Elden Ring Nightreign's Equilibrious Beast, Libra, overwhelms with speed and ferocity, weaving multiple attack patterns together and building madness with almost every hit. Unlike some Night Lord bosses, Libra has methods of controlling most of the battle arena, even if its attention is locked to one character. Mobility and well-timed uses of ultimate abilities are key to winning this fight.
Our Elden Ring Nightreign Equilibrious Beast boss guide breaks down Libra's attacks and weaknesses, with some recommendations for the best team combinations to tackle the fight with.
Whether you should make a deal with Libra depends on the offer. Some have negative effects that make the fight more challenging than it needs to be, such as giving Libra greater damage resistance or reviving the boss after defeat. Others are less problematic. When I played as the Recluse, for example, I had the choice to improve Incantation or magic power at the cost of a sorcery type I wasn't using or by giving Libra stronger spell-casting power. Just make sure to read the description so you know what you're getting.
If you attack Libra before speaking or refuse to make a deal, there's no negative effect as far as we can tell. The battle just proceeds as usual.
Libra has just a handful of attacks and no noticeable second phase, unlike some Night Lords. The only difference as you deplete this boss' health is that Libra starts using certain attacks more frequently, such as the clouds of madness, or makes them faster and more powerful, like with their madness sigils.
The boss-selection menu tells you that Libra deals madness damage and is also weak to madness damage. While we never saw evidence that Libra suffers from the madness affliction like other enemies do--where they suffer extra damage after a period of buildup--it's true that the boss takes extra damage from madness weapons and spells.
Those are hard to find, though, and you might have more than a few runs without a madness camp showing up on the map. If so, or if the weapons you get from a madness camp don't suit your build, Libra is also prone to frostbite and blood loss. Ice weapons and spells, katanas, daggers with bleed effects, or, if you're lucky, a bow with the bloodloss effect, are all suitable choices.
By Day 2, if you don't have any weapons that take your fancy, spend time getting Smithing Stone 2 in Limveld's mines. That way, you can upgrade whatever weapons you are using and dish out plenty of damage, even if you can't exploit Libra's weaknesses.
Libra moves quickly, but often targets just single teammate or uses close-range attacks. You want at least one ranged character who can maintain pressure while the beast is targeting a teammate or while you're out of their attack range. The other necessary component for this fight is an ultimate art that damages enemies--so, the Wylder, Ironeye, Guardian, or Raider. At several points during the fight, Libra will start to generate a shell that, if left unbroken, increases the boss's resistance to all attacks for several minutes. The Executor's ultimate is useful, but often not powerful enough to break the shell before it forms.
Ironeye is the best choice, since they're less reliant on lucky item drops and can still dish out quite a lot of damage just by upgrading their standard bow. One hit from their ultimate is also enough to shatter Libra's shell before it forms. The Recluse is also useful--doubly so if you manage to nab a madness-related spell or Incantation--though their reliance on item drops for stronger Magic Cocktail spells means you might get stuck with just Glintstone Pebble for the fight.
The Duchess is another worthwhile consideration. Her ultimate deals no damage, but her extra dodge and longer evasion window makes it easier to avoid Libra's staff strikes and escape from madness sigils before they activate.
If you're looking for some extra support, check out our Elden Ring Nightreign guides hub which includes the best ways to farm runes, where to find smithing stones to upgrade weapons, and how to increase healing flask charges.
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Our Elden Ring Nightreign Equilibrious Beast boss guide breaks down Libra's attacks and weaknesses, with some recommendations for the best team combinations to tackle the fight with.
Should you make a deal with the Scale-Bearing Merchant?
Pro tip: It's never worth giving up levels for a random weapon.Whether you should make a deal with Libra depends on the offer. Some have negative effects that make the fight more challenging than it needs to be, such as giving Libra greater damage resistance or reviving the boss after defeat. Others are less problematic. When I played as the Recluse, for example, I had the choice to improve Incantation or magic power at the cost of a sorcery type I wasn't using or by giving Libra stronger spell-casting power. Just make sure to read the description so you know what you're getting.
If you attack Libra before speaking or refuse to make a deal, there's no negative effect as far as we can tell. The battle just proceeds as usual.
Libra attacks and counters
Libra chains this attack with ground sigils as well, so keep an eye on the ground.Libra has just a handful of attacks and no noticeable second phase, unlike some Night Lords. The only difference as you deplete this boss' health is that Libra starts using certain attacks more frequently, such as the clouds of madness, or makes them faster and more powerful, like with their madness sigils.
Staff smash
- Libra performs a three-hit staff combo--two horizontal strikes, followed by a powerful overhead slam. The overhead attack has a slightly longer delay. Libra may use variations of this pattern, with multiple horizontal strikes before using the overhead smash
- Dodge toward Libra to evade all three and give yourself a little extra time to land a hit, if you're on the offensive
Rotating madness sigil
- Libra summons a single sigil that fires a beam of madness-infused energy. This sigil rotates around the boss in a circle
- Dodge sideways in the direction that it's approaching from--if it's coming from your right, for example, dodge through it to the right
Rain of madness
- Libra builds a circle of deep orange clouds above itself. The clouds rain down madness after a few seconds
- Libra also uses a weaker version of this attack with three bursts of madness rain in a smaller range
- Retreat away from Libra so you aren't under the clouds or rain
Madness sigils
- Libra summons large sigils that appear under you and, after a few seconds, explode with madness-infused energy. During frenzy phases and later in the battle, Libra will summon more of these at a faster pace, often while using other attacks
- Dodge out of the sigil as soon as it appears
Building madness
- Libra remains still while the air turns orange and your madness meter gradually builds. Once Libra finishes chanting, your madness meter maxes out, and you take extensive damage
- Interrupt Libra with an ultimate art. If that's not possible or if it fails to stagger them, focus on collecting the little orange diamonds scattered around. These cleanse a small amount of madness and let you survive the final burst
Frenzied shield
- Libra creates a sphere of energy around itself. If uninterrupted, Libra completes the shield, causes a small explosion, and takes less damage while the shield lasts. If you break it, Libra enters a frenzied state with double attack speed
- If you've got a good grasp on Libra's patterns already, it's often worth just dealing with the shield's increased damage resistance instead of having to put up with a relentless barrage of attacks. If you feel up to it, though, shatter the shield with an ultimate art, such as the Ironeye's or Wylder's. Extended uses of dragon breath Incantations can also break the shield, though the Recluse is usually the only one with an FP pool large enough to pull it off
Libra weaknesses
Collect the orange crystals scattered around the arena to stave off madness.The boss-selection menu tells you that Libra deals madness damage and is also weak to madness damage. While we never saw evidence that Libra suffers from the madness affliction like other enemies do--where they suffer extra damage after a period of buildup--it's true that the boss takes extra damage from madness weapons and spells.
Those are hard to find, though, and you might have more than a few runs without a madness camp showing up on the map. If so, or if the weapons you get from a madness camp don't suit your build, Libra is also prone to frostbite and blood loss. Ice weapons and spells, katanas, daggers with bleed effects, or, if you're lucky, a bow with the bloodloss effect, are all suitable choices.
By Day 2, if you don't have any weapons that take your fancy, spend time getting Smithing Stone 2 in Limveld's mines. That way, you can upgrade whatever weapons you are using and dish out plenty of damage, even if you can't exploit Libra's weaknesses.
Best team combinations for Libra
An ally with an offensive ultimate art can shatter Libra's shield before it finishes charging.- Three Ironeye
- Two Ironeye, one Raider, Duchess, or Wylder
- One Ironeye, one Recluse, one Wylder or Raider
Libra moves quickly, but often targets just single teammate or uses close-range attacks. You want at least one ranged character who can maintain pressure while the beast is targeting a teammate or while you're out of their attack range. The other necessary component for this fight is an ultimate art that damages enemies--so, the Wylder, Ironeye, Guardian, or Raider. At several points during the fight, Libra will start to generate a shell that, if left unbroken, increases the boss's resistance to all attacks for several minutes. The Executor's ultimate is useful, but often not powerful enough to break the shell before it forms.
Ironeye is the best choice, since they're less reliant on lucky item drops and can still dish out quite a lot of damage just by upgrading their standard bow. One hit from their ultimate is also enough to shatter Libra's shell before it forms. The Recluse is also useful--doubly so if you manage to nab a madness-related spell or Incantation--though their reliance on item drops for stronger Magic Cocktail spells means you might get stuck with just Glintstone Pebble for the fight.
The Duchess is another worthwhile consideration. Her ultimate deals no damage, but her extra dodge and longer evasion window makes it easier to avoid Libra's staff strikes and escape from madness sigils before they activate.
If you're looking for some extra support, check out our Elden Ring Nightreign guides hub which includes the best ways to farm runes, where to find smithing stones to upgrade weapons, and how to increase healing flask charges.
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