Elden Ring Nightreign: Tips you need for every expedition

Elden Ring: Nightreign is a dense game, especially if you’re not used to FromSoftware games. But even if you’ve played through Elden Ring and the Dark Souls titles multiple times, Nightreign is still doing some things quite unlike any other game that FromSoftware has made. If you expect the same old mechanics, you might get blindsided. Being able to climb up walls is an obvious change, but you might not expect everything else.

We’re breaking down a bunch of the big things you need to know in order to consistently get successful runs in Elden Ring: Nightreign. We’re going to assume that you’ve already played Elden Ring, and will only focus on new changes that you need to keep in mind while playing Nightreign.

Day 1 tasks and Day 2 tasks

Some locations in Limveld are way too tough to take on when you’re lower level on Day 1. If you see a storm cloud above a location, or a dark circle on the map, you should probably avoid it until you’re prepared. Likewise, ignoring easier camps in favor of tougher bosses on Day 1 is a big mistake. All the information you need to inform which locations to target on each day is on your map, and we explain it in our Nightreign POI guide.

Elemental loot

Another thing you’ll notice on your map screen is elemental icons next to certain ruins, castles, and more. Yes, this does indicate what element the enemies there might use, but it also indicates what rewards you’ll earn from taking down any nearby bosses. This is especially useful if you’re aiming for a specific ailment with your build, or if you want to prepare for the Nightlord. We have a full list of all Nightlords and weaknesses, if you need it.

Make the most of Shifting Earth

Shifting Earth events occur after you take down a Nightlord, and although you can end them by going to bed, you shouldn’t. These events each provide a fantastic reward at the center, and it’s the kind that can make beating the Nightlords much easier. You should only head into the heart of a Shifting Earth event on Day 2, but if you do, you’ll be in a great position to win. Check out our full list of all Shifting Earth events and rewards.

Upgrade your armaments and Flasks

Upgrading your tools will help you win. Sometimes you won’t come across a legendary armament that suits you, but you can upgrade the right armament to level 2 using Smithing Stone 2. You can always get a Smithing Stone 2 from beating a large enemy inside a mine tunnel, just make sure to not get stuck down there as the safe area closes. Likewise, each Church you visit will grant you an extra Flask charge at the altar, which is invaluable for the Day 3 Nightlord fight.

Always carry six weapons

You should always carry six weapons, and that’s because there’s no weight limit in Nightreign. In addition, each weapon grants a passive buff, and it stays active even when not in your hand. That means that even if a weapon doesn’t suit your build, but its effect does, you can keep it in one of your six slots and you’ll still reap the benefits. 

Don’t worry about stats too much

Since you’re carrying six weapons anyway, why not use them? Yes, each character leans towards a specific weapon type, but they shouldn’t be entirely limited by it. The Raider might have limited FP, but can totally carry a magical staff for one big attack. Likewise, having a bow in your off-hand is useful in a massive number of situations, allowing you to solve puzzles and revive allies from a distance. Get pinned-down as the Recluse? A swift melee weapon might help you fight your way out when you don’t have time to cast a spell. Weapons that complement your character’s stats should always be the focus, but not the only factor to consider.

Spectral Hawk fast travel

Spectral Hawk Trees are marked on your map, in addition to the paths that they will take you around the map. When descending, you actually have a good amount of wiggle room for where to land, meaning that – as long as they’re heading in the right direction – Spectral Hawks are by far the fastest way to move around the map. Great for those eventualities where the Church you need to get to is on the other side of the map on Day 2.

All about teamwork

Unless you’re an experienced FromSoftware player that can take on solo mode, then you should stick with your team. If you can get a team of people you know to play with that’s perfect, but if you can’t, then you should make sure to communicate with your team by pinging the map and sticking with whomever seems like the most experienced player. Make sure to check our guide on how to ping items in Nightreign.

Learn your character’s abilities

It sounds obvious, but the brief character descriptions in the game don’t really give you the full picture of how best to use each character’s abilities, and their Ultimate Art especially. There are two Ultimate Arts that can instantly revive your allies, making last-minute plays to win the game possible, and they seem overpowered in comparison to others — unless you use them correctly. Each character has a wild amount of different potential, and for everything, you need to read through our character guides:

• Wylder character guide
• Revenant character guide
• Raider character guide
• Guardian character guide
• Duchess character guide
• Executor character guide
• Recluse character guide
• Ironeye character guide

Relics inform builds

You can equip Relics to each Nightfarer at Roundtable Hold, and this will be incredibly important. These are the only way you can increase the power of your character before leaving on an expedition, and if you know how you like to play, you can equip Relics that specifically improve the skills and techniques you want to use. Some Relics will have abilities that can only apply to certain characters, too. Checking which Relics are available in the bazaar and ensuring you’re optimizing your build will give you a massive leg-up with the tougher Nightlord expeditions.