When it comes to Faith builds in Elden Ring, runes are your lifeline. Whether you’re smiting foes with lightning or calling down holy wrath from afar, upgrading your Faith-based weapons and incantations can get expensive fast. As someone who’s spent way too many hours fine-tuning my own Faith character, I know that efficient rune farming can make or break your progress—especially if you want to experiment with multiple builds or gear sets without grinding endlessly.
Below, I’ll break down some of the best ways to farm runes for Faith builds, a few key farming spots, and some practical tips to keep your gameplay smoother (and your sanity intact).
Faith builds are awesome because they’re flexible—you can heal, buff, and deal serious elemental damage. But the catch is that you’ll constantly need to level up multiple stats. Faith obviously comes first, but you’ll also want enough Mind for a healthy FP pool and Vigor to survive longer fights. On top of that, certain sacred seals or weapons scale better with Strength or Dexterity, depending on your setup.
This combination means you’ll burn through levels—and therefore runes—at a rapid pace. That’s why rune farming isn’t just an optional side activity for Faith players. It’s part of the build’s natural rhythm.
In the early stages of Elden Ring, you don’t have access to the high-yield rune farming zones yet, but there are still efficient options. If you start as a Prophet or Confessor, you can rely on early incantations like Flame Sling or Catch Flame to take out groups of weaker enemies quickly.
One decent early farming route is the Gatefront Ruins area. The soldiers here are easy to manage and drop a fair amount of runes for your level. You can also try the Warmaster’s Shack area during nighttime—those skeletal enemies might not give a ton of runes, but they’re quick kills and great for practicing your timing.
For players who don’t mind a little shortcut, some prefer to buy elden ring runes from trusted community sources to get a small boost when starting a new character. It’s an option that can save time if you’ve already completed the game and just want to rebuild faster, though it’s definitely more about convenience than necessity.
Once you reach the Altus Plateau or Mountaintops of the Giants, rune farming becomes easier—and much more profitable. Faith builds really shine here because of how effective incantations can be against groups of enemies.
My personal go-to mid-game farming spot is the Windmill Village. The enemies there are aggressive but fragile, and Lightning Spear or Black Flame can wipe out several at once. The best part? They’re clustered close together, so you can finish a full run in just a few minutes.
Another solid option is the area around the Shaded Castle. The rot-infested soldiers here drop good runes, and since they’re weak to fire, you can use incantations like Flame, Fall Upon Them to clean them out quickly.
Just remember: even efficient spots can get repetitive. Mixing in dungeon runs or boss rematches can help keep things interesting.
When you’re ready to take on tougher enemies, the best rune farming zone in the game remains Moghwyn Palace. The red swamp and its blood-crazed enemies are practically made for rune farming. The Albinaurics near the Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace can drop tens of thousands of runes per run, especially if you’re using the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot or a rune-boosting talisman.
Faith builds have an advantage here—long-range incantations like Lightning Strike or Black Blade can wipe out entire groups safely from a distance. If you’re confident, you can even farm the nearby crow enemy by baiting it off the cliff. It’s a cheesy method, sure, but effective.
If you’re trying to save time or just don’t feel like grinding for hours, some players look for where to buy elden ring runes safely through community-trusted sellers. If you ever go that route, always stick to well-known and verified sources—sites like U4GM have built a decent reputation among players for offering quick and safe transactions. Still, nothing beats earning your runes the old-fashioned way if you enjoy the grind.
Boost Rune Gains: Always equip the Gold Scarab talisman once you can get it. It’s a simple boost that adds up quickly over long sessions.
Rest Strategically: Farm near a Site of Grace so you can reset enemy spawns fast without wasting time.
Use Area Damage: Faith incantations like Lightning Strike, Black Flame Ritual, and Giantsflame Take Thee are incredible for group farming.
Stay Alive: Farming is pointless if you die halfway through your route and lose everything. Keep healing items ready, and never underestimate small mobs in groups.
Experiment With Builds: Some seals scale differently. Try switching between the Erdtree Seal and the Godslayer’s Seal to see which gives the best results with your preferred spells.
Rune farming for Faith builds in Elden Ring isn’t just about gaining levels—it’s about finding your rhythm as a player. Whether you grind through the same zones for hours or mix in boss runs and exploration, it all adds to your understanding of how your build functions.
Personally, I find that farming sessions can be surprisingly relaxing once you get into the flow. Pop on some music, practice your incantation timing, and watch the runes pile up. With enough patience, even the most demanding Faith build becomes unstoppable.
And hey, if you ever hit a wall and just want to experiment without spending hours grinding, there are always alternative options out there. But for me, there’s something deeply satisfying about earning every rune with a perfectly cast Lightning Spear.