If you’ve just stepped into the Lands Between and your character feels about as sturdy as a wet napkin, you are definitely not alone. Elden Ring’s early hours can be rough, especially when you’re running around in starting gear and every wolf, soldier, and random rolling goat wants you dead. The good news is that you can smooth out those painful first levels with a simple rune-farming route that requires basically nothing. No fancy weapons, no spells, no stats. Just a few minutes of running and a bit of patience.
Below is the farm I always point new players toward. It’s easy, totally doable at Level 1, and honestly feels kind of magical the first time you pull in a bunch of runes without breaking a sweat.
Why Early Rune Farming Helps More Than You Think
A lot of players try to push through the early areas under-leveled and end up frustrated. But grabbing a couple thousand runes to pump into Vigor or a basic weapon stat goes a long way. It doesn’t turn the game into a cakewalk, but it definitely makes those first bosses feel less like brick walls.
I remember doing this farm on a fresh character and leveling up several times within minutes. It felt so good that I almost got carried away and kept farming instead of actually playing. That’s the thing about Elden Ring: a tiny bit of power early on really changes how the game feels.
How to Reach the Farm Location With Zero Requirements
You’ll be heading to a place called the Third Church of Marika in eastern Limgrave. If you’ve wandered the open world even a little, you’ve probably walked right past it without realizing there’s a secret nearby that makes this whole trick possible.
From the church, head behind the building and follow the water to a transporter gate hidden in the trees. When you interact with it, you’ll be warped straight into Caelid. Yes, the red scary place that one-shots newbies. Don’t worry; you won’t be fighting anything here.
You’ll end up at the Bestial Sanctum. Simply hop on Torrent, ride down the stairs, and follow the road south. You’ll see a bunch of small red undead creatures wandering around the cliffs. These guys are the target. They hit fairly hard, but they also die easily and award surprisingly high rune amounts. You only need to lure one or two into falling off the cliff or finish them with basic attacks to make the farm worth it.
How the Farm Works and Why It’s So Efficient
This farm is efficient because the enemies give a hefty amount of runes for minimal risk. Even if you accidentally get hit and die, respawning at the nearby grace takes seconds. You can repeat the loop endlessly, and each run can net you a few thousand runes with almost no real combat skill required.
If you're like me and love experimenting with builds early, this spot makes it super easy to reach the stats you need without wandering around hoping normal enemies drop enough runes. It’s also nice if you’re planning to buy elden ring runes later for speeding up other characters, since doing it manually once gives you a sense of the progression curve and how fast leveling can actually be.
Little Tips to Make the Farm Even Quicker
Even though this farm doesn’t require gear, there are a few small tricks that make it smoother.
First, rest at the grace to make sure the entire area is reset. Then, ride straight down the cliffside path and pull enemies one at a time instead of diving into the group. They’re aggressive, but they’re also pretty easy to manipulate. If you position yourself at the edge of the cliff and let them charge, they’ll happily sprint right off into the void.
If you’ve done a few loops and want to try something slightly faster, consider picking up a basic weapon upgrade from the Church of Elleh or grabbing the early Strength or Dex weapons scattered around Limgrave. Again, none of this is required, but it does speed up the farm if you’re planning to stick around for a while.
When to Stop Farming and Move On
Honestly, don’t overdo it. It’s tempting to grind until your character becomes some kind of early-game demigod, but the fun of Elden Ring is exploring, making mistakes, and stumbling into cool new areas. I usually stop once I’ve hit around Level 20 or so, or when I feel comfortable taking on Margit without feeling like I’m being punted across the arena.
If you're someone who likes testing loadouts or comparing builds, you might look at services like U4GM for inspiration or quick progression, but I’d still say try the farm yourself first. It’s a nice little confidence boost and helps you understand your character’s scaling better.
Staying Safe While Leveling Up
Some players worry about the risks of leveling too quickly or using outside methods to speed things up. If that’s something you’re thinking about, it’s always better to keep things clean and buy elden ring runes safe if you ever decide to go that route. Your save file and progression matter, and you don’t want to jeopardize hundreds of hours for a handful of early levels.
Still, for your very first playthrough, I strongly recommend doing everything naturally. The early game is one of the most magical parts of Elden Ring, and even if you’re farming a bit, you’re still engaging with the world and figuring things out in your own way.
This no-gear rune farm is one of those rare tricks that feels accessible without feeling cheap. It doesn’t break the game, it doesn’t spoil anything, and it gives new players a softer landing during those brutal first few hours. Whether you're building your very first Tarnished or rolling yet another alt because you want to try a new weapon, this spot is a reliable way to jump-start your run.
Take it slow, enjoy the scenery, and gather some runes without stressing. The Lands Between are tough, but with a little early momentum, you’ll be ready for whatever nightmare creature FromSoftware throws at you next.
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