The best Old School RuneScape experience starts with knowing where to begin. This classic MMORPG continues to attract thousands of players in 2025, offering a nostalgic yet challenging gameplay loop that few modern games can match. Whether someone is returning after years away or starting fresh, Old School RuneScape (OSRS) rewards patience, planning, and smart decision-making. This guide covers everything new and returning players need to know, from essential skills to train first to proven money-making methods that actually work.
Key Takeaways
- Old School RuneScape remains one of the best MMORPGs in 2025, offering skill-based progression and meaningful achievements without pay-to-win mechanics.
- Complete the Waterfall Quest early to instantly boost Attack and Strength from level 1 to 30, saving hours of grinding.
- Beginners can earn 100k-300k GP per hour by looting items in PvP worlds with zero skill requirements.
- Focus on training combat skills to base 40s and gathering skills like Fishing to unlock better money-making methods.
- Boss fights like Giant Mole and Barrows provide some of the best Old School RuneScape loot for mid-level players.
- Use quests strategically to unlock essential areas, skip low-level training, and gain access to powerful gear.
What Makes Old School RuneScape Worth Playing in 2025
Old School RuneScape stands apart from most modern MMORPGs for several reasons. The game uses a polling system where players vote on new content. This means the community shapes the direction of updates, and nothing enters the game without majority approval.
The progression system rewards actual time investment. There are no shortcuts to level 99 skills. Players who put in the work earn genuine accomplishments that others recognize and respect. This creates a sense of achievement that pay-to-win games simply cannot replicate.
OSRS also offers incredible depth. The game features 23 different skills, hundreds of quests, and countless activities. A player could spend months exploring content without touching everything available. The best Old School RuneScape moments often come from unexpected discoveries, a hidden area, a profitable drop, or finally completing a difficult quest.
The 2025 player base remains active and engaged. Jagex regularly releases new content through their polling system, keeping the game fresh while respecting its classic roots. Recent updates have added new bosses, quest lines, and quality-of-life improvements that make the experience smoother without compromising the core gameplay.
For players who value skill-based progression and meaningful achievements, OSRS delivers. The game respects their time by offering real challenges with real rewards.
Essential Skills to Train First
New players should focus on specific skills that unlock content and generate income early. Smart skill training makes everything else in Old School RuneScape easier.
Combat Skills
Attack, Strength, and Defence form the foundation of melee combat. Players should train these relatively evenly at first, aiming for base 40s to unlock rune equipment. Ranged and Magic also deserve attention since many bosses and activities require switching combat styles.
A solid early goal is completing the “Waterfall Quest.” This quest grants enough Attack and Strength experience to jump from level 1 to level 30 in both skills instantly. It saves hours of early grinding.
Gathering Skills
Mining, Fishing, and Woodcutting provide resources that players can sell or use for other skills. These skills require minimal startup costs and generate steady income. Fishing is particularly beginner-friendly, lobsters and swordfish sell well and train the skill efficiently.
Questing Requirements
Some quests in Old School RuneScape unlock essential areas and items. Players should prioritize quests that grant:
- Access to new locations (like “Lost City” for Zanaris)
- Useful rewards (like “Dragon Slayer” for rune platebody access)
- Experience in multiple skills (like “Recipe for Disaster” subquests)
The best Old School RuneScape players use quests strategically to skip low-level training entirely.
Best Money-Making Methods for Beginners
Gold pieces (GP) fuel progress in OSRS. Players need money for gear, supplies, and skill training. These methods work well for accounts with low stats and limited starting capital.
Looting in PvP Worlds
PvP worlds see constant player-versus-player combat near popular locations. When players die, their items drop to the ground. Beginners can pick up these drops risk-free by staying alert and running when attacked. This method requires zero skills and can generate 100k-300k GP per hour with some luck.
Collecting Items
Several items spawn in fixed locations and sell for decent prices:
- Steel platebodies in the Wilderness (high risk, high reward)
- Wines of Zamorak at the Chaos Temple
- Nature runes at various spawn points
These methods feel tedious but provide starting capital without skill requirements.
Early Skilling Money
Once players reach level 40-50 in gathering skills, better options open up. Cutting yew logs, fishing lobsters, or mining coal generates consistent income. The rates seem slow compared to late-game methods, but they build both wealth and skill levels simultaneously.
Flipping Items
The Grand Exchange allows players to buy low and sell high. Learning price patterns takes time, but successful flipping generates passive income while doing other activities. Start small with common items before risking larger investments.
The best Old School RuneScape money-makers understand that early methods fund better methods later. Patience pays off.
Top Activities and Content to Experience
OSRS offers dozens of activities beyond basic skilling and combat. These experiences define what makes the game special.
Boss Fights
Bosses provide the best loot in Old School RuneScape. Beginners can start with:
- Giant Mole: Requires minimal gear and offers decent drops
- Barrows: Accessible at mid-level combat with magic
- Obor and Bryophyta: Free-to-play bosses that drop valuable items
Late-game bosses like Vorkath, Zulrah, and the Chambers of Xeric offer millions in potential loot but require significant preparation.
Minigames
Minigames break up the grind and provide unique rewards:
- Pest Control: Earns points for combat experience and Void Knight equipment
- Wintertodt: Trains Firemaking while generating profit
- Tempoross: A fishing-based boss that rewards players with useful items
Achievement Diaries
Achievement diaries set goals across different regions of Gielinor. Completing them unlocks permanent benefits like increased resource yields, teleports, and quality-of-life upgrades. The Varrock diary, for example, provides free daily battlestaves worth thousands of GP.
Player-vs-Player Combat
The Wilderness offers high-risk, high-reward gameplay. Players can fight each other for loot, hunt bosses with better drop rates, or complete exclusive content. PvP requires practice and accepts losses as part of learning.
The best Old School RuneScape experience comes from trying everything and finding personal favorites.