Elden Ring Item Offers Thrilling Nightreign-Like Co-Op Experience

by

For numerous fans eager for developer creations, few games compare to the unique experience offered by a FromSoftware title, particularly as a new one like “Elden Ring Nightreign” approaches. I fall into this category of excited players, and since I’ve sampled a bit of “Nightreign” during previews, and later the Closed Network Test, my attention has waned towards other games.

Although the anticipation isn’t as unbearable as the long silence surrounding Elden Ring, it’s challenging to find another game that offers a comparable experience in the interim. Given Nightreign’s peculiar and singular nature within FromSoftware’s catalog, Elden Ring serves as an acceptable substitute, but nothing can quite match the thrill Nightreign consistently delivers. Since I last played Elden Ring after completing its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, I find myself back in the Lands Between. Now, the Small Golden Effigy has provided me with a suitable replacement for Nightreign as I bide my time.

Use The Small Golden Effigy To Send Your Summon Sign Both Near & Far

Effectively Randomize Your Co-Op Experience

What attracts me most about FromSoftware’s RPGs is their unique multiplayer feature, which is why I always buy them on launch day. The absurd camaraderie in these games, where you enter another player’s world, perform a silly emote, and dance your weapons around, before teaming up to defeat monsters and approach boss battles together, has always been delightful. This experience becomes even more enjoyable when the game is brand new, like Elden Ring. The shared discoveries in a fresh FromSoft game, made without any verbal communication, are some of my most treasured gaming moments.

In my initial playthrough of Elden Ring, I spent a significant amount of time collaboratively exploring with others, primarily focusing on honing skills against bosses in less perilous settings or revisiting favorite dungeons and regions. During the game’s launch, teamwork was my go-to strategy when the Lands Between were swarming with players. However, three years later, a new essential item emerged to fill that role: the .

The Small Golden Effigy signifies the innovative system of Summoning Pools in Elden Ring, visibly denoted within the game by Effigies of the Martyr, which are small statues depicting a crucifixion scene that can be found across the Lands Between.

The Small Golden Effigy offers two choices when utilized: you can display your summon signal in “Near” locations or “Both Near and Far“. If you’re excitedly anticipating Elden Ring Nightreign, consider utilizing the latter option for maximum benefit, as it broadcasts your summon sign to every Summoning Pool you’ve activated, no matter where you are on the map.

The Small Golden Effigy Can’t Recreate Nightreign’s Randomness, But It’s Good Enough For Now

Who Knows Where You’ll Get Summoned?

Despite drawing heavily from Elden Ring, Nightreign introduces its own unique elements and significantly changes the gameplay dynamic. Co-op play in Elden Ring doesn’t quite keep pace with Nightreign’s fast-paced action, nor can it emulate the unpredictable nature inherent in Nightreign at full release. However, the restricted combinations of Limveld during the Closed Network Test aren’t much different from being summoned throughout the Lands Between.

For a while now, I’ve been delving into a fresh character to satiate my hunger for the Elden Ring, as I waited eagerly for Shadow of the Erdtree last year. Initially, I only intended to enjoy some Elden Ring gameplay, assuming it would suffice until then. However, when I left off with this character, they were prepared to tackle Stormveil Castle, having traversed most of Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula. I was keen to engage Margit and assess my performance since I had frequently encountered his Nightreign counterpart, whose moveset mirrors that of Morgott’s alternate persona.

Following my victory against Margit, I found myself re-exploring Stormveil Castle once more, which, while not monotonous, doesn’t offer the same level of excitement as the later zones in the main game and DLC. As a result, I decided to enter my name into the co-op lottery. In the past, I had used the “Both Near and Far” option with the Small Golden Effigy, but I rarely utilized it compared to the “Near” option which restricts matchmaking to the specific region you’re currently in. I found the “Near” option more beneficial for my initial playthrough as it allowed me to focus on the area I was advancing through.

However, casting my signpost for summons in various locations turned out to be precisely what I needed before facing Nightreign. Over the last weekend, I was called upon to battle the Cemetery Shade on the Weeping Peninsula, engage with Margit and Godrick, liberate Castle Morne, excavate the Limgrave Tunnels, tussle with the Runebear in Earthbore Cave, and countless times, I was summoned to patrol the ramparts of Stormveil, delving into its colossal dungeon and fending off intruders.

I’ve transitioned to the region of Liurnia of the Lakes, expanding my experiences further. It might not involve soaring over Limveld on a Spectral Hawk or swiftly battling bosses in Nightreign, but by placing my summon sign and persistently advancing through my own Elden Ring realm, I’ve discovered an unexpected range of activities.

Use A Low- To Mid-Level Elden Ring Character For Random Co-Op

Activate As Many Summoning Pools As Possible

In my recent adventures with Elden Ring multiplayer, I’ve mainly explored earlier parts of the game due to its design. It’s advisable to create a character around lower to mid-levels if you’re seeking a diverse experience. This is because advanced zones often offer less variety or feature challenging bosses that are popular among co-op players such as Malenia, Maliketh, the Godskin Duo, Mohg, and difficult DLC bosses like those found in Shadow of the Erdtree (if installed). If your character exceeds level 100, there’s a higher chance you’ll be summoned for these demanding encounters.

In Elden Ring, it’s advantageous to trigger more Summoning Sites of Grace earlier in your journey. By acquiring Torrent, you can traverse extensively across Limgrave, the Weeping Peninsula, Liurnia, and their hidden underground regions. These areas also include mini-dungeons and Effigies of the Martyr. The same strategy applies to mid-game zones like Caelid, Mt. Gelmir, Altus Plateau, and Leyndell. Activating Summoning Sites in legacy dungeons such as Stormveil Castle and the Academy of Raya Lucaria appears to reduce the chances of being summoned exclusively for boss battles.

In my opinion, nothing quite matches up to the unique qualities of Nightreign, yet delving back into Elden Ring and frequently employing Small Golden Effigies serves as a fairly good alternative for me. Using a less experienced character allows me greater freedom to experiment with various weapons I encounter along the way. I’m excitedly looking forward to the action roguelite experience that Elden Ring Nightreign is touted to offer, but at least the more manageable co-op in Elden Ring has made the wait a tad less daunting.

Read More

2025-03-01 06:29