Elden Ring Player Beats Nightlord Solo Pre-Nerf

The Elden Ring Nightreign Patch 1.01.1 is now live, aiming to refine the single-player experience by easing the difficulty for solo adventurers. Yet one determined player, Valseran, conquered every Nightlord solo before the patch arrived—proving it’s possible without adjustments.

Solo difficulty in Elden Ring Nightreign has sparked intense debate since launch, with many players finding the lone-wolf approach excessively punishing compared to team play. Our IGN review highlighted the struggle:

"Solo play isn’t impossible—I’ve completed runs alone—but it often feels unfinished. The frustration outweighs the triumph, making solo attempts feel less rewarding without a squad."

Responding to feedback, Bandai Namco and FromSoftware released today’s patch to alleviate solo challenges—a relief for many. Meanwhile, Reddit user Valseran documented their pre-patch solo victories against every Nightlord, from the first expedition to the final boss. Their motive? "I raced to beat them before the nerf."

Soloed All Nightlords Before the Nerf
byu/Valseran inNightreign

This feat stands out even among solo achievements. While players like YouTuber Ongbal have tackled individual bosses, Valseran’s full clear ahead of the patch is remarkable. Their in-game timestamps show steady progress, outpacing the update’s adjustments. Ironeye was their primary pick, though the Duchess and Executor saw early use. In the comments, Valseran shared key strategies:

"Focus less on finding a perfect bow and more on stacking weapon passives," they advised. "Ranged damage, two-handed bonuses, and full-health multipliers stack enormously. Even a basic purple-quality bow excels with the right buffs. Save the dash ability for dodging tricky attacks—its invincibility frames matter more than its damage."

Though favoring Ironeye’s ranged attacks, Valseran occasionally swapped to melee for certain bosses. Some fights, they noted, are "brutally unfair without ranged options." The final boss ranked as the toughest, though the centaur Fulghor claimed the most deaths.

Extra lives proved crucial for solo survival. Valseran prioritized purchasing them from merchants, and some field bosses dropped them. "I once entered a boss fight with four extra lives," they said. "But always secure at least one early."

Patch 1.01.1’s "Automatic Revival Upon Defeat"—granting one free respawn per night boss fight—softens the solo grind. Valseran acknowledged its significance: "A built-in safety net stacks well with existing strategies."

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While the patch offers solo players a gentler climb, Valseran’s achievement remains unmatched. For others, Nightreign now welcomes lone wolves with slightly fairer odds—and fresh challenges to conquer.

Need help? Explore our Nightreign guides for defeating all eight Nightlords, unlocking the Revenant and Duchess classes, and swapping characters mid-game.