Elden Ring Nightreign map icons and what they mean

Not sure of where to head first? This'll help.

Elden Ring Nightreign is about to drop, and this handy guide will explain what all its important map icons mean.

Time is always running short in Nightreign, so it’s always a good idea to fire up your map and plan out your travels. Here’s what each map icon means:

Map icon	What it means
	This golden circle should be familiar to Elden Ring fans as a State of Grace. This is where you’ll insta-heal and be able to level up using all the runes you collect from fallen enemies.
	Buildings or caverns labelled with these icons show weapons of a specific damage type within. You’ll likely have to fight a high-powered boss to obtain whatever’s there. Damage types range from fire (red), lightning (blue), poison (green), and more.
	These icons are perhaps the most important on the map. These are Churches, and each Church will allow you to gain one extra healing flask. Make these a priority.
	These icons show Towns, which will usually house a ghostly merchant. They’re useful to buy Smithing Stones to upgrade your weaponry (and there’s usually an upgrade bench beside the merchant), alongside other handy items.
	This is an Evergaol, which gates a powerful enemy (or multiple enemies). If you want to take on this challenge, you’ll need a Stonesword Key to first unlock the gaol.
	Stuck at the lowest point on the map? These are Spritstreams and can be activated to propel you quite high up. These are useful when running a closing ring of fire.
	Similar to the entry directly above, these are Spectral Hawk Trees. When activated, you’ll ride a hawk, much like you did when you started the run you’re on. They’re useful when you need to travel great distances fast.
	If you see this, either get excited or scared. They mark Notable Enemies, so be prepared for equal amounts of risk and reward!

Of course, another big component of the map is the all-devouring ring of fire that’ll mean pretty much instant death if you venture out on the wrong side of it. The map will tell you where the ring is (and where it’s going), like so:

In the image above, the ring is represented by the blue circle, and the white circle shows where it will collapse to. In this instance, it’s heading to circle the Erdtree, which will also be the location of your big final fight each night.

There you have it — knowledge is half the battle in Nightreign, so consider yourself armed and dangerous.

Expect Elden Ring Nightreign from 30 May 2025 on Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PS4, and PS5. We reviewed it here.

Elden Ring Nightreign 30 May 2025 PC PS5 Xbox Series S & X   Buy on Windows PC: Steam Buy on Xbox: Microsoft Store, Amazon Buy on PlayStation: PlayStation Store, Amazon