10 Essential RuneScape Tips for New and Returning Players

Apr-30-2025 PST

Welcoming you to Old School RuneScape (OSRS) guide. These tips cover everything from simple advice like where to buy specific items, to more OSRS gold, yet incredibly helpful, insights that can save you time and effort. Whether you're a new player, returning veteran, or even someone who has been playing for years, this guide has something for you. So, let's dive right into these tips!

 

1. Run Energy Changes: A Game-Changer

One of the biggest updates in OSRS, especially for returning players, is the recent change to run energy. Previously, run energy was a major issue, especially for newer accounts, where a character's weight heavily impacted how quickly energy drained. Jagex introduced the graceful outfit in 2013 to counter this, helping players regenerate energy more quickly.

 

Fast forward to 2025, and agility now has a significant impact on both energy depletion and regeneration, even without the graceful outfit. This change means that you no longer rely as heavily on stamina potions or the graceful outfit for everyday activities like scaling. For new players or those returning after a break, this update is a great improvement. It allows you to save money and resources, and you'll find that stamina potions and the ring of endurance aren't as crucial anymore.

 

2. Alternative Sources for Key Items

Over the years, Jagex has provided players with alternative ways to obtain useful items, offering flexibility for those who don't want to grind in specific areas. For example, amalyze crystals, once only available from the Rogues' Den, can now be obtained from termites at the worm agility course. Similarly, if you don't want to go through Nightmare Zone or Soul Wars for item imbuing, you can now use imbuing scrolls earned from the PvP Arena.

 

Additionally, if you're after the lumberjack or angler outfits, you can obtain them through Temple Trekking or aerial fishing in the Za area. These new methods help diversify how players approach their grinds and enable you to choose what suits your playstyle best.

 

3. Item Prices Have Dropped - Time to Buy

For players who haven't logged in for a while, many previously expensive items are now much cheaper. For example, the Dragon Warhammer dropped drastically in price due to updates that improved drop rates and the introduction of more efficient alternatives, like the Elder Maul. What was once a 45-60 million GP item is now priced around 20 million GP.

Other notable items that have seen price reductions include Garazzi Rapier, which has dropped from 200 million GP to 36 million GP, and Chamber's Prayer Scrolls, which have seen a sharp decline in price. If you're returning to the game and have some GP saved up, now is a perfect time to pick up some of these previously out-of-reach items.

 

4. Leveling is More Important Than Gear

Many players, especially newer ones, often get caught up in the idea of needing the best gear to be successful in PvM or Slayer. However, your levels are far more important than your gear. Whether you're training combat stats or skilling, higher levels can dramatically increase your efficiency and ability to tackle harder content.

 

A great example of this is the Zulrah boss. Even with minimal gear, if you have high enough stats and use appropriate prayers and potions, you can defeat Zulrah more quickly and with less risk. As you progress, you'll find that it's often better to focus on leveling up your character than dumping all your money into upgrading your gear.

 

5. Take Advantage of Early Update Blogs for Profit

This might sound niche, but if you're someone who reads the official OSRS blog posts, you can gain a huge advantage in the game's economy. Whenever Jagex announces potential updates or new content, items often spike in price due to speculation and panic buying. For instance, the introduction of new boots in the 20 Del Boss reward caused prices for Bigation Boots and Eternal Boots to spike drastically.

 

By staying ahead of the curve and reading the official blog posts as soon as they drop, you can buy items before they skyrocket in price, and then sell them for a profit once they stabilize. Just remember, this requires quick action and a good understanding of which items are likely to be affected by upcoming updates.

6. Understanding the Rare Drop Table

If you've ever received a shield left half from a boss and thought it was a rare drop, think again. The rare drop table in OSRS includes items that are technically rarer than pets, but they don't always hold much value. For example, getting a dragon spear from Zulrah might feel unlucky, but it simply means you landed on the rare drop table, not that you missed out on a pet drop.

 

It's a common joke in the OSRS community to lament about getting a rare drop that could have been a pet, but understanding the mechanics behind this can save you some frustration. The rare drop table is just a roll that determines a variety of potential drops, but pet drops are a completely separate chance.

 

7. Hybrid Training Methods

OSRS has several hybrid training methods that allow you to train multiple skills at once, even if the process is slower or more AFK. For example, barbarian fishing is an excellent way to train fishing while also gaining agility and strength experience passively. Although it may not provide the highest XP rates, it's a great method for players who prefer an AFK or low-attention way of training.

 

Other hybrid training methods include drift net fishing, which combines fishing and hunter training, and Lunar spellbook spells like Spin Flax, which train both crafting and magic. Hybrid methods are perfect for multitaskers and players looking to maximize their XP per hour while keeping the grind tolerable.

 

8. Bank Management - Don't Let It Overflow

One issue that every RuneScape player faces at some point is the limited bank space. Whether you're grinding for a 99 or doing Slayer tasks, your bank will inevitably fill up. If you're an ironman, this is even more critical.

 

You can visit the Wise Old Man in Drainer Village to help identify items that are 100% useless and can be safely discarded. Additionally, you can purchase extra bank space from any banker in the game. While it might seem expensive, with 120 extra bank spaces for only around 10 million GP, it's a small price to pay for convenience. And if you're really running out of space, you can also utilize the P storage room, which helps store scaling outfits, holiday items, and more.

 

9. Slayer Task Optimization

Slayer is an essential activity for many OSRS players, but the tasks you're assigned aren't always the ones you want. Thankfully, there's a way to optimize your slayer assignments by choosing tasks that have a higher chance of being assigned. For example, Tazar tasks are highly desirable for those looking to get the Inferno or Fight Caves rewards, as they have the highest weight on the Slayer assignment table.

 

You can block tasks you don't want or use the Slayer points to increase your chances of getting the task you're after. Doing this helps you get superior creatures that drop valuable items or bosses that have a chance to drop pets.

 

10. Set Realistic Training Goals

Finally, when training skills for 99s or completing achievement diary tasks, it's crucial to set realistic goals that you can maintain. Whether you're aiming for a specific XP goal each day or striving for efficiency, keeping track of your progress is key.

 

Some players can handle grinding for high-XP methods like 1.5-tick agility or fishing, while others may prefer slower, more manageable methods. The important thing is to pick a method you can stick with for hours at a time. Setting smaller, achievable goals will make the grind feel less daunting and more rewarding.

 

There you have it - 10 essential tips for any Old School RuneScape player! Whether you're new, returning, or a seasoned veteran, these insights should help you get more RuneScape gold, optimize your gameplay and make your OSRS journey a lot more enjoyable.