Commander Niall is an optional boss in Castle Sol, in the Mountaintops of the Giants. The safest general plan is to control the two spectral knights he summons before committing to Niall, then avoid his wind attacks and punish the recovery after they end. Defeating him awards Veteran’s Prosthesis and a guide-reported 90,000 runes, and gives you the Haligtree Secret Medallion (Left), which helps unlock the Consecrated Snowfield.
Where to find Commander Niall
Niall waits in Castle Sol in the Mountaintops of the Giants. He is optional for the main-game route, but defeating him matters if you want to pursue the optional Consecrated Snowfield area: he guards the Haligtree Secret Medallion (Left), one half of the medallion route. The Elden Ring Wiki describes this progression link; it is a community-edited reference.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
ELDEN RING: Tarnished Edition - Nintendo Switch 2 | $79.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Elden Ring (PS5) (European Version) | $34.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Bandai Namco Entertainment Elden Ring (PS4) | $47.44 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition | Digital | Nintendo Switch 2 Digital Code | $79.99 | Buy on Amazon |
How to handle the two spectral knights
The fight begins with Niall summoning two spectral knights, each with its own health bar, while he stays behind them. The pair can close in quickly and flank you in the compact arena, so avoid letting both pin you against a wall.
- Keep an exit route. Move around the arena rather than backing into a corner, and watch both knights as they charge.
- Thin the opening group. For most players, killing the knights first makes the main fight easier by removing the immediate multi-enemy pressure. Prioritize whichever you can safely isolate; do not trade hits with both just to maintain damage.
- Reassess once they are gone. Niall joins the fight in earnest after both knights fall. Push Square’s encounter guide says Spirit Ashes become available at this point.
A build that can safely pressure Niall while keeping the knights controlled may choose another order, but that is a higher-risk alternative: the key test is whether you can avoid being flanked while still landing reliable damage.
#1 Best Overall
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition contains the Elden Ring Base Game + Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion + Additional Content (including Torrent Skins, New Armors, and More...)
- MASSIVE OPEN WORLD
- DEEP, CUSTOMIZABLE COMBAT
- NEW STARTING CLASSES
- NEW PLAYER-FRIENDLY ENHANCEMENTS
How to punish Niall’s attacks
After the knights are defeated, Niall uses wind and lightning attacks at both close and long range. Do not assume distance alone makes you safe; watch the attack itself and leave room to evade.
Wind attacks
When Niall starts an arena-covering wind move, retreat far enough to avoid the active effect. Wait for it to finish, then move back in: Push Square describes a recovery window in which Niall is tired and vulnerable. Attacking during the wind effect risks taking damage instead of using that opening.
Rank #2
- Collaborating with George R.R. Martin to create the ELDEN RING mythos has been a genuinely delightful experience and a source of wonderful inspiration. The team is working hard to ensure that the world of ELDEN RING will be a fascinating place for players to explore, filled with peril and wonder from its furthest reaches to its lowest depths. This is a FromSoftware title through and through, rich in fantasy and RPG action. We sincerely hope you look forward to it.
- Building the world of ELDEN RING with Miyazaki-san and his team was a treat! The graphics, mythos, and action-RPG gameplay will deliver an unforgettable experience. I can’t wait for people to see what ELDEN RING has in store for them.” Said George R.R. Martin.
Lightning attacks
Stay alert for lightning whether you are close or farther away, and focus first on avoiding the attack rather than forcing a hit. Take damage opportunities when an attack has clearly resolved; the guide does not establish a universal timing window for every move or build.
Should you use Spirit Ashes or status effects?
Both are optional tactics, not requirements. Push Square recommends using a Spirit Ash to draw Niall’s attention so you can attack from behind, and says ashes can be summoned after the two knights die. If you prefer to fight without one, the same core plan still applies: control the opening enemies, evade Niall’s attacks, and use his recovery.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- A New Fantasy World – Journey through the Lands Between, a new fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential Dark Souls video game series, and George R. R. Martin, author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Unravel the mysteries of the Elden Ring’s power. Encounter adversaries with profound backgrounds, characters with their own unique motivations for helping or hindering your progress, and fearsome creatures
- World Exploration in the Lands Between – Elden Ring features vast fantastical landscapes and shadowy, complex dungeons that are connected seamlessly. Traverse the breathtaking world on foot or on horseback, alone or online with other players, and fully immerse yourself in the grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiraling mountains, foreboding castles and other sites of grandeur on a scale never seen before in a FromSoftware title
- Genre-Defining Gameplay – Create your character in FromSoftware’s refined action-RPG and define your playstyle by experimenting with a wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills found throughout the world. Charge into battle, pick off enemies one-by-one using stealth, or even call upon allies for aid. Many options are at your disposal as you decide how to approach exploration and combat
Push Square describes bleed as effective, while Game8’s Commander Niall guide also lists scarlet rot. These are guide-level matchup recommendations, not guaranteed outcomes: no particular build, status proc, resistance value, or one-hit strategy is established by those claims.
What do you get for defeating Commander Niall?
- Veteran’s Prosthesis: listed as the item drop by Push Square and the Elden Ring Wiki.
- 90,000 runes: the amount reported by Push Square in its 2026 guide; it should not be assumed to apply unchanged across New Game cycles.
- Haligtree Secret Medallion (Left): the progression item Niall guards, used with its counterpart on the route to the Consecrated Snowfield.
Choosing an approach
| Approach | Best fit | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Defeat the knights before focusing on Niall | Players who want to reduce flanking pressure and simplify the arena | Requires spending the opening controlling and defeating both adds |
| Pressure Niall while managing the knights | Players whose build can reliably avoid being surrounded while damaging the boss | More exposure to attacks from multiple enemies |
| Use a Spirit Ash after the knights fall | Players who want an ally to draw Niall’s attention | Depends on whether you want to use a summon and on your available ash |
| Fight without a Spirit Ash | Players who prefer a solo encounter or do not want to summon | You must manage Niall’s attention and create your own openings |
Choose based on how well you can control the arena and exploit Niall’s recovery, rather than on a supposed universally best build.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
