Elden Ring Nightreign’s 1.03 patch preps The Forsaken Hollows — and it actually changes the meta

Why this patch actually matters for Elden Ring players

If you were planning to jump into The Forsaken Hollows when it arrives on December 4, don’t show up without Nightreign Version 1.03. This isn’t just a compatibility update – FromSoftware (and whoever is stewarding the Nightreign build) reworked relic trigger rules, handed meaningful buffs to two‑hand and combo attacks, rebalanced low‑HP relic effects, and tweaked the Wrath of Gold incantation to be cheaper and stronger. Those are changes that can move the needle on how you build characters and how Expeditions and PvP feel.

• Key takeaways:
• Relic trigger windows are broader, but some low‑HP defenses got nerfed – more frequent activations, smaller per‑activation wins.
• Two‑handed, chain/charge/jump and other passive attack effects were buffed – physical builds will feel livelier.
• Wrath of Gold now costs less FP and hits harder — a boost for Faith/Incantation playstyles.
• UI QoL and bug fixes make Expeditions and multiplayer results easier to read and less frustrating.

Breaking down the balance changes — who wins and who doesn’t

On paper the headline is “broadened trigger conditions” for relics and passive effects. In English: a lot of relics and passive bonuses will activate more often, but the team also dialed down the potency of some of those low‑HP defensive effects. That’s a classic risk/reward rework — relics that were niche emergency saves will now come online in more situations, but won’t single‑handedly turn a fight.

The array of new or buffed passive effects is notable: Improved Melee Attack Power, Dash Attacks, Rolling Attacks, Chain Attack Finishers, Charge and Jump Attacks — and extra bonuses when two‑handing or wielding two armaments. That’s a focused boost to heavier, combo‑oriented styles. If you’ve been running greatswords, axes, or build variants that rely on chain/charge finishers, expect better clear speed and higher burst windows.

Faith builds got a tidy present: Wrath of Gold now consumes less FP and deals more damage. That could make certain hybrid builds (strength+faith or dex+faith) more attractive again, especially in Expeditions where resource economy matters. But keep an eye on how these changes shift PvP — lower FP costs can shorten downtime between offensive plays.

Quality‑of‑life, UI, and multiplayer fixes that matter

The patch adds several practical UI improvements: relics are now displayed in the Character Selection and Results menus, you can name and reorder Relic presets, and map layer events can be highlighted across levels. These sound small but they save time and reduce guesswork when you’re swapping builds for Expeditions or checking what your teammates actually brought.

Bug fixes read like a laundry list of multiplayer pain points. The Augur invasion teleport bug (which could send you to the wrong arena mid‑critical hit) is fixed, Sites of Grace/Church activation issues were mitigated, and a pile of expedition/result menu display errors were corrected. In short: fewer strange edge cases where your build or reward tracking goes sideways.

What this means for players at launch

Two practical pieces of advice. First, update before you queue for Expeditions with friends on day one — the patch changes how relics register and how Personal Objectives behave across players, and old clients won’t show relics correctly in results. Second, if you lean into melee or faith, consider revisiting older builds: two‑handed and chain attack buffs mean you can squeeze more DPS out of familiar weapons without changing gear.

There’s a tension here that’s worth watching: broadening triggers but lowering peak effectiveness often smooths extremes without fully removing them. That typically makes the meta more forgiving for newcomers while nudging top‑end play toward coordination and timing rather than exploiting a single overpowered relic interaction.

Why now — and why you should care

The Forsaken Hollows DLC drops December 4, and 1.03 is the gatekeeper that ensures the new zones, characters, bosses and the Shifting Earth event behave as intended. Patch timing matters: balancing before new content launches reduces the likelihood of immediate exploits and gives the community a slightly more stable baseline for discovering metas. It’s the kind of maintenance update that doesn’t grab headlines but shapes the first week of a DLC’s life.

TL;DR

Nightreign 1.03 is more than DLC support — it nudges relics, buffs two‑handed and combo attacks, makes Wrath of Gold cheaper and stronger, and cleans up a stack of multiplayer and UI bugs. If you’re showing up for The Forsaken Hollows on December 4, install this patch first and consider retooling melee and faith builds to exploit the new bonuses.