Should I Restore the Great Rune in Elden Ring? A Comprehensive Guide

Yes, absolutely! Restoring your Great Runes in Elden Ring is almost always worth the effort. While simply having them in your inventory does nothing, restoring them and then using a Rune Arc to activate their power can provide incredibly powerful buffs that can significantly aid you in your journey through the Lands Between. The benefits far outweigh the effort required, especially when tackling difficult bosses or challenging areas.

Understanding Great Runes

Great Runes are unique items obtained by defeating the major demigod bosses in Elden Ring. They are essentially shards of the Elden Ring itself, each imbued with a significant power. However, unlike regular items that you can use immediately, Great Runes require a two-step process to unlock their full potential: restoration and activation.

Restoring a Great Rune

After defeating a demigod and claiming their Great Rune, you’ll notice that it’s currently “unfulfilled”. This means it needs to be restored at a specific Divine Tower associated with that particular Great Rune. For instance, Godrick’s Great Rune is restored at the Divine Tower of Limgrave. The process usually involves navigating the Divine Tower and interacting with an object at the very top.

Activating a Great Rune

Once a Great Rune is restored, you can equip it at a Site of Grace. However, simply equipping the Great Rune won’t grant you its benefits. To actually activate its power, you need to consume a Rune Arc. This consumable item essentially “charges” the Great Rune, granting you its specific buff until you die.

The Power of Great Runes

Each Great Rune offers a different and powerful effect. For example, Godrick’s Great Rune raises all your attributes by five, significantly boosting your overall stats. Radahn’s Great Rune increases your maximum HP, FP, and Stamina, making you more resilient and capable in combat. The specific benefits of each Great Rune make them invaluable tools for overcoming challenges in the game.

Benefits of Restoring Great Runes

1. Significant Stat Boosts: Many Great Runes provide substantial increases to your character’s attributes or vital stats, making you stronger, more durable, and more effective in combat.

2. Unique Effects: Some Great Runes offer unique effects that can drastically change your playstyle. For example, Malenia’s Great Rune allows you to regain health when attacking enemies after taking damage, providing a valuable source of sustain in tough fights.

3. Progression Requirement: While not all Great Runes are essential to complete the game, possessing at least two restored Great Runes (from Godrick, Rennala, or Radahn) is required to enter Leyndell, the Royal Capital, a major area in the game.

4. Strategic Advantage: Choosing the right Great Rune for a particular situation can give you a significant advantage. For example, using Radahn’s Great Rune for a boss fight focused on endurance or Godrick’s Great Rune for general stat boosts.

Drawbacks to Consider

1. Rune Arc Consumption: The main drawback is the need to consume Rune Arcs to activate the Great Rune’s effect. Rune Arcs are relatively rare consumable items that can be obtained through exploration, defeating bosses, or online co-op play. Using them strategically is crucial.

2. Temporary Buff: The buff granted by a Rune Arc lasts only until you die. This means you’ll need to consume another Rune Arc to regain the Great Rune’s effect after each death.

3. Time Investment: Restoring a Great Rune requires navigating a Divine Tower, which can be time-consuming and challenging, involving combat encounters and platforming puzzles.

FAQs about Great Runes in Elden Ring

1. Do you keep Great Runes forever?

Yes, once you obtain a Great Rune, it remains in your inventory permanently. Even after dying and losing the buff from a Rune Arc, you still retain the Great Rune itself and can reactivate it with another Rune Arc.

2. Do you have to restore Great Runes in Elden Ring?

Yes, you absolutely have to restore a Great Rune at its associated Divine Tower before you can equip and use it. Simply possessing the Great Rune without restoring it won’t provide any benefits.

3. Should I use Godrick’s Great Rune?

Absolutely! Godrick’s Great Rune is often considered one of the best Great Runes in the game, especially early on. It raises all of your attributes by five, providing a well-rounded boost to your stats. It’s a solid choice for any build.

4. What to do after restoring Godrick’s Great Rune?

After restoring Godrick’s Great Rune at the Divine Tower of Limgrave, go to a Site of Grace, select the “Great Runes” option, and equip the Great Rune. Then, use a Rune Arc to activate its effects.

5. Which Great Rune is the best?

The “best” Great Rune depends on your playstyle and current needs. However, Godrick’s Great Rune is often considered the most versatile due to its all-around stat boost. Other strong contenders include Morgott’s Great Rune (increases maximum HP) and Malenia’s Great Rune (provides health regeneration on attack).

6. What are the rewards for killing Godrick?

Defeating Godrick the Grafted rewards you with a significant amount of Runes (approximately 20,000), the Remembrance of the Grafted, and Godrick’s Great Rune.

7. Can you only use Godrick’s Great Rune once?

No, you can use Godrick’s Great Rune as many times as you want, as long as you have Rune Arcs to activate it. The Great Rune itself remains in your inventory, but its effect only lasts until you die.

8. Is Godrick’s Great Rune permanent?

The Great Rune is permanent in your inventory, but the stat bonuses it provides are not. The effects are temporary, lasting only until you die or unequip the Great Rune. You will need another Rune Arc to re-activate it.

9. Do you need all 7 Great Runes to beat Elden Ring?

No, you don’t need all seven Great Runes to complete the game. You only need to acquire at least two Great Runes (from Godrick, Rennala, or Radahn) to enter Leyndell.

10. Do Rune Arcs last forever?

No, Rune Arcs are consumable items that are used up upon activation. The buff they provide, which activates your equipped Great Rune, lasts until you die.

11. Are Great Runes useless without Rune Arcs?

Yes, Great Runes are essentially useless without Rune Arcs. Equipping a Great Rune alone does nothing; you need to consume a Rune Arc to actually activate its effects.

12. What does Rennala’s Great Rune do?

Rennala’s Great Rune of the Unborn functions differently from other Great Runes. Instead of providing a stat boost, it grants you access to Rennala’s Rebirth option at the Raya Lucaria Grand Library, allowing you to respec your character’s stats and change your appearance.

13. Do Great Runes increase stats?

Yes, many Great Runes, such as Godrick’s Great Rune and Radahn’s Great Rune, directly increase your stats. Godrick’s boosts all attributes, while Radahn’s increases maximum HP, FP, and Stamina.

14. Is the Godrick soldier armor good?

The Godrick Soldier set is a decent early-game armor set. It offers a good balance of defense and weight, making it a viable option for the initial stages of the game.

15. Why is Godrick’s Great Rune the best?

Godrick’s Great Rune is often considered the best due to its versatility. By raising all your attributes, it benefits any build and provides a significant power boost across the board. It’s a great choice for players who want a well-rounded and reliable Great Rune effect.

Final Thoughts

Restoring and utilizing Great Runes is a crucial aspect of progressing through Elden Ring. While it requires some effort and strategic use of Rune Arcs, the benefits they provide are well worth the investment. By understanding how Great Runes work and choosing the right ones for your build and playstyle, you can significantly enhance your character’s power and overcome the challenging obstacles that await you in the Lands Between. For more information on the educational aspects of gaming, consider visiting the Games Learning Society website at GamesLearningSociety.org.