If you’ve been spending any time in Limveld lately, you already know the vibe. It’s dark, it’s stressful, and every three-day cycle feels like a desperate sprint against the clock. But nothing puts a damper on a good run quite like running into Gladius, Beast of Night. You’re probably here because that three-headed red wolf just absolutely flattened your team with its chain-sword, and honestly? Same.
Gladius Elden Ring Nightreign is one of those bosses that feels completely impossible until you realize it’s basically a rhythm game played at 200 miles per hour. It’s not just a big dog with a sword. It’s a multi-phase nightmare that punishes greedier players more than almost any other boss in the game. If you’re trying to solo this or carry a couple of randoms through an expedition, you need to understand exactly how those three heads think.
Why Gladius Elden Ring Nightreign Is a Wall for Most Players
Most people treat Gladius like a standard FromSoftware boss. You wait for a big swing, you dodge, you hit once. That doesn't work here. The "Tricephalos" is way too fast for that. The main head handles the sword—a nasty, whip-like chain-blade—while the other two are basically heat-seeking missiles for your ankles.
The fight is a masterclass in "don't stand there." If you see lava dripping from the mouths, you’re about to get roasted. If you see the purple glow, your health bar is about to become a suggestion. It’s chaotic, sure, but there’s a logic to the madness.
The biggest mistake? Over-committing. Because Gladius can cancel into a 360-degree sweep at almost any time, swinging more than twice is basically a death sentence for squishier Nightfarers like the Recluse or Ironeye.
Phase One: The Dance of the Chain-Sword
Basically, you want to stay on the move. Gladius has this annoying habit of repositioning while grabbing the sword on its back. This is the "get out" signal. When he does this, he’s about to spin. You’ve gotta dodge twice—one dodge usually isn't enough to clear the hitbox because the fire explosions have a linger effect.
- The Straight Slam: He lifts the sword and slams it. Dodge sideways. It’s the easiest opening for a heavy attack.
- The Fire Breath: Run. Just run left or right. Don't try to time a dodge through the flames unless you have high fire resistance or a death wish.
- The Purple Bite: This is a grab. If he catches you, it’s a massive chunk of HP gone. Roll backwards, not into him.
If you’re playing with a team, have the Guardian or Wylder take the aggro. While they’re busy not dying, the high-DPS characters need to be chewing on the wolf’s hindquarters.
The Phase Two Split: Everything Goes Wrong
Once you get him down to about 66% health, Gladius does the thing everyone hates. He splits into three separate wolves. This is where most runs end.
Suddenly, you aren't fighting one big target; you're being hunted by a pack. One wolf keeps the sword and stays aggressive, while the other two circle around to bite you in the back. If a red circle appears on your character, you are the target. Don't be a hero. If you have the mark, your only job is to survive and lead the wolves away from your teammates so they can actually do damage.
The wolves are much more agile than the fused version. They hit faster, but they have way less poise. If you’re using someone like Raider with a Grafted Blade Greatsword, you can actually stun-lock the individual wolves if you time your swings right. But seriously, don't get greedy. They will merge back together after a minute or so, and you really want to be alive when that happens.
The Everdark Phase: Fire and Fissures
When the boss hits 70% of his remaining health (or after the first split cycle in some runs), he enters the Everdark phase. It’s visually awesome and mechanically terrifying. He gets new follow-ups to his sword combos that create massive fire explosions.
The combo you need to watch for is: Downward slam -> Downward slam -> 360 sweep -> Horizontal lunge.
It feels like it never ends. You have to stay patient. The final lunge has a massive hitbox, so you're better off running perpendicularly than trying to iframe through it. Also, watch the ground. He starts creating fissures that look a lot like Heolstor’s ultimate move. If you see the ground glowing, get out of the kitchen.
Best Builds for Taking Down Gladius
You can't just walk in with whatever you found in a chest and expect to win. Well, you can, but it’ll be a short trip.
The Holy Weapon Meta
Seriously, go find a Holy armament. If you can get your weapon upgraded to purple (Epic) at the Roundtable Hold using smithing stones from the mines, the fight becomes 40% easier. Gladius is weirdly weak to Holy damage. Using something like Marika’s Hammer or the Sacred Relic Sword (if you’re playing Revenant) makes the HP bar melt.
The Raider Strategy
If you want the "easy mode" for this fight, play Raider. His S-scaling in Strength means he can use the heavy-hitting Colossal weapons to break the boss's posture. A staggered Gladius is a sad Gladius. Pair him with a Guardian who can block the 360 sweeps, and you’ve got a winning combo.
Scarlet Rot: The Secret Cheese
Believe it or not, this beast isn't very resistant to Scarlet Rot. If you can get a weapon or skill that applies the rot, you can just play defensively and let the tick damage do the work. It’s a bit of a "coward's way out," but in Limveld, survival is the only thing that matters.
Key Takeaways for Your Next Run
- Watch the mouth: Purple = Grab, Lava = Fire breath.
- Dodge twice: The chain-sword has a follow-up explosion that usually catches people who only dodge once.
- Holy damage is king: If your weapon isn't glowing yellow, you're doing it wrong.
- Respect the mark: If the red circle is on you during the split phase, stop attacking and start kiting.
- Don't panic in Phase 3: The fissures are scary, but they follow a set pattern. Look at the floor more than the boss.
The Gladius Elden Ring Nightreign fight is basically the gateway to the late-game expeditions. Once you've mastered the timing of his leaps and learned to survive the split phase, the rest of Limveld starts to feel a lot more manageable. Grab your friends, get some Holy grease, and go put that dog down.
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Next time you head into an expedition, make sure your team has at least one person dedicated to crowd control for the split phase; having an Ironeye with frost arrows can slow the wolves down enough to keep the red-circled player from getting cornered. Check your inventory for any Relics that boost fire negation before the third night starts, as that "mega nuke" in the Everdark phase is usually what ends a perfect run.