FromSoftware isn’t taking its foot off the gas in terms of the Elden Ring franchise, with a new co-op adventure called Nightreign bound to release this Spring. It will feature fresh classes that have unique abilities.
First details about Nightreign were finally revealed on Feb. 12, and it taught us a lot about what the gameplay will look like. It also outlined the first information about playable classes, though not each of them has been unveiled so far.
All classes and their abilities in Elden Ring Nightreign
As of now, we know quite a lot about four playable classes in Elden Ring Nightreign, since they were available in a preview of the game. The other four remain a mystery, but thanks to the developer’s previews and the title’s trailers, we were able to imagine what their gameplay will look like.
Wylder
Wylder is the closest to a classic melee fighter we have so far met in Nightreign. Their Clawshot allows him to pull enemies in or pull themselves towards an enemy, with the latter sounding like the best pick for bosses. Wylder’s second skill is a powerful attack with a massive range that seems like a strong force to have by your side.
- Clawshot: It throws out a claw to pull enemies in or quickly approach them. In addition to firing it at enemies, you can also shoot it into the ground or other objects to move forward in one go.
- Assault Wedge: It launches an iron stake with an explosion, delivering a powerful blow. Using charge increases the power and range of the attack.
Duchess
If there is a support-type character in Nightreign, it’s Duchess. Her Restage allows her to replay the most recent event on nearby enemies, which sounds too good to be true in terms of stacking damage. Her second ability creates an invisible field for a few seconds that allows you and your allies to recover. With both damage and utility, Duchess is a versatile pick for every composition.
- Restage: “Replay” the most recent event on nearby enemies, re-inflicting the damage you recently inflicted. By timing it well, such as immediately after a powerful attack hits an enemy, you can deal a lot of damage in one shot.
- Finale: Make yourself invisible along with allies nearby, hiding from enemy sight. Enemies who lost sight of the player will move haphazardly and become defenseless, allowing allies to recover or create an opportunity to attack.
Recluse
Stacking damage and spellcasting can be fun in Elden Ring, and in Nightreign, Recluse feels like a perfect character to do so. Its two skills, Hybrid Magic and Blood Soul Song, revolve around collecting stacks, restoring FP, and consistently unleashing powerful spells upon enemies.
- Hybrid Magic: You can collect elemental traces that are left behind by enemies hit with attacks that involve magic, fire, holy, or other elements. When collecting elemental marks, your FP will be restored, and when you collect three, you will be able to unleash a powerful spell that combines elements.
- Blood Soul Song: Inflicts a Blood Brand on nearby enemies. An enemy that has been branded with the Blood Mark will take increased damage.
Guardian
Each composition needs a tank, and Guardian is seemingly the strongest one we know so far. While Whirlwind sounds like it’s used for damage, Wings of Salvation can be used to deploy a defensive formation to protect allies. As a result, Guardian feels like a perfect addition to each party.
- Whirlwind: Use your wings to blow up swirling wind, attacking a wide area.
- Wings of Salvation: Leap high into the air and then swoop down to deliver a sharp blow. When you land, you can deploy a defensive formation to protect your allies from damage.
A ranger-like character
The other four classes in Elden Ring Nightreign remain unknown at the moment, but a few hints about them have been already dropped. In IGN’s preview, game director Junya Ishizaki teased a character that fits into a Ranger archetype.
“One [character] who will have the ability to raise a pillar of rock out of the earth to climb up and snipe arrows from,” Ishizaki said. Manipulating the areas around you and sniping enemies down sounds like a lot of fun, especially for those who often enjoy agile archer-like characters in similar games.
A Spirit Ash commander
Another class hinted by Ishizaki “will have command of their own Spirit Ash.” However, nothing else was revealed, and it’s tough to predict how this character will shape up.
Swift fighter and heavy juggernaut characters
Last but not least, we believe that the other two characters can be spotted in Nightreign’s The Game Awards trailer. These include a class that fights using a lightning sword in the shape of a katana, while the other wields a heavy axe and jumps at bosses in a Hulk-like manner. They could be focused on dealing damage and tanking, respectively.
These two are just our guesses, though if they’re not playable characters, why would they be shown in the trailer from players’ POV? Elden Ring Nightreign is bound for a May 29 release, so we should know more details soon enough.
