If you're diving deep into Elden Ring, you already know that runes are the backbone of your journey. Whether you're leveling up, purchasing gear, or upgrading your weapons, runes are essential. For many players, the challenge isn’t just defeating bosses or navigating dungeons—it’s consistently generating enough Elden Ring runes to progress. This guide brings you 10 of the best farming routes in Elden Ring that can maximize your rune intake per hour. From beginner-friendly areas to high-risk, high-reward zones, these routes have been tested by experienced players and offer real, reliable value.

Before we begin, if you’re short on time or simply want a head start, many players ask where to buy runes Elden Ring. While there are services like U4GM offering fast, secure transactions, this article is all about earning runes the traditional way—through smart farming strategies.

1. Mohgwyn Palace (Albinauric Swamp Area)

Accessible via Varre's questline or a teleport portal from Consecrated Snowfield, this location is arguably the most popular rune farming spot. By using a ranged weapon or spell, you can repeatedly kill a sleeping Albinauric for around 11,000 runes per kill. Combine this with the nearby bird enemy, and you can easily farm over 2 million runes per hour.

2. Windmill Village

Located in the Altus Plateau, this area offers fast respawns and large groups of enemies that are relatively easy to defeat. With a decent AoE build, you can clear out the dancing nobles quickly, netting around 40,000 runes every few minutes.

3. Lenne’s Rise (Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow)

The ball trap method near Lenne’s Rise is one of the easiest and safest rune farming techniques. Simply run past a specific trigger point and let the boulder fall and destroy itself. Each time you do this, you earn roughly 2,000 runes, and it can be repeated infinitely.

4. Fort Faroth Dragon

Near Fort Faroth lies a giant sleeping dragon. With a bleed weapon, players can slay the beast and earn a whopping 75,000 runes (or more if you have the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot and the Gold Scarab). While this is a one-time event per playthrough, it’s an essential route early on.

5. Bestial Sanctum

Located in Caelid, this area has aggressive enemies that drop a high amount of runes. If you’re well-equipped and confident in your skills, taking on the black-clad warriors here can net over 50,000 runes in just a few minutes.

6. Ordina, Liturgical Town (Consecrated Snowfield)

This late-game area is great for rune farming due to the number of invisible assassins. While they’re tricky, they give decent rune rewards. Equip items or spells that reveal invisible enemies to farm more efficiently.

7. Lake of Rot Shoreline

With the right rot resistance, you can use ranged attacks to eliminate pests and other creatures that drop solid rune amounts. This is a slower method but useful for specific builds or those completing certain questlines.

8. Nokstella, Eternal City

A beautifully eerie area with silver tears and spectral enemies. These foes drop around 2,000-3,000 runes each and respawn quickly. The narrow spaces also allow for effective AoE farming.

9. Zamor Ruins (Mountaintops of the Giants)

This mid-to-late game location is filled with strong enemies who drop hefty rune counts. With a strong melee or magic build, you can efficiently farm here without excessive risk.

10. Deeproot Depths

This hidden, atmospheric zone is home to aggressive enemies that yield high rune values. It’s best accessed later in the game, but once you’re here, you can run a full farming loop around the root paths and clear enemies for solid returns.

Bonus Tips to Increase Runes Earned:

• Equip the Gold Scarab Talisman, found in the Abandoned Cave.

• Use Gold-Pickled Fowl Foots during farming sessions to boost rune gain.

• Consider leveling Arcane or Dexterity if using bleed builds for faster kills.

Farming for Elden Ring runes can be a grind, but with the right routes and strategies, you can make the process faster, more efficient, and even enjoyable. And for those wondering where to buy runes Elden Ring, reputable third-party platforms like U4GM offer a time-saving option—but always prioritize safety and legitimacy.
Read Before You Play: How Elden Ring Rune Farming Changed After DLC: 5 Notable Adjustments