Elden Ring Nightreign beginner guide

Elden Ring Nightreign is a standalone spin-off released on May 30, 2025 (Steam lists May 29 in some time zones). It is a run-based action game for one to three players, not an open-world RPG. You drop into a randomized map, level up fast, beat bosses and try to kill a Nightlord before time runs out. This guide explains the loop in plain terms.

Key takeaways

• One run is called an expedition. It lasts three in-game days, and the first two days are about 15 minutes each.
• The map, called Limveld, is randomized, so you cannot memorize one route.
• Failing a run still gives you relics and Murk, so no run is wasted.
• There are eight original Nightfarers and two more from The Forsaken Hollows DLC (released December 4, 2025).
• You can play solo, in a duo or in a team of three.

How one expedition works

Each expedition targets one Nightlord. Days 1 and 2 follow the same rhythm. You land on the map, explore for gear, runes and small bosses, and the world slowly closes in. About 4 minutes 30 seconds into the day, a large blue circle called the Night's Tide appears and shrinks toward a white circle over roughly three minutes. Standing in the rain hurts you, and the damage speeds up if you stay more than about two minutes. Near the 11-minute mark a second shrink begins and pushes everyone toward the night boss arena, which is marked by a glowing white tree.

When you beat the night boss, your health, FP and flask charges refill. Day 3 is the Nightlord fight. Before it, the team enters the Spirit Shelter to get ready. This is the part to remember: two days of looting exist only to make you strong enough for the third.

A simple day plan

1. Land, pick up the first weapon you can use, and move toward the nearest points of interest.
2. Clear small camps and churches for runes and gear. Do not wander far from the circle.
3. Level up at a Site of Grace when you have enough runes.
4. Start moving to the circle when the first shrink begins.
5. Fight the night boss, rest, and repeat on day 2.

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Images are provided by Steam and belong to their publishers.

Relics: what carries over between runs

Relics are the long-term upgrade system. You equip them between expeditions at the Relic Rites. They come in four colors (red, blue, yellow and green), and each one fits a vessel slot of the same color. Grey slots take any color. A single relic can hold up to three conditional abilities.

• Where they come from: expedition rewards (win or lose), merchants, Scenic Flatstones and first-time Nightlord kills.
• Murk: extra relics can be sold for Murk. The wiki lists 150, 350 and 550 Murk for small, medium and large relics.
• Inventory cap: the wiki gives about 1,960 relics. At that point you cannot start expeditions until you sell some, so clean up now and then.

The Nightfarers

The original eight are Wylder, Guardian, Ironeye, Raider, Recluse, Executor, Revenant and Duchess. The DLC adds Scholar and Undertaker. The wiki gives short role notes: Wylder is a balanced swordsman, Guardian is defense-focused, Duchess is quick and agile, Recluse is a ranged mage, Ironeye is an archer, Raider is a heavy warrior, Executor is a katana user built around parrying, Revenant is a spirit in a doll, and Scholar is a debuff and item specialist. Our Nightfarer picker goes deeper.

The Nightlords and what unlocks them

The Forsaken Hollows adds two more expeditions, with the Balancers (Weapon-Bequeathed Harmonia) and the Dreglord (Traitorous Straghess). Harder Everdark Sovereign versions of the Nightlords arrived in 2025 for players who beat the originals.

Solo, duo or trio?

Teams of three are what the game is built around, and the first Nightlord is easier with friends who talk. Solo works too, but you have no one to revive you. Playing with a trio also means someone can cover the damage type you lack. If you queue with strangers, tell them which route you want to take.

Common mistakes

• Fighting everything. Skipping a camp that is far from the circle is often right.
• Waiting too long to move. The rain damage grows quickly.
• Ignoring relics. Equipping a few good ones is a bigger boost than any single weapon.
• Picking a class that hates your style. Try two or three before you commit.

Price, requirements and age rating

Steam listed the base game at $39.99 and the Deluxe edition at $54.99 (checked October 10, 2026; prices vary by region and sale). Minimum PC specs are an i5-10600 or Ryzen 5 5500, 12 GB RAM, GTX 1060 3 GB and 30 GB of storage. It is rated M (17+) in the US for blood and violence, so parents should check the ESRB notes. If you cannot decide between the two games, read Elden Ring vs Nightreign.

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Next steps

Watch a few runs on live streams to see how good teams route a day. For the main game, see the Elden Ring beginner guide or the Elden Ring hub.