A solid Elden Ring Nightreign Raider build is forgiving and straightforward compared to the game’s other Nightfarers, thanks to the Raider’s focused abilities. He needs to hit things hard and, ideally, not die while he’s doing it. That’s the gist of it, though there are a few other considerations to bear in mind while you go to town on the Night Lord and their minions.
Our Elden Ring Nightreign Raider build guide breaks down how the Raider’s kit works and what his best weapons, talismans, and relics are.
Elden Ring Nightreign Raider guide
Raider skills, passives, and art
The Raider is mostly about hitting things really hard, but he has one other useful function as well – his ultimate art, Totem Stele. The stele he summons knocks all enemies back, even bosses and Night Lords, and breaks line of sight for spells and arrows, basically giving your team a temporary reprieve until the enemy repositions. However, it also increases all allies’ attack power when they remain in its vicinity, so make sure to summon it close to where the action is.
Raider passive: Fighter’s Resolve
- Reduces incoming damage while Raider uses his skill. He cannot be knocked back while using Retaliate and remains alive with 1 HP after taking a heavy blow that would otherwise have killed him. This last stand effect does not apply to status effects, though, and only works while Raider is using his art.
Raider skill: Retaliate
- Raider braces himself, then lunges forward and attacks enemies in front of him, knocking them back or down, depending on their size. Taking damage while he casts the skill increases its power.
Raider ultimate art: Totem Stele
- Raider summons a massive stone stele from the ground, knocking back nearby enemies and boosting allies’ attack power while they remain in range
Best weapons and magic for Raider
The best magic for Raider is none, as his intelligence and faith scaling are abysmal, and he has exceptionally low FP even at high levels. That low FP pool also means it’s best not to look too closely at weapon skills, since he won’t have the resources to use them more than a few times during a fight. Basically, you’re after big weapons that hit hard.
Raider weapons include:
- Greatswords
- Colossal swords
- Curved greatswords
- Hammers
- Great hammers
- Greataxes
Great spears also work, though they tend to split their scaling between strength and dexterity. Also bear in mind that Elden Ring lumps clubs in the same category as Greataxes, so those work very well with Raider, too.
In the worst-case scenario where you don’t get any good drops for the Raider, you can just upgrade the Raider’s starting greataxe twice and go from there.
Best relics for Raider
Relics, like weapon drops in Nightreign, are completely random, so there’s no guaranteeing you’ll end up with a useful set for the Raider. However, there are a few you can purchase from the jar merchant at the Roundtable Hold which work well for him and one you get by completing the Raider’s first remembrance quest.
Torn Braided Cord
- [Raider] Damage taken while using character skill increases attack power and stamina
- Strength +2
Grand Drizzly Scene
- Improved poise when near Totem Stele
- Vigor +2
- Strength +2
For other relics, prioritize anything that grants damage negation, improved stamina or stamina recovery, and increased physical attack.
Best Talismans for Raider
Talismans also drop at random from Teardrop Scarabs, but if you run across any of these, make sure to equip them for the Raider.
- Dragoncrest Shield Talisman: Increases physical damage negation
- Viridian Amber Medallion: Boost maximum stamina
- Green Turtle Talisman: Increases stamina recovery speed
- Assassin’s Crimson Dagger: Critical hits restore HP
Raider’s heavy hits break an enemy’s poise easily, so he’s likely going to land plenty of critical hits. He also burns through stamina quickly. Any help in that department is essential.
Tips for playing Raider in Nightreign
Raider might exist to hit things hard, but there are still a few things worth keeping in mind to help you get through the night.
Think before you swing
Heavy weapons deal heavy damage, but at the cost of more stamina than usual. Before level seven or so, the Raider can get in roughly four hits with a single weapon and three while dual-wielding before his stamina runs out completely. Doing that leaves him vulnerable to attacks, since he can’t dodge without stamina. You’ll want to either use his character skill to deal with nearby enemies while you wait for his stamina to recover or avoid depleting it entirely so you still have room to maneuver.
Bigger isn’t always better
The Raider is designed for heavy and colossal weapons, but his high strength scaling means he can still get good results from straight swords, curved swords, and other weapons. It’s not ideal, since he doesn’t have the dexterity to get the most out of these, but if you’re struggling to make do with heavy weapons or just don’t find enough useful drops, don’t ignore other weapon types completely.
Time your totem
Activating the Totem Stele knocks back even Night Lords for a moment, so don’t go firing it off as soon as the art gauge is full. It’s often worth waiting until the team is ready to go all out and can benefit from the stele’s attack buff or until activating it can interrupt a boss’ powerful attack, such as the Augur’s sleep wave or Equlibrius Beast’s shield.