Elden Ring Nightreign Best Builds for Each Class

Welcome to the list of the Elden Ring Nightreign best builds. In this game, you play as one of six (later eight) Nightfarers, each of which has its own skills, ultimate arts, and passives. Essentially, each Nightfarer has its own playstyle and role builds, and we highlight each character's strengths while considering the random nature of each run in the game. Each of the best builds for each Nightfarer in Elden Ring Nightreign consists of the description of a build and what it's based on, a full list of equipment, some alternative options for gear, as well as what to do on each of the three days of your run.

Need to fast-track your build? Buy Murk at Skycoach to unlock the relics, gear, and cosmetics that push your run from solid to unstoppable.

Read our other Elden Ring Nightreign guides:

• Duchess Guide
• Ironeye Guide
• Guardian Guide
• Wylder Guide
• Raider Guide
• Recluse Guide
• Executor Guide
• Best Classes

 

 

Best Build For Wylder

Starting off our Elden Ring Nightreign class builds with the Wylder – the poster boy of the game, with a balanced approach to combat. This build is built around charged attacks that deal massive damage and create crowd control pressure. The centerpiece is the Axe of Godrick, a greataxe with a unique passive that emits an AoE burst while charging heavy attacks. This makes it ideal for clearing packs and staggering larger enemies. Wylder’s natural aggression and the ability to grapple onto enemies pairs perfectly with this heavy-hitting playstyle—hook into a foe, charge up, and unleash massive damage. To complement the main weapon, we stack stamina regeneration, charged attack bonuses, and improved stagger to make every swing count and keep Wylder in the fight longer. Even without ideal RNG, alternative STR-based weapons and core relics allow this build to perform consistently well.

Equipment

This setup enhances Wylder’s identity as a melee brawler who relies on slow but devastating attacks, stamina cycling, and stagger potential. The combination of damage-boosting relics and stamina-efficient gear lets you stay aggressive without burning out. BLOG20

With such an outstanding engagement control—you can grapple in, trade with high poise damage, and then fall back while stamina regenerates, you get one of the best starter builds Elden Ring Nightreign. With Jump Attacks offering a low-risk poke and charged swings clearing crowds, the build encourages smart aggression and momentum-based combat. Basically, you dictate how you attack and retreat, which makes Wylder’s gameplay way more comfortable and noobie-friendly.

Alternative Options

Due to Nightreign’s RNG-driven loot, you won’t always find the Axe of Godrick or exact relics early on. These alternatives will still allow Wylder to perform the role effectively:

Alternative Armaments:

• Rusted Anchor – A solid Strength-scaling weapon with great stagger and crowd control.
• Great Omenkiller Cleaver – Adds bleed to your swings, which synergizes well with long combos.
• Executioner’s Greataxe – A strong, no-frills heavy weapon with great reach and raw power.

The build is still viable with these options.

Game Progression

Each day in Limveld is a timed window to scale Wylder’s power before the Nightlords descend. Here's how to route your progress efficiently:

Day 1

Clear nearby enemies to quickly reach level 3. From there, prioritize exploring Lightning or Fire settlements—they’re your best bet for damage-aligned weapons and passives. Loot aggressively and focus on farming enemies for charged attack relics like Improved Guard Breaking or Improved Charged Attacks. Make sure to route your path around churches—these are the only places you can upgrade healing flasks, which becomes essential later. With or without your ideal weapon, use Wylder’s grappling hook early to cancel animations and start punishing combos—it's key to surviving your first day.

Day 2

Revisit the same elemental zones to farm better versions of your gear. Look for Field Bosses like Carian Knights or Dragons, as they offer a chance to drop the Axe of Godrick or high-tier passive relics. Try to assemble your loadout by this point—especially your charged attack perks and Golden Vow—so you’re prepared for what comes next. Your stamina regen and jump attacks will help you kite, reposition, and fight efficiently even in unfavorable encounters.

Day 3

Once the final day hits, it’s all about final prep. Check the merchant’s inventory immediately—Smithing Stones for weapon upgrades take priority, but don’t sleep on consumables like Lightning Grease if you’re short on damage. If you’ve found both talismans and have your heavy weapon with key perks, Wylder can become an unstoppable force during the Nightlord fight. Pop Golden Vow before entering, then grapple, charge, and break them down.

Best Build For Guardian

As far as best Nightfarer builds Nightreign go, this one is all about that guard-poke play—a defensive combat loop where you block incoming attacks with a Greatshield and immediately counter with long-reaching thrusts. The centerpiece is Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear, a fire-and-bleed-infused Great Spear that deals high poise damage while keeping you safely behind your shield. Paired with the Fingerprint Stone Shield, this setup allows you to play aggressively without sacrificing durability. You’ll be using guard counters, which trigger immediately after a block, to stagger enemies and build up blood loss over time.

Guardian’s naturally tanky playstyle thrives when you can maintain pressure without taking direct hits. This build lets you do just that—trading slowly, punishing recklessly, and controlling space. Even when you can’t find the ideal spear, other bleed or fire-infused weapons can keep the core functionality intact.

Equipment

This kit is designed to maximize bleed buildup, fire damage, and stagger potential, while letting Guardian stay in the fight indefinitely through guard counters and ranged poke. Here's your best-in-slot loadout:

With this loadout, your gameplan revolves around forcing trades and winning every one of them. You block, counter, and let your spear’s status and fire buildup finish the job. You don't need to dodge—you punish openings and manage risk through your shield.

Alternative Options

If Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear isn’t available early in your run, look for other Great Spears or standard bleed-infused spears. These preserve the range and status buildup, even if the damage isn't quite as high.

Alternative Armaments:

• Lance (with Bleed infusion) – Standard Great Spear with excellent reach and reliable damage.
• Vyke’s War Spear – Slightly lower raw damage, but comes with madness buildup and innate fire.

Effects like bleed or madness are always super strong, so you can make a strong build using less preferable weapons as long as you infuse them with this status build-up.

Game Progression

This build comes online early and scales well into the final boss fight. Here's how to progress through each day:

Day 1

Clear nearby mobs to hit level 3 quickly. Then immediately head toward Blood Loss or Fire settlements—these have the best chance of yielding spears, fire-based passives, and bleed-infused consumables. Loot every chest and kill enemies around these areas to increase your chances of finding Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear, or relics like Improved Guard Counters. Map your route around churches, which are the only way to increase flask uses. Prioritize survivability and setup—you’ll rely heavily on early relics like Improved Guard Breaking to give you control over tougher enemies.

Day 2

Return to the same biome types to search for higher-quality gear and missing pieces like the Fingerprint Stone Shield or second talisman. Begin targeting Carian Knights, Dragons, and other major Field Bosses—these are your best shot at Dormant Powers and high-tier gear. If you haven’t found the exact spear, look for Lance with Hemorrhage buildup. At this point, you’ll have the durability to push into riskier zones thanks to your guard-poke core being in place.

Day 3

As Day 3 begins, check the merchant’s inventory right away. You’ll want Smithing Stones for last-minute weapon upgrades or backup Grease to push your bleed damage. Go into the Nightlord fight with Golden Vow active, full flask charges, and your shield raised. Focus on safe trading with guard counters—your job is to outlast and slowly dismantle the boss while your bleed and fire ticks do the work.

Best Build For Ironeye

If you’re looking for the best DPS builds in Elden Ring Nightreign, Ironeye might be the character for you. This Ironeye build transforms the class into a mobile ranged executioner with devastating poise-shredding capabilities. Centered around the Lion Greatbow, this build maximizes damage from afar while amplifying Ironeye’s kit-based strengths—especially his Marking skill, which breaks enemy stance and enables follow-up bursts. Ironeye excels when he can safely chip down priority targets from the backline, then dash in to apply Marking and unleash his Single Shot ultimate.

While Ironeye has low HP, he compensates with high Dexterity scaling, stamina-dependent combos, and powerful ranged weapons. This build leans into stamina recovery, status-enhancing consumables, and off-hand burst weapons to keep him fluid and lethal. You’ll constantly be swapping between bows for pressure and secondary weapons for finishers. When properly geared, Ironeye becomes a precision DPS class that thrives in chaos, benefiting the team while surgically removing key threats.

Equipment

Ironeye’s strength lies in maintaining constant pressure with status-infused attacks and long-range stuns. With the right passives and stamina-focused relics, he can keep firing, repositioning, and marking enemies for high-impact follow-ups.

This setup allows Ironeye to maintain range, stack stamina-enhancing effects, and pivot into melee when forced. Your kit is all about tempo control: managing distance, rotating buffs, and creating burst windows through Marking + follow-up shots. BLOG20

Alternative Options

Not every run will gift you the Lion Greatbow, so prioritize Dex-scaling bows with strong range and high fire rate. If you lack key talismans or perks, focus on maintaining synergy: stamina recovery, skill power, and stance-breaking.

Alternative Armaments:

• Erdtree Greatbow – Offers Holy scaling, works well with Holy arrows.
• Black Bow – Faster draw speed, good for status application.
• Pulley Bow – Best-in-slot for precision and range if Lion isn't available.

Off-hand Melee Options:

• Moonveil – Fast Katana with magic damage and bleed.
• Magma Blade – Strong fire damage and fast curved sword swings.
• Rivers of Blood – Bleed-focused katana with deadly Ash of War.
• Eleonora’s Poleblade – Twinblade with high-status stacking (bleed + fire).

There’s a lot of options you could go for with this class for a perfectly viable build that can help you throughout all 3 days.

Game Progression

Ironeye needs a bit of time to hit peak performance, but with careful routing and smart use of his innate passives, he can scale rapidly by Day 2.

Day 1

Keep your distance—Ironeye’s low HP pool demands backline play early on. Start by clearing small camps and soldier outposts to hit level 3 quickly. His passive effect, “Eagle Eye,” boosts item discovery, so slaying trash mobs offers outsized rewards. Route through chests and lightweight encounters for early Dexterity weapons and basic passives like Improved Stamina Recovery or Improved Skill Attack Power. Equip useful passives even if you don’t plan to use the weapons directly.

Day 2

This is your growth phase. Continue sweeping settlements for loot, focusing on Greatbow acquisition and Smithing Stones to upgrade it. Target Field Bosses that drop passives or high-quality relics—Carian Knights, Dragons, or Sanguine Nobles. Your primary goal is to unlock Marking combo potential: Dexterity weapon, improved stamina traits, and a status-applying grease.

Ideally, you’ll find at least one melee weapon with a great Ash of War, allowing you to shift into burst mode when enemies are staggered. Stack stamina passives wherever possible—Ironeye’s high attack rate can otherwise burn you out mid-combat.

Day 3

Time to prep for the Nightlord. Use your leftover runes at the merchant for Grease, Aromatics, or a final weapon upgrade. Buff with Golden Vow before the final battle. During the fight, stay mobile and patient—your job is to chip the boss down while staying completely safe.

Only approach melee range when your Marking skill is available. Dash through, apply the Mark, and either retreat or follow up with Single Shot for massive AoE burst. If enemies cluster or the boss summons adds, that’s your cue to unleash your Ultimate.

 

Best Build For Duchess

This Duchess build is a fast-paced, status-effect-heavy loadout focused on proccing Blood Loss and Frostbite to shred enemies over time. By combining her unique Restage ability with rapid status application, Duchess can re-trigger damage effects—essentially doubling the impact of bleed and frost procs. With the right weapons and passives, she becomes one of the highest damage dealers in the game when her rhythm is uninterrupted.

The goal is simple: trigger bleed or frost, and restage the damage. When paired with jump attacks and chain finisher buffs, you can cycle these procs multiple times in a single skirmish. Since status resistances increase with repeated procs, this build also encourages weapon-swapping mid-run—bleed first, then frost once targets become resistant. Duchess is mobile, deceptive, and lethal—perfect for players who want a hybrid of speed and DoT-style burst damage.

Equipment

The core loop here revolves around dual-wielding curved swords with fast bleed buildup, enhanced by passives that boost criticals, jump attacks, and chain finishers. Greases are essential for adding elemental pressure, especially for bosses.

The build hits its stride when you’re cycling through targets with rapid attacks, applying procs, and repositioning before retaliation. Since Restage can replay the last burst of damage, timing is crucial—land your bleed or frost, hit Restage, then chain into a finisher.

Alternative Options

If you can’t find two Scavenger’s Curved Swords early, mix and match with other fast, bleed-capable weapons. Rivers of Blood is a strong substitute for its reliable bleed output, and Frozen Needle lets you quickly pivot into frost status after stacking resistance.

Alternative Armaments:

• Rivers of Blood – Bleed-focused katana with high elemental damage.
• Frozen Needle – Fast frost-proc thrusting sword for mid-fight weapon switching.
• Scimitar – Lightweight curved sword; pair with any bleed or frost status weapon.

Duchess scales quickly and becomes increasingly lethal as she unlocks passive perks. With early dual weapons and the right greases, she can rotate through bleed and frost status effects to melt bosses. Once you have your perks and talismans in place, your priority shifts to speed: chain combos, reset damage with Restage, and stay mobile to avoid punishment.

Game Progression

Day 1

Begin by farming nearby enemies for an easy level boost to 3. Your first destination should be Blood Loss or Frostbite settlements, where early loot pools are most likely to contain bleed or frost-infused weapons. Loot aggressively and eliminate everything in your path—status weapons often drop from lower-tier enemies. If you can’t find two identical swords, pair similar curved swords (like Scimitar + Scavenger’s Curved Sword) for dual-wield synergy.

Visit as many churches as possible—they're your only source of flask upgrades and often route naturally through loot-rich zones. Pick up any weapon with useful passive perks, even if it’s not part of your main loadout. Every passive applies once equipped.

Day 2

Revisit the same biome to upgrade your current weapons or search for a Legendary version. This is when you start shaping the ideal build: finalize your dual setup, grab passives like Improved Chain Attack Finishers, and keep an eye out for Freezing Grease or Blood Grease. These greases are especially valuable now as tougher enemies appear.

Try to keep both bleed and frost available in your weapon inventory so you can pivot mid-boss when resistances increase. Continue pathing around churches and larger settlements for maximum gear drops and healing scaling.

Day 3

This is your prep phase. Check the merchant for Smithing Stones, greases, or passive-laden weapons. If you’re still missing a second bleed or frost weapon, this is your last chance to swap out. Enter the Nightlord fight with both Lord of Blood’s Exultation active and Golden Vow cast.

In the boss battle, your loop is clear: apply bleed with rapid attacks, Restage the damage, then follow up with jump attacks or finishers. Once you’ve triggered 2–3 status effects, consider switching to your frost weapon to refresh the pressure and trigger a second round of Restage-enhanced damage.

Best Build For Raider

This is the best tank build in Elden Ring Nightreign. With unmatched poise, armor, and the ability to tank through nearly any encounter, he thrives in melee and staggers even the toughest foes. By two-handing colossal weapons, you unlock his full Strength-scaling potential, letting you dish out massive damage while shrugging off hits. His Retaliate skill turns enemy aggression into a counterattack opportunity, and Totem Stela provides team utility by boosting damage and creating terrain control.

This build focuses on charged attacks, poise-breaking, and staying power. Passive bonuses that reward getting hit—combined with relics that further boost attack power and cooldown reduction—make Raider a walking freight train that gets stronger the longer a fight lasts.

Equipment

Two-handing is essential for this build. It boosts Strength scaling and unlocks key passive effects. Even without perfect gear, stacking the right relics and passives means you can carry runs by sheer force.

Alternative Options

If your run doesn’t yield the Axe of Godfrey or Grafted Blade Greatsword, other colossal weapons can fill the same role. Look for ones with Strength scaling, good posture damage, and a weapon skill that complements Retaliate’s tempo.

Alternative Armaments:

• Giant-Crusher (early find, scales great with upgrades)
• Great Club (low requirement, high impact)
• Axe of Godrick (solid early-game pick)
• Greatsword or Godslayer’s Greatsword (reliable stagger and damage)
• Maliketh’s Black Blade (Holy damage adds utility)

Even without best-in-slot items, Raider’s innate durability and damage let him stay viable with any decent colossal weapon. You can scale your success by layering passive bonuses from your extra weapon slots, so be sure to equip anything with relevant perks.

Game Progression

Day 1

With this Elden Ring Nightreign strongest build in mind, start your expedition by hunting down soldier camps to reach Level 3 quickly. Focus on collecting Strength-scaling colossal weapons—even unupgraded, they’ll outpace most early-game gear. Use Retaliate liberally to handle bursty or aggressive enemies.

Search chests and mini-bosses for weapons with stance-breaking, poise, or two-handing bonuses, and equip them even if you’re not using them directly. Their passives still apply. Try to get your hands on at least one decent weapon and a couple of usable greases or defense consumables.

Day 2

By now you should be taking on bigger fights. Revisit high-risk areas or take on World Bosses like Flame Chariots, Dragons, or Carian Knights with your Skill and Ultimate ready. Prioritize loot that strengthens survivability and poise damage.

Look for Relics at the end of Day 2 that buff attack after taking hits or improve Cooldown Reduction—this is where Raider’s late-game scaling comes online.

Day 3

Check the merchant and grab weapon upgrades (Smithing Stones) or missing consumables. Your relics and passives should now allow you to tank through enemy aggression and use Retaliate to control the fight tempo. BLOG20

In the Night Boss battle, start by dropping Totem Stela early. Use Retaliate to absorb any boss AOE or burst attack, then go in with charged heavy swings. You’ll be able to stagger and punish more consistently than most Nightfarers.

Best Build For Recluse

This Recluse build is tailored around one key strength: total elemental control. By equipping both Glintstone Staves and Sacred Seals, you can unleash a full arsenal of Magic, Fire, Holy, and Lightning damage — allowing you to tailor your attacks to match enemy weaknesses at all times.

Besides, the Soulblood Song makes this the best healing build in Elden Ring Nightreign, simply because no other skill in the game offers a new way of healing yourself or other players.

The Recluse excels at mid-to-long range casting and benefits heavily from Improved Charged Sorceries and Magic Attack Power. With the right loadout, you’ll always have a potent spell ready, regardless of enemy resistances. Because of the nature of status buildup resistance, switching between Bleed, Frost, and raw elemental spells is critical for sustained damage over long fights — and Recluse enables that seamlessly.

Equipment

Recluse’s effectiveness comes from variety and flexibility. Your gear should reflect this, offering at least one spell from each major damage type. Using relics to enhance sorcery strength, mana regen, and charge times allows you to stay aggressive in every encounter.

Alternative Options

If your expedition doesn’t hand you the full kit, don’t panic — the Recluse is extremely versatile and can function with any spell tool. Look for staves or seals that align with at least one element not already covered, and prioritize FP efficiency.

Alternative Armaments:

• Any staff with Fire Damage Sorcery (e.g. Staff of the Guilty if found)
• Magma Shot, Theodorix’s Magma, or Catch Flame (for short-range)
• Frozen Armaments or hybrid spells when dealing with heavily armored foes

With the right setup, Recluse doesn’t just adapt to enemy resistances — she ignores them entirely. If one element isn't cutting it, switch instantly and rotate through your spell wheel to keep damage consistent while draining zero stamina.

Game Progression

Day 1

Kill small enemies early to hit Level 3 quickly, then immediately prioritize heading toward Fire, Holy, or Lightning settlements. These areas will likely contain the elemental tools you lack. Grab any Glintstone Staffs or Sacred Seals, regardless of their specific spells — you’re building coverage, not perfection.

Be sure to visit churches to upgrade your flask healing early. If you find Starlight Shards, keep them — they’re huge for Recluse’s FP sustain.

Day 2

On Day 2, make sure you’ve locked in all major damage types in your spell toolkit. Start hunting down World Bosses — Flying Dragons, Carian Knights, or anything tied to magical drops. These fights are your best chance to find dormant powers and passives that boost your sorcery output.

As usual, reroute through churches whenever possible, and keep rotating in passive-effect weapons even if you don’t cast from them directly.

Day 3

Check the merchant and prioritize any staves/seals, spell upgrades, or damage greases. With the Night Boss incoming, this is your last chance to refine your toolkit.

Focus on matching your elemental output to the boss's weaknesses — Magic Sorceries first, then rotate to Fire, Lightning, or Holy as needed. With Starlight Shards active and multiple relic passives in place, you’ll be able to weave massive elemental combos without running dry.

Conclusion

As said in the beginning, each of the Nighfarers represents a unique way to play. If you play souls-likes with a polearm in one hand and a sturdy shield in the other, you’ll probably like Guardian. If you love casting spells, Recluse is your choice. And the list goes on. But the cool thing about Nightreign is that it follows the same philosophy as the original game, where you can use any weapon you like, whether it fits your class or not. That’s what makes Nightreign builds so interesting. Sure, you probably won’t equip a greatsword on Duchess or Recluse, but then again, no one is taking away that possibility from you. And if you really want to, you can make a mage with a greatsword build.

F.A.Q.