| Necrid | |
|---|---|
| Soulcalibur character | |
 Necrid from Soulcalibur II | |
| First game | Soulcalibur II (2002) |
| Designed by | Todd McFarlane |
| In-universe information | |
| Weapon | Maleficus (Enigma) |
Necrid (Japanese: ネクリッド, Hepburn: Nekuriddo) is a character in the Soulcalibur series of weapon-based fighting games. Designed by comic book artist and toy designer Todd McFarlane through a collaboration with Namco, the character appeared in console ports of Soulcalibur II and later as part of an action figure set created by McFarlane Productions. Necrid's concept and physical build were outlined by Namco, who aimed to target North American audiences with the character, while McFarlane provided the character's design and name.
Once a human warrior who sought the cursed sword Soul Edge, he was instead pulled into the dimension that the sword's spirit inhabits. Though he escapes, his mind and body were drastically mutated, while he lost his memories and sanity. He now wields various forms of energy as weapons while searching for fragments of the shattered Soul Edge to ease his pain. Necrid's spoken lines in the game are unintelligible, and no voice actor has been credited.
The character has received a divisive response. While some sources criticized the character's design for clashing with the game's aesthetic, some others praised the visual appeal of the character when in motion. Some have called Necrid one of the best characters introduced to the series, while others considered him one of the worst. McFarlane's involvement with the character's creation was also a particular point of criticism, with some feeling it had fallen short of its potential. Necrid has also been the subject of scholarly study, which examined the nature of monstrous designs in video gaming and how players react to such.