How to Make Battlestaves in OSRS: A Step-by-Step Guide

Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers a variety of skills to master, and crafting battlestaves is a fantastic way to level up your Crafting and Magic skills while potentially earning some gold. Whether you’re an Ironman looking to be self-sufficient or a main account player aiming to profit, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to make battlestaves in OSRS. From gathering materials to enchanting them into powerful elemental staves, we’ve got you covered with detailed steps, tips, and tricks to optimize your experience.
Battlestaves are versatile magic weapons that combine decent melee stats with the ability to autocast spells, making them valuable for combat and skilling alike. Crafting them not only boosts your Crafting skill but also opens the door to enchanting them for Magic experience. Plus, if you play it smart, you can turn a profit by selling them on the Grand Exchange (GE). Let’s dive into why this method is worth your time.
Benefits of Crafting Battlestaves
- Skill Progression: Crafting battlestaves provides solid Crafting XP, with rates soaring as high as 300,000 XP per hour at higher levels.
- Profit Potential: Elemental battlestaves like air or fire can be sold for a profit or high-alched for decent returns.
- Versatility: They’re useful for combat, offering unlimited runes of their element when equipped.
- Ironman Friendly: Self-sufficiency is key for Ironmen, and battlestaves can be crafted with farmable resources.
Who Should Make Battlestaves?
This method suits players with at least moderate Crafting and Magic levels (starting at 54 Crafting and 56 Magic). It’s ideal for those who enjoy a mix of skilling and money-making or need specific battlestaves for their adventures in Gielinor.
Requirements for Making Battlestaves in OSRS
Before you start crafting battlestaves, you’ll need to meet some skill requirements and gather essential materials. Here’s what you need to get going.
Skill Levels Needed
- Crafting: Minimum of 54 to craft water battlestaves, with higher levels unlocking more options (e.g., 66 for air battlestaves).
- Magic: At least 56 to enchant orbs into elemental versions, with higher levels like 66 improving efficiency.
- Fletching (Optional): 40 Fletching if you want to craft basic battlestaves from Celastrus bark.
Required Materials and Tools
Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need:
Item | Purpose | How to Obtain |
---|---|---|
Battlestaff | Base item for crafting | Buy from Zaff (Varrock), Baba Yaga (Lunar Isle), GE, or fletch from Celastrus bark |
Unpowered Orb | Charged into elemental orbs | Craft with glassblowing pipe, sand, and soda ash |
Elemental Runes | For enchanting orbs | Buy from GE or craft via Runecrafting |
Cosmic Runes | For orb charging spells | Buy from GE or obtain via drops |
Knife (Optional) | For fletching battlestaves | Buy from GE or general stores |
Step-by-Step Process to Make Battlestaves
Ready to start crafting? Follow these steps to create battlestaves from scratch and turn them into powerful elemental versions.
Step 1: Obtain a Basic Battlestaff
You can either buy battlestaves or make them yourself:
- Purchase: Head to Zaff in Varrock (7,000 GP each, up to 120 daily with Elite Varrock Diary), Baba Yaga on Lunar Isle (5 daily post-Lunar Diplomacy), or the GE (around 8,000-9,000 GP).
- Fletch: With 40 Fletching, use a knife on Celastrus bark (harvested from a fully grown Celastrus tree, planted with a Celastrus seed). This takes time but saves gold for Ironmen.
Step 2: Craft Unpowered Orbs
Unpowered orbs are the foundation of elemental battlestaves:
- Gather buckets of sand (e.g., from Yanille or Prifddinas) and seaweed (e.g., from Piscatoris Fishing Colony).
- Cook seaweed on a range to make soda ash.
- Use soda ash and sand in a furnace to create molten glass.
- Use a glassblowing pipe on molten glass to craft an unpowered orb (requires 46 Crafting).
Step 3: Charge the Orbs
Turn your unpowered orbs into elemental orbs by enchanting them at the corresponding obelisk:
- Air Orb: Edgeville Dungeon (Level 66 Magic, 30 air runes, 3 cosmic runes).
- Water Orb: Taverley Dungeon (Level 56 Magic, 30 water runes, 3 cosmic runes).
- Earth Orb: Edgeville Dungeon (Level 60 Magic, 30 earth runes, 3 cosmic runes).
- Fire Orb: Taverley Dungeon (Level 63 Magic, 30 fire runes, 3 cosmic runes).
Tip: Bring a staff matching the orb type (e.g., fire staff for fire orbs) to save rune space.
Step 4: Attach the Orb to the Battlestaff
Combine the charged orb with a battlestaff:
- Water Battlestaff: 54 Crafting, 100 XP.
- Earth Battlestaff: 58 Crafting, 112.5 XP.
- Fire Battlestaff: 62 Crafting, 125 XP.
- Air Battlestaff: 66 Crafting, 137.5 XP.
Simply use the charged orb on the battlestaff, and voilà—you’ve crafted an elemental battlestaff!
Step 5: Optional Upgrades
Take your battlestaves to the next level:
- Mystic Staves: After completing Scorpion Catcher, pay Thormac 40,000 GP (or less with Kandarin Diary) to upgrade elemental battlestaves into mystic staves.
- Bryophyta’s Staff: With 62 Crafting, combine a battlestaff with Bryophyta’s Essence (dropped by the Moss Giant boss) for a unique staff.
Tips for Efficient Battlestaff Crafting
Maximize your XP and GP with these pro tips:
Optimizing XP Rates
- Focus on air battlestaves at 66 Crafting for the best XP (up to 330,000 per hour).
- Use a bank preset to quickly withdraw battlestaves and orbs.
- Charge orbs in bulk during off-peak hours to avoid competition at obelisks.
Money-Making Strategies
- Buy battlestaves from Zaff daily (120 with Elite Varrock Diary) for 7,000 GP each and sell air battlestaves on the GE for profit.
- High-alch battlestaves (9,300 GP each) if GE prices dip below alch value.
- Stockpile battlestaves over weeks and sell in bulk to crafters for a premium.
Ironman Considerations
For Ironmen, focus on self-sufficiency:
- Grow Celastrus trees for bark.
- Farm seaweed and sand via Fishing Trawler or charters.
- Charge orbs during Slayer tasks near dungeons for multitasking.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t let these pitfalls slow you down:
Overbuying Materials
Check GE prices before buying in bulk—prices fluctuate, and you don’t want to overspend on orbs or battlestaves.
Skipping Diary Boosts
Complete Varrock and Kandarin Diaries to unlock more battlestaves from Zaff and cheaper mystic staff upgrades from Thormac.
Inefficient Orb Charging
Avoid running back and forth without proper gear—bring stamina potions and teleports (e.g., glory amulet) to speed up trips to obelisks.
Crafting battlestaves in OSRS is a rewarding endeavor that blends skilling, combat utility, and potential profit. Whether you’re churning out air battlestaves for XP or building a stockpile for your Ironman, this guide has equipped you with the knowledge to succeed. Grab your materials, head to the obelisks, and start crafting your way to mastery in Gielinor!