Discover everything you need to know about defeating Dreglord in Elden Ring Nightreign DLC, including some useful tips.
Dreglord is one of the new Nightlords introduced in The Forsaken Hollow DLC expansion. Defeating this boss is very challenging due to his deadly attacks and multiple forms during the fight. Dreglord has no elemental weaknesses, so raw damage, bleed, or status-effect weapons like bleed or rot are more reliable. The boss’s AOE attacks can hit large parts of the arena, making positioning and coordination key.
If you defeat Dreglord, a cutscene occurs, and a black smoke envelops the screen, and then Phase 2 starts. Undertaker is the best Nightfarer to defeat this boss, as he is more aggressive than the Scholar and can punish this foe. Because of the second phase’s heavy AoE and status mechanics, make sure to bring Scarlet Rot cure items and focus on burst-damage weapons or abilities.
For more information on Elden Ring Nightreign The Forsaken Hollows DLC, check out its official Steam page here.
Table of contents
Dreglord Overview
Dreglord is one of the new Nightlord bosses introduced in the DLC The Forsaken Hollows for Nightreign. Dreglord is also known by names such as “Traitorous Straghess” and “Pure Impulse Straghess.” Traitorous Straghess is the opening form of Dreglord, where he uses heavy physical attacks, swings with a massive hand, and strikes with a staff. His attacks tend to have slow wind-ups.
If you drop his health to 50%, the fight escalates. He begins spawning mobs of zombies in the arena and inflicting status effects. Dreglord resurrects with a second health bar in phase 2. His move-set becomes much more dangerous and uses powerful combos.
There are AoE attacks that can apply the status effect Scarlet Rot, meaning you need to prepare cures before engaging. The boss’s AoE attacks can hit large parts of the arena, making positioning key to success.
Dreglord Phase One Attacks
Dreglord attacks in Phase 1 during the fight are limited, and they can easily be avoided if you time your dodge accurately. Some of the attacks are deadly and can deal massive damage to you. Below are all the Phase 1 attacks of Traitorous Straghess in Elden Ring Nightreign DLC.
- Sweep and Slam – The boss holds its club, circles the player, then does a wide horizontal sweep followed by a vertical overhead slam.
- Double Sweep and Slam – If crouching first, Dreglord will do two side-to-side sweeps and, after a delay, an overhead slam.
- Overhead Slam – Two overhead slams in a row, covering a wide area under or around the boss.
- Charge + Multi-Swing – Traitorous Straghess charges, dragging its weapon on the ground, then slashes upward and performs up to four erratic sweeps.
- Rot Bomb attack – Once you deplete the boss’s health bar to 80%, it picks up a small rot ball from the ground and slams it twice. Doing so will cause the explosion and area damage. First slam can even pull you toward the boss, so it’s dangerous for melee.
- Giant Rot Ball Explosion – Once the boss’s health bar reaches 50%, it picks up a large rot-infused ball and leaps into the air; upon a red flash on the ball, it explodes. This deals massive damage and creates lingering ground explosives.
- Mob Summons – After some damage, the Dreglord starts spawning zombie mobs in the arena. These add pressure and distraction, often using Scarlet Rot or status effects.
Dreglord Phase Two Attacks
Dreglord Phase 2 attacks are more devastating and can deplete your health with a few hits. Avoiding them can be challenging, but you need to time your dodge. At this point, it becomes far more chaotic, and many attacks now inflict or revolve around Scarlet Rot. Below are all the Phase 2 attacks of Traitorous Straghess in Elden Ring Nightreign DLC.
- Overhead Sweeps – Pure Impulse Straghess rushes a few steps forward, then does two wide overhead sweeps in quick succession.
- Club Grab + Slam – The slam carries Scarlet Rot risk this time. If you get too close to the boss, you will take massive damage.
- Rot-ball Explosion – Its hand glows, then it slams it to the ground, causing a big explosion. However, this will leave hazardous ground and apply Rot or heavy damage.
- Erratic Combo + Rot Explosive Finish – After a roar, the boss will do a string of sweeping attacks following the targeted player, then end with a rot explosion. However, predicting this can be challenging if you’re in melee range.
- Pillar Jumps + Rot Ball Drop – Once health lowers further, the boss uses pillars in the arena. It jumps, then leaps onto the player, or drops a Rot ball, bringing massive AOE.
- Rot-Area Contamination + Adds – The effect that the arena or its lingering Rot makes positioning more punishing. You can get Rot just by being near certain attacks or ground.
Best Team Composition for Dreglord
Undertaker, Scholar, and Wylder are the best team comp for this battle in Elden Ring Nightreign DLC. While the Scholar can focus on debuffing the boss while dealing massive damage, the Undertaker can use Ultimate Art to stagger, and Wlder can deal fire damage.
You can also go with the Ironeye due to its marking utility. This Nightfarer shines in reviving the allies from a safe distance. Once the boss summons the zombies, the Scholar can use his ultimate to share the damage to all the enemies at once. Choose the Nightfarer that suits your playstyle and synergizes with your build.
How To Defeat Dreglord in Phase 1
I recommend enhancing your Flask Charges by interacting with Church Altars and getting Glowstone. The boss starts the fight with sweeping combos and conjuring balls of corpses. After that, he slams the corpses on the ground to deal massive damage to you. Make sure to stay away from the boss right when the fight starts. These attacks in this phase can easily be dodged, and they don’t deal much damage to your character.
You can simply hit the boss with the best attacks to deplete its health to 50%. Now, get closer to the boss from the back and deal massive damage by spamming the attacks. Make sure to use the Ultimate Art to take most of its health. Rush towards the other side of the area if you see multiple moving towards you. These enemies run slowly and cannot stop you, so it’s best to relocate yourself. Don’t use the Health Flasks frequently, as you need these during Phase 2.
Hitting the Dreglord enough triggers a mini stagger that interrupts his action. This gives him a temporary debuff, so avail this time and open up to spam the heavy attacks and deal massive damage. The zombies will enter the area, and their number keeps increasing. Your friend can deal with the zombies while you focus on dealing damage to the Dreglord.
Pure Impulse Straghess (Phase 2)
This is the most difficult phase in the fight, as the attacks are more lethal and can deal massive damage. Avoiding them can be challenging, as they are pretty fast and hard to judge. Make sure not to approach the boss immediately because he will release scarlet rot bursts from the ground. I recommend avoiding these till the battle’s tension becomes normal.
Pure Impulse Straghess is unpredictable and has wide-reaching attacks. Your strategy remains the same here, as you need to stay close, keep the guard up, and deal massive damage. Make sure to learn the dodge timing to counter the attacks. This phase has no ads, so you don’t need to worry about them. Your main goal is to focus on dealing damage to the boss using the effective attacks. Hold your ultimate solely for interrupting or dodging his two ultimate attacks.
The strafe attacks can be avoided if you room in as soon as he begins the throw. The boss throws a wave of rot, and this doesn’t deal a lot of damage. Wait for the boss to leap into the air with his ball of rot. After that, roll towards him before he tries to slam it to the ground.
His Ultimate attacks involve summoning giant skeletal pillars from the ground. Make sure you have a good shield, stand your ground, or roll into his attack. Save your Ultimate Art and use them when you don’t have any choice, or you’re about to take its health to zero. If you’re playing in Trios, then the boss fight is much easier to win.
Defeating Dreglord Rewards
Defeating the Dreglord allows you to gain the Night of Dregs relic. This is a powerful item that boosts your combat ability. It focuses on status ailments and turning them to your advantage. Manage it and all your relics through the Relic Rites menu in Roundtable Hold.
Below are all the Night of Dregs Relic effects in Elden Ring Nightreign.
- Status Ailment Gauges increase the attack power.
- Attacks inflict Rot once you deal damage to the enemy.
- Rot causes continuous HP recovery.
You also gain multiple random relics by defeating this boss. These include items that boost FP recovery, increase defense against physical attacks, or enhance spell types. The relics may vary each time you beat Dreglord.
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