Elden Ring Nightreign brings back the iconic combat from the base game, with some tweaks to make it more aligned with the fast-paced gameplay. For the most part, the core combat remains the same, which includes getting critical hits on enemies. Critical hits are vital in dispatching minor enemies quickly and removing large chunks of health from bosses.

While it seems they're random, based on RNG, they're not. There's a whole strategy that players can follow to increase their chances of securing a critical hit against their enemies. This guide will detail everything you need to know about critical hits and what you'll need to do to make them happen more frequently in Nightreign.

Where To Find Lightning Weapons For Augur & Darkdrift Knight In Elden Ring Nightreign
Elden Ring Nightreign: How To Get Lightning Weapons For Augur & Darkdrift Knight

Players can find lightning affinity weapons in Elden Ring Nightreign to use against Augur and Darkdrift Knight, if they know where to look.

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How to Get Critical Hits in Elden Ring Nightreign

Critical Hits is a mechanic in Elden Ring Nightreign's combat that allows players to inflict a crushing blow onto their foe. These are tied to how quickly you can break an enemy's stance or posture. Once you deal enough damage to break an enemy's stance, they'll get stunned, allowing players to approach them and inflict a critical hit.

After an enemy is stunned, players can simply approach them and use any attack button to play an animation where their character will deal significant damage to an enemy. When it comes to bosses, players will need to keep attacking them until they're stunned and a golden glow emits from their weak spots. You'll need to quickly approach that point and inflict a critical hit before the boss recovers from its immobilized state.

Check out the following ways that you can use to increase the chances of breaking an enemy's stance quickly.

  • Heavy Attacks: Since light attacks are quicker and consume less stamina, players often forget or avoid using heavy weapon attacks. However, dealing heavy blows has a better chance of breaking an enemy's stance and helps you secure a chance to deal a critical hit.
  • Weapon Passives: As you explore Limveld to build your character, you'll find several weapons that come with different passives. Make sure to collect the ones that offer improved stance-breaking properties.
  • Dormant Powers: After defeating a boss in a fort, castle, or ruins, you'll be able to get high-quality rewards from them. One of the rewards may be a Dormant Power, which can offer you different passives, including improved stance-breaking.
  • Relics: Relics often roll with different passives, and you'll need to equip one to your character before a run that gives you a boost in stance-breaking capabilities.
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9 /10

Elden Ring Nightreign
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Action RPG
Soulslike
Roguelite
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Systems
PlayStation-1 Xbox-1 PC-1
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Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 78%
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Released
May 30, 2025
Developer(s)
From Software
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Multiplayer
Online Co-Op
Number of Players
1-3
Steam Deck Compatibility
Unknown
PC Release Date
May 30, 2025
Xbox Series X|S Release Date
May 30, 2025
PS5 Release Date
May 30, 2025
Genre(s)
Action RPG, Soulslike, Roguelite