Elden Ring Nightreign patch 1.02.2 is rolling out on all platforms, and it's by far the largest update to ever come to FromSoftware's oddball PvE action RPG. It's also among the most player-friendly updates in the developer's modern history, drowning fans in so many buffs and boss nerfs that we're practically playing a different game.
Publisher Bandai Namco has the lengthy patch notes posted here. For starters, every single Nightfarer has been buffed. Here are the key points:
- Wylder's skill got minor boosts for poise and stamina damage, but his special relic effects for added fire damage got significant buffs.
- Guardian gains more strength and dexterity when leveling, deals more damage with halberd guard counters, has greater "angle range" on his Steel Guard passive, and his ultimate art's weapon portion has a wider range.
- Duchess now gains more dexterity when leveling, deals more damage with some dagger attacks, and her ultimate art's invisibility lasts longer.
- Raider deals more stagger damage with greataxes and great hammers, and his skill has longer range. (Relatedly, dual-wield jump attacks for "some large weapons" now deal reduced stagger damage.)
- Revenant's spirits have "adjusted" transparency, and you can now pass right through the spirits Helen and Frederick.
- Recluse deals more damage with the offensive Magic Cocktail, and this will cast spells more quickly. The relic effect that boosts her max HP after her ultimate has increased potency and now "persists until an attack is received, even after the art's duration ends."
- Executor has higher attack power with his Cursed Sword, which is higher still when it's in its unleashed state, and some of his beast-form attacks will deal more damage.
- Ironeye didn't receive character buffs, presumably because he's already one of the best Nightfarers in the game, but his "extends duration of weak point" relic now extends the duration even more.
Several neutral relic affixes have also been enhanced, including continuous HP recovery, HP and FP restoration from specific weapon attacks, runes earned from critical hits (this was previously a pathetic flat amount), and HP restored from using items like healing boluses.
There are a few player nerfs slipped in here. Two legendary weapons, the Grafted Blade Greatsword and Marais Executioner's Sword, got some adjustments, and it sure sounds like a nerf. Their passive effects now have a cap, reining in the infinitely stackable stat boosts, but their effects have also had their potency adjusted "accordingly," so maybe we'll gain more power more quickly. I don't think FromSoft wanted us to have 10,000 HP or one-hit bosses, though.
One popular relic, which improves poise and damage negation when knocked back by an attack, has had its duration reduced, seemingly to weaken the functional invincibility that can be attained by stacking low-HP and knockback effects.
Some nerfs work in our favor. As expected, the notoriously difficult Everdark Sovereign Equilibrious Beast has been adjusted.
The summoned condemned Guardian now has reduced attack power, re-summoning condemned no longer increases their damage negation, and various condemned behavior – like reaction to ranged attacks, or target priority "under specific combat rules" – was tweaked. The light dropped by defeated condemned Nightfarers will also grant "increased" enhancement.
Other bosses have been buffed. Everdark Fulghor deals more damage with "some attacks" and – here comes the FromSoftware-mandated Guardian downer – greater HP and stamina damage through guard. Everdark Sentient Pest also deals more guard damage, but the stagger duration of some of its attacks has been reduced (hopefully reducing the stunlock AoE combos).
Two other points stand out to me. Firstly, the Night's Tide will now deal more damage after you beat the second night boss, further limiting farming strategies.
Secondly, FromSoftware has "adjusted the design of the Holy attribute icon," which was famously hard to distinguish from the Lightning icon. The Holy icon now has a noticeable dark orange tint to it. It is a glorious day.
