OSRS Long Bone Farming: The Ultimate Guide to Efficient Collection

OSRS Long Bone Farming: The Ultimate Guide to Efficient Collection


In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), long bones are a unique and valuable drop that can significantly boost your Construction skill while earning you some extra coins. Unlike regular bones, long bones offer a rare opportunity to turn your monster-slaying adventures into tangible rewards beyond just combat XP. Whether you’re a seasoned player looking to level up Construction without the grind of furniture crafting or a newcomer curious about this niche farming method, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about OSRS long bone farming. From the best monsters to target to optimizing your efficiency, let’s dive into the world of long bones!

Long bones are a special type of bone dropped by monsters that also drop big bones, with a universal drop rate of 1/400 (except for a few exceptions). They’re non-tradeable, meaning you can’t buy or sell them on the Grand Exchange, but they have a unique purpose. After completing the quest Death to the Dorgeshuun, you can sell long bones to Barlak, a cave goblin in Dorgesh-Kaan, for 1,000 coins each. If your Construction level is 30 or higher, you’ll also receive a hefty 4,500 Construction XP per bone—equivalent to roughly 39,000 coins worth of oak planks. This makes long bone farming a compelling alternative for players who want to level Construction without spending millions on traditional methods.

Why Farm Long Bones?

Farming long bones isn’t just about the coins or XP—it’s about diversifying your gameplay. Here’s why you might consider it:

  • Construction XP Boost: At 4,500 XP per bone, it’s a passive way to level Construction while training combat.
  • Extra Cash: 1,000 coins per bone adds up, especially if you’re already killing monsters for other loot.
  • Unique Challenge: Collecting enough long bones for a big XP drop is a fun, self-imposed goal for many players.

Long Bones vs. Curved Bones

While long bones are the focus here, it’s worth mentioning their rarer cousin, curved bones. Dropped at a 1/5,012.5 rate, curved bones offer 2,000 coins and 6,750 Construction XP when sold to Barlak. However, their rarity makes them less practical for consistent farming, so this guide will prioritize long bones for efficiency.

Best Monsters for Long Bone Farming

Not all monsters are equal when it comes to long bone farming. Since the drop rate is tied to big bone-dropping creatures, your goal is to target monsters that are easy to kill, abundant, and ideally offer additional profitable drops. Below are the top picks:

Hill Giants

Hill Giants are the go-to choice for most long bone farmers due to their accessibility and low combat level (28).

  • Location: Edgeville Dungeon, Varrock Sewers, or the Giants’ Plateau west of Tree Gnome Stronghold.
  • Pros: Low HP (35), multi-combat areas for cannon use, and decent drops like giant keys and big bones.
  • Cons: Can be crowded, especially in free-to-play worlds.

Tip: Use a cannon in the Edgeville Dungeon for 200-300 kills per hour, netting you roughly 0.5-0.75 long bones per hour on average.

Moss Giants

Moss Giants offer a slightly higher challenge (combat level 42) but come with better loot potential.

  • Location: Brimhaven Dungeon, Varrock Sewers, or Crandor.
  • Pros: Higher HP (60) means more combat XP, plus drops like black square shields and seeds.
  • Cons: Requires 10 coins to enter Brimhaven Dungeon or a longer trip to Crandor.

Tip: Bring a cannon and high-range gear to maximize kills—expect around 150-250 kills per hour.

Crazy Archaeologist

For a faster long bone drop rate, the Crazy Archaeologist (combat level 204) is an outlier, dropping long bones at a 1/64 rate.

  • Location: Ruins south of the Tar Swamp on Fossil Island.
  • Pros: Much higher drop rate, additional loot like rune scimitars and odium shard 1.
  • Cons: Wilderness location (level 23), higher combat requirement, and potential PKer risk.

Tip: With high-end gear, you can achieve 60-100 kills per hour, yielding 1-1.5 long bones per hour.

How to Optimize Your Long Bone Farming

Farming long bones efficiently requires more than just picking the right monster—it’s about streamlining your setup and strategy. Here’s how to get the most out of your efforts:

Gear and Inventory Setup

Your gear should prioritize speed and survivability:

  • Melee: Rune or dragon armor, a whip or scimitar, and a strength amulet.
  • Ranged: Black d’hide, a magic shortbow, or a cannon for multi-combat zones.
  • Inventory: Food (lobsters or better), teleport runes, and space to pick up long bones and other valuable drops.

Use a Cannon

In multi-combat areas like Edgeville Dungeon or Brimhaven Dungeon, a dwarf multicannon is a game-changer. It drastically increases your kill speed, pushing your long bone collection rate higher. Expect to use 100-200 cannonballs per hour depending on your target.

Banking and Logistics

Minimize downtime by planning your banking route:

Pro Tip: Barlak can take long bones directly from your bank, so you only need to visit Dorgesh-Kaan when you’re ready to cash in.

Long Bone Farming Efficiency: Numbers and Expectations

Let’s break down the math to set realistic goals for your long bone farming journey.

Drop Rate and Kill Speed

With a 1/400 drop rate, you’ll need to kill 400 monsters on average to get one long bone. Here’s a table of estimated long bones per hour based on kill speed:

Monster Kills per Hour Long Bones per Hour
Hill Giants (w/ cannon) 200-300 0.5-0.75
Moss Giants (w/ cannon) 150-250 0.375-0.625
Crazy Archaeologist 60-100 0.94-1.56

Note: These are averages—RNG can bless or curse you with streaks of luck or dry spells.

Construction XP Goals

To go from level 30 to 99 Construction using only long bones, you’d need 13,034,431 XP. At 4,500 XP per bone, that’s approximately 2,897 long bones. Here’s what that means in terms of kills:

  • Hill Giants: ~1,158,800 kills (3,869-5,795 hours).
  • Crazy Archaeologist: ~185,408 kills (1,854-3,090 hours).

While this is a monumental task, players like “weedosrs” have achieved it, proving it’s possible with dedication!

Tips and Tricks for Long Bone Farming Success

To make your farming sessions enjoyable and productive, consider these final pointers:

Combine with Other Goals

Long bone farming is slow, so pair it with other activities. Train Slayer, collect giant keys for Obor, or stack big bones for Prayer XP while you’re at it.

Track Your Progress

Use a notepad or RuneLite plugin to log your kills and long bone drops. Seeing your collection grow keeps you motivated.

Avoid Burying Long Bones

Burying long bones only gives 15 Prayer XP—don’t waste them! The Construction XP and coins from Barlak are far more valuable.

Final Thoughts: OSRS long bone farming is a niche but rewarding endeavor. Whether you’re aiming for a massive Construction XP drop or just want a side hustle while training combat, it’s a unique way to play the game. Pick your monster, gear up, and start collecting—those long bones won’t farm themselves!