Elden Ring Nightreign Patch 1.03.2 — Nightfarers Get Big Buffs, Executors Steal the Show

This caught my attention because Nightreign’s balance updates have been the DLC’s missing ingredient: the Forsaken Hollows gave us cool toys and locations, but Nightfarers felt uneven. Patch 1.03.2 is the first large rebalancing that actually leans into player feedback-especially for Executors with their Cursed Sword skill.

Elden Ring: Nightreign Patch 1.03.2 – What Changed and Why It Matters

• Guardians, Raiders, Revenants, Executors buffed: targeted speed, range, guard and damage changes to make weaker Nightfarers more viable.
• Executors get major love: Cursed Sword skill gains attack, guard-boost, stagger and reduced stamina penalties-this will reshape melee windows.
• Relics & spells reworked: many relic effects increased or renamed, some sorceries/incantations adjusted for FP or visuals, and distance drop-off logic tightened.
• Field & bug fixes: spawn and loot adjustments in DLC areas, consumable caps, and fixes for multiple long-standing bugs (relic duplication, costumes disappearing, hitbox issues).

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Publisher|FromSoftware / Bandai Namco
Release Date|Patch 1.03.2 (Nightreign update)
Category|Balance Update / Bug Fixes / DLC Tuning
Platform|PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
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Patch 1.03.2 is one of Nightreign’s largest balance passes so far. Rather than a scattershot tweak list, FromSoftware focused on a few clear goals: elevate underused Nightfarers, tighten Relic and weapon-scaling interactions, and stabilize the Deep of Night experience introduced in The Forsaken Hollows DLC. The changes range from the mechanical—attack speed and guard behavior—to the systemic, like altering relic effects and how distance affects status buildup.

Key mechanical takeaways

Executors are the headline: the “Cursed Sword” skill now increases critical hit power, improves guard boost and stagger on deflection, and removes the annoying guard-break-on-empty-stamina case. That last bit is a practical change: aggressive, risk-heavy Executor play feels less like a trap and more like a deliberate tradeoff. If you liked the aesthetic of life-drain, but hated the insta-death flaws, this patch leans into the fantasy while smoothing the rough edges.

Raiders and Guardians received speed and guard tweaks — Raiders gain faster normals (except certain jump/dual-wield attacks) and extended range on Totem Stela Ultimate Art — which should make hit windows cleaner and Totem plays more reliable. Revenants’ summoned spirits and Immortal March now scale better with Deep of Night depth, which both increases co-op power and raises questions about balancing matched Expeditions where not everyone owns the DLC (FromSoftware notes some adjustments only apply when all players have the DLC).

Relics got a careful pruning and rebalancing: several effects were increased (HP recovery on guard, poise near Totem Stela, guardian shockwave power), while others were intentionally nerfed (bow buffs and successive-attack stacking). The patch also fixes an earlier bug where “Improved Attack Power” effects mistakenly amplified bows—so expect bow players to feel that correction.

Bug fixes and quality-of-life that actually matter

Beyond numbers, the update nails several frustrating bugs: unique DLC relics and costumes that could disappear are recoverable again, duplicate relic exploits are fixed, and a raft of hitbox and FX oddities on weapon arts and spells were corrected. Those fixes reduce the weird edge-case frustrations that turn experimental builds into lottery tickets.

What this means for players and the meta

• Expect Executors to re-enter melee debates—Cursed Sword builds (HP tradeoffs) are now more reliable and less punishing.
• Raiders and Guardians will feel smoother in both PvE and PvP; Totem Stela and guard shockwaves are more threatening in group fights.
• Deep of Night scaling changes mean DLC owners get bigger payoffs for higher depth runs; solo players in mixed lobbies may see fewer of those bonuses.
• Bow users should re-evaluate post-patch as a previous unintended buff was removed.
• Consumable shop caps and spawn/loot tweaks make resource planning for expeditions slightly more predictable.

From my time playing Nightreign, the most exciting element is balance that respects risk. Executorship—trading HP for power—was always compelling on paper. Now it actually works without feeling like a trap. My one skeptical note: power-scaling tied to Deep of Night depth risks power creep in DLC runs if not monitored; cruise control for scaling could make higher-depth runs trivial if paired with the stronger relics patched here.

Practical tips

• Try re-specing Executors to test Cursed Sword windows; you’ll get better reward for well-timed deflections.
• Raiders should re-evaluate timing on dual-wield and jump attacks; the patch leaves those exceptions slower deliberately.
• If you run Deep of Night, check relic interactions—some effects only change when everyone in the expedition owns the DLC.
• Update your builds if you rely on bow stacking—those unintended buffs were corrected.

TL;DR — Patch 1.03.2 is a meaningful balance pass that makes several Nightfarer playstyles playable and less brittle, gives Executors a genuine moment to shine, corrects relic oddities, and cleans up many annoying bugs. It’s the kind of update that turns DLC novelty into a more polished meta.