Elden Ring Nightreign Guide: Weapon Upgrades and Smithing Stones Explained

Brave Nightfarer, your survival in the treacherous realms of Elden Ring: Nightreign hinges upon your weaponry. Without the essential armaments, foes will quickly reduce you to nothingness.

Mastering your weapons is vital for the two-day expedition across Limveld. Whether you are facing formidable bosses or engaging in skirmishes with various enemies, upgrading your weapons will dramatically improve your chances of success.

1. Upgrading Weapons in Elden Ring: Nightreign

How to upgrade weapons in Elden Ring Nightreign | Source: In-game footage

The weapon upgrade system in Elden Ring: Nightreign is notably streamlined compared to previous Soulsborne titles. Players must gather Smithing Stones, but only two types are necessary, aligning well with the game’s brisk roguelite mechanics.

To enhance your weapons, seek out anvils located throughout Limveld, all while keeping an eye on impending nightfall and your rune collection.

i. Understanding Weapon Rarities and Upgrades

Weapons in Nightreign are categorized into four distinct rarity levels, each requiring unique resources for enhancement:

Common (White) → Uncommon (Blue)
- Requires Smithing Stone (1)
Uncommon (Blue) → Rare (Purple)
- Requires Smithing Stone (2)
Rare (Purple) → Legendary (Gold)
- Requires access to a special Smithing Table discovered during certain world events

While most Legendary weapons are obtained through boss drops rather than crafting, upgrading your initial weapons is possible, and essential materials include both Smithing Stones (1) and (2) to reach the Rare tier before obtaining Legendary upgrades.

ii. Locating Smithing Stones

Finding Smithing Stones | Source: In-game footage

Two varieties of Smithing Stones serve as the backbone for enhancing your weapons:

Smithing Stone (1): Upgrades Common → Uncommon
Smithing Stone (2): Upgrades Uncommon → Rare

These items consume precious inventory slots; thus, managing your resources is paramount. Here’s how you can reliably find them:

A. Locating Smithing Stone (1)

In your journey through Elden Ring: Nightreign, you can acquire Smithing Stone (1) through two primary methods:

Purchasing from Merchants: Various merchants throughout Limveld offer up to two Smithing Stones (1) for sale.
Looting: Smithing Stone (1) can also be found in chests or might drop from defeated foes, though this method is less reliable. However, exploration typically yields these stones in abundant locations.

Merchants generally position themselves near essential landmarks like forts, camps, and churches. Even if you overlook them during a run, rest assured—there’s a guaranteed merchant and Smithing Table available prior to each Nightlord encounter.

While their locations remain constant, the merchants’ stock and availability vary between runs. Smithing Stone (1) usually retails for around 6, 500 Runes, so it’s wise to conserve Runes for when you really need them.

B. Locating Smithing Stone (2)

To elevate an Uncommon weapon to Rare, you’ll need a Smithing Stone (2), which is predominantly found in mines:

Entrance to mines is denoted on the map with a tunnel icon representing a rocky opening supported by wooden beams.
Once inside, navigate to the lowest section of the mine, locating a chamber with a wooden bridge and a patrolling soldier.
Drop down, pursue the passage past several miners, and you’ll confront a sleeping troll miniboss.
Defeating this troll guarantees a Smithing Stone (2) as a reward.
Occasionally, red phantoms, which are fallen players from other worlds, may also drop Smithing Stone (2).

Time is of the essence in Nightreign; therefore, prioritize gathering these stones early in your run. Always be on the lookout for tunnels and fragmented statues as they are key sources for higher-level upgrade materials.

iii. Executing Weapon Upgrades

Upgrading Weapons | Source: In-game footage

The enhancement of weapons is critical for thriving in the unforgiving landscape of Limveld and ultimately for confronting the Nightlord. While upgrades significantly enhance damage output, they do not alter the weapon’s base skills or attributes.

Upgrades occur at Smithing Tables located at Ghostly Merchants, typically found in proximity to forts or settlements.

Regular Smithing Tables are identifiable by rising smoke and are usually situated near merchants. A guaranteed Smithing Table awaits you before each Nightlord battle.

On Day 3, you will find yourself in the Spirit Shelter, marking the critical final opportunity to upgrade your weapons before the climactic endgame.

A. Transitioning from Common to Rare

Approach a Smithing Table.
Interact with the table to access the upgrade options.
Select your weapon and the materials required for the upgrade.

B. Transitioning from Rare to Legendary

To elevate a Rare weapon to Legendary status, follow these steps:

Engage in the Shifting Earth: The Crater world event
- This volcanic environment becomes actionable after you complete your initial expedition.
- Prepare for encounters with Magma Wyrms, Fire Monks, and other fire-based adversaries.
Seek out the Special Smithing Table located in the Crater
- This unique table can instantly upgrade a Rare weapon to Legendary.
- It eliminates all stat prerequisites, allowing equipment regardless of level or attributes.

Bear in mind, however, that upgrades are only effective for the duration of your current match. While improving a character’s default weapon keeps that enhancement across future runs, every other gear resets to Common rarity at the beginning of each new expedition.

Be sure to focus on upgrading prior to challenging bosses, and consider utilizing Relics to elevate your gear beyond customary limits for a competitive edge against the Nightlord.

May your choices in forging be astute and your fight valiant, dear Nightfarer.

2. About Elden Ring: Nightreign

Elden Ring: Nightreign, crafted by FromSoftware and distributed by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, represents an upcoming standalone survival title within the Elden Ring universe. It is meticulously designed to provide players with an innovative gaming experience while retaining iconic themes from the Elden Ring lore. Furthermore, Nightreign includes a 3-player cooperative mode, enhancing your chances of combating the formidable evils that await in the shadows.

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