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In true FromSoftware fashion, Elden Ring Nightreign also has many secrets, a cryptic story, but most importantly, several gameplay mechanics that the game doesn’t explain too well. Also, with how fast-paced the game is, players will feel overwhelmed as soon as they land on Limveld. To prevent you and your fellow Nightfarers from collapsing, we’ve made a list of 15 things and hidden gameplay elements Elden Ring Nightreign doesn’t tell you.
1. Some Items Change The Relic Colors Every Character Can Equip
At first, you might think that the colored Relic slots your Nightfarer has are the only ones you’ll get. If that were the case, builds would be extremely limited and not fun to pull off. However, one of the gameplay elements that unlock after beating the first boss in Elden Ring Nightreign is the ability to purchase items that change the color palette of your character’s Relics. The Wylder can go from having red and blue Relics to having green and yellow ones, expanding build options. However, you’ll need to buy them or progress through each character’s story.
2. There Is a Wardrobe System With Different Skins
Since we don’t have the usual Elden Bling, as people call it, Elden Ring Nightreign includes a wardrobe system with at least two new skins for each character. Unlocking it will take some time and a lot of effort, though. To get it, you must complete two expeditions, and by complete, I mean actually kill the final boss. Once that’s done, you’ll get a big mirror that lets you change your character’s skin, for a price. Each new outfit will cost a lot of Murk, so you’d better grind as many expeditions as possible.
3. You Can Quickly Change Your Expedition Settings
It might not seem like the most useful gameplay element in Elden Ring Nightreign, but once you unlock new bosses, you’ll want to streamline your expedition settings. The game features several options that let you copy your previous expedition’s settings and select only the bosses you have yet to beat. That way, you can only focus on the pesky Nightlords you want to tackle instead of selecting one you’ve already beaten.
4. The Map Allows You To See Where Specific Loot Is
One of the secret features in Elden Ring Nightreign is the triangle or Y button, depending on your setup. If you are on an expedition and open the map, by pressing the abovementioned buttons, you’ll get icons showing where specific loot is, where to find merchants, and even where to get more HP flasks. This is especially useful for those who wield staves and bows, such as the Recluse and Ironeye. You can disable the feature at any time by pressing the same button, but I recommend keeping it on to plan your run better. There’s also an option to see the underground layer by pressing down on your D-Pad.
5. You Can Ping Items for Other Players
You’ll likely play with a few random players throughout your Nightfaring, and since there isn’t a text chat, communicating might prove difficult. Let’s say you’re playing as the Wylder and get a powerful bow that you won’t even use. Nightreign included a great ping system that works on items for that. If you drop a weapon on the map, you can hold triangle or Y and then press L3 to ping it. That way, players will know you’re showing an item for them to grab. Let’s just hope the character that needs it grabs it. There have been cases where a Raider grabs staves, and well, that doesn’t work.
6. Cross-Region Matchmaking
In the strange case you’re struggling to find a match, you should know that there’s a cross-region matchmaking feature. However, it is turned off by default, or at least that was the case for me. To fix this, you can head to your options, find the network settings, and change your cross-region matchmaking options. When you next queue up for an expedition, you should players filling up the three-person party quickly.
7. Enemies Don’t Regenerate HP If You Escape a Fight
Let’s say you’re fighting a powerful foe and run out of flasks. You can definetely run away, but you might be afraid that this enemy will regenerate their HP once you return. That’s not the case, or at least in a few scenarios. If you fight a foe and bring it down to half its HP and leave, once you return, it will have that same health percentage, which also applies to boss fights. The only instance where enemies regenerate their HP is after a new day begins, and that’s only in a few cases.
8. You Can Change Your Starting Weapon’s Element and Skill
Initially, Nightfarers have a starting weapon with a starting element or art. As you progress, you’ll notice how these become obsolete, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Certain relics will allow you to change your weapon’s skills and elements. Let’s say your main character is the Executor, and you want to get a weapon that applies Poison as fast as possible. Some Relics will do that right from the start, allowing you to start with an elemental advantage in most expeditions. Just make sure your armaments are compatible with the arts, skills, and elements.
9. Churches Upgrade Your Flasks
It might be the obvious gameplay element of Elden Ring Nightreign, especially for Elden Ring players, but you’d be surprised to see how many players miss it. You’ll start with three HP flasks in each expedition—no FP flasks exist. However, three won’t be enough. You need to visit churches and interact with the altar in the middle to get more. Remember that the night closes in quickly, so if you want to get the maximum amount of flasks, you need to hit all churches ASAP.
10. Mines Contain Weapon Upgrade Materials
A lot of Elden Ring players might have traumas with mines, but in Nightreign, they are some of the most useful places. For starters, this is the only place where you can get upgrade materials for blue weapons. You can also get smithing stones for white weapons, but those are easier to get through merchants. However, going from blue to purple rarity will need a Smithing Stone [2], and you can only get that after defeating a mine’s boss.
11. You Can Solo All The Character Stories
You might not know this, but Elden Ring Nightreign has stories for each of the Nightfarers, and this is yet another gameplay element you can tackle on your own. However, these are a bit hidden, and if you’re one of the few who skip the tutorial screens, you’ll be missing out on a lot of rewards. To start them, head to the Journal in the east wing of the Roundtable Hold and interact with it. You’ll see some pages have playable Remembrances, which are quests for your characters. A few can be completed inside the hub, while others require you to go on an expedition. Still, all of them can be played solo.
12. The Pocketwatch Is The First Important Item You’ll Get
After a few deaths against the game’s first boss, you’ll see an Old Pocketwatch as a drop. It is a great item that gives you FP back in certain conditions and a hefty Dexterity boost. However, it has another use that we won’t fully spoil. As you know, there are eight Nightfareres, of which six are unlocked at the start. If you want to get the last two, this item is key for that. You might want to approach the Priestess with it to see what happens.
13. The Final Secret Character Is Locked Behind a Boss Fight
Like the above entry, there is a second secret character you can get, and while it doesn’t rely on RNG, it has a very challenging boss fight, especially for those who don’t have good Relics. After meeting certain conditions, visit the east wing of the Roundtable Hold. If you see a ghost around, that means you’re on your path to unlocking the second and final secret character.
14. Forts Have Clues That Show Treasures and Beetles on the Map
Forts return in Elden Ring Nightreign with one of the most useful gameplay elements of the game: clues. After beating the boss at the top of this place, you’ll see a room inside a tower that usually contains a staff or bow rack. However, the important part of this area is the table at the back, which has a small map. If you interact with it, you’ll get clues from the surrounding area, revealing buried treasure and beetles. The latter drop talismans, so it is good to pursue them.
15. You Can Purchase Items That Grant You a Revive
When you’re playing with others, reviving yourselves isn’t challenging. You just smack your fellow party members until they get up. However, what if no one is able to get up anymore, or you’re playing alone? Well, there’s a legendary item called Wending Grace that grants you one free revive. You can get it either as a drop from a boss or, if you’re playing solo, some merchants sell it for 10,000 Runes. However, it seems you can only get one per expedition. Still, it is great to see there’s a way to return to the fight to get your Nightfaring butt handed to you again.
