While the Duchess was available from the start in theElden Ring Nightreignclosed network test, you have to unlock her inthe retail version. It’s a bit of a surprise, but then again, the Dark Souls 3 beta had us fighting the Dancer, where the retail game pits us against Vordt. FromSoftware loves a bit of misdirection.
Thankfully, for those who enjoyed her playstyle, which was especially reminiscent ofBloodborne,you can get the Duchess very early on. There are only a few steps to worry about, and it’s not as involved or difficult as some of the Remembrance questlines.
First, You Have To Beat The Tricephalos Expedition
The first step is by far the longest. You have tocomplete the Tricephalos Expedition. You can play as whatever Nightfarer you want, so long as you survive all three nights.
When you beat Gladius, you’ll unlock not only the other six Expeditions, but also the item needed to obtain the Duchess —the old pocketwatch. Don’t worry,it’ll automatically be added to your inventory.
There’s a chance you’ll get the old pocketwatch even if you die to the Expedition’s Nightlord.
Give The Old Pocketwatch To The Priestess
Spoilers for Elden Ring Nightreign follow.
After returning to the Roundtable Hold,speak to the Priestessandgive her the old pocketwatch. She’s the one who introduced you to the hub at the start of the game, and is usually found by the Lost Table of Grace.
A cutscene will ensue, which we saw snippets of in the first Nightreign trailer, where she reveals thatshe was the Duchess all alongand joins you in your fight against the Nightlords.
If you go back andread her journal, you’ll learn a little moreabout her past and how she was summoned by the Iron Menial to forsake her thieving ways to become the Priestess of the Hold.
You can nowselect her from the character menu at any time, like with any other Nightfarer.
The Duchess Is Required For Another Nightfarer
Even if you’re not bothered about playing the Duchess, there are a few reasons whyshe’s still worth unlocking:
Theonly way to unlock the final playable character, the Revenant, is by obtaining the Duchess.Both are incredibly unique characters worth trying at least once, and the Duchess doesn’t take much effort to get. All you need to do is talk to the Priestess. So, it’s worth the extra five minutes.
