Murk in Elden Ring Nightreign: The Essential Currency Guide for 2025

Elden Ring Nightreign has introduced a revolutionary currency system that fundamentally changes how players approach their expeditions in the Lands Between. While veterans of FromSoftware titles are familiar with the ephemeral nature of Souls, Blood Echoes, and Runes, Murk represents a significant departure from tradition by offering a persistent resource that remains with players regardless of their expedition outcomes.

What Makes Murk Special?

Unlike Runes, which vanish upon death unless recovered, Murk serves as a permanent currency that accumulates across multiple expeditions. This fundamental difference has transformed how players approach risk and reward in Nightreign's challenging landscape. The development team at FromSoftware has clearly designed this system to create a sense of progression even when players face repeated defeats—a welcome change for those who found the original Elden Ring's punishment system too unforgiving.

Murk functions exclusively as a meta-currency, usable only at the Roundtable Hold between expeditions. This creates an interesting dual-economy where Runes remain vital during expeditions for immediate power gains, while Murk enables long-term strategic planning and preparation.

Earning Murk: Strategies for Maximum Gains

The acquisition of Murk is tied directly to expedition performance, though the exact calculation remains somewhat mysterious. Players receive Murk even from failed expeditions, provided they don't abandon the run entirely—a crucial distinction that encourages persistence.

Several factors influence Murk earnings:

• Progression depth: Advancing further into an expedition dramatically increases Murk rewards

• Nightlord defeats: Each Nightlord provides substantial Murk bonuses, with later bosses offering incrementally larger amounts

• Player contribution: Active participation throughout the expedition affects final Murk totals

• Expedition success: Completing an expedition yields maximum Murk

Community testing has revealed that defeating the first Nightlord typically rewards approximately 1,800 Murk, while the third Nightlord can yield upwards of 2,300 Murk. This progressive scaling incentivizes players to push their limits and tackle increasingly difficult challenges.

Strategic Uses for Your Murk Reserves

The Roundtable Hold offers two primary avenues for Murk expenditure, each providing distinct advantages for future expeditions.

1. Small Jar Bazaar: Essential Supplies

The enigmatic merchant at Small Jar Bazaar offers a diverse inventory purchasable exclusively with Murk:

• Nightfarer Goblets: Unlocked after defeating the first Nightlord, these character-specific items enhance relic rite effectiveness

• Gestures: Expressive actions like Polite Bow and Fancy Spin that enhance multiplayer communication

• Prattling Plates: Verbal communication items including "Hello," "Thank You," and "Apologies"

• Relics: Higher-quality Polished and Delicate Scene Relics for improved expedition benefits

• Scenic Flatstone: Provides random relics, introducing a gambling element to Murk spending

• Besmirched Frame: A key item for unlocking the Revenant Nightfarer

2. Dresser: Cosmetic Customization

After defeating the second Nightlord, Iron Menial installs a dressing room adjacent to the study. This feature allows players to purchase alternative outfits for each Nightfarer:

• Dawn Outfit: A golden-themed variation of the default appearance, costing 14,000 Murk per character

• Darkness Outfit: A premium option with dramatic aesthetic changes, priced at an eye-watering 35,000 Murk

Economic Balancing Act: Prioritizing Your Murk Spending

With the substantial cost of cosmetic items, players face difficult decisions about Murk allocation. A complete set of Darkness outfits for all Nightfarers would require a staggering 280,000 Murk—an amount that would take dozens of successful expeditions to accumulate.

Veteran players generally recommend prioritizing functional items from Small Jar Bazaar before investing in cosmetics:

1. Character-specific Goblets for your main Nightfarers

2. Essential relics to improve expedition success rates

3. Unlocking items for additional Nightfarers

4. Cosmetic purchases for favorite characters

The economy creates a fascinating tension between practical progression and aesthetic customization that has sparked heated debates within the community. Some players argue that the high cost of cosmetics provides necessary long-term goals, while others feel the pricing structure is prohibitively expensive.

Murk Farming: Efficiency vs. Enjoyment

The introduction of Murk has inevitably led to discussions about optimal farming strategies. Currently, the most efficient approach appears to be:

1. Selecting expeditions with accessible first Nightlords

2. Defeating the Nightlord quickly

3. Intentionally failing the expedition

4. Repeating the process

However, this method sacrifices the full experience of Nightreign's rich gameplay loop. Most players report greater satisfaction and ultimately better Murk-per-hour rates by simply playing normally and improving their skills to reach later Nightlords consistently.

The Future of Murk in Nightreign

As Elden Ring Nightreign continues to evolve in 2025, FromSoftware has hinted at expanded uses for Murk in upcoming content patches. Community speculation centers around potential new Nightfarers, exclusive weapons, and possibly even unique expedition modifiers purchasable with Murk.

The persistent nature of Murk represents a significant philosophical shift for FromSoftware, potentially indicating a more accessible approach to their traditionally punishing design philosophy. This change has been largely embraced by both newcomers and veterans alike, providing a welcome sense of progression even through repeated failures.

Mastering the Murk Economy

Elden Ring Nightreign's dual-currency system creates a fascinating economic layer that complements the game's challenging combat. Murk rewards long-term dedication while Runes maintain the moment-to-moment tension that FromSoftware games are known for.

For new players, understanding this distinction is crucial:

• Runes: Temporary, expedition-specific currency for immediate power

• Murk: Permanent meta-currency for long-term strategic advantages

This innovative approach to in-game economy demonstrates FromSoftware's willingness to evolve their formula while maintaining the core elements that fans love.

Ready to maximize your Murk earnings and dominate the Lands Between? Join the expedition today and discover the perfect balance between risk and reward in Elden Ring Nightreign! Share your own Murk farming strategies in the comments below and help fellow Tarnished on their journey through the darkness. 🌙⚔️