Understanding Nightreign Mountaintops in Elden Ring

In Elden Ring Nightreign, players can engage in four distinct Shifting Earth events as they conquer various Nightlords. The second event, titled The Mountaintops, introduces a formidable challenge, pitting players against Ice Dragons that inflict severe Frostbite damage. However, there are effective strategies to counter this threat.

Reaching the summit of The Mountaintops yields valuable rewards and offers numerous bosses and adversaries to help you farm runes rapidly. Below is a comprehensive guide on how to navigate The Mountaintops in Nightreign.

Understanding The Mountaintops Event in Nightreign

The Mountaintops represent one of the four transformative Shifting Earth events affecting Limveld in Nightreign. This event becomes accessible after players defeat either their third or fourth Nightlord. When activated, the north-western region of Limveld morphs into a vast, snow-laden mountain teeming with dragons, trolls, and demi-humans awaiting your ascent.

The Executor enters Limveld via Spectral Hawk, observing The Mountaintops Shifting Earth event on the map — The red/orange quest marker indicates the area reward location at The Mountaintops.| Image credit: Bandai Namco/VG247

The duration of The Mountaintops event ranges from three to five Expeditions. Players can skip this event by resting in the Hold’s Waiting Room. However, it’s advisable to avoid skipping, as the reappearance of these events remains uncertain unless adventuring with new players. Speculation suggests sporadic reappearances, but confirmation is pending.

To monitor active events such as The Mountaintops, access your Expeditions menu and review the right side of the screen for any ongoing events or objectives. To ensure the spawn of The Mountaintops event, the player hosting the session must be the one carrying the event.

These Shifting Earth events are notoriously challenging and should ideally be approached on Day 2 of an Expedition. Given the expansive nature of this event, it’s recommended to dedicate the entirety of Day 2 to explore its myriad secrets. Players will benefit as the Night’s Tide encapsulates Shifting Earth events on Day 2, providing ample exploration opportunities.

Exploring The Mountaintops Event

The Mountaintops can be likened to The Crater but with a twist. Instead of navigating downwards, players must now ascend towards a red quest marker atop the mountain.

The journey involves maneuvering around cliff bases, utilizing Spiritstreams, and cautiously traversing chains, reminiscent of the Mountaintops of the Giants. Here are some critical points to consider:

Expect to encounter Freezing Dragons that deliver devastating damage.It’s best to bypass them for now and return after claiming the area reward.
Defeat any minor enemies along your path. Trolls and Demi-Human Swordmasters drop Dormant Powers, which grant anti-Frostbite and anti-Dragon effects—so accumulate these as much as possible.

Should you evade the Freezing Dragons and dispatch other surrounding foes, you’ll accumulate a wealth of runes along with significant anti-Frost and anti-Dragon passive effects. These enhancements will be especially beneficial shortly.

Upon reaching the peak of The Mountaintops, you will discover a Site of Grace alongside a luminescent blue crystal. To the left of this crystal, interact with the legendary item to receive considerable Frostbite resistance and an attack power growth when near Frostbite effects. This reward will immensely facilitate any future encounters with the Freezing Dragons you previously bypassed.

Executor examining the Mountaintop reward beneath a blue glow at the summit — Image credit: Bandai Namco/VG247

By jumping off the opposite side of the platform where you claimed your reward, you may confront an Ice Dragon, which will be considerably easier to defeat due to your enhanced resistance. Overall, the significance of the area’s reward may vary depending on your gameplay approach.

However, it’s imperative to obtain The Mountaintops reward before tackling the Nightlord, Fissure in the Fog. If either you or your teammates trigger The Mountaintops event, queuing into Fissure in the Fog will maximize the reward’s utility, making this challenging boss encounter much more manageable.

SPOILERS AHEAD

It’s crucial to complete The Mountaintops before this particular Nightlord encounter, as he is a dragon boss capable of inflicting significant Frostbite. Securing The Mountaintops’ anti-Dragon and anti-Frostbite buffs prior to the fight will ease the overall difficulty.

For further insights on Nightreign, explore additional Shifting Earth events, including Rotted Woods and Noklateo, the Shrouded City.

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