All 8 Elden Ring Nightreign Nightlord bosses, ranked

The core of FromSoftware’s “Soulsborne” action RPG series has traditionally revolved around intense boss fights, and the same holds true for Elden Ring: Nightreign, the studio’s innovative cooperative roguelike spinoff of the popular 2022 game.

There are a total of eight unique experiences designed specifically for players, each offering a distinct hurdle to conquer through determination and skillful execution of their abilities and tactics. Having successfully defeated most Nightlord battles across various Elden Ring Nightreign character classes, I thought it would be entertaining to arrange them according to personal enjoyment of the fights.

Below, I have analyzed and shared my thoughts on each Nightlord battle’s mechanics and ambiance in detail. I have pointed out what I admired, what I found challenging, and what I was particularly fond of. Without any more delays, here are my rankings for all eight battles against the Nightlords in Elden Ring: Nightreign.

Note that this is a rephrased version of your original text to make it easier for readers to understand. The essence remains unchanged.

Hereafter lies a discussion containing crucial details about every Elden Ring Nightreign Nightlord battle, even the concluding one. If you wish to preserve the surprise of these encounters, I advise you to refrain from reading further.

8. Augur / Maris, Fathom of Night

Although the Augur / Maris, Fathom of Night encounter is at the bottom of my list, I don’t dislike it. In fact, I enjoy the melee-range attacks where it spirals through the air, making it entertaining to dodge. Plus, the ability to destroy its explosive jellyfish and teardrop-shaped nukes with ranged weapons or magic provides exciting opportunities for counterplay, which isn’t just about running away.

The main issue with Maris lies in its excessive flying maneuvers, which constantly elude melee-oriented characters such as Wylder, Guardian, Raider, and Executor. Consequently, these classes often find it challenging to land a hit due to the elusive nature of Maris, leading to endless chases around the arena. In the absence of an Ironeye or a Recluse, this battle can drag on, eventually becoming quite tedious as the initial visual excitement wears off.

As a tech enthusiast, I can’t stand it when Maris takes flight and collapses to the ground in a deep slumber, causing your Sleep meter to escalate swiftly, potentially dealing significant damage if the status effect activates. Ideally, you’d be able to pound on it with powerful blows to jolt it awake, but due to all the chasing involved while trying to catch up with the boss, you rarely have enough time for that before you succumb to sleep yourself.

7. Tricephalos / Gladius, Beast of Night

In simpler terms, the battle against Tricephalos/Gladius, often referred to as the Nightreign’s Nightlord encounter in Elden Ring, serves as a tutorial fight, but don’t let that fool you. Despite being one of the easier battles among the eight overall, it can still defeat you swiftly if you’re not careful. It draws inspiration from Cerberus, the three-headed dog from Greek mythology.

Gladius’ attacks are easy to predict as it employs a variety of strategies. It uses powerful melee attacks with both its heads at close range and long-range sword swipes using its chain sword from a distance. Occasionally, it unleashes fire breath as well. In Phase 2, Gladius changes tactics by splitting into three separate forms, forcing each player to engage one individually to prevent any single player from being overpowered.

Nightreign. Despite this, it remains a powerful fight and an excellent starting point for exploring Elden Ring: Nightreign.

6. Sentient Pest / Gnoster, Wisdom of Night

One distinctive battle in Elden Ring Nightreign features a unique opponent known as Sentient Pest / Gnoster, the Wisdom of Night. During this confrontation, you’ll face two colossal insects: a grounded scorpion and an airborne moth. Both creatures share a health bar, with the terrestrial scorpion charging towards you to crush you with brute force up close while the winged moth bombards you with magical attacks, poison clouds, and occasional grab attempts.

In most cases, players tend to separate when using melee fighters who are more effective against scorpions and ranged ones for moths. However, beware that getting poisoned by a moth will result in a parasite attaching to you, causing ongoing Poison damage until another team member destroys it. This can lead to intricate scenarios where you must evade attacks from both creatures, potentially bringing the team back together.

This unique design strategy sets Gnoster apart by having all three players target the same area in combat, but during Phase 2, the moth climbs onto the scorpion’s back, leading to a thrilling display of synchronized attack combos that blend magic and melee attacks. At this juncture, it transforms into a more traditional battle, creating a satisfying sensation where you and your companions unite for the final stage of combat.

5. Darkdrift Knight / Fulghor, Champion of Nightglow

Without a doubt, the Darkdrift Knight, or Fulghor, Nightglow’s Champion, is known for being particularly challenging to vanquish. This armored centaur behemoth is extremely aggressive, delivers blows with the force of a truck, and can run you over just as easily. In Phase 1, he often unleashes destructive gusts of wind using his lance, shatters the ground to cause earthquakes affecting a wide area, charges players like a enraged bull, and slams down his weapon to summon spears and geysers of divine energy from beneath the earth.

In the game, Fulghor’s attacks are both lethal and diverse, yet they’re also clearly signaled in advance, allowing players to dodge them by jumping over them. A smart player can then capitalize on this opportunity by launching a counter-attack using jump attacks. Additionally, players who carry a weapon or spell that inflicts lightning damage will receive extra rewards. Not only does Fulghor take more damage from these attacks, but he’ll also be momentarily stunned during his spear-calling move if struck with lightning while he’s in the process of charging it.

In Phase 2, the boss develops an electric-purple, quivering appendage, employing it for some fresh moves such as swatting players or pounding the ground with it. These new actions enrich the battle experience, albeit the hand’s movements can appear a tad unpredictable. Nonetheless, Fulghor is an exceptional boss.

4. Gaping Jaw / Adel, Baron of Night

In terms of mechanical aspects, Adel, the Nightlord Baron at the culmination of the Gaping Jaw Expedition, is less versatile compared to other Nightlords, predominantly relying on a series of attacks where it attempts to envelop you with its colossal, draconian-like jaw. It’s also capable of seizing you with its jaws, rushing towards you for impact, and slamming its head down to generate a potent shockwave affecting a wide area. During Phase 2, many of these attacks are infused with lightning aftershocks; however, overall, Adel’s attack repertoire doesn’t undergo significant alterations.

Despite your argument, I personally prefer Adel over Fulghor. The thrill of dodging its massive bites and smashes is unmatched, and in the second phase, Adel’s dazzling display of vibrant purple lightning elevates the battle to an epic level. Furthermore, I find Adel’s moves easier to anticipate compared to Fulghor’s somewhat unpredictable Phase 2 attacks.

It’s noteworthy that the Baron of Night has some useful features to exploit. For instance, should a teammate be seized, they can be rescued from severe harm (even death) by striking Adel’s head with powerful attacks, impactful weapon skills, or potent spells. This means you can aid an ally if they couldn’t evade the move, which is incredibly satisfying given Nightreign’s cooperative emphasis.

In addition, causing Adel to ingest poison in the first phase will make it throw up its stomach contents, shedding the Poison status but providing you with several moments to strike at its legs and tail without fear of reprisal (vomit may harm and poison you). Such unique interactions with status effects are intriguing, and I can’t help but feel that more bosses from FromSoftware could benefit from such features.

3. Fissure in the Fog / Caligo, Miasma of Night

Typically, FromSoftware’s dragon boss fights are either fantastic or disappointing, so I wasn’t certain what to anticipate when I fought Caligo, the Miasma of Night for the first time. Fortunately, the Fissure in the Fog encounter turned out to be quite impressive, and in my opinion, Caligo ranks among FromSoftware’s finest dragon creations ever.

Fighting this ice dragon in the Soulsborne series offers a variety of challenging attacks such as claw strikes, icy breath, and tail swipes. Additionally, it presents unique situations where you must locate its position amidst fog, then decide whether to flee (triggering black wind) or approach closely (hearing the sound of ice cracking, which can lead to a large damage opportunity if you reach the dragon swiftly). The dragon’s breath creates frost crystals on the ground that accumulate Frostbite when stepped on, requiring careful movement as you position yourself for attacks. In essence, this ice dragon is one of the most captivating to battle due to its intricate mechanics and engaging combat style.

In Phase 2, the action truly escalates – quite literally. It commences as Caligo ascends, swooping down on players with a barrage of massive ice shards. Simultaneously, an epic, grand orchestral theme amplifies, leaving audiences awe-struck. As the phase progresses, Caligo integrates fresh frost attacks into its initial repertoire and grows increasingly hostile.

As a tech-loving gamer, I must admit that going up against Caligo during Phase 2 can be quite challenging at times. However, I find that his moves are all clear and predictable, which makes for an engaging battle. The minor inconveniences might seem frustrating, but they’re a small price to pay for the immersive experience this encounter offers.

2. Night Aspect / Heolstor the Nightlord

As an analyst, I can attest that the climactic boss fights in FromSoftware games are consistently exceptional, and this is evidently true in Elden Ring Nightreign. In particular, my encounter with Heolstor the Nightlord stands out as one of the most thrilling encounters in this cooperative roguelike game. Given the abundance of battles against colossal beasts throughout the game, it seems fitting that the final confrontation is a duel against a knight wielding a sword, who is surprisingly similar in size to myself.

Throughout the entire fight against Heolstor, it’s like watching an enchanting ballet, where the Primordial Nightlord gracefully executes a mix of intricate and challenging combos using both a magical greatsword and a smaller blade. He bears resemblance to Dark Souls 3’s Slave Knight Gael or Elden Ring DLC’s Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, as his attack sequences are fiercely aggressive, incorporating swift and delayed strikes. However, they are also masterfully animated, offering clear opportunities for a counter-attack if you’re bold enough to match his aggression.

Heolstor’s Phase 2 is equally awe-inspiring; as it begins, Heolstor leaps upwards, slicing open the sky with his sword and infusing it with an unpredictable element. This results in a grand explosion that echoes throughout the heavens upon his descent back to earth. The rest of the battle sees him slicing through the air, generating shockwaves of the infused element along his slashes, making it crucial to watch your position carefully.

In summary, the battle was flawless, a delight to engage in repeatedly using Nightreign’s assorted character types, even after initially defeating it on Wylder. However, it remains my second favorite boss encounter, as…

1. Equilibrious Beast / Libra, Creature of Night

Libra is an extraordinary boss, notably for his emphasis on positioning. If you choose to maintain a distance and retreat, he can swiftly transform the battlefield into a chaotic storm of attacks, similar to madness projectiles. A wiser strategy would be to stay near him, provoking him to use more melee strikes that can be countered effectively, rather than relying on evasion.

You can provoke him into a violent, uncontrollable rage by casting Madness magic on him or destroying the runes around when he’s trying to strengthen himself. This sequence of erratic attacks and powerful smashes is incredibly lethal, but brave players who carefully dodge these moves will have ample opportunities for retaliation.

Similar to other challenging Nightreign bosses, Libra stands out with clearly predictable attacks and an exceptional musical score. However, it’s his unique quirks – the unusual pact he proposes, the aftermath of his attacks resulting in healing crystals, and his vulnerability to the same Madness he inflicts upon you – that make him my preferred boss in this game. Essentially, Libra embodies the FromSoftware-style boss fight interpretation of the Greek god Dionysus, featuring cunning trickster mechanics and a creative twist on Elden Ring’s Madness idea. Here’s to more intriguing encounters like this one!

In a daring departure from the original “Elden Ring” by FromSoftware, “Nightreign” offers an innovative spin-off experience that infuses the classic Soulsborne combat style with roguelike elements and cooperative gameplay. Despite some significant challenges such as limited map exploration and relatively modest enemy variety,

2025-06-06 01:40