In Elden Ring: Nightreign, FromSoftware shifts gears into something a little different, but no less brutal. This time, you’ll take control of one of eight unique characters known as Nightfarers, each with their own signature skills, passives, and ultimate arts. Whether you’re a parry god, a stealth fiend, or a magic-wielding menace, there’s a build for every kind of Tarnished, uh, I mean, Nightfarer. I’ve spent time getting to know each of them, and in this guide, I’ll break down what makes every Nightfarer tick, along with some personal impressions. Let’s dive in!
All 8 Characters Abilities & Skills
Unlike traditional Soulsborne titles where you create your own character and build out a class, Nightreign takes a different approach. You pick from eight pre-defined characters, each with their own unique role and playstyle. Think more Apex Legends meets Souls-like combat. It’s tight, tactical, and surprisingly varied.
And if you’ve spent time in the original Elden Ring, you’ll notice the DNA is still here, just distilled into tighter, more focused gameplay. Instead of freedom to be anything, you’re handed a toolkit and challenged to master it. I kinda love that.
Here’s what I’ll cover:
- A breakdown of all eight Nightfarers
- Their passive abilities, core skills, and ultimate arts
- My personal take on how they feel in-game
Wylder: The Balanced Fighter
Playstyle: Jack-of-all-trades. Perfect for beginners or those who enjoy flexibility. Wylder is reliable and adaptable.
- Passive Ability: Sixth Sense – Auto-revives you once per run. A clutch life-saver.
- Skill: Claw Shot – Grapple toward enemies or yank smaller foes toward you. Great for positioning.
- Ultimate Art: Onslaught Stake – Slam an iron stake into the ground for a big ol’ boom.
My take: Wylder’s my go-to when testing stuff out. Solid, smooth, and forgiving.
Guardian: The Defensive Tank
Playstyle: Shielded frontline. Ideal for players who want to hold the line and protect teammates.
- Passive Ability: Steel Guard – Prevents knockback, boosts block strength.
- Skill: Whirlwind – A 360° spin that knocks enemies up and shrugs off projectiles.
- Ultimate Art: Wings of Salvation – AoE slam that revives downed allies.
My take: Total rock. Every co-op group needs someone like Guardian when chaos erupts.
Duchess: The Agile Assassin
Playstyle: Speed and stealth. Lethal hit-and-run tactics combined with team stealth utility.
- Passive Ability: Magnificent Poise – Faster attacks, quicker dodges, lower stamina drain.
- Skill: Restage – Echo your recent damage across nearby enemies. Stylish and savage.
- Ultimate Art: Finale – Turns you and nearby allies invisible. Time for a coordinated ambush.
My take: Probably the most fun I’ve had with a class. Lightning fast and slick as hell.
Recluse: The Elemental Mage
Playstyle: Magical artillery. Unleash elemental chaos with custom spell cocktails.
- Passive Ability: Elemental Defense – Absorb elemental energy from fallen foes to restore FP.
- Skill: Magic Cocktail – Mix up to three elemental types (like fire, frost, lightning) for explosive results.
- Ultimate Art: Soul Blood Song – Mark enemies with sigils that restore HP/FP when hit.
My take: Recluse has insane potential, but there’s a steep learning curve. Worth mastering.
Iron Eye: The Precision Archer
Playstyle: Ranged sniper. Great for keeping your distance and enabling team crits.
- Passive Ability: Eagle Eye – Boosts drop rates for your whole party.
- Skill: Marking – Tag enemies with weak points for crit opportunities.
- Ultimate Art: Single Shot – Piercing arrow that rips through enemies and terrain.
My take: Finally, a Souls-style game that lets a bow build shine. Love the design choice here.
Raider: The Strength Build
Playstyle: Berserker bruiser. Close-quarters dominance with buffs and brutal hits.
- Passive Ability: Fighter’s Resolve – Boosts resistances and allies near you.
- Skill: Retaliate – Tank and counter for extra damage. Synergizes perfectly with his passive.
- Ultimate Art: Totem Stela – Summons a buffing totem that enhances allies and acts as a barrier.
My take: Raider feels like the power fantasy build. Big hits, big presence, and great synergy in teams.
Executor: The Parry Master
Playstyle: High-risk, high-reward Think Sekiro but darker, and meaner.
- Abilities: TBD, but trailers confirm it’s all about perfect deflection and counters.
- Expect tight timing, punishing retaliation, and the coolest kill animations.
My take: This one’s calling my name. I’ve got my deflect game down to about 80%, Executor is my guy. Not quite Ongball-level, but hey, I’m getting there.
Revenant – The Spirit Summoner
Playstyle: (Probably) Support. Mysterious and powerful, Revenant may fill the support/healer niche.
- Abilities: Unknown, but summoning mechanics and ashes are central to her design.
- Rumored to be an unlockable character, possibly tied to the game’s Remembrance system.
My take: Revenant has that cool, backline mystique. Can’t wait to see how she rounds out team comps.
Can You Customize Characters?
One big question I had, and I know others are wondering the same, is whether you can actually change up a character’s weapons and gear to match your personal playstyle. Like, I’m seriously hyped for Nightreign and super drawn to Duchess. She’s quick, stylish, and just screams high-skill dex build. But that got me thinking, can I swap out her starting daggers for better ones I find during a run? Maybe even switch over to a curved sword or throwing knives?
Here’s what I know:
- You can change weapons mid-run. During your runs, you’ll come across different weapons, talismans, staves, and gear, some with unique Ashes of War or magic already embedded. You can pick and choose what works best in the moment, but it only lasts for that run. Once it’s over, your character resets to their base loadout (unless you upgrade them, more on that below).
- Post-run progression exists. After each run, you earn gems and currency. These let you tweak or upgrade your character’s core abilities. Now, abilities themselves are tied to each Nightfarer and can’t be totally swapped out, but there are variations within each character that you can unlock.
- There are run-specific perks. Throughout your adventure, you’ll also discover perks that can buff you, your team, or even debuff enemies. This adds another layer of strategy and makes each run feel fresh.
- Every run is unique. This game leans into roguelike elements, so you won’t always get the same weapons, upgrades, or buffs. That means even if you main the same character, the way you play them can shift dramatically from one run to the next.
Wrap-Up: Which Character Is The Best?
That wraps up all eight confirmed Nightfarers in Elden Ring: Nightreign. For me, Duchess is a personal favorite, speed and stealth just feel right. But Executor is the one I’m most excited to master, especially since deflection mechanics are second nature to me now. Recluse and Revenant look super promising too, especially in a co-op setting. Speaking of which, Nightreign really shines in multiplayer, though there are whispers of a solo mode on the horizon.
