Commander Niall guards Castle Sol in the Mountaintops of the Giants. He starts the fight by summoning two Banished Knight spirits, then joins in himself with frost and lightning stomps. This guide shows how to handle the three-on-one.
Quick facts
| Location | Castle Sol, Mountaintops of the Giants |
| Nearest Site of Grace | Church of the Eclipse |
| Required? | Optional, but required to reach the Consecrated Snowfield |
| HP (NG) | 15,541 |
| Runes (NG) | 90,000 |
| Drops | Veteran’s Prosthesis |
| Weak to | Pierce damage |
| Resists | Slash (35% negation) |
| Immune to | Madness |
| Spirit Ashes / Co-op | Allowed (Spirit Ashes and co-op) |
| Recommended level | 110–120 (community estimate) |
| Difficulty | ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▱▱▱ 7/10 |
Overview
Niall opens the fight by calling two Banished Knights: one with dual greatswords and one with a sword and shield. Once they are down, or at around half health, Niall fights on his own with his prosthetic leg.
His stomps create frost whirlwinds and lightning strikes. He can be parried.
How to reach Commander Niall
Climb through Castle Sol to the Church of the Eclipse grace. The arena is on the castle roof.
Preparation
- Focus the dual-greatsword knight first; he is the most aggressive.
- Bewitching Branches can charm the knights so they fight each other.
- A tanky Spirit Ash to hold two knights at once.
- Frost resistance helps.
Moveset and how to counter it
Keep the knights apart and take them down one at a time.
Storm kick
He stomps with his prosthetic leg to create a frost whirlwind, followed by a lightning strike. Time your dodge for the second hit.
Charged whirlwind dash
A long windup with a growing frost aura. Dodge it and he stays kneeling, giving you a free punish.
Halberd combos
Three-hit combos with slow overhead finishers. Dodge the last hit and punish.
Best builds and tools
- Pierce weapons.
- Avoid slash damage.
- Bewitching Branches and a strong Spirit Ash.
Rewards
- 90,000 Runes
- Veteran’s Prosthesis (Veteran’s Set leg armour piece)
Difficulty rating
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▱▱▱ 7/10 – Hard mainly because of the three-on-one opening. Once the knights are down, Niall is manageable.
Frequently asked questions
Is Commander Niall optional?
Technically, but he guards the way to the Consecrated Snowfield and the Haligtree.
What does Niall drop?
90,000 runes and the Veteran’s Prosthesis.
What is Niall weak to?
Pierce damage.
Beaten Commander Niall?
Prove it. MyGamerCv reads your Steam achievements and shows every Souls-like boss you have actually defeated, with a score, a rank and a shareable card. It is free and there is no sign-up.
Stuck on another boss? Browse all Elden Ring boss guides.