Recluse is Elden Ring Nightreign’s elemental spellcaster, but I won’t lie, she’s definitely not the easiest to pick up.
Her whole thing is this cool but complex system where she collects elemental residues from enemies and teammates to keep her FP topped off and then blasts out these powerful mixed-element Magic Cocktails.
The catch is that you’ve got to stay on top of managing all these different elemental effects, juggling residues, and timing your combos just right. Unlike other casters who just spam spells until mana runs out, Recluse requires a bit more finesse to keep that magic flowing without running dry.
If you can get the hang of her resource juggling, though, she becomes an absolute beast who can keep firing off spells nonstop and support the squad in ways no one else can.
Not sure if this character’s for you? Check out our character tier list for Nightreign.
Best character build for Recluse
How to play Recluse
Recluse’s main stats to focus on are Intelligence and Faith because she’s all about magic and both of those are maxed out for her.
FP is her lifeblood and thanks to her passive Elemental Defense and Magic Cocktail ability, she’s great at keeping that FP topped up.
Her playstyle is all about hitting enemies with different elemental spells like Fire, Magic, Lightning, or Holy to create these things called affinity residues. Then she uses her Magic Cocktail skill to collect those residues which instantly refills her FP and powers up her skill meter.
When she has three residues stored she can unleash a huge mixed-element Magic Cocktail that changes depending on which elements you gathered.
So in a fight you’re constantly switching up spells to build different cocktails allowing you to cast nonstop without worrying about running out of FP which is a huge plus compared to other casters.
Recluse isn’t just a damage dealer either. She has spells that buff your team’s HP, reduce status effects, parry attacks, or shield allies so she’s a pretty solid support too.
That said she is a glass cannon; her HP and stamina are on the lower side so you have to keep your distance and use crowd control spells smartly to avoid getting swarmed. Not great for solo play.
Recluse abilities & attributes
Abilities
- Passive: Elemental Defense
Enhances resistance to elemental damage and lets Recluse discover affinity residues to replenish FP. Residues can also be collected from allies, supporting team synergy.
- Character Skill: Magic Cocktail
Absorbs elemental residues from targets to fill orbs. Once three orbs are charged, casting again unleashes a unique Magic Cocktail spell, varying in effects based on residue combination. This skill is key to replenishing FP and managing spellcasting resources.
- Ultimate Art: Mixed Affinity Spells
Depending on residue mix, unleash devastating attacks such as exploding gravity orbs, protective veils, healing breath, or lightning rods. Versatility in elemental combos makes her ultimate adaptive to any situation.
Attributes
Best Relic effects for Recluse
Putting points into Intelligence and Faith is an obvious choice since they boost spell damage and overall effectiveness. Since Recluse relies a lot on regenerating FP by collecting residues, Relics that increase her FP pool or help her gather more residues are super helpful.
It also makes sense to use Relics that improve her defenses or lower how much FP her spells use to keep her alive longer and able to cast more. There are even some Relics that make her elemental spells hit harder or make her healing spells stronger.
Early Game
- Increased Intelligence and Faith
- Improved FP regeneration and max FP
- Enhanced elemental damage from spells
Late Game
- Increase magic damage multipliers
- FP restoration on residue absorption
- Increase elemental resistances
Best weapons
Recluse can get her hands on a lot of staffs, especially in the early game, but only a few of them are worth your time.
Early Game
Late Game
Best seals
Check out the best weapons in Elden Ring Nightreign here.
Other build guides
If you’re not super happy with the Recluse, you can check out other builds:
Best Raider build in Elden Ring Nightreign