Old School RuneScape tips can make the difference between a frustrating grind and an enjoyable adventure. OSRS remains one of the most popular MMORPGs in 2025, with millions of active players exploring Gielinor each month. Whether someone is logging in for the first time or returning after years away, the game offers hundreds of hours of content. This guide covers the best Old School RuneScape tips for leveling skills, earning gold, and completing essential quests. Players who follow these strategies will progress faster and avoid common mistakes that waste time and resources.
Key Takeaways
- Complete the Stronghold of Security early to earn 10,000 gold and fancy boots in just 15 minutes.
- Train gathering skills near banks and use the best available tools to maximize efficiency.
- Waterfall Quest is one of the best Old School RuneScape tips for beginners—it instantly boosts Attack and Strength to level 30 with no combat required.
- Use passive money-making methods like birdhouse runs and herb runs to build wealth with minimal time investment.
- Unlock fairy ring teleportation through Fairy Tale quests to dramatically improve travel speed across Gielinor.
- Work toward Barrows gloves by completing Recipe for Disaster, as they’re the best-in-slot hand item for most combat builds.
Starting Out: Early Game Priorities
New players should focus on a few key activities before jumping into the broader game. First, complete the Tutorial Island questline. This teaches basic mechanics and awards starting gear.
After arriving in Lumbridge, players benefit from these early priorities:
- Set goals early. Pick two or three skills to focus on rather than spreading attention too thin.
- Talk to NPCs. Many offer free items, basic quests, or useful information about nearby areas.
- Explore the map. Walking to new locations unlocks teleport destinations later.
One of the best Old School RuneScape tips for beginners involves the Stronghold of Security. This dungeon beneath Barbarian Village rewards players with 10,000 gold and a pair of fancy boots just for answering security questions. It takes about 15 minutes and requires no combat if players bring food and run past monsters.
Players should also claim free items from the Wise Old Man in Draynor Village after completing certain tasks. These early resources help fund better equipment and training supplies.
Efficient Skill Training Methods
Skill training consumes most playtime in OSRS. Smart players use efficient methods that balance speed, cost, and engagement.
For gathering skills like Woodcutting, Mining, and Fishing, players should train at locations near banks. This reduces travel time between gathering and depositing items. The Motherlode Mine works well for Mining because it offers decent experience and yields valuable ores.
Processing skills require more planning. Cooking fish provides steady experience and profit at higher levels. Players should cook at the Rogues’ Den in Burthorpe, where an eternal fire sits directly beside a bank.
Here are proven Old School RuneScape tips for faster skill gains:
- Use the best tools available. A rune axe cuts trees faster than steel.
- Complete achievement diaries. Many diaries boost experience rates in specific areas.
- Train during bonus events. Special events sometimes offer increased experience.
Combat Tips for Success
Combat training deserves special attention because it unlocks quests, money-making methods, and PvM content.
Players should train all three combat styles (Attack, Strength, Defense) relatively evenly until reaching level 60 in each. This balanced approach prepares characters for most content.
The Sand Crabs on Zeah offer excellent early training. These monsters have high health, low defense, and remain aggressive for 10 minutes. Players can train here semi-AFK while doing other tasks.
For ranged training, players should use the Dwarf Multicannon when they can afford it. The cannon fires automatically and speeds up Slayer tasks significantly. Magic training costs more gold but provides useful utility spells alongside combat experience.
Prayer matters too. Players should bury bones whenever possible or use them on altars for bonus experience. Protecting from melee, magic, or ranged attacks makes boss fights much easier.
Making Gold: Money-Making Strategies
Gold drives progress in Old School RuneScape. Players need it for gear, supplies, skills, and construction projects.
Low-level players can earn gold through several accessible methods. Collecting items like cow hides, flax, or mort myre fungi generates steady income. Tanning cowhides into leather at Al Kharid adds value before selling.
Mid-level money-making opens more options:
- Blast Furnace: This minigame produces bars faster than normal furnaces. Players can make 500,000+ gold per hour smelting steel or mithril bars.
- Birdhouse runs: Setting up birdhouses takes five minutes and generates passive income through bird nests.
- Herb runs: Planting and harvesting herbs every 80 minutes provides consistent profit with minimal effort.
High-level players access the best Old School RuneScape tips for wealth. Bossing generates millions per hour at places like Vorkath, Zulrah, or the Chambers of Xeric. These require high combat stats and expensive gear but offer substantial returns.
Flipping items on the Grand Exchange works at any level. Players buy items below market value and sell them higher. This method requires market knowledge and patience but involves no combat or skilling.
Quests Worth Completing First
Quests unlock areas, items, and abilities unavailable through other means. Some quests provide such strong rewards that players should complete them early.
Waterfall Quest stands out as the most valuable early quest. It requires no combat and awards enough Attack and Strength experience to jump from level 1 to level 30 in both skills. Players can complete it immediately after Tutorial Island.
Recipe for Disaster serves as a long-term goal. This quest series unlocks Barrows gloves, the best hand slot item for most combat builds. Each subquest improves the available gloves.
Other priority quests include:
- Fairy Tale Part 1 and 2: Unlocks fairy ring teleportation, one of the best travel methods in the game.
- Dragon Slayer: Grants access to rune platebody and green dragonhide body.
- Monkey Madness: Allows players to wield the dragon scimitar, an excellent mid-level weapon.
- Lunar Diplomacy: Opens the Lunar spellbook with useful utility spells.
Players following these Old School RuneScape tips should use quest guides from the OSRS Wiki. The wiki provides step-by-step instructions with item lists and requirements.