Elden Ring: Facing the Nightreign Sentient Pest Gnoster Boss requires strategic planning and preparation. This formidable two-part boss presents a unique challenge, as it can be quite difficult to find a suitable opportunity for attack. Inadequate team compositions can prolong the encounter, making it feel unnecessarily arduous.
This guide focuses on Gnoster’s attack patterns and effective counter-strategies, as well as optimal team compositions to enhance your chances of victory.
Elden Ring: Nightreign Sentient Pest Boss Overview
Understanding Sentient Pest Attacks and Counters
Gnoster possesses a limited repertoire of attacks that remain consistent throughout the battle, albeit increasing in speed after reaching the halfway mark. The combined movement of the moth and scorpion creates a more chaotic battlefield, complicating attacks for melee fighters.
Below, we categorize Gnoster’s offensive maneuvers by each form: the moth and the scorpion.
Moth Attack Patterns
The moth utilizes a range of magic and poison attacks that can inflict considerable damage from afar. Acquiring magical damage negation buffs during your journey is highly advisable.
Key Moth Attacks
- Glintstone Stars: The moth emits shimmering projectiles that launch into the air before raining down. The attack becomes more frequent and rapid in the latter half of the encounter.Dodge forward and laterally to evade these projectiles.
- Beam of Light: A massive beam descends from the sky, marking its target area with a white disc. Players have mere seconds to evade before impact, especially in the later half when this attack is introduced.Dart out of range to survive.
- Poison Cloud: The moth produces a toxic green cloud that spreads in an expansive arc.Move backward to avoid it, and listen for a faint bell sound indicating this attack.
Scorpion Attack Patterns
The scorpion part of Gnoster displays several unique attacks, including one that grants it temporary invulnerability.
Key Scorpion Attacks
- Stone Blades: The scorpion slams its limbs into the ground, launching a wave of stone shards. Ranged characters can avoid this entirely, but melee fighters need to learn their timing.Time your dodges to minimize damage.
- Claw Smash: A straightforward attack where the scorpion strikes the ground, requiring lateral dodging.Evade by moving sideways or forward.
- Scorpion Ram: In the second half, the scorpion’s speed increases, launching sudden charge attacks.Dodge to the side to escape its path.
- Stone Bug: A defensive maneuver where the scorpion turns to stone, becoming invulnerable for a brief time, primarily used in the first half.Focus your efforts on the moth during this phase.
Identifying Weaknesses of the Sentient Pest Gnoster
Gnoster’s primary weakness lies in fire damage, as indicated in the boss selection menu. Players may also exploit its susceptibility to blood loss and frostbite. Fire-based weapons are relatively easy to find in Limveld, making them a viable choice during this encounter.
Consider equipping the Night of the Beast relic that you acquire from the Tricephalos fight, as it imbues your starting weapons with fire affinity. Pairing this with two upgrades using smithing stones will give you a significant advantage, even if more powerful weapons seem scarce in your journey.
Optimal Team Compositions for Gnoster
If your party includes at least two ranged characters, the Gnoster fight becomes significantly easier. Melee fighters often struggle to inflict damage on the moth during the early phase and become vulnerable to powerful attacks from the scorpion. Ranged members can consistently dish out damage while melee characters wait for opportune moments to strike or act as distractions.
Based on experience, the best melee characters for this encounter include:
- Duchess
- Raider
- Wylder
Be mindful that the Guardian class may not keep pace well and struggles to withstand Gnoster’s attacks unless heavily buffed. The Revenant may offer mixed results based on available weapons. Gnoster can swiftly overwhelm her spirit summons, making them less effective in this scenario.
A combination of two Ironeye and either Wylder or Duchess creates a highly agile team capable of dealing substantial damage while staying out of danger. Wylder tends to be the superior choice due to their skill’s focus on mobility. Alternatively, Recluse can serve as a third member or replace one Ironeye if you’ve equipped a strong range of elemental weapons.
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