New Game Plus retains all runes you collected in your previous playthrough; it does not add additional runes.
Many players wonder how their progress changes when starting a New Game Plus. Specifically, how many runes does new game plus have compared to a fresh game? It’s a common question, since runes are so crucial to progression.
The answer is simple, New Game Plus doesn’t grant more runes. You keep all of them that you worked so hard to obtain. This allows you to immediately improve your character from the start.
How Many Runes Does New Game Plus Have?
So, you’ve finished a game, maybe even a really hard one, and you’re thinking about jumping into New Game Plus (NG+). That’s awesome! But one of the big questions that often pops up is about runes – those valuable things you use to buy stuff or level up. Will there be more? Will it be the same? Let’s dig into what happens with runes when you start a NG+.
Understanding Runes in the Base Game
Before we talk about NG+, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about runes in the regular game. Think of runes like a game’s currency and experience points combined. You get them by defeating enemies, finding them in the world, or sometimes as rewards for finishing quests. You use them to buy items from merchants, which can be weapons, armor, or helpful tools. More importantly, you use them to level up your character’s stats, making them stronger, faster, or more powerful. Each rune you collect is a step towards making your character better.
The amount of runes you get varies quite a bit. A small, weak enemy might give you a few, while a big, tough boss might give you a whole bunch. Some games also have rune items, which are basically like little treasure chests you find in the world that give you runes when you open them. It’s a good idea to explore everywhere, because those runes add up.
How Runes Work During Gameplay
Runes typically aren’t just passively collected. When you gather enough, you can visit a specific place – often a sanctuary or checkpoint of some kind – to use them. This is where you’ll improve your character by making them better in different ways like adding to your strength, health, or magic abilities. If you get defeated before you can spend your runes, you often lose them. In some games you might be able to get them back if you can reach where you were defeated, but if you get defeated again before you do, they’re gone forever. This risk adds a level of excitement to the game, making every battle important.
What Happens to Runes in New Game Plus?
Now, let’s get to the main question: what happens to runes in NG+? The good news is that you generally don’t lose your ability to gain and use runes in NG+. In fact, you can expect some key changes. Let’s explore those.
The Increase in Rune Acquisition
The most significant change that comes with NG+ is that you often see a dramatic increase in how many runes you get. This boost happens for a few reasons. Firstly, the enemies in NG+ are often tougher. They have more health, they hit harder, and they are generally smarter. To compensate for the increased challenge, the game gives you more runes for defeating them. It’s like the game is saying, “Okay, this is going to be harder, so here’s a bigger reward.”
Another factor is that most games intend for NG+ to be a way for you to become even more powerful. By increasing the number of runes you get, you can level up your character further, try different builds, and collect all those items you might have missed in your first playthrough. This lets you experience the game in a different way.
The Role of Difficulty Scaling
The increased rune gain is almost always tied to difficulty scaling. In NG+, games usually ramp up the difficulty. This isn’t just a simple health or damage increase for enemies; it’s a complete overhaul. Bosses may have new attacks or behaviors, making them much more of a challenge than before. Regular enemies are also more aggressive and may appear in new combinations or in larger groups. The increased rune gain goes hand in hand with this. The game’s developers want you to feel challenged, but also to feel like you are making progress, so they reward you accordingly.
Specific Rune Differences in NG+
While the general principle is that you’ll get more runes, there are some specific ways this might play out:
Enemy Rune Multipliers
Many games use a system where the runes you get are multiplied by a certain factor, based on the game cycle. For instance, in your initial playthrough, defeating a regular enemy might get you 10 runes. In NG+, that same enemy might give you 20 or 30 runes. With each subsequent NG+ cycle (NG+2, NG+3, etc.), this multiplier could increase even further. This means the longer you play, the more quickly you will level up and purchase items.
Here’s a simple example:
- Base Game: 10 runes per enemy.
- NG+: 25 runes per enemy.
- NG+2: 50 runes per enemy.
- NG+3: 75 runes per enemy.
Boss Rune Rewards
Bosses also typically give out more runes in NG+. The increased reward is not always just a flat increase, it can be affected by a higher base value of runes and also include a multiplier. Defeating a difficult boss in NG+ may be one of the best ways to gain significant number of runes. So if you’re looking to level up fast in NG+, challenging the bosses again might be a great place to start.
Rune Item Drops
The number of runes gained from items you find within the game world might be increased in NG+ as well. You’ll find these items scattered throughout the game, some hidden in tough-to-reach places, which makes exploring beneficial. It encourages you to revisit areas that you may have only rushed through the first time.
How the Increase in Runes Impacts Gameplay
The increased number of runes in NG+ changes the way you play the game and feel about the game, here are some things you might feel.
Accelerated Character Progression
With more runes available, your character will level up much faster than in your first playthrough. This means you can reach higher levels, spend on your preferred stats, and try out new abilities you might have not before. This accelerated character progression can make you feel more powerful, but you also have to be more careful, as the enemies are scaling up as well.
Experimentation with Different Builds
A very interesting aspect of NG+ is that you might have the chance to try different builds. As your characters levels fast, you might try completely different combinations of abilities. Perhaps you were focused on strength and then you try magic, it can give you a completely new perspective and a reason to re-play the game.
The Sense of Progression
Even though you might have already finished the game, NG+ gives you a new sense of progression. It’s not just about going through the motions again. It’s about watching your character’s stats grow and trying to overcome new challenges. This can make playing through the game more interesting the second time.
Access to Missed Content
With a more powered up character and a more experienced mindset of the game, you might get the chance to explore the content that you previously missed in the game. This could be hidden areas, secret bosses, or optional side quests. With the increased amount of runes you are getting, this might be the best chance for you to explore them all.
Are There Any Drawbacks?
While increased rune acquisition is a great perk, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Increased Difficulty Can Be Overwhelming
While you’re getting more runes, remember that enemies are also stronger. If you jump into NG+ thinking you’ll be an unstoppable machine, you might be surprised by how challenging it can be at first. You’ll still need to use strategy, skill, and knowledge of the game to make it.
Resource Management Remains Important
Even with more runes, you’ll still want to be smart about how you spend them. Buying every item might not be the best strategy. It’s still a good idea to invest in items or stats that truly help you. Good rune management can be just as important in NG+ as it is in the main game.
How to Make the Most of Runes in New Game Plus
Here are some tips to help you make the most out of those extra runes you’ll earn in NG+:
Plan Your Build
Before you start NG+, think about the character build you want to use. Are you going for a fast-moving, light attack fighter or a powerful, tanky warrior? Knowing this ahead of time will make it easier to spend your runes wisely.
Explore Everywhere
Don’t just rush through the game again. Explore those corners you might have missed in your first playthrough. You might find rune items or powerful equipment that will be a great advantage to your character.
Tackle Bosses Early
If you’re looking for a quick burst of runes, consider tackling bosses early on in your NG+ journey. They provide significant rewards, and defeating them quickly will allow you to level up fast.
Use Rune Boost Items Wisely
Some games have items or equipment that boost the amount of runes you get. Use them if you want to accelerate the process. These are often found in hidden spots or dropped by rare enemies, so keep an eye out for them.
Experiment
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different abilities and strategies. NG+ is a great time to try out builds that you may not have tried the first time through. This could lead to new and fun ways to play the game.
The increased number of runes in NG+ makes the game more interesting and can be a reason to play again. It’s your way of becoming stronger and a good opportunity to experience all of the content the game has to offer. So, keep fighting, collect those runes, and enjoy the journey!
Elden Ring Farming Runes At NG+7 (120K+ Per Hit)
Final Thoughts
New Game Plus retains the rune count from your initial playthrough. You do not get extra runes simply by starting New Game Plus. Your existing wealth of runes carries over.
Therefore, how many runes does new game plus have? It has exactly the same amount of runes you possessed when you finished the game previously. The rune count does not change.
