I’ve finished Elden Ring several times now, on different builds and difficulty self-rules. Like most experienced players, I enjoy learning boss patterns and building characters properly, but I don’t always enjoy the early grind or hitting a wall because my stats are lagging behind the area I’m exploring. On one recent run, I handled runes differently than usual, and it noticeably changed how smooth the playthrough felt.
This article explains how that approach worked in practice, what problems it solved, and what most players should realistically expect if they do something similar.
Why do most Elden Ring runs feel harder than they need to be?
In general, Elden Ring isn’t hard because of mechanics alone. It’s hard because players are often underleveled for the content they’re attempting. Most players explore freely, which means:
Entering higher-level zones too early
Fighting bosses before their build is ready
Splitting runes across too many stats
Losing large rune stacks after deaths
This usually leads to frustration, not because the player lacks skill, but because their character can’t survive mistakes. One extra hit from a boss or one missed dodge often means death.
On my earlier runs, I accepted this as part of the game. On this run, I decided to remove some of that pressure.
What problem do runes actually solve?
Runes do three practical things:
Increase survivability – Vigor and Endurance matter more than most players admit.
Enable builds earlier – Weapon requirements and scaling don’t wait for late game.
Reduce punishment for mistakes – Higher stats give you more room to learn fights.
In practice, being properly leveled doesn’t trivialize bosses. It usually just means you can survive long enough to learn them.
How did using extra runes change my early game?
Normally, the early game is slow and cautious. You farm a bit, die a bit, and avoid enemies that feel risky. With extra runes available early, the experience changed in a few clear ways:
I pushed Vigor higher sooner, which made exploration safer
I upgraded weapons without worrying about wasting levels
I stopped farming the same enemies repeatedly
Instead of circling Limgrave for hours, I moved forward naturally. That pacing felt closer to how the game seems designed to be played.
At one point, I used a small rune boost sourced through U4N, mostly out of curiosity. I didn’t suddenly overpower the game, but it removed the early grind that usually slows my runs down.
Did it make bosses too easy?
This is the main concern most players have, and it’s fair.
In my experience, bosses were still challenging. What changed was how many attempts I needed. Instead of dying in two hits, I could take three or four. That meant:
More time to recognize attack patterns
Less frustration after small mistakes
Fewer corpse runs just to retrieve runes
Bosses like Margit or early Erdtree Avatars didn’t become trivial. They just became more reasonable.
How does this affect build experimentation?
Most players want to try different builds but avoid it because respecs are limited and leveling mistakes are costly.
Having more runes earlier allowed me to:
Meet weapon requirements without committing fully
Test spell scaling before locking into Intelligence or Faith
Adjust Endurance and Mind to fit playstyle instead of theory
In general, this led to better decisions later. By the time respecs mattered, I already knew what worked.
Does this remove the sense of progression?
Surprisingly, no. Progression in Elden Ring usually comes from:
Learning enemy behavior
Unlocking new areas
Finding better gear
Improving mechanical skill
Leveling supports that, but it isn’t the core of progression. I still felt stronger over time, especially as enemy damage and complexity increased.
What disappeared was artificial difficulty caused by low stats.
Is this approach suitable for new players?
For completely new players, it depends on goals.
If someone wants the pure first-time experience with all its friction, then they might prefer earning every rune naturally. But for players who:
Are new to Souls games
Struggle with repeated early deaths
Want to focus on exploration and story
Having extra runes early can make the game more approachable. It doesn’t remove learning, but it reduces punishment.
What should players avoid when using extra runes?
Based on experience, a few mistakes can still ruin the balance:
Overleveling damage stats while ignoring Vigor
Jumping too far ahead in areas
Treating enemies as irrelevant
In general, moderation matters. Runes should support learning, not replace it.
