Elden Ring is the highly anticipated new action RPG developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco. As the newest installment in the popular ‘Soulsborne’ franchise, Elden Ring builds upon the challenging gameplay and intricate world design that fans have come to expect. One of the key mechanics in Elden Ring is the collection and use of runes, which serve as the main currency and experience points within the game. However, upon death, all unspent runes are dropped at the location where the player fell. This can lead to potential frustration, as losing a large stash of runes feels incredibly punishing. So an important question for many players is: can you save your runes in Elden Ring before you die and potentially lose them all?
What are Runes in Elden Ring?
Runes are the most vital resource and form of progression in Elden Ring. They have a few key uses:
- Runes act as currency to purchase items from merchants and upgrade weapons/armor
- Spending runes allows you to level up your character’s attributes and grow stronger
- Runes also gradually fill up your flasks to let you heal more often
You primarily obtain runes by defeating enemies and bosses throughout the Lands Between. The amount of runes received depends on the strength of the foe vanquished. Tougher enemies and demigods naturally provide more runes when felled.
However, there is risk involved. When you die in Elden Ring, your character leaves behind a bloodstain containing all accumulated runes not spent. If you can return to the bloodstain without dying again, you can reclaim your lost runes. But dying a second time before retrieval causes those runes to disappear forever.
This mechanic exists to make death meaningful. Without punishments like rune loss, dying over and over would carry no real consequence. The risk of losing progress pushes players to exercise caution and master Elden Ring’s various systems.
Can You Save Runes to Prevent Losing Them?
So with the danger of losing all your hard-earned runes looming, is there any way to safeguard them? Can you bank runes somewhere to preserve them when death comes for your Tarnished?
Unfortunately, there is no direct way to save or store runes as a failsafe. The only “bank” lies within your character’s rune count before resting at a Site of Grace or spending them. Once you acquire runes, they either must be spent or risk being lost upon dying.
However, there are a few strategies that can minimize potential rune loss:
Spend Runes Frequently
One tip is to reinvest your runes often. Don’t let your balance balloon too high before putting those runes to use. Spend them on levels, gear upgrades, spells, etc. to power up your character. Upgrades make your Tarnished stronger, which leads to more runes gained per enemy. So you recoup spent runes quicker while strengthening your chance of survival.
Use a Rune Arc
Activating a Rune Arc provides a temporary Runebuff, increasing runes earned from killing enemies by 25% for 3 minutes. With this buff active, you can quickly accrue more runes than usual. Rune Arcs are rare consumable items, so use them wisely for when you want to grind a dangerous area. The bonus runes mean you minimize time spent vulnerable to losing your stash.
Play Cautiously in Danger Zones
Avoid reckless fighting behavior when carrying many runes. Think twice before venturing into locations filled with mighty foes if your rune store is overflowing. Exercise patience and draw out enemies one by one instead of charging headfirst. Remaining cautious and attentive during these high-risk moments reduces the likelihood of an unfortunate death.
Spend Runes Before Boss Attempts
Bosses provide tons of runes for beating them, but they can easily kill you again and again. Before big boss fights, warp to the nearest Site of Grace and spend all your runes on levels and gear. That way, you have nothing to lose rune-wise if you perish against the boss. You can throw yourself at the battle without worrying about rune loss.
Should You Really Bank Runes in Elden Ring?
While you can’t directly bank runes in Elden Ring, some creative Tarnished have discovered indirect methods to store runes outside their main balance. Two primary techniques involve using multiplayer summoning or game-quitting to protect extra runes. However, opinions differ on whether these tactics undermine Elden Ring’s intentional rune mechanics.
Multiplayer Rune Saving
By summoning cooperative players then dismissing them, you leave behind a summon sign with a percentage of your total runes stored within. After dying and retrieving your main bloodstain runes, you can resummon your sign to reclaim the banked amount. This exploits multiplayer to prevent total rune loss.
Quitting to Save Runes
Another approach is acquiring a large rune sum then quitting the game without spending them. When you reload that character, your pre-quit rune total is untouched. Some justify this as simply stopping at a normal save point. But detractors argue exiting just to retain extra runes goes against the spirit of Elden Ring’s rune system.
Preserving Risk vs. Reward
While these methods prevent some rune loss, over-relying on them diminishes Elden Ring’s risk-reward loop. The thrill of retrieving your runes or losing everything is negated if you can store vast amounts externally. Perhaps utilizing these sparingly as an occasional safeguard against frustration is understandable. But avoiding rune loss altogether removes crucial tension, altering a keystone Elden Ring gameplay element.
Conclusion
To conclude, there is no true way to bank or save runes in Elden Ring outside the amount currently held by your character. The only ways to safeguard your runes involve spending them frequently on upgrades, playing cautiously when carrying a large balance, activating rune boosting buffs, and only holding what you are comfortable potentially losing. While techniques like multiplayer rune storage or quitting the game exist to subvert rune loss, relying too heavily on these dulls the razor’s edge thrill of Elden Ring’s brilliant risk-reward cycle. Ultimately, your best bank lies in growing stronger through rune expenditure, minimizing losses through skillful play, and braving the heart-pounding danger of carrying too many runes at your own peril.
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Spend Runes Frequently | – Strengthens your character – Less runes lost upon death |
– Takes time to re-earn spent runes |
| Use a Rune Arc | – 25% rune acquisition boost – Short 3 minute time limit |
– Rune Arcs are limited consumables |
| Play Cautiously | – Reduces likelihood of dying | – Slower rune gathering |
| Spend Before Boss Attempts | – Lose no runes from repeated deaths | – Temporary setback in progress |
| Multiplayer Rune Saving | – Avoids losing all runes when dying | – Exploits summoning mechanics |
| Quitting to Save Runes | – Prevents any rune loss | – Circumvents core game design |
