Elden Ring: Nightreign — Character Class Guide

In most From Software games, the usual formula looks like this: you create a character from scratch, customize their appearance, pick a starting class, and gradually build your own playstyle as you level up. This approach gives you freedom, but it’s easy to get lost or make suboptimal choices — especially if you're not fully familiar with all the systems right from the start.

In Nightreign, the developers went a different route — or rather, back to the roots. There’s no complicated setup or endless stat sheets at the beginning. Instead, you pick a fully pre-designed character, each with their own unique role, combat style, and carefully crafted set of abilities. This allows you to dive straight into the game and focus on gameplay, without wasting time on lengthy customization.

Classes in Elden Ring: Nightreign

Let’s start with the basics and take a look at what classes are available. Nightreign offers eight unique classes, each with its own distinct combat style and role on the battlefield. While you’ll find familiar archetypes — melee fighters, mages, archers — the developers have added plenty of new mechanics not seen in previous games. Some classes bring in elements like necromancy, precision parries, or complex support mechanics.

Each Nightfarer has three core abilities that define their playstyle in combat:

• Passive Ability — always active in the background, providing a constant bonus.
• Character Skill — manually activated and often helps turn the tide of battle.
• Ultimate Art — a powerful ability that charges during combat; it can be a high-damage attack or strong team support.

Your class choice heavily influences how you’ll approach combat: some fight up close and soak up damage, others stay at range, while some focus on supporting the team with spells and abilities. Every character has a defined role and unique gameplay feel. Now, let’s dive deeper into each class so you can better understand which playstyle fits you best.

Wylder

Wylder — a highly versatile DPS who performs equally well solo or as part of a group. His main job is to keep constant pressure on enemies: fast and powerful attack chains knock opponents off balance and prevent them from recovering. Thanks to his high mobility, Wylder can quickly engage key targets and control the flow of combat with ease.

Passive Ability — Sixth Sense: Allows Wylder to cheat death once. When taking a potentially fatal hit, he automatically dodges backward and completely avoids damage. This ability only refreshes after being revived or resting at a Site of Grace.

Character Skill — Claw Shot: Wylder’s built-in grappling hook allows him to pull smaller enemies toward him or quickly close the gap to larger enemies and environmental objects. It provides excellent mobility for aggressive engagements. Certain relics enhance this skill, adding a follow-up strike.

Ultimate Art — Onslaught Stake: Wylder transforms the grappling hook into a cannon and launches a massive steel stake, dealing heavy damage and stunning enemies for several seconds. Great for both crowd control and bursting down tougher targets.

Guardian

Guardian excels in the tank role, drawing enemy aggression, using shields (and his massive wings) to mitigate damage, clear harmful effects from the environment, and protect the entire team.

Passive Ability — Steel Guard: While using a shield, Guardian greatly enhances his blocking: improved guard strength, reduced incoming damage, and bonuses that remain active even while moving or dodging. While Steel Guard is active, stamina slowly drains and movement speed is reduced, but Guardian can withstand attacks that would normally stagger him, and slows down buildup of debuffs like poison or bleed.

Character Skill — Whirlwind: Guardian uses his wings to generate a powerful vortex that knocks enemies off balance and can launch smaller foes into the air. This ability also clears hazardous environmental effects — such as poison, death, or miasma — and can deflect small incoming projectiles.

Ultimate Art — Wings of Salvation: Guardian soars into the air and crashes down, dealing massive area damage. After the strike, his spear remains planted in the ground, creating a protective zone that grants temporary invulnerability to nearby allies. The impact also instantly revives fallen teammates within range.

Ironeye

Ironeye is an assassin who exploits enemy weaknesses up close before unleashing a relentless stream of arrows from a safe distance. He can deal armor-piercing damage and has unlimited arrows, allowing him to consistently deal ranged damage while allies keep enemies distracted.

Passive Ability — Eagle Eye: Increases the chance to find rare and valuable loot when searching corpses and opening chests — a great bonus for farming and resource gathering.

Character Skill — Marking: Ironeye dashes forward and delivers a quick dagger strike, exposing a weak spot on the enemy. All attacks against the marked target deal increased damage, and if enough damage is dealt within a short window, the target can be staggered.

Ultimate Art — Single Shot: Grants brief invulnerability as Ironeye sets his bow and fires a powerful arrow that pierces objects and any form of armor. On impact, a shockwave is released, dealing AoE damage to nearby weaker enemies.

Duchess

Duchess may seem like a simple rogue at first glance, but she’s packed with clever mechanics that let her stack damage through precise timing and stealth. Her strengths are lightning-fast attacks and evasive moves, but her true potential shines when carefully using her abilities to unleash massive burst damage for the whole team.

Passive Ability — Magnificent Poise: Thanks to her agility, Duchess strikes and dodges with extended reach. She can chain multiple quick rolls in a row while consuming less stamina, allowing her to stay highly mobile even in prolonged fights.

Character Skill — Restage: Locks in all damage dealt to a target over the past few seconds. Once activated, the target takes that damage again, regardless of the source. The effect is visually shown as a ghostly afterimage of the enemy. Extremely effective for burst damage.

Ultimate Art — Finale: Shrouds Duchess and nearby allies in invisibility. This drops enemy aggro, allows for repositioning or surprise attacks, and provides a safe window to heal and regroup.

Unfortunately, Duchess is not a starting class, so you won’t be able to begin the game playing as her. To avoid overwhelming new players, the developers made this class unlockable later, after completing certain quests.

Raider

Raider sacrifices defense for overwhelming power, able to absorb incoming damage while delivering crushing blows that stagger even the strongest enemies. Survival depends on predicting enemy attacks and managing stamina carefully to keep constant pressure and control over the fight.

Passive Ability — Fighter's Resolve: Every time Raider takes damage, his Retaliate skill becomes stronger. While using the skill, Raider cannot be staggered or knocked down, allowing him to stand firm even under heavy fire.

Character Skill — Retaliate: Raider enters a special stance that greatly reduces incoming damage while preparing for a counterattack. The more damage he absorbs in this stance, the stronger his counter becomes, often staggering enemies. With perfect timing, it can even allow him to survive lethal blows.

Ultimate Art — Totem Stela: Raider drives a wedge into the ground, causing a massive stone pillar to erupt and deal AoE damage. The totem also instantly revives fallen allies nearby and grants Raider temporary buffs while he stays within its range.

Revenant

Recluse is a fragile but complex support mage who specializes in summoning and ranged spellcasting. By constantly summoning spirits, she draws enemy attention away from herself, while supporting the team with incantations and ranged attacks. Mastering her playstyle requires careful decision-making on which spirit to summon at the right moment and constant battlefield awareness to avoid getting overwhelmed.

Passive Ability — Elemental Defense: Allows Recluse to collect elemental residue from enemies that have been damaged by fire, magic, lightning, or holy attacks. Collected residue restores FP and can be stored for later use.

Character Skill — Magic Cocktail: Recluse absorbs up to three types of elemental residue and unleashes a powerful spell combining those elements. The final effect depends on which elements were absorbed.

Ultimate Art — Soulblood Song: Marks nearby enemies with blood sigils. All attacks against marked targets restore HP and FP for the entire team. While channeling the ritual, Recluse becomes fully invulnerable.

It's worth noting that this class is also quite challenging for beginners, so you won’t have access to it right away. It becomes available later as you progress through the game.

Recluse

Recluse is a classic backline support mage who controls the flow of battle with spells and team-wide buffs. She can restore allies' health and resources while boosting overall damage by marking enemies. Her key mechanic revolves around gathering elemental residue from enemies to fuel her powerful spells.

Passive Ability — Elemental Defense:Allows Recluse to collect elemental residue from enemies damaged by fire, magic, lightning, or holy attacks. The gathered residue restores FP and can be stored for later skill enhancement.

Character Skill — Magic Cocktail:Recluse absorbs up to three different elemental types and casts a powerful spell that combines the absorbed elements. The final effect depends on which elements were gathered.

Ultimate Art — Soulblood Song:Marks nearby enemies with blood sigils. All attacks against marked targets restore HP and FP for the entire team. While channeling the song, Recluse becomes completely invulnerable.

Executor

Executor is a duel-focused fighter built around precise parries and devastating counterattacks. He shines in one-on-one encounters where he can fully control the flow of battle. Additionally, he has access to a beast transformation that unlocks a new set of attacks and temporary power boosts.

Passive Ability — Tenacity:Whenever Executor recovers from any negative status (such as poison, bleed, or madness), he gains a temporary damage boost and faster stamina regeneration. This effect triggers every time a status effect is cleansed.

Character Skill — Cursed Sword:Executor enters a special stance with his katana, allowing him to parry incoming attacks much faster than standard blocking. After landing several successful parries, the sword begins to glow, enabling a powerful slash that often knocks enemies down. The charged attack can be held until used.

Ultimate Art — Aspects of the Crucible: Beast: Executor transforms into a massive Crucible Beast, gaining a new set of wide-range light and heavy attacks. The Ultimate gauge slowly drains over time, but can be fully consumed with a devastating finisher. Upon activation, his health is fully restored, but he still takes damage while in beast form.

Which Class Should You Choose in Elden Ring: Nightreign?

In Elden Ring: Nightreign, you’ll first go through a short tutorial playing as Wylder, after which you’ll unlock the option to choose one of six available Nightfarers. Each class has a clearly defined combat role and unique gameplay features, so your choice will directly affect your playstyle. However, there’s no need to worry — all classes are well-balanced, and each offers unique mechanics and interesting possibilities to explore.

• Want close-range combat with high mobility and constant pressure? Pick Wylder.
• Need a strong frontline to absorb damage and protect the team? Go with Guardian.
• Like trading blows and delivering massive counterattacks? Choose Raider.
• Enjoy precise parries and one-on-one duels similar to Sekiro? Try Executor.
• Prefer support and ranged spellcasting? Play as Recluse.
• Want a fast, tactical playstyle built around dodging, stealth, and strategy? Check out Duchess.
• Interested in summoning, supporting allies, and complex spirit mechanics? Try Revenant.

You’ve already seen all the class overviews, their core stats, and gameplay styles above. Every class is worth your attention, and ultimately, the choice depends on your personal preference and playstyle.

However, if you’re completely new, Guardian might be the safest starting point. His straightforward gameplay allows you to get a feel for the game without worrying too much about complex mechanics, thanks to his high durability and ability to absorb damage. Once you’re more comfortable, you can explore other classes that better match your preferences.