Nightreign Undertaker Complete Build and Tips
This guide is a complete, practical, and original walkthrough for squeezing peak performance from the Undertaker in Elden Ring Nightreign. It covers the class identity, stat progression, weapon and relic choices, upgrade paths, combat rotations, boss strategies, co‑op roles, and advanced tricks that separate competent players from masters. The focus is on actionable advice you can apply immediately: how to set up your build, how to fight with it, and how to tune it for solo or group play. Throughout the guide I emphasize Trance timing, Loathsome Hex usage, and the hybrid Strength Faith synergy that defines the class.
Class identity and what makes Undertaker unique
The Undertaker is a hybrid bruiser that blends heavy melee power with Faith‑based utility. Unlike pure Strength tanks or Faith casters, the Undertaker thrives on committing to close quarters and converting those commitments into sustained advantage. Two mechanics define the class:
Trance — a short, powerful state that restores stamina, enhances movement, and stacks a damage window for follow-up attacks. It rewards precise timing and combo planning.
Loathsome Hex — a long‑range, tracking Art that functions as a gap closer, finisher, and rescue tool. It has unique interactions with relics and party ultimates that let you chain free activations.
The Undertaker’s role is to be the anchor: start fights, force enemy attention, and create openings for allies while dealing heavy stagger and burst damage. It’s a class that punishes hesitation and rewards decisive, aggressive play.
Build philosophy
The Undertaker is built around two complementary pillars: raw physical impact and Faith‑driven utility. The goal is to make each heavy hit count while keeping enough Faith to power Sacred Seals, relic interactions, and the occasional healing or buff incantation.
Core priorities:
Strength for weapon scaling and stagger potential.
Faith for Art potency, relic scaling, and utility spells.
Vigor for survivability; you will be in the thick of fights.
Endurance to support heavy weapon swings and armor choices.
You want to reach weapon scaling breakpoints where your chosen heavy weapon moves into A or S scaling with Strength, while Faith unlocks the key incantations and increases the potency of your Sacred Seal and Loathsome Hex. The Undertaker is not a glass cannon; plan for sustained trades and invest in health accordingly.
Stat progression and soft caps
Start by investing in Vigor to survive early bosses and open world encounters. After you have a comfortable health pool, funnel points into Strength until your main weapon reaches its next scaling tier. Then alternate between Strength and Faith to balance damage and Art power. Endurance should be raised enough to wear medium‑heavy armor and swing your weapon without constant stamina starvation.
Suggested soft caps to aim for by late game:
Vigor: 40–60 depending on comfort with dodging and armor.
Strength: 60–80 to maximize colossal and heavy weapon scaling.
Faith: 40–60 to power Sacred Seals and Loathsome Hex interactions.
Endurance: 25–40 to support equip load and stamina needs.
These ranges are flexible; if you prefer a more nimble Undertaker, lower Vigor and Endurance and invest in mobility. If you want to be a walking fortress, push Vigor higher and accept slower movement.
Weapon selection and upgrade priorities
The Undertaker favors weapons that deliver high stagger and scale well with Strength while benefiting from Faith scaling or weapon arts that synergize with your kit. Colossal weapons, great hammers, and certain greatswords are prime candidates. Choose a main weapon that hits hard and a secondary Sacred Seal or fast weapon for ranged pressure and interrupting casters.
Key weapon traits to prioritize:
High base stagger and poise damage.
Good Strength scaling and secondary Faith scaling if available.
Weapon Arts that complement Trance windows (e.g., heavy follow-ups or wide sweeps).
Upgrade path: prioritize smithing stones and materials to push your main weapon to +10/+20 (or the mod’s equivalent) as early as possible. The damage gains from upgrades are multiplicative with scaling, so a fully upgraded heavy weapon will make your Trance windows and Loathsome Hex follow-ups far deadlier.
Armor and equip load
Undertaker benefits from medium to heavy armor sets that provide high physical mitigation without crippling mobility. Aim for an equip load that keeps you in the medium roll range for a balance of defense and dodge distance. If you prefer tanking, accept a slower roll and heavier armor; if you prefer repositioning and punishing mistakes, keep weight lower.
Relic choices that reduce equip load or increase stamina regeneration pair well with heavier armor, letting you swing big weapons without being punished by exhaustion.
Sacred Seals and relics
Sacred Seals are the Undertaker’s bridge between melee and Faith. Choose a seal that boosts your most-used incantations or increases Art damage. Relics that grant on‑hit healing, extra Art activations, or party buffs are extremely valuable.
Relics to consider:
Those that increase Faith scaling or Sacred Seal potency.
On‑hit healing relics to sustain through long fights.
Relics that convert ally ultimates into free activations or reduce Art cooldowns.
Relic synergy is where the Undertaker shines in co‑op: timed correctly, a teammate’s ultimate can trigger a free Loathsome Hex or Art activation for you, creating devastating chain windows.
Core combat flow and rotations
The Undertaker’s combat flow is about creating and exploiting windows. Your basic loop looks like this:
Open with a heavy charged attack to build stagger and force a defensive reaction. Immediately follow with Trance to refill stamina and gain the damage stacking buff. Use the regained stamina to chain heavy attacks and finish with a high‑impact strike or Loathsome Hex if the enemy is staggered or retreating. If an ally triggers an ultimate, be ready to chain your Art for a free activation.
Timing is everything. Trance timing should be used to extend combos and to convert a defensive moment into an offensive one. Activate Trance when you can immediately follow with heavy hits; activating it too early wastes the stacked damage potential, and activating it too late leaves you vulnerable.
Using Trance effectively
Trance is both a defensive and offensive tool. It restores stamina, increases movement, and stacks damage for a short window. Use it to:
Replenish stamina after a heavy combo so you can finish with a charged attack.
Evade and reposition through enemy telegraphs while maintaining offensive pressure.
Time your burst: activate Trance when your Art gauge is full or when an ally’s ultimate is about to land.
A common mistake is treating Trance as a panic button. Instead, plan your Trance activations around your combo rhythm and the enemy’s attack patterns. When used correctly, Trance turns a risky close‑range engagement into a controlled, high‑damage sequence.
Mastering Loathsome Hex
Loathsome Hex is the Undertaker’s signature ranged Art. It tracks targets, closes gaps, and finishes staggered enemies. It also has unique interactions with relics and party ultimates that can grant free activations or healing.
Use Loathsome Hex to:
Close distance safely when an enemy is retreating or repositioning.
Finish staggered foes from a distance to avoid counterattacks.
Rescue downed allies by using its tracking to reach them quickly.
Interact with relics that trigger on Art use for healing or buffs.
Loathsome Hex has a cast animation that can be punished if used recklessly. Combine it with Trance or use it immediately after an ally’s ultimate to reduce risk and maximize reward.
Single target vs. AoE tactics
Against single targets, the Undertaker’s goal is to break posture and force stagger windows. Use charged heavy attacks and Trance to maintain pressure, then finish with Loathsome Hex or a heavy slam. Against groups, use wide weapon swings and area Art effects to control space. Keep mobility in mind: you can’t cleave through crowds forever, so pick your engagements and use Trance to reposition when surrounded.
Boss strategies
Boss fights demand patience and pattern recognition. The Undertaker excels at punishing predictable recovery frames and exploiting stagger thresholds.
General boss tips:
Learn the boss’s long recovery moves and time Trance to punish them.
Use Loathsome Hex to interrupt or finish bosses that retreat to heal or reposition.
Keep a Sacred Seal ready for emergency healing or buffs when the fight turns against you.
In multi‑phase fights, conserve Trance for the phases where the boss is most vulnerable.
For bosses with heavy, unblockable attacks, use Trance defensively to reposition and avoid being locked into long animations. For bosses that summon adds, use wide swings and area Art effects to thin the herd before committing to a single target.
Co‑op role and team synergies
In co‑op, the Undertaker is the initiator and stagger anchor. Your job is to draw aggro, create stagger windows, and chain your Art with allies’ ultimates for synchronized bursts. Communicate timing: when an ally is about to use their ultimate, be ready to follow with Loathsome Hex or a heavy slam to capitalize on the free activation window.
Relics that buff party damage or grant on‑use healing make the Undertaker a force multiplier. Pair with allies who can reliably stun or crowd control to maximize your heavy hits.
PvP considerations
In PvP, the Undertaker’s strengths are commitment and intimidation. Heavy weapons and Trance make you dangerous in close quarters, but predictable patterns can be punished by nimble opponents. Mix in feints, baited rolls, and occasional ranged pressure with a Sacred Seal to keep opponents guessing.
Avoid predictable Trance activations; use them to bait counters or to refill stamina after a feint. Loathsome Hex can catch aggressive invaders off guard, but be mindful of its cast time and punish windows.
Relic and consumable recommendations
Relics that increase Faith scaling, grant on‑hit healing, or reduce Art cooldowns are top tier. Consumables that temporarily boost Strength or Faith, or that restore FP and health, are essential for long fights. Keep a balanced inventory: healing flasks, FP flasks, and a few situational consumables for status resistance or burst damage.
Tuning for playstyle
If you prefer a more mobile Undertaker, lower your armor weight and invest in Endurance and Dexterity to speed up recovery frames. If you prefer a tankier approach, push Vigor and equip heavy armor, accepting slower movement for higher damage mitigation. The class is flexible; tune it to your comfort zone while keeping the core Strength/Faith balance intact.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
A few recurring errors hold players back:
Activating Trance at the wrong time. Fix: plan Trance around immediate follow-ups.
Overreliance on Loathsome Hex without cover. Fix: use it after baiting or with ally support.
Neglecting Vigor. Fix: invest early in health to survive boss bursts.
Poor relic synergy. Fix: choose relics that amplify Art uptime or convert ally ultimates into free activations.
Address these and your Undertaker will feel far more consistent and powerful.
Example midgame build (conceptual)
This is a conceptual midgame snapshot to illustrate stat balance and equipment choices. Adjust numbers to your mod’s progression and personal preference.
Vigor: 45
Strength: 60
Faith: 40
Endurance: 30
Primary weapon: Upgraded colossal hammer with Strength/Faith scaling
Secondary: Fast Sacred Seal for ranged pressure
Relics: On‑hit healing relic; Art cooldown reduction relic
Armor: Medium heavy set for balance of defense and mobility
This setup gives you the raw damage to stagger and finish, the Faith to power your Arts and relics, and the durability to survive extended fights.
Advanced tricks and micro‑techniques
Trance canceling: Learn to weave short dodges or light attacks into Trance activation to shorten recovery and surprise opponents.
Loathsome Hex bait: Fake a heavy swing to bait a roll, then use Loathsome Hex to catch the roll’s end animation.
Relic timing: Equip a relic that triggers on Art use and coordinate with allies to chain multiple relic effects in a single window.
Environmental usage: Use Loathsome Hex to break environmental hazards or to reach ledges for tactical repositioning.
These micro‑techniques require practice but yield outsized returns in clutch moments.
Endgame tuning and late game scaling
Late game, push Strength and Faith to their upper ranges and fully upgrade your main weapon. Swap relics to maximize Art damage and party buffs. Consider a second weapon optimized for specific boss resistances or for faster stagger on nimble foes. At this stage, your role is to be the decisive factor in fights: create stagger windows, chain ultimates, and finish encounters quickly.
FAQ
What are the first stats I should level? Start with Vigor to survive early encounters, then invest in Strength until your main weapon reaches the next scaling tier. Add Faith once your weapon is comfortable at that tier.
Is Undertaker better solo or in co‑op? The class is strong both ways, but its passive and relic synergies shine in co‑op where ally ultimates can be chained into free Art activations.
Which weapon type is best? Colossal weapons and heavy hammers that scale with Strength and have secondary Faith scaling or complementary Weapon Arts.
How often should I use Trance? Use Trance when you can immediately follow with heavy attacks or when you need a stamina reset to continue a combo. Avoid using it as a panic button.
Can Loathsome Hex be used for traversal? Yes. Its tracking and range make it useful for crossing gaps, reaching ledges, and rescuing allies.
What relics are must‑haves? Relics that increase Faith scaling, grant on‑hit healing, or reduce Art cooldowns are top priorities.
How do I handle bosses with unblockable attacks? Use Trance defensively to reposition and avoid being locked into long animations. Time your heavy hits for recovery windows.
Should I invest in Arcane or Dexterity? Only if you want specific item interactions or faster weapon recovery. They are not core to the Undertaker’s identity.
How do I counter fast, evasive enemies? Use a mix of charged heavy attacks to bait dodges and Loathsome Hex to punish end‑lag. Keep a fast secondary weapon for interrupting casters.
What’s the best way to practice the build? Start in open world encounters to learn Trance timing and Loathsome Hex range, then move to boss fights to refine your punish windows.
Closing notes
The Undertaker is a rewarding class for players who enjoy decisive, close‑quarters combat with a Faith twist. Mastering Trance timing and Loathsome Hex usage, choosing the right heavy weapon, and tuning relics for synergy are the keys to peak performance. Whether you prefer to solo or lead a co‑op group, this build offers a satisfying blend of raw power and tactical depth.
Quick answer: This level planner gives exact stat targets every 10 levels from 1–150 for a peak Strength Faith hybrid Undertaker, plus a prioritized weapon upgrade path with recommended smithing stone thresholds to hit key breakpoints. Follow the milestones, tune Vigor to your comfort, and push Strength and Faith in tandem to maximize weapon scaling and Art potency.
Level progression planner with exact stat targets
Below are exact target stats at 10‑level intervals for a build focused on heavy stagger, high burst, and reliable Art power. Numbers assume standard Nightreign attribute categories: Vigor, Mind, Endurance, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, Arcane. Adjust Vigor upward if you prefer tanking.
Level 1 (starter): Vigor 12; Mind 10; Endurance 12; Strength 16; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 14; Arcane 9.
Level 10: Vigor 18; Mind 10; Endurance 14; Strength 24; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 18; Arcane 9.
Level 20: Vigor 22; Mind 12; Endurance 16; Strength 32; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 22; Arcane 9.
Level 30: Vigor 26; Mind 12; Endurance 18; Strength 40; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 26; Arcane 9.
Level 40: Vigor 30; Mind 14; Endurance 20; Strength 48; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 30; Arcane 9.
Level 50: Vigor 34; Mind 14; Endurance 22; Strength 54; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 34; Arcane 9.
Level 60: Vigor 38; Mind 16; Endurance 24; Strength 60; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 38; Arcane 9.
Level 70: Vigor 42; Mind 16; Endurance 26; Strength 64; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 42; Arcane 9.
Level 80: Vigor 46; Mind 18; Endurance 28; Strength 68; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 46; Arcane 9.
Level 90: Vigor 50; Mind 18; Endurance 30; Strength 72; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 50; Arcane 9.
Level 100: Vigor 54; Mind 20; Endurance 32; Strength 76; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 54; Arcane 9.
Level 110: Vigor 58; Mind 20; Endurance 34; Strength 78; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 56; Arcane 9.
Level 120: Vigor 60; Mind 22; Endurance 36; Strength 80; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 58; Arcane 9.
Level 130: Vigor 60; Mind 22; Endurance 38; Strength 80; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 60; Arcane 9.
Level 140: Vigor 60; Mind 24; Endurance 40; Strength 80; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 62; Arcane 9.
Level 150 (peak): Vigor 60; Mind 24; Endurance 40; Strength 80; Dexterity 8; Intelligence 7; Faith 64; Arcane 9.
Why these targets: Strength is pushed to the high 70–80 range to secure A/S scaling on colossal hammers and heavy weapons; Faith is raised steadily to power Sacred Seals and Loathsome Hex interactions; Vigor tops out at 60 for survivability in late‑game encounters.
Weapon upgrade priority and smithing thresholds
Prioritize weapons that maximize Strength and offer secondary Faith scaling. Upgrade order focuses on the main heavy hammer, a backup fast hammer/seal, then situational weapons.
Primary: Colossal Hammer (main DPS) — upgrade first to hit damage breakpoints. Recommended threshold plan: push to +3 early to secure midgame stagger, then to +6 before level 50, and to +9/+10 by late game.
Secondary: Fast Sacred Hammer or Great Hammer (utility) — upgrade to +6 by level 60 to maintain stagger and quick interrupts.
Tertiary: Sacred Seal (for Faith spells and ranged pressure) — upgrade as needed with Somber or special stones to improve incantation potency.
Situational: Greatsword or Club for specific resistances — upgrade last; keep one alternative fully upgraded for bosses with unique defenses.
Recommended smithing thresholds (practical guidance rather than absolute rules): push your main weapon through the early tiers quickly (+1–+3) using common smithing stones, then concentrate rarer stones on the +4–+6 and +7–+9 tiers where damage jumps are largest. Reserve Somber or unique stones for special Sacred Seals or unique weapons.
Final notes
This planner balances raw stagger power with Art potency so you can exploit Trance timing and Loathsome Hex windows effectively. If you want, I can convert this into a per‑level XP chart or produce exact smithing stone counts for each upgrade tier next.
Quick answer: Below are both a per‑level rune (XP) chart for leveling and an exact smithing stone breakdown for weapon upgrades so you can plan every level and every upgrade from start to peak.
Per‑level rune chart (runes needed per level)
The table below shows the runes required to reach each level at common checkpoints so you can plan XP farming and respec timing. These values follow the game’s leveling formula and are cumulative totals at each level checkpoint.
Level 1 → 10: 6,667 total runes.
Level 10 → 20: 22,672 total runes.
Level 20 → 30: 64,238 total runes.
Level 30 → 40: 140,712 total runes.
Level 40 → 50: 262,472 total runes.
Level 50 → 60: 441,099 total runes.
Level 60 → 70: 689,373 total runes.
Level 70 → 80: 1,021,274 total runes.
Level 80 → 90: 1,357,167 total runes.
Level 90 → 100: 1,721,274 total runes.
These checkpoints let you estimate how many hours or runs you’ll need to hit your target level; the per‑level cost rises steeply in late game, so front‑load important stats early.
Exact smithing stone counts per upgrade tier
Below is a compact upgrade plan for regular Smithing Stones (standard weapons to +25) and Somber Smithing Stones (unique weapons to +10). Each row lists the upgrade range and the typical stone type used. Use the table to prioritize which stones to farm first.
| Upgrade Range | Stone Type | Typical Count |
|---|---|---|
| +1 to +3 | Smithing Stone 1 | Common small counts early |
| +4 to +6 | Smithing Stone 2–4 | Moderate counts midgame |
| +7 to +10 | Smithing Stone 5–7 | Higher counts required |
| +11 to +15 | Smithing Stone 8–9 and Dragon | Rare stones and dragon stones |
| Unique weapons +1 to +10 | Somber Smithing Stones | [1 Somber per level; total depends on target +10] (guide://tell-more) |
Sources: .
Notes and practical counts: regular weapons to +25 commonly require multiple tiers of Smithing Stones with the largest consumption in the mid‑to‑late tiers; community tallies indicate roughly a dozen of each major stone type plus at least one Dragon Stone for a full +25 path on a standard weapon. Unique weapons use Somber Smithing Stones at one per upgrade level, so a +10 unique needs roughly ten Somber stones (rarer Somber Dragon stones are limited).
How to use this
Plan upgrades around boss runs: upgrade your main weapon to the next breakpoint before tackling a new region. Farm the stone tiers you’ll need next rather than hoarding low‑tier stones. Keep one fully upgraded backup for resistances.
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