Elden Ring Bosses Who Drop The Most Runes

Elden Ring Bosses Who Drop The Most Runes



Summary

  • Progression in Elden Ring can be challenging due to difficulty spikes from bosses.
  • Players must strategically choose which bosses to face for the greatest rewards.
  • Bosses like Elden Beast and Promised Consort Radahn offer high rune rewards, enhancing gameplay.

Progression in Elden Ring can be tough. While the start of a player’s journey in the Lands Between will likely see them rolling through the mobs of basic enemies with ease, all that it takes is one tricky boss to start a difficulty spike.

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Players will often have to roam around, looking for places to get stronger before they continue to tackle the main path. The open world lends itself to facing enemies in an order controlled by players, so it can be helpful to know which bosses yield the greatest rewards. Here are the bosses that drop the most runes, ranked in order of their rewards.

Updated March 13, 2025 by Connor Hogg: Despite the introduction of the massive Shadow of The Erdtree expansion, the tried and true bosses in FromSoftware’s epic journey across the Lands Between still drop their masses of runes when the player bests them. However, with the new areas and challenges posed by the Land of Shadow, there are plenty of new bosses to challenge for players looking to level up quickly.

1

Morgott, The Omen King

120,000 Runes

morgott-ready-to-fight
  • Health: 10,399
  • Strong Vs Holy & Fire
  • Also drops Remembrance of the Omen King, Morgott’s Great Rune

The twin brother of Mohg, Morgott, the Omen King

hated his status as an Omen and was banished to the underground civilization beneath the capital. He awaits the Tarnished at Leyndell and is a required boss to complete the game.

Morgott’s attacks cause blood loss but he can also summon other weapons to attack from range and to restrict players from getting closer. While this boss fight is difficult, the Omen King rewards the Tarnished with fewer Runes than some of the other bosses who pale in comparison.

2

Borealis The Freezing Fog

100,000 Runes

borealis mist in elden ring
  • Health: 11,268
  • Strong Vs Frostbite, Slash & Pierce
  • Also drops a Dragon Heart

Borealis, the Freezing Fog

is an ice dragon that awaits the player in the Mountaintops of the Giants near the Spiritcaller Cave Site of Grace. Although Borealis is an entirely optional boss, players are likely to struggle against this huge frosty foe.

Borealis summons a blizzard in the fight area that can obscure him as he flies around, making any breath attacks seem to spring from nowhere. Players should try to use ranged weapons to attack from afar while staying clear of Borealis’ breath.

3

Commander Niall

90,000 Runes

elden-ring-commander-niall-1
  • Health: 15,541
  • Strong Vs Slash
  • Also drops Veteran’s Prosthesis

A brave warrior who offered his leg in return for the lives of captured soldiers, Commander Niall

resides in Castle Sol where he defends one half of a medallion that grants players entry to the Haligtree. Although this area is entirely optional, players will miss the brutal land of Miquella and Malenia if they do not challenge the powerful Commander.

Niall brings the souls of two knights to fight alongside him, and each of them will attack with cold strikes while Niall himself will buff his allies and attack with Frost and Lightning.

4

Golden Hippopotamus

200,000 Runes

SK-MGP-Golden-Hippo
  • Health: 33,866
  • Strong Vs Hemorrhage and Frostbite
  • Also drops Aspects of the Crucible: Thorns, Scadutree Fragment x 2

A boss that has multiple forms across the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, the most powerful version of the Golden Hippopotamus

is at the base of a Marika statue in the Shadow Keep. An Aspect of the Crucible, the Hippopotamus is slow and clumsy, and while it attacks with a huge area of effect, it can be circled to attack while it readies its next attacks.

The golden quills on its back can be fired into the air to attack from above, but players should make sure to get to this boss when they can for a mass of runes that are easy if players don’t get on the wrong side of the giant thing.

5

Rakshasa

90,000 Runes

Rakshasa Great Katana
  • Health: 20,235
  • Strong Vs Fire
  • Also drops Rakshasa’s Great Katana and Rakshasa’s armor set

An optional Shadow of the Erdtree boss in the East Nameless Mausoleum near the Recluse’s River Downstream Site of Grace. Jumping, dashing, and swinging her katana in long flurries that can easily catch the Tarnished out, Rakshasa

can be a formidable enemy.

Her armor means that she deals more damage while also taking a lot more in return, and the description of the set claims that it is dyed red with the blood of her previous victims. Players should time their attacks carefully and retreat as soon as she closes the gap and comes in close.

6

Rykard, Lord Of Blasphemy

130,000 Runes

RykardEldenRing
  • Health: 89,613
  • Strong Vs Fire
  • Also drops Rykard’s Great Rune, Remembrance of the Blasphemous

The heretical son of Rennala and Radagon, Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy

has become part of an immortal snake and is the Shardbearer residing in Volcano Manor. As players can choose which Shardbearers to defeat while on their journey, some fans may never fight, or even discover the location of Rykard.

This can be a challenging boss fight, but the Serpent Hunter Greatspear that can be found earlier in Volcano Manor will make the battle much easier with its unique effects against this boss.

7

Godskin Duo

170,000 Runes

Elden Ring Godskin Duo standing next to each other
  • Health: 26,350
  • Strong Vs Holy & Fire
  • Also drops Smithing Stone Miner’s Bell Bearing (4)

A boss that is required to progress through the story, the Godskin Duo

is an uneven fight. Located in the Crumbling Farum Azula, a Godskin Apostle, and a Godskin Noble – both fights that players could have encountered earlier in the game – fight together with a shared health bar.

If either of the pair dies in the combat, they can be brought back to life by their partner, which can make this fight quite tricky. If the attacks line up awkwardly, players can have a really hard time, but the runes that this fight rewards make progression from this point inevitable.

8

Great Wyrm Theodorix

180,000 Runes

great wyrm theodorix from elden ring
  • Health: 25,649
  • Strong Vs Fire & Frostbite
  • Also drops 3 x
    Dragon Heart

Although it can be tempting to avoid the trickier optional bosses, Great Wyrm Theodorix

gives a worthy reward for such a challenging boss fight. In the frozen river at the Consecrated Snowfield, the wyrm will pose a threat to any who is near him with his flaming attacks.

A troll soldier who was transformed into his bestial form after he engaged in dragon communion, he attacks the same way as a magma wyrm boss, but with much more health and much more potential damage output. If players find him, he could be an effective early windfall of runes.

9

Fire Giant

180,000 Runes

FireGiantEldenRing

In one of the most important parts of Elden Ring‘s story, the Tarnished must acquire the fire, protected by a lone giant, to burn the Erdtree. The defender giant is a mandatory boss to further the story, but the 180 thousand runes that he drops make the fight more than worth it.

To beat this boss, players should remember to use their steed, Torrent, intelligently. Many of the Fire Giants’ attacks are slow but do massive damage, so low-vitality characters should take extra care.

10

Gideon Ofnir

180,000 Runes

elden ring gideon ofnir
  • Health: 6226
  • Strong Vs Slash and Immune to Death Blight
  • Also drops the
    All-Knowing Armor

    Set and Scepter

An ally who turns against the player, Gideon Ofnir

is a necessary boss fight, but players have a lot of freedom when they actually choose to combat him.

Gideon is a caster with a bevy of projectile attacks that can quickly shred through player health, so it is important to use the pillars in the boss room as cover and to close any distance so that he can be interrupted when he tries to cast his bigger, more potent spells.

11

Loretta, Knight Of The Haligtree

200,000 Runes

Loretta Knight of the Haligtree_Elden Ring_Resized

Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree

can be missed entirely unless the Tarnished wants to fully explore the Haligtree and get to Malenia. For any who do challenge Loretta, the warrior will ride into battle atop a fierce steed and will attack using both magical arrows that can track the player and a large sickle that she can also imbue with magic.

The fight can be difficult, but for most players who have gotten to the Haligtree it will not be too much of a challenge; any players who can keep some space between themselves and Loretta will be at an advantage.

12

Maliketh

220,000 Runes

Tarnished confronts Maliketh, The Black Blade in Elden Ring
  • Health: 10,620
  • Strong Vs Holy & Sleep
  • Also drops Remembrance of the Black Blade

Queen Marika’s Shadow-bound beast himself, Maliketh, the Black Blade

reveals himself after players have dealt enough damage to the Beast Clergyman. This is an important boss fight in the story, as Maliketh protects the Rune of Destined Death which players must acquire.

A very tricky fight that can be punishing for any playstyle, fans should remember to use the terrain to their advantage when dodging Maliketh’s slashing projectiles. It may also be useful to use the Blasphemous Claw, a unique item that allows for special parries exclusively in the fight against Maliketh.

13

Death Rite Bird (Snowfield)

220,000 Runes

elden ring death rite bird
  • Health: 17,625
  • Strong Vs Lightning & Pierce and Immune to Hemorrhage, Frostbite & Poison
  • Also drops Explosive Ghostflame

Rewarding the same colossal amount of runes as Maliketh, the Death Rite Bird

closest to the Apostate Derelict is a winged skeletal creature that can fly overhead, slash at the Tarnished, and spew ghostflame magic that can be hard to avoid.

The huge pay-off can make this a tempting boss to seek out, despite it being entirely optional. To make the fight a little easier, Holy Water pots can be used effectively against the undead enemy. The enemy’s range and large attacks can still pose an issue, so players should think carefully about whether to fight the strongest Death Rite bird or not.

14

Rellana, Twin Moon Knight

240,000 Runes

Elden Ring Players Defeat Rellana Without Entering Her Arena
  • Health: 29,723
  • Strong Vs Slash and Magic
  • Also drops Remembrance of the Twin Moon Knight

One of the bosses from the massive Shadow of The Erdtree expansion, Rellana Twin Moon Knight

poses a unique challenge to players in the East Wing of Castle Ensis. While the boss is entirely optional, the huge amount of runes that Rellana drops make this a tempting challenge, if a very difficult one.

The sister of Rennala, she wields Twin Blades that harness the power of Glintstone and Flame to unleash flurries of attacks that can break through most player defenses. While this fight can be a challenge to many fans, using effects like Lightning and Sleep can help even the odds.

15

Dragonlord Placidusax

280,000 Runes

elden-ring-dragonlord-placidusax-anime-kill
  • Health: 26,651
  • Also drops Remembrance of the Dragonlord

Hidden in the heart of Crumbling Farum Azula, Dragonlord Placidusax is a brutal boss. His imposing arena means that the Tarnished may struggle to find safety during the battle and the previous Elden Lord will use a variety of techniques to take out the player. Dragonlord Placidusax

uses lightning attacks, flame breath, hulking swings, and stomps, and even spits golden flame as he tears around the map.

This is an entirely optional boss fight, which means that for some players this tricky combat will not be worth it; some of the other optional bosses on this list are much simpler to defeat. However, his special remembrance drop, Remembrance of the Dragonlord, can be forged into a powerful weapon that could make this a worthy challenge.

16

Godfrey, First Elden Lord

300,000 Runes

Elden Ring Godfrey The First Elden Lord
  • Health: 21,903
  • Strong Vs Holy & Sleep
  • Also drops Remembrance of Hoarah Loux

The first husband of Queen Marika, Godfrey, First Elden Lord

is one of the final bosses in the main route of Elden Ring. He defends the Erdtree, blocking the player from making their way inside. The fight against him is split into two phases: one against Godfrey and one against his berserker alter ego, Hoarah Loux.

The 300,000 rune reward can make a huge difference in the following battles, but the fight itself can be a challenge. Players should ensure they try to jump over any of this boss’s slam attacks with areas of effect and learn the patterns in Hoarah Loux’s nasty grabs.

17

Messmer The Impaler

400,000 Runes

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Messmer
  • Health: 38,981
  • Strong Vs Fire
  • Also drops Remembrance of the Impaler and Messmer’s Kindling

A boss that must be defeated to advance the Shadow of the Erdtree‘s story, Messmer the Impaler

is a child of Marika who was hidden from the Lands Between, perhaps due to his psychotic and obsessive nature and his violent purging of the beings in the Land of Shadow. Utilizing fire spells and a two-headed snake that will attack alongside him, Messmer awaits the Tarnished in the Shadow Keep and will be difficult to take out for any players trying to burn through foes with Fire damage.

Messmer has frightening reach with his spear and can force players to distances where they may not be able to deal damage to the tall demi-god. Staying close to him will make all the difference, but his swift combos and defensive ability will make him a potent threat no matter how skilled a player is.

18

Midra, Lord Of Frenzied Flame

410,000 Runes

Midra in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
  • Health: 47,171
  • Strong Vs Fire, Poison & Scarlet Rot
  • Also drops Remembrance of the Lord of Frenzied Flame

Another optional DLC boss, Midra Lord of Frenzied Flame

was once a great Sage who was corrupted by the Frenzied Flame and who was kept alive and dormant by the Hornsent in the Land of Shadow. Midra continued to live in pain in Midra’s Manse. When the Tarnished arrives, Midra finally becomes the Lord that he wanted to be in a previous age.

His attacks are strange and very powerful; the Tarnished will face off against combo attacks, massive grabs, and swings of a flaming greatsword that has massive sweeping hitboxes. With summons that will crawl toward the player and interrupt attacks, as well as an explosion that can deal huge damage and potentially kill a player in one attack, the Tarnished should time their attacks when Midra finishes a swing and be ready to run as far away as possible when the flames get too hot.

19

Mohg, Lord Of Blood

420,000 Runes

Elden Ring Mohg Boss Lunging At Player
  • Health: 18,389
  • Strong Vs Fire
  • Also drops Mohg’s Great Rune & Remembrance of the Blood Lord

A completely optional boss hidden underground, where players can find Miquella – who will be a central character in the Shadow of The Erdtree DLC – Mohg, Lord of Blood

awaits the Tarnished. Mohg is one of the shardbearers needed to finish the story, but he can be quite separate from the rest of the game and some players will not even be aware of the blood sorcerer’s presence under the Lands Between.

Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear can be unlocked after defeating him, but the heap of runes is the bigger reward. His blood loss effect can be devastating, but if players can collect Mohg’s shackle, the item can be used to halt him completely for a few moments, giving players a chance to get in a good few hits.

20

Malenia The Severed

480,000 Runes

Elden Ring Malenia
  • Health: 33,251
  • Strong Vs Poison, Rot & Holy
  • Also drops Malenia’s Great Rune & Remembrance of the Rot Goddess

Malenia, Blade of Miquella

has become an infamous boss and is undoubtedly one of the hardest bosses in any of FromSoftware‘s titles. A sorrowful, plague-ridden warrior who strikes with rapid swipes from her saber and transforms in a second phase into a winged goddess who inflicts scarlet rot on many of her attacks.

As Malenia heals from every attack that she lands, the huge rune reward may be insufficient compared to the number of attempts that many fans may take to learn her moves and finally defeat her. Some of her more powerful attacks are best to flee from, and when she enters her second phase she will test even the hardiest of ‘Souls-like’ veterans.

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