In Elden Ring, the Demigods offer their own set of unique challenges. Though you only need to defeat two of them to begin Elden Ring’s endgame, they’re all memorable and thoughtful encounters in their own right.
Defeat any Demi-God, and you’ll be rewarded with a Great Rune which can be equipped for powerful passive bonuses. You’ll also need to activate each Great Rune at its respective Divine Tower, and use a Rune Arc if you want to get your hands on these game changing buffs. To help you venture through The Lands Between, we’ve ranked every Great Rune, so you know exactly which buffs will serve you best.
7 Rykard’s Great Rune
Acquired by defeating Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, in Mt. Gelmir, this Great Rune restores a significant amount of HP upon defeating enemies. The Rykard’s Great Rune must be activated at the Divine Tower of West Altus which can be found through the Sealed Tunnel in Altus Plateau.
Though HP restoration may seem like a powerful buff, remember that the effect only triggers when enemies are killed. In practical terms, this means the Great Rune is useless during Elden Ring’s set piece boss fights. However, it is still very useful when exploring new areas; especially if you’re unsure as to where the next Site of Grace might turn up.
6 Mohg's Great Rune
This Rune is regarded by many as one of the hardest to acquire. A notoriously tough optional boss located in Mohgwyn Palace, taking on Mohg, Lord of Blood, is a serious undertaking for even the most skilled Elden Ring veterans. Defeat him, however, and you’ll unlock his Great Rune which provides a Blessing of Blood to any spirits that you summoned.
In real terms, this makes it so that every time a blessed spirit kills an enemy, you’ll be healed for 10% of your maximum HP. Like any Great Rune, it’s a powerful buff, but the reliance on spirit summoning does mean that the benefits of this Rune are somewhat situational.
5 Great Rune Of The Unborn
Dropped as a reward for defeating Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, this Great Rune works a little differently than the others. It does not need to be activated at a Divine Tower, nor does it need to be equipped. Rather, it gives you access to Rebirth: Elden Ring’s respec mechanic.
Unlike other Demi-Gods in Elden Ring, Rennala sticks around in the Raya Lucaria Grand Library after you defeat her. In order to begin Rebirth, you’ll need to bring her a Larval Tear. These are a limited resource, so be careful not to respec frivolously.
4 Radahn’s Great Rune
Earned after beating Starscourge Radahn, this Great Rune may seem dull at first glance, but it has considerable potential. To restore this Rune, you’ll need to visit the Divine Tower of Caelid and complete a platforming challenge to get to the top.
This Great Rune raises the user’s maximum HP, FP and Stamina. It’s great for giving you that pinch of extra survivability and utility that can be the difference between life and death in The Lands Between. More FP means more Weapon Arts and more Spells. It also means that Spirit Summons will take up less of your resources, and everyone loves more efficient Jellyfish.
3 Morgott’s Great Rune
Morgott’s Great Rune can be found once you defeat Morgott, the Omen King. Activated at the Divine Tower of East Atlus in the Capital Outskirts, this Rune will greatly raise your maximum HP.
In any Soulsborne game, HP is, broadly, a measure of how much and how often you can get away with getting hit. Every botched dodge or late parry costs HP and having that extra buffer layer between you and death can be all the difference, especially when fighting a new boss or venturing out into unexplored territory.
2 Malenia’s Great Rune
This fan favourite is acquired after beating Malenia, Blade of Miquella, an optional Demi-God located at the bottom of Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree. Her Great Rune, activated at the Isolated Divine Tower, offers a buff that’ll make Bloodborne fans feel right at home.
With this Great Rune, when you deal attacks right after taking damage, you’ll be able to recover HP. This is a huge boon, especially if you favour a more aggressive style of play. With this Rune, a well-timed counter-attack will allow you to turn the tide of even the most desperate fight.
1 Godrick’s Great Rune
This Rune is the first you obtain and, though often underrated, provides a rock solid buff that cannot be ignored. Dropped as a reward for defeating Godrick the Grafted at Stormveil Castle, this Great Rune gives all of your attributes a +5 bonus.
In isolation, this might not seem like much, but the versatility and utility of Godrick’s Great Rune speaks for itself. It benefits any build and any play style and doesn’t require a specific context to become useful. Once you activate this Rune at The Divine Tower of Limgrave, you’ll have a solid, reliable and often underestimated buff that will serve you well no matter where you find yourself in The Lands Between.
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