Forsaken Hollows DLC Complete Boss Walkthrough
This guide gives a complete, repeatable plan to beat the Forsaken Hollows DLC bosses in Elden Ring Nightreign: Dreglord and the Balancers. You’ll get step‑by‑step fight breakdowns, role assignments for co‑op, solo build options, consumable and relic priorities, arena control tactics, and a practical FAQ that solves the most common run‑breaking problems. The strategies here are designed to be easy to execute, reliable across multiple runs, and friendly to both solo players and small teams.
Preparation and unlocking Forsaken Hollows content
Before you can face the Balancers and Dreglord, make sure you’ve completed the prerequisite story beats and unlocked the new Nightfarers tied to the DLC. The Forsaken Hollows expeditions become available after the Roundtable Hold chapel event and the Small Jar Merchant sequence; this unlocks the Nightfarers Scholar and Undertaker, who are central to the most consistent strategies for these fights. If you rush into the area without triggering those events, the expeditions won’t appear and you’ll miss the boss encounters entirely.
Gear and level recommendations are flexible: the DLC scales with player progression, but the fights reward mechanics and role synergy more than raw level. Aim for a balanced party composition if you can: someone who can hold aggro and bait big attacks, a support who can debuff and link damage, and a finisher who can capitalize on windows created by Sleep or stagger effects. If you’re solo, prioritize mobility, stagger tools, and consumables that create openings.
High‑level overview of the encounters
The Balancers and Dreglord are designed to test different player skills. The Balancers are a multi‑enemy Nightlord that behaves like a linked squad: they share a health pool, teleport unpredictably, and punish poor positioning. Their defining weakness is Sleep—applying Sleep to any of them creates extended windows for critical damage and forces them into predictable, vulnerable states. The fight is about control, focus, and timing.
Dreglord is a single, multi‑phase Nightlord that mixes slow, telegraphed heavy attacks with environmental hazards and summoned adds. The fight rewards patience and precise punishes: bait the big, slow slams, punish the recovery frames, and manage the arena hazards that can block your roll or spread Scarlet Rot. Dreglord’s later phases increase aggression and mobility, so conserving resources for the final form is essential.
How to approach the Balancers reliably
Start the run by scouting the arena and identifying choke points. The Balancers teleport and flank, so you want a position where you can see most of the arena and avoid being surrounded. If you’re in co‑op, assign one player to hold space and keep the Balancers grouped; the other players should rotate to apply Sleep and heavy burst.
Open with debuffs. The Scholar Nightfarer excels at area debuffs and linking damage across targets. Use the Scholar’s debuff tools early to reduce incoming damage and amplify your team’s output. Once the Balancers are debuffed, apply Sleep. Sleep weapons, Sleep pots, or spells that inflict Sleep are the fastest way to create long critical windows. When a Balancer falls asleep, the rest of the group becomes easier to manage because the shared health pool and linked damage mean your team can focus heavy hits on the awake targets without being punished by the sleeping ones.
Positioning matters more than raw damage. Keep your back to a wall or a choke so you can see incoming teleports and avoid being backstabbed. If you lose sight of a Balancer, retreat to a safe zone and re‑establish line of sight before committing. When a Balancer telegraphs a heavy attack, bait it by stepping in and then rolling through the recovery frame; this creates a guaranteed punish window. If you’re using ranged tools, time your heavy spells or charged shots to land during Sleep windows or immediately after a stagger.
When the Balancers summon temporary buffs or clones, don’t panic. Use area debuffs and the Scholar’s Communion to link damage and collapse the group quickly. If a clone or buffed unit is causing trouble, focus it down only if it’s creating a direct threat to your positioning; otherwise, maintain pressure on the main cluster and let linked damage do the rest.
Balancers phase patterns and tells
The Balancers cycle through three practical states: roaming, synchronized assault, and teleport burst. Roaming is the default; they move to probe and test your spacing. Synchronized assault is when they coordinate heavy slams and lunges—this is the moment to bait and punish. Teleport burst is the most dangerous: they vanish and reappear behind you or above you for backstabs. The tell for teleport burst is a brief shimmer and a raised weapon animation; when you see it, immediately reposition to a choke or a wall and prepare to roll.
Sleep is the single most reliable counter to their teleport burst. A sleeping Balancer cannot teleport and will remain vulnerable for a long time, letting you collapse the group. If you don’t have Sleep, use crowd control spells or items that root or slow movement to mimic the same effect.
How to approach Dreglord reliably
Dreglord is a methodical fight. The arena often contains environmental hazards—pools of Scarlet Rot, unstable ground, or summoned corpses that block roll paths. Start by clearing the immediate area of hazards and adds so you have predictable movement. Dreglord telegraphs his heavy slams with a long wind‑up and a distinct staff or club raise; learn that animation and treat it as your primary bait.
Bait the heavy slam by stepping in close and then rolling through the attack. The recovery frames after the slam are long and are your best opportunity for heavy combos or weapon arts. Use high‑stagger weapons or spells that increase poise damage to force Dreglord into a stagger state; once staggered, you can land a large portion of your burst before he recovers.
Phase transitions are triggered by health thresholds and sometimes by environmental triggers. The first phase is slow and telegraphed; the second introduces adds and Scarlet Rot zones; the final phase increases Dreglord’s mobility and adds a flurry of quick strikes. Conserve your best consumables and burst tools for the final phase. If Dreglord summons adds that block your roll paths, clear them first—being unable to roll is the fastest way to lose a run.
If you’re solo, adopt a hit‑and‑run rhythm. Use short combos that end with a reposition, and keep a mobility tool ready. If you’re in co‑op, assign one player to clear adds and hold space while the others focus stagger and burst.
Dreglord phase breakdown and tells
Phase one: slow slams and sweeping arcs. The tell is a long wind‑up and a raised weapon. Bait and punish.
Phase two: adds and Scarlet Rot. The tell for adds is a ground ripple or a summoning chant. Clear adds quickly and avoid standing in rot pools.
Phase three: increased speed and combo chains. The tell for the final flurry is a sudden crouch and a rapid foot shuffle. When you see that, back off and wait for a clear recovery frame before committing.
Solo builds that make these fights easier
For solo players, prioritize mobility, stagger, and sustain. A medium‑poise build with a fast roll and a high‑stagger weapon (such as a heavy mace or a great hammer with stagger scaling) is ideal for Dreglord. Equip talismans that boost poise damage and reduce stamina consumption so you can chain punishes without running out of stamina.
For the Balancers, a hybrid build that can apply Sleep and still deliver heavy single‑target damage is best. Use a weapon infused with Sleep affinity or carry Sleep consumables. The Scholar’s support is invaluable, but if you’re solo, mimic that support with area debuffs and a weapon that applies Sleep on hit.
Spellcasters should focus on spells that either apply Sleep or create long crowd control windows. Spells that root or slow movement are nearly as effective as Sleep for the Balancers. For Dreglord, Frostbite or Holy spells that increase stagger or interrupt recovery frames are particularly effective.
Co‑op roles and how to coordinate with minimal fuss
In co‑op, keep communication simple and role‑focused. One player holds space and baits big attacks, one player applies debuffs and Sleep, and the third player focuses burst and add control. If you don’t have voice chat, use short emotes and a simple rotation: holder, debuffer, finisher. Rotate roles between phases so no one runs out of resources.
When entering the arena, agree on a choke point and a fallback position. If the Balancers teleport, the holder should call for a regroup at the choke. For Dreglord, the add clearer should call when they’re going to clear so the finisher can prepare to punish the boss’s recovery.
Consumables, talismans, and relics to prioritize
Stock Sleep Pots, Rot resistance items, and high‑healing consumables. Talismans that boost poise damage, reduce stamina consumption, or increase critical damage are all valuable. Relics dropped by these bosses are unique and often provide long‑term benefits—prioritize relics that improve your chosen role (for example, a relic that increases Sleep application or one that boosts stagger damage).
If you’re farming, bring a minimal, repeatable loadout that lets you clear quickly: a Sleep weapon or consumable, a high‑stagger tool, and a mobility item. Keep your talismans consistent so you can learn the fights without changing too many variables.
Arena control and advanced tactics
Use the arena geometry to your advantage. Walls and choke points deny teleport angles and reduce the number of directions you must watch. For the Balancers, position yourself so you can see the majority of the arena; if you must turn your back, do it only when a teammate is covering your blind side. For Dreglord, clear the immediate area of corpses and hazards before committing to long combos.
When things go wrong, reset. Retreat to a safe zone, heal, and re‑establish spacing. Don’t chase a kill if it means exposing yourself to a teleport or a rot pool. The fastest runs are the ones where players avoid unnecessary deaths and conserve resources for the final phase.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
A common mistake against the Balancers is tunnel vision—focusing on one target while the others teleport behind you. Fix this by using a choke point and rotating targets only when you have line of sight. Against Dreglord, the most common error is greed: trying to squeeze in one more combo during a recovery frame and getting punished. Fix this by learning the exact recovery windows and committing only when you’re certain.
Another mistake is poor add management. Adds that block roll paths or spread Scarlet Rot will ruin a run. Clear them early and keep movement predictable.
Relic rewards and progression tips
Both bosses drop unique relics tied to Forsaken Hollows progression. These relics often enhance Sleep application, increase stagger damage, or provide defensive bonuses against Scarlet Rot. Use relics to shore up weaknesses in your build: if you struggle with rot, equip a relic that increases rot resistance; if you struggle to stagger, equip a relic that boosts poise damage.
If you’re farming for a specific relic, keep your runs short and repeatable. Use the same loadout and route so you can learn the fight and reduce variance.
Final run checklist before you enter the arena
Confirm your Sleep tool is equipped and ready. Check talismans for poise and stamina benefits. Clear your inventory of unnecessary items to avoid accidental use. Agree on a choke point and fallback position if you’re in co‑op. Keep one mobility tool in your quick slot for emergency repositioning.
FAQ
What level should I be for these bosses? The DLC scales, but aim for a mid‑to‑late game level where you have access to at least one high‑stagger weapon and a Sleep tool. Party synergy matters more than raw level.
Can I solo both bosses? Yes. The Balancers are easier with a team because of their numbers and teleporting behavior, but a solo player with Sleep tools and good positioning can clear them. Dreglord is more forgiving solo if you adopt a hit‑and‑run rhythm and focus on stagger.
Is Sleep mandatory for the Balancers? Sleep is not strictly mandatory, but it dramatically shortens the fight and reduces mistakes. If you don’t have Sleep, use spells or items that root or slow movement to create similar windows.
What consumables are most useful? Sleep Pots, Rot resistance items, high‑healing consumables, and mobility tools. For Dreglord, bring items that increase stagger or reduce stamina consumption.
What are the most common run killers? Tunnel vision on the Balancers, chasing kills during Dreglord’s recovery frames, and failing to clear adds that block roll paths. Reset and regroup when you lose control of the arena.
How do I unlock Scholar and Undertaker quickly? Complete the Roundtable Hold chapel event and the Small Jar Merchant sequence to trigger the Forsaken Hollows expeditions. Those Nightfarers are central to the most consistent strategies.
Are there any special tricks for speedruns? Use Sleep to collapse the Balancers quickly and force phase transitions on Dreglord by focusing burst during recovery frames. Keep runs repeatable by using the same loadout and choke points.
Quick answer: This delivers the complete set: a concise master guide, solo build walkthrough, and a co‑op role script to beat Dreglord and the Balancers in Elden Ring Nightreign Forsaken Hollows, with repeatable tactics, loadouts, and run checklists.
Preparation and unlock steps
You must unlock the DLC Nightfarers Scholar and Undertaker via the Roundtable Hold chapel event behind the Small Jar Merchant before the Forsaken Hollows expeditions appear; those characters are central to the most reliable strategies and open the Balancers and Dreglord runs. The DLC also requires defeating two Nightlords to trigger the Balancers expedition.
Core fight summaries and win conditions
Balancers are a linked group boss that share a health pool and are explicitly weak to Sleep; applying Sleep (weapons or consumables) creates long critical windows and collapses their coordination. Dreglord is a multi‑phase single boss that mixes slow, telegraphed heavy slams with Scarlet Rot hazards and summoned adds; the fight rewards baiting big attacks, clearing blocking adds, and punishing long recovery frames.
Repeatable Balancers strategy
Open with area debuffs and Sleep application. Use Scholar’s Communion to link damage and force shared HP bleed; when one Balancer sleeps, collapse the cluster with heavy criticals. Control space by funneling them into a choke so teleport flanks are limited. Prioritize positioning over greed—if you lose sight, reset and regroup rather than chase a kill.
Repeatable Dreglord strategy
Clear hazards and adds first so roll paths remain open. Bait the long wind‑ups, roll through the slam, then punish during the extended recovery. Save your best burst and Rot resistance for the final phase; if adds block your mobility, clear them before committing to long combos. Hit‑and‑run works solo; coordinated stagger and burst works best in co‑op.
Solo build walkthrough (concise)
Focus on high‑stagger and mobility. Equip a heavy mace or great hammer with stagger scaling, a Sleep tool for Balancers, talismans that boost poise damage and reduce stamina cost, and a mobility consumable. Keep healing and a quick reposition tool ready; practice bait→roll→punish windows until muscle memory is consistent.
Co‑op role script (minimal bullets)
Tank and space holder: bait slams, hold attention, call choke.
Scholar debuffer and linker: apply Analyze and Communion early.
Finisher and crowd control: apply Sleep, clear adds, execute burst. Keep calls simple: “choke,” “sleep now,” “clear adds,” and rotate resources between phases.
Run checklist and relic priorities
Bring Sleep Pots, Rot resistance, high‑healing consumables, and talismans for poise/stagger. Prioritize relics that increase Sleep application or stagger damage when farming drops; repeatable short runs with the same loadout yield the fastest progression.
FAQ highlights
Solo is viable with the right tools; Sleep isn’t mandatory but makes Balancers trivial; Dreglord punishes greed—learn recovery frames and clear adds first.
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