In Elden Ring, efficiency is everything. Whether you’re building the perfect character or preparing for the next boss encounter, knowing how to farm both runes and Elden Ring items at the same time can significantly enhance your gameplay. Having played through the game multiple times with different builds, I’ve spent countless hours testing areas and methods that maximize both rune gain and valuable item drops.

If you’re looking to optimize your time or enhance your arsenal, here are 7 tried-and-tested methods to farm runes and loot simultaneously. And if you're after specific gear without the grind, you can also use an Elden Ring item store to round out your collection quickly and safely.

1. Mohgwyn Palace – Albinauric Blood Farm

This is one of the most popular rune farming locations for good reason. With a Sacred Relic Sword and the Wave of Gold Ash of War (obtained after beating the final boss), you can mow down large groups of Albinaurics for 30,000+ runes per wave.

But what many players overlook is that these enemies also drop Elden Ring items like Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot crafting ingredients and gear pieces. I’ve personally farmed both runes and valuable items here with a Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot active, making it an incredibly efficient location.

2. Windmill Village – Madness Cultists

The Windmill Village is filled with dancing cultists who are relatively easy to defeat but drop decent runes and useful consumables. During my incantation-focused run, I farmed here for runes while collecting crafting materials and rare gear pieces.

With the Silver Scarab talisman equipped, item discovery increases dramatically, making this area a double win for rune and item farming.

3. Bestial Sanctum – Black Blade Kindred and Lesser Enemies

This high-risk, high-reward zone in Caelid offers strong enemies with excellent rune drops. The surrounding mobs drop unique weapons and upgrade materials that can enhance your arsenal. In one of my melee builds, I repeatedly farmed the lesser mobs here for runes and weapon drops.

The Black Blade Kindred boss also drops significant runes and a boss weapon, making this an ideal long-term farming area once you’re strong enough.

4. Nokstella – Silver Tears and Mimic Enemies

Nokstella is underrated as a farming spot. The silver tears and mimic enemies here drop both decent runes and a variety of Elden Ring items, including larval tears and smithing stones. During my mimic-using Spirit Ash build, this area helped me stockpile upgrade materials and level up rapidly.

I highly recommend using item discovery boosters here, as the loot pool is rewarding when luck is on your side.

5. Haligtree – Cleanrot Knights and Soldier Clusters

Late-game area Haligtree is a goldmine for experienced players. The Cleanrot Knights offer not only hefty rune rewards but also chances to drop Cleanrot armor pieces and other unique equipment.

When I tackled this area with a bleed build, the combination of quick kills and high-value item drops made it my go-to zone for endgame farming.

6. Siofra River – Early Game Mixed Farming

For early- to mid-game players, Siofra River is a beautiful but dangerous farming location. The enemies offer moderate rune gain and occasional drops like Arrows, Bolts, and materials for crafting. I used this area extensively during my first playthrough and found it effective for leveling and gear acquisition before accessing late-game zones.

It’s a slower method than others on this list but excellent for early progression.

7. Sellia Crystal Tunnel – Smithing Stones and Rune Drops

This is a prime location for farming Smithing Stones and runes simultaneously. Crystal miners and centipede enemies drop upgrade items used for weapon enhancement, along with decent rune rewards.

This area helped me fully upgrade my early-game weapon without needing to rely on random dungeon loot. I always had a Gold Scarab talisman equipped to maximize drop rates during these farming sessions.

Bonus Tip: Use a Trusted Elden Ring Item Store for Specific Needs

While farming is satisfying, it can also be time-consuming. For players who want to avoid repetition or lack time to grind for gear, an Elden Ring item store like U4GM provides a fast and secure way to obtain rare weapons, upgrade materials, or armor sets without hours of farming. I’ve used these services when I wanted to try new builds without replaying the same farming loops repeatedly.

Farming runes and Elden Ring items simultaneously is not only efficient—it’s essential for players looking to build powerful characters and enjoy more of the game’s expansive world. These methods are based on my own experience across multiple builds, and I can confidently say they offer the best balance of time and reward.

Whether you’re slashing Albinaurics in Mohgwyn Palace or exploring the depths of Nokstella, combining rune farming with loot hunting will always keep your inventory stocked and your level climbing. And if farming isn’t your style, the Elden Ring item store is always an option to keep your progress moving forward.

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