U4GM - 5 Most Overrated Rune Spots in Elden Ring (Avoid These)
Posted: June 4th, 2025, 5:54 am
When it comes to farming runes in Elden Ring, the community is full of suggestions—some helpful, others wildly exaggerated. As someone who has spent hundreds of hours in the Lands Between and used various services like Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting to test rune routes under different conditions, I’ve discovered that not all rune farming spots are worth your time. In this article, I’ll share five of the most overrated rune spots you should consider avoiding—and what to do instead if you're trying to buy Elden Ring runes worth your effort.
1. Mohgwyn Palace – Albinaurics Cliff Farming
Why It’s Overrated:
This has been the go-to spot for many players, especially with the Sacred Relic Sword. While the sheer number of Albinaurics makes it look like a goldmine, the spawn density, long travel time, and stiff competition online often reduce efficiency. Plus, the grind becomes tedious fast.
Personal Experience:
After several runs here, I realized I was spending more time backtracking or getting invaded than actually farming. I often made more consistent gains using a lower-key method in early-game areas.
2. Stormveil Castle Soldiers
Why It’s Overrated:
Some early guides recommend looping through the Stormveil gatefront area for a "safe" farming route. While it might work for absolute beginners, the rune payout is extremely low—barely 100 runes per kill.
Personal Experience:
This was one of the first routes I tried. It quickly became obvious I’d need to kill hundreds just to afford a single level. If you’re trying to get stronger fast or considering whether to buy Elden Ring runes, this spot is a waste of time.
3. Caelid War-Dead Catacombs
Why It’s Overrated:
This spot is popular for passive farming, where spirits fight each other and drop runes. But it’s slow and inconsistent. You often have to reset the area multiple times before seeing decent returns.
Personal Experience:
I tried AFK farming here overnight. I woke up to a connection lost message and only a few thousand runes gained. Not worth the effort unless you’re desperate or leaving the console idle.
4. Liurnia Highway Soldiers
Why It’s Overrated:
Some players suggest this route due to the tight path and relatively weak enemies. However, even with Gold-Pickled Fowl Foots and rune-enhancing talismans, the rune-to-time ratio is incredibly poor.
Personal Experience:
This was one of those “just try it” moments for me. After 20 minutes and barely one level gained, I gave up and looked for alternatives like Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting for time-efficient progression.
5. Altus Plateau Knights
Why It’s Overrated:
These knights can drop decent runes, and some videos make them look like an efficient grind. But in practice, their health pools and attack power make them inefficient for repeated farming.
Personal Experience:
Fighting these knights reminded me more of PvP duels than farming. It was risky, slow, and not sustainable. Unless you’re overleveled and one-shotting them, it’s just not worth the hassle.
What to Do Instead?
If you’re tired of low-yield spots and slow grinding, you have two real options:
Explore lesser-known high-efficiency spots—some early-game areas like the Rune Bear loop near Mistwood Ruins can be surprisingly rewarding.
Buy Elden Ring runes or use services like Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting, especially if you're short on time and want to focus on bosses, PvP, or lore.
Not all rune farming spots are created equal. Some are hyped by outdated guides or based on specific builds most players don’t use. Save yourself the time and frustration by avoiding these overrated locations. As someone who’s experimented with nearly every method—from sword swinging to rune boosting—I strongly recommend seeking smarter, faster alternatives that respect your time and build preferences.
Watch Now: Elden Ring XP vs Runes: Are They the Same?
1. Mohgwyn Palace – Albinaurics Cliff Farming
Why It’s Overrated:
This has been the go-to spot for many players, especially with the Sacred Relic Sword. While the sheer number of Albinaurics makes it look like a goldmine, the spawn density, long travel time, and stiff competition online often reduce efficiency. Plus, the grind becomes tedious fast.
Personal Experience:
After several runs here, I realized I was spending more time backtracking or getting invaded than actually farming. I often made more consistent gains using a lower-key method in early-game areas.
2. Stormveil Castle Soldiers
Why It’s Overrated:
Some early guides recommend looping through the Stormveil gatefront area for a "safe" farming route. While it might work for absolute beginners, the rune payout is extremely low—barely 100 runes per kill.
Personal Experience:
This was one of the first routes I tried. It quickly became obvious I’d need to kill hundreds just to afford a single level. If you’re trying to get stronger fast or considering whether to buy Elden Ring runes, this spot is a waste of time.
3. Caelid War-Dead Catacombs
Why It’s Overrated:
This spot is popular for passive farming, where spirits fight each other and drop runes. But it’s slow and inconsistent. You often have to reset the area multiple times before seeing decent returns.
Personal Experience:
I tried AFK farming here overnight. I woke up to a connection lost message and only a few thousand runes gained. Not worth the effort unless you’re desperate or leaving the console idle.
4. Liurnia Highway Soldiers
Why It’s Overrated:
Some players suggest this route due to the tight path and relatively weak enemies. However, even with Gold-Pickled Fowl Foots and rune-enhancing talismans, the rune-to-time ratio is incredibly poor.
Personal Experience:
This was one of those “just try it” moments for me. After 20 minutes and barely one level gained, I gave up and looked for alternatives like Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting for time-efficient progression.
5. Altus Plateau Knights
Why It’s Overrated:
These knights can drop decent runes, and some videos make them look like an efficient grind. But in practice, their health pools and attack power make them inefficient for repeated farming.
Personal Experience:
Fighting these knights reminded me more of PvP duels than farming. It was risky, slow, and not sustainable. Unless you’re overleveled and one-shotting them, it’s just not worth the hassle.
What to Do Instead?
If you’re tired of low-yield spots and slow grinding, you have two real options:
Explore lesser-known high-efficiency spots—some early-game areas like the Rune Bear loop near Mistwood Ruins can be surprisingly rewarding.
Buy Elden Ring runes or use services like Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting, especially if you're short on time and want to focus on bosses, PvP, or lore.
Not all rune farming spots are created equal. Some are hyped by outdated guides or based on specific builds most players don’t use. Save yourself the time and frustration by avoiding these overrated locations. As someone who’s experimented with nearly every method—from sword swinging to rune boosting—I strongly recommend seeking smarter, faster alternatives that respect your time and build preferences.
Watch Now: Elden Ring XP vs Runes: Are They the Same?