Deep of Night is the ranked, high-difficulty way to play Elden Ring Nightreign. The map, the three days and the Nightlord at the end all work like a normal expedition, but enemies hit harder, you cannot pick your target, and every result moves a hidden rating up or down across five Depths. This guide covers how to unlock the mode, how the rating actually moves, and what you get for playing it.
Quick facts
| Unlock | Defeat Heolstor the Nightlord (the Night Aspect) |
| Added | Free update, September 11, 2025 |
| Ranks | Depth 1 to Depth 5 |
| Points per win | +200 before modifiers |
| Choose the Nightlord? | No, it is assigned for you |
| Main reward | Deep relics for three extra vessel slots |
| Everdark Sovereigns | Can appear from Depth 2 upward |
| Lowest you can fall | Depth 2, once you have reached it |
How to unlock Deep of Night
- Clear the normal Nightlords until the final target, the Night Aspect, becomes available.
- Defeat Heolstor the Nightlord once.
- Back in the Roundtable Hold, open the expedition menu. Deep of Night is now listed as its own option at the bottom.
- Pick your Nightfarer and start. The game tells you which Nightlord you will face, but you do not choose it.
Deep of Night Depth ranks explained
Your Depth is set by a rating number. Everyone starts at 0, and only the band you are in is shown in game.
| Depth | Rating needed | Wins from the bottom of the band (no modifiers) |
|---|---|---|
| Depth 1 | 0 to 999 | 5 to reach Depth 2 |
| Depth 2 | 1,000 to 1,999 | 5 to reach Depth 3 |
| Depth 3 | 2,000 to 3,999 | 10 to reach Depth 4 |
| Depth 4 | 4,000 to 5,999 | 10 to reach Depth 5 |
| Depth 5 | 6,000 and up | Top rank |
How many points do you win or lose?
A win is worth +200. A loss costs more the deeper you are and the earlier the run ends. Losing to the Nightlord itself is always the cheapest way to fail.
| Depth | Wiped on Day 1 | Wiped on Day 2 | Lost to the Nightlord | Win |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +200 |
| 2 | -200 | -100 | 0 | +200 |
| 3 | -400 | -300 | -200 | +200 |
| 4 | -600 | -500 | -400 | +200 |
| 5 | -800 | -700 | -600 | +200 |
Modifiers on top of the table:
- Playing one Depth above your own: +50 on a win and 50 fewer points lost on a defeat. One Depth below works the other way.
- Hidden map points or a hidden Nightlord: at higher Depths a run can conceal map locations or the boss. Each one adds +100 to a win.
- A teammate leaves: whatever you lose on that run is halved. Wins are not changed.
Rank protection and lowering your Depth
- Once you reach Depth 2 you can never drop back to Depth 1 through losses.
- At Depth 3, the first loss that would push you below the band leaves you at the bottom of Depth 3 instead. At Depth 4 and 5 this protection works twice.
- The protection refills after you drop a rank and climb back to it.
- You can also lower your Depth by hand from the menu, which is handy if you want to play with friends who are still lower.
What changes compared to a normal expedition
- Tougher enemies: more health and more damage across the whole map.
- Red mutated enemies: altered versions with new attacks. They are dangerous, but they drop Deep of Night weapons whose strong effects come with drawbacks.
- Everdark Sovereigns: from Depth 2 the final boss can be an Everdark Sovereign version of a Nightlord, and the odds rise at each Depth. You only find out when you enter the arena.
- No boss choice: the Nightlord is assigned, so bring a team that can handle any of them.
Deep of Night rewards: Deep relics
Finishing a Deep of Night expedition, won or lost, pays out Deep relics. After your first completed run every vessel shows three extra slots that only accept them, so you go in with up to six relics. Deep relics work only in this mode and do not replace your normal set. Their bonuses are bigger than usual, but many carry a penalty, such as lower stats, so read both lines before you equip one. If you are new to vessels and colors, start with our Nightreign relics guide.
Tips for climbing Depths
- Use the Depth 1 runs to learn the mutated enemies. You lose nothing there.
- Play safe on Day 1. From Depth 3 up, a Day 1 wipe costs 200 more points than losing to the Nightlord.
- Skip red enemies unless your team is healthy and ahead on levels; their weapon drops are a bonus, not a must.
- Fill the three Deep slots as soon as they open. Even a modest Deep relic is free power you would otherwise leave on the table.
- Pick a Nightfarer you know well. If you are still missing characters, see how to unlock every Nightfarer.
Related: browse every Nightlord in the Elden Ring Nightreign hub or read up on Shifting Earth events.
FAQ
How do you unlock Deep of Night in Nightreign?
Defeat Heolstor the Nightlord once. The mode then appears in the expedition menu at the Roundtable Hold.
How many Depths are there?
Five. Depth 5 starts at a rating of 6,000.
Can you drop back to Depth 1?
Not through losses. Depth 2 is the floor once you reach it, although you can lower your Depth yourself from the menu.
Do you get Deep relics if you lose?
Yes. A completed Deep of Night expedition gives Deep relics whether or not you beat the Nightlord.
Rating values and mode rules checked against the Fextralife Nightreign wiki and the Eldenpedia (wiki.gg) Deep of Night page.
Further reading: Deep of Night on the Fextralife Nightreign wiki.