Many players skip side dungeons while heading for legacy dungeons. That’s a mistake. Hidden caves like Stillwater Cave or Sellia Hideaway have elite mobs that drop solid rune rewards and often unique Elden Ring Items.

2. Defeat Caravan Trolls

Roaming caravans guarded by trolls are a moving target — literally. Each group gives a nice rune chunk and changes location across regions. Knock them out when spotted during exploration for consistent, non-repetitive gains.

3. Clear Bell-Bearing Hunter Invaders

These nighttime-only invaders are tough, but rewarding. Once beaten, they stop respawning, making each one a one-time, high-value farm event.

4. Use the Gold Scarab Strategically

This talisman boosts rune acquisition — but don’t waste it on weak enemies. Save it for boss fights, dungeon clears, or high-yield mobs like Albinaurics or Knights.

5. Join Co-op for Remembrance Bosses

Helping players in co-op, especially with Remembrance bosses, is a low-risk way to earn runes while gaining experience with tough fights. Bonus: no rune loss on death.

6. Activate and Farm Near Evergaols

Enemies near Evergaols respawn with solid rune drops, and you can engage or avoid the bosses. Limgrave’s Forlorn Hound Evergaol, for instance, is great for early-game farming.

7. Clean Up Forgotten NPC Quests

NPC-related invaders and questline mobs tend to drop large rune sums and upgrade materials. Plus, you’ll often unlock additional merchants or Elden Ring Items in the process.

8. Return to Legacy Dungeons with New Tools

Revisit Stormveil or Raya Lucaria with upgraded weapons and spells to make short work of elite mobs. You’ll find new paths and untouched enemies even after your initial run.

9. Hunt Night Bosses on the Map

Field bosses like the Night Cavalry only appear at night. They’re one-time kills but offer huge rune payouts. Vary your route by traveling at night and hunting them down.

10. Farm the Windmill Village Dancers

The dancing women in Windmill Village drop surprising amounts of runes and don’t aggro all at once. It’s a peaceful but eerie spot for quick rune gain — and perfect for short sessions.

11. Participate in PvP Invasions

If you’re confident in your build, PvP can be lucrative. Each successful invasion nets runes and sometimes consumables. It’s risky, but a nice change from PvE farming.

12. Defeat Wandering Mausoleum Knights

Some Mausoleums are guarded by elite mobs. These knights can be farmed individually and offer strong rune rewards without repeating the same dungeon loops.

13. Hunt Deathbirds with Torrent

Deathbirds only spawn at specific times and places, often in lesser-traveled regions. They’re challenging, but with Torrent and some distance tactics, you can take them down for hefty rune rewards.

14. Try NG+ Bosses You Skipped First Run

Many players miss optional bosses in their first playthrough. In NG+, they’re stronger — but the rune rewards scale too. It’s a great way to farm while exploring new content.

15. Clear out Divine Tower Surroundings

Towers like the one near Caelid or Altus Plateau are surrounded by strong mobs that often drop rare gear and high rune values. Since these are off the beaten path, they’re usually untouched.

16. Kill Dragons You Avoided

Still avoiding that sleeping dragon in Caelid? Or the smaller ones in Agheel Lake? With bleed or poison, they’re manageable — and dragons drop a massive chunk of runes once felled.

17. Loot Ruins You Ignored

Ruins like Yelough Anix or the submerged ruins in Liurnia house undead enemies that scale with your level. Use area-of-effect weapons or spells to clear large groups quickly.

18. Summon Spirits and Farm Crowds

Get creative with Spirit Ashes. Pairing high-damage ashes with rune-boosting talismans makes for efficient crowd clearing in high-density zones like Haligtree.

19. Search the Mountaintops for Isolated Knights

Late-game zones like the Mountaintops of the Giants have scattered elite enemies that offer strong rewards. Target them one by one to avoid repeating dungeon or camp routes.

20. Use U4GM to Jumpstart Builds

Some players opt to buy Elden Ring runes when they want to test new builds without hours of farming. Services like U4GM are widely used by the community to gather resources, experiment with classes, or prep for PvP seasons. It’s especially handy when trying out advanced rune-based upgrades or rare Elden Ring Items.

21. Explore Legacy Dungeon Roofs and Hidden Areas

Stormveil, Nokron, and others have rooftops, hidden basements, and ledges full of enemies and loot most players never touch. Don’t just stick to the main halls — explore vertically and you’ll find new farming zones.

Farming runes doesn’t have to mean endlessly running Mohgwyn Palace or spamming Albinauric spawns. The game is filled with creative, hidden, or underused farming opportunities if you’re willing to step off the beaten path.

Mix these 21 methods throughout your playthrough and you’ll stay rich in runes without ever getting bored. Whether you’re preparing to fight Malenia or just saving up for a new weapon upgrade, varying your routes makes Elden Ring feel fresh — and farming a lot more fun.