Elden Ring Nightreign Players Struggle with Original Game's Muscle Memory, Accidentally Use Flasks

Elden Ring Nightreign has officially launched, and players are already exploring the ever-shifting lands in pursuit of the formidable Nightlord. For those who revisited the original Elden Ring to prepare for this new adventure, some adjustments to the control scheme may feel a bit jarring at first.

While the core controls remain largely consistent with the original Elden Ring, several key changes have been introduced—some to support new mechanics, others to reorganize existing systems. Most of these updates are straightforward, particularly when it comes to new abilities or enhanced tools. However, one change in particular has sparked confusion among players: the flask system.

In FromSoftware’s Soulsborne titles and the original *Elden Ring*, the flask is a critical part of your survival toolkit—a refillable healing item that you typically cycle through during combat. In *Elden Ring Nightreign*, however, the flask is now a fixed function. By default, pressing the leftmost face button (X on Xbox or Square on PlayStation) triggers flask use, while pressing Up on the D-Pad opens the ‘use item’ menu.

"I keep pressing 'X' to use items."

— u/The_Mudddler in r/Nightreign

This shift has caused some players to rely on muscle memory from the original game, leading to moments of frustration mid-battle. It's especially noticeable for those who played the base *Elden Ring* right before jumping into *Nightreign*, forcing them to relearn ingrained habits.

Beyond the flask, another major change is the introduction of the super-sprint mechanic, mapped to L3 by default. With no access to Torrent in *Nightreign*, players instead gain an incredibly fast sprint option. The catch? There’s also a traditional sprint mapped to the dodge button, and many players find themselves instinctively using the older method out of habit.

"That was just rude of them."

— u/Justanotherkiwi21 in r/Nightreign

Perhaps the most surprising omission is the lack of a dedicated crouch button. After testing the game myself, I found no crouch option in the controller settings—despite it being activated via the left stick click in the original title. Whether this feature was removed entirely or simply hidden away remains unclear. Given *Nightreign*'s emphasis on speed and aggressive combat, stealth mechanics like crouching appear to be less relevant in this new experience.

Players using mouse and keyboard setups have also noted that the default control layout feels off compared to the original game. While this isn’t unusual for FromSoftware—who often adjusts control schemes between titles—it can still take time to adapt, especially for fans familiar with past Souls-like entries such as *Bloodborne*, which featured drastically different mechanics.

The good news? All controls are fully customizable. This means you can tailor the input layout to suit your playstyle and comfort level. Consider this a gentle reminder to spend some time adjusting your control settings before diving deep into *Elden Ring Nightreign*. And if you happen to guzzle your Estus by accident during a boss fight, know that you're not alone—every player has been there.

Looking for more help? We’ve got a full range of [ttpp] guides to assist you in defeating all eight Nightlord bosses, unlocking the Revenant and Duchess classes, and even changing characters mid-game. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks to make your journey through the Nightreign lands smoother and more enjoyable.