Elden Ring Nightreign Class Tier List 2026 — All 10 Nightfarers Ranked
Quick Pick: New player solo → Ironeye • Random trio → Ironeye / Raider / Executor • Pre-made comp → Recluse + Scholar + Duchess
Methodology
Section titled “Methodology”Tier lists shift based on the expedition context. We provide four separate tier lists because a Nightfarer optimal for solo can be mediocre for pre-made trios, and vice versa.
Source: aggregated from Mobalytics, Fextralife community polls, and Chinese community data (gamersky, NGA, 17173).
1. Beginner Tier List (Difficulty to Pick Up)
Section titled “1. Beginner Tier List (Difficulty to Pick Up)”| Tier | Nightfarers |
|---|---|
| S (Easy) | Wylder, Guardian, Raider, Ironeye |
| A (Average) | Revenant, Undertaker, Duchess |
| B (Hardest) | Executor, Scholar, Recluse |
First-time players: pick from S-tier. Recluse and Scholar require deep mechanical understanding (mixed magic / analyze system).
2. Random Matchmaking Tier List
Section titled “2. Random Matchmaking Tier List”When you can’t coordinate with teammates:
| Tier | Nightfarers |
|---|---|
| S | Ironeye, Raider, Executor, Wylder, Undertaker |
| A | Duchess, Revenant, Guardian |
| B | Scholar, Recluse |
Scholar and Recluse drop because their kits require teammate cooperation (status proc, debuff application). Random teammates rarely set up these synergies.
3. Solo Tier List
Section titled “3. Solo Tier List”| Tier | Nightfarers |
|---|---|
| S | Wylder, Ironeye, Executor |
| A | Undertaker, Raider |
| B | Recluse, Duchess, Guardian |
| C | Revenant, Scholar |
Solo runs reward survivability + self-sufficiency. Wylder’s Sixth Sense (immunity to one death) is invaluable. Ironeye’s infinite arrows scales with practice.
4. Pre-made Trio Tier List
Section titled “4. Pre-made Trio Tier List”When you can voice-coordinate:
| Tier | Nightfarers |
|---|---|
| S | Recluse, Scholar, Duchess, Undertaker, Ironeye |
| A | Guardian, Revenant, Raider |
| B | Executor, Wylder |
Recluse jumps to S-tier in pre-made because teammates can deliberately proc her Mixed Magic. Executor drops because Bleed-stacking solo carry is less valuable with coordinated teamwork.
10 Nightfarer Details
Section titled “10 Nightfarer Details”Wylder
Section titled “Wylder”- Role: Balanced melee starter
- Skill — Claw Shot: Pulls light enemies / pulls self to heavy enemies
- Ultimate — Onslaught Stake: Charged explosion, staggers bosses
- Special Ability — Sixth Sense: Avoids one fatal blow per run
- Best for: Solo or first random match
Ironeye
Section titled “Ironeye”- Role: Ranged DPS + utility
- Skill — Marking (Δ+L2): Marks enemy, +10% team damage
- Ultimate — Single Shot: Massive damage + stagger + revive downed teammates
- Special — Eagle Eye: Increases team item drop rate
- Best for: Any context, the most universal pick
Raider
Section titled “Raider”- Role: Tank-ish bruiser, stagger specialist
- Skill — Battle Cry: Buffs team attack
- Ultimate — Totem Stela: Team-wide damage buff zone
- Special: Can equip shields, parry-capable
- Best for: Random teams as glue piece
Guardian
Section titled “Guardian”- Role: Tank + team protection
- Skill — Whirlwind: AoE damage + light enemy knockback
- Ultimate — Wings of Salvation: Flies up, slams down, optional shield wall
- Special — Strong Block: Higher-tier guard with shield
- Best for: Anchor for any team
Duchess [Hidden]
Section titled “Duchess [Hidden]”- Unlock: Beat first Nightlord, return “Old Pocket Watch” to Roundtable witch
- Role: Light burst + utility
- Skill — Restage: Replays last few seconds of damage (including allies’)
- Ultimate — Finale: Team-wide stealth
- Special — Elegant Step: Multi-roll dodge
- Best for: Pre-made trios, advanced players
Executor
Section titled “Executor”- Role: Pure DPS, melee carry
- Stats: Dex S, Arcane S
- Skill — Aspect of the Beast: Channels enhanced katana strikes
- Ultimate — Cursed Sword Beast Form: Transforms, gets extra HP bar, great for reviving
- Special: Parry windows during draw, sheath, even mid-skill
- Best for: Aggressive solo carries
Recluse
Section titled “Recluse”- Role: Mage, support DPS
- Stats: Int S, Faith S
- Skill — Mixed Magic: Absorb 3 element marks → cast 9 unique spells
- Ultimate — Soul Blood Song: Mark enemies, allies hitting marked enemies regen HP/FP
- Special — Ride the Elements: Absorbing marks restores FP
- Best for: Pre-made coordinated trios
Revenant [Hidden]
Section titled “Revenant [Hidden]”- Unlock: After Duchess, buy “Dirty Frame” from Pot Merchant, defeat doll phantom in NE map
- Role: Summoner/support
- Best for: Advanced support play
Scholar [DLC: Forsaken Hollows]
Section titled “Scholar [DLC: Forsaken Hollows]”- Role: Utility caster
- Skill — Analyze: Apply buffs to allies OR debuffs to enemies
- Best for: Coordinated trios where setup matters
Undertaker [DLC: Forsaken Hollows]
Section titled “Undertaker [DLC: Forsaken Hollows]”- Role: New S-tier hybrid with revive synergies
- Best for: Random matches (carries team)
Recommended Trios
Section titled “Recommended Trios”T0 Meta — “Executor + Raider + Ironeye”
Section titled “T0 Meta — “Executor + Raider + Ironeye””Why: Raider’s Totem Stela buffs whole team → Ironeye marks boss → Executor deletes with bleed. Works on every Nightlord.
Solo-Hostile Compensation — “Ironeye × 3”
Section titled “Solo-Hostile Compensation — “Ironeye × 3””Why: Pure kiting comp. Resilient against poor team coordination.
Pre-made Mage Comp — “Recluse + Scholar + Duchess”
Section titled “Pre-made Mage Comp — “Recluse + Scholar + Duchess””Why: Scholar buffs Recluse’s Mixed Magic damage; Duchess can replay Recluse’s burst for double damage.
Patch 1.03.4 Changes Summary
Section titled “Patch 1.03.4 Changes Summary”- Wylder: Onslaught Stake stagger damage increased
- Undertaker: New S-tier
- Executor: Slight Bleed proc nerf
- Scholar: Analyze duration buffed
- Recluse: Mixed Magic FP cost reduced
Q: Is there a true “best” Nightfarer? A: No. Context matters more than class.
Q: Should I unlock all 8 base + 2 DLC before going hard? A: At minimum unlock Duchess (easy) and pick up 1-2 favorites for mastery.
Q: How do I unlock the hidden ones? A: See Hidden Character Unlocks (forthcoming).
Sources
Section titled “Sources”- Mobalytics Tier Lists (4 variants)
- SkyCoach Best Classes Guide
- Game8 Class Tier List
- LootBar Characters Tier List