Latest news with #DavidLumb
CNET
5 days ago
- CNET
How Is T-Mobile's Starlink-Based Satellite Service Different from the Rest? I Tried It First Hand
T-Mobile's new T-Satellite service, commercially launched this week, uses the Starlink satellite network to send and receive text messages from space. For $10 a month (or included in the cost of the company's Experience Beyond plan), the service can be a communications lifeline when you're out of cellular coverage. But that's the thing: for me to test it out, I could only be in a cellular dead zone. T-Mobile estimates there are 500,000 square miles in the US with no cell coverage, so I left my home in Seattle to find one. After three hours of driving to the wooded North Cascades, I got my chance to see if satellite texting is as easy as everyday cellular texting, and how T-Satellite differs from other satellite services. Now Playing: Hands-On with T-Mobile's T-Satellite Service 01:55 How T-Satellite differs from other satellite services Satellite texting is now a big deal: the wireless providers and phone-makers including Apple are betting satellite connectivity is the answer for travelers and people who live in remote areas (and even those impacted by emergencies such as the massive flooding in Texas). It also isn't new. Apple started offering SOS communication backed by Globalstar on the iPhone 14. And later, that allowed emergency texting when you're outside coverage areas -- a literal lifesaver for people injured, lost or stranded in remote areas. The feature also allowed you to share you location via satellite in the Find My app. Apple then expanded the service to include any texting using the Messages app, as well as calling for roadside assistance. CNET's David Lumb used Messages via satellite on his iPhone 15 Pro to text friends and share his thoughts when he summited Mount Haleakalā's peak in Hawaii. Google has a similar feature in its Pixel 9 phones, except the Pixel 9A, which works with satellite provider Skylo. Samsung Galaxy phones, like the recently released Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, can use Verizon for satellite texting and to contact emergency services through Skylo, too. However, that communication involves a few steps to activate the feature. You need to be outdoors with a clear view of the sky -- no trees or buildings -- and point your phone at a passing satellite, keeping it steady to maintain the connection. With T-Satellite, the experience is quite different. Texting is almost indistinguishable from when you're within cellular coverage. On a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra with a T-Mobile plan, opening the Messages app showed the phone already connected to satellite, with a banner reading "You're messaging by satellite." A small satellite icon appears in the menu bar with radiating curves to indicate the status of the connection. The phone has automatically connected to the T-Satellite network, as indicated by its (teeny) status icon. Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNET This is due in part to the fact that there are now more than 650 Starlink satellites overhead providing wider coverage, but also because they use a frequency band compatible with most phones sold in the last four don't need a specific phone model that has satellite messaging hardware, such as the Motorola Razr Ultra. The experience of setting up T-Satellite on my iPhone 16 Pro was generally the same. One unique thing about T-Satellite is that T-Mobile is offering the service to anyone, even if they use another carrier for cellular service. In my case, I set up the T-Satellite beta using the second eSIM slot on my phone, and turned off the primary service (AT&T) in order to test just T-Mobile's feature. A solid black satellite icon appears in the menu bar. I should note that I performed this testing a couple days before T-Satellite went live, so it was technically during the T-Satellite beta period, and using a beta version of the Messages app on Android. Plus, I didn't attempt to make an emergency call, either, which on the T-Satellite service would mean dialing 911 in the phone app, versus initiating an SOS text communication using Apple's service. Texting, but sometimes slower Mostly, texting via satellite is just like texting via cellular. The data pipe between the phone and a satellite flying overhead at 17,000 miles per hour is small, so occasionally texts would take several seconds to go through. But sometimes a conversation would happen without any extended lag. By comparison, when CNET's Patrick Holland tested Apple's Messages via satellite feature, he noted that "most sends were nearly instantaneous, others took 15 to 20 seconds with one taking over a minute." One feature going live today for Android is the ability to send images, videos and audio files using Multimedia Messaging Service over the satellite network. On the Galaxy S25 Ultra, I snapped a photo of the lake and sent it using Messages as I normally would. The only difference over satellite is that it took around two and a half minutes to send. On Android, you can send photos via MMS even over the satellite connection. The feature is coming later for iOS. Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNET However, MMS is currently only supported on Android; iOS support is coming later. Also arriving in the future -- October, specifically -- is the ability for apps to send and receive data over the satellite connection. T-Mobile has cited AllTrails as an example of apps that'll be compatible with the service. This would be a great use of data for other mapping tools. Although I was never lost on this trip --I pulled into a well-marked scenic overlook to test with a stunning view -- I also made a point of downloading an offline map of the area using Apple Maps while I was still within cellular range. Lingering questions and challenges Not every message went through, and after my limited testing, there are a few areas where more clarity would help. For example, on Android, it wasn't always obvious when I'd lost satellite connection. In theory, with many Starlink satellites overhead, you shouldn't have to worry about pointing at a specific patch of sky to maintain a connection. But at one point after sending a message, some text below it said the app was waiting to connect. Only then did I notice the tiny satellite icon was showing thin gray bars instead of thin black bars. Compare that to Apple's implementation, which uses Dynamic Island to show an impossible-to-miss green status button to indicate a solid connection to a satellite. Or Google's Satellite SOS service, with its full-screen visual prompts that help you stay connected to a satellite or connect to a new one if needed. The prominent green icon in the Dynamic Island indicates a satellite connection when using Apple's satellite texting feature. (The red icon shows that the screen is being recorded and isn't related to the connection.) Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNET I also ran into some confusion with my iPhone 16 Pro running T-Satellite as a secondary eSIM. When attempting to text a friend who came along with me and was using Apple's method on his iPhone, I got a message that he was connected via satellite and was given the option to tap Send via Satellite. What I didn't realize at the time was that the connection dropped as I was typing the text. On further research, I discovered that an active third-party satellite connection shows "SAT" in the menu bar. When SAT is replaced by a black satellite icon, it means T-Satellite is no longer connected, but that Apple's satellite option is available; I thought it meant that I was still connected. At one point, I was unable to text my friend who was also using satellite access, even though it appeared to be connected (see the satellite icon in the menu bar). (The red button in the Dynamic Island shows that the screen is being recorded.) Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNET Look up, and ahead Will satellite services cover the remaining dead zones and allow easy communication even in remote areas? Based on my experience, the potential is definitely there. It's been less than two years since Apple first launched Emergency SOS via satellite on the iPhone and it's impressive how satellite connectivity has expanded so quickly with the ability to support texting. I appreciate that the T-Satellite implementation is similar to the way millions of people communicate every day via text. Removing friction is key to adopting technologies like this. As companies build up the capacity and performance of satellite services, it's easy to see a near future where you don't have to think about how you're getting data, just as we currently don't ever think about which cellular tower is relaying our data. As someone who lives in cellular-saturated Seattle, I probably won't need to rely on satellite data. But the North Cascades is where I've gone camping for years, so I can see it being occasionally useful, especially if there's ever an emergency situation. As I was juggling my phones and pestering my friends and family with texts, a couple approached to ask what I was doing. They were visiting the area from a small town in northern Idaho near the Canadian border, where cellular coverage is a rarity. After talking for a few minutes, I realized that being able to connect wirelessly via satellite could be a real boon for them, especially in emergencies, but also everyday annoyances when other forms of communication aren't available, like during power outages.
CNET
01-06-2025
- General
- CNET
Selling or Replacing Your Old iPhone? Make Sure to Factory Reset It First
If you're buying the new iPhone 16E to replace your old iPhone, don't just transfer data and sell your old device -- you need to clear out all the personal data first. It's important to know how to reset your Apple phone, whether you're selling your old device or making it a hand-me-down for a relative, you need to make sure it's wiped clean before you hand it off to a new owner. Here's how to factory reset your iPhone. No matter the reason you want to wipe your iPhone clean, it all boils down to making sure that all your personal data is gone. This can be sensitive and personal information, like family photos you definitely don't want to hand off to a stranger. It also includes the litany of private details that your iPhone stores, from credit card information to contacts to everything in your apps. Thankfully, it's easy to factory reset your iPhone, although you'll be asked several times to make sure you're ready to clear it completely. You'll also want to prepare before wiping your phone. Here's how to do it. Read more: Unresponsive iPhone? Here's How to Force Restart Your Apple Device David Lumb/CNET Don't go further without backing up your iPhone The first step is to make sure all the data you want to keep is safely backed up. This can easily be done over iCloud, although you can also make a manual backup. The same way you'd want to back up your iPhone before updating to iOS 18, head to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. This should take a little while, but you'll be able to restore from this online backup if you need to. You can also manually create a backup by connecting your iPhone to your computer, although the process differs between PC and Mac. You can still download iTunes to your Windows PC, through which you'll sync your iPhone and create a backup through that software. With the end of iTunes on Mac in 2019, you'll have to go through Finder to manage your iPhone, but otherwise, the process of backing up is relatively straightforward. Note that iPhones are good at moving data wirelessly from one device to another in close proximity, making it easy to seamlessly transfer from your old device to a new one. After waking up your new iPhone, follow the on-screen instructions on your new iPhone to use its camera to scan your old device and let the process continue. It's still smart to save a backup when you're getting rid of your old iPhone. Digitally sign out of every account you can This is the most tedious step but a necessary part of the process, but it's important to sign out of apps and services you've logged into. You should prioritize apps with more sensitive data, but it's a good idea to ensure you're fully logged out of anything with personally identifiable information. You won't want someone popping into email, contacts and calendar accounts, so head to Settings > Apps > Mail/Contacts/Calendar > Accounts to manually unlink those. Bank and payment apps, external email and messaging apps, workplace software like Slack or authentication apps and even digital community apps like Discord are good to log out of. Lastly, if you're selling your iPhone or giving it to someone else, make sure to disable Find My before erasing your phone. Go to Settings > [your name] > Find My. If you're moving to a new iPhone, transfer your cell service If you're about to reset an older iPhone that used to be your daily driver linked to your carrier account, you'll want to transfer service to your new iPhone before factory wiping your device. Why? Because you'll probably use your older iPhone to call your carrier to switch that service over. Don't get stuck without a phone like I did. You used to be able to yank your SIM card out of your old phone and stick it in the new one to carry service over. Not so much these days, as the iPhone 14 and later models sold in the US don't come with a physical SIM card -- it's eSIM all the way. You'll need to call your carrier to transfer your data plan over to your new iPhone, but it's a pretty effortless process. If worse comes to worst (like if you've already wiped your old iPhone), you can bring your new iPhone into any of your carrier's retail stores and they can digitally transfer service over to it. If you're just clearing out an old iPhone or will still use this one after resetting it, proceed to the next step. Finally, here's how to factory reset your iPhone If you've done the above and are ready to reset your iPhone, open up the Settings app. Then tap General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings and confirm. You'll be asked to enter your iPhone's PIN code, then enter your Apple ID password (to unlink the device from your account and turn off Find My capability if you haven't already). Once you've done that, the screen will turn black and you'll get a black progress bar at the bottom (similar to if you were updating to a new version of iOS). In a few minutes, the word "Hello" will appear on the screen in different languages, just like it did the first time you activated your iPhone. Congratulations, it's been successfully reset. That done, you're now free to hand it off or send it on its way to a new owner.
CNET
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Secret Characters in Elden Ring Nightreign: How to Unlock the Revenant and Duchess
Elden Ring Nightreign's Nightfarer class design allows new players and Souls veterans alike to hop into its speedy, round-based roguelike action RPG gameplay. Key character archetypes have been boiled down into Nightfarer classes with different passive and active skills that can help you round out a strong and efficient three-player squad -- but you don't have a full roster of Nightfarers available to you when you start the game. Creating a strong team composition is just as important as speedrunning bosses and collecting runes, flasks and other upgrades during the three-day expeditions. You'll want to mix-and-match damage dealers, tanks and supporting roles while also ensuring you have melee, ranged and elemental damage options. Read more: Elden Ring Nightreign Beginner's Guide: Team Strategy, Level Goals and Survival Tips As the first wave of players come to grips with Nightreign's speed-based roguelike expeditions on May 30, they might gravitate toward more forgiving Nightfarer options, such as Wylder, Guardian and Ironeye. The six Nightfarers available to you when you first start Nightreign aren't the only player classes in the game -- you're missing the ever-deadly Duchess and the spirit-summoning doll known as the Revenant. Here's how to unlock the two secret Nightfarer classes in Elden Ring Nightreign. If you receive this relic after an expedition, you'll be able to unlock the first secret Nightfarer. Screenshot by David Lumb/CNET How to unlock the Duchess The first Nightfarer you'll have a chance to unlock is the Duchess. Once you finish your first Tricephalos expedition, you'll be rewarded with a special green relic -- the Old Pocketwatch. You don't actually have to defeat Gladius in order to obtain the relic, but you do have to complete a full run in order to claim your rewards. This relic imparts decent buffs on any Nightfarer that you're running with a dexterity-based build, but it also doubles as the key item that unlocks the first secret Elden Ring Nightreign class. Once the Old Pocketwatch is in your possession, approach the Priestess in the Roundtable Hold. Her normal dialogue options give some background on what the Nightfarers are doing here and why the fight against the Nightlord is so important. Now, she'll ask about your new relic, and present you with a choice of whether or not to hand it over to her. Even if you've slotted the Old Pocketwatch relic into your build, you have nothing to fear by handing it over to the Priestess. You'll retain the relic and it you can still equip it on any of your playable Nightfarers. When the Priestess is handed the relic, a short cutscene plays where she drops her shroud and reveals that she has been the Duchess all along. She vows to stop standing on the sidelines and join the fight, and with that you'll unlock Nightreign's seventh playable Nightfarer. The Duchess wears a Dark Souls Firekeeper mask, but her overall aesthetic is much more Bloodborne-y. Screenshot by Tyler Graham/CNET What is the Duchess' role in a team? The Duchess is a dexterous attacker who can flit in and out of battle to keep up the pressure. She doesn't have high poise, defense or health, but she can hold an enemy's attention and easily evade their attacks. The Duchess greatly benefits from weapons like fists, daggers and curved swords, though any weapons with powerful lunge attacks will feel right at home in this Nightfarer's arsenal. The Duchess' passive ability lets her expend less stamina when attacking and dodging, allowing her to stay in the battle longer before taking a tactical reprieve. Her class ability, Restage, rewinds time and inflicts additional damage against enemies who have been wounded in the past few seconds. Her ultimate ability, Finale, shrouds the Duchess and any nearby teammates from enemies during a fight, allowing the team to heal up and prepare attacks with long wind up times. The effects of Finale instantly wear off on any person who attacks an enemy (or gets hit by a stray attack themselves). After you unlock the Duchess, a new item will be available in the Jar Bazaar. Screenshot by David Lumb/CNET How to unlock the Revenant You'll need another key item in order to unlock the Revenant, the eighth and final playable Nightfarer. However, this item becomes available as soon as you unlock the Duchess -- it's nestled down toward the bottom of the Jar Bazaar. The Besmirched Frame will cost you 1,500 Murk and, just like the Old Pocketwatch, it's a relic you can use in your Nightfarers' builds. The Old Pocketwatch gives you an insight into the type of Nightfarer it's connected to, boosting dexterity-related stats. The Besmirched Frame is a great relic for any Nightfarer with an affinity for magic, and that's no coincidence. Once you've obtained this item, a Lost Phantom will spawn in the east hallway of the Roundtable Hold. This NPC will be denoted by a girl's portrait on your map -- there will be an exclamation point icon by the portrait's head. Approach this phantom and interact with the girl. You'll be warped to the plateau where you fought the Margit the Fell Omen in Nightreign's tutorial, but this time a unique boss will be waiting for you. Taking on the Night Idol is much easier once you defeat her summons, but you'll still have to avoid some of the spells she slings. Screenshot by Tyler Graham/CNET The Night Idol is an easy boss fight, but there are a couple of enemies you'll have to micromanage. She has three spirit summons she fields against you: Helen, an agile page who will quickly press the attack; Frederick, a bulky cook who swings slowly but delivers devastating blows; and Sebastian, a massive skeleton who can't move but has deadly melee attacks and magic beams. Focusing on these spirit summons is imperative, because they don't come back once they're defeated. You can beat this boss with any Nightfarer, but I found it was easiest with Ironeye. You can use your bow to zone out the summons, peppering them with arrows until they fall, and then move in on the Night Idol boss using your action skills. Once the Night Idol is defeated, you'll be transported back to the Roundtable Hold and informed that you've unlocked the Revenant, the last of the Nightfarers missing from the roster. The Revenant is a doll, like Ranni the Witch. She commands spirits to enact her will. Screenshot by Tyler Graham/CNET What is the Revenant's role in a team? The Revenant is one of the more magically inclined player classes in Elden Ring Nightreign, which means that she's a high risk, high reward character to use. The Revenant has a high focus point (or mana) pool and can take advantage of sorceries and incantations alike, though her stat spread favors spells from Seals and Dragon Communions. What this character lacks in defense, though, she makes up for in utility that allows her to shift focus away from herself and her teammates. The Revenant's passive ability has a chance to spawn spirit summons of non-boss enemies that she deals final blows to. This combines well with her class ability, Summon Spirit, which allows her to call Helen, Frederick or Sebastian (the same summons from the Lost Girl boss fight) to the battlefield. The Revenant's summons add an element of chaos to Nightreign's battles, and often pull enemy aggression away from players. It's much easier to get in the thick of the fight and mete out some damage when there's a small army marching on a boss. When the fight is turning against her, the Revenant's powerful ultimate ability makes herself and her allies briefly immortal. The Immortal March ability applies to other players as well as the Revenant's spirit summons, making it a real Swiss army knife of an ability -- if you really want to squeeze the most value out of it, you can activate it when your teammates are knocked down to instantly revive them. If you've got a spirit summon active, it'll use its own ultimate ability, but it can't swing a fight nearly as well as picking up your fallen squadmates. The Revenant is fragile, but she provides more effective health to her tankier teammates -- and levels the playing field by bringing more allies into the fight. Now that you have a full stable of Nightfarers, it'll be easier than ever to take the fight to the Nightlord. If you're still having trouble with Elden Ring Nightreign's first set of expeditions, follow these beginner tips and make sure you're utilizing all of the advantages from the game's meta-progression systems. Elden Ring Nightreign launched on May 30 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Series S and Xbox One consoles for $40. Owning the original Elden Ring is not required to play this game.
CNET
31-05-2025
- General
- CNET
How to Enable Stolen Device Protection on Your iPhone in a Few Easy Steps
If someone takes your iPhone, you might panic. Replacing an iPhone could cost over a thousand dollars, which is not fun, but if the culprit knows your passcode, they could access your messages, photos and other sensitive information. Enabling a feature called Stolen Device Protection can help alleviate some of the stress you might feel if this ever happens to you. Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection when the company released iOS 17.3 in January 2024. The feature aims to protect your data if your phone is stolen or falls into nefarious hands. "Stolen Device Protection adds a layer of security when your iPhone is away from familiar locations, such as home or work, and helps protect your accounts and personal information in case your iPhone is ever stolen," Apple wrote online. Here's how to enable Stolen Device Protection and what to know about the new security feature. Read more: How to Make Your iPhone's Stolen Device Protection More Effective How to turn Stolen Device Protection on Here's how to enable this security feature: 1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Face ID & Passcode -- you might have to enter your passcode. 3. Tap Stolen Device Protection. 4. Tap the toggle next to Stolen Device Protection to enable the feature. Read more: How to Give Stolen Device Protection a Boost What to know about Stolen Device Protection Stolen Device Protection adds a layer of security to your iPhone. Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto/Getty Images As CNET's David Lumb reports, Stolen Device Protection requires you to enter your biometric information at least once to access some of your sensitive settings and information when you're not in a familiar location, like your home. Here are some of the things Apple said you'll need to enter your biometric information for in order to change or access when you're in an unfamiliar location: Using passwords or passkeys saved in your Keychain. Using payment methods saved in Safari that autofill. Turning off Lost Mode Erasing all content and settings on your iPhone. Applying for a new Apple Card. Viewing your Apple Card's virtual number. Taking certain Apple Cash and Savings actions in your Wallet, like initiating a transfer. Using your iPhone to set up a new device. The feature also uses a new mechanism called Security Delay when changing some settings. If you try to change these settings when away from a familiar location, Stolen Device Protection will require you to enter your biometric info twice: once initially and then again after an hour. According to Apple, if you arrive at a familiar location while waiting for the Security Delay to end, your device could prematurely end the delay. Here are some of the things Apple said are protected by Security Delay: Turning Stolen Device Protection off. Changing your Apple ID password. Signing out of your Apple ID. Updating your Apple ID account security settings, like adding or removing trusted devices. Adding or removing Face ID or Touch ID information. Changing your iPhone passcode. Resetting all your iPhone's settings. Turning Find My off. You can also choose to always require Security Delay, even when you're in a familiar location. That way if your iPhone goes missing in the building you live in or another location your iPhone recognizes as a familiar, you'll still have this layer of protection. Here's how to always enable Security Delay. 1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Face ID & Passcode -- you might have to enter your passcode. 3. Tap Stolen Device Protection. 4. Tap the toggle next to Stolen Device Protection to enable the feature if you haven't. 5. Tap Always under Require Security Delay. You can still make purchases with Apple Pay if Stolen Device Protection is turned on. Budrul Chukrut/SOPA/LightRocket/Getty Images Because Stolen Device Protection only protects a handful of settings, you still have to take steps to protect your other information. For example, Apple notes that you can still use your iPhone passcode to make purchases with Apple Pay, so Stolen Device Protection won't totally protect your finances. While Stolen Device Protection is an optional feature and doesn't protect everything on your phone, Apple still recommends everyone turn it on. For more iOS news, here's all the features included in iOS 18.5 and iOS 18.4. You can also check out our iOS 18 cheat sheet and what we hope to see in iOS 19.
CNET
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Elden Ring Nightreign: How to Unlock The Secret Nightfarer Characters
Elden Ring Nightreign's new Nightfarer class system is an easy way for players to pick out a familiar character archetype and jump into battle. Each comes with passive and active skills to suit many playstyles and help round out the game's three-player squads. Creating a strong team composition is just as important as speedrunning bosses and collecting runes, flasks and other upgrades during the three-day expeditions. You'll want to mix-and-match damage dealers, tanks and supporting roles while also ensuring you have melee, ranged and elemental damage options. Newer players might gravitate toward more forgiving Nightfarer options, such as Wylder, Guardian and Ironeye. But the six Nightfarers available to you when you first start Nightreign aren't the only player classes in the game. Here's how to unlock the two secret Nightfarer classes in Elden Ring Nightreign. If you receive this relic after an expedition, you'll be able to unlock the first secret Nightfarer. Screenshot by David Lumb/CNET How to unlock the Duchess The first Nightfarer you'll have a chance to unlock is the Duchess. Once you finish your first Tricephalos expedition, you'll be rewarded with a special green relic -- the Old Pocketwatch. You don't actually have to defeat Gladius in order to obtain the relic, but you do have to complete a full run in order to claim your rewards. This relic imparts decent buffs on any Nightfarer that you're running with a dexterity-based build, but it also doubles as the key item that unlocks the first secret Elden Ring Nightreign class. Once the Old Pocketwatch is in your possession, approach the Priestess in the Roundtable Hold. Her normal dialogue options give some background on what the Nightfarers are doing here and why the fight against the Nightlord is so important. Now, she'll ask about your new relic, and present you with a choice of whether or not to hand it over to her. Even if you've slotted the Old Pocketwatch relic into your build, you have nothing to fear by handing it over to the Priestess. You'll retain the relic and it you can still equip it on any of your playable Nightfarers. When the Priestess is handed the relic, a short cutscene plays where she drops her shroud and reveals that she has been the Duchess all along. She vows to stop standing on the sidelines and join the fight, and with that you'll unlock Nightreign's seventh playable Nightfarer. The Duchess wears a Dark Souls Firekeeper mask, but her overall aesthetic is much more Bloodborne-y. Screenshot by Tyler Graham/CNET What is the Duchess' role in a team? The Duchess is a dexterous attacker who can flit in and out of battle to keep up the pressure. She doesn't have high poise, defense or health, but she can hold an enemy's attention and easily evade their attacks. The Duchess greatly benefits from weapons like fists, daggers and curved swords, though any weapons with powerful lunge attacks will feel right at home in this Nightfarer's arsenal. The Duchess' passive ability lets her expend less stamina when attacking and dodging, allowing her to stay in the battle longer before taking a tactical reprieve. Her class ability, Restage, rewinds time and inflicts additional damage against enemies who have been wounded in the past few seconds. Her ultimate ability, Finale, shrouds the Duchess and any nearby teammates from enemies during a fight, allowing the team to heal up and prepare attacks with long wind up times. The effects of Finale instantly wear off on any person who attacks an enemy (or gets hit by a stray attack themselves). After you unlock the Duchess, a new item will be available in the Jar Bazaar. Screenshot by David Lumb/CNET How to unlock the Revenant You'll need another key item in order to unlock the Revenant, the eighth and final playable Nightfarer. Luckily, this item becomes available as soon as you unlock the Duchess -- it's nestled down toward the bottom of the Jar Bazaar. The Besmirched Frame will cost you 1,500 Murk and, just like the Old Pocketwatch, it's a relic you can use in your Nightfarers' builds. Once you've obtained this item, a Lost Phantom will spawn in the east hallway of the Roundtable Hold. This NPC will be denoted by a girl's portrait on your map -- there will be an exclamation point icon by the portrait's head. Approach this phantom and interact with the girl. You'll be warped to the plateau where you fought the Margit the Fell Omen in Nightreign's tutorial, but this time a unique boss will be waiting for you. Taking on the Night Idol is much easier once you defeat her summons, but you'll still have to avoid some of the spells she slings. Screenshot by Tyler Graham/CNET The Night Idol is an easy boss fight, but there are a couple of enemies you'll have to micromanage. She has three spirit summons she fields against you: Helen, an agile page that will quickly press the attack; Frederick, a bulky cook who swings slowly but delivers devastating blows; and Sebastian, a massive skeleton who can't move but has deadly melee attacks and magic beams. Focusing on these spirit summons is imperative, because they don't come back once they're defeated. You can beat this boss with any Nightfarer, but I found it was easiest with Ironeye. You can use your bow to zone out the summons, peppering them with arrows until they fall, and then move in on the Night Idol boss using your action skills. Once the Night Idol is defeated, you'll be transported back to the Roundtable Hold and informed that you've unlocked the Revenant, the last of the Nightfarers missing from the roster. The Revenant is a doll, like Ranni the Witch. She commands spirits to enact her will. Screenshot by Tyler Graham/CNET What is the Revenant's role in a team? The Revenant is one of the more magically inclined player classes in Elden Ring Nightreign, which means that she's a high risk, high reward character to use. The Revenant has a high focus point (or mana) pool and can take advantage of sorceries and incantations alike, though her stat spread favors spells from Seals and Dragon Communions. What this character lacks in defense, though, she makes up for in utility that allows her to shift focus away from herself and her teammates. The Revenant's passive ability has a chance to spawn spirit summons of non-boss enemies that she deals final blows to. This combines well with her class ability, Summon Spirit, which allows her to call Helen, Frederick or Sebastian (the same summons from the Lost Girl boss fight) to the battlefield. The Revenant's summons add an element of chaos to Nightreign's battles, and often pull enemy aggression away from players. It's much easier to get in the thick of the fight and mete out some damage when there's a small army marching on a boss. When the fight is turning against her, the Revenant's powerful ultimate ability makes herself and her allies briefly immortal. The Immortal March ability applies to other players as well as the Revenant's spirit summons, making it a real Swiss army knife of an ability -- if you really want to squeeze the most value out of it, you can activate it when your teammates are knocked down to instantly revive them. If you've got a spirit summon active, it'll use its own ultimate ability, but it can't swing a fight nearly as well as picking up your fallen squadmates. The Revenant is fragile, but she provides more effective health to her tankier teammates -- and levels the playing field by bringing more allies into the fight.
