Elden Ring Nightreign Raider build, tips, and best weapons

Crafting the best Raider build in Elden Ring Nightreign is slightly less challenging than many of the other Nightfarers, though that's only because he's so straightforward. My beloved Raider is your standard strength main, caring for little beyond headbutting every enemy he can and screaming as he produces a giant rock from the ground.

Raider's headbutt, in particular, is very strong if you time it right and get the enhanced version, which kind of makes up for how useless his Totem Stella (big rock) often is. If you're looking to build Raider, you'll have plenty of choice in of big strength weapons, especially as most of the characters I expect to be popular are dexterity mains.

All that said, here's my best build for Raider in best relics, weapon ives to look out for, ideal talismans, plus a list of tips lower down that'll help you learn the best way to play this loveable brute.

Elden Ring Nightreign Raider build

Coming up with a build in Nightreign is limited by the randomness of what you find in each expedition, but knowing what to look for is just as important. You can also pre-build your character well by picking the right relics, giving them the best possible chance at success.

Generally, anything that increases your health, stamina, and damage with your weapon/affinity type works best for the Raider's playstyle, whether it's a relic, weapon buff, talisman, or boss reward ive effect.

Elden Ring Nightreign Raider best relics

Despite the fact that most relics you get in Nightreign are random, there are certain unique affixes for each Nightfarer, and these are often the most strong. These are easy to recognise since they're marked with [Raider], though only one of Raider's is particularly good:

• [Raider] Damage taken while using character skill improves attack power and stamina
• Starting armament inflicts X (if you can match a Nightlord's weakness)
• X attack power up (match the above weakness)
• Improved X resistance (match the Nightlord's damage type)
• X damage negation up (match the above damage type)
• Improved X attack power (match it with a strength weapon)
• Improved stance-breaking when two-handing/wielding two armaments (depending on which you get/are doing)
• Stamina recovers with each successful attack
• Taking attacks improves attack power
• HP restoration upon X attacks (This affix is typically for strength-scaling weapons)
• Increased maximum HP
• Increased rune acquisition for self and allies
• Rune discount for shop purchases while on expedition
• Items confer effect to all nearby allies
• HP restored when using cured meats, medicinal boluses, etc. (this one also stacks with the above, letting you heal allies when you consume these)
• Character skill cooldown reduction +1
• Defeating enemies fills more of the Art gauge
• Strength/vigor/endurance + (increased weapon damage via scaling, health, and stamina respectively)

Elden Ring Nightreign Raider best weapons and ives

As a strength-weapon wielder, you'll want to equip Raider with the biggest, highest damage weapons possible. We're talking colossal weapons, greatclubs, greataxes, greatswords—all things great. If you can get two big weapons of the same kind, you might want to try dual-wielding them, as this will allow you to do a two-hit jump attack that's great for damage and staggering bosses.

Here are the best weapon ives I recommend watching out for:

• Improved X attack power (match the Nightlord's weakness you're covering)
• Improved attack power when two-handing (if not dual-wielding)
• Attack up when wielding two armaments (if using two of the same type)
• HP restoration on attacks
• Improved damage negation at full HP
• Improved jump attacks
• Improved charge attacks
• FP restoration on attacks (less important but useful if you want to use weapon skill)
• Improved X damage negation (match the Nightlord's attack affinity if known)
• Add X to weapon (if you don't have the Nightlord's weakness covered)
• Improved attack power at full HP
• Defeating enemies restores HP (less useful in most Nightlord bosses)
• Taking damage boosts damage negation
• Improved guard breaking

Elden Ring Nightreign Raider best talismans

Talismans are another item you can get by defeating scarabs in Limveld, and they add a variety of potential buffs to your build. Here are the ones I recommend in order, depending on what you get:

• Ritual Sword Talisman: Improves attack power at full HP
• Ritual Shield Talisman: Improved damage negation at full HP
• Green Turtle Talisman: Increased stamina recovery
• Viridian Amber Medallion: Improved max stamina
• Erdtree's Favor: Increase maximum HP and maximum stamina
• Claw Talisman: Improved jumping attacks
• Axe Talisman: Improved charge attacks
• Crimson Amber Medallion: Improved max HP
• Dragoncrest Shield Talisman: Improved physical damage negation
• Pearldrake Talisman: Improved non-physical damage negation
• Crimson Seed Talisman: Improved flask HP restoration
• Blessed Dew Talisman: Continuous HP recovery
• Taker's Cameo: Defeating enemies restores HP

Elden Ring Nightreign Raider tips

In of actually playing as Raider, there are definitely some things to take into . He's great at breaking stance, using strength weapons, and being fairly tanky, but here are some things to bear in mind when playing him.

1. Time your Retaliation

Raider's headbutt is a lot of fun, but did you know there's an enhanced version if you take enough damage during its initial activation? This is tricky to time, but it makes the skill more like a parry—you want to time it so that you'll take damage (reduced by the skill) to then perform a powerful uppercut that deals massive stagger damage and flinches bosses.

2. Learn where to place your rock

The Totem Stella is one of the most useless ultimate arts, mainly because it's so janky. I've had bosses get stuck inside, be lifted off the ground, and I've even gotten stuck inside it too. Sometimes you might think you can raise an ally on top of it to revive them safely, but half the time they'll get stuck inside the rock as well. It's honestly a mess. On the plus side, being around the rock does give you increased strength (and so damage) and poise, plus hitting enemies with the edge of it will damage them, so good placement is key.

3. Dual-wield strength weapons of the same type if you can

As in Elden Ring, if you dual-wield two weapons of the same type, you can do special attacks (replacing the block button) where you hit with both, and it does a hefty bit of damage. It's also a good opportunity to attack with multiple damage types, or even deal two status afflictions at once, like bleed, frost, scarlet rot, sleep, or poison. Nightreign doesn't make it particularly clear what you can dual-wield in of big weapons—some greataxes don't work together, for example—so have a play round with what you find.

4. Don't neglect jumping attacks

Just as in the base game, jumping attacks are great for breaking stance and stunning bosses and enemies, especially if you dual-wield strength weapons and hit with both at the same time. Jumping dual-wield attacks are also one of the best ways you can revive downed characters as a slow-attacking strength . If you land both hits of the dual-wield strength attack on them, it'll do a full third of the revival gauge.

5. Focus on pure damage

Big strength weapons are some of the highest damage in Nightreign, so definitely prioritise pure damage numbers over Nightlord weakness if you're Raider, especially if someone else in your party is already applying the affinity. One of Raider's best features is that, as an S-tier strength character, he can wield those high damage strength weapons effectively and get some big hits in.