How to unlock the Duchess in Elden Ring Nightreign

Elden Ring Nightreign Duchess character class — (Image credit: Bandai Namco)

The Duchess in Elden Ring Nightreign is a special character and class that isn't playable when the game starts, and has to be unlocked through secret means that the game isn't quick to tell you. In fact, unlocking the Duchess isn't especially hard, it's just through an unclear and secretive method that Elden Ring Nightreign doesn't tell you. This is a FromSoftware game, after all.

With that in mind, we'll explain how to unlock the Duchess in Nightreign below, and how you can get this dexterity-focused class as an option in all future playthroughs. She's arguably one of the best Elden Ring Nightreign classes too, so it's definitely worth the more speedy players having her in the ranks.

How to play as the Duchess in Elden Ring Nightreign

To unlock the Duchess class in Nightreign, you need to take the following steps:

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Complete runs of the Elden Ring Nightreign Tricephalos Expedition as any character until you receive a reward item called The Old Pocketwatch.
Back at the Roundtable Hold, speak to the Priestess NPC in the white cloak.
Choose to give her the Pocketwatch.
A short cutscene will be triggered where The Duchess is introduced.
From this point on, this class will be a permanent option when selecting your character.

It's worth clarifying that you get to keep the Pocketwatch after showing it to the Priestess, so don't worry about losing it in the process.

The Revenant

There's still one more class to unlock: the Elden Ring Nightreign Revenant! Find out how to get this summoner necromancer at the guide above!

The Duchess is a dexterity-focused character based around evasion and rapid dagger attacks, while also having a high enough intelligence that you can fold sorceries into your build as you progress. Her abilities allow her to turn the party invisible temporarily, and to cause enemies to suffer any damage and effects that they had recently inflicted on them for a second time, which means that any of the Elden Ring Nightreign best weapons that deal status effects can be extra potent in her hands.

This latter ability means that you can potentially devastate any of the Elden Ring Nightreign bosses by having your allies hit them with their most powerful attacks, then cause the boss to endure all those attacks and effects for a second time.

Want more special Nightreign secrets? Find out everything you need to know about how to play Elden Ring Nightreign with friends if you want to team up, or check out how to beat the Elden Ring Nightreign Gaping Jaw boss, one of the toughest early game challenges!

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Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and Very Tired Man with a BA from Brunel University, a Masters from Sussex University and a decade working in games journalism, often focused on guides coverage but also in reviews, features and news. His love of games is strongest when it comes to groundbreaking narratives like Disco Elysium, UnderTale and Baldur's Gate 3, as well as innovative or refined gameplay experiences like XCOM, Sifu, Arkham Asylum or Slay the Spire. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at Eurogamer, Gfinity, USgamer, SFX Magazine, RPS, Dicebreaker, VG247, and more.