Activating Godrick’s Great Rune in the game Elden Ring is something many players ask about after defeating the shardbearer Godrick the Grafted. Simply defeating him doesn’t immediately make the Great Rune’s power available to you there are a few extra steps involved before you can benefit from its substantial boosts. This process ties into the game’s broader Great Runes system, where you collect powerful runic treasures from major bosses and then restore and use them to enhance your character’s abilities. Understanding how to activate Godrick’s Great Rune helps you make the most of this early and valuable upgrade in your adventure through the Lands Between.
What Godrick’s Great Rune Does
Godrick’s Great Rune is a special item dropped by Godrick the Grafted after defeating him at the end of Stormveil Castle. When properly activated, this Great Rune grants a significant bonus increasing all of your character’s primary attributes by a set amount (typically +5) while active. This includes boosts to health, stamina, focus, strength, dexterity, and other critical stats. These enhancements can make many challenging encounters easier, especially boss battles and difficult areas encountered early in Elden Ring.
Step 1 Defeating Godrick the Grafted
The first requirement for activating Godrick’s Great Rune is to obtain it by defeating Godrick the Grafted. He is one of the first major demigod bosses you’ll encounter, located deep in Stormveil Castle. Once you’ve defeated him, the Great Rune will appear in your inventory as a special item. However, defeating him is only the beginning the Great Rune must be restored and activated before you can use its power.
Step 2 Traveling to the Divine Tower of Limgrave
After obtaining the Great Rune from Godrick, you need to travel to the corresponding Divine Tower in Limgrave to restore its power. This tower is linked to Godrick’s Rune and sits east of Stormveil Castle. The path to the tower involves backtracking through part of the castle, heading to the Limgrave Tower Bridge site of grace, and then crossing a large broken bridge guarded by giant enemies. Along the way, you’ll see a teleporter at the end of the bridge that transports you closer to the Divine Tower.
Finding the Path
From the Liftside Chamber site of grace, exit through the eastern doorway, dodge or defeat enemies as you make your way south, and take the stairs down toward the gate. Continue southeast until you reach the Limgrave Tower Bridge. Cross the bridge using the teleporter if necessary and proceed to the base of the tower. Inside, you’ll find an elevator or stairs leading up to the top where the activation point is located.
Step 3 Restoring the Great Rune
At the top of the Divine Tower of Limgrave, you’ll see a glowing floating symbol between two large structures resembling fingers. This is the restoration point for Godrick’s Great Rune. Interacting with this object restores the rune’s power, turning it from an inert item into an activated, usable Great Rune. Once restored, it is ready to be equipped and used, though it still won’t provide its stat boosts until the final step is completed.
Step 4 Equipping the Great Rune
After restoring the Great Rune’s power at the Divine Tower, you need to equip it at any Site of Grace. Rest at a Site of Grace and look for the Great Runes tab in the rest menu. In this menu, you can see all the Great Runes you’ve restored and choose which one to equip. Godrick’s Great Rune will appear in this list once restored, and you can slot it into your character’s active Great Rune slot.
Step 5 Activating the Rune with a Rune Arc
Equipping the Great Rune is not enough on its own you also need to use an item called a Rune Arc to activate the rune’s effects. Rune Arcs are consumables found throughout the game world, dropped by enemies or purchasable from certain merchants. When you use a Rune Arc with Godrick’s Great Rune equipped, the rune’s bonus becomes active and your character receives the attribute boosts. These effects last until your character dies, at which point you must use another Rune Arc to reactivate the rune.
Where to Get Rune Arcs
- Defeating specific enemies that drop Rune Arcs
- Purchasing from merchants, such as the twin maiden vendors at Roundtable Hold
- Finding them in certain areas or loot locations in the Lands Between
Because Rune Arcs are consumables, it’s wise to plan when to use them, especially before difficult fights or boss encounters.
Tips for Success
Activating Godrick’s Great Rune can be a bit challenging early in the game because of the enemies and navigation required. Here are a few tips to make the process smoother
- Explore thoroughly unlocking the necessary sites of grace makes traveling back to the Divine Tower easier.
- If enemies are too strong, consider leveling up or summoning spirit ashes to help clear the path.
- Save Rune Arc use for difficult fights rather than minor encounters, as the buffs last until death.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Some players think equipping the Great Rune at a Site of Grace automatically activates its effects. It doesn’t you still must use a Rune Arc. Others forget to return to the Divine Tower after defeating Godrick, which means the Great Runes menu won’t even appear until the rune is restored. Understanding these steps can prevent confusion and help you benefit from this powerful rune early in your adventure.
Benefits of Activating the Great Rune
Once you’ve gone through all the steps defeating Godrick, restoring the rune at the tower, equipping it at a Site of Grace, and using a Rune Arc Godrick’s Great Rune provides one of the earliest and most impactful buffs in the game. The boost to all attributes improves everything from health and stamina to strength and focus, helping you survive tougher enemies in regions like Limgrave, Caelid, and beyond. This makes activating the rune an important objective for many players seeking an edge in combat.
Activating Godrick’s Great Rune involves several distinct steps after defeating the boss who drops it. You must travel to the Divine Tower of Limgrave, restore the rune’s power, equip it at a Site of Grace, and finally use a consumable Rune Arc to activate its effects. Each stage is essential to unlock the rune’s bonuses, and doing so early in Elden Ring can significantly strengthen your character. Understanding how to activate, equip, and use Godrick’s Great Rune helps you get the most out of one of the game’s best early rewards and prepares you for the challenges that lie ahead in the Lands Between.