How to defeat Death Knights in Elden Ring Nightreign

Death Knights in Elden Ring Nightreign are one of the earliest reality checks added with The Forsaken Hollows DLC, and the fight is designed to overwhelm you before it tests your damage. You'll run into them as a Night One boss during the Dreglord expedition, and the encounter is less about raw DPS and more about staying calm while dealing with waves, pressure, and numbers.

That said, here’s how to find and defeat the Death Knights in Elden Ring Nightreign.

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Where to find Death Knights in Elden Ring Nightreign

The Death Knights are exclusive to The Forsaken Hollows DLC. They appear as a possible Night One boss during the Dreglord expedition.

Duel with Death Knights in Elden Ring Nightreign (Image via FromSoftware)

The fight doesn’t start all at once either, which is what catches most players off guard. The structure of the fight plays out this way:

• First, a wave of standard shielded knights.
• Then, a solo Death Knight.
• Finally, all three Death Knights enter the arena together.

For a balanced difficulty curve, Level 7 is the recommended point to take them on, though experienced players can attempt the fight earlier for a more punishing run.

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How to beat Death Knights in Elden Ring Nightreign

The danger doesn’t come from any single move. It’s the combination of pressure tools they stack together. Death Knights in Elden Ring Nightreign summons additional allies, which quickly fills the arena, as well as mix fast melee chains with ranged spear throws. The fight forces you to survive multiple waves, not just a single boss.

Most of the Death Knights’ strongest attacks are telegraphed by sparks of lightning before they commit. This gives you a generous reaction window. So we recommend dodging sideways when you see lightning cue up. Counterattack during their recovery, and don’t panic-roll unless multiple enemies are on you.

Control the numbers first

During the early waves, focus on thinning out the summoned enemies instead of tunneling the Knight immediately. Clearing adds reduces crossfire from spear throws and gives you room to breathe when the main target commits to a combo.

Scholar makes this fight much easier

If you’re playing Scholar, this is one of the cleanest fights to abuse his kit. Scholar’s Ultimate Art, Communion, links nearby enemies together. When one linked enemy takes damage, all of them do. Using it during the three-Knight phase effectively turns every hit into shared damage and prevents the fight from dragging on.

If teammates chain their ultimates with yours, the fight can end mid-ultimate.

Use heavy weapons for staggers

Death Knights stagger more easily than they look. So use heavy weapons and jump attacks to build stagger fast. This is especially effective when one Knight overextends alone. Staggering one Knight can briefly relieve pressure from the others.

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If this article is to your liking, you can check other Elden Ring Nightreign content below:

• How to complete Scholar's Remembrance in Elden Ring Nightreign
• All bosses in Elden Ring Nightreign
• Best PC Optimization Guide for Elden Ring Nightreign