10 AoE Ashes of War and Spells you can use for Rune Farming

In our Elden Ring Rune Farming video, we showed you how to get to the rune farming area and shoot the birds, but not how to slay the surrounding Albinaurics and get potentially more runes. Doing so would require the use of skills with high AoE damage, like with the Dragon Breaths and Hoarfrost Stomp Ash of War. That’s why in this article, we’re gonna cover the 10 AoE Ashes of War and Spells you can use for farming Runes!  We won’t be covering the Sacred Relic Sword, which can be acquired after completing the game. Even though It is far and away the best option, as this list is meant to help you reach endgame, more than anything else. 

Elden Ring is an action role-playing game that has generated a lot of buzz in the gaming community. The game, developed by FromSoftware, the creators of popular titles like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, promises to take players on an epic journey through a vast open world filled with mythical landscapes, magical creatures, and challenging bosses.

One of the most intriguing features of Elden Ring is the use of AoE Ashes of War spells for farming runes. These spells allow players to unleash devastating attacks over a wide area, taking down groups of enemies and collecting valuable runes to improve their character’s abilities and stats.

10 – Hoarfrost Stomp 

The Ice Age may be over, but the Hoarfrost Stomp is still a viable and accessible option for Rune Farming. The Hoarfrost Stomp also has a massive AoE, making it an effective tool for taking down groups of weaker enemies. However, its relatively low damage scaling means that players may need to spam the spell multiple times to defeat stronger foes. Players should also be aware that the spell scales on both Int and Dex, making it an excellent option for hybrid builds that focus on both magic and melee combat.

Another advantage of the Hoarfrost Stomp is that it can be equipped on most weapons, making it a versatile choice for players who prefer different weapon types. Whether you’re wielding a sword, axe, or spear, the Hoarfrost Stomp can be a valuable addition to your arsenal.

In terms of strategy, players should try to position themselves in a central location where they can target the maximum number of enemies with the spell’s AoE. The spell has a relatively short casting time, so players can use it effectively in fast-paced battles. Players should also be aware that the spell has a limited range, so getting too far away from enemies will reduce its effectiveness.

9 – Dragonfire Incantations

There are a number of Dragonfire Incantations you can use, and all of them possess a large aoe with high damage.

Of all the Dragonfire Incantations, Greyroll’s Dragon breath is perhaps the most popular and easily accessible choice. This spell has a massive AoE with high damage output, making it ideal for taking down large groups of enemies in a single cast. However, it does come with a relatively high FP cost, which means that players will need to invest in Mind or utilize the Cerulean Hidden Tear in order to use it efficiently.

The key to using Greyroll’s Dragon breath effectively for rune farming is to position yourself in a location where you can target the maximum number of enemies with the spell’s AoE. This may require some strategic maneuvering, as you’ll need to avoid getting too close to enemies that can quickly overwhelm you. Once you’ve found a good position, you can unleash the spell and watch as the surrounding Albinaurcs fall to the ground.

While Greyroll’s Dragon breath is undoubtedly a powerful spell, it does have some limitations that players should be aware of. For example, the spell is relatively slow to cast, which means that you may need to time your attacks carefully to avoid getting hit by enemy attacks. Additionally, the spell has a limited range, which means that you’ll need to get relatively close to enemies in order to use it effectively.

Despite these limitations, Greyroll’s Dragon breath remains one of the best options for rune farming in Elden Ring. Its massive AoE and high damage output make it ideal for taking down large groups of enemies quickly, and its scalability on both Mind and Int makes it a versatile choice for players who prefer magic-focused builds.

In terms of strategy, players should aim to use Greyroll’s Dragon breath strategically, rather than relying on it exclusively. By combining this spell with other AoE Ashes of War and spells, players can create a powerful arsenal of magic that can take down even the strongest foes in Elden Ring

8 – Gravitas

Gravitas is an Ash of War that creates a shockwave upon use, harming the surrounding enemies in an AoE. It’s not particularly strong, but it can hit most of the Albinaurics with relative ease and has a low FP cost. Also, it can be equipped on all medium to large size armaments, which is great. You can use a light off-hand weapon, such as the Rapier, to launch this Ash of War whenever the situation demands it.

7 – Cannon of Helma

The Cannon of Helma launches powerful magic projectiles that explode on impact, dealing massive AoE damage to enemies in the surrounding area. This spell has excellent scalings, making it a popular choice for players who have invested in Intelligence and Faith. However, it also has a relatively high FP cost, which means that players will need to manage their resources carefully in order to use it effectively.

In addition to its high FP cost, the Cannon of Helma also has a longer cast time than some of the other options on this list. This means that players will need to time their attacks carefully to avoid getting hit by enemy attacks while casting the spell. Despite these limitations, the Cannon of Helma remains a powerful and versatile option for players looking to farm runes in Elden Ring.

If you’re interested in using the Cannon of Helma to farm runes, there are several key strategies to keep in mind. First and foremost, it’s important to position yourself carefully so that you can target the maximum number of enemies with the spell’s AoE. This may require some strategic maneuvering, as you’ll need to avoid getting too close to enemies that can quickly overwhelm you.

Once you’ve found a good position, you can unleash the power of the Cannon of Helma and watch as enemies fall to the ground in a hail of explosive magic. This spell is particularly effective against groups of enemies, making it ideal for clearing out large areas quickly and efficiently.

6 – Sword of Night and Flame

This weapon may be a shadow of its former self, but it still boasts high damage. While the laser beam may be significantly worse this patch, the often overlooked AoE flame attack only deals about 20%  less damage. And this flame attack is the reason why it’s good for Rune farming. Make no mistake though, 20% less damage is a lot, but it’s not enough to count out this weapon. It’s still super strong compared to others and is worth adding to this list. The Sword of Night and Flame requires 12 Strength, 24 Intellect and 24 Faith, making it quite hard to justify using on optimized builds. The Marika’s Soreseal or Scarseal, Great runes and other items can make reaching this requirement a lot easier.

5 – Starscourge Greatsword

One weapon that stands out as particularly effective for this task is the Starscourge Greatsword. This powerful weapon can be redeemed after defeating Starscourge Radahn, and it offers incredible AoE damage that can quickly take down groups of enemies. The Starscourge Greatsword is also notable for its crowd control effect, which makes it even more effective against mobs. This makes it arguably the most versatile mob clearer in the game, and a top choice for players looking to farm runes.

However, it’s worth noting that using the Starscourge Greatsword effectively will require a significant investment in your character’s stats. Specifically, you’ll need 38 Strength, 12 Dexterity, and 15 Intelligence in order to wield this powerful weapon. This means that players who are interested in using the Starscourge Greatsword for rune farming will need to plan their build carefully in order to maximize their stats and take advantage of the weapon’s full potential.

In addition to its high stat requirements, the Starscourge Greatsword is also a heavy weapon, which can make it somewhat slower and more difficult to use than some of the other options on this list. However, with practice and careful positioning, it’s possible to use this weapon effectively to take down even the toughest mobs in Elden Ring.

4 – Adula’s Moonblade

At the time of this writing, this Sorcery is notorious in PvP for its ridiculous damage and area of effect, but I haven’t exactly seen it used much in the Rune farming route. It turns out, Adula’s Moonblade is extremely effective at killing mobs swiftly and is simply one of the best sorceries you can use in Elden Ring. It actually launches two attacks per use, one for the blade and another for the projectile. Hitting enemies with the blade ensures that you deal the maximum damage possible. Furthermore, this spell can be chain casted, although the subsequent casts have different properties in that only the projectile attack is launched. Adula’s Moonblade requires 32 Intelligence, which isn’t a lot for a Sorcerer build. If you do use a sorcerer, then I highly recommend getting this spell, whether you use it for Rune farming or not.

3 – Blasphemous Blade

This weapon is the sacred sword of Rykard, the Lord of Blasphemy, so defeating him is required to utilize its very powerful Ash of War, which deals insane damage in an AoE. Unlike other spells and Ashes of War, this one makes up for its lower AoE with tremendous range. It can easily hit a number of the Albinaurics in a straight line and even one shot them, with sufficient investment. You will however, require 22 Strength, 15 Dexterity and 21 Faith to use this weapon.

2 – Ruins Greatsword

Requiring a whopping 50 Strength and 16 Intelligence, the Ruins Greatsword is a strong late game option. You’ll find that its Ash of War looks very similar to the Blasphemous Blade. And it really does, functionally. The main difference really, is the scalings. This weapon’s insane Strength scaling makes it highly optimized for Strength builds. You can line opponents up and slay them all at once, in much the same way as the Blasphemous Blade!

1 – Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear

This weapon can be redeemed after defeating the boss in the Rune farming area, Lord Mohgwyn himself. Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear is highly specialized in defeating mobs, thanks to its damage and huge AoE. Use it against the surrounding Albinaurics to get an absurd amount of runes, as you show who’s boss using their master’s Sacred Spear. Furthermore, it’s also one of the few Strength and Arcane-scaling weapons you can use in Elden Ring, requiring 24 Strength, 14 Dexterity and 27 Arcane. Both the weapon and Ash of War also fittingly deal Bleed damage, which, at the bare minimum, makes it useful in boss fights as well.

Well, that sums up our 10 AoE Spells and Ashes of War you can use for Rune Farming. What do you guys think? Are there any Ashes of War that deserve to be on this list? Let us know in the comment section below, we really wanna hear from you. Also, be sure to check out our Discord server. We love to discuss all topics, like PvP strategies, exploits and even our funny mishaps while exploring the Lands Between. 

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