When you first step into the Lands Between, runes are your lifeline. They fuel everything from leveling up to purchasing gear, but not every rune spent gives the same value. Veterans of Elden Ring know that spending wisely can save hours of grinding and make tough encounters much smoother. Whether you’re sitting on a stash of hard-earned runes or even some cheap Elden Ring runes you picked up from farming, here are ten smart investments that deliver results quickly. 1. Leveling Vigor Early HP is your best defense, no matter your build. Pumping points into Vigor reduces frustration from one-shot deaths and lets you survive longer in boss fights. This is one of the safest and most rewarding places to spend your runes early. 2. Spirit Ash Upgrades Summons can make or break encounters. Investing runes and materials into your favorite Spirit Ash gives you a reliable ally that scales well throughout the game. Even cheap Elden Ring Items like Ghost Glovewort can drastically improve their effectiveness. 3. Weapon Scaling Upgrades A single strong weapon can carry you through most of the game. Prioritizing smithing upgrades ensures your attacks keep pace with tougher enemies. Choosing one or two weapons to focus on avoids spreading your runes too thin. 4. Flask Upgrades and Seeds Flask charges and potency are essential for survival. Make sure to trade runes at Sites of Grace to reinforce your flasks whenever you find Sacred Tears or Golden Seeds. The return on investment is immediate. 5. Useful Utility Spells Even melee-focused players benefit from a few utility sorceries or incantations. Cheap but effective options like healing, buffs, or ranged pokes can give you more flexibility in tough battles. 6. Crafting Recipes Buying crafting cookbooks might not sound exciting, but they pay off quickly. They unlock the ability to craft essential items like arrows, fire pots, or status-curing consumables, saving both runes and time later. 7. Attribute Milestones Hitting key stat breakpoints is huge. For example, reaching 40 Dexterity for faster weapon scaling or 30 Faith for advanced miracles unlocks whole new layers of your build. Each milestone makes your rune spending feel impactful. 8. Map Fragments and Exploration Tools Spending a few runes on maps, lanterns, and exploration gear improves navigation and reveals farming spots. This indirect investment helps you collect even more cheap Elden Ring Items and resources over time. 9. Merchant Essentials Some merchants offer game-changing items for surprisingly low prices, such as infinite arrow stock, crafting kits, or basic talismans. Keeping a small pool of runes ready for these finds is always worthwhile. 10. Status Effect Resistance Gear Certain bosses lean heavily on poison, rot, or bleed. Investing in gear or talismans that resist these effects can turn a miserable fight into something manageable. They’re situational, but when needed, the payoff is immediate. Runes are easy to lose but hard to farm in bulk, which is why spending them strategically makes all the difference. By focusing on survivability, weapon growth, and long-term utility, you’ll stretch every rune further. Whether you’re grinding naturally or supplementing your stash with cheap elden ring runes, these ten investments guarantee your time and effort pay off quickly.