Elden Ring: Nightreign - Ironeye Preview - IGN First

In Elden Ring, the bow has traditionally served as a support weapon, often used to draw enemy attention or to weaken foes from a distance before engaging with a primary weapon. However, in Nightreign, the bow becomes the centerpiece for the Ironeye class, offering a unique playstyle distinct from the other eight classes and serving as the game's closest approximation to a support role. Dive deeper into the Ironeye's capabilities with our exclusive gameplay video below.

Playing as the Ironeye, you'll quickly notice that this class is particularly vulnerable. While they can wield any weapon, the bow is crucial for maintaining distance and avoiding direct combat, as Ironeye can be easily defeated, especially in the early stages. Thankfully, the starting bow is robust, delivering solid damage and featuring the Mighty Shot skill, which allows for long-range attacks with increased damage and poise disruption.

In Nightreign, the mechanics of bows have been significantly enhanced. They now fire more rapidly, and you can move quickly while targeting locked-on enemies. A key improvement is the removal of the need for arrows, simplifying inventory management and eliminating the risk of running out during critical encounters. Other enhancements include a new animation for shooting arrows while rolling, the ability to perform acrobatic maneuvers like wall-running and jumping shots, and the option to aim without switching to first-person mode, all while moving faster. The strong attack now fires a spread of three arrows, effective against multiple foes, and you can even execute backstabs or visceral attacks with arrows on downed enemies. These changes transform the bow into a formidable primary weapon, addressing the limitations seen in the base version of Elden Ring.

Central to the Ironeye's arsenal is the Marking skill, a swift dagger dash that pierces through enemies, marking them to amplify damage from all sources. With a short cooldown, this skill can be consistently applied to bosses, enhancing team damage output and offering a valuable escape mechanism.

The Ironeye's ultimate ability, Single Shot, is a potent, charged shot that grants invulnerability during its animation. Once fired, it delivers massive damage and penetrates through obstacles, making it ideal for clearing groups of enemies.

What sets the Ironeye apart in team scenarios is their exceptional ability to revive teammates safely from afar. In Nightreign, reviving an ally involves depleting a segmented circle above the downed character by attacking them. While most classes must risk close combat or expend resources to revive, the Ironeye can do so from a distance without any cost. This capability can be crucial in determining the success of a run. However, reviving becomes challenging if an ally requires all three segments cleared, as the Ironeye's ranged damage may not suffice without using their ultimate for this purpose.

Although the Ironeye may not match the raw damage output of other classes, their utility within a team is unparalleled. From enhancing damage with their marking ability to boosting item discovery for the entire squad, and from their effective crowd control with their ultimate to their unique revival capabilities, the Ironeye's contributions are invaluable in Nightreign.