leo and Daru have the benefit of being... not benefit, I should say the problem, of being foreign players. You don't get that much experience [against them] at all. So even with that being said, I think the initial matchups look nice. The strongest challenge from a character matchup perspective, as well as a player match perspective, is Umisho.

Pivoting to your character, Nagoriyuki is still a controversial member of the roster. What do you say to all the Nago haters out there?

When I hear hate for the character, I think, "Okay. Whatever." I fight the character and I'm like, "Oh, I understand the hate now."

The character has its problems. The character can force a lot of situations very easily, forcing rock-paper-scissors and 50-50s very easily. He's a very brawly character. But also he's been toned down significantly. So he's not as absurd as he once was. I would personally say he's fine. I wouldn't mind buffs, wouldn't mind nerfs. He's in a very good place right now.

White Wild Assault makes him very strong, as with all the other changes with it. So right now, I think he's okay. And I understand the hate. I have mixed opinions, but overall, I'm pretty neutral on the character. It's fine. 

Now, if you did get to buff your character, what would you change? Bring back old crouching Slash, maybe?

Very, very small buffs. I think the character is pretty close to being very strong. They've nerfed him, I think very [intelligently]. Health change was good, recovery nerf on the 2S was good. 5K nerf was also smart because all those areas were very, very overtuned. The buffs, I don't understand them. Recovery nerf on 5K that needs to be reverted, I think. The low crush on it was already ridiculous. It's gone now. So I think it was fine.

All sword normals giving blood is what I want. A small bit on 5D charged Dust. Close Slash getting blood is also nice because that's just his main pressure tool. So starting out with a little bit of blood is a very nice change and a little bit better. He's supposed to be very good in the air despite lacking a double jump and slow jump startup. I think having a better jump startup would be good. He's a big body character, so that's probably not going to happen, but just a one-frame-faster jump would be excellent. Oh, and better better air normals, slightly. I think he's he has good tools, but they can be better. Those are the two main things.

ABA is the next character coming to the game. What do you think about her return? Any plans to play her?

So funnily enough, she is similar to Nago. Very, very similar. She has to use a move to get a certain mode, where she can become twice as strong. It's kind of like hitting a bite with Nago. It's very, very similar. She's a very slow character, but when she gets this install, she can start her game plan. That's how she is similar to Nago. I do plan on playing her. I think she looks great, her design is pretty solid. They always surprise me, they always blow me away with the new designs.

If you could pick the next DLC character, who would you pick?

Everyone's gonna hate me, and they always do, but I always say Slayer because it's the same vampire thing as Nago. I love that character. I didn't play much of Xrd, but he's very, very interesting.

NBNHMR (pronounced Neibenheimer) is a unique tag to go by. Is there a story behind it?

It's a very, very old gamer tag. My dad got me into games, and he made up a tag for me. Ever since he made it for me, that was it.

Did he make up Niebenheimer or NBNHMR?

Niebenheimer. The way I have it now is my own take on it. I'm trying to make it a little different, but the way it originally was had the vowels in it. So just without the vowels right now.

Anything else you’d like to say to the fans?

Well, I really appreciate all the support. I haven't been too active lately, so I've been a little slumped. But hopefully, I get back into it. It's a big, big wave of fighting games recently. So I'm going to get back into it, and I think it'll be a lot of fun.

A special thanks to NBNHMR for accepting an interview at the Arc World Tour Finals.

Stay tuned to esports.gg for all the latest updates on Guilty Gear Strive.