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Farming runes in Elden Ring doesn’t always have to mean long, repetitive runs through tough dungeons or taking on high-level bosses. In fact, some of the most efficient rune spots in the game are just a shortcut away. Whether you’re a new Tarnished or heading into New Game Plus, finding quick-access locations can save you time and effort—especially when you're trying out new builds or gearing up for late-game challenges.

Below are 19 efficient rune farm spots that are accessible via shortcuts, portals, or well-placed Sites of Grace, helping you maximize gains without unnecessary grind.

1. Mohgwyn Palace - Albinauric Kill Zone

One of the best-known rune farms, this area is accessible early through a portal after progressing White Mask Varre’s questline. The bird trick and Albinauric slaughter combo here yields massive runes quickly.

2. Bestial Sanctum – Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow

Use D’s teleporter in eastern Limgrave to reach the Bestial Sanctum early. The enemies here give thousands of runes each, and with ranged cheese or stealth tactics, you can farm safely.

3. Windmill Village – Festering Commoners

Reach this area from the Altus Plateau with minimal resistance. The dancing enemies here give solid runes and go down quickly, especially in groups.

4. Dynasty Mausoleum Midpoint – Repeating Bird Farm

Once inside Mohgwyn Palace, use a bow to snipe the bird across the blood swamp. It’ll run off a cliff every time, netting 11k+ runes per shot. Fast, repeatable, and zero risk.

5. Sealed Tunnel – Leyndell Proximity

Just outside Leyndell, the Sealed Tunnel has miner enemies that are easy to farm and provide smithing materials alongside runes. It’s great for farming both upgrade items and XP.

6. Hidden Path to the Haligtree – Invisible Walkways

While dangerous, the invisible bridges here let you kite tough enemies into falling off ledges. With some finesse, you can collect a hefty rune haul while avoiding direct combat.

7. Lenne’s Rise – Ball Trick

Northeast of Caelid, the rolling ball trick gives consistent rune drops every time the trap triggers and rolls off the cliff. Activate the nearby Site of Grace and farm as needed.

8. Moghwyn Portal via Consecrated Snowfield

Once you’ve reached the Consecrated Snowfield, the portal near Yelough Anix leads straight to Mohgwyn Palace without needing Varre’s quest. From there, you can access both the Albinauric mob farm and the bird.

9. Castle Redmane – Pre-Festival Cleanup

Before Radahn’s festival begins, the castle is full of soldiers and beasts that are tightly packed and easy to clean up with AoE spells or greatswords. It’s short-lived but extremely efficient.

10. Fort Faroth – Sleep Dragon

Greyoll, the giant dragon surrounded by smaller ones, is located just outside Fort Faroth. With a bleed weapon, you can farm the big dragon safely. Killing Greyoll nets a huge chunk of runes, especially early-game.

11. Stormhill – Godrick’s Soldiers

These enemies near the Gatefront Ruins respawn quickly and are great for low-level farming. If you’re new and need a few quick levels, this is a great spot to start.

12. Volcano Manor – Prison Town Path

With the right shortcut unlocked, you can reach the lava-spewing enemies in this area who drop a good number of runes and are fairly easy to dispatch with ranged attacks.

13. Ordina Liturgical Town – Evergaol Farm

The spectral enemies here are deadly but offer great rune payouts. Use stealth or spirit ash distractions to safely farm them after unlocking the main gate shortcut.

14. Giants’ Gravepost – Flame Monk Zone

Located in Mountaintops of the Giants, this area has several Flame Monks with high rune rewards. With the nearby Site of Grace and narrow paths, you can reset fast and deal with them one by one.

15. Altus Plateau – Capital Outskirts Wall

The soldiers and knights patrolling here are relatively slow to aggro and offer mid-tier rune drops. It’s an excellent place to farm while preparing for Leyndell.

16. Subterranean Shunning Grounds – Omen Swarm

Once inside the depths of Leyndell, the Omen enemies in the sewers are challenging but rewarding. Use quick escapes via ladders and tunnels to reset fights or regroup.

17. Liurnia – Caria Manor Hands

The creepy hand enemies here are deceptively profitable. If you can handle their grab attacks and don’t mind a bit of horror, farming them nets solid runes.

18. Sellia, Town of Sorcery – Magic Archer Loop

Post-puzzle, the town becomes a good spot for farming mages and knights. It’s best approached after unlocking the inner areas and using shortcuts between rooftops.

19. Minor Erdtree Catacombs – Watchdog Repeats

The Erdtree Burial Watchdogs are easy bosses once you’ve learned their patterns. Several catacombs contain these mini-bosses, which can be farmed with short runs from Sites of Grace.

Finding the right shortcut-accessible farm spot can make your rune grinding sessions far more efficient and less frustrating. Whether you're just trying to level up before a tough boss or stocking up to experiment with a new build, knowing where to go—and how to get there quickly—makes a huge difference.

If you’re tight on time or experimenting across multiple characters, some players opt to supplement their progress with cheap Elden Ring runes or look for Elden Ring Items for sale to round out a build. Either way, learning the map and its shortcuts will always be one of your strongest tools in the Lands Between.