How to use Great Runes in Elden Ring
And where to find the Rune Arcs needed to activate them.
Elden Ring guide: Conquer the Lands Between
Elden Ring bosses: How to beat them
Elden Ring dungeons: How to defeat them
Elden Ring paintings: Solutions and locations
Elden Ring map fragments: Reveal the world
Main bosses drop something called Great Runes in Elden Ring, but there are a couple of things you'll need to do before you can make use of them. Much like the "Remembrances" dropped for boss weapons, you need to take the rune to a specific place to get any benefit from the item.
Once a Great Rune has been restored, you can equip and activate it with an Elden Ring Rune Arc to give you passive bonus effects. You can only have one equipped at a time, though, so it's likely you should switch between them for different encounters or areas. Here's what you need to know about Great Runes, and where to find the Rune Arc items needed to activate them.
How to use Great Runes in Elden Ring
Whenever you pick up a Great Rune from a boss, you'll need to restore it before it can be equipped. To do this, head to the Divine Tower in the region of the boss that dropped the rune. As an example, Godrick is the first boss that drops a Great Rune, so you need to make your way to the Divine Tower of Limgrave.
The good news is that once a Great Rune has been restored, you won't have to do it again. If you're planning on switching them often, however, you should make sure you have plenty of Rune Arcs.
Elden Ring Rune Arc: Where to find them
Restoring a Great Rune isn't enough to actually see its benefit. To make use of the passive effects a rune offers, you'll need to equip it, then activate it using a Rune Arc.
Rune Arcs are fairly rare drops from enemies—mostly from rats, though still not often—and they can occasionally be found in chests. The most reliable way to get your hands on the item is from the vendors at Roundtable Hold and Liurnia of the Lakes. Each Rune Arc item will set you back 4,000 Runes.
Elden Ring Great Rune list
Here are the Great Runes we've found so far, along with the effects they offer:
Godrick's Great Rune
- Boss: Godrick the Grafted
- Effect: Raises all attributes
Great Rune of the Unborn
- Boss: Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon
- Effect: Used to perfect rebirth
Radahn's Great Rune
- Boss: Starscourge Radahn
- Effect: Raises maximum HP, FP, and Stamina
Morgott's Great Rune
- Boss: Morgott, the Omen King
- Effect: Greatly raises maximum HP
Rykard's Great Rune
- Boss: Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy
- Effect: Restores HP upon defeating enemies