The Gold Scarab Elden Ring talisman is one of the most sought-after items in the entire game, and for good reason. It increases the number of runes you earn from every single kill by 20%, which compounds dramatically over hundreds of hours of gameplay.
Gold Scarab farming knowledge separates players who level up efficiently from those who struggle to keep pace with the curve. Equipped from the moment you can get it, this talisman accelerates every farming session you run throughout your entire playthrough.
The talisman is located in the Abandoned Cave in central Caelid, guarded by a pair of Cleanrot Knights in an optional boss fight. The cave is not marked on your map by default, so many players miss it entirely on their first run through the scarlet rot-soaked region.
Gold Scarab Elden Ring Location: How to Find the Abandoned Cave
Where Is the Abandoned Cave?
The Abandoned Cave sits in the Caelid region, east of the Smoldering Wall Site of Grace. Here is exactly how to reach it:
- Travel to the Smoldering Wall Site of Grace in central Caelid
- Head east-northeast from the grace location
- Pass the Abductor Virgin enemy near the cliffside
- Locate the large dead tree roots extending across the ravine
- Walk along the root bridge and drop down into the cave entrance on the far side
The entrance is not obvious, and the ravine itself is partially obscured. Look for the tree roots that extend horizontally across the gap — these are your bridge.
Preparing for the Abandoned Cave
Before entering, prepare for Scarlet Rot. The cave floor is flooded with rot-inducing liquid, and exposure will rapidly build your meter.
Essential items to bring:
- Preserving Boluses: Alleviates Scarlet Rot buildup and cures active rot
- Neutralizing Boluses: Handles poison buildup within the cave
- Flame, Cleanse Me Incantation: Cures both poison and Scarlet Rot in one cast
- Cure Poison Incantation: Useful secondary option for poison management
Equip a weapon with solid reach so you can deal with early cave enemies without wading too deep into the rot pools.
How to Beat the Cleanrot Knights for the Golden Scarab
Who Are the Cleanrot Knights?
The Cleanrot Knight boss room at the end of the Abandoned Cave contains two Cleanrot Knights fighting simultaneously. This is one of Elden Ring’s harder optional cave bosses because of the dual-threat nature.
| Cleanrot Knight Type | Attack Style | Primary Threat |
|---|---|---|
| Sickle Knight | Ranged attacks, magical homing ring | Distance pressure and persistent ranged danger |
| Spear Knight | Melee focused, high stagger | Close-range burst and knockback |
Both knights are aggressive and will punish tunnel vision on just one target. Managing their positions is the key challenge.
Strategy: Defeat the Sickle Knight First
Always prioritize the Sickle Knight (ranged). If you focus the Spear Knight first, the Sickle Knight will constantly stagger you with the homing magical ring attack while you are locked in melee.
Here is the recommended approach:
- Enter the fog gate and immediately move to one side to split their aggression
- Summon a tanky Spirit Ash (Lone Wolf Ashes or Black Knife Tiche are effective here) to occupy the Spear Knight
- Focus entirely on the Sickle Knight and pressure her aggressively
- Use fire-based attacks: both Cleanrot Knights have a notable weakness to fire
- Look for backstab opportunities after successfully dodging their attack windows
Fire Damage Is Your Best Friend
These enemies hate fire. Black Flame Spells are particularly effective because the percentage-based damage bonus compounds further against them. Any fire weapon, incantation, or grease will deal noticeably more damage than neutral scaling attacks.
Additionally, the Sickle Knight’s homing magical ring can be dodged by rolling sideways just before it reaches Hornet. Successfully dodging this attack opens a generous backstab window.
What Does the Gold Scarab Talisman Do?
Rune Acquisition Bonus
The Golden Scarab Elden Ring talisman increases rune acquisition by approximately 20% from all enemy kills. This is not a negligible bonus — over a full farming session, it translates to hundreds of thousands of extra runes.
Stacking With Other Rune Bonuses
The Gold Scarab stacks with other rune-boosting items:
- Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot (consumable): Additional rune increase
- Combined effect of Gold Scarab plus Fowl Foot: approximately 56% total rune acquisition increase
This combination is the most efficient rune-farming setup available in the game. Activate the consumable at the start of a farming run while the talisman remains passively equipped.
When to Equip It
Equip the Gold Scarab whenever you are farming runes. Swap it out during boss fights where talisman slots are better used for damage or survivability upgrades. The swap is fast and free between grace sites.
A clever trick: if you time the talisman swap correctly the moment a boss falls, you can still benefit from the rune bonus on the kill. Equip the Gold Scarab the instant you see the boss health hit zero before the death animation completes.
Best Farming Locations to Pair With the Gold Scarab
Early to Mid Game Farms
- Palace Approach Ledge-Road: Enormous rune potential from the nearby sleeping dragon. The Gold Scarab multiplies these runes significantly.
- Caelid Bird Farm: The massive bird near Fort Faroth can be killed over and over for outsized rune rewards.
Late Game Farms
- Mohgwyn Palace: The most efficient late-game farm in the base game. Combine the Golden Scarab Elden Ring talisman with the Fowl Foot and Sacred Relic Sword’s Wave of Gold for maximum output.
- Leyndell Royal Capital: Dense enemy clusters make the Gold Scarab multiplier compound fast.
Pro Tips: Gold Scarab Elden Ring
- Go early but go prepared: The Abandoned Cave is accessible from fairly early in the game, but Caelid is hostile. If you struggle with the cave, return at a higher level. The Gold Scarab will still be there.
- Use the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot on any big farm session: The stack with Golden Scarab Elden Ring maxes out your rune multiplier. Always use the consumable before a long farming loop.
- Backstab the Sickle Knight: After she recovers from her wind-up attacks, the backstab window is generous. One critical hit from backstab knocks off a significant chunk of her health pool.
- Do not let rot kill you in the cave: One death in the cave resets you to the grace outside. Use Preserving Boluses before jumping into rot pools, not after your meter is already full.
Common Mistakes Gold Scarab Elden Ring Hunters Make
- Targeting the Spear Knight first: This keeps the ranged Sickle Knight free to poke and stagger you constantly. Fix: always prioritize the Sickle Knight while using a Spirit Ash to distract the Spear Knight.
- Not bringing Rot cures: The cave floor will fill your Scarlet Rot meter quickly if you are not prepared. Fix: stock Preserving Boluses or learn Flame, Cleanse Me before entering.
- Forgetting to equip the talisman before farming: Players unlock the Gold Scarab and then forget to actually put it on their build. Fix: make talisman swapping a habit at every grace site before you begin a farming session.
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All game images used in this blog post belong to FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Entertainment. They are used for informational and educational purposes only and do not imply endorsement or affiliation with the rights holders.
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