Elden Ring Golden Scarab: Location and Usage Guide

Runes are Elden Ring’s main currency and most valuable resource. After all, without these runes, you can’t obtain squat. But what if there’s something that can increase the number of runes you get? Enter the Golden Scarab Talisman, and today we’ll talk about it, how to get it, and if it’s a good thing to get in Elden Ring.

For more walkthroughs, check out our Lady Tanith Elden Ring quest guide.

What Is the Golden Scarab Talisman?

The Golden Scarab is one of Elden Ring’s many talismans. Players can obtain these Talismans throughout the game’s world, but only 4 can be equipped at a time. And that’s only if you’ve obtained the 3 extra Talisman pouches scattered throughout the world. You get one after beating Margitt the Fell Omen on Stormhill. Another from Enia when you get 2 Great Runes (Godrick’s and Rennala’s are good options). The last one is a reward for defeating Godfrey’s shade in the Royal Capital.

The Golden Scarab Talisman is a unique talisman due to its 1 ability, It increases Rune gain by 20%. A very useful item that can be compounded on through the use of the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot. We’ll talk about that in a later part of the article though. For now, let’s go over how to get this priceless Talisman in Elden Ring, yeah?

Where and How Does a Player Obtain the Golden Scarab Talisman?

The player obtains the Golden Scarab talisman after they defeat 2 bosses in a specific dungeon. Specifically, the Abandoned Cave located in Caelid, Elden Ring’s hellspawn of a level. The main issue with the location is reaching it due to the sheer amount of Scarlet Rot, in addition to exploring the said cave.

To reach the Abandoned Cave, players need to start from Caelid’s Smoldering Wall Site of Grace. If you’ve activated it of course. If not, be prepared for a hell of a time dodging giant dogs, a Scarlet Rot dragon, and all other nasties. Then, if you did spawn there, go east, moving towards the Cliffside near the site of grace. Eventually, the player will see a tree branch that they can navigate to. Once there, look closely, as the entrance to the Abandoned Cave is pretty hidden on the opposite Cliffside.

The Abandoned Cave has several rooms where there’s Scarlet Rot everywhere. And that’s just one of the environmental hazards. There are also steaming hot geysers that damage the player, Servants of Rot sniping them to death, and a few Miranda Flowers here and there. If you haven’t torn your hair clean off just getting to the boss’s room, be prepared for an absolute hell of a time. Why? Because you’re fighting 2 Cleanrot Knights.

Now if you’re a decently leveled chap with several good weapons, this double trouble fight might be easy. If you’re someone that speedran your way to this boss encounter though, be very cautious. A lot. After all, their attacks deal Scarlet Rot buildup, which is incredibly damaging when it procs. Our advice is to use fire damage. You’ll need it because they have a low resistance to the damage type. Once you do beat them, you’ll get the Golden Scarab Talisman for your troubles.

Are There Upgraded Versions of the Golden Scarab Talisman?

Sadly, the Golden Scarab has no upgraded version similar to the Dark Souls games’ Covetous Silver Serpent Ring. The latter has 4 versions, that can get up to +3, while the Golden Scarab doesn’t have this. Back in those days, players can get stacked on Souls by just wearing the higher-tier versions of the Covetous Silver Serpent Ring. Hell, even the normal version is pretty nuts if you have an efficient farming area. All this leads to some incredibly hilarious shenanigans with the games, from stacked items to max-leveled characters way before the norms.

This is probably what caused FromSoftware to only give 1 version of the Golden Scarab Talisman When Elden Ring was released. Then again, given the game’s open-world environment, it’s probably not necessary to give players +1, +2, and +3 versions of the Golden Scarab anyhow. Not that it’s necessary given that we can just craft unlimited Gold-Pickled Fowl Foots if you have the recipe.

What are the Uses of the Gold Scarab Talisman?

The Golden Scarab Talisman has 1 use and 1 use only, Rune farming. In Elden Ring, the player’s main currency come in the form of Runes. These Runes will serve you from the early game up until the end. From buying items, gaining and upgrading gear, and even leveling up. This means that runes are at a premium, and it’s usually not a good idea to splurge on something because you might need the runes for something else. Like a level up, or a specific item that can help in a boss fight.

With the Golden Scarab Talisman though, the player will be able to farm a whole lot of runes in a short period. When combined with the Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot, the number of runes you can get is increased by a total of 50% rather than 20% and 30%. For those that are wondering where to get this item, you can craft them by buying the Missionary’s Cookbook [2] from Patches in Murkwater Cave.

You’ll need Rowa Fruit, Four-Toed Fowl Foot, and Golden Butterflies. These are pretty easy to farm if you know where to look. Rowa Fruit is found everywhere, Four-Toed Fowl Foot can be farmed by killing birds, and Golden Butterflies are in bodies of water near minor Erdtrees. Mix them and you’ll pretty much have unlimited Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot. Which, when combined with the Golden Scarab Talisman, will boost your farming rate into overdrive.

Is the Golden Scarab Talisman Worth Getting?

The Golden Scarab Talisman is a worthwhile talisman to get. We already showed many examples as to why this is the case above. The sheer convenience of being drowned in runes after several kills are just unparalleled. And with enough time, effort, and a lot of grinding, your character will be able to breeze their way through Elden Ring due to how strong they are.

What Builds Are the Golden Scarab Talisman Viable On?

If we’re being honest here, the Golden Scarab’s best use is to give players a metric ton of runes to create their Elden Ring builds. This is the item’s raison d’etre. You equip this with an AoE weapon, gobble on a Golden Pickled Fowl Foot or 3, and beat a group of decently difficult enemies to gain as many runes as humanly possible.

In layman’s terms, don’t put the Golden Scarab on a build. Use it as a tool to create your dream build.

Final Word

Overall, the Golden Scarab Talisman is an incredible tool to get even more strength in Elden Ring. The sheer rate of rune acquisition that you’ll be able to have with this equipped and eating several Gold-Pickled Fowl Foots every 3 minutes is absurd. Definitely a great pickup, and one of the best items in the game. Not in terms of build viability, but in how it enables said builds to reach their fullest potential.

Play Elden Ring today!