One of the key consumable items in enemies, bosses, and minibosses in Elden Ring with a bit more ease, though not directly. While Rune Arcs do provide a small health boost and remove negative effects, they're better saved for unlocking the effects of Great Runes.
Great Runes are items that many of the major bosses drop after players beat them in Elden Ring. Although they don't do anything by themselves, each of them has a unique effect that remains inactive until players use a Rune Arc as well. Great Runes need to be equipped at a Site of Grace, and afterward, players can use a Rune Arc to activate the effects on their character. After acquiring a Great Rune, however, players must restore it in the Divine Tower that belongs to the same region as the boss that dropped the item.
Fortunately, Rune Arcs are one of the items that the Nomadic Merchant and Roundtable Hold sells, though it costs 4,000 Runes to buy one in Elden Ring. Furthermore, while Great Runes remain equipped to a player after they die, their effects wear off and another Rune Arc will need to be used in order to activate it again. Additionally, as players find more Great Runes throughout the game, they'll need to use another Rune Arc to activate the new item's effects. Since this can be a costly endeavor, newer or inexperienced players may want to save their Rune Arcs to use just before a boss fight in Elden Ring to avoid wasting one altogether.
Where To Find Rune Arcs In Elden Ring
There are also a few places where Rune Arcs can be found in the game, although the drops rates are quite rare. As the Tarnished continue to explore the open world in Elden Ring, they can find Rune Arcs most commonly from defeating the rats located in the basements of Stormveil Castle and other places such as the rafters of buildings in the Lands Between. Rune Arcs aren't necessarily a common find after defeating the rats, however, it is just more likely that players will be able to find them from this source. Alternatively, players may be able to find Rune Arcs in the locations below from corpses, chests, and even under staircases:
- Academy Crystal Cave
- Atlus Tunnel
- Caria Manor
- Cliffbottom Catacombs
- Unsightly Catacombs
- Road's End Catacombs
- Fort Gael
- Liurnia of the Lakes
- Village of the Albinaurics
Lastly, Rune Arcs can also be earned in Elden Ring's multiplayer. Whenever ever players defeat a summoned boss or a Host of Fingers as a Bloody Finger in multiplayer, there is a chance that a Rune Arcs will be rewarded for completing either action. Whether it's multiplayer or single-player, Rune Arcs should be one of the items players constantly try to keep in their inventory throughout Elden Ring.
Elden Ring is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.
