Let me tell you, finally unlocking the Dreglord expedition in Elden Ring's Nightreign expansion after taking down Weapon-Bequeathed Harmonia felt like a real achievement, but boy oh boy, was I in for a rude awakening. The Forsaken Hollows are no joke, and the final boss waiting there, Traitorous Straghess? That fight was an absolute nightmare fuel marathon, let me break it down for you. Buckle up, Tarnished, because this ain't no walk in the park.

Facing the Nightlord: Phase One - Traitorous Straghess

Standing before this towering monstrosity wielding its massive staff at the end of the Dreglord run, I knew I was in deep trouble. Seriously, aim for at least level 15 before you even think about stepping into this arena – it's hands down one of the toughest scraps in the whole Lands Between right now. His moveset is brutal but learnable:

• The Staff Swings: He telegraphs these by leaning his body before unleashing. He'll swing that big stick once or twice across his front. Getting greedy here is a one-way ticket back to a Site of Grace. 🪦

• Rot Ball Barrage: This signature move gave me the heebie-jeebies. He starts charging these nasty Rot balls, initially slamming them near himself, but soon he's chucking them right at your face! Watch out for the lingering pools they leave – stepping in those is a recipe for disaster.

• The Deadly Combo: This sequence is a real doozy. It starts deceptively quick with a swipe from his free hand 👋. Then comes the staff: dragged along the ground, a tiny pause, two rapid whacks, another pause, and finally a slower, overhead slam after he holds the staff high. Memorizing this rhythm was key to survival.

• Rot Mountain Eruption: Talk about an 'oh crap' moment! He summons a massive mountain of Rot that detonates after a short delay. My instinct? Book it backwards out of the blast zone ASAP. You can dodge the explosion itself with perfect timing, but honestly, running felt safer.

• Ground Slam Explosions: He'll smash his staff down, creating marked areas on the ground that explode shortly after. See the mark? Roll away immediately – no ifs, ands, or buts!

Pro-Tips for Phase One:

• Ignore the Adds: When the Rot Mountain explodes, it spawns slow, regular enemies from the pools. Seriously, just ignore them 99% of the time! Getting distracted by them is how you eat a massive staff hit. Focus on the big bad.

• Strategy is Key: Co-op makes this way more manageable. Having one player (the tank, bless their heart) draw agro and dodge like crazy while others pepper him with projectiles works a charm. Solo? Heavy weapons with charged attacks can surprisingly break his posture quickly. Stick close, learn the combo pauses, and punish!

The Real Fight Begins: Phase Two - Pure Impure Straghess

You think you've won when his health bar depletes? Think again, mate! That's just the warm-up. Traitorous Straghess gets reborn as Pure Impure Straghess, and this is where things get absolutely bonkers. This version is faster, meaner, and has a serious chip on its shoulder.

• Agility & Jump Attacks: Forget the lumbering giant; this guy is agile AF. Jump attacks become his bread and butter. The scariest one involves him leaping while clutching a Rot ball. My strategy? Wait for him to descend, dodge towards him as he lands, and unleash hell while avoiding the resulting Rot explosions. Getting greedy after dodging the jump is your golden window.

• Flanking Charges: His melee combos get trickier. He'll often start running sideways before suddenly charging straight at you. Trying to attack during this wind-up is asking for trouble. Wait for the charge, dodge it, and be ready for a potential quick follow-up strike.

• Tower Torpedo: This move is a real pain. He jumps onto or conjures a tower, hangs for a sec, then launches himself at you like a guided missile – and it hits like a truck! He usually does this twice in a row. If you're targeted, roll sideways, not backwards. Twice!

• Enhanced Combo + Rot: Remember that nasty staff combo from phase one? Yeah, it's back, but now he mixes in Rot projectile throws mid-sequence and often finishes by jumping up and slamming down with a Rot ball. Same drill: dodge towards the landing point for safety and counter-attack opportunities.

• Structure Summoning & Double Slam: After a bone-chilling scream, he summons multiple structures, jumps into one, zips between them, then leaps high. He comes crashing down with a Rot ball, creating TWO consecutive explosions. The timing is tighter than phase one's jump slam.

• Bigger Rot Mountain: He revisits his Rot Mountain trick, but this time it's supersized. The delay before explosion is slightly longer – don't jump the gun on your dodge!

The Sweet, Sweet Loot

Finally putting this monstrosity down for good after mastering both phases felt like conquering Everest. The reward? Totally worth the struggle:

• The Night of the Dregs: This gnarly red relic significantly boosts your Rot damage output. A fantastic tool for Rot-focused builds.

• Fashion Souls Wins: You unlock two slick new skins – one for the Scholar class and one for the Undertaker class. Looking good while exploring the Hollows is half the battle!

Taking down Traitorous/Pure Impure Straghess is a true test of skill and patience in the Nightreign expansion. It's brutal, it's chaotic, but damn, it feels good to win. Good luck, Tarnished – you're gonna need it! 💀🔥