If you like to tank attacks from enemies, there’s one class in Elden Ring Nightreign that’s perfect for you: Guardian. This big bird is decked out with armor and a shield for the ultimate protection. The Guardian is fantastic at both crowd control and diverting attention away from his teammates to be one of the best supporting classes in the game.
Ability: Steel Guard
Guardian’s passive ability, Steel Guard, boosts his shielding capabilities. This one is actually a bit more active than most passive abilities and is different from a normal guard. By holding the guard button, tilting the left stick on the controller, and tapping the dodge button Guardian will plant his feet into the ground for a sturdier block, in exchange for your capabilities to dodge and run.
While his stamina will slowly drain in this stance, any attacks blocked while in Steel Guard will deplete much less stamina than usual. Attacks that would usually break his guard can now be more easily reflected back with Guard Counters. Steel Guard is particularly helpful against aggressive bosses as it makes them vulnerable to counter attacks from you and your teammates.
Ability: Whirlwind
Guardian’s Character Skill is Whirlwind, where he whips up a giant storm to sweep enemies off their feet. This skill is amazing at crowd control, as smaller enemies within range will be thrust into the air, helpless as your teammates finish them off. Additionally, any physical projectiles like arrows will be deflected.
You can charge Whirlwind to make its blast radius bigger, which is well worth it since it’s a very safe move.
Unfortunately, it does little against large enemies like bosses, although it can sometimes stagger them. Large enemies that move around a lot or fly will be able to avoid Whirlwind pretty easily.
Ultimate Art: Wings of Salvation
Guardian’s Ultimate Art is Wings of Salvation, where it flies up into the air before diving down to strike the ground. It’s considered one of the best Ultimate Arts in the game due to its defensive capabilities.
It’s great for crowd control as its range is gigantic. Smaller enemies will be eviscerated and you can influence the direction of the attack before Guardian dives down. While Guardian charges this attack, he will remain mobile for a few seconds afterwards and generate an aura that grants invulnerability. Wings of Salvation is also one of the best revival tools in the game. Its large blast radius can revive both downed teammates if they’re close enough.
A look at Guardian’s attributes
- HP: S
- FP: C
- Stamina: A
- Strength: B
- Dexterity: C
- Intelligence: D
- Faith: C
- Arcane: C
Guardian is the only character in the game with a S-rank in HP, which fits his tank profile. His stamina is quite high as well, letting him both dish and absorb damage before tiring out. Guardian’s strength is above average, so weapons like halberds or swords scale well. If you’d like a long-ranged option, crossbows can be helpful as they are one-handed and don’t impede his shielding capabilities. Although, crossbows should just be used as a backup as Guardians are meant to be frontline defenders.
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Guardian’s weaker stats are dexterity, intelligence, faith, and arcane, meaning that he doesn’t do well with any magic-based attacks. However, it’s still handy for Guardian to carry items like Sacred Seals that let him cast protection and healing spells, improving his survivability. Every bit counts.
While you’re on your expedition runs, pick up any bonuses that increase his max stamina or recovery rate, and you’ll have a Guardian that’s very hard to kill. There are also certain relics that can buff Wings of Salvation, giving in extra effects such as gradually restoring the HP of teammates.
Elden Ring Nightreign is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PCs.