If you’ve spent any amount of time exploring the Lands Between, you already know how crucial runes are in Elden Ring. They’re your lifeblood for leveling up, buying gear, and experimenting with builds. While farming enemies is one way to gather them, using rune-boosting items can make the process far more efficient. Below, we’ll go over the best items to help you maximize your rune gains, along with tips on where to find them.
1. The Golden Scarab Talisman
Without question, the Golden Scarab is the most important rune-boosting item in Elden Ring. It increases all rune gains by 20%, making it a must-have for anyone looking to level faster. You can find it by defeating the Cleanrot Knights inside the Abandoned Cave in Caelid, east of the Smoldering Wall Site of Grace. Be prepared for some tough rot-infested enemies, and bring plenty of Preserving Boluses.
Once you have this talisman, equip it permanently. You’ll notice a steady increase in rune collection, especially during late-game farming sessions.
2. The Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot
The Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot is a consumable item that temporarily boosts rune acquisition by 30% for three minutes. It’s ideal for short bursts of farming, boss fights, or when you’re clearing a high-reward area like Mohgwyn Palace.
You can craft it after obtaining the Missionary’s Cookbook [2], found at the Smoldering Church in Limgrave. You’ll need Rowa Fruit, Four-Toed Fowl Foot, and Gold Firefly to make one. Keep a few ready before entering a rune-rich zone for the best results.
3. The Gold Scarab + Gold-Pickled Combo
When you use both the Golden Scarab and a Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot, the effects stack — resulting in roughly a 50% total increase in rune income. This combination is incredibly effective for grinding spots like the Albinauric fields in Mohgwyn Palace or the giants on the Mountaintops of the Giants.
Just make sure to pop your Fowl Foot right before a major encounter or at the start of a farming route to make the most of its limited duration.
4. Additional Tips for Maximizing Runes
Farm smart, not hard: Locations such as the Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace are perfect for rune farming due to dense enemy placement and high rune yield.
Use multiplayer to your advantage: Helping other players defeat bosses as a summoned ally can reward you with a generous amount of runes, especially with rune-boosting items equipped.
Stay safe during farming: It’s easy to get greedy when farming, but dying and losing your runes can erase your progress. Deposit your gains at a Site of Grace whenever possible.
5. Alternative Ways to Get Runes
Some players prefer to skip the grind altogether. It’s not uncommon to hear about options to buy Elden Ring runes to save time, especially for those who want to test builds or jump into PvP without hours of farming. If you ever choose that route, just make sure to buy Elden Ring runes online cheap only from trustworthy sources and always play safely — never compromise your account or personal information.
Rune-boosting items in Elden Ring aren’t just convenient — they’re essential for efficient leveling and experimentation. Whether you’re exploring new builds, tackling late-game bosses, or preparing for NG+, using the Golden Scarab and Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot together will help you make the most of every victory.
