Elden Ring Nightreign recently announced an additional character class that wasn't available in the beta test earlier this year: the Ironeye archer class. The announcement has me even more excited than I already was for Nightreign's launch, and it might finally make Soulsborne archery a top-tier option. The viability of archery in Soulsbornes has always been less than ideal. Even in Elden Ring, where archery is meant to be on the same level as any melee or caster build, it's simply not nearly as OP as the other options in practice.

After the announcement of Nightreign's re-imagined formula might be the perfect medium for Souls archery mechanics to finally reach their full potential, with more fast-paced gameplay, streamlined progression, and special skills making archery a more viable choice overall.

Archery In Soulsborne Games Has Historically Been Lacking

Pre-Elden Ring Souls Archery Was More Of A Tool Than A Weapon

Historically speaking, archery in Soulsborne games hasn't really been a viable option at all, functioning more as a tool than a weapon. In Demon's Souls, archery builds were possible to a certain extent, but you had to basically give up any hopes of leveling your character due to the cost of arrows, and you didn't stand a chance if you ended up in a close-combat situation or accidentally aggro'd the wrong enemies. While you could forget about an archery build in the original Dark Souls, it was slightly more feasible by Dark Souls 3 thanks to weapon arts.

"Ultimately, it's just not as fun to play as an archer as the other build types in Elden Ring."

In Elden Ring, archery was definitely overhauled to put it closer to the same level as melee and magic builds, but ultimately it's just not as fun to play as an archer as the other build types. I found archery in Elden Ring excellent for niche situations, and usually more as a tool to draw out singular enemies from groups or to clear some easy targets before entering a certain area. Even if you enjoy playing as an archer in Elden Ring, there are simply way more powerful and practical options that don't require as much maintenance.

What The Ironeye Class Is In Nightreign

Ironeye Has Mobility & Looks As Versatile As The Other Classes

Ironeye is the newest Nightfarer of the eight promised character archetypes available to play in Elden Ring Nightreign. Four of those character classes have already been revealed - Wylder, Guardian, Duchess, and Recluse - all of which were playable in the Nightreign beta earlier this year. Each Nightfarer has their own unique specialty, with the new Ironeye class being archery. Ironeye looks to be just as mobile and dexterous as the other classes, which is essential for the fast-paced nature of Nightreign's gameplay.

It's also confirmed that Ironeye will have unlimited ammo, so constantly crafting or purchasing arrows, crossbow bolts, etc. will no longer be a concern. Further, there appear to be powerful close-range combat mechanics built into Ironeye's move set alongside the obvious long-range advantages of an archery build. The trailer features a critical attack from behind an enemy where Ironeye is pulling arrows out after a point-blank shot. Bows will also be easier to enhance with elemental effects such as poison and flame thanks to the multitude of item drops during Nightreign gameplay.

Why Ironeye Might Be The Answer To Souls Archery

Nightreign's Ironeye Removes Limitations & Will Make Archery Fun

Now that we've had a brief glimpse at gameplay of the Ironeye class in Nightreign, there's good reason to be hopeful that the above limitations to Souls archery have been removed. For starters, unlimited ammo is a game-changer, removing the biggest barrier to viable Souls archery builds by far. It's incredibly annoying and momentum-killing to constantly be stocking up on arrows or tediously crafting or purchasing more ammo. If I'm no longer worried about running out of ammo, I'm going in full tilt and having way more fun, full stop.

Close-range viability is a further strength and improvement from previous Souls archery mechanics. Being able to take on tough bosses when cornered is especially important with the shrinking circle of acid rain encroaching during Nightreign's daily cycles. Ironeye looks versatile enough to strategize around both short- and long-range situations. Further, since you can have multiples of the same Nightfarer in each run, you can easily form a team of Ironeyes and take on Limveld's enemies as an archery trio.

Ironeye might be the answer to Souls archery that we've been waiting for. The new fast-paced gameplay in Elden Ring Nightreign could potentially be the best medium for archery in Soulsborne games. It's no longer going to be sub-optimal to use archery in close-range situations, and the bows and weapon arts will likely be balanced with the other character classes to make them just as strong as any spell or melee-based Nightfarer class. Above all, Ironeye has me hopeful that Souls archery is finally going to be fun.