Just spent an entire weekend diving deep into Elden Ring Nightreign's boss mechanics, and wow, this DLC is no joke! As someone who's died probably 100+ times already (no shame in my game 😅), I've compiled everything I've learned about these Night Lords and their weaknesses.

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Night Lord Elemental Weaknesses

Let me tell you, understanding these boss weaknesses has completely changed my approach! I used to just grab my favorite weapon and hope for the best, but that strategy got me absolutely destroyed by Fulghor. Turns out he's super weak to Lightning damage but practically laughs off Holy attacks.

The way the damage system works is pretty straightforward:

  • 0: Boss takes normal damage from this element

  • Negative numbers: Boss resists this damage type (ugh, the worst)

  • Positive numbers (bold): This is a weakness! Pour it on!

For example, when I first encountered Fulghor, I was using my Holy-enhanced Greatsword that carried me through most of the base game. Big mistake! Switched to a Lightning weapon and suddenly I was doing waaaaay more damage. Night and day difference, seriously.

Status Effect Thresholds

This part blew my mind when I figured it out! Each Night Lord has specific thresholds for status effects. The numbers in the chart show exactly how much of a status effect you need to apply before it actually triggers.

Take Adel in the Gaping Jaw fight - you need to hit that poison threshold of 154 before she actually becomes poisoned. Before learning this, I was just throwing random poison knives and wondering why nothing was happening. Felt like I was throwing pebbles at a mountain!

Some bosses are completely immune to certain status effects too. I learned this the hard way when I spent an entire fight trying to bleed a boss that couldn't bleed. Talk about a facepalm moment! 🤦‍♀️

My Expedition Strategy

The genius part of Nightreign is how the expedition system works. You choose your expedition before starting your run, which determines which Night Lords you'll face. Now that I understand their weaknesses, I'm actually planning my expeditions based on the weapons and items I have.

For example, if I've got strong Lightning weapons, I'll specifically choose expeditions where I know I'll face Fulghor. It's like being able to choose your battles - literally!

Mapping Your Route

One thing that's changed my approach completely is mapping my routes based on boss weaknesses. Instead of just wandering aimlessly, I now know exactly what I'm looking for.

If I know I'm facing a Night Lord weak to frost damage, I'll specifically explore areas where frost weapons are more common. The map design in Nightreign is incredibly thoughtful this way - there are usually paths that lead you toward helpful items if you know what to look for.

Sometimes I'll even restart an expedition if I realize I've gone down a path that won't give me what I need to exploit a boss weakness. Might seem extreme, but trust me, it's better than banging your head against a wall with the wrong loadout!

My Personal Rankings

After dozens of hours, here's my personal difficulty ranking of the Night Lords (from easiest to hardest):

  1. Fulghor (once you use Lightning)

  2. Adel

  3. [redacted for spoilers]

  4. [you'll have to find out yourself!]

The last one on my list... I don't even want to talk about how many attempts it took. Let's just say I considered throwing my controller out the window more than once. 😤

What's your experience been with the Night Lords? Have you found different weaknesses that work better? I'm still learning and would love to hear what's working for others in 2025's most challenging DLC!

Remember, Tarnished - it's not about how many times you die, it's about finally landing that killing blow when you've mastered their weaknesses!

Key findings are referenced from PlayStation Trophies, a leading source for achievement guides and community-driven strategies. Their forums and trophy roadmaps often provide detailed breakdowns of boss weaknesses and optimal loadouts, which can be invaluable for tackling challenging DLC content like Elden Ring Nightreign's Night Lords.