Elden Ring presents a challenge that few other games offer, but you don't have to be a masochist to enjoy the game to the fullest. There are several ways to boost your level quickly with minimal effort, putting you in an advantageous position over the many enemies with fixed levels.
With a little bit of traveling, you can amass thousands -– or even millions – of Runes quickly without much fear of dying in the process. Of course, some Rune farms are easier than others. No matter your skill level, there are several great options available, depending on how far you've progressed.
Updated April 15, 2023, by Andrew Scariati: There are dozens of locations across the Lands Between that afford Tarnished ample opportunities to defeat enemies and gain Runes. To level up quickly, you can easily farm Runes by defeating enemies repeatedly, or by letting them battle each other instead. Whether you choose to get your hands dirty or let the NPCs do it for you, these key farming locations will accelerate your progress and give you an advantage against the fearsome enemies in Elden Ring. The Shadow Of The Erdtree awaits, so get your level up and your weapons upgraded.
10 Dishonorable Mention: Console Commands
Firstly, let's acknowledge that PC players don't even have to play the game to level up quickly in Elden Ring; that's what console command mods are for. Obviously, this is cheating and takes away the satisfaction of progressing normally, but it is an option.
Whether you're short on time, bored after hundreds of hours, or just abysmal at the game, you can pull up console commands using a cheat mod. Using cheats, you can set your levels in each attribute to whatever you wish.
Be warned that you are downloading cheat mods at your own risk and should never attempt to use them online unless you're speedrunning 'how to get banned in Elden Ring.'
9 Equip The Golden Scarab Talisman
Before beginning anything, it's a great idea to track down the Golden Scarab Talisman, which boosts Runes earned by 20 percent. The Golden Scarab is one of the best Talismans in Elden Ring and will save you a significant amount of time no matter which route you take to earn Runes.
To acquire this Talisman, you'll need to head over to Caelid, one of the more difficult late-game areas. Steer clear of enemies, head to the Smoldering Wall Site of Grace, and then go east to reach the Abandoned Cave.
Once you defeat the boss there, you'll receive the Golden Scarab Talisman. There's much more to discover in Caelid, so this won't be the only reason to make the trek.
8 Stormveil Sites Of Grace
Stormveil Castle offers one of the best early-game locations to respawn enemies while you're trying to level up. You can head to either the Liftside Chamber or Secluded Cell Sites of Grace and clear out the enemies nearby before resting and respawning them.
There is a troll and a few other enemies directly adjacent to the Secluded Cell, in the opposite direction of the fog gate to Godrick, The Grafted. This spot is a great location to bump up your levels to wield a certain weapon to fight Godrick or to increase your Vigor if you're having difficulty staying alive.
7 Hunt Down Easy Side Bosses
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While you may have different reasons for starting Elden Ring, many of you are probably in it for the epic boss fights. If standing around is too boring, feel free to roam the map looking for easy bosses to take down for big chunks of Runes.
While there are a plethora of difficult field bosses you'll want to avoid, there are several easier ones that offer a less daunting challenge. The Night's Cavalry variations are all fairly straightforward, and there is one just a bit north of Castle Redmane that you can defeat without lifting a finger.
You'll find the Night's Cavalry patrolling the bridge in the evening. If you tiptoe the ledge on the outer side of the bridge and bait a jump attack, the Night's Cavalry will miss you, jump over the ledge, and plunge to its death for some easy Runes.
6 Watch Enemies Fight
If you want to do a little multitasking and have no interest in fighting for your Runes, then you can always find a spot where enemies are fighting. As they're busy slaughtering each other, you'll notice the satisfying sound of Runes absorbing into your body with a small foggy wisp.
Since you're presumably already in Caelid, Castle Redmane in the southeastern part of the area offers a ripe opportunity to put your controller down and enjoy free Runes as an all-out war transpires.
Luckily, if you keep your distance, you should remain unnoticed. Once all the enemies are dead, go back to rest at the nearby Site of Grace to reset the spawns and start the process again.
5 A Field Of Vulgar Militiamen
In the northeastern area of Caelid, you'll come across a large open field in Dragonbarrow, just southwest of a Minor Erdtree. In this field, there will be around ten Vulgar Militiamen that should drop over 1,000 Runes each. It's very easy to get overwhelmed, so try to take them on one by one to avoid dying.
Using a weapon that has a ranged attack is ideal here, as your would-be attackers won't notice you if you sneak around behind them. This might be a better spot to use once you have a decent weapon, so you can slice through the Militiamen faster, thus optimizing your time.
4 Let Sleeping Dragons Die
If you push further north through the field where the Vulgar Militiamen are, you'll see a massive gray dragon sleeping in the distance. Navigate to the back without alerting it, or you'll have to deal with many mobile dragons who want to murder you.
Once you're behind it, start swinging your weapon at the dragon's back leg and get ready for an uneventful 15 minutes, as it will likely take this long if not longer, to deplete the dragon's large health bar.
Your reward will be a fat chunk of Runes – 75,000 to be exact – which is more than worth the time to acquire them, especially considering you're not in any real danger, as the dragon cannot hurt you unless you approach it head-on.
3 Co-Op Some Bosses
If Rune farming just isn't your thing, or you're looking for something a bit more engaging after slogging through the sleeping dragon's HP, then some jolly cooperation may be your best bet. Make sure you have the Tarnished's Furled Finger from The Chapel of Anticipation at the beginning of your quest, as you'll need it to be summoned.
With that item in hand, you can place your Summon Sign outside any boss arena to be summoned by a fellow Tarnished. Helping them defeat the boss will reward you with approximately 25 percent of the total Runes a boss would drop if you defeated them on your own.
However, this amount adds up quickly as you can repeatedly help others complete any boss to your heart's content.
2 Backstab Fishing In Farum Azula
If Maliketh is giving you trouble, and you could use a little more damage to help you get over the line, then Crumbling Farum Azula has a few spots to get your level up quickly. Assuming you've beaten the Godskin Duo and gotten to Maliketh, you can go back to the Godskin boss room Site of Grace to begin farming.
Adjacent to the doorway facing outside is a knight hanging out dangerously close to the edge. Crouch and slowly sneak behind the knight before executing a backstab with your weapon of choice.
The weapon doesn't matter, as the knight will be pushed off the edge to its death. As it falls, you can run back to the Site of Grace and sit down just as you receive your Runes, repeating this process for over 100,000 Runes in minutes once you get in a groove.
1 Find The Albinauric Cliff
The Albinauric farming area has earned incredible fame in the Elden Ring community as the most efficient way to maximize your level, provided you put in the time. In addition to the plethora of sleeping Albinaurics, a handful of others are patrolling the area, so keep your eyes on them as they approach; their rolling attacks can be deadly.
Just over the cliff, there is also a giant bird that can be targeted for an even safer farming option.
To take advantage of this farming spot, you will need to reach the Mohgwyn Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace. To find this area, you must advance White Mask Varre's storyline.
It's very easy to miss this quest, so exhaust his dialogue to ensure it progresses, and eventually, you will receive the Pureblood Knight's Medal, which will teleport you to Mohgwyn. This is the easiest way to reach the area and will put you on the fast track to your level of choice.