Infamy isn’t an unfamiliar word to the veteran Commander Niall, both in-game and out. He’s seemingly a very basic enemy, with dulled gray armor and basic fur cape, not much is to be expected of this boss, which makes the sudden shock of being totally overwhelmed and killed by his summoned troops before either of you ever even trade blows rather intense.
If there were ever a boss whose name appears more often with the phrase “How to Beat:” than any other time it is said, Niall would be the one. He isn’t the hardest boss of the game, but his fight certainly has a difficulty wall that makes you think, at least for a few tries; How in the world is this a winnable fight?
This guide will show you exactly how to quell those questions, vanquish the veteran, and to confiscate and capture the Commander’s captivating rewards!
Commander Niall Overview
Commander Niall himself isn’t a terribly difficult boss, but his Banished Knights and his bolstering Ash of War is something to be respected and feared, no matter what the case.
He’s a decently challenging foe on his own, but any Elden Ring player this far into the game will know that a perfectly fair fight means the game is finally giving you a breather, which isn’t terribly common. This fight is no exception, it’s overwhelming, outmatching, and can end very, very quickly due to the relentless, hyper-aggressive nature of Commander Niall’s Banished Knights.
Elden Ring Commander Niall Location
Commander Niall can be found in Castle Sol, all the way at the top past a rather threatening band of enemies, Knights, Albanurics, and the like.
Pre-fight Strategy
As per usual, boss fights in Elden Ring aren’t usually something you can stumble into and expect to win without luck, extreme perseverance, or without being decently over-leveled, so preparation is the name of the game.
Level up your summons to at least +7
Summons can be a lifesaver in this battle. A good summon can be your best friend throughout the game, and what constitutes the ‘best’ for this fight can be highly debated. Some summons comes solo and are tanky, others less defensible and in swarming groups, fantastic for confusing a boss, allowing you to deal enormous amounts of damage.
No summons, in particular, is recommended, but it is advised that you level up your summons to at least +7 in order to carry their weight in the fight, giving you the time you need to strike Commander Niall while his troops are distracted.
Pick your fights
Remember that enemies are more likely to attack or ‘aggro’ you if you’ve attacked them, so make sure to be swift, and to go for attacks when Niall is distracted.
Do not go for the soldiers if possible, as killing Niall will simply despawn them, skipping arguably the most difficult portion of the fight.
Underleveled? Try poaching the Mother of All Dragons
If you feel under-leveled for the fight, be sure to visit Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow and kill the massive sleeping dragon. Don’t worry, it won’t attack, and it gives a clean 80k Runes upon its death, which can be improved if you eat a gold-pickled Fowl Foot prior to its death. The effect of the Fowl Foot is limited, so be careful of your timing.
Take advantage of Comannder’s weaknesses
Commander Niall can be affected with most status effects (other than death), and he doesn’t have terribly high resistances, so Frostbite and Bleed are recommended. Despite this, he has 16,000 health, approximately 3,000 more than Radahn.
With this in mind, once you’ve applied Frostbite, it is best to be as aggressive as possible, in order to ensure maximum damage. Be careful of his second phase, in which he gains Lightning damage, which rather easily bypasses any shield defenses.
Fight Strategy
Summons, again
As mentioned in the pre-fight strategy, relying on your summons will likely be crucial. Contrary to the beliefs of many, it is not cheating to use summons in fights. Feel free to ring your Spirit Bell to give yourself the distraction you need to gain the upper hand on Niall.
Bring a sturdy shield
A shield will also be extremely useful, as most of the enemy attacks in this fight are strictly physical. With any good medium or greatshield blocking 100% of physical damage, they’ll be a great help for those with lower vigor or any accident-prone Tarnished. Dodge carefully, and shield sparingly to conserve stamina for unexpected attacks, as every present enemy deals heavy damage with difficult-to-dodge attacks.
He’s got friends, and they hate you
As Niall is able to buff his allies, even more care is needed to assure you aren’t suddenly cornered and one-shot.
If you’re careful, quick, and use your spirit summons to distract the Banished Knights for long enough, you’ll find yourself able to exploit Commander Nialls’ weakness as a solo boss, and he’ll fall quickly.
How to Cheese Commander Niall?
For those who are just fed up with Niall’s fight altogether, or just want the rewards earned for completing the fight, there’s a fairly easy, somewhat silly method to finish him off Sniper-style. The route is complex, so looking up a video guide would be the easiest to figure out where you need to go.
Once you’ve figured that out, head to any arrow-selling merchant, Merchant Kale in the Church of Elleh just out of The First Step would be easiest as he sells infinite basic bolts and arrows. Collect the arrows, any available bow (higher damage will make the process faster), put some music on, and in a few minutes of shooting, he’ll be dead and the rewards will be yours.
Rewards
Upon his defeat, Commander Niall rewards the player with the following:
- 90,000 Runes
- Veteran’s Prosthesis: A fist weapon.
Besides these rewards, the fog wall behind him dissipates and will lead you to a tower that houses a chest, as well.
