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Best Time-Saving Methods for Elden Ring Progression

Elden Ring is massive, and while exploring its vast open world is part of the fun, sometimes you just want to make meaningful progress without spending hours wandering around. As someone who’s clocked a fair amount of playtime in the Lands Between, I’ve found a few methods that can help speed up progression while keeping the experience enjoyable. Here’s what has worked for me.

Focus on Key Bosses First

One of the simplest ways to save time is to prioritize bosses that unlock major areas or essential items. For example, defeating Margit early on can open up critical pathways and make the rest of the game more accessible. Instead of wandering aimlessly, identify which bosses are gating your next progression step and tackle those first.

A small tip here: don’t get too caught up in farming for every little upgrade before taking on these bosses. The boost you get from progressing naturally often outweighs incremental grind.

Smart Rune Farming

Let’s be honest: sometimes you need runes to level up or buy essential gear. One way I’ve saved time is by knowing where to buy Elden Ring runes safely online. It’s not about skipping the game, but rather about topping up your resources when you’re stuck and don’t want to farm for hours. Sites like U4GM have been mentioned in communities as reliable options, and having a small stockpile of runes can make certain tough encounters much less frustrating.

When farming runes manually, I usually stick to high-yield enemies near checkpoints. These spots can often give a steady flow of runes without the risk of long, dangerous runs. Combining this with occasional purchases can keep progression smooth.

Optimize Your Build

Another major time-saver is optimizing your build. Elden Ring allows so much flexibility, but some setups are just plain faster for progression. For instance, a ranged caster build can clear many enemies from a distance, cutting down long melee fights significantly.

Even if you prefer melee, having one or two high-damage, fast-spell options for specific scenarios can prevent repeated deaths, which are arguably the biggest time-waster. The idea is to tailor your character to handle both standard mobs and bosses efficiently.

Efficient Use of Online Resources

Sometimes, looking up a quick guide for a tricky puzzle or boss can save hours of trial and error. You don’t have to spoil the whole map, but checking strategies for specific encounters is a huge time-saver.

Additionally, if you’re looking to buy Elden Ring runes with PayPal, many players have recommended services that make the transaction smooth and secure. Again, it’s about convenience rather than replacing the gameplay. Small, safe boosts like this can keep momentum going, especially during late-game progression where the grind intensifies.

Fast Travel and Map Knowledge

Knowing where to fast travel is critical. Spend a bit of time exploring to unlock teleport points in every new area. Once these are unlocked, traveling across regions takes mere seconds instead of tedious long runs. Personally, I mark areas with high-value loot or bosses I might want to revisit so that future trips are quick.

Also, learning enemy placements in high-level zones can help avoid unnecessary fights. Sometimes running past weak mobs is more efficient than clearing every encounter. It feels a bit counterintuitive, but in terms of overall progression speed, it works surprisingly well.

Use Summons Strategically

Spirit summons are another way to save time. Summoning the right ally can turn a difficult boss fight into a much shorter encounter. I’ve found that knowing when to summon versus going solo can be the difference between a 15-minute fight and a 5-minute one.

The key is to experiment: some spirits excel at tanking damage, others at dealing DPS. Once you understand your options, you can tailor each fight to your strengths, making progression smoother and faster.

Wrap-Up

Elden Ring is meant to be an adventure, and rushing blindly can ruin the fun. However, using smart strategies like targeting key bosses, optimizing rune management, choosing efficient builds, and leveraging fast travel can dramatically cut down time without taking away the enjoyment. If you’re ever stuck, a mix of smart rune purchases, selective online help, and tactical planning can help you keep moving forward without the grind becoming frustrating.

Progression in Elden Ring doesn’t have to mean endless hours of wandering or farming. By combining preparation, strategic resource management, and a little insider knowledge, you can spend more time enjoying the world itself and less time spinning your wheels.

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