Elden Ring: Nightreign - Ironeye Hands-On Preview - IGN

In the world of Elden Ring, the bow typically serves as a support weapon, useful for drawing enemy attention or softening foes from a distance before engaging with your primary weapon. However, in Nightreign, when you play as the Ironeye, the bow transcends its traditional role, becoming the core of the class. This results in a unique playstyle, distinct from the other eight classes in Nightreign, and closely resembling a support class. Experience the Ironeye's gameplay in the exclusive video below.

One of the first things you'll notice about the Ironeye is their fragility. While they can wield any weapon they find, sticking to the bow is crucial for keeping a safe distance from combat. This is essential because the Ironeye can't withstand many hits, especially at the beginning of the game. Thankfully, the starting bow is quite effective, offering decent damage and the Mighty Shot skill, which allows for long-range attacks that deal additional damage and poise damage.

It's important to note that bows in Nightreign have undergone significant changes. They now shoot faster, and players can move more quickly while targeting locked-on enemies. Moreover, there's no longer a need to manage arrow supplies, though this limits you to the arrow type provided by your weapon. These enhancements, along with new animations for shooting arrows during rolls, the ability to perform acrobatic feats like wall-running and leaping shots, and the option to aim without entering first-person mode, make the bow a formidable primary weapon. The strong attack now fires a spread of three arrows, capable of hitting multiple targets, and you can even backstab or perform visceral attacks on downed enemies with arrows. These updates address the shortcomings of bows in the base Elden Ring, making them a viable choice in Nightreign.

The Ironeye's primary skill, Marking, is a swift dagger attack that dashes through enemies, applying a mark that amplifies damage from all sources. With a short cooldown, this skill can be continuously applied to bosses, enhancing your team's damage output. It also serves as an effective mobility tool, allowing you to escape dangerous situations by passing through enemies.

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

The Ironeye's true strength shines in team play, particularly in their ability to revive allies from a safe distance. In Nightreign, reviving a downed ally involves emptying a partitioned circle above their character through attacks. While most classes must risk close combat or use resources to revive, the Ironeye can do so safely and without expending any resources. This capability can be the deciding factor between a successful and failed mission. However, reviving an ally becomes more challenging if multiple partitions need clearing, as the Ironeye's ranged damage might not suffice without using their ultimate for revival.

Although the Ironeye may not match the raw damage output of other classes, their utility on a squad is unparalleled. From enhancing team damage with their marking ability to increasing item drop rates, clearing mobs with their ultimate, and safely reviving teammates, the Ironeye's contributions are invaluable in Nightreign.