How to get & use Rune Arcs in Elden Ring
Rune Arcs are a very important item in Elden Ring. This valuable resource powers the Great Runes that give players massive boosts, so here's how to get them.
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You'll want to know what Elden Ring Rune Arcs are and how to get them, as they are powerful consumables that allow you to reap the benefits of the game's various Great Runes.
Elden Ring has bosses called Shardbearers, which drop Great Runes, which are items that can boost your stats or give you powerful buffs. If you want to make the most of these, read on for our breakdown of Elden Ring Rune Arcs.
Where to get Rune Arcs
Gathering Rune Arcs in Elden Ring is an important task. There are a couple of ways you can go about this. Firstly, they can be found out in the world. For some reason, Rune Arcs potentially drop when killing rats. There is probably some lore reason for this, but seemingly many of the rats of the Lands Between have acquired these valuable items. Find a decent source of rats, usually somewhere dark and dingy, and farm them for Rune Arcs.
The other and more consistent method for gaining Rune Arcs is through multiplayer. Through jolly co-operation, you can earn Rune Arcs when successfully aiding another player to defeat a boss. Defeating a boss as a co-op buddy nets you a Rune Arc, so be sure to get out and help your fellow Tarnished.
How to use Rune Arcs
Once you have a Great Rune and some Rune Arcs, you are most of the way there. Provided you have activated your Great Rune first, you can use it at any time. Go to a site of grace and equip your Great Rune in the Great Runes menu.
Once it is equipped, go into your inventory and use a Rune Arc to activate the Great Rune effect. Using Godrick’s Great Rune will boost all of your stats by five points, so the buff is pretty significant. As you accumulate Great Runes by defeating bosses, you will be able to find which ones suit your playstyle the most.
Why you need Rune Arcs
Rune Arcs are a resource used to power Great Runes in Elden Ring. Great Runes are key items that you will receive each time you defeat a Demigod, the key bosses of the game. Great Runes are powerful items because when activated, they grant the player various buffs.
The first you will likely receive in the game is Godrick’s Great Rune, once you defeat the lord of Stormveil Castle. This Great Rune will raise all of your attributes when it is used. However, using a Great Rune will consume one of your Rune Arcs. This is why Rune Arcs are such a vital resource, they power the Great Runes that buff your character.
That is everything you need to know about Rune Arcs and Great Runes. For more on the game, why not check out Elden Ring Smithing Stones: Where To Find Them and How To Use Them.
About The Author
Dave McAdam
Dave is a Senior Guides Writer at GGRecon, after several years of freelancing across the industry. He covers a wide range of games, with particular focus on shooters like Destiny 2, RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, and fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8.
This is part of the ‘Elden Ring’ directory
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