Last updated on October 1st, 2026 at 11:15 am
I understand. OK, you are sick of being beaten to death by Nightlords in starter gear. The first three runs were difficult because I kept myself from diving into the upgrade system. Here’s what actually works.
Table of Contents
The Foundations: Two Stones and Four Tiers.
Nightreign abandoned the base-game upgrade routes. Now it’s straightforward:
Smithing Stone transforms white-border guns to blue (Uncommon). You can find these everywhere: buy them from Ghostly Merchants for 6,500 Runes, find them in chests, or get them from enemy drops. Then visit any Smithing Table close to merchants (check forts, churches, camps) and upgrade at no cost.
Smithing Stone is a weapon pushed to purple (Rare). The drawback is that you can’t purchase these. Go to the mines marked on your map (watch out for the tunnel entrance icons), kill the boss inside (most likely a Troll or a Pumpkin Head), and you will get one stone per mine.
Gold-border Legendary gear? That’s where it gets interesting.
The Secret: Free Legendary Upgrades.
Most players level up to 10 to get legendary loot. Sophisticated gamers do not bother at all.
Once you conquer Gladius (the first major Nightlord), a world event becomes available, called Shifting Earth: The Crater. There is also a Special Armament Strengthening table in this volcanic region that upgrades a weapon, regardless of its color- white, blue, purple, or any other color- directly to legendary. Zero materials needed.
This is the reason why it is broken: no level requirement. You need level 10 to obtain a regular legendary. Crater upgrades? Use them at level 1 if you want.
The downside? You only get one per run. Choose carefully.
Day-by-Day Strategy
Day 1: Don’t go shopping around. Take a Smithing Stone from the first merchant you meet, then upgrade your starting weapon to blue. Smith a nearby mine into a Smithing Stone. Damage increases will get you through the initial zones much faster than picking up stones will.
Day 2-3: Going to the Crater route? When you get there, you want at least level 6, minimum, 8 Optimal, before you can go with it. Once I tried it at level 4 – the Fire Prelates laughed at me. The end boss, Magma Wyrm, is a truck hit.
Weapon selection: Don’t take a gun just because it’s stylish. Play your role – Raiders want colossal weapons, Ironeye likes the help of bows, and Revenant will use faith weapons. Look what your target Nightlord is weak to and make an NPV.
Common Mistakes I’ve Made
Preparing it all at the same rate – No. Shoot down one weapon before anyone can shoot at you, and shoot the other later when you have spare stones.
Climbing the Crater on Day 1 – Wait unless you are a masochist. The bosses in the way require the right equipment and grades to deal with.
Disregarding element types – A blue weapon with the right element beats a purple one with the wrong element. Nightlord’s weakness matters more than rarity.
FAQ’s
Can I upgrade various weapons to legendary?
One per Crater table at a time. You could get the legendary drops of bosses individually, but they require level 10.
Are upgrades preserved or not?
Nope. All expeditions refresh upgrades; still, weapons that you have unlocked remain in your inventory.
Is it better to purchase Smithing Stone (the farm) or farm it?
Buy. 6,500 Runes is also a much faster way to save time than running up to the chests.
The Real Talk
The quickest way to get to legendary clothes without the hard grind is the Crater method. It is not simple; those bosses will challenge you, but one successful run grants you an amazing weapon you can use in the next adventure right after the legendary farm.
Skip the long grind. Know the Crater path, choose the weapon that suits your class, and you’ll melt the Nightlords much faster than those still farming to recruit level 10 items.
Also Read: Elden Ring Nightreign Gameplay Mechanics Guide
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