Elden Ring: How Item Discovery Works and How to Improve It

In Elden Ring, few mechanics are as quietly essential to long-term progression as Item Discovery. Whether you’re hunting for rare weapon upgrade materials, farming crafting items, or seeking that elusive enemy drop for a build, Item Discovery directly influences your success rate. For both veterans and newcomers, understanding how this stat works—and how to boost it—can drastically improve efficiency in loot farming.

What Is Item Discovery?

Item Discovery in Elden Ring determines the chance that enemies will drop items when defeated. Much like in other FromSoftware titles, each enemy has preset drop rates for items in their loot table. A higher Item Discovery stat increases the likelihood that rare items will actually drop. While some items are guaranteed (like boss drops), many are tied to RNG, especially when farming enemies for gear or consumables.

By default, every character starts with 100 base Item Discovery. This value scales with Arcane, so increasing that stat naturally improves your item drop rates. Additionally, several in-game items and buffs can enhance Item Discovery temporarily or permanently.

How to Improve Item Discovery

If you’re planning to grind efficiently, especially for rare items, here are some of the best ways to boost your Item Discovery stat:

1. Arcane Stat Investment
   Each point in Arcane slightly increases your Item Discovery. If your build allows, leveling Arcane is a long-term way to improve drop rates across the board.

2. Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot
   This consumable item grants a temporary +50 bonus to Item Discovery. It’s easy to craft once you gather the right materials, making it a go-to tool for short farming sessions.

3. Silver Scarab Talisman
   Arguably the most powerful passive boost, this talisman increases Item Discovery by a substantial amount. It’s hidden in a late-game area, but definitely worth tracking down.

4. Gold Scarab + Silver Pickled Fowl Foot Combo
   While the Gold Scarab boosts rune acquisition, pairing it with Item Discovery boosters during farming runs maximizes both drops and XP gain. It’s a smart dual-purpose strategy, especially when revisiting familiar zones.

5. Multiplayer Bonuses
   Surprisingly, joining other players' worlds via co-op slightly increases your chances of getting rare drops from shared enemies. This can make rune and item farming more efficient when combined with proper buffs.

Where to Use Item Discovery

Certain zones are notorious for their farmable drops—ranging from Albinaurics in Mohgwyn Palace to Cleanrot Knights in Caelid. Farming in these high-yield zones is much more rewarding when you’ve prepared with buffs and stat boosts.

Many hardcore players who are focused on efficient builds often combine high Item Discovery with farming in high-risk areas. This is especially useful when farming rare smithing stones or specific armor sets. If you’re serious about optimization, knowing the best site to buy Elden Ring Runes or the best place to buy Elden Ring items can also help prepare your character before tackling these grinds.

Item Discovery isn’t a flashy stat, but its influence can’t be overstated. Whether you’re speed-farming or just aiming for full set completions, maximizing this stat is a major quality-of-life improvement. With the right gear, buffs, and zones, you’ll find yourself spending less time grinding and more time enjoying the world of Elden Ring.