If you’ve ever wandered into the misty fields around the Walking Mausoleums in Elden Ring, you’ve probably met those eerie, headless soldiers patrolling the area. They look slow and harmless at first, but once a pack of them notices you, the whole place turns into a weird mix of chaos and easy rune farming. A lot of players, myself included, quickly realize that these guys drop a surprising amount of runes for how simple they are to defeat. After a bit of testing and digging around, there are some clear reasons why farming them feels so rewarding.

The Design Intention Behind Their Rune Rewards

FromSoft tends to tie rune drop rates to a combination of enemy density, lore importance, and how fast a player can defeat a group. The Mausoleum Soldiers fit perfectly into this formula. They don’t have shields, complicated attack patterns, or annoying resistances. Even with a mid-game setup, you can deal with them in seconds. Since the game places them in clusters of five to ten at a time, every quick sweep through the area translates into a big chunk of runes without too much stress.

Another factor is pacing. The regions with these soldiers often appear after the player has already faced much tougher enemies. Their generous rune drops act as a kind of breather area, letting players refill their rune bank without having to sweat every encounter. When I was short on levels for a new weapon build, I stopped by here a few times instead of running tougher dungeons.

Their Lore Might Explain the High Drops

There’s also a lore angle worth mentioning. The headless soldiers are tied to those massive Walking Mausoleums, which contain echoes of demi-gods and fallen heroes. You could interpret their high rune yield as a reflection of the lingering power surrounding the mausoleums. Even if FromSoft never confirms it, it fits with the game’s theme of spiritual remnants holding value.

Farming them also happens to be one of the most beginner-friendly methods for stacking runes. Some new players look up ways to speed things along, and that’s when people start asking where to buy elden ring runes. I personally prefer playing the game naturally, but I get why some players search for shortcuts when experimenting with different builds.

Why They’re So Easy to Farm Efficiently

One thing I’ve noticed is that their spawn points are laid out in very convenient routes. You can hop on Torrent, complete a quick loop, clear two packs of soldiers, reset at a nearby site of grace, and repeat. The enemies don’t have projectiles, so you rarely get knocked off your horse. Their formations also make it simple to use sweeping weapons or wide spells to drop multiple soldiers at once.

This is also one of the few farming spots where the challenge doesn’t spike unpredictably. No sudden boss-tier enemy shows up, and nothing in the area has strange resistances that slow down your farming. Whenever I test new weapons, this is one of my go-to places because I can get clean comparisons without sudden complications.

Why Newer Players Gravitate Toward This Spot

If you’re new to Elden Ring, you might feel like leveling up takes forever in the earlier zones. Once you stumble into the mausoleum patrols, the pace suddenly picks up. The large rune rewards make this area feel like a hidden gift, and honestly, that’s probably intentional. It gives players a moment of relief and a chance to experiment with leveling without venturing into late-game zones too early.

It’s also why some players start paying attention to outside resources and stores that focus on game items. People sometimes mention places like U4GM in community forums, usually when talking about general progression, builds, or trading experiences. Even if you don’t need anything from outside sources, it’s good to know what the community is discussing.

The Community’s Interest in Boosting Rune Income

The Mausoleum Soldiers became popular not just because of their drops, but because they’re accessible to almost everyone. You don’t need high-level gear or rare talismans. As long as you’re comfortable dodging or riding Torrent, you’re good to go. The consistency draws players in, especially those experimenting with brand-new characters or unusual builds.

Some players even combine this spot with rune-boosting gear or crafting items. It adds a nice layer of optimization if you enjoy that kind of planning. Others look for alternative ways to speed up progress, like trying to buy elden ring runes from verified store options. I totally get the appeal when time is limited, though I always recommend knowing what you’re doing before going that route.

A Few Tips to Make the Most of This Farming Spot

If you want to farm these enemies efficiently, here are a few simple tricks that helped me out:

Use sweeping attacks. Big arc swings or area spells will hit multiple soldiers at once, saving a ton of time.

Stay on Torrent. Their attacks are easy to bait while riding, and you can zip between enemy groups without wasting stamina.

Reset quickly. The nearest site of grace is just a short ride away, making the run super repeatable.

Avoid over-leveling here. This area is great, but pushing too many levels from just one spot can make early-mid content feel less rewarding later. Variety keeps the game fun.

At the end of the day, the reason the Mausoleum Soldiers drop so many runes comes down to smart design. They bridge the gap between challenging fights and accessible farming, giving players a dependable place to refuel. Whether you just want a bit more freedom with your build, or you’re testing weapons, or you simply enjoy watching your rune count skyrocket, this is one of the most relaxed farming zones in the entire game.

Every time I swing by, I get that same satisfying feeling of quick progress without the stress. And honestly, in a world as brutal as the Lands Between, it’s nice to have at least one place where things feel a little more forgiving. Enjoy the farming, stay patient, and may your next level-up come sooner than expected.