Man, I've been counting down the days until Elden Ring Nightreign drops next month, and let me tell you, the hype is real! FromSoft just dropped some major intel about the Nightfarers we'll be playing as, and I'm here to break it all down for you. We've got six confirmed characters with gameplay trailers, plus two more that are basically confirmed through some juicy leaks. As someone who got hands-on time during the network test, I've got the inside scoop on what makes each Nightfarer tick.
Wylder: The Jack of All Trades 🎯
Let me start with Wylder, the class I personally vibed with during the network test. This guy is your go-to if you're not sure what playstyle suits you best. Wylder has the most balanced abilities - he's like that reliable friend who's good at everything but doesn't necessarily specialize. His passive ability is an absolute lifesaver for newcomers - it lets you cheat death once per life. Seriously, this saved my bacon more times than I'd like to admit!
What really makes Wylder stand out:
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Claw Shot Skill: Launches a grappling claw that can pull enemies or help with dodging
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Onslaught Stake Ultimate: Plants an iron stake that explodes into devastating AoE damage
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Starting gear includes a greatsword and small shield
Wylder is perfect for learning the ropes, but don't think he's basic - mastering his toolkit requires some serious strategizing.
Guardian: Your Friendly Neighborhood Tank ️
If you're the type who loves being the immovable object in combat, Guardian is your bird... literally! This high-defense Nightfarer is built like a brick house and perfect for players who struggle with staying alive. I think Guardian is one of the best options if you're struggling to stay alive in Nightreign - his defensive buffs are absolutely insane.
Guardian's toolkit breakdown:
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Steel Guard Passive: Enhanced shield bracing for maximum protection
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Whirlwind Skill: Creates a cyclone that pulls enemies and breaks guards
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Wings of Salvation Ultimate: Leaps into air for dive attacks that also shield allies
His weapon art that lets him fly and dive for AoE damage? Chef's kiss! 👌
Duchess: The Stealth Queen 👑
For all you sneaky types out there, Duchess is your girl. She's the agile assassin with lightning-fast attacks and actual stealth mechanics - something that's been pretty rare in Soulsborne games. Time is of the essence for Nightreign stealth, and your stealth attacks will need to be executed on the fly, but mastering her feels incredibly rewarding.
Duchess's arsenal includes:
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Magnificent Pose Passive: Reduces stamina costs and allows double dodges
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Restage Skill: Damages phantoms through their minions
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Finale Ultimate: Enters shadow state to become invisible to enemies
Her riposte-style gameplay will be catnip for parry enthusiasts!
Recluse: The Cursed Magic Specialist 🔮
As the only officially announced magic-focused Nightfarer so far, Recluse brings some seriously cool spellcasting mechanics to the table. She's the only officially announced Nightfarer that focuses on magic skills and her cursed magic system is honestly revolutionary.
Recluse's magical toolkit:
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Elemental Defense Passive: Creates affinity residues that restore FP for entire party
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Magic Cocktail: Mix-and-match spell combinations
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Soulblood Song Ultimate: Brands enemies with sigils that increase damage and restore HP/FP
Her ability to create FP pickups for the whole team makes her incredibly valuable in co-op play.
Ironeye: Finally, A Viable Archer!
Okay, let's talk about something that's been a pain point in Souls games forever - archery. Ironeye promises to break that trend of underwhelming bow builds. No more ammo management, no more weak damage - this class looks like it'll finally make archery legit.
What makes Ironeye special:
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Enhanced Loot Vision: Enemies drop more loot for the whole party
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Marking Skill: Creates weak points on enemies for massive stagger
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Single Shot Ultimate: Pierces through everything including terrain and structures
This Ultimate can even revive downed allies - talk about clutch plays!
Raider: The Unga Bunga Specialist 💥
For those who believe the best strategy is hitting things really, really hard, meet Raider. This seafaring barbarian specializes in bonking enemies to the ground and pummeling them to death with ridiculously oversized weapons. He's everything you want from a barbarian class and then some.
Raider's smash-and-bash toolkit:
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Fighter's Resolve Passive: Survives lethal damage with 1 HP
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Retaliate Skill: Brutal counterattack that reduces incoming damage
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Totem Stela Ultimate: Summons a massive tombstone that buffs allies and blocks projectiles
His ability to climb his own tombstone for positioning? Absolute genius!
The Rumored Nightfarers: Revenant & Executor 🔮
Thanks to some merchandise leaks, we've got pretty solid info about the final two Nightfarers. The first unconfirmed Nightfarer shown in the leak is Revenant, who appears to be a summoner class using a harp weapon - likely working with Spirit Ash summons from the original game.
The Executor seems to be a samurai archetype based on the Rakshasha-like armor seen in leaks. This would perfectly round out the eight classes with a katana-wielding specialist.
My Final Thoughts 🤔
Having played four of these classes during the network test, I can confidently say that Nightreign is shaping up to be something special. The class diversity is insane, and each Nightfarer feels unique and viable. Whether you're a veteran Souls player or new to the genre, there's definitely a class that'll fit your style.
The fact that we're getting proper stealth, viable archery, and enhanced magic systems shows that FromSoft is really listening to community feedback. I can't wait to get my hands on the full game next month and see how these classes evolve through the full campaign.
What Nightfarer are you most excited to try? Hit me up in the comments - I'd love to hear your thoughts! Until next time, stay hype my friends!