The worlds of Elden Ring and Dark Souls are both built on FromSoftware’s signature formula: challenging combat, deep lore, and punishing yet rewarding gameplay. While each title stands on its own, one crucial mechanic that connects them is the system of collecting and using in-game currency — Runes in Elden Ring and Souls in Dark Souls. These currencies are central to progression, yet they have distinct differences in mechanics, usage, and how they shape the player’s experience. Drawing from my own hours spent in both universes, this article offers a detailed comparison that will help new and veteran players better understand their impact.
The Core Mechanic: Runes vs Souls
At first glance, Elden Ring’s runes and Dark Souls’ souls serve the same purpose. They are the lifeblood of character progression, allowing players to level up, purchase items, upgrade weapons, and more. Both are earned through defeating enemies, bosses, and selling items, and are lost upon death — unless retrieved from the place of defeat. This shared system reinforces FromSoftware's theme of risk and reward.
However, Elden Ring introduces some subtle refinements. For example, Runes can often be collected faster due to the game's larger open-world design, which allows for more flexible farming routes and enemy engagements. As someone who has sunk over 100 hours into Elden Ring, I found it easier to find specific locations to farm large numbers of Runes, especially when targeting builds that demand high investments.
Flexibility and Farming in Elden Ring
A notable improvement in Elden Ring is how its open world facilitates high-level builds. Thanks to areas like Mohgwyn Palace and late-game zones, players can efficiently gather Elden Ring runes for high level builds. This is particularly helpful for those pursuing hybrid or stat-heavy builds, like spellblade or faith-warrior combinations. In contrast, Dark Souls often required grinding the same linear area repeatedly, which could feel tedious over time.
There are also more ways to spend Runes in Elden Ring. Beyond leveling up and buying gear, the game encourages experimentation through consumables, Spirit Ash upgrades, and crafting materials. I often found myself carefully balancing my rune spending to ensure I could both maintain my build and prepare for upcoming boss encounters.
Buying Runes vs Farming
Another development within the Elden Ring community is the growing market for in-game currency. While some purists frown upon this, others — especially those short on time — choose to buy Elden Ring runes through reputable third-party platforms. This gives casual players a chance to experience high-level builds and gear without the extensive grind, especially in NG+ or PvP scenarios. Based on my own trial for experimentation purposes, buying runes offered a quick way to test out endgame builds and gear without investing hours into farming — though it’s critical to use only trusted sellers to avoid scams or bans.
In Dark Souls, similar services existed, but the demand was lower due to the more contained nature of the game and the relative ease of leveling up once a player mastered the loop.
Player Freedom and Build Diversity
Where Elden Ring truly shines is in player freedom. The rune system supports more diverse builds by offering a broader stat curve and more upgrade paths. In my own playthrough, I shifted from a pure melee warrior to a faith-based spellcaster mid-game — a transition made possible by the accessible rune farming locations and respec mechanics.
Conversely, Dark Souls was more rigid. Once invested in a certain build, pivoting could be punishing without restarting the character or going through limited respec opportunities. Souls felt scarcer, especially in early-game areas, making mistakes in leveling far more impactful.
Both the Elden Ring rune system and the Dark Souls soul system are built on the same foundational concept, but Elden Ring refines it in meaningful ways. From a player experience standpoint, Runes offer more flexibility, better scaling for high-level builds, and increased accessibility through farming and third-party services. Whether you choose to buy Elden Ring runes or farm them yourself, the game gives you tools to explore its rich, punishing world in a way that suits your playstyle.
From my time in both games, it’s clear that while Dark Souls laid the groundwork, Elden Ring evolved the system into something more player-centric, expansive, and accommodating. It's not just a new name for an old system — it's an upgrade that reflects the game's broader, more ambitious design.