Old School RuneScape beginner guide — 12 things every new adventurer should know

Quickstart

Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is the 2007 version of RuneScape, built on the original RS2 engine and updated by community polls. It has 1M+ paying subscribers and a community that's been growing since 2013. The game is famously grindy, deeply nostalgic, and surprisingly modern in its quality-of-life updates.

This guide will get you from "just downloaded" to "first 10 hours" without burning out.

Step 1: Understand F2P vs. members

OSRS has two distinct ecosystems:

• F2P worlds — free-to-play, no membership

required. Limited to ~20 skills, smaller world map. Most F2P players are at Lumbridge, the Grand Exchange, and Varrock.

• Members worlds — requires membership (~$11/month

or in-game bonds). Full world, all 24 skills, all quests, the real game.

The honest advice: OSRS is fundamentally a members game. The F2P experience is a demo. Subscribe for at least 1-2 months to see if you enjoy it.

You can pay for membership with in-game gold by buying a "Bond" item from the Grand Exchange and redeeming it. This is how most F2P players convert to members.

Step 2: Set up your character (yes, this matters)

OSRS is a top-down, click-to-move game. The graphics are from 2007. The audio is midi. The controls feel dated. Lean into it — this is the aesthetic.

Useful quality-of-life settings:

• "Single click walking" — turn on in settings.

Click once, walk to that tile. Don't double-click.

• "Escape closes interface" — turn on.
• "Shift click to drop" — turn on.
• "Hide roofs" — turn on. Easier to see where you

are.

• "Increase brightness" — for darker areas.

Spend 10 minutes in the settings menu. It'll save you hours of clicking frustration.

Step 3: Do the tutorial (it teaches the core skills)

The OSRS tutorial is 20-30 minutes long and unlocks in Lumbridge. It teaches:

• The interface (inventory, equipment, skills, map)
• How to chop trees, mine rocks, fish, cook
• How to fight a goblin
• How to use the bank
• How to use the Grand Exchange

Don't skip it. The tutorial is the fastest way to learn the UI for new players.

Step 4: Quests are the fastest way to level

OSRS is unusual among MMOs — quests are the main leveling method, not grinding. Most "efficient" OSRS accounts do all the available quests before grinding.

Beginner quests to do first:

• Cook's Assistant — 1 cooking level.
• Sheep Shearer — 1 crafting level.
• Romeo & Juliet — starts the Mournings quest

line.

• The Restless Ghost — 1 prayer level.
• Witch's Potion — 1 magic level.
• Druidic Ritual — 1 herblore level.
• Waterfall Quest — big attack + strength boost.
• Tree Gnome Village — 2 attack levels.

Each quest takes 5-30 minutes. Doing 10-20 quests in your first week is the "fastest leveling" strategy.

Step 5: Pick a combat style

OSRS has 3 combat styles:

• Melee — close-range, high damage, low defense.

Most popular style.

• Ranged — mid-range, mobile, lower damage. Good

for safespotting.

• Magic — long-range, high utility, lower damage.

Best for PvP.

Most beginners start with melee. The best starter weapons:

• Bronze scimitar (5 attack) — slightly better DPS

than bronze sword.

• Iron scimitar (10 attack) — upgrade at 10 attack.
• Steel scimitar (15 attack) — upgrade at 15 attack.
• Black scimitar (20 attack) — upgrade at 20 attack.

Don't fight chickens or cows for hours. Move to the Stronghold of Security (a multi-floor dungeon with boots as rewards) for better XP.

Step 6: Start Slayer (around combat level 50)

Slayer is the dedicated combat-skill OSRS players grind for money and XP. You get "Slayer tasks" from Slayer masters, then kill those specific monsters for XP and rare drops.

• Sprinnan (combat level 20+) — easy tasks, low XP.
• Mazchna (combat level 40+) — medium tasks,

medium XP.

• Vannaka (combat level 60+) — standard tasks,

decent XP.

• Chaeldar (combat level 80+) — harder tasks,

better XP.

• Nieve (combat level 100+) — end-game tasks.

Start Slayer once you hit combat level 50. The XP/hour is better than grinding standard monsters, and the drops (clue scrolls, rare items) can be valuable.

Step 7: Money-making for beginners

OSRS gold (GP) is the lifeblood of the game. You need GP for gear, supplies, and membership bonds. Best beginner money-makers:

• Cows — 100-200K GP/hour. Easy, no requirements.
• Chickens — 50-100K GP/hour. Easier than cows.
• Limpwurt roots — 150-300K GP/hour. Requires

some Farming.

• Fishing shrimp/sardines — 100-200K GP/hour.
• Mining copper/tin — 50-100K GP/hour. Boring.
• High alchemy — turn items into gold via the

High Level Alchemy spell. Profitable on specific items.

• Flipping on the Grand Exchange — buy low, sell

high. Best GP/hour for experienced players.

For your first 2 weeks, cows or chickens are fine. Once you have members, switch to slayer monsters or bossing.

Step 8: Use the Grand Exchange carefully

The Grand Exchange (GE) is OSRS's auction house. The interface is intimidating but worth learning.

• Buy orders — you set the price you want to pay.

Wait for a seller.

• Sell orders — you set the price you want to sell

at. Wait for a buyer.

Beginner mistakes:

• Don't buy items above the "guide price" — the

GE has a built-in price guide. If something is listed 50%+ above guide, it's a scam.

• Don't "invest" in items you don't know — GE

flipping is a skill.

• Don't trade in the Wilderness — that's a scam

zone.

Step 9: Don't waste time in the Wilderness

The Wilderness is the PvP zone in OSRS. It's also a popular area for some training methods (like the Revenant Caves for high-tier players).

Rule for beginners: don't go to the Wilderness until you have:

• 70+ in your main combat skill
• Decent gear (rune armor minimum)
• 3-4 expensive items you're willing to lose

The Wilderness is full of "PKers" (player killers) who camp popular training spots. You will lose items if you go in unprepared. Stay out.

Step 10: Use the OSRS Wiki religiously

The OSRS Wiki (osrs.wiki) is the single best resource for the game. It has:

• Quest walkthroughs (step-by-step with images)
• Skill training guides (efficient methods)
• Money-making guides (current GP/hour)
• Monster locations (with map markers)
• Item drop tables (what drops from what)

The wiki is community-maintained and more accurate than any YouTube guide. Use it.

Step 11: Find a community

OSRS is a community game. The most successful players are in:

• A clan chat — a specific chat for their clan.
• Discord servers — the /r/2007scape Discord,

the "OSRS Wiki" Discord, the "Ironman" Discord (for the popular Ironman game mode).

• Reddit — r/2007scape is active and

knowledgeable.

• Twitch — many OSRS streamers do "community

events" where you can play with them.

Don't play OSRS solo. The community is half the fun.

Step 12: Set a goal

OSRS is overwhelming without a goal. Pick one of these for your first 3 months:

• Maxed F2P account — get all 20+ F2P skills to

level 99. Doable in 200-300 hours.

• "Recipe for Disaster" quest — the end-game

quest. Requires multiple skill levels and quests.

• First boss kill — any boss. Barrows is the

classic starter boss.

• First million GP — via any method.
• First Dragon — kill a Green, Blue, or Red

Dragon for the rare drops.

• "Dragon Slayer" quest — classic mid-game

quest. Requires level 35+ in combat.

Pick a goal, work toward it, and the game stays focused.

What's next

After your first month in OSRS:

• Get membership — the F2P experience is a

demo.

• Pick a goal — "maxed F2P", "first boss",

"first quest cape".

• Join a clan chat — for community and

advice.

• Start Slayer — the dedicated combat

progression.

• Save for a bond — pay for membership with

in-game gold.

FAQ

Is OSRS pay-to-win?

No. The "bond" item lets you pay for membership with in-game gold, which is nice for F2P players. There are no pay-to-win items in the cash shop.

Can I play OSRS solo?

Yes — most content is solo-friendly. Bosses and PvM groups are the multiplayer content.

How long does it take to reach "end-game"?

Realistically, 200-500 hours to maxed (all 24 skills to 99). 1000+ hours for "maxed + all quests" (the "Quest Cape").

Should I play OSRS or RuneScape (RS3)?

OSRS is the more popular version, with 1M+ subscribers. RS3 is the modern version with better graphics, more skills, but a smaller player base. Most new players prefer OSRS.

Is OSRS cross-play?

No — OSRS is PC and mobile only. No console version.

What's an "Ironman"?

An Ironman account is a restricted account that can't trade other players or use the Grand Exchange. All items must be self-obtained. The Ironman mode is popular with players who want a "solo" challenge.

How do I pay for membership without spending

money?

Buy a "Bond" item from the Grand Exchange (costs ~3-5M GP) and redeem it for 14 days of membership. This is how most F2P-to-members conversions work.

Is OSRS still being updated?

Yes — community polls add new content every 2-3 months. Recent updates include the "Leagues" game mode (limited-time competitive seasons) and new bosses.

What should I do first as a beginner?

Do the tutorial, then 5-10 beginner quests. Pick a combat style (melee is easiest). Grind to combat level 50-70. Then start Slayer.