Collecting Elden Ring runes efficiently in Elden Ring is a vital part of leveling up your character, enhancing gear, and surviving the game’s most brutal encounters. Whether you're a newcomer or a returning Tarnished, this 7-day strategy offers a structured, reliable approach to maximizing your rune collection — without relying on shortcuts that undermine the core experience. In this guide, we prioritize practical gameplay, proven strategies, and trustworthy recommendations that align with how Elden Ring was designed to be played.

Day 1: Unlock the Key Sites of Grace

Your first step should focus on unlocking critical travel points. Visit and activate Sites of Grace near high-yield farming areas such as the Gatefront Ruins, Agheel Lake North, and the Third Church of Marika. These early locations offer strong enemies with manageable difficulty and are perfect for consistent rune farming.

Take time to explore Limgrave thoroughly. Use this phase to learn enemy attack patterns, test different weapon types, and gain a sense of the game’s risk-reward mechanics. Gathering runes here is safe and educational.

Day 2: Acquire the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot

Increasing rune gain is key to maximizing your efforts. Begin your second day by seeking out Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot items. These consumables temporarily boost rune acquisition. You can find recipes for crafting them in the Missionary’s Cookbook [2], and they’re especially useful during short farming sessions or boss fights.

Tip: Equip the Silver Scarab Talisman (available later) to boost item discovery, which helps collect crafting components more easily.

Day 3: Target High-Value Enemies in Liurnia

By day three, your character should be strong enough to explore Liurnia of the Lakes. Here, enemies offer more runes per kill, and you can still retreat if the challenge becomes overwhelming. The Academy Gate Town and surrounding areas host mages and knights who drop decent rune amounts and respawn quickly.

Make sure to use the terrain to your advantage, picking off enemies from horseback and retreating when needed. Don’t forget to rest at nearby Sites of Grace to reset the area.

Day 4: Explore Underground Zones

Subterranean areas such as the Siofra River or Nokron offer great opportunities to collect rare items and runes in bulk. These zones are packed with high-reward enemies, but they’re also dangerous if rushed.

This is where your understanding of timing, stealth, and precision becomes essential. Stick to known paths and avoid overextending. You can farm enemies like Ancestral Followers repeatedly to gather large rune quantities safely.

Day 5: Farm the Mohgwyn Palace Area

If you've progressed far enough, the Mohgwyn Palace zone is a top-tier farming area. Accessible via a portal from the Consecrated Snowfield (or earlier through Varre’s questline), this area contains Albinauric enemies that drop large amounts of runes quickly.

With a good AoE spell or weapon and a few Gold-Pickled Fowl Feet, you can earn hundreds of thousands of runes in a short session. However, only attempt this strategy once you’re confident in your survivability and damage output.

Day 6: Participate in Boss Rematches and Field Bosses

To gain not just runes, but also skill mastery, dedicate your sixth day to boss rematches and mini-boss hunting. Return to previously skipped or respawnable bosses and challenge them with your improved gear and knowledge.

Bosses such as the Tree Sentinel, Night’s Cavalry, and Bell Bearing Hunters drop significant rune amounts and unique gear. This not only diversifies your collection strategy but also strengthens your overall progression.

Day 7: Reinvest, Reassess, and Experiment

Now that you’ve collected a solid base of runes, use day seven to invest wisely. Strengthen your stats with level-ups, upgrade your gear at the Roundtable Hold, and experiment with new builds and weapon types.

Additionally, review your farming efficiency. Which areas gave you the best returns? Which builds worked fastest? Optimization is a continuous cycle — the more you reflect, the more efficient your rune farming becomes over time.

Can You Buy Runes for Elden Ring?

While some players may ask, "Can you buy runes for Elden Ring?", the answer is technically yes — through third-party sellers or marketplaces. However, FromSoftware does not support this practice, and it poses serious risks, including account bans and corrupted save files. More importantly, buying runes undermines the authentic progression experience that Elden Ring is built around.

If you’re looking for a shortcut, it’s far safer and more satisfying to follow an in-game strategy like the one above. Rune collection is an essential part of becoming stronger and overcoming the Lands Between, and doing it the right way enhances the game’s challenge and reward system.

This 7-day plan is a balanced, trustworthy guide designed to help you make the most out of your Elden Ring runes journey. Rather than cutting corners or relying on unstable third-party options, players who follow this path will enjoy deeper game knowledge, stronger builds, and a more rewarding experience overall.

Are you ready to face the Lands Between with clarity and confidence? Stick to the plan, and the runes will follow.

How-To Guide: How to Avoid Rune Loss in Elden Ring