The Scholar arrives in Nightreign: The Forsaken Hollows as one of the most unusual Nightfarers in the DLC. On the surface, he looks like a pure support class—fragile, methodical, and built around Arcane scaling. In practice, he is far more than that. With precise timing, upgraded consumables, and well-chosen relic effects, the Scholar becomes a hybrid controller who can soften entire battlefields, accelerate his team’s stamina economy, and unleash devastating pot damage on bosses.
Understanding the Scholar: What His Kit Actually Wants
The Scholar’s kit is built around three pillars:
1. Bagcraft (Passive Ability)
Bagcraft lets him carry larger item stacks and level consumables by using them. Each consumable type gains independent levels and becomes stronger as the run progresses. This means the Scholar scales in a way no other Nightfarer does—you improve simply by using your tools constantly throughout the expedition.
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Fire Pots hit harder, Warming Stones restore more, boluses become miniature support spells—the more you commit, the more rewarding the kit becomes.
2. Analyze (Character Skill)
Analyze is a timed skill that buffs allies or debuffs enemies depending on who you target.
Key levels:
- Level 1: +20% stamina to allies or reduced enemy attack
- Level 2: Stronger buff/debuff with consistent uptime
- Level 3:
- Buff: triggers a brief protective shield that bursts on impact
- Debuff: marked enemies take 60% extra damage on the next hit
Because Analyze forces the character to sheath weapons, good timing is non-negotiable. The closer you stand, the faster the charge, so positioning becomes its own small puzzle.
3. Communion (Ultimate Art)
Communion links multiple enemies and allies:
- Damage to one enemy is shared across all linked foes
- Any healing applied to an ally also splashes onto the entire team
This is the Scholar’s best tool for clearing large engagements or stabilizing chaotic boss phases.
Scholar Build Overview: How This Build Plays
This build turns the Scholar into:
- A status-focused skirmisher using Arcane-scaling weapons
- A pot-centric damage dealer taking advantage of Bagcraft scaling
- A teamwide enhancer, sharing consumable benefits and stamina boosts
- A controller who can stack Frostbite, Rot, and Poison quickly
- A frontline avoider, because his defensive stats cannot sustain prolonged trades
You’re not trying to duel opponents. You’re trying to influence the entire battlefield.
Best Relics for Scholar
The Scholar’s strongest relic choices are the ones that reinforce consumable sharing, item scaling, or group buffs. The following options deliver the most value:
1. Scholar-Specific Relic Effects
These are top-tier and should be prioritized whenever found.
| Scholar Relic Passive | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Allies targeted by Character Skill gain boosted attack | Turns Analyze into a teamwide damage buff |
| Prevent slowing of Character Skill progress | Reduces risk and downtime while charging Analyze |
| Continuous damage inflicted on targets threaded by Ultimate Art | Adds extra DPS during Communion’s link effect |
| Earn runes for each additional specimen acquired with Character Skill | Helps maintain level curve during runs |
2. Team Utility Relics
These relics transform Scholar from “support” into “run anchor”.
| Relic Passive | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Item effects confer to nearby allies | Your upgraded consumables become group-wide buffs—mandatory for support builds |
| Flask also heals allies | Excellent during boss phases with adds |
| Items confer effect to all nearby allies | Great synergy with Bagcraft upgrade scaling |
| Increased Max HP / FP | Offsets Scholar’s poor durability |
3. Status & ARC Scaling Relics
Because the Scholar is an Arcane character, these effects scale extremely well.
| Relic Passive | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Poison / Rot / Blood Loss in vicinity increases attack power | Free, consistent attack boost |
| Starting armament inflicts Poison or Blood Loss | Gives early map dominance |
| Attack Power Up when facing Poison/Rot-afflicted enemies | Perfect for a status-based playstyle |
4. Pot & Throwing Item Relics
These relics fuel the Scholar’s burst potential and should be added whenever possible.
| Relic Passive | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Improved Throwing Pot Damage | Large damage increase for boss fights |
| Pots in possession at expedition start | Begins Bagcraft scaling immediately |
| Small Pouch in possession | Helps maintain consumable variety |
| Defeating enemies fills more of the Art Gauge | Faster Communion availability |
Best Weapon Passives
Weapon passives apply even when not actively equipped (unless marked with the hand icon). These are top priorities for Scholar:
| Passive | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Improved Throwing Pots (20%) | Core damage scaling for the build. |
| Improved Damage Negation at Full HP | Helps compensate for his fragile defenses. |
| Attacks Inflict Rot / Poison | Perfect match for Arcane scaling and build plan. |
| Less Likely to Be Targeted | Keeps you safe during Analyze. |
Best Weapons for Scholar
Any Arcane-scaling or status-inflicting weapon fits him. The strongest options combine reach, speed, and ailment uptime.
Top Recommendations
| Weapon | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Antspur Rapier | Applies Rot innately; thrusting moveset complements Scholar’s safe spacing. |
| Eleonora’s Poleblade | Applies Blood Loss quickly and benefits from Arcane scaling. |
| Morgott’s Cursed Sword | High ARC scaling and deadly skill. |
| Regalia of Eochaid | Strong Arcane scaling with unique skill burst. |
| Frozen Needle | Rapid Frostbite buildup with low commitment. |
General Rule
If a weapon:
- Scales with Arcane
- Applies a status
- Or attacks quickly
…it is usable on Scholar.
Ailments: What to Prioritize
The Scholar applies status effects extremely fast thanks to S-scaling in Arcane.
Tier 1 Ailments
- Frostbite
- Scarlet Rot
- Poison
Situational but Strong
- Sleep (for specific elite enemies)
- Madness (rarely optimal but powerful in the right scenarios)
Rot + Frostbite remains the winning combination due to constant HP % damage and damage amplification.
Best Talismans
You want a mix of survivability and consumable boosting:
| Talisman | Why It’s Good |
|---|---|
| Ritual Shield Talisman | Big early damage reduction—critical for Scholar’s survival. |
| Companion Jar | Flatly boosts pot damage; extremely important. |
| Rot / Blood Exultations | Damage spike whenever your ailments apply. |
Consumables: The Heart of the Build
Throwing Pots are your primary damage dealers in this build. Use them constantly to level their potency via Bagcraft.
Best Pot Types
- Fire Pots
- Lightning Pots
- Rot Pots
- Freezing Pots
Pick the affinity the Night Lord is weakest to and commit fully.
Other Valuable Consumables
- Exalted Flesh
- Boiled Crab / Boiled Prawn
- Greases
- Warming Stones
- Starlight Shards
- Boluses
Anything you can use repeatedly is worth leveling.
How to Play the Scholar: Practical Combat Flow
1. Use consumables immediately and often
Bagcraft rewards consistency. Use items the moment you have extras. Even mid-fight, it’s worth leveling them.
2. Maintain Analyze Level 2 as your default
Level 3 is powerful but too slow for routine combat.
Level 2 is the sweet spot for uptime and safety.
3. Time shields for parry-like bursts
Level 3 shields behave like momentary parries—best used when expecting large, slow swings.
4. Use Communion only when multiple enemies are present
Against groups, it becomes run-defining.
Against single bosses, rely on pot burst damage instead.
5. Stay at mid-range and avoid aggro
Your defensive stats cannot sustain close trading.
Use thrusting weapons for quick pokes and fall back to items.
6. Apply ailments quickly and repeatedly
Rotate weapons or greases to stack Frostbite, Rot, and Poison as early as possible.
Suggested Pathing for Expeditions
Day 1: Set Up Your Economy
- Loot starting camp
- Rush a Cathedral for Stonesword Key
- Clear nearest Evergaol for rune gains
- Move into Central Castle (basement → roof)
- Gather pots, upgrade Item-Handling levels, secure talisman chest
- Aim for Level 10 by Day 2
Day 2: Power Spikes
- If Shifting Earth spawns, clear it entirely
- Else, hunt multiple high-level Field Bosses for weapons, relics, and Dormant Powers
Day 3: Prepare for Night Lord
- Stock up on as many Throwing Pots as possible
- Ask allies to purchase extras if they have spare runes
- Finalize ailment weapons and relic combinations
Pro Scholar Gameplay Tips for Nightreign Builds
- Use Analyze during natural breathing windows—after large boss animations or when allies have aggro.
- Throwing Pots scale exceptionally well with Bagcraft; one consumable type can become your highest DPS source.
- “Wraiths While Walking” dormant power activates while using Analyze, giving chip damage during buff/debuff windows.
- Use item recharge points aggressively—consumables are your toolkit, not backups.
The Scholar is not a frontline fighter and is never meant to be one. His power comes from amplification—turning average consumables into run-defining tools, turning allies into stamina-rich combatants, and turning large enemy packs into synchronized damage sponges with Communion.
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Once you embrace that rhythm, the Scholar stops feeling like a support class and starts feeling like the strategic core of the team—one whose consumables and status application can rival the output of traditional damage dealers while simultaneously keeping the party stable and synchronized.
If played with intention, the Scholar can become the single most impactful Nightfarer in a Nightreign expedition. Play Now!
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