Alright, fellow Tarnished, gather 'round the (virtual) campfire. Let me tell you a tale not of demigods and destined death, but of... feet. Bird feet, to be precise. No, seriously, stick with me. In the year 2026, as we all gear up for the next big FromSoftware adventure, the timeless wisdom of efficient farming in Elden Ring remains a sacred text. And at the heart of many a savvy player's grinding routine is the humble, yet mighty, Four-Toed Fowl Foot. This little guy is the secret ingredient to either lining your pockets with Runes or showering you with loot. Think of it as the Lands Between's equivalent of a lucky rabbit's foot, if rabbits were penguin-shaped birds called Guillemots and luck was a measurable, craftable statistic. My journey for these feet was... let's just say I've stared into the beady eyes of more Guillemots than I care to admit. But I've learned their secrets, and I'm here to share, so you don't have to wander the shores as aimlessly as I once did.

What's the Big Deal with Bird Feet Anyway?

First things first, why are we obsessing over poultry pedals? The Four-Toed Fowl Foot is a pure, unadulterated crafting material. By itself, it's just a weird-looking item in your inventory. But oh, when combined with the right knowledge (from specific Cookbooks) and a few other bits and bobs, it transforms into one of two powerhouse consumables:

• Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot: This bad boy is your ticket to the high life. Pop one of these, and for a glorious 3 minutes, every single Rune you collect gets a 30% boost. Boss kill? More Runes. Clearing a camp? More Runes. It's the ultimate farming companion. Cha-ching! 💰

• Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot: This one's for the collectors and completionists. It boosts your Item Discovery stat by 50 points for 3 minutes, dramatically increasing the chance that enemies will drop their goodies. Hunting for a specific weapon or armor set? This is your best friend.

Here’s the kicker: to make these, you need the recipes. You'll have to track down:

1. Missionary's Cookbook [2]: Sold by everyone's favorite untrustworthy merchant, Patches, in Murkwater Cave. This one teaches you the Gold-Pickled recipe.

2. Missionary's Cookbook [3]: Found on a corpse at the Smoldering Church in Limgrave. This unlocks the Silver-Pickled recipe.

Without these books, you're just a collector of strange feet. With them, you're an alchemist of fortune.

The Hunt Begins: Where to Find Those Elusive Feet

Now, the core of the issue. These feet don't grow on trees (thankfully). They only drop from specific birds: Guillemots and Eagles. Let me save you some time: focus on the Guillemots. They look like dopey penguins hanging out near water, and their drop rate for feet is much better. Trust me, I've asked the Eagles nicely. They mostly just drop feathers and disdain.

The drop rate for the foot is lower than for their Flight Pinions, so farming is a numbers game. You gotta find a good spot and commit. And buddy, I've found the spots.

Top Three Farming Runs for the Discerning Foot Fetcher

1. The Early Bird Special: Limgrave's Western Coast

This is your first and most accessible farm. Head to the Coastal Cave Site of Grace. Summon your trusty steed Torrent—this is non-negotiable for speed—and ride north along the shoreline. You'll find groups of Guillemots chilling on ruins and rock formations. It's a scenic route, really. Just ride, whack, collect, and loop back. Simple, effective, and perfect for early-game preparation. It’s like a relaxing beach day, if your beach day involved massacring local wildlife for their extremities.

2. The Cliffhanger: Weeping Peninsula Church Leap

This one's for the thrill-seekers. Fast travel to the Fourth Church of Marika in the Weeping Peninsula. From the cliff near the church, look down at the shore below. See those little white dots? Those are your targets. Now, you have to get down there.

• Pro Tip (The Safe Way): Carefully drop down the cliff, using lower ledges to break your fall. It's slower, but you won't end up as a Tarnished pancake.

• Pro Tip (The Cool Way): Equip the Longtail Cat Talisman (negates fall damage from most heights) or use a Soft Cotton item to reduce fall damage. Then, just yeet yourself off the top. It's faster and feels awesome. The farm run itself is great—clear the birds on the shore until you see two giant Land Octopuses, then fast travel back to the church and repeat. Just... mind the drop. I've left messages like "Try jumping" there as a joke, but also as a warning.

3. The Quick & Dirty: Caelid's Greatbridge Efficiency

For later-game players or those who just want a super-fast, no-fuss farm, head to the Impassable Greatbridge Site of Grace in Caelid. Right next to the grace, on a small cliffside to the south, sit three Guillemots. That's it. Just three. But they're so close you can kill them, sit at the grace to reset the world, and do it again in under 30 seconds. This is perfect if you have a wide-arcing weapon or an AoE Ash of War like Hoarfrost Stomp (RIP pre-nerf, you are still remembered) to wipe them all out in one go. It's not glamorous, but oh boy, is it efficient.

From Feet to Feats: Crafting Your Fortune

So you've got a pocket (or a bottomless box) full of feet. Fantastic! Let's turn them into something useful. Once you have the right Cookbooks, head to any Site of Grace and navigate to the Crafting menu.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet for what you need to craft each type:

Consumable	Recipe Source	Key Ingredient	Effect	Duration
Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot	Missionary's Cookbook [2]	Four-Toed Fowl Foot x1	+30% Rune Gain	3 Minutes
Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot	Missionary's Cookbook [3]	Four-Toed Fowl Foot x1	+50 Item Discovery	3 Minutes

A little crafting advice from a veteran: While you're running those coastal routes, pick up every Rowa Berry and Glintstone Firefly you see. You'll need them for the recipes. It's like grocery shopping while on a hunt. Multitasking!

And hey, a fun aside: those Missionary's Cookbooks also teach you how to make Grace Mimics (creates a fake Site of Grace trail, handy in dungeons or for PvP shenanigans) and Scriptstones (for leaving messages). So really, you're getting a whole utility belt from one shopping trip to Patches and a haunted church.

Why Bother? Let's Talk Endgame (and Beyond)

Look, in 2026, we all know Elden Ring inside and out. The endgame isn't just about beating the final boss; it's about perfecting builds, collecting every weapon, and amassing wealth for that eventual NG+7 challenge run. That's where these pickled feet earn their keep.

• Rune Farming Power Hour: Pop a Gold-Pickled Fowl Foot right before you defeat a late-game boss or clear a high-level area like Mohgwyn Palace. The Rune payoff is significant. It turns a good haul into a great one. You'll be leveling up so fast, you'd make Rennala blush.

• The Completionist's Dream: Trying to get that one specific drop from a Knight for your fashion souls? Or farming for a Mushroom Crown? The Silver-Pickled foot is your only reliable way to boost your odds. It turns a 1% drop chance into... well, a slightly better 1% drop chance, but every bit helps! Seriously, it makes a noticeable difference.

And the best part? These effects aren't canceled by resting at a Site of Grace. You can pop one, do a farming loop, rest to reset the enemies, and your buff is still ticking. It's beautiful efficiency.

So there you have it. The humble Four-Toed Fowl Foot: more than just a curiosity, it's a cornerstone of efficient play in the Lands Between. Whether you're a new Tarnished in 2026 discovering this masterpiece for the first time or a veteran returning for one more victory lap, mastering the art of the foot farm will make your journey richer, luckier, and a whole lot smoother. Now get out there and show those Guillemots who's boss! Just, maybe don't tell them I sent you.