Great Runes are unique items dropped by major bosses in Elden Ring. They provide powerful passive effects but require activation at a Divine Tower before they can be equipped. This guide covers every Great Rune, its effect, and where to activate it.
How Great Runes Work
Great Runes are dropped by major bosses after their first defeat. To use them, you need to:
- Obtain the Great Rune from the boss.
- Visit the corresponding Divine Tower.
- Activate the Great Rune at the top.
- Equip the Great Rune at a Site of Grace.
Only one Great Rune can be equipped at a time. The effect persists after death but is lost when you switch to a different Great Rune.
The 7 Great Runes
Godrick's Great Rune
Effect: Boosts all attributes by +5.
Activation: Divine Tower of Limgrave (Stormhill area).
How to get: Defeat Godrick the Grafted at Stormveil Castle.
Best for: any build that needs attribute flexibility.
Rennala's Great Rune
Effect: Restores FP on consumption of HP.
Activation: Divine Tower of Liurnia (Liurnia of the Lakes area).
How to get: Defeat Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon at the Academy of Raya Lucaria.
Best for: caster builds that need FP management.
Radahn's Great Rune
Effect: Boosts HP, FP, and Stamina by 15%.
Activation: Divine Tower of Caelid (Caelid area).
How to get: Defeat Starscourge Radahn at Redmane Castle.
Best for: any build that needs survivability.
Morgott's Great Rune
Effect: Boosts HP by 25%.
Activation: Divine Tower of Leyndell (Leyndell area).
How to get: Defeat Morgott, the Omen King at Leyndell.
Best for: any build that needs survivability.
Rykard's Great Rune
Effect: Restores HP on kills.
Activation: Divine Tower of the Capital Outskirts (Capital Outskirts area).
How to get: Defeat Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy at Volcano Manor.
Best for: any build that needs sustain.
Mohg's Great Rune
Effect: Creates a bloodflame that damages enemies on attack.
Activation: Divine Tower of Mohgwyn (Mohgwyn Palace area).
How to get: Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood at Mohgwyn Palace.
Best for: any build that needs damage.
Malenia's Great Rune
Effect: Restores HP on attack.
Activation: Divine Tower of Miquella (Haligtree area).
How to get: Defeat Malenia, Goddess of Rot at the Haligtree.
Best for: any build that needs sustain.
Best Great Runes for Each Build
Strength Build
Mohg's Great Rune. The bloodflame adds damage to every attack, making it the best choice for Strength builds.
Dexterity Build
Mohg's Great Rune. Same as Strength.
Faith Build
Mohg's Great Rune or Malenia's Great Rune. Both add damage or sustain.
Intelligence Build
Mohg's Great Rune. The bloodflame adds damage to every attack.
Tank Build
Radahn's Great Rune or Morgott's Great Rune. Both boost HP for survivability.
Best Great Rune Overall
The best Great Rune in the game is Malenia's Great Rune. The "restore HP on attack" effect provides excellent sustain and works with any build. The downside is that the activation tower is far from the main path, requiring extra exploration.
Mohg's Great Rune is the second-best. The bloodflame damage adds 200+ damage per hit, making it excellent for burst damage.
How to Activate Great Runes
To activate a Great Rune, climb the corresponding Divine Tower. The towers are heavily guarded and contain mini-bosses. Bring a strong weapon and lots of healing items.
The Divine Towers are:
- Divine Tower of Limgrave (north of Stormhill)
- Divine Tower of Liurnia (south of Caria Manor)
- Divine Tower of Caelid (east of Sellia)
- Divine Tower of Leyndell (north of Leyndell)
- Divine Tower of the Capital Outskirts (west of Volcano Manor)
- Divine Tower of Mohgwyn (north of Mohgwyn Palace)
- Divine Tower of Miquella (east of Ordina Liturgical Town)
Common Mistakes
- Don't forget to activate the Great Rune. The effect doesn't work until activated.
- Don't use the wrong Divine Tower. Each Great Rune requires a specific tower.
- Don't ignore the HP cost. Great Runes consume HP on use.
Final Tips
- Activate all Great Runes as you progress. The buffs are cumulative.
- Use Malenia's Great Rune for sustained combat.
- Use Mohg's Great Rune for burst damage.
With this guide, you will know every Great Rune, how to activate it, and which one to use for your build.
FAQ: Great Runes
Q: Can I activate multiple Great Runes?
A: Yes, you can activate all 7 Great Runes, but you can only equip one at a time.
Q: Do Great Runes persist after death?
A: Yes, the effect persists after death but is lost when you switch to a different Great Rune.
Q: Can I lose a Great Rune?
A: No, Great Runes are permanent items in your inventory.
Q: Are Great Runes shared between characters?
A: No, Great Runes are per-character. New Game+ allows you to keep them.
Best Great Rune Combinations
While you can only equip one Great Rune at a time, having multiple activated gives you flexibility for different situations:
- Tank Build: Radahn's Great Rune (HP/FP/Stamina +15%)
- Damage Build: Mohg's Great Rune (bloodflame damage)
- Sustain Build: Malenia's Great Rune (HP on attack)
- Caster Build: Rennala's Great Rune (FP on HP consumption)
How to Use Great Runes in PvP
In PvP, Great Runes are essential for surviving the burst damage of meta builds. The best Great Runes for PvP are:
- Malenia's Great Rune - HP sustain during combat.
- Mohg's Great Rune - extra damage with bloodflame.
- Radahn's Great Rune - HP/FP/Stamina boost for survivability.
Common Great Rune Mistakes
- Don't forget to activate the Great Rune. The effect doesn't work until activated.
- Don't use the wrong Divine Tower. Each Great Rune requires a specific tower.
- Don't ignore the HP cost. Great Runes consume HP on use.
- Don't switch Great Runes mid-combat. The effect will not stack.