Elden Ring Nightreign doesn’t hold your hand—and it definitely doesn’t forgive your mistakes. Whether you’re a Tarnished vet or totally new to FromSoftware’s twisted playgrounds, this survival roguelike spinoff makes one thing brutally clear from the start: it’s kill or be Nightlord’d.

Every run in Nightreign follows a brutal three-day expedition loop. Days one and two? All about scouring the deadly expanse of Limveld for Runes, gear, and passive buffs. Day three? You and your party go toe-to-toe with a Nightlord, the final boss of your run. And trust us, you’re going to want every edge you can get.

But before you can dive into the misty unknown, you’ll need to choose your Nightfarer. There are eight in total—six available from the get-go, and two hidden behind some gameplay challenges. Each comes with a locked-in stat template and unique playstyle, so unlike in Elden Ring, you’ll need to pick a Nightfarer whose gear suits them, not the other way around.

Let’s break down each Nightfarer so you don’t end up dragging a squishy caster into a brawl or giving your tank a toothpick instead of a sword.

Wylder – The Tutorial Mode That Hits Back

Wylder is your classic “jack of all trades, master of surviving stupid mistakes.” His Sixth Sense passive gives you one extra chance at life, which is basically FromSoft saying, “We know you’re gonna mess up.”

• Greatsword enthusiast
• Solid mobility via Claw Shot
• Crowd-control power with Onslaught Stake
• Doesn’t really excel at anything

He’s the guy you pick when you want to learn the ropes and faceplant safely while doing 

Guardian – The Brick Wall With A Pike

If you’re the kind of player who enjoys tanking hits for your mates and yelling “aggro on me!” while holding L1, Guardian’s your guy. He’s all about defence, disruption, and standing his ground.

• Tanky with guard-friendly weapons like Halberds and Rapiers
• Can taunt enemies when guarding
• Whirlwind and Wings of Salvation are built for crowd control and emergency saves
• Low DPS—don’t expect fireworks

This is the “I’m not dying today” pick. Just make sure someone else is doing the damage.

Ironeye – The Sharpshooter With A Marked Advantage

Think of Ironeye as the loot goblin of the group, but with actual combat chops. High Dexterity makes him handy in melee, but his true strength lies in arrows and battlefield manipulation.

• Boosts item discovery for the party
• Marking skill makes enemies take more damage
• Single Shot is devastating and ignores cover
• Low durability—handle with care

He’s the sniper that makes your melee DPS look good—just don’t let him get too close to the action.

Raider – The Musclehead With Momentum

The Raider is here to do two things: swing heavy things and survive stupid amounts of punishment. Built like a truck and about as subtle, he’s your go-to for breaking through crowds and bosses alike.

• High Strength and insane poise resistance
• Retaliate gets stronger the more you get hit
• Totem Stela boosts melee allies and creates battlefield control
• Almost no FP—forget about spamming skills

This is the blunt force trauma pick. No finesse, just impact.

Recluse – The Arcane Artillery Glass Cannon

If you love juggling elemental combos and unloading flashy spells from the backlines, Recluse has your number. She’s tricky to master but can delete bosses once you get the rhythm down.

• Can use nearly every type of spell
• Magic Cocktail lets you absorb elements and cast custom spells
• Soulblood Song marks enemies to boost party healing and FP regen
• Requires serious resource management and smart positioning

She’s risky—but in the right hands? A nuke in a robe.

Executor – The Dexterity Demon With A Beast Inside

Executor is basically what happens when you mix Sekiro with Elden Ring and give it a bloodlust stat. High Dex and Arcane, katana enjoyer, and secretly a kaiju.

• Cursed Sword lets you deflect and punish attacks
• Transforms into a monster via Aspects of the Crucible: Beast
• Shreds bosses if positioned well
• Very squishy outside of beast form

You either play like a surgical god, or get pancaked while charging style points.

Duchess – The Frosty Ghost With A Knife And A Plan (Unlockable)

After snagging a certain relic and having a spooky chat with a hooded NPC, you’ll unlock the Duchess—a high mobility, high damage glass cannon with a side of sorcery.

• Dual-wields daggers and Glintstone spells
• Restage replays 50% of recent damage for setups
• Finale grants stealth for mid-fight resurrections or surprise backstabs
• Evasive but very fragile

She’s the stylish assassin type. Looks good stabbing, dies dramatically if caught.

Revenant – The Summoner Support You Didn’t Know You Needed (Unlockable)

Complete a unique solo gauntlet to unlock this oddball support unit. Revenant doesn’t deal tons of damage herself, but she brings the family reunion of ghostly helpers with her.

• Summons spectral allies with unique functions
• Immortal March revives allies and grants brief invincibility
• No FP regen—burns out quickly if spamming spells

She’s perfect in a party, clutch in a pinch, but fragile and not built for solo domination.

Don’t Skip The Journals

Each Nightfarer has their own backstory, and unlocking “Remembrances” through journal entries lets you dive deeper into their lore and snag powerful relics or vessels. These can drastically enhance your runs, especially if tailored to your character’s strengths.