Let me tell you about the time I met a cosmic accountant with an obsession for high-stakes gambling. Equilibrious Beast (or Libra, as his friends call him) is basically that shady merchant in a fantasy RPG who offers you magical steroids with fine print that would make a lawyer weep.

I've spent countless hours in Elden Ring Nightreign facing this demonic shopkeeper, and boy, does he have some offers you can refuse... but probably shouldn't? Maybe? That's the whole point – you never really know what you're getting until you've already signed away your metaphorical soul!

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The "Half Now, Double Later" Special

First up is Eventual Greatness, which I like to call the "investment banker's special." Libra basically says, "Hey, how about I cut your HP, FP, and Stamina in HALF right now? But wait! There's more! Later, I'll give it all back PLUS some extra!"

The first time I tried this, I spent half the fight running around like a headless chicken with my pitiful health bar, wondering if I'd been completely scammed. Then suddenly – BOOM – my stats exploded back to normal and beyond. Was it worth it? Well, I survived... barely. My co-op buddy wasn't so lucky during the "investment period."

Is it good? Only if you enjoy the thrill of nearly dying for about five minutes before becoming temporarily godlike. Solo players beware – this is the dark souls equivalent of a payday loan.

The "We Both Get Steroids" Deal

Fight At Utmost Strength is Libra's version of "let's make this interesting." It's the only deal where you don't directly sacrifice anything, which immediately made me suspicious.

Basically, both you and the demon get power-ups. You get three Tempered Gold Chip buffs – increased attack power, better Madness resistance, and 20% more HP. Meanwhile, Libra gets... something? The game is very vague about what he receives, which is TOTALLY not concerning at all.

The catch? Your buffs eventually fade away. I remember getting about halfway through the fight feeling like an unstoppable warrior god, then suddenly becoming a wet noodle again while Libra kept whatever mysterious buff he got. Talk about an unfair return policy! 🙄

The "Career Change" Collection

The Great Strength/Dexterity/Intelligence/Faith/Arcane deals are basically Libra's way of saying, "Have you considered a mid-life career change?" These offers completely rework your character stats as if you'd chosen a different class.

I once went from a beefy Executor to a frail wizard after accepting Great Intelligence. Suddenly my massive greatsword felt like a pool noodle, but I could cast spells like a cosmic horror. It was both hilarious and terrifying.

The real kicker? I had completely forgotten I had this legendary staff in my inventory that suddenly became useful! But also, I died in two hits because my HP tanked. Win some, lose some, I guess? 🤷‍♂️

The "I Don't Like Status Effects" Package

Resistance to Ailments is straightforward – give up 10% of your Stamina, get better resistance to status effects. This is actually pretty decent if you're tired of Libra making your madness meter explode every five seconds.

I took this deal at level 35, and honestly barely noticed the stamina loss. What I DID notice was not having my character clutch their head in existential horror every time Libra looked in my general direction. 10/10 would recommend if you value your sanity (both in-game and IRL).

The "Almost Dead But Not Quite" Miracle

Hold Death At Bay sounds amazing on paper. "Restore all HP when near death!" What they don't tell you is that there's a very specific window where this actually works.

You need to be at like exactly 10% health for it to trigger. Too much damage? You're dead anyway. Not enough damage? Nothing happens. It's like trying to thread a needle while riding a roller coaster.

I've had this deal work exactly ONCE in about fifteen attempts. My health dropped to a sliver, the effect triggered, and I felt like the luckiest player alive... until Libra immediately hit me with a combo that killed me anyway. Thanks for nothing, demon merchant! 😑

The "Eye See You" Bargain

Power of a Demon gives you a literal third eye on your forehead that occasionally shoots projectiles at Libra. Sounds cool, right? Well, it also builds up madness on YOU.

The first time I took this deal, I was so distracted by the EYE GROWING OUT OF MY FOREHEAD that I walked right into one of Libra's attacks. Then my own eye decided to start shooting, which filled my madness meter, which made my character freeze in existential horror, which led to... you guessed it... death.

It's like having an unreliable turret attached to your head that occasionally decides to betray you. Still, the damage output isn't terrible when it works!

The "Overpriced Drink" Ripoff

Desire A Flask is the demon merchant equivalent of paying $15 for a bottle of water at a music festival. Yes, you get an extra healing flask, but at the cost of your maximum HP.

Here's a pro tip from yours truly: just visit that abandoned church in Limveld and get extra flasks FOR FREE. This deal is basically Libra seeing if you're gullible enough to pay for something you can get elsewhere at no cost. Don't be like me – I fell for it my first playthrough and regretted it immediately.

The "Random Weapon Lottery" Gamble

Powerful Weapon is Libra's version of a loot box. Trade 2 levels for a random Epic or Purple rarity weapon! What could go wrong?

Well, everything. As a Recluse build, I once got Frenzied Flame Seal which deals amazing damage but also builds up madness like crazy. It was like being handed a flamethrower in a room made of paper – effective but incredibly dangerous.

Another time as an Executor, I got Vyke's Spear – a great weapon objectively, but completely contrary to my fast-attack playstyle. I spent the rest of the fight awkwardly poking at Libra like I was trying to reach something on a high shelf.

The "Temporary Level Boost With Strings Attached" Con

Finally, we have Gain Many Levels – the deal that gives you 3 levels but takes one back every time you use a Flask. This is actually pretty clever if you're disciplined enough not to chug estus at every scratch.

I once took this deal at level 40, got boosted to 43, and managed to defeat Libra while only using 2 flasks. I felt like a financial genius who had outsmarted the demon banker! Of course, the next time I took this deal, I panicked and used all 4 of my flasks, ending up at level 39 – worse than where I started. 🤦‍♂️

The Art of the (Demonic) Deal

What makes Equilibrious Beast so fascinating is that every encounter offers different deals. Sometimes you get great options, sometimes they're all terrible, and sometimes you have to choose the least bad option.

My personal favorite strategy? Taking Resistance to Ailments if it's offered, or Fight At Utmost Strength if I'm confident I can deal massive damage during the buff window. But honestly, half the fun is just experimenting with these wild bargains!

Remember that you can always choose NONE of the deals, which is sometimes the smartest option. But where's the fun in that? We didn't come to Elden Ring Nightreign to make sensible decisions, did we?

Ready to Make Your Own Deal With the Demon?

Have you faced Equilibrious Beast yet? What's the best (or worst) deal you've accepted? Try some of these wild bargains yourself and share your stories! I'd love to hear how you fared against the cosmic accountant of the Elden Ring universe.

Grab your controller, summon your courage, and remember – always read the fine print when making deals with demons! 🎮👹