Elden Ring Nightreign Boss Tier List – Best Night Lord Ranked

The Night Lords introduced in Elden Ring Nightreign are some of the most cinematic, mechanically complex, and engaging boss fights in FromSoftware’s history.  In this Elden Ring Nightreign Night Lord Tier List, we are going to rank these bosses based on both solo and co-op experiences, from the best to the absolute worst for overall fun and challenging encounters.

Elden Ring Nightreign Night Lord Tier List – All Bosses Ranked

In Elden Ring Nightreign, Night Lords had to be designed in a very careful and specific way where the spectacle was there, the enjoyment, the challenge, but if they go too far, then it's going to backfire and people are going to be very upset that they have all that time between the next single attempt.

The weakness system in Nightreign bosses plays an important role. For example, some bosses require the use of ranged attacks or specific elemental damage to exploit their vulnerabilities. The challenge and engagement of each fight often depend on how well the player can utilize these weaknesses, whether it’s using fire against a moth or lightning against a centaur.

A notable addition is the grab counter mechanic. Certain bosses feature attacks that can grab multiple people at once, and some of these grabs can be countered or parried. For instance, Exeutor's parry allows players to deflect and counter these grabs, providing a new layer of depth to the fights. Blocking has also been buffed in Nightreign, making it a more viable strategy against some of the more aggressive or multi-hit attack patterns found in the boss fights. This change allows for more tactical options in combat, especially for players who prefer a defensive approach.

With that being said, for the fun of it, let's look at it in a tier list format, working our way up from the bottom to the top. Starting with what is considered the worst Night Lord of them all in terms of enjoyment, mechanics, and fun.

1. Caligo, Miasma of Night (S Tier)

Caligo, the giant ice dragon, boasts a massive health pool and a reliable fire weakness. The fight features numerous mechanics, including tail slams, ice bombs, various ice breath attacks, and ice mines left on the ground. Notably, Caligo uses a mix of airborne and ground-based attacks, with spectacular moves like missile barrages and massive ice explosions that require players to seek cover or escape. The spectacle and variety in Caligo’s moveset make it an iconic dragon fight, surpassing many similar bosses in both challenge and enjoyment.

2. Heolstor, the Nightlord (S Tier)

Combining the best elements (atmosphere, soundtrack, mechanics, and cinematography) of all previous bosses, Heolstor becomes a hybrid of Artorias, Slave Knight Gael, and Lord of Cinder. Initially appearing weak, he transforms mid-fight, revealing a third arm and a Moonlight Greatsword-like weapon. Heolstor absorbs elements from other Night Lords, gaining frenzied, holy, or other damage types depending on the run. His final combo unleashes all this power in a cinematic finish. He's tough, rewarding, and never feels unfair. With no weaknesses and no complaints, Heolstor is the best boss in Nightreign and one of the finest in FromSoftware's history.

3. Libra, Creature of the Night (A Tier)

Libra, the literal goat and madness monster, combines both madness and faith elements. Throughout the fight, Libra sheds faith bubbles that cleanse madness, maintaining sanity. One mechanic involves Libra meditating in a holy bubble, which can be shattered to make the boss go berserk, unleashing powerful AoE slams and madness attacks. If Libra finishes meditating, its holy attacks become more aggressive, increasing the pace and complexity of the fight. The design, complete with eyes up the neck and between the horns, is brilliant, and the music perfectly matches the insanity. Libra is one of the most mechanically complex and visually impressive bosses, providing a unique and memorable challenge.

4. Fulghor, Champion of Nightglow (A Tier)

The centaur, Fulghor, is one of the more challenging fights, featuring a deadly cleave combo and sand slams that can one-shot lower-health characters. Fulghor’s lightning weakness is crucial for interrupting attacks, though the stun duration is short. The boss introduces mechanics like charging up a spear that targets all players, requiring dodging skills. Fulghor's second phase increases the range and potency of attacks, spreading poisonous goop and demanding greater awareness. The fight is fair and engaging, with varied combos and mechanics that make it feel like a solid mid-game Souls boss.

5. Caligo, Miasma of Night (B Tier)

Caligo is a majestic four-winged ice dragon with one of the most beautiful soundtracks in gaming. While her fight suffers slightly from the typical dragon boss trope, focusing on legs, her visuals, mechanics, and atmosphere more than make up for it. She shrouds the arena in fog, unleashes unblockable AoEs, and creates ice pillars for cover. Though not the hardest fight, she’s a spectacle. Her hail attack is tricky, and resistance buffs can trivialize the encounter, but overall, she’s a visually and aurally stunning boss that leaves a lasting impression.

6. Adel, Baron of Night (B Tier)

Adel, the jawbeast monster, impresses with its design and mechanics. The way the jaw splits and separates, the dramatic slam attacks, and the special wide-bite animation that can grab multiple people are visually striking. The fight isn’t the most mechanically diverse, but phase two introduces gravity lightning magic, with big explosions and meteoric lines to dodge. Adel is uniquely weak to poison, which causes it to vomit and be stunned, allowing for creative strategies. Overall, Adel’s design and spectacle make it enjoyable, even if the challenge isn’t the highest.

7. Gladius, Beast of Night (C Tier)

The first Night Lord most players encounter is Gladius, a giant Cerberus wielding a chained sword. He splits into three enraged puppies, often targeting the most vulnerable player. While intimidating at first, especially for newcomers, the fight becomes easier upon replay. His ultimate, a wave of explosions, is difficult to dodge but nonetheless spectacular. Gladius is a great introduction to the Night Lords, blending a memorable design with an intense pacing that remains engaging even after multiple encounters.

8. Gnoster Wisdom of Night (C Tier)

The double insects, Gnoster, pit players against a giant scorpion and a giant moth in a duo fight. The scorpion focuses on melee attacks with slams and AoE earthquakes, while the moth stays ranged, dropping poisonous clouds and firing slow missiles. Their shared weakness to fire only seems to affect the moth, and the most interesting part is when the scorpion turns to rock, forcing players to target the moth. The fight becomes more engaging when the two combine attacks, especially during the scorpion-riding transition and magical beams. While visually and musically impressive, the mechanics remain tame, making it a less offensive but still enjoyable duo fight.

9. Maris, Fathom of Night (D Tier)

By far the worst Night Lord in Nightreign is Maris, Fathom of the Night. Atmospheric and backed by an incredible soundtrack, Maris still ends up being a boring fight. Much like the Elden Beast, he floats away constantly, making melee combat frustrating. His attacks, waves of water, kamikaze jellyfish, and grotesque hand appendages are creepy but unimpressive. Notably, his second phase introduces a sleep-inducing mechanic that causes constant damage, akin to Darkrai's Dark Void. His most devastating move, a giant AoE teardrop attack, can be countered by attacking the surrounding summons. Ironically, the fight can be easier solo due to reduced chaos. Overall, Maris is the only truly below-average boss on the list.