Elden Ring Nightreign: Raider Class Review - IGN

One of Elden Ring's greatest strengths lies in its diverse playstyle options, and my personal favorite involves maxing Strength stat, equipping colossal weapons, and demolishing enemies with crushing jumping attacks and fully charged heavy blows. If this aggressive approach resonates with you, let me present Nightreign's Raider class (see featured gameplay below).

While the Guardian – Nightreign's other tanky class specializing in massive weapons – prioritizes defense with shield combat and team-wide damage reduction ultimates, the Raider is engineered purely as an offensive juggernaut.

The Raider's signature Retaliate ability initially appears underwhelming – just two stomps dealing modest physical and poise damage. However, thanks to the class's passive immunity to knockdowns during execution, Retaliate transforms into an unstoppable defensive-offensive hybrid technique. This allows absorbing devastating enemy attacks while countering with brutal damage, transitioning into a staggering finishing punch against tougher foes when absorbing significant damage.

The Raider's ultimate, Totem Stela, creates battlefield dominance through a massive damage-dealing pillar that doubles as climbable terrain for tactical positioning while buffing ally damage output. This multifaceted ultimate makes it essential for coordinated team play.

Among all Nightreign classes I've tested, the Raider delivered the most exhilarating combat experience.

Raiders begin with Greavtaxe – a reliable fire-infused weapon featuring Endure skill as a secondary defensive option when Retaliate cools down. However, players should prioritize upgrading to stronger Strength-scaling weapons as difficulty escalates.

The Raider excelled beyond other classes in my Nightreign playthrough, particularly shining in its specialized one-on-one combat scenarios. This specialization perfectly complements its unique Remembrance boss battles (details coming later), featuring strategic gladiatorial arena duels.

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This concludes our Nightreign class previews, but stay tuned throughout the month for deep dives into core mechanics, developer interviews, and more as IGN First coverage continues.