In Elden Ring: Nightreign, every Expedition is a brutal race against time. You have three in-game days to gear up, level up, and prepare to take down the Nightlord and a weak Day 1 can wreck your entire run before it even begins. Whether you’re diving into the mysterious continent of Limveld solo or with a group of Tarnished, the choices you make in your opening minutes are critical. 

1. Clear the Starting Camp Immediately

The moment you drop into Limveld, you’ll find yourself near a small enemy encampment. These foes aren’t particularly tough, but clearing them out is essential, they offer just enough experience to help you hit Level 2, and they drop early-game items that can be used, sold, or traded. Once the camp is cleared, interact with the nearest Site of Grace to level up and set your respawn point.

2. Mark and Head for the Churches

Your next goal is to locate nearby Churches on the map. Use your controller’s R3 button (or the equivalent on your device) to drop a pin and mark the location, which will also help your co-op partners stay synced.

Why Churches? Because they often contain flask upgrades, arguably the most important resource in the first two days of your expedition. These upgrades drastically improve your survivability during the mid-game push toward tougher bosses.

3. Hit Encampments, Ruins & Forts Along the Way

As you move between Churches, explore any Encampments, Ruins, or Forts you find along the path. These areas usually feature low-to-mid tier bosses and enemies, and they’re designed to be manageable even on Day 1. More importantly, they tend to drop:

• Weapons and armor upgrades
• Runes
• Stonesword Keys (which open high-reward areas later)

Forts, in particular, offer a great risk/reward balance for early-game players.

4. Plan Ahead for the Nightlord’s Weakness

After you’ve collected a few flask upgrades and cleared some side areas, it’s time to start planning your build around the Nightlord’s known weakness.

Each Expedition features a unique Nightlord variant. For example, Gladius, the Nightlord of the Tricephalos Expedition, is weak to Holy damage. Open your map and scout for dungeons, caves, or towers likely to contain elemental weapons or spells that match the boss’s weakness. If possible, fast travel using the Spectral Hawk Tree to cut down travel time.

5. Avoid Shifting Earth Events on Day 1

After your first Expedition, the game will introduce Shifting Earth Events, map-altering world events that bring both high risk and high reward. While tempting, these areas are not beginner-friendly:

• Their bosses are significantly more powerful.
• Terrain is often difficult to navigate, especially if it’s your first time.
• If the Night’s Tide starts to roll in and the safe zone is far away, you may not escape in time. risking your entire stash of Runes.

My advice: Avoid Shifting Earth on Day 1. Return on Day 2 or 3 when you’re stronger and better equipped.

Your Day 1 strategy in Elden Ring: Nightreign sets the tone for your entire Expedition. Rushing blindly can leave you underpowered by Day 3, but with a smart opening route, solid flask economy, and the right elemental weapon, you’ll be well on your way to conquering the Nightlord.