Elden Ring Rune Farming Guide – How To Level Up Fast

While Elden Ring is the most approachable FromSoftware game in years, it nonetheless presents a formidable challenge to players of all experience levels thanks to some of the most difficult bosses ever created by the developer. This means that you should look for any advantage you can in preparation for the upcoming fights. You can always spend a long time grinding in low-level zones, but your time is limited. You can start acquiring Runes quite quickly in the game using the three techniques detailed in this guide: small Rune farming, a massive single Rune boost, and major Rune farming.

 

First: Acquire Gold Scarab Talisman

If you want to level up quickly, the Gold Scarab Talisman should be your top priority. With this talisman, your Rune purchases will be boosted by 20%. The Gold Scarab is located in a relatively undisclosed minor dungeon in Caelid. High above the trench leading north from the Swamp of Aeonia is where you'll find the entrance to the Abandoned Cave minor dungeon.

From the west, the trench is blocked by a tangle of roots and branches. It is possible to enter the entrance of the Abandoned Cave without being attacked by the Giant Dogs if you make it to the opposite side. Dropping down onto the ledge from the east side is possible, though it takes a bit more concentration to find your way.

The Gold Scarab Talisman is rewarded for dispatching both Cleanrot Knight bosses in the Abandoned Cave side quest. Due to the difficulty of this battle, early collection of the Gold Scarab is strongly encouraged. If you enter an area with Scarlet Rot, be ready to deal with it. You can find it just about anywhere. A vendor selling three Preserving Boluses may be found at the western coast of the Swamp of Aeonia, not far from the Astray from Caelid Highway North site of grace.

Method 1: Vulgar Militiamen in Dragonbarrow

If you're looking for a good Elden Ring Rune farming location but don't want to overlevel, hunting the Vulgar Militiamen around the Bestial Sanctum in Caelid's Dragonbarrow is a great option. The Vulgar Militiamen drop 1,000-1,300 Runes each and are spread out far enough that you can usually take them on one at a time.

• To get to the Bestial Sanctum early in the game, go to the Third Church of Marika in Limgrave.

• A small teleporter hidden in the bushes at the edge of the water is located northeast of the Third Church of Marika.

• This teleporter will take you to Caelid's Bestial Sanctum.

• Grab the Bestial Sanctum grace site, then ride south to the Farum Greatbridge grace site. A dragon will spawn on the bridge, but you do not have to fight it.

Pick off any solo Vulgar Militiamen as you ride along the road and surrounding countryside between the Farum Greatbridge site of grace and the Bestial Sanctum. These enemies hit hard, especially if you're farming Elden Ring Runes at a low level, but they stagger easily and are easy to kill if you sneak up on them for a critical attack. This Rune farming location is ideal for when you're nearing leveling up and just need a few thousand more.

Be cautious when traversing this area; Black Blade Kindred guards the entrance to Bestial Sanctum and can be quite difficult to defeat even at higher levels. His aggro range is relatively small, so if you can keep your activities between the Bestial Sanctum entrance and the Farum Greatbridge site of grace, you'll be able to hunt Vulgar Militiamen with impunity.

Method 2: Kill Elder Dragon Greyoll in Caelid

Elder Dragon Greyoll, the mother of all dragons, can be found deep in the wilds of Dragonbarrow in Caelid, just outside of Fort Faroth. While this is considered a boss, it is unlike any other boss in the game. Scarlet Rot has poisoned and tainted her to the point where she can no longer move. Instead of a pitched battle, 5 smaller dragons will patrol the area in front of her, protecting her from intruders (you). Defeating Elder Dragon Greyoll grants a single large Runes boost. If you're looking for a massive one-time Rune boost but don't want to over-level, this is a great option.

Where Can I Find Elden Dragon Greyoll?

• Take the teleporter from Limgrave's Third Church of Marika to Bestial Sanctum, then ride south past the Black Blade Kindred and Dragon on the Farum Greatbridge.

• Continue west on the road, then take the fork to the south and follow this path back southeast.

• Following this path will lead you to the 5 smaller dragons guarding the massive Elder Dragon Greyoll.

• Riding past them and around Elder Dragon Greyoll will bring you to the Fort Faroth site of grace, which is located just behind Elder Dragon Greyoll.

Elder Dragon Greyoll has a massive health pool, but you can attack Greyoll's tail with impunity if you position yourself behind her, near the Fort Faroth site of grace. Even though Elder Dragon Greyoll will roar for help, her body is so large that the smaller dragons will be unable to reach you as long as you remain behind her. Defeating Elder Dragon Greyoll will net you 50,000 Runes, plus 3,470 Runes for each of the five dragons, for a total of 67,350 Runes. You should gain around 80,820 Runes with the Gold Scarab equipped.

Elder Dragon Greyoll has a massive health bar, so killing her normally will take an excruciatingly long time. A weapon with blood loss buildup can drastically reduce the length of this process. Reduvia Dagger can be obtained early in Limgrave and used even if you do not meet the requirements.

Method 3: Mohgwyn Palace Rune Farming

Mohgwyn Palace is a hidden late-game area of the game that you wouldn't normally come across until very late in the game—but there is a way to access this end-game location fairly early. It's part of a larger quest with White-Faced Varre. It takes some effort to complete his questline, but it's well worth pursuing if you want to level quickly. If you're determined and efficient, you can easily earn 2 million Runes in an hour. If you want to get an end-game build as soon as possible in Elden Ring, this is the fastest way to do it.

The Questline of White-Faced Varre

• Speak with White-Faced Varre near the First Steps site of grace early in Limgrave.

• In Stormveil Castle, defeat Godrick the Grafted.

• Return to the First Steps grace site and speak with Varre.

• Visit Roundtable Hold and talk to Finger Reader Enia.

• Return to Varre, but this time in Rose Church in Liurnia of the Lakes, south of Raya Lucaria Academy.

• When presented with a conversation option while speaking with Varre, choose "They didn't seem right."

• He will bestow 5 Festering Bloody Fingers upon you.

• Invade other players' worlds three times with the Festering Bloody Fingers. You do not need to defeat the players you invade; simply use the Festering Bloody Fingers three times.

• Return to Rose Church and have a conversation with Varre.

• In the conversation option, select 'Anoint me.'

• He will give you the Lord of Blood's Favor item and instruct you to soak it in a maiden's blood.

• Make your way to the Church of Inhibition.

• Once you reach the church, you will be attacked. Grab the site of grace to respawn there faster if things go wrong.

• Loot the items she is carrying, then choose the 'Dye cloth with maiden's blood' option.

• Return to the Rose Church to speak with Varre.

• Varre will remove your finger if you offer it to him.

• If you speak with him one more time, you will be awarded the Pureblood Knight's Medal.

• Using the Pureblood Knight's Medal will transport you to Mohgwyn Palace, a deep underground late-game area.

• You'll have to ride through some very dangerous enemies from here, but it'll be well worth it. Ride northeast, then south/southeast, hugging the eastern wall the entire way up to the Palace Approach Ledge-Road site of grace.

• Turn northwest from the site of grace. A chasm and a lake of blood await you far below, with a Giant Crow patrolling the area.

• Equip a bow and arrow and take aim at the Giant Crow. It may take a few tries to find the best time to shoot and the best location to shoot from, but when you hit the Giant Crow, it will almost always run toward you and fall into the ravine, dying. If it comes to a halt at the edge and gradually retreats, it is best to reset by sitting at the site of grace.

• You will receive 11038 Runes for each Giant Crow you kill (13245 Runes with the Gold Scarab equipped). Then, rinse, and repeat at the site of grace next to you. When performed correctly, the entire maneuver takes less than 15 seconds.