Use These 12 Techniques to Farm Runes While Exploring Dungeons

Use These 12 Techniques to Farm Runes While Exploring Dungeons

Exploring dungeons in Elden Ring is more than just about bosses and loot—it’s a golden opportunity to stack up Elden Ring Runes efficiently. While overworld farming spots like Mohgwyn Palace or the bird in Moghwyn’s Dynasty Mausoleum get a lot of attention, dungeons offer some of the most consistent rune gains, especially if you know how to take advantage of the mechanics and enemy placement.

Here are 12 techniques to help you farm runes while diving into the depths of the Lands Between.

1. Clear and Reset Enemy Mobs Efficiently

Many dungeon mobs can be reset quickly by returning to the Site of Grace and repeating a short path. Target dungeons with tightly packed enemies—especially humanoid mobs—which often drop more runes and are easier to stagger or backstab.

2. Equip Rune-Boosting Talismans and Gear

Before entering a dungeon, optimize your setup. Equip items like the Gold Scarab talisman and use consumables like the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot to maximize rune gains. These bonuses stack and can make a big difference over time.

3. Use Area-of-Effect Spells or Skills

Dungeons often feature narrow hallways and clustered enemies. Equipping AoE spells like Dragonfire or Ashes of War like Flaming Strike can help clear groups faster, increasing your rune-per-minute ratio.

4. Target Skeleton and Zombie-Rich Areas

Undead enemies may seem weak, but many have decent rune drops and respawn endlessly unless finished properly. Use holy damage or weapons that prevent revival to farm them without interruptions.

5. Use Spirit Summons for Crowd Control

Spirit Ashes can help distract or clean up mobs in dense dungeon environments, especially when farming rune-rich enemies. They don’t cost runes to use and can increase efficiency during extended dungeon runs.

6. Farm Dungeon Bosses with Co-Op

Many dungeon bosses respawn when summoned in co-op. Join other players’ worlds, help them defeat bosses, and gain a consistent stream of Elden Ring Runes. It's also a good way to learn boss patterns for your own world.

7. Explore Illusory Walls Thoroughly

Hidden paths often lead to additional enemy groups, chests, or mini-bosses. The more enemies you defeat, the more runes you earn. It’s worth tapping suspicious-looking walls in every dungeon corner.

8. Pick Dungeons with Fast Return Routes

Some dungeons have boss shortcuts or loop-back ladders that allow quick resets. These layouts let you return to the grace and repeat farming routes without wasting time backtracking.

9. Maximize Rune Drops with High Arcane Builds

Arcane not only increases item discovery but can subtly influence drop rates in some cases, depending on your weapon scaling and enemy type. Consider incorporating arcane-focused gear if you want both runes and rare items.

10. Avoid Death Traps to Keep Runes

Losing a large pile of runes due to a random spike trap or fall can undo your hard work. Learn dungeon layouts, trigger traps safely, and always spend your runes when possible before venturing too deep.

11. Utilize Night or Weather Effects for Advantage

Certain dungeon enemies behave differently depending on time of day or environmental effects. If you’re having trouble or want a safer farming run, resting at the grace to reset conditions might give you an edge.

12. Supplement Your Farming with Smart Purchases

While farming is the foundation of progression, it’s also practical to buy Elden Ring Items to streamline your build or test new strategies without long grind sessions. This way, your dungeon runs can be more focused and efficient.

Farming Elden Ring Runes doesn’t always require high-level combat or endgame areas. By using these techniques in standard dungeons, you can build a steady stream of runes, sharpen your skills, and discover hidden paths along the way. The key is consistency, awareness, and making the most of the mechanics that dungeons offer.