Elden Ring Nightreign Pro Tips: Dominate Bosses with Bleed Builds & Upgrades
The closed network test of Elden Ring Nightreign has come and gone, leaving countless players yearning for more. If you’re among those who experienced the test firsthand, you’ve likely noticed this isn’t merely an Elden Ring modification but rather a richly detailed standalone experience with surprising depth. During those brief three-hour sessions, many fascinating features remained undiscovered by the average player. Today, we’ll explore the most intriguing discoveries from the Elden Ring Nightreign closed network test that might have slipped past your notice.
Table of Contents
Legendary Weapons Reimagined in Elden Ring Nightreign
Remember those iconic armaments from the base game? Nightreign hasn’t simply imported them—these weapons have undergone substantial transformations that dramatically alter gameplay dynamics.
New Passive Buffs and Enhanced Attacks
While exploring the training grounds at Roundtable Hold, you might have noticed something different about the legendary weapons. They’ve all received unique passive buffs such as “Power of the Golden Lineage” and “Power of the Queen.” More importantly, many feature entirely new attack patterns and abilities that set them apart from their original versions.
Standout Legendary Weapon Improvements
- Bastard Stars Flail: No longer the underwhelming option from the base game, attacks now leave purple energy mines that adhere to enemies before exploding after a brief delay.
- Sword of Night and Flame: After unleashing either elemental attack, the weapon retains that element as a buff. Fire attacks grant a fire buff, while magic attacks bestow a magic enhancement—dramatically increasing the weapon’s versatility.
- Sacred Relic Sword: Charged heavy attacks now generate a massive ring of light that deals area-of-effect damage, making crowd control significantly more effective.
- Grafted Dragon: Landing a critical hit now triggers pools of fire around the arena that cause substantial stagger damage, potentially creating chain reaction opportunities.
- Giant’s Red Braid: Using the weapon art coats your character in flames that damage nearby foes, adding a defensive layer to this offensive weapon.
These enhancements breathe new life into weapons you might have overlooked in the original game, encouraging experimentation with different legendary armaments throughout your Nightreign runs.
Combat Mechanic Overhauls in Nightreign
Beyond weapon-specific changes, Nightreign introduces fundamental combat improvements that benefit previously underutilized weapon categories.
Critical Strikes with Unconventional Weapons
Perhaps the most surprising discovery involves critical attacks. In the base game, certain weapon classes couldn’t perform critical strikes on staggered enemies. Nightreign changes this completely by allowing bows, whips, and shields to execute ripostes and critical strikes.
Footage circulating online shows a player switching to a bow after staggering Margit, then using a single arrow as a critical strike weapon. Similar mechanics apply to whips and shields, opening up entirely new strategic possibilities for these weapon types.
| Weapon Type | Critical Strike Capability in Base Game | Critical Strike Capability in Nightreign | Animation Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bows | ✗ | ✓ | Single arrow stab |
| Whips | ✗ | ✓ | Special whip grab |
| Shields | ✗ | ✓ | Shield bash critical |
| Traditional weapons | ✓ | ✓ | Standard critical animations |
This change represents a substantial quality-of-life improvement for players who prefer these weapon categories, eliminating a major disadvantage they faced in the original game.
Eight Playable Heroes in the Full Release
The network test limited players to four hero options, but the full release of Elden Ring Nightreign will double this roster to eight unique characters.
Meet the Confirmed Heroes
During the test, you had access to:
- Wilder: A tank build with high health and strong defensive capabilities
- Duchess: Glass cannon character with the powerful ability to repeat actions against bosses
- Guardian: Support character with revival capabilities and balanced stats
- Recluse: Versatile character with a wide range of attack options
Newly Revealed Heroes
From trailers and collector’s edition materials, we’ve learned about three additional characters:
- Tank Build: A heavily armored warrior wielding a great axe and sporting a distinctive goat horn helmet
- Katana Miracle User: A magic-focused swordsman blending faith spells with traditional blade combat
- Iron Eye: An archery-focused character (name confirmed through collector’s edition materials)
The eighth hero remains shrouded in mystery, with no details currently available.
Each character brings unique abilities and playstyles to the table, dramatically increasing Nightreign’s replay value by encouraging multiple runs with different team compositions.
Most Powerful Build Strategies
Though testing time was limited, clear frontrunners emerged in the Nightreign meta that you might want to consider for your future runs.
Bleed Remains King
If you experimented with different status effects, you likely discovered that bleed continues to dominate boss encounters just as it did in the base game. Footage shows players absolutely melting Gladius with bleed builds, with the status effect triggering repeatedly in rapid succession.
What makes this especially potent in Nightreign is the synergy with certain hero abilities.
Optimal Team Composition
The most devastating strategy discovered during the network test involved:
- Two Duchess characters: Each using bleed weapons to maximize damage output
- One tank character (either Wilder or Guardian): For survivability and revival capabilities
The Duchess’s signature ability allows damage and effects to repeat against bosses for a short duration. When this repeats a bleed proc, damage stacks exponentially. With two Duchesses triggering this effect in sequence, bosses simply melt.
However, running three Duchess characters proves too risky due to their extreme fragility. You’ll want at least one character capable of absorbing damage and reviving fallen teammates.
Hidden Lore and Environmental Secrets
Beyond gameplay mechanics, Elden Ring Nightreign contains fascinating environmental storytelling that expands on the world’s mysteries.
The Spectral Tree Mystery
During the second night of gameplay, you likely noticed the massive spectral trees marking boss fight locations. These serve as visual indicators for where bosses will emerge, with the storm circle closing around them.
What you might have missed is what these trees contain. When viewed from a distance, each spectral tree reveals a Divine Tower at its center—two trees wrapping around a stone structure, similar to the Shadow Tree from the DLC.
While Nightreign isn’t considered canon to Elden Ring lore, this detail provides an intriguing new perspective on the nature of Divine Towers in the base game. Were they originally intended as support structures for trees? Does this connection explain their spiral design reflecting divinity as a double helix in the world of Elden Ring?
Illusory Walls and Hidden Areas
In typical FromSoftware fashion, Nightreign includes illusory walls and floors hiding valuable loot. While exploring ruins, always check for these secret passages—they’re easy to overlook during the frantic pace of a Nightreign session.
Upgrade System Essentials
With the rapid pace of gameplay, many players completely forgot about traditional upgrade systems that carry over from the base game.
Weapon Upgrade Materials
Don’t overlook these critical progression items:
- Smithing Stone (1): Found in early areas and common locations
- Smithing Stone (2): Located primarily in mine areas
- Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone: Obtained from the Ancient Dragon in the Evergaol (likely limited to one per run)
Additionally, those breakable statues containing smithing stones from the base game return in Nightreign. These can be destroyed by luring large enemies to smash them or by using the Guardian’s ultimate ability.
Forgetting to upgrade your weapons can significantly impact your run’s difficulty, so always keep an eye out for these materials.
What Makes Elden Ring Nightreign Truly Special
The closed network test revealed that Elden Ring Nightreign isn’t merely a spin-off but a thoughtfully designed standalone experience. The developers have clearly paid attention to player feedback from the base game, addressing shortcomings while expanding on beloved features.
The combination of reimagined legendary weapons, new critical strike systems for previously limited weapon types, and the strategic layer added by the hero system creates a fresh experience that still feels authentically “Elden Ring.”
What’s particularly impressive is how Nightreign manages to appeal to both veterans and newcomers. Veterans will appreciate the nuanced changes and expanded combat options, while the hero system provides a more structured entry point for those intimidated by the open world of the original game.
Conclusion
Elden Ring Nightreign demonstrates how a focused spin-off can innovate within an established formula. From weapon enhancements to fundamental combat changes, the closed network test offered merely a glimpse of what’s to come in the full release.
As you prepare for launch day, remember to experiment with different hero combinations, pay close attention to legendary weapon abilities, and always check for those hidden passages that FromSoftware loves to include. The depths of Nightreign extend far beyond what was immediately apparent in the brief network test sessions.
Have you discovered anything in Elden Ring Nightreign that wasn’t covered here? Which hero are you most excited to play in the full release? The journey continues, and countless secrets remain uncovered in the shadowy world of Nightreign.
FAQ About Elden Ring Nightreign
Is Elden Ring Nightreign just a mod of the original game?
No, Elden Ring Nightreign stands as a distinct experience with unique mechanics, upgraded weapons, and new playable heroes that set it apart from the base game.
How many playable heroes will be in the full Elden Ring Nightreign release?
The full version will feature eight playable heroes, doubling the four available during the closed network test.
Are legendary weapons different in Elden Ring Nightreign compared to the base game?
Yes, legendary weapons have received significant upgrades with new passive buffs and enhanced attack patterns that transform their utility and effectiveness.
What is the most powerful build strategy discovered in Elden Ring Nightreign?
Based on the network test, a team with two Duchess characters using bleed weapons, supported by either a Wilder or Guardian for tankiness, appears most effective.
Does Elden Ring Nightreign have hidden areas like the main game?
Yes, Elden Ring Nightreign continues the FromSoftware tradition of hiding secrets behind illusory walls and floors, rewarding thorough exploration.
Is Elden Ring Nightreign canon to the main game’s story?
No, Elden Ring Nightreign is officially considered a non-canon spin-off, though it contains interesting lore elements that may offer new perspectives on the original game’s world.
