Elden Ring Nightreign's latest update, Patch 1.01.1, is now available, specifically focusing on the single-player campaign. The goal is to tone down the challenge for solo adventurers attempting to conquer FromSoftware's newest title on their own. However, one determined player didn't wait for assistance, successfully defeating every Nightlord alone before the patch could make things easier.
Since its release, the perceived difficulty of Elden Ring Nightreign's solo mode has been a major talking point. Many in the community have voiced their struggles, finding the experience considerably harder than playing in a trio. Here's an excerpt from IGN's official Elden Ring Nightreign review on the subject:
"This isn't to suggest that playing solo is completely unachievable, as I have personally completed a few runs by myself. However, the balancing for single-player feels incomplete. Consequently, the frustration of going it alone often outweighed the sense of accomplishment for me, diminishing my desire to continue without a team."
This mounting feedback ultimately led Bandai Namco and FromSoftware to deploy a new patch today, designed to lessen the load for solo players. For many, this will be a welcome change.
But over on the r/Nightreign subreddit, a user named "Valseran" showcased proof of their solo completions against every Nightlord, from the initial expedition to the final encounter. Their motivation was simple: "I wanted to get them done before the nerf hit."
Managed to Solo all Nightlords before the nerf
byu/Valseran inNightreign
This is undoubtedly a remarkable feat. Rumors had circulated of other players tackling significant portions of the game solo, and content creators like YouTuber Ongbal have shared their own solo triumphs against specific Nightreign bosses. Still, Valseran's dedicated race to clear all available content before the update's arrival is both impressive and perfectly timed.
The timestamps on the right side of their post chart a steady progression, showing boss completions in the days leading up to the update, as if they were narrowly outpatching the incoming changes. It appears these bragging rights were primarily earned through victories with Ironeye, though the Duchess and Executor characters also saw some use in the early stages. Fortunately, we don't have to rely solely on the screenshot, as Valseran elaborated extensively on their strategy in the comments section.
When asked for Ironeye-specific advice, Valseran stated, "Don't worry too much about finding a perfect bow. Instead, focus on stacking weapon passives in your other equipment slots. Bonuses to ranged damage, two-handed damage, and damage at full health can all combine to create an incredibly high damage output. Even a purple-quality bow will perform exceptionally well with the right passive effects. Also, while his dash ability deals great damage, I often save it as an evasion tool for attacks that are tricky to dodge. I use his Art for similar reasons during boss fights, valuing the invincibility frames more than the damage itself."
Although Valseran's main choice was Ironeye, the ranged archer of the Nightfarers, they mentioned a preference for melee combat against certain bosses, even equipping melee weapons on Ironeye for a few encounters. According to this solo specialist, some bosses are "just a nightmare solo" without the option for ranged attacks. They rated the final boss as the most difficult overall but admitted to having the most deaths against the centaur boss, Fulghor, Champion of Nightglow.
Securing extra lives was also a major priority in their runs, which makes perfect sense. Without teammates for revives, having a safety net is crucial. Valseran explained they would prioritize purchasing extra lives from merchants, and noted that some field bosses would also drop them, depending on the expedition. "For one boss fight, I went in with four extra lives," Valseran shared. "But at a minimum, always try to get at least one early on."
Providing an extra life during boss encounters is one of the key ways FromSoftware is aiding solo players in Patch 1.01.1. The new "Automatic Revival Upon Defeat" effect, which grants one revival per night during a night boss battle, has been added to solo expeditions, effectively giving players a free second chance. Valseran did comment that they believe this free extra life will be "kinda substantial" for solo play. Since stacking extra lives was already a sound strategy, getting one for free is a nice bonus.
Every IGN FromSoftware Game Review
View 50 Images
So while solo Nightfarers may now find some of Elden Ring Nightreign's toughest battles more manageable, at least one player has secured undeniable bragging rights. For everyone else, Elden Ring Nightreign is available now, offering a slightly less daunting experience for lone wolves and awaiting more Nightfarers to test their skills against its challenges.
For additional help, we have a comprehensive collection of Nightreign tips and tricks to assist you in defeating all eight Nightlord Bosses. If you're curious about unlocking the two initially locked Nightfarer Classes, check out our guides: How to Unlock the Revenant and How to Unlock the Duchess, plus How to Change Characters.
