Unlike base Elden Ring, where the differences between classes are minimal in the long run, the eight Nightfarers available in Elden Ring Nightreign are quite different from one another, coming with some unique skills and traits that make them better suited for certain playstyles.
While every Nightfarer is more than viable to defeat the powerful Nightlords awaiting them at the end of each run, one of them has some clear advantages over the others, so much so that a team of three of the same one can make very short work of most Nightlords, even if the random generation of upgrades hasn’t worked in the players’ favor the previous two days. This Nightfarer is Ironeye.
On paper, a ranged fighter like Ironeye doesn’t inspire much confidence, but the mechanics that made ranged-exclusive playstyles more limited in the original Elden Ring and every other entry in the Souls series are gone in Elden Ring Nightreign. Bows and crossbows have infinite ammo, allowing their wielders to spam long-range attacks as long as they have stamina. And in a game where you are constantly swarmed by a great number of enemies, this is extremely beneficial, as it gives you the chance to better control crowds while staying out of danger.
The above, however, isn’t the only reason why Ironeye is so good in Elden Ring Nightreign at launch that he can take on Nightlords even solo and win. His Character Skill and Ultimate Art, Marking and Single Shot, are among the best in the entire game. The first is a quick lunging slash with plenty of invincibility frames that marks hit enemies, exposing their weak points. Once the weak points have been destroyed, the enemy will be staggered and open to a critical hit. The second is a powerful arrow that hits in a wide radius, knocks the vast majority of enemies down, even some bosses, and can bring back to life downed companions in a single hit, all the while making Ironeye invincible for the entire duration of the attack. Both abilities can be used both offensively and defensively to get out of a sticky situation and deal tons of damage, and the very quick cooldown of Marking allows Ironeye to see it very often.
Ironeye’s weapon of choice, the bow, also works great in conjunction with ailments like poison, frostbite, and scarlet rot, which are extremely powerful in Elden Ring Nightreign as much as they were in the base Elden Ring at launch. A bow with the Barrage skill and the ability to inflict status ailments is invaluable, as you can inflict the affliction much more quickly using the skill. Even when using a weapon with no elemental or affliction property, Barrage works great with the Marking skill and builds that improve critical hits. To increase your chances of being able to use this strategy, pinpoint locations on the map showing the status alterations icon and defeat the bosses there. These locations have a higher chance of weapons with the related affinity being offered as rewards.
At the beginning of your adventure in Limveld, Ironeye may not be an enticing choice over other Nightfarers, but give him a chance, and you will be surprised by how good he is. Parties of multiple Ironeyes can destroy most bosses, while solo, he will allow you to enjoy the game more, as he has an easier time dealing with the gameplay elements that make solo play very challenging to the point of frustration. During the review period, I played solo rather often, and my only successful runs were with Ironeye. Not only did I almost always get the final day to fight the Nightlord, but I also managed to defeat Gladius and Maris without the help of any player, while also getting very close to defeating a few of the other Nightlords. It’s still no walk in the park, to be sure, but considering the high challenge level and how much melee characters struggle in a lot of different situations, Ironeye does make Elden Ring Nightreign a little more manageable, no matter the situation.
