Bandai Namco and FromSoftware have been hard at work improving their new multiplayer roguelike spin on Elden Ring, the long-awaited Nightreign, since its release in May – and a new patch following the Deep of Night launch proves that work isn’t over.
The Deep of Night was added earlier this month after Nightreign’s biggest patch ever as a “high-difficulty” mode with enhanced enemies and a challenging Nightlord whose identity isn’t revealed until the expedition begins. It’s brutal – so brutal, in fact, that FromSoftware basically decided to add its first-ever easy button to the game with this latest update, allowing players to voluntarily demote themselves and make it easier. That wasn’t enough, though, it seems.
New Elden Ring Nightreign patch 1.02.3 has now finally arrived, as detailed on the official Bandai Namco website, and it doesn’t just add “a feature to decrease your Deep of Night Depth level by one level” – it also boasts various “balance adjustments,” with nerfs for Elden Ring Nightreign bosses and various buffs for the roguelike action RPG’s players. The first one increases both “attack power and stagger damage” for the strong and dash attacks of most weapon types.
The second boosts “the stagger damage for dual-wielding jump attacks for Thrusting Swords” – but the buffs don’t end there. Another increases “the potency of the ‘Improved Skill Attack Power (+1, +2)’ passive effects,” while other tweaks target healing and more. One that has personally caught my eye (I struggle to keep my health up, OK?) is an adjustment to the Gradual Restoration Flask, allowing it to “provide a small instant heal upon use.”
It’s not all about buffs, though – and trust me, there are many – as FromSoftware has brought a plethora of nerfs to make expeditions a bit smoother in light of recent difficulty complaints. “Reduced the HP of the night boss version of Ancient Dragon, The Duke’s Dear Freja, Tibia Mariner, and Great Wyrm,” as reads the first of the so-called “combat and enemies balance adjustments.” The next makes Valiant Gargoyle “easier to stagger and reduces its HP.”
Patch 1.02.3 also reduces “the HP and attack power of ‘Maris, Fathom of Night’ during an Everdark Sovereign ‘Augur’ Expedition in the Deep of Night mode.” There’s plenty of other helpful changes, and if you’re a struggling Nightfarer yourself (as I am), the full notes from Bandai Namco are worth a read – I’m just hopeful they don’t spark some of the typical “git gud” discussions such updates on Soulslike games usually do.
It seems like much of the community agrees that the Deep of Night mode is indeed quite challenging, however, judging by discussions online – so who knows, perhaps a majority might agree that the patch 1.02.3 adjustments are much-needed.