Elden Ring Nightreign Artorias: Where He Appears and How to Beat Him

Elden Ring Nightreign Artorias is Knight Artorias, the Abyss-walking hero of the first Dark Souls, back as a boss in The Forsaken Hollows DLC. He is not a Nightlord. He is a Night 2 boss in the Dreglord expedition, and he plays much like he did in 2012: fast, aggressive, and merciless to anyone who gets greedy.

Artorias at a glance

Source	The Forsaken Hollows DLC
Where	Dreglord expedition, end of Night 2
Boss type	Night boss (not a Nightlord)
Phases	Two
Main threat	Long melee combos; projectiles in phase 2
Nightlord of that expedition	Traitorous Straghess

You need the DLC and access to its expeditions. That requires Tricephalos plus one other Nightlord defeated and both DLC characters unlocked; see how to unlock the DLC characters.

Who is Artorias?

In Dark Souls, Artorias of the Abyss was one of Lord Gwyn's Four Knights, a greatsword-wielding legend corrupted by the Abyss. His fight in the Artorias of the Abyss DLC is still one of the most remembered in the series. Nightreign has brought back several Dark Souls bosses as guest fights, and his return was one of the headline additions of The Forsaken Hollows.

Phase 1

Artorias keeps his trademark aggression: telegraphed but punishing swings and thrusts that cover ground quickly.

• Dodge thrusts sideways. Rolling backwards keeps you in the path of the lunge.
• Block or dodge repeated swings, depending on your character. A greatshield Guardian can hold a combo; lighter characters should roll through it.
• Punish the end of a combo, not the middle. He rarely stops early.

Phase 2

In the second phase he gets faster, adds darkness projectiles and extends his combos.

• Do not bunch up. The projectiles and wider attacks chain between players who stand together.
• Watch for extended strings. Attacks that ended at three hits in phase 1 can now continue. Wait longer before punishing.

Strategy

Solo. This is a pattern-reading fight, which suits deflection. An Executor who has learned the timings can turn most of his combos into stance damage. Otherwise, stay at mid range, bait a combo, dodge it, and hit once or twice.

Trio. Spread out so one player draws the combo while the others hit from the sides. Keep a revive ready for phase 2, where a single projectile volley can catch two players at once.

Before Night 2.

• Upgrade your weapon and flask as much as Day 2 allows; he is a gear check as much as a skill check.
• Stamina matters: most deaths come from running out mid-combo.

What comes after

Beating Artorias ends Night 2 of the Dreglord expedition. On Day 3 you face its Nightlord, Traitorous Straghess. See the Dreglord guide for that fight, and the all bosses page for every Nightlord's weakness.