Complete Beginner's Guide to Old School RuneScape (OSRS) 2026

Evolution of RuneScape

The Gower Brothers created RuneScape in 1999, starting as DeviousMUD before evolving into RuneScape Classic, then RS2 and RS3. In 2013, Jagex brought back a snapshot of the 2007 version of the game, now known as Old School RuneScape (OSRS).

Since 2013, OSRS has received weekly updates with strong community involvement through polling. In 2018, Jagex launched Old School on mobile devices, making it available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

Major Content Additions

• Grand Exchange (2015) - Central marketplace for trading items
• Ironman Mode (2014) - Self-sufficient game mode with no trading
• Hardcore Ironman (2016) - Ironman mode where death removes status
• Group Ironman (2021) - Team up with friends under Ironman restrictions
• Three Raids - End-game PvM content with billions in loot
• Two New Continents - Zeah and Varlamore expand the world
• Five Grandmaster Quests - Each with game-changing rewards

Making an Account

To play RuneScape, you need to create a Jagex account where you store your characters. This can be done on the official RuneScape website, through the Jagex launcher, or via the OSRS mobile app.

Jagex accounts are far more secure than old authentication methods with improved:

• Two-factor authentication
• Account recovery
• Attack prevention
• Multiple characters under one account

Choosing a Client

On PC, you can play using:

• RuneLite (Recommended) - Feature-rich with amazing quality-of-life features and helpful plugins
• Official Client - Jagex's vanilla client
• HDOS - Alternative client with visual enhancements

For beginners, RuneLite is highly recommended due to its amazing quality-of-life features and plugins that make learning the game much easier. RuneLite includes essential plugins like:

• Quest Helper - Step-by-step quest guidance with highlighted objects and NPCs
• Ground Items - Shows item names and values on the ground
• Item Prices - Displays Grand Exchange prices in your inventory
• XP Drops - Customizable experience drop notifications
• GPU Plugin - Enhanced graphics and performance
• Skill Calculators - Built-in tools for planning skill training
• Loot Tracker - Automatically tracks your loot and profit

These plugins provide incredible convenience without giving unfair advantages, making RuneLite the preferred choice for both beginners and experienced players.

Game Mechanics & Controls

RuneScape is a tile-based point-and-click game that runs on a tick systemwhere in-game actions occur every 0.6 seconds. It's a sandbox MMORPG, meaning you have complete freedom to do whatever you want—there's no linear path you must follow.

Movement & Camera

• Click or tap on screen or minimap to move
• Use arrow keys to rotate camera
• Hold middle mouse button and drag to move camera
• In settings, enable "Escape to close window" for convenience

Chat Dialogues

• Click options to select responses
• Use number keys (1-4) to choose options
• Press spacebar to continue dialogue

Combat System Explained

There are three main combat styles in RuneScape: Melee, Ranged, and Magic. Combat is based on random number generation (RNG) where you hit damage based on your offensive bonuses and enemy defensive stats.

Combat Styles

Melee

AttackAccuracy & weapons

StrengthMax hit damage

DefenseReduces enemy accuracy

Best Training Weapon:

Scimitars (fast attack speed)

Armor Progression:

Bronze → Iron → Steel → Rune

Ranged

Higher ranged level unlocks better weapons and improves damage. Attack speed and accuracy depend on weapon choice.

Weapons:

Bows (F2P), knives, darts, crossbows (P2P)

Armor:

Leather → Hard leather → Dragonhide

Magic

Magic level determines spell access. Higher level improves accuracy, but max hit depends on the spell.

Runes:

Buy from Port Sarim/Varrock shops

Armor:

Wizard → Mystic robes (P2P)

Early Training:

Fire Strike, alching, teleporting

Combat Training Spots

Questing in OSRS

Questing is vital for progressing your account. While technically not required, quests unlock essential content including:

• Untradeable items and equipment
• Training methods and areas
• Teleports and transportation
• Massive experience rewards
• Boss encounters
• New skills

Quest Resources

• Slayermusiq1 - Excellent video quest guides
• OSRS Wiki - Comprehensive written guides
• RuneLite Quest Helper Plugin - In-game step-by-step guidance
• Optimal Quest Order - Spreadsheets showing efficient quest progression

Important Early Quests

Achievement Diaries

Achievement Diaries are region-specific task lists (Easy → Elite tiers) that grant powerful permanent rewards:

• Unlimited teleports
• Improved drop rates
• Quality-of-life improvements
• Access to exclusive areas

The 23 Skills in OSRS

Old School RuneScape has 23 skills. The maximum level is 99, requiring approximately 13 million experience. Experience requirements grow exponentially—going from level 98 to 99 requires over 1 million XP alone!

Free-to-Play Skills (17 Total)

Hitpoints

Your health. Trained passively through combat. Higher level = more maximum HP.

Attack

Melee accuracy. Unlocks better weapons. Makes you hit more often (not harder).

Strength

Melee damage. Increases max hit. Makes you hit harder (not more accurately).

Defence

Reduces enemy accuracy. Unlocks armor. Doesn't reduce damage taken, just hit chance.

Ranged

Archery damage and accuracy. Unlocks better ranged weapons and ammunition.

Prayer

Activate prayers for combat bonuses and protection. Prayer points = prayer level. Expensive to train but essential for PvM.

Magic

Cast spells for combat, teleports, and utilities. Higher level improves accuracy. Max hit depends on spell type.

Mining

Mine rocks for ores. Higher level unlocks better ores and increases mining speed. Slow skill, modest profit.

Smithing

Smelt ores into bars, smith bars into items. Fast to train but costs money.

Fishing

Catch fish and sea life. Higher level = more fish types and faster catch rates. AFK-friendly but slow.

Cooking

Cook raw food. Higher level reduces burn chance. Fast, cheap, semi-AFK skill.

Firemaking

Light fires with logs. Higher level = better logs. Mostly useless except for Wintertodt (money + supplies) and some Ironman uses.

Woodcutting

Cut trees for logs. Higher level = more tree types and faster chopping. Slow but can be sped up with tick manipulation.

Crafting

Make armor, weapons, and jewelry. Unlocks game-changing items for Ironmen. Pretty slow on Ironman, fast and cheap on main accounts.

Runecrafting

DO NOT train in F2P—it's much faster in members. One of the slowest, most tedious skills but very profitable.

Members-Only Skills (6 Total)

Construction

Build and upgrade your player-owned house. Provides teleports, regeneration, and utilities. Very expensive to level but very useful.

Agility

Access shortcuts, reduce run energy drain. One of the slowest skills but highly useful for getting around.

Herblore

Make potions. Requires Druidic Ritual quest. Expensive to train but essential for high-level PvM. Critical for Ironmen.

Thieving

Steal from NPCs and chests. Excellent early-game cash (99 thieving = ~15M GP). Reduces fail rate at higher levels.

Fletching

Create ranged weapons and ammunition. Expensive for fast training, slow methods break even or profit slightly.

Slayer

Kill assigned monsters to unlock new creatures. High-level Slayer monsters earn millions per hour. Best way to train combat efficiently.

Hunter

Catch creatures for profit. Unlocks money-making methods. Click-intensive for fast XP.

Farming

Grow and harvest crops. Plant → wait hours → harvest → repeat. Herb runs are the best low-requirement money maker. Many players' favorite skill.

Early Game Guide

The early game focuses on questing and skilling toward quest requirements. Don't feel overwhelmed—set small goals and work toward them!

Immediate Goals (Members)

1. Complete Waterfall Quest - Instant 1 → 30 Attack & Strength
2. Unlock all skills - Druidic Ritual (Herblore), Rune Mysteries (Runecrafting)
3. Work toward Recipe for Disaster - Major quest series for Barrows Gloves
4. Follow optimal quest order - Use community spreadsheets for efficient progression
5. Set personal goals - Pick a 99 to aim for, or specific bosses to defeat

Early Money-Making

Having cash helps buy teleports, gear, food, and supplies:

• Herb Runs - Best low-requirement money maker (requires Farming)
• Thieving - 99 thieving = 15M+ GP
• Jewelry Crafting - Can make millions per hour at low levels
• Collecting Resources - Cowhides, mort myre fungi, blue dragon scales
• Easy Achievement Diaries - Give coin rewards and unlock money makers

Using Guides & Resources

Get comfortable using online resources—there's a massive community creating content:

• OSRS Wiki - Most comprehensive resource (oldschool.runescape.wiki)
• RuneLite Plugins - Quest Helper, skill calculators, etc.
• YouTube Guides - Video walkthroughs for quests and training
• Search "OSRS + [topic]" - You'll find guides for everything

Key Early Game Quests

Mid Game Content

You enter mid game around base 60+ stats and Barrows Gloves unlocked. The focus shifts to:

• Grinding minigame rewards (Dragon Defender, Void, Barbarian Assault)
• Completing harder quests
• Building your bank through money-making
• Unlocking all untradeables
• Beginning bossing

Mid-Game Bossing

• Barrows - Classic mid-game PvM, decent profit
• Perilous Moons - Great introduction to mechanics for high-level PvM
• Wilderness Bosses - Risky but rewarding
• Zulrah - Challenging solo boss with valuable drops
• God Wars Dungeon - Group or solo bosses

Important Untradeables

End Game Content

With base 90s in most skills, you enter end game. This includes:

• Raids - Chambers of Xeric, Theatre of Blood, Tombs of Amascut
• Elite Achievement Diaries - Permanent powerful rewards
• High-Level Combat Achievements - Prestigious PvM challenges
• Master/Elite Clue Scrolls - Treasure trails with huge rewards
• Infernal Cape - Most challenging solo PvM content

Raids Overview

Achievements & Prestigey Goals

Skill Capes (Level 99)

Reaching level 99 in a skill takes hundreds of hours and is celebrated with a skill cape. These capes provide small perks for the skill, with some being very useful (Construction, Crafting, Quest Cape).

200M Experience

Maximum experience is 200 million (equivalent to getting 99 fifteen times). Link's Titan was the first player to achieve 200M in all 23 skills—5 years after OSRS release!

Pets

Pets are rare cosmetic followers from bossing and skilling. They're prestigious achievements:

• Rarest: Penance Queen pet (less than 5,000 players have it)
• Most Common: Rocky (thieving skill pet)

Notable Achievements

• Level 3 Fire Cape - Achieved by Rendi and Xzact (incredibly difficult)
• Hardcore Ironman Grandmaster CA - Mutdoon's prestigious achievement without dying
• Collection Log Completion - Obtaining every unique drop in the game

Final Tips for New Players

Useful Links & Resources

Frequently Asked Questions