The Executor class in Elden Ring Nightreign is a real standout, a high-risk, high-reward warrior that feels like a love letter to Sekiro fans. With the ability to whip out a cursed sword, the Suncatcher, and deflect any incoming attack with a well-timed parry, you'd think the path to victory is paved with perfectly timed L1 presses. Many players are scouring the internet for the ultimate Elden Ring elden ring nightreign executor best parry build, and for good reason. The fantasy of standing firm against a charging Nightlord and breaking their stance is awesome. But let's be real, the reality in the fast-paced, co-op world of Nightreign is a bit more complicated.
The Parry Dilemma: Is the Suncatcher Stance a Trap?
So, what's the deal with the Executor's signature parry? While the Suncatcher stance lets you deflect attacks, it also forces you into a slow walk, which can be a massive pain in the butt. In a game that often encourages you to rush bosses against a timer, being stuck in molasses is less than ideal. In co-op, bosses frequently switch targets, dashing across the arena to smack your mage buddy. This leaves you constantly dropping the stance, sprinting to catch up, and trying to re-engage. It can feel clunky, and some players argue the damage payoff for landing those parries just isn't worth the hassle compared to other, more straightforward damage builds. You might parry a couple of hits, only for the boss to completely ignore you for the next 30 seconds. 😩
Mastering the True Parry: A Tool, Not a Crutch
The secret to making a proper parry build work in 2025 is to stop thinking of the Suncatcher as your main mode of combat. It's a defensive tool, not a primary stance. The best players weave in quick attacks with their main weapon (the Executor's one-handed katana moveset is incredibly fast) and then seamlessly switch to the Suncatcher to deflect a telegraphed boss combo. You can even use the sheathing and unsheathing animations for their built-in deflection frames!
To make this style truly shine, you need the right Relics. Focus on effects that reward your defensive play. Here are some game-changers:
| Relic Effect | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Heal on Guard/Crit | Provides sustain, letting you tank hits for the team. |
| Increased Poise Damage | Helps you break the boss's stance faster for critical hits. |
| Aggro Attraction | Relics that make enemies more likely to target you are a godsend in co-op. |
| Executor's Goblet | An Executor-exclusive Relic that provides major benefits. |
By building around these concepts, you can become the defensive anchor your team needs, creating massive openings for everyone to pile on the damage. It's a high-skill playstyle, but man, is it satisfying when it clicks.
The Real "Best" Build: The Triple Status Meltdown
Here's the ironic twist: the most dominant, absolutely busted build for the Executor barely uses the parry mechanic at all. Instead, it turns your starting katana into a weapon of mass destruction that melts bosses by applying three status effects at once. Get this—it's so broken that you might never go back. This is arguably the Elden Ring elden ring nightreign executor best parry build because it's so effective it bypasses the need for complex parrying altogether.
This build leverages the Executor's insane S-tier scaling in the Arcane stat. Here's what you need:
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Night of the Wise Relic: Obtained from defeating Gnoster, Wisdom of Night. This gives your starting katana the Poison affinity, stacking on top of its innate Bleed.
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Night of Miasma Relic: Dropped by Caligo, Miasma of Night. This grants you the Chilling Mist Ash of War, allowing you to apply Frostbite.
With these two Relics, every swing of your katana builds up Bleed, Poison, and Frostbite. Bleed chunks health, Frostbite does the same while making the enemy take more damage, and Poison adds a damage-over-time effect. Thanks to your high Arcane, you can proc these statuses with ridiculous speed, liquefying even the toughest Nightlords into a puddle of goo. Pro tip: both of those bosses are weak to Fire, so gear up accordingly for those runs.
Gear and Final Touches
Whichever path you choose, upgrading your starting katana is a must. You can find basic Smithing Stones from merchants in enemy camps and the purple +2 stones from minibosses in mineshafts. For the status build, pump every point you can into Arcane to maximize your proc speed. For the parry build, a mix of Dexterity and Vigor is more balanced.
The beauty of the Executor is this versatility. You can go for the high-skill, satisfying parry playstyle or you can equip a couple of Relics and just watch boss health bars evaporate. So, while you came here looking for a parry build, you might just leave with one of the most powerful builds in all of Elden Ring Nightreign. Good luck, Tarnished! 😉