How To Farm Runes Quickly in Elden Ring
Elden Ring’s new DLC, “Shadow of the Erdtree,” is out now, and if you’re like me, you’ve probably been busy trying to level up a new character as quickly as possible to partake in all the new DLC goodness. The recommended level for this DLC is around 120 to 150, but leveling up to that point can take quite a while. If you’re impatient like I am, here are the best ways to grind for some extra runes quickly so you can dive into that DLC in no time.
Equip the Gold Scarab Talisman
One of the first steps in maximizing your rune acquisition is to equip the Gold Scarab Talisman, which increases the number of runes you earn by 20%. This Talisman is found in the Abandoned Cave in Caelid, a hard-to-reach location that I somehow missed during my main playthrough.
The Abandoned Cave is essentially one big Scarlet Rot swamp filled with poison-spewing Mushroom Men and rot-spewing flowers. The boss fight at the end features two Cleanrot Knights. Depending on your level, this fight could range from manageable to quite challenging. Your reward for defeating them is the Gold Scarab Talisman, a must-have for efficient Elden Ring runes farming.
Utilize the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot
The Gold Scarab’s effect can be further enhanced by using a Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot, an item that temporarily boosts the number of runes you receive from defeated enemies. By combining the Talisman and the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot, you can significantly increase your rune income.
Best Rune Farming Locations
Bestial Sanctum
One of the best rune farming locations is in the northeastern part of Caelid at the Bestial Sanctum. The easiest way to reach this area is by using a teleporter near the Third Church of Marika in Limgrave. Outside the Sanctum, you’ll encounter a Black Blade Kindred. This enemy can be tough, but you can sneak past it to farm runes more efficiently.
In this area, you’ll find vulgar militiamen. These enemies drop 1,000 runes each. Despite their small size, they can hit hard and swarm you if alerted. Stealth is key here—sneak around and eliminate them quietly for easy runes.
Mohgwyn Palace
Another popular spot for rune farming is in the Mohgwyn Palace region. To access this area quickly, you need to advance White Mask Varre’s questline. Once you’ve progressed enough, Varre will give you an item called the Pureblood Knight’s Medal, which will warp you just outside Mohg’s Palace.
From here, ride Torrent across the nearby lake of blood. Stick to the right near the cliffside to avoid the giant skeleton that appears in the area. Eventually, you’ll reach a hill leading up to a site of grace called Palace Approach Ledge Road. This area is filled with white Albinaurics, which can be easily backstabbed for runes. The red Albinaurics are more aggressive, so be cautious and use stealth to take them out.
Each white Albinauric yields 2,440 runes, and with the Gold Scarab and Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot, you can amass runes quickly.
Other Methods for Earning Runes
Summon and Defeat Bosses
If you prefer a more cooperative approach, you can place your gold summoning sign outside boss rooms and wait to be summoned. This allows you to fight bosses repeatedly for easy runes. Naturally, tougher bosses yield more runes, so if there’s a particular boss you found easy, placing your sign there can be very rewarding.
Defeat Greyoll, the Giant Dragon
A well-known method for earning a substantial amount of runes early on involves defeating Greyoll, a massive dragon near Fort Faroth in Caelid. Despite being classified as a boss, Greyoll does not attack. Instead, she roars to alert nearby smaller dragons, which will then attack you.
There are two main strategies for taking down Greyoll:
- Slow and Steady: Target Greyoll’s tail or back legs and repeatedly attack. This method is safer for lower-level characters but can be quite time-consuming. Using a bleed build can help speed up the process, as the bleed buildup will reduce Greyoll’s health more quickly.
- Kill the Smaller Dragons: A faster but more challenging method involves defeating the nearby smaller dragons. Each time you kill one, Greyoll’s health decreases. After defeating about five of these dragons, Greyoll will be nearly dead. You may need to kill one additional dragon to finish her off.
Killing Greyoll this way yields around 60,000 runes and five Dragon Hearts. If you defeat her using the slow method, you’ll also eliminate all the surrounding dragons, earning extra runes.
Conclusion
With the Gold Scarab Talisman and Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot, you can maximize your rune acquisition and level up quickly. The Bestial Sanctum and Mohgwyn Palace offer prime farming spots, while boss summoning and defeating Greyoll provide alternative methods for earning runes. By employing these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to reaching the recommended level for the “Shadow of the Erdtree” DLC.
For more “Shadow of the Erdtree” news and guides, be sure to check out MMOexp.com. Buy Elden Ring Items here, and we’ll see you next time.
