Does New Game Plus Give More Runes in Elden Ring?

Yes, Elden Ring‘s New Game Plus (NG+) modes substantially increase rune acquisition rates compared to your first playthrough. As you progress into higher NG+ cycles, earning bonus runes becomes faster and more lucrative. But just how many more runes does NG+ provide? And is farming runes in NG+ worth the added difficulty? This guide covers NG+ rune mechanics, acquisition strategies, and build tips to maximize your rune income.

NG+ Rune Mechanics – What You Need to Know

Across FromSoftware‘s Soulsborne titles, NG+ modes offer escalating rewards to balance their climbing challenge. In Elden Ring, this manifests as exponential rune bonuses based on your current playthrough, known as your "Journey".

The rune multiplier for defeating enemies scales all the way up to Journey 7, with late NG+ cycles granting well over double the runes for all encounters. This enables tremendously accelerated rune and level progression for players willing to brave the heightened difficulty.

Here‘s an overview of Elden Ring‘s NG+ multipliers by Journey:

Additionally, these bonuses scale by zone, with early and mid-game areas providing even more runes to offset their lower base values.

In practice, this means:**

• 5x runes in Limgrave, Liurnia, early Altus and Mt. Gelmir
• 3x runes in late Altus Plateau and Mountaintops
• 2x runes in Consecrated Snowfields and underground areas

So a single enemy that originally offered 500 runes may now provide 2,500 or even 5,000 runes in Journey 4+. This allows players to rapidly gain levels and fund upgrades.

Optimal NG+ Rune Farming Strategies

Various methods exist to accumulate vast amounts of runes in Elden Ring, but certain tactics shine brighter on higher NG+ cycles.

Early Game Locations

Many early zones containing weak, densely clustered enemies can fuel tremendous rune gains in late NG+ using ranged assassination tactics:

• Stormhill Shack Site of Grace
• Church of Dragon Communion Grace
• Lenne‘s Rise Grace

Pulling enemies from safety, eliminating them with spells/arrows, and resetting yields 500k+ runes per hour.

Late Game Zones

Higher level areas also prove bountiful on NG+ despite their lower multipliers:

• Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace
• Mohgwyn Palace approach

By combining backstabs, weapon skills, and resetting, 1 million+ runes per hour is achievable here even in Journey 4.

Secret Medallion Teleporter

This hidden lift grants access to an area containing a passive 20k/second rune farm method usable as early as Journey 3. I‘ve outlined the acquisition process and strategy later in this guide.

With the right approach, journeying through multiple NG+ cycles need not be arduous – instead, you can use redoubled farming power to advance further than ever before!

Optimizing Your Build for NG+

While most playstyles remain viable into New Game Plus, a tailored approach best mitigates increased enemy lethality. Core NG+ build priorities include:

Prioritizing Vigor

Enemies hit brutally hard on higher cycles. Get Vigor to 60 initially for comfortable survival, scaling to 80+ on Journey 7. Delay damage stats until you have ample health.

Upgrading Weapons Fully

Sacred Relic Sword +10 and similar will shred even the tankiest foes. Max your armaments before NG+7 to offset inflated health bars.

Mixing Range and Melee

Ranged options kite dangerous packs while weapon skills and ripostes quickly eliminate isolated threats. Combined arms preserve sustainability.

Summoning Spirit Ashes

Mimic Tear, Lhutel, and other ashes draw attention for openings. Just beware inflated enemy damage affecting them too!

Here‘s an example quality build I utilized up to Journey 5, including approximate damage outputs against endgame bosses:

This Battlemage leveraged ranged gravity arrows and glintstone spells to whittle down foes for punishing melee counters. With proper positioning, 80%+ of hits can be evaded while dishing lethal punishment, even on Journey 7.

Additional NG+ Content and Activities

Beyond multiplied runes, New Game Plus enables additional content unique to successive playthroughs:

Expanded Questlines

NPC stories like Nepheli Loux‘s unfold across multiple journeys, with new interactions and rewards for progression milestones.

Secret Medallion Area

This challenging zone housing a major rune farm only becomes available starting in NG+.

New Talismans and Spells

Journey 2 unlocks the ability to collect more copies of key utility talismans like the Carian Filigreed Crest to enable more flexible builds.

Replay with New Builds

Partake in wholly different playstyles thanks to faster access to special weapons, spells, ashes unavailable initially.

Plus, you may discover entirely new dungeons and secrets missed the first time around!

So while the primordial shardbearers rise once more with increased vigor, so too does your capacity to claim dominion over them. Journey on, my friend, and let additional fortune propel you to heights beyond any Tarnished before you!

Secret Medallion Rune Farm

Located in >!Mohgwyn Palace!<, this lucrative rune source becomes available starting in Journey 2….