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

In the world of Elden Ring, the bow has traditionally served as a support weapon, perfect for drawing enemy attention or weakening foes from a distance before engaging with your primary weapon. However, when you step into the shoes of the Ironeye in Nightreign, the bow becomes the core of your arsenal, offering a unique playstyle that sets it apart from the other eight classes. The Ironeye class in Nightreign is perhaps the closest thing to a support role the game offers. For an in-depth look at this class in action, check out the exclusive gameplay video below.

One of the first things you'll notice about the Ironeye is their vulnerability. While they can wield any weapon, the bow is essential for keeping a safe distance from combat, as they can't withstand many hits, especially early in the game. Thankfully, the starting bow is robust, delivering solid damage and equipped with the Mighty Shot skill, which allows for long-range attacks, increased damage, and additional poise damage.

It's important to note that the mechanics of bows have been significantly revamped in Nightreign. Bows now fire more rapidly, and you can move more swiftly while targeting locked-on enemies. Additionally, the need for a constant supply of arrows has been eliminated, though you're limited to the arrow type of your equipped bow. This change is a relief, especially during intense boss battles. Other enhancements include a new animation for shooting arrows while rolling, the ability to perform acrobatic feats like running up walls and shooting mid-leap, and the option to aim without switching to first-person view, all while moving faster. The strong attack now releases a spread of three arrows, capable of hitting multiple targets, and you can even execute backstabs or visceral attacks on downed enemies with arrows. These updates make the bow a formidable primary weapon, addressing the shortcomings it had in the base version of Elden Ring.

As the Ironeye, the bow is not just a tool but the essence of your class. The Ironeye's primary skill, Marking, is a swift dagger dash that pierces through enemies, marking them for increased damage from all sources. With a short cooldown, you can keep this debuff active on bosses continuously, and it also serves as an excellent mobility tool to escape dangerous situations.

The Ironeye's ultimate ability, Single Shot, is a powerful, concentrated attack. It's essentially an enhanced version of Mighty Shot, requiring a brief charge time during which you're invulnerable. Once released, it delivers massive damage and can penetrate through multiple enemies, making it ideal for clearing groups.

The Ironeye truly excels in team play, particularly with their ability to revive allies from a distance. In Nightreign, reviving a downed ally involves depleting a segmented circle above their character through attacks. While most classes must risk close combat or use valuable resources to revive, the Ironeye can do so safely and without expending any resources. This capability can be crucial for the success of a run. However, reviving an ally becomes more challenging with each additional segment added to the circle, and the Ironeye may struggle to revive someone requiring all three segments to be cleared without using their ultimate.

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