Elden Ring Nightreign has launched, and players are exploring its dynamic landscapes to confront the Nightlord. However, those who honed their skills on the original Elden Ring may find themselves disoriented by subtle yet impactful control adjustments.

While Elden Ring Nightreign retains much of the original game's control layout, several tweaks have been introduced to support new mechanics or reorganize existing ones. Some changes enhance new abilities, while others simply shuffle familiar inputs. One adjustment, in particular, is tripping up players: the flask mechanic.

In FromSoftware's Souls titles and Elden Ring, the "flask" is a core component of your arsenal: a reusable potion that serves as your primary healing tool in battle. Traditionally, the flask is one of several consumables cycled through during combat. In Elden Ring Nightreign, the flask is now a fixed element, activated by pressing the left-most face button (X or Square, depending on the controller) by default, while the D-Pad's Up button now handles item usage.

I keep pressing 'X' to use items.
byu/The_Mudddler inNightreign

It appears some players are grappling with muscle-memory mix-ups. For those who recently played Elden Ring to prepare for Nightreign, the shift in controls is forcing a relearning process, which has sparked both frustration and amusement.

Beyond the flask, Nightreign introduces a unique super-sprint mapped to L3. Without the trusty steed Torrent, FromSoftware has equipped players with a remarkably swift sprint option. However, the traditional sprint, activated by holding the dodge button, remains, leading some players to instinctively revert to the original Elden Ring method.

That was just rude of them
byu/Justanotherkiwi21 inNightreign

Curiously, the ability to crouch seems to have been removed entirely. After testing Elden Ring Nightreign myself, I found no crouch option in the controller settings. Previously tied to clicking the left stick, this feature appears to have been eliminated, aligning with Nightreign’s focus on fast-paced combat over stealthy maneuvering.

Players using mouse-and-keyboard setups also report that the default controls feel awkward compared to the original Elden Ring. This isn’t the first time FromSoftware has tweaked control schemes—each Souls or Souls-like title, such as Bloodborne, typically introduces distinct mechanical shifts.

Fortunately, controls are fully customizable, allowing players to tailor the setup to their preferences. Consider this a heads-up to spend time familiarizing yourself with Elden Ring Nightreign’s control scheme and tweaking it before embarking on your journey. And perhaps spare a thought for those accidentally sipping their Estus in the heat of battle—we’ve all been there.

We’ve got a wealth of Nightreign guides to help you defeat all eight Nightlord Bosses. Curious about unlocking the two exclusive Nightfarer Classes? Check out How to Unlock the Revenant, How to Unlock the Duchess, and How to Change Characters.