Bandai Namco has a long history of offering up sick and slightly strange merch for Elden Ring, or any FromSoftware game for that matter. There’s been a luxury streetwear collab for the low low price of $1,700, a Messmer the Impaler sukajan jacket, and a scale replica of Malenia’s blade arm. But I think this may be the best thing yet.
In a celebration of Elden Ring Nightreign, Bandai Namco is selling a 1:1 replica of Wylder’s helmet for $189.99/ £159.99, “a remnant of his nomadic life as a swordsman before the chaos.” There’s a limited number in stock, so after all 9,999 units are sold that’ll be it, no more Wylder helmet.
Alongside this 40x36x22 cm helmet, you’ll get a numbered stand which weighs 5kg in total, enough for a decent workout, and a certificate of authenticity. But more importantly, you’ll finally be able to transform into the John Nightreign adding a new layer of weird specificity to all your runs. I certainly feel like the helmet would help me channel the strength to beat all the Nightlords, but that’s more of a mental placebo than anything else.
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Wylder is the poster boy for Nightreign. He may be the “default” character but that doesn’t mean his cause and backstory are bland. “In the struggle to defeat the Nightlords, Wylder has been a relentless hunter,” an official blog post says. “He stalked the traces of Night across the diminishing plains, drawn to the bastion of the Roundtable Hold by fate and force of will, and pledged his life to the cause of the Nightfarers. Now you can feel what it’s like to join his quest.”
(Image credit: FromSoftware)
Spoilers ahead
It’s hard to pick favourites in Nightreign, all the characters are so good, but Wylder is up there as one of the best in terms of character development in my books, especially since I main Duchess. His Rememberance quest ultimately leads him to the city of Noklateo to kill the Mimic Troll and acquire the Silver Tear. He will then use this to become the Nightlord. Not because he’s evil, or wants the power to slice the sky open like butter, but because he’s actually brother to Duchess. Once the Nightlord is dead, the Nightfarers go back to their homes—except for Duchess who is bound to the roundtable and will disappear with it. So he becomes the big bad to save his sister.
Now does this heartfelt story make the price tag of $190 any easier to deal with? No. But I’m just saying that out of all the Nightfarers, I’d want Wylder’s helmet, oh and his funky zipline while I’m at it.