The release of the Elden Ring: Nightreign expansion, The Forsaken Hollows, has sent shockwaves through the gaming world, elevating the already legendary challenge to celestial heights. This isn't just a new area; it's a crucible forged by the gods themselves, demanding not just skill, but divine preparation. At the heart of this preparation lies the new arsenal of relics, game-changing items that bestow upon the Tarnished supernatural buffs and passives before each harrowing expedition into the Hollows' abyssal depths. For any player daring enough to face the new Nightlords, understanding and acquiring these relics isn't an option—it's the thin, shimmering line between glorious victory and utter, soul-crushing defeat. This guide is your sacred text, the key to unlocking power beyond mortal comprehension.
🔮 The Relics of the Nightlords: Boss-Specific Power Unleashed 🔮
Every terrifying new Nightlord lurking within the Forsaken Hollows doesn't just guard a rune; they guard a fragment of their own essence, crystallized into a relic of immense power. Defeating these cosmic horrors is the first, and most brutal, step to claiming their power. These relics are not locked to specific builds—oh no, that would be far too merciful. They are universal, meaning whether you're a spell-slinging sorcerer or a brute-force barbarian, you can wield the signature power of the very beast that tried to end you. It's the ultimate form of poetic justice and a massive power spike.
Consider the process: You face a boss whose very gaze saps your stamina, whose attacks phase through solid rock. After a battle that lasts hours and costs you your sanity, you emerge victorious. And your reward? The ability to inflict that same soul-sapping despair upon your future foes. It's a cycle of violence and empowerment that defines the Nightreign experience.
A Tale of Two Callings: Relics for the Scholar and the Undertaker
The expansion introduces two new archetypes of power, each with relics meticulously designed for their playstyle. The paths to acquiring these are as distinct as the callings themselves, weaving through the expansion's rich, tragic narrative.
For the Arcane Scholar 📜:
Your journey is one of forbidden knowledge and fragile alliances. The relics of the Scholar are not found in chests at the end of dungeons; they are earned through intellectual rigor and perilous diplomacy. You must:
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Complete specific character side quests for the new denizens of the Hollows. These aren't simple fetch quests; they are multi-stage narratives that require solving environmental puzzles, making morally ambiguous choices, and often, betraying one NPC to gain the trust of another. Failure means the questline—and the relic—is lost forever until the next playthrough.
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Decipher cryptic lore scattered across the new map. The game no longer holds your hand; you must read item descriptions, observe architectural patterns, and connect dots across vast distances to trigger the events that lead to a relic.
For the Gravebound Undertaker ⚰️:
Your path is simpler, yet infinitely more violent. Your relics are trophies, plain and simple. The Undertaker's method is a brutal checklist:
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Locate the Nightlord. This often involves traversing the most hazardous, trap-laden routes in the Hollows.
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Survive the encounter. This step cannot be overstated. These bosses in 2025 are engineered by FromSoftware to learn from player patterns.
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Claim your prize. The relic is your spoil of war, a testament to your strength.
The dichotomy is beautiful. One player might spend hours navigating the political intrigue of a crumbling spire to earn the Cipher of the Silent Oracle, a relic that dramatically reduces spell casting time at the cost of HP. Meanwhile, another player earns the Shard of the Glacierheart by triumphing over the glacial beast, Kaldr, in a battle that freezes the very air, granting them a devastating frost aura.
| Relic Type | Primary Acquisition Method | Player Archetype | Key Challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nightlord Relics | Defeat the designated Boss | All | Boss Mechanics Mastery |
| Scholar Relics | Complete NPC Questlines | Intelligence/Faith Builds | Narrative Puzzle-Solving |
| Undertaker Relics | Defeat Optional Field Bosses | Strength/Dexterity Builds | Exploration & Combat Endurance |
Integrating Relics into Your Build: A Meta-Game Revolution
Equipping these relics before an expedition isn't a mere menu selection; it's a strategic ritual. The Forsaken Hollows' map is famously non-linear, with branching, overlapping routes. A savvy Tarnished doesn't just choose a relic they like; they choose a relic tailored to the specific hellscape they are about to enter.
Planning to traverse the Screaming Chasm, where enemies spam madness-inducing shrieks? The Lullaby Amulet, earned from the tragic bard NPC Elara's quest, becomes your most precious possession, granting near-total immunity to frenzy. Venturing into the Sunken Necropolis to fight the death-imbued Nightlord? The Umbral Lantern, a relic drop from a hidden field boss, will make your holy damage attacks tear through the area's defenses like parchment.
This system creates an intoxicating loop:
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Research the challenges of a new area (or learn through painful death).
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Identify which relic in your collection provides the crucial counter.
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If you don't have it, embark on the specific, often arduous journey to acquire it.
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Return empowered and conquer.
It makes every piece of the expansion feel connected and purposeful. Your success is no longer just about reaction time and build stats; it's about world knowledge, preparation, and leveraging every tool the game offers.
The Relic Hunt: Your Path to Dominance
So, you stand at the threshold of the Forsaken Hollows. The fog gate beckons. What must you do?
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Abandon All Hope of a Linear Path. The Hollows is a web. Explore every branch, talk to every eerie, half-mad NPC (twice!), and revisit areas after major events. Secrets are layered upon secrets.
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Document Everything. The community in 2025 has found that relics can have prerequisite conditions. Did you give that strange seedling to the right person? Did you spare that minor boss? Keep notes.
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Embrace the Grind. Some relics, especially for the Undertaker, are behind bosses that will require dozens of attempts. This is the FromSoftware way. Each defeat is a lesson; the relic is your graduation certificate.
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Experiment Relentlessly. The synergy between certain relics and talismans or weapon arts can break the game wide open. The Ember of the Fallen Star (Nightlord drop) might make your charged attacks uninterruptible, which, when paired with a colossal weapon's new Ash of War, turns you into an unstoppable meteor.
The relics of Elden Ring: Nightreign - The Forsaken Hollows are more than just items; they are the crystallization of your journey through one of gaming's most demanding and rewarding expansions. They are badges of honor, tools of vengeance, and the keys to domains once thought unconquerable. To neglect them is to wander the Hollows blind. To master them is to become a legend. The hunt begins now, Tarnished. Go forth, and claim your power.