Elden Ring: How To Get & Farm Rune Arcs

Here is everything you need to know about how to use and get Rune Arcs.

One item that perhaps might be the strongest in Elden Ring is going to be the Rune Arc when used correctly. This special item is used a lot, and you can even Farm Rune Arcs offline in Elden Ring.

Key Takeaways
  • Rune Arcs are a shard of an Elden Ring that has been shattered.
  • Rune Arcs can give you an extra boost in health but are more effective when used to activate Great Runes.
  • You can find Rune Arcs all over the map, some are in chests, and others are just lying around. 
  • You can farm Rune Arcs by fighting and killing bosses in multiplayer or by killing Giant Rats.

What Is The Usage Of Rune Arc?

Elden Ring Great Rune
Rune Arc Used To Activate Great Rune- Image by eXputer

The Rune Arc in Elden Ring serves a dual purpose. Initially, consuming it boosts your maximum health, offering a modest benefit. However, its true value emerges when used to activate Great Runes obtained from defeating main bosses. Based on my gameplay experience, these Great Runes provide significant perks, transforming you from a mortal into a skilled warrior and allowing you to surpass your limits. To unlock these potent abilities, I would suggest you to pair the Great Rune with a Rune Arc.

  • Once you have unlocked a Great Rune’s power from the Divine Tower, you can equip it at a site of Grace.
  • However, equipping it does not mean you get the buff.
  • Once it is equipped, go into your inventory and consume a Rune Arc to activate the Great Rune’s Perks.
  • The Great Rune perks only last until a player’s death. Once you die, you will need to redo the process. 

Rune Arc Locations

Elden Ring Rune Arc Locations
Locations Of Rune Arc – Screenshot Grab: eXputer

Based on my gameplay experience, there are three ways that you can get your hands on Rune Arcs. You can find them in different locations and loot them. Defeat enemies for a chance for the enemies to drop them, and lastly, you can purchase them. 

Locations Where Rune Arcs Can Be Found

The first way that I recommend is to find them all over the map in Elden Ring. You can find them on corpses, near Erdtrees, or even in chests. They are shattered all over the most waiting for you to discover them. 

Chests

All Rune Arc Chests
Chest With Rune Arcs In Elden Rune – Image Captured by us

In my experience, You can find Rune Arcs in four chests:

  1. Near the Atlas tunnel, accessible without enemy encounters. It’s located in a cave near a site of Grace.
  2. Next to a site of Grace at the Coal Mine, easy to spot with no guarding mobs.
  3. Hidden at the snowy peaks of Albinauric Rise in the Consecrated Snowfield, on a platform you’ll need to reach.
  4. Guarded by a Great Sage at the Academy Crystal Cave. Defeat the Sage to access the chest and collect the Rune Arcs.

Corpses 

Elden Ring Rune Arc Corpses
Corpses With Rune Arcs – Image by eXputer

The most frequent place where you will find Rune Arcs in Elden Ring will be Random Corpses that you find while wandering the lands. Be sure to check them. Here are some of the places that I suggest you to keep an eye out for:

  • Corpses at Dragon Temple: One by Phantom Tree outside, one near a deteriorating pillar inside.
  • Rune Arc-holders near Liurnia of the Lakes: One by a merchant in the wild with boulders, one in enemy territory after clearing The Four Belfries outpost.
  • Corpses by a small fire: One in Castle Sol, one in Dragonbarrow.
  • Catacomb corpses: One in hidden room activated by lever at Unsightly Catacombs, one near stairs at Road’s End Catacomb.
  • Tunnel corpses: One in main cave at Sellia Crystal Tunnel, second at Sealed Tunnel near Abductor Virgin

Once you slay the Omenkiller present in the village of the Albinaurics, you can look around to locate a corpse with a Rune Arc in the area. The rest of the four corpses holding the Rune Arcs will be located at Caria Manor, Fort Gael, Spiritcaller’s Cave, and Caelid, respectively. They are out in the open and easy to spot, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding them. 

Other Locations 

Elden Ring Other Rune Arc Locations
Rune Arc Other Locations – Screenshot Grab: eXputer

A few of the Rune Arcs in Elden Ring won’t be in chests or on corpses. Some are just found sitting at random spots in the game, such as under the staircase at Cliffbottom Catacombs. You can find two at Rune Arcs at the Leyndell Royal Capital. 

For the first one, you will have to get to the room located under the dragon’s wing, and the second is internal to the Fortified Manor. You will find a table that is covered with swords with the Rune Arc on it. One Rune Arc can also be found under the Erdtree, which is located in Caelid. 

Places To Purchase Rune Arcs

Shops To Buy Rune Arc
Rune Arc Shops – Screenshot Captured by eXputer
  • The second method is purchasing Rune Arcs from game shops or vendors, but it’s not sustainable due to varying prices and limited supplies.
  • Five shops in Elden Ring sell Rune Arcs: Liurnia of the Lakes, Mountaintops of the Giants, Hermit Merchant’s Shack, Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum, and Roundtable Hold. The latter sells 5 Rune Arcs, while the former four each sell 3.
  • Prices for Rune Arcs differ by location, with most merchants offering them at 4000 runes per Rune Arc, while others charge 8000 runes. I suggest you to farm them to save runes for stat leveling

Kill Enemies To Gain Rune Arc

Rune Arc Enemies
Elden Ring Enemies – Image Credit Copyright: eXputer

The third and most effective method will be to kill enemies and obtain it from the loot they drop. I suggest you to team up with friends and defeats bosses together, which is an easy and reliable way to get them. There are Mobs in the game that have a certain chance to drop Rune Arcs. You can reset mobs and keep on killing them to farm Rune Arcs.

Single-player

Rune Arc Single Player Farming
Elden Ring Single Player Rune Arc Farming- Image Captured by us

There are two main spots to get Rune Arcs from in the Single Player mode. You can do the Volcano Manor’s mission in which you have to assassinate a few targets. Three of these targets will give you Rune Arcs once you successfully defeat them. Old Knight Istvan, Rileigh the Idle, and Great Horned Tragoth all three will drop Rune Arcs upon death. The second way is to kill Giant Rats which have a slight chance of dropping a Rune Arc. 

Multiplayer

Rune Arcs In Multiplayer
Elden Ring Multiplayer – [Image credit: eXputer]
There are three bosses you can beat as an invader in multiplayer. Once someone summons you, you can defeat the Furled Finger to gain the first Rune Arc. The other two are relatively easier. While you are an invader, slay a Host of Fingers and a Hunter to gain two Extra Rune Arc drops. 

Rune Arc Farm 

Farm Rune Arcs In Elden Ring
Elden Ring Rune Arc Farm – Screenshot Captured by eXputer

To farm Rune Arcs in Elden Ring:

  1. Multiplayer Method: Participate in multiplayer games to invade and defeat bosses. Each boss kill as an invader rewards you with Rune Arcs.
  2. Offline Method: Farm Giant Rats in locations like Castle Morne, which have a low chance of dropping Rune Arcs. Here’s how to do it:
    • Find a location with Giant Rats and a nearby site of Grace.
    • Giant Rats are easy to kill and respawn when you sit at a site of Grace.
    • Repeatedly kill them and reset by sitting at the site of Grace.
    • This method can yield Rune Arcs over time, and the effects last until death.

Final Words

You will need Rune Arcs to make the game easier. However, you will need to know the best class in Elden Ring to survive in the game. Check out our guide on Elden Ring Best Classes and Best Swords guide, so you are prepared for boss fights. You can also try different Builds, such as BEST Faith Build or Blood Build, to find the Best build that suits your play style. 

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Huzaifa is eXputer's Review Editor, who’s all about RPG games. He’s got several years of experience critically judging games and writing his unbiased thoughts on them. You can also find his content published on sites like Twinfinite & GearNuke. Huzaifa has been gaming for 23+ years, during which he managed to amass 400+ hours on Elden Ring! You can follow his gaming activity on his Xbox and Steam Profiles.

Experience: 5+ years || Previously Worked At GearNuke & Twinfinite || Mainly Covers RPG Guides & Latest Games Reviews || Education: Bachelors in Hospitality.

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