Progression Beginner 1 min read

Elden Ring Great Runes Guide

Great Runes drop from shardbearers. They do nothing until you activate them at a Divine Tower, equip one, then spend a Rune Arc to turn the buff on.

How Great Runes Work

Defeat a shardbearer (Godrick is the first for most beginners).
Activate that Great Rune at its matching Divine Tower.
Equip the Great Rune from your inventory / equipment menu.
Use a Rune Arc at a Site of Grace (or from inventory) to activate the equipped rune's effect until death.

Beat Godrick the Grafted in Stormveil.
Take the Divine Tower of Limgrave path linked from Stormveil (bridge / tower route).
Activate Godrick's Great Rune at the tower altar.
Equip it, then burn a Rune Arc before hard fights — it raises all attributes.

Effects last until you die (or certain multiplayer / world state changes).
Save arcs for fog-gate attempts, not open-world trash mobs.
You can farm or buy more later — early arcs are precious, but using them on Margit retries / later bosses is correct.
If you die with the buff on, re-equip and spend another arc before the next try.

Great Rune	Why beginners care
Godrick's	All-stat boost — best first activate; flexible for any build
Radahn's	Huge HP / FP / stamina pool after Radahn + tower
Others	Swap for boss-specific needs once you own several activated runes

You only equip one Great Rune at a time. Activate new ones as you beat more shardbearers, then swap for the fight.

Carrying a Great Rune but never visiting its Divine Tower — inactive runes give no buff.
Equipping a rune but forgetting the Rune Arc — no glow, no effect.
Hoarding every arc forever — they exist to be spent on hard bosses.
Skipping Godrick's tower before Liurnia — free power left on the table.

Continue into Liurnia via after Godrick, or follow the full progression hub. Pair arcs with strong talismans and an upgraded weapon.