Farming runes in Elden Ring is an essential part of leveling up, upgrading your gear, and acquiring powerful Elden Ring items. While you can earn runes simply by progressing through the game, knowing the best farming route can save you hours of grinding and help you stay ahead of your enemies. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the ultimate Elden Ring rune farming route—perfect for both new players and veterans who want efficient rune accumulation.
Why Farming Elden Ring Runes Matters
Runes are the lifeblood of progression in Elden Ring. They are used to:
- Level up your character
- Purchase Elden Ring items like weapons, armor, and consumables
- Upgrade your gear through smithing
- Buy spells and incantations from NPCs
Whether you’re preparing for a boss battle or trying to optimize a PvP build, a steady flow of runes ensures you’re always ready.
Best Early Game Rune Farming Route: The War-Dead Catacombs
Location: Caelid
Recommended Level: 30+
Runes Per Hour: 300,000 – 500,000 (passive)
After defeating General Radahn, the War-Dead Catacombs become accessible. Inside, spectral knights and soldiers battle each other endlessly. The best part? You can let them fight while you collect runes passively by standing in a safe corner.
Steps:
- Defeat Radahn to unlock the catacombs.
- Enter the War-Dead Catacombs in the northeast of Radahn’s arena.
- Stand safely near the entrance or find a hidden alcove.
- Let the AI enemies fight, collecting runes every few minutes.
This method is ideal if you want passive farming while AFK or multitasking.
Mid-Game Rune Farming Route: Windmill Village
Location: Altus Plateau
Recommended Level: 60+
Runes Per Run: 15,000 – 25,000
Time per Run: 3–5 minutes
Windmill Village is filled with celebratory enemies that are easy to defeat and yield a decent number of Elden Ring runes. Since they group together, area-of-effect attacks can wipe them out quickly.
Steps:
- Teleport to the Windmill Village Site of Grace.
- Sweep through the area using AoE skills or spells.
- Rest at the Site of Grace and repeat.
This method is great for fast, repeated farming when you’re actively playing.
High-Level Farming Route: Mohgwyn Palace
Location: Mohgwyn Palace
Recommended Level: 100+
Runes Per Hour: 1 million+
Access: Complete Varre’s questline or use the portal in Consecrated Snowfield
The best rune farming spot in Elden Ring is deep in Mohgwyn Palace. Here, enemies yield high rune counts and spawn close together. With the right build, players can wipe entire groups in seconds.
Steps:
- Unlock Mohgwyn Palace (using Varre’s questline is the fastest).
- From the Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace, head down the path.
- Use a powerful AoE attack like Sacred Relic Sword’s Wave of Gold to eliminate mobs.
- Return to the grace and repeat.
This is considered the ultimate farming spot for late-game players.
Bonus: Bird Rune Farming Trick
While at Mohgwyn Palace, aim a bow at the bird across the cliff to lure it into falling off. Each fall earns you 11,000 runes with almost no effort. This can be repeated quickly and is perfect for passive farming.
Tips for Optimizing Rune Gains
- Equip the Gold Scarab Talisman to boost rune acquisition.
- Use Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot for temporary rune boosts.
- Stack rune-boosting gear for maximum efficiency.
- Don’t forget to invest runes wisely into useful Elden Ring items or level-ups to avoid losing them on death.
Following this ultimate Elden Ring rune farming route ensures you’re well-equipped for anything the game throws at you. From passive farming in Caelid to high-efficiency slaughter in Mohgwyn Palace, each route caters to different playstyles and stages of the game. Make the most of your time in the Lands Between by farming smarter, not harder.
If you’re looking to upgrade your experience even more, don’t forget to invest your Elden Ring runes into the best possible Elden Ring items—from legendary weapons to rare talismans—to gain a powerful edge in your journey.
