Elden Ring Nightreign: How to Find the Mountaintop Secret

Overview: The Mountaintop Region

The Mountaintop is located in the northwest corner of the Limveld region, characterized by its towering snow-capped peaks and chilly, harsh environment. This area introduces a new environmental challenge-extreme cold, which will gradually drain your stamina and health if you're unprepared.

Despite the tough conditions and numerous mini-bosses, this ascent is well worth the effort. At the summit, you'll discover a powerful secret that grants invaluable buffs to help you in your upcoming encounters, especially against the Nightlords.

Step 1: Preparing for the Climb

Before heading up the Mountaintop, make sure you're ready to face the cold and tough enemies:

Bring Cold Resistance Gear: Equip armor or talismans that boost frost or cold resistance. Items that reduce stamina drain or increase health regeneration will also help during this climb.

Stock Up on Fire-Based Items: Fire buffs or consumables like Fire Grease can counter frost damage and help reduce buildup.

Prepare Healing Items: The cold environment can chip away at your health, so bring plenty of healing flasks or consumables.

Step 2: The Path Up the Mountain

Start your journey at the southern base of the Mountaintop. From there, follow the main winding path that snakes upward. You can choose to take the east or west routes, each featuring different mini-bosses and enemy camps.

Mini-Bosses & Field Bosses: Expect to encounter several powerful foes guarding the paths. These bosses are tougher than regular enemies but offer valuable experience and loot. Be ready for ambushes and don't rush.

Explore Points of Interest: Along the way, you'll find hidden caves, abandoned camps, and small shrines that can offer items, lore, or shortcuts.

Step 3: Dealing with the Cold

The freezing climate is more than just aesthetic-it's a gameplay hazard:

Frostbite Build-Up: Standing in the cold for too long increases frostbite buildup, which can severely reduce your stamina regeneration and damage output.

Use Buffs Wisely: Activate fire-based buffs before prolonged exposure. If your frostbite meter gets too high, retreat to safer areas or use consumables that cleanse status effects.

Favor of the Mountaintop Buff: Once obtained (see below), this will halve your frostbite buildup and make the environment more manageable.

Step 4: Reaching the Summit

At the peak of the mountain, you won't find a traditional boss fight. Instead, you'll discover a cluster of mysterious blue crystals pulsating with energy.

Interact with the Crystals: Touching these crystals grants you the Favor of the Mountaintop-a powerful buff that halves frostbite buildup, greatly reducing environmental damage and stamina drain.

Boost Frostbite Attack: Nearby crystals also increase your frostbite attack power, which is helpful if you're using frost-related weapons or magic.

Optional Challenge: The Flying Dragon

For those seeking an extra challenge at the summit:

Confront the Flying Dragon: This formidable airborne enemy patrols the skies near the Mountaintop. Defeating it will grant an Attack Boost against Dragons, useful for later encounters where draconic foes appear.

Preparation Tip: Bring ranged attacks or high mobility spells to handle this aerial threat, and use the terrain to your advantage.

Summary: Why the Mountaintop Secret Matters

Survivability: The Favor of the Mountaintop dramatically improves your ability to survive in freezing conditions, letting you spend more time fighting and exploring.

Combat Advantage: The frostbite attack boost enhances your damage potential, especially if you use frost-infused weapons or spells.

Strategic Edge: The dragon attack boost can give you a critical advantage in late-game fights, where dragons and dragon-like bosses become prevalent.

Climbing the Mountaintop is a tough but rewarding journey. With preparation, patience, and skill, you'll unlock a secret that could very well tip the scales in your favor in Elden Ring Nightreign's toughest battles.

Beyond the environmental buffs, conquering the Mountaintop's mini-bosses and challenges also grants you valuable runes, Elden Ring's essential currency used to level up your character, purchase Elden Ring items, and upgrade gear. Collecting Elden Ring runes here can accelerate your progression, letting you bolster your stats, such as Vitality for increased health or Endurance for better stamina, which are crucial when facing Nightlords and other late-game threats.

Remember to balance rune farming with upgrading your frost resistance and offensive capabilities. This dual approach ensures you're both durable against the harsh mountain climate and powerful enough to strike down enemies efficiently.

So equip your best frost-boosting talismans, stock up on healing and fire consumables, and prepare to ascend. The runes, buffs, and secrets atop the Mountaintop await those brave enough to climb.