Elden Ring PC | Killing Guardian Golems at Altus Plateau to farm runes & Smithing Stone (5)

Other places only are telling me these are guardian golems, but the Fextralife article only discusses the boss version. Either way, there are two here standing watch at the entrance to the Altus Plateau. You don't have to fight them, but here's a strategy to cheese them. On occasion, you will get a Smithing Stone [5], which is a great bonus, especially when you haven't yet obtained Smithing-Stone Miner's Bell Bearing 3, which allows you to buy an unlimited amount from the Twin Maiden Husks.

There are two of these guys here, but the only you can really "cheese" in this way is the one on the right (here) because it shoots arrows. I just keep spamming Night Maiden's Mist and keep my shield up to take his arrows. You need a 100% physical block shield.

Drops 2,327 runes on NG, so be sure to equip your Gold Scarab if you have it for the 20% bonus to runes. I did not do that here.

Guardian Golem
"Guardian Golem is a Boss in Elden Ring. Guardian Golem is a towering construct that wields a large axe in Highroad Cave. This is an optional boss as players are not required to defeat it to advance in Elden Ring."
https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Guardian+Golem

Smithing Stone (5)
"Smithing Stone [5] is an Upgrade Material in Elden Ring. Smithing Stone [5] is one of the rare smithing stones used to further boost the stats and acquire an even higher level of an equipment. Upgrade Materials can be acquired through exploration, looting it from specified areas of a Location, dropped by a specific Enemy or Boss, given by an NPC, or sold by a Merchant."
https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Smithing+Stone+(5)

Gold Scarab
"Gold Scarab is a Talisman in Elden Ring. Gold Scarab increases Rune acquisition by 20%. Players can use talismans in Elden Ring to boost a variety of Stats."
https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Golden+Scarab