In the expansive world of Elden Ring, the bow typically serves as a secondary weapon, often used to draw enemy attention, weaken foes from a distance, or strategically eliminate certain enemies for rune farming. However, in the game Nightreign, the bow takes center stage as the core weapon for the Ironeye class, offering a unique playstyle distinct from the other classes. This makes Ironeye the closest thing to a support class in Nightreign. Dive into the Ironeye's gameplay in the exclusive video below.

My first impression of playing as the Ironeye was their vulnerability. While they can wield any weapon, sticking to the bow is crucial to stay safe from direct combat, as they can't withstand many hits, particularly early in the game. Thankfully, the starting bow is robust, delivering solid damage and featuring the Mighty Shot skill. This skill allows for long-range attacks, increased damage, and additional poise damage, making it a valuable asset.

It's important to note that Nightreign has significantly revamped the mechanics of bows. They now shoot faster, and players can move more swiftly while targeting locked-on enemies. Moreover, the need for a constant supply of arrows has been eliminated, though you're limited to the arrow type of your equipped bow. Other enhancements include a new shooting animation from a roll, the ability to perform acrobatic maneuvers like running up walls and shooting mid-leap, the option to aim without entering first-person mode, and a strong attack that disperses three arrows to hit multiple foes. Additionally, you can now execute backstabs or visceral attacks on downed enemies using arrows. These changes make the bow a formidable primary weapon in Nightreign, addressing the limitations it had in the base version of Elden Ring.

When playing as the Ironeye, the bow is not just a tool but the essence of the class. The Ironeye's primary skill, Marking, is a swift dagger dash that pierces through enemies, marking them for increased damage from all sources. With a short cooldown, this skill can be maintained on a boss continuously if you're vigilant about the debuff's duration. It also serves as an excellent mobility tool, allowing you to dash through enemies to escape danger.

The Ironeye's ultimate ability, Single Shot, is a potent, charged attack. During the charging phase, you're invulnerable, and once released, the shot delivers massive damage, piercing through obstacles and enemies in a straight line, perfect for clearing groups.

The Ironeye truly excels in team settings due to their ability to revive allies from a safe distance. In Nightreign, reviving a downed ally involves emptying a partitioned circle above their character through attacks. While most classes must risk close combat or expend resources to revive, the Ironeye can do so from afar without any cost. This capability can be the deciding factor in a team's success. However, the challenge increases with each ally's faint, as more partitions are added to the circle, making it tougher for the Ironeye to revive an ally requiring all three parts to be cleared without using their ultimate.

Although the Ironeye may not match the raw damage output of other classes, their utility on a team is unparalleled. From enhancing team damage with their marking ability, increasing item drops for the squad, clearing mobs with their ultimate, to safely reviving teammates, the Ironeye's contributions are invaluable among Nightreign's nightfarers.