What is rune farming?
Runes are the lifeblood of Elden Ring. They’re your currency for leveling up, buying items, upgrading weapons – basically everything. The problem? You lose them when you die, and enemies don’t always give enough. Elden Ring rune farming is about finding areas or strategies where you can safely repeat kills and gather huge rune amounts in minutes.
There’s no “right” way to do it, but some locations are clearly better. Below are the best farming spots, gear tips, and strategies players swear by.
Top rune farming locations
Some farms are early-game friendly; others are built for late-game players who’ve unlocked dangerous areas. Here’s a quick guide to each tier of farming spots in Elden Ring rune farming.
| Location | Runes Per Minute | Recommended Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gatefront Ruins | 5,000-10,000 | 10-20 | Perfect for early levels. Kill soldiers near the Site of Grace. |
| Stormhill Shack | 8,000-12,000 | 15-25 | Wolves respawn fast. Easy kills and quick rune cycles. |
| Caelid – Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow | 40,000-60,000 | 40+ | Enemies hit hard but drop huge amounts. Use AoE magic. |
| Mohgwyn Palace – Bird Farm | 300,000-500,000 | 70+ | Most popular Elden Ring rune farming spot. Use bow to lure bird off the cliff. |
| Mountaintops of the Giants | 200,000+ | 90+ | High risk, high reward. Works best for strong end-game builds. |
The famous Mohgwyn bird farm
The Elden Ring rune farming spot everyone talks about is the Mohgwyn Palace bird farm. Once unlocked, it becomes the fastest, safest way to earn millions of runes. You stand near the Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace, shoot an arrow across the chasm to anger a giant red bird, and watch it sprint to its death. Each fall nets you around 11,000-14,000 runes, depending on buffs.
With the right gear and rhythm, you can farm half a million runes in under ten minutes – no fighting required.
Best equipment and buffs for rune farming
To maximize efficiency, you’ll want items that boost rune drops or make farming faster. Here’s what helps the most:
| Item | Effect | How to Get It |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Scarab Talisman | Increases rune gain by 20% | Found in the Abandoned Cave in Caelid. Hard fight but worth it. |
| Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot | Temporarily boosts rune gain by 30% | Craft using Rowa Fruit, Four-Toed Fowl Foot, and Gold Firefly. |
| Bow and arrows | Essential for bird farm method | Any basic bow works, but a longbow gives safer range. |
| Fast-loading Grace spot | Saves seconds between cycles | Palace Approach Ledge-Road or Dragonbarrow Fork work great. |
Rune farming tips that actually help
- Stack your buffs: Gold Scarab + Fowl Foot multiplies rune gain significantly.
- Don’t die holding too many runes: Spend regularly to avoid losing everything.
- Use AoE skills: Spells like Comet Azur or Hoarfrost Stomp can wipe groups fast.
- Watch for patch changes: Some farms have been nerfed in past updates.
- Take breaks: Farming too long dulls the experience. Alternate with exploration.
Alternative rune farms worth trying
Not into cheesing the bird? No problem. There are plenty of other Elden Ring rune farming methods that still pay off:
- Giants in Mountaintops: Defeating one gives around 10,000 runes. Risky, but fun.
- Palace Albinaurics: In the same area as the bird, but this involves combat – great for melee builds.
- Stormveil Knights: Repeating runs through the castle courtyard early on still pays well for new players.
Why rune farming matters
Let’s be honest – Elden Ring is tough. Some bosses are walls you just can’t climb without better stats. Elden Ring rune farming gives you breathing room. It lets you experiment with different builds, test magic, or simply prepare for harder areas without burning out.
Instead of endlessly dying to Margit for the tenth time, you can spend half an hour farming and come back much stronger. It doesn’t remove the challenge – it just balances the playing field.
Common farming mistakes
- Forgetting to rest: Always reset at a Site of Grace before repeating the loop.
- Overfarming early: If enemies one-shot you, move to easier spots until you’re ready.
- Ignoring rune buffs: Skipping talismans and items slows progress drastically.
- Spending too late: Losing 300k runes hurts more than taking a slow route.
Final thoughts
At its core, Elden Ring rune farming isn’t about cheating the system – it’s about playing smarter. The game gives you tools, and using them strategically makes a huge difference. Some players prefer the satisfaction of earning runes the hard way; others just want to try a new weapon without grinding for hours. Both approaches are valid.
If you ever feel stuck, head to Mohgwyn Palace, equip your Gold Scarab, and let the runes flow. The best thing about Elden Ring is that it never tells you how to play – only that you must survive, one rune at a time.
