Elden Ring Runes Guide: How to Farm Spend and Level Up Efficiently

In the haunting, mysterious world of Elden Ring, survival depends not only on skill and strategy but also on the currency of the Lands Between — Runes. These glowing remnants of power serve as both experience points (XP) and currency, essential for leveling up your character, upgrading weapons, purchasing items, and unlocking your true potential. Managing your Runes wisely can mean the difference between crushing bosses or endlessly being felled by them.

Whether you're a newcomer to FromSoftware's brutal world or a seasoned Souls veteran, mastering how to efficiently farm, spend, and level up with Elden Ring Runes is crucial. This guide covers everything you need to know to become a true Tarnished legend.

What Are Runes in Elden Ring?

Runes are a dual-purpose resource in Elden Ring, functioning both as:

Experience points for leveling up your attributes at Sites of Grace.

Currency to purchase items, spells, gear, and services from merchants throughout the game world.

The risk? Runes are lost upon death. If you die again before retrieving them from your bloodstain, they're gone for good — a mechanic that adds constant tension to every encounter.

How to Farm Runes Efficiently

Farming Runes is essential, especially when you hit those notoriously difficult sections of the game or want to level up for a specific stat check. Here are the best farming methods available:

1. Early Game Rune Farming: Gatefront Ruins

Right after entering Limgrave, head to Gatefront Ruins. The soldiers here are manageable for new players and drop a modest amount of Runes. Clear them repeatedly, rest at the nearby Site of Grace, and repeat.

Tip: Sneak attacks deal critical damage and make the farming process safer.

2. Mid-Game Hotspot: Fort Faroth Bats

In Caelid, at Fort Faroth, a group of giant bats roams nearby. They're weak to ranged attacks and bleed effects. Each kill offers a significant Rune payout for the effort, making this spot one of the fastest mid-game Rune farms.

Pro Tip: Equip a Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot to temporarily boost Rune acquisition.

3. End-Game Rune Farm: Mohgwyn Palace

Perhaps the most famous Rune farming area is Mohgwyn Palace. Unlocked via a portal in the Consecrated Snowfield or through Varré's questline, this area is filled with Albinauric enemies offering 2,000+ Runes each.

Bonus:

There's a giant bird enemy you can bait off a cliff with a single arrow for a free 13,000+ Runes each time you rest at the nearby Grace.

Best Ways to Spend Runes

Now that you've got Runes in your pocket, how should you use them? While it's tempting to splurge on gear or magic early, a smart Tarnished knows how to prioritize.

1. Leveling Up Attributes

At Sites of Grace, you can allocate Runes to increase one of your core attributes: Vigor, Mind, Endurance, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, or Arcane. Each level-up requires more Runes than the last, so make each choice count.

Advice: Focus first on survivability (Vigor) and your weapon scaling stat (Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence depending on your build).

2. Upgrading Weapons

Don't overlook your weapon upgrades. Visit Smithing Master Hewg at Roundtable Hold to enhance your weapon's attack power using Smithing Stones. It's often better to upgrade a solid weapon than to chase slightly higher-damage alternatives.

3. Buying Key Items and Crafting Recipes

Some merchants offer important items like Crafting Kits, Lanterns, Cookbooks (for crafting recipes), and Stonesword Keys. These unlock additional dungeons, items, and shortcuts throughout the game.

4. Purchasing Spells

Magic users should invest in purchasing new Sorceries or Incantations early, especially damage-dealing or healing spells. You can find spell vendors like Sorceress Sellen or Brother Corhyn scattered across the world.

Leveling Up Efficiently: Attribute Prioritization Tips

Different builds favor different stats, and investing wisely early saves you from needing a Larval Tear respec later.

Melee Builds (Strength/Dexterity): Prioritize Vigor, your primary weapon scaling stat (Strength or Dexterity), and Endurance for stamina.

Magic Builds (Intelligence/Faith): Focus on Mind (for FP), your spell scaling stat (Intelligence for Sorceries, Faith for Incantations), with a healthy dose of Vigor for survival.

Bleed Builds (Dexterity/Arcane): Balance Dexterity for weapon requirements and Arcane to boost Bleed effects.

General Rule:

Always invest in Vigor to at least 40 for endgame, as it dramatically increases your HP pool.

Avoiding Common Rune Mistakes

Don't Hoard Runes: Spend them regularly. Carrying large amounts increases risk — you lose everything if you die twice before reclaiming them.

Don't Spread Stats Thin: Specialize based on your build. Jack-of-all-trades characters are weak in Elden Ring.

Use Rune-Boosting Items: Items like the Gold Scarab Talisman or Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot boost Rune acquisition — perfect for farming runs.

Final Thoughts

Runes are the heartbeat of progression in Elden Ring Items. Knowing where to farm them, how to spend them wisely, and which stats to prioritize will make your journey through the Lands Between much smoother — though never without peril.

By efficiently managing your Runes, you'll be better equipped to conquer legacy dungeons, stand toe-to-toe with brutal bosses, and ultimately claim your place as Elden Lord.