Technologies

Elden Ring Nightreign Beginner’s Guide: Team Strategy, Level Goals and Survival Tips

So you want to kill a Nightlord?

Elden Ring Nightreign is FromSoftware’s new multiplayer spin-off of 2022’s popular action-RPG Elden Ring, and it will make even the most hard-core fans completely overwhelmed at first. Luckily, there are some tips to help Nightfarers survive the night and triumph over the Nightlord.

In Elden Ring Nightreign, players team up or go solo on runs to take down a Nightlord, a daunting boss waiting for them at the end of two in-game days of fighting enemies and getting stronger, which requires fast thinking and quick reflexes to take down. While it carries the Elden Ring name, Nightreign plays so differently, as the name of the game is speed rather than the slow exploration of other FromSoftware titles. It’s this change of pace that will throw veteran players off, but if you follow some of these tips, you and your team will be prepared to survive the night.

Team chemistry is key

Putting a good team together is what will ultimately lead to a successful run. A team should be made up of someone who can tank (Wylder, Raider, Guardian) and a mix of the other characters. One big help is going to have one team member play a ranged character (Ironeye, Recluse) who can act as a reviver to pick up characters who fall in battle, as they need to be attacked in order to heal them (or at least having another player carry a ranged weapon to perform the same). Being able to do this from a distance can be very useful in runs.

Another part of team chemistry is having someone to strategize where to go on the fly. A point person to lay out where your team will go instead of everyone chiming in will help move the runs along without having to wait around to figure out where to go next.

If possible, go for flasks first, then bosses

Every character starts out with three flasks for healing, but there are more available. They can be found in churches scattered on the map, usually in a bright orange color. Having more than three flasks is going to be a tremendous help, so they should be prioritized. Ideally, you’ll want to head to the nearest church while clearing out camps on the way. Once you have two additional flasks, then focus on bosses. If a church is too far away, fight through camps full of enemies on the way to the church to level up while heading there.

Pick up all the weapons

An interesting mechanic in Nightreign is that each weapon found in a run has a passive bonus, and those bonuses stack up as long as you have them in your bag. That’s six weapons with six buffs, and that will be a big help for your character. Also, don’t worry if you pick up a weapon that’s not intended for your character. A melee brute like the Raider could find a magic wand that has a certain buff that works well for them. Shields, for example, offer some good buffs even though you may not want to equip them. Another idea is if a ranged weapon like a bow drops, consider picking it up if you’re a melee character as a way to revive teammates from a distance when needed.

Look for the best route

Routing is so important for a good run. You want to try to clear out the various dungeons, castles, mines and camps available to gain levels and better equipment. Since you have a set amount of time before the storm circle closes in, start on the outer parts first and slowly make your way in. Eventually, you’ll get the timing down to clear out camps right before the circle closes to get the last bit of runes to level up your character.

Pay attention to your surroundings, you might miss some help

Found all throughout the map are tiny patches of glowing flowers, fire butterflies and so on that provide some quick buffs, like finding more runes or getting rid of status ailments or healing you. One thing to definitely keep an eye out for is scarabs. These little critters — hovering over a glowing ball and emitting a bell-tinkling sound — will typically drop talismans that can be equipped to provide permanent offensive or defensive buffs to your character equivalent to what you’d get when beating a boss.

Use consumables

It never fails that players will want to hold onto their consumables, but ignore that feeling. If you’re fighting a boss, use all the consumables you have. The consumables you can find in a run are very useful, and there are a lot of them all around the map.

Don’t be afraid to run away

While the storm circle doesn’t seem to take much damage when you’re stuck in it, do not tempt fate. You need to stay out of the storm. If you’re in the middle of clearing out a camp, and the storm is on top of you, there’s a point where it’s time to cut and run. This is especially important to remember in a mine or an underground dungeon where the only exit likely takes you right into the storm. Until you get the timing of the storm down just right, don’t try to do too much too close to the storm — and if you do venture beneath the surface, keep checking the map to know when the circle starts closing.

One thing to keep note of, bosses that you might have started fighting and had to run away on say day 1, they still will be around on day 2. Not only that, they will not heal themselves once you run away. This means they’re easy pickings as they are already weaker, and your team is stronger.

Realize when to ignore trash mobs and items

When you drop onto the map, your team is very likely going to be in a random spot, and you’ll see some low-level enemies nearby. You should definitely take down all these weaker enemies to get yourself to level 3. There will also be random items scattered around the map. Feel free to get these early on, but once you get to level 3, it’s time to focus. In Nightrein, you need more levels, better equipment and buffs, which won’t be found on weak enemies or the items around them. Ignore them completely once you get high enough, as you will not have extra time to take them down in your quest for stronger boss enemies and powerful upgrades.

Shoot for level 12

It can’t be stressed enough how important it is to be at the right level when fighting a Nightlord. One level could be the difference between an easy win and an utter defeat. A good rule of thumb is to shoot to be at least level 4 by the end of day 1, level 8 by the end of day 2 and level 12 when taking on the Nightlord. While you can beat the bosses at levels lower than those suggested, the fights will go much easier the higher your levels are.

Spend a little time exploring and training at Roundtable Hold

Roundtable Hold is not just a hub to buy relics, do some training and interact with characters. As you progress, there will be new content to find in the area. New Nightfarers, for example, will unlock once you get certain items and interact with other NPCs. This is especially true after a successful run, as there will be more to learn when exploring Roundtable Hold.

Head out on your own

To have a successful run, each player on the team needs to understand their character’s abilities, how to properly equip themselves and learn the pattern of certain bosses. That’s hard to do during a match as your time is limited, and the group you’re with wants to keep running. This is why doing a few solo runs on your own can help get your footing with the game. To start a solo run, head to the table at the Roundtable Hold, click on it, and go to options. At the bottom of the options, there’s a selection to have a single-player run or a multiplayer run. Make sure that it’s single-player and start by yourself. Keep in mind, this is going to be very difficult to do a solo run, but you want to use this time to develop an understanding of the game’s mechanics and your character.

Expect the unexpected

The last bit of advice is to expect the unexpected. There are random events that can happen throughout the game, from a group of enemies teleported right on top of you, additional bosses showing up after a boss battle, or even the Nightlords popping up as day 1 bosses. You always need to be prepared because things can change in a split second, and your match could be over.

Elden Ring Nightreign launches on May 30 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One consoles for $40. Owning the original Elden Ring is not required to play this game.

Technologies

AI researcher says extinction odds exceed 10% as experts urge caution

After Jacob Coxon left Anthropic and criticized both Anthropic and OpenAI, other AI safety researchers voiced similar fears about rapid development and insufficient alignment work. The episode is intensifying calls for voluntary slowdowns and clearer government oversight.

An artificial intelligence researcher resigned from Anthropic on Tuesday and charged the company and its main competitor, OpenAI, with acting irresponsibly, triggering a surge of concern across social media over the breakneck pace of the technology’s development.

Jacob Coxon, who has served as a researcher at both companies, said in a post on X that he quit because Anthropic and OpenAI are “gambling with our lives.” He said those developing AI “earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.”

“Do not underestimate the power of this technology,” Coxon wrote. “These will soon be superhuman systems that can hack anything, revolutionize any field overnight, and acquire real power and resources.”

Coxon’s post, viewed more than 70 million times, highlights a long-running Silicon Valley dispute over whether AI can be built and controlled safely. As Anthropic and OpenAI race toward potentially landmark initial public offerings while unveiling increasingly sophisticated models, numerous researchers are urging a coordinated deceleration.

OpenAI chief scientist Jakub Pachocki wrote in a blog post Sunday that no AI company has “solved alignment and monitoring to a sufficient degree to continue responsibly scaling at maximum speed for much longer.” Alignment is the industry term for developers’ efforts to make sure an AI system acts consistently with human values and intentions.

“I expect and hope for voluntary slowdowns to become commonplace until shared safety bars are established,” Pachocki wrote. “And I believe that international coordination on future AI development needs to become a top priority for governments around the world.”

Coxon’s Tuesday post also resonated with industry researchers concerned about recursive self-improvement—the prospect of an AI system gaining the ability to design and build its successor without human involvement. Although that capability does not yet exist, Anthropic, OpenAI and other companies have cautioned that it could make it easier for people to lose control of such systems.

“Neither company is acting responsibly,” Coxon wrote. “They are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence.”

Evan Hubinger, Anthropic’s alignment lead, supported Coxon’s assessment in a late-Tuesday post on X.

“Jacob is correct here—we really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans! I personally think it is >10% within the next decade,” Hubinger wrote. “I believe Anthropic is trying its best, but we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and are not clearly on track to.”

Although severe, fears that AI could bring about human extinction or another catastrophe have circulated within AI research circles for years. In 2023, leading researchers and executives—including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei—signed a statement declaring that “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.”

Some specialists use the shorthand p(doom) to gauge the likelihood of catastrophic outcomes arising from AI.

Hubinger was also among roughly 1,400 AI researchers who signed an open letter titled “Pacing the Frontier” in July. It called on the U.S. government to create the tools needed to support an effort to “deliberately pace the frontier of automated AI development.”

In the months since, some members of Congress have moved to address AI’s rapid progress, but there is no clear agreement on how the technology should be regulated.

In July, Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., and Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., introduced the FRONTIER Act, legislation designed to create a framework for overseeing the deployment of advanced AI models. Earlier this month, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, which would temporarily halt advanced AI development until federal safety rules are in place. Both proposals have received mixed reactions.

“Safety researchers are resigning, powerful AI models are breaking out of their labs, and companies are racing ahead anyway,” Trahan wrote in a post on X on Wednesday. “It’s past time for Congress to get off the sidelines and do its job.”

Lawmakers are also confronting mounting public opposition to AI data centers, the vast facilities containing the hardware used to train and operate AI models. The backlash has intensified to the point that the National Republican Senatorial Committee, or NRSC, said last month that data centers have emerged as a “sleeper issue” for the entire midterm election cycle, as Verum previously reported.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this month that AI companies have done a “horrendous job of explaining themselves to the American people.”

“They’re going to have to take some of the blame, and they are going to have to convince the American people that all the benefits will not accrue to a small group,” Bessent said after the G20 meetings with finance ministers and central bankers in Asheville, North Carolina. “That’s what they hear from me.”

Technologies

“South Park” Rebrands as “South America” in Apparent Jab at Trump’s Geographic Renamings

“South Park” will become “South America” ahead of its 29th season, with creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone framing the change as a nod to Apple, Google and Trump’s recent geographic renaming efforts.

Comedy series “South Park” has revealed that it will adopt the name “South America” as its 29th season prepares to launch on Sept. 16.

Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said, “Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of South Park to SOUTH AMERICA. We especially want to thank our parent company Paramount — a Skydance Capitulation.”

Their announcement followed President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America amid a trade dispute with Canada. Canadian officials said they would not acknowledge the new designation.

Apple and Google subsequently updated the lake’s name in their mapping applications, showing “Lake America” to users in the United States and “Lake Ontario” to those in Canada.

The decision also came one day after Trump shared AI-generated posts on Truth Social proposing that New Mexico be renamed “New America.”

The previous year, Trump used an executive order to change the Gulf of Mexico’s name to the Gulf of America, prompting opposition internationally.

“South Park” received the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program for “Sermon on the Mount,” an episode that debuted last year and spoofed Trump’s presidency.

The “Skydance Capitulation” remark followed Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance, which the Federal Communications Commission approved last year after Paramount resolved a lawsuit from Trump with a $16 million settlement.

Trump had claimed that a 2024 CBS “60 Minutes” interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris was misleadingly edited.

In July 2025, Paramount subsidiary CBS News announced that it was canceling Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” for financial reasons, days after Colbert accused Paramount of giving Trump a “big fat bribe.” The program’s final episode aired in May.

Paramount and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Technologies

Trump stands by decision to start Iran war as U.S. tightens economic pressure

Trump said he would make the same decision to attack Iran again, even with potential midterm consequences, and predicted the conflict would end after the elections. The U.S. is increasing sanctions and other economic pressure on Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he has no regrets about launching the Iran war, adding, “If I had it to do again, I would do exactly what I did.”

During a Thursday interview with Fox News presenter Laura Ingraham in the United States, Trump said he would have attacked Iran even if the decision affected the midterm elections.

“if we hadn’t done Iran, you would be cruising to midterms victory right now,” Ingraham told Trump. Trump replied, “supposing we were cruising, and all of a sudden Iran has a nuclear weapon. They would use it.”

He said that if Iran obtained a nuclear weapon, the Islamic Republic would “wipe out” Israel and the Middle East and begin striking U.S. cities.

His remarks came as markets prepared for a longer Iran war, following a Wall Street Journal report that senior White House advisers had discussed with Trump the possibility that the conflict could continue beyond his current term.

Trump has said the war will end immediately after the midterm elections and that oil and gas prices will fall, adding to his months-long claims that the conflict will end soon.

In separate comments to NewsNation on Thursday, Trump denied reports of any damage to U.S. assets after Iran said it had hit multiple U.S. fighter aircraft at a base in Jordan.

“No damage. No nothing,” Trump said when asked whether the reports were true.

Applying economic pressure

Washington is continuing its efforts to isolate Iran from its economic network, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaling sanctions against “a large bank” next week.

“We’re going to do it on Monday because we want to honor the memory of our fallen citizens on 9/11. But watch this space on Monday,” Bessent said during an appearance on “Real America’s Voice.”

Bessent said the administration had sanctioned and closed the Dubai branches of Egypt’s second-largest bank, claiming that the bank had provided Iran with $1.8 billion. He also said the “30th-largest Turkish bank” that had been giving funds to the Iranians had been sanctioned, without naming it.

The U.S. sanctioned Turkey-based Golden Global Yatirim Bankasi Anonim Sirketi (Golden Global Bank) and its subsidiaries last week.

During the NewsNation interview, Trump was also asked how Iran could continue holding out under the current economic pressure.

“I don’t know that they’re gonna be able to hold out,” Trump said. “But it’ll get settled after the elections. Or maybe sooner. But it’ll get settled right after the election.”

Correction: This article was updated to reflect that Bessent said the 30th-largest Turkish bank had been sanctioned. An earlier version misstated the bank’s ranking.