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If you’ve bought both Elden Ring: Nightreign and its first expansion, The Forsaken Hollows, you might be wondering where the new characters Scholar and Undertaker are, along with all the other game content. The answer is simple: you need to complete the Tricephalos expedition first to unlock everything else.
This expedition features the Gladius Beast of Night, a large wolf with three heads and a chained sword on its back. As the only Nightlord available, this fight is one of the easier battles, but it still requires some effort and several attempts. Learn how to defeat the Gladius Beast of Night in Elden Ring: Nightreign.
How to Defeat the Gladius Beast of Night (Tricephalos)
When the fight begins, you’ll see the boss in its true form: a wolf with three heads. However, as you deal damage, it will sometimes split into three separate enemies. Let’s focus on its original form first.
Tip: Being level 10 is enough to challenge this boss, but a higher level makes it easier. The boss’s main weakness is Holy damage, so try to equip weapons or spells with Holy properties during your fight.
Gladius can jump forward briefly and attack with all three mouths at once. Rolling backward is an effective way to avoid this attack. Focus your attacks on the boss’s back, especially when it prepares to jump or attack.
While fighting, watch out for quick turns. Gladius may suddenly spin and attack with its head, especially when it stands on its back feet, grabs the sword, and does a 360° attack. Wait for the pause before the spin and dodge just before the sword hits. Be aware that Gladius can spin twice in a row, attacking both times.
It can also bite with one or more heads in quick succession, indicating an upcoming multi-head bite. When on Gladius’s back, it can turn rapidly and strike with its head, so stay alert.
Gladius has long-range attacks with its sword. It can grab the chains on its back and shoot a straight-line attack. Simply rolling aside will help avoid it. However, the boss also throws fire from its mouth—another long-range attack. Don’t get complacent about maintaining distance; this fire reach is very long, and the best tactic is to wait for the boss’s mouths to charge with fire and then dodge to either side when it releases.
A good strategy is to have one player draw the boss’s attention while the other two attack its back and anticipate turns. It’s ideal to have at least one character with long-range attacks, allowing them to dodge quick turns and chain attacks more easily.
When Gladius splits into three enemies
This phase happens temporarily: the three heads split into separate enemies, but they don’t gain new moves. It can be tricky, especially if you’re attacking from a distance, since two of the Gladius copies will focus on just one player, making coordination important.
The best approach is to assign one player to each enemy so everyone knows what to expect. Alternatively, a less experienced player can stay close to a more skilled teammate and focus on taking down one of the Gladius copies.
Note: Only one of the three enemies carries the sword. Concentrate on the two with limited movesets, but don’t forget to keep an eye on your back to avoid surprise attacks. During this phase, it’s often better not to lock onto targets to maintain better control of your camera and awareness.
Additional attack patterns
While bites are easy to dodge—simply roll to the side—Gladius can also stand on its back feet, grab the sword, and perform a 360° attack. Look for a brief pause before the spin, and dodge just before the sword swings. Remember, Gladius can spin twice in a row, attacking both times.
The boss’s long-range sword attack involves grabbing the chains and striking in a straight line. Its mouth fire attack also has a significant reach, so stay cautious and dodge accordingly.
The main tactic during this fight is to designate one player as the main target, drawing most of the attention, while the other two attack Gladius’s back and prepare for quick turns. Long-range players should take advantage of their reach to avoid both quick spins and chain attacks.
After defeating Gladius Beast of Night
Defeating the boss unlocks six additional expeditions from the base game, one DLC expedition called The Balancers, the Night of the Beast relic, an Old Pocketwatch (which grants access to more characters), the two playable characters from The Forsaken Hollows (located in the hub), and various relics to collect.
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