Elden Ring Nightreign Raider Class Preview - IGN First

Elden Ring's brilliance lies in its diverse playstyles, and my personal favorite involves stacking Strength stats, wielding massive weapons, and demolishing enemies with bone-crushing jump attacks and charged heavies. If this sounds like your style, meet Nightreign's Raider class (check the gameplay below).

Unlike the Guardian – another tanky class with hefty weapons and defensive focus through shield mechanics and team damage reduction – the Raider specializes in pure offensive dominance.

Retaliate defines the Raider's playstyle. At first glance, it seems underwhelming – just two stomps dealing modest physical and posture damage. The game-changer? The Raider's passive prevents knockdowns during Retaliate, transforming it into an armor-piercing technique. Absorb a heavy hit during execution, and the second stomp upgrades to a devastating punch capable of staggering even towering foes.

The ultimate ability, Totem Stela, shifts battle dynamics dramatically. This ground-slam summons a massive totem that damages surrounding enemies while serving as both defensive cover and elevated vantage point. Like all Nightreign ultimates, it's combat-altering – plus it grants team-wide damage amplification, making it a priority for coordinated attacks.

Among Nightreign's classes, the Raider delivered my most exhilarating gameplay experience.

Starting with the fire-infused Greavtaxe (featuring the Endure skill as backup defense when Retaliate cools down), the Raider naturally progresses toward colossal Strength weapons as challenges intensify.

The Raider excels in solo combat – fittingly, its Remembrances (coming later this month) feature gladiatorial-style one-on-one boss arenas for refreshing tactical variety.

This concludes our Nightreign class previews. Throughout this month, expect detailed mechanics breakdowns, developer interviews, and more as we continue our IGN First coverage.