When I first ventured into Elden Ring, the Lands Between felt overwhelming—its massive world, punishing enemies, and unforgiving terrain made every rune feel precious. Like many new players, I struggled to level up fast enough to keep pace with the game’s rising difficulty. But after sinking over 100 hours into the game and experimenting with various strategies, I found that early-game rune farming can make a huge difference. In this guide, I’ll share the top 8 early-game rune farming locations that helped me progress smoothly—without needing late-game weapons or advanced builds.

Whether you’re a newcomer or starting a new character, these locations will give you a reliable edge. Plus, for those who want to level faster or get an even bigger advantage, services like Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting can help you skip the grind entirely. But if you’re in it for the full journey, here are my go-to rune farming spots.

1. Gatefront Ruins (Limgrave)

The Gatefront Ruins are among the first areas you’ll encounter. With a stealthy approach or some simple crowd control, you can take out the soldiers here efficiently. Each run gives around 500–700 Elden Ring Runes, and it’s a perfect place to practice basic combat mechanics. I used this spot a lot in my first five hours.

2. Warmaster’s Shack Area

Just northeast of the Gatefront Ruins, this area is filled with wolves and wandering soldiers. It’s a quick loop and provides around 1,000 runes per run. The enemies are weak but numerous, and the nearby Site of Grace makes resetting easy.

3. Stormhill Evergaol

If you're confident enough to face mini-bosses, the Crucible Knight in this Evergaol offers a big rune payout—around 2,000 runes—but it's risky. I lost a few attempts before learning the timing. Still, this challenge helped sharpen my dodging and parrying skills early on.

4. Third Church of Marika – East Bearwood

Around this church lies a field of easy-to-kill trolls. With a good weapon or a bit of magic, you can take them down for about 1,000 runes each. Mount up with Torrent to avoid damage and finish them off efficiently.

5. Mistwood Forest (Nighttime Farming)

This area becomes much more interesting at night. The bats and bears are tough, but the glowing spirits and wandering soldiers are prime targets. Using ranged attacks here helped me earn 2,000–3,000 Elden Ring Runes per cycle. It’s also atmospheric, giving you a real sense of the game’s haunting beauty.

6. Bestial Sanctum (via Portal)

This is one of the best rune farming spots in the early game, once you unlock the portal behind the Third Church of Marika. Don’t fight the boss—just farm the nearby enemies for 1,000+ runes each. They're tough, but if you use Torrent to kite and strike, it becomes manageable. I gained 10,000 runes in 10 minutes here.

7. Fort Faroth Bats (Caelid)

If you can handle poison and fly-bys, farming the bats near Fort Faroth is extremely efficient. Each bat drops a solid number of runes, and AoE spells or wide-swinging weapons make short work of them. This spot helped me bridge the level gap when moving from Limgrave to Caelid.

8. Lenne’s Rise Bridge (Boulder Trick)

This one’s more of a trick than a fight. Head to Lenne’s Rise and bait the giant boulder to roll off the cliff. Each time it falls, you get around 2,000 runes. You can repeat this endlessly, and it’s totally safe. I farmed here when I wanted to level up without risking death.

Farming Elden Ring Runes early can make your journey smoother, especially if you want to experiment with builds or spells. While the thrill of battle and discovery is part of the game’s magic, sometimes you just need that extra edge to take on what’s next. These farming spots have been personally tested and are reliable for any new Tarnished.

And if you're short on time or just want to focus on exploring the world and bosses, Elden Ring Nightreign Boosting is a trusted solution for leveling quickly and safely. Whether you're grinding it out or getting help, your experience in Elden Ring is yours to shape.