Why Nightreign’s Strangest Boss in Elden Ring Captivates Me

Okay, so picture this: FromSoftware, those masterminds behind Soulsborne titles, have whipped up eight brand-new Nightlord bosses for their co-op roguelike spinoff, Elden Ring Nightreign. I’ve taken all of them down—yeah, before writing this—because why not, right? Spoiler alert: they’re some of the studio’s finest. But one of them really got under my skin—in a good way—that’s Libra, Creature of Night. Imagine a demonic goat-headed thing waiting at the end of this epic Equilibrious Beast Expedition.

So, here’s what happened when I stumbled into his lair. He’s just chilling there, looking all human and hooded. Naturally, I went full Rambo and shot an arrow at him. But nope, he just shoots back with this “not cool, dude” kinda vibe. Turns out, you can chat with him, which blew my mind a bit.

You get this shiny trade icon over his head—like he’s a mystical pawnbroker or something. You can barter away levels for killer weapons or even mess with damage buffs. My top pick? A deal where you snag extra levels but lose one each time you sip that healing flask. You could just say “nah” to deals, but come on, where’s the thrill in that?

Alright, so after everyone’s picked their poison, Libra, in true mystical style, says, “the time is ripe,” and boom, he’s a monster. We’re talking magical attacks, Madness debuffs that make your head spin and leave you wide open. Literally. They’re predictable, with flashy gold glyphs everywhere, but he fires them like he’s in some bullet-hell fever dream. Your best bet? Stay close and counter his staff swings—it’s almost dance-like.

I know, sounds bonkers, right? Especially when he goes all Hulk-smash, pounding the ground with Madness miasma. But here’s a kicker: amidst all this chaos, little golden crystals pop up. Pick these up, and they’ll patch you up a bit and mellow out your Madness meter. Seriously, this mechanic feels fresh—a twist right out of Dionysus’ playbook rather than just chaos for chaos’s sake.

Back to Libra’s wild side—he’s kind of susceptible to the madness he dishes out. Go hard with Madness damage, and he’ll go berserk, launching into melee combos. Dodge those, and you’re looking at a counter-attack jackpot.

Thing is, Madness-inducing weapons or spells are rare, like hidden treasure, and usually pop up at special spots. Failing that, Libra’s not a fan of Fire or Holy damage, either.

But wait, there’s more! Even without Madness, you can coax him into fury. He’ll do this zen thing where he meditates inside a magic shield. If he finishes this ritual gig, he beefs up his defenses. The trick? Either nuke the glyphs around him—seriously, bring archers—or smash through the shield with some heavy-duty attacks.

All in all, Libra’s this mix of wild creativity and sheer madness. He’s hands-down one of the most insane bosses from FromSoftware. I loved every minute of our exchanges—win or lose—and I’m ready to dive back in, especially since my buddies just snagged the game.

Elden Ring Nightreign is this intriguing blend of classic Souls combat with rogue-like and co-op layers. Sure, it’s got bumps in the road—like a single map and some dull enemies—but for $39.99 (or less with some promo wizardry), it’s shaping up to be an unforgettable ride for Xbox and PC, especially for us action-craving Souls fans.