The Fastest Way to Train Runecrafting in OSRS: A Complete Guide

The Fastest Way to Train Runecrafting in OSRS: A Complete Guide


Runecrafting in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) has a reputation for being one of the slowest and most tedious skills to train. However, with the right methods, you can significantly speed up your journey to level 99 while making decent profit or minimizing costs. Whether you’re an Ironman, a casual player, or someone chasing the coveted Runecrafting cape, this guide will walk you through the fastest ways to train Runecrafting in OSRS as of April 08, 2025. From early levels to endgame strategies, we’ve got you covered with efficient methods, essential gear, and pro tips to optimize your experience rates.

Before diving into the fastest training methods, let’s explore why Runecrafting is worth your time. Beyond the satisfaction of hitting 99, Runecrafting offers unique benefits:

  • Profit Potential: High-level runes like Wrath, Blood, and Nature runes can net millions of GP per hour.
  • Self-Sufficiency: Ironmen can craft their own runes for Magic training or teleports.
  • Skill Synergy: Training Runecrafting often provides bonus Mining and Crafting XP.
  • Prestige: The Runecrafting cape is a badge of honor due to the skill’s difficulty.

That said, the grind is real—Runecrafting’s base XP rates are low, and it’s click-intensive. But with the methods below, you’ll cut down the hours and make the process as painless as possible.

Essential Gear and Unlocks for Fast Runecrafting

1 99 OSRS Runecrafting Guide FASTESTAFK OSRS Guide

To maximize your Runecrafting efficiency, preparation is key. Here’s what you need before starting:

Must-Have Items

  • Essence Pouches: Small, Medium, Large, and Giant pouches (plus Colossal if you’re high-level) increase essence capacity per trip. Obtain them from Abyssal monsters or Guardians of the Rift.
  • Raiments of the Eye: This outfit from Guardians of the Rift boosts rune output by up to 60% with the full set—crucial for XP and profit.
  • Weight-Reducing Gear: Graceful outfit or Boots of Lightness keep your run energy high.
  • Stamina Potions: Essential for maintaining run energy during long trips.
  • Binding Necklace: Guarantees 100% success when crafting combination runes like Lava runes.

Key Quests and Unlocks

With these in hand, you’re ready to tackle the fastest training methods. Let’s break it down by level range.

Fastest Runecrafting Training Methods by Level

The fastest way to 99 depends on your current level, budget, and playstyle. Below, we’ll cover the best methods from 1 to 99, focusing on raw XP per hour.

Levels 1–23: Quests and Early Runes

Starting Runecrafting is slow, so quests are your best bet to skip the initial grind:

If you’d rather craft runes, stick to Air runes (level 1) at the Air Altar south of Falador. With a full inventory of 28 essence, you’ll get 140 XP per trip—slow, but it’s free-to-play friendly. Use a tiara to save inventory space.

Levels 23–77: Lava Runes (Solo)

From level 23, crafting Lava runes at the Fire Altar becomes the fastest solo method. Here’s how:

  • Location: Fire Altar in Al Kharid, near the Duel Arena.
  • Requirements: Earth runes, Fire tiara, Binding necklace, Ring of Dueling. Optional: 82 Magic for Magic Imbue (skip Earth talisman).
  • Method: Fill pouches and inventory with pure essence, wear a Binding necklace, and use Earth runes on the Fire Altar. Teleport to Duel Arena, craft, then Ring of Dueling to Castle Wars for banking.
  • XP Rates: 40,000–50,000 XP/hour with Magic Imbue; 30,000–40,000 without.

This method is click-intensive but unmatched for speed until higher levels. It’s a small loss (2–3 GP/XP), but the XP gains justify it.

Levels 77–99: Lava Runes with Runners

For the absolute fastest XP, hire essence runners to supply you with pure essence while you craft Lava runes. This requires wealth and coordination:

  • Setup: Stand at the Fire Altar with noted essence. Hire 4 runners (7–8M GP/hour each) to trade you unnoted essence.
  • Requirements: Same as solo Lava runes, plus cash to pay runners.
  • XP Rates: Up to 75,000–80,000 XP/hour.
  • Cost: 28–32M GP/hour, making it a rich player’s game.

This method shaves the 99 grind down to ~140 hours but costs over 1B GP total. Join a Runecrafting FC (like “Lava FC”) to find runners.

Alternative: Guardians of the Rift (Level 27–99)

If you prefer a less intense option, Guardians of the Rift (GotR) is a minigame that balances speed and rewards:

  • Location: Wizards’ Tower basement (use Necklace of Passage).
  • Requirements: Temple of the Eye quest, 27 Runecrafting.
  • Method: Mine essence, craft guardians, and power the Great Guardian to close the rift. Use pouches and Raiments of the Eye.
  • XP Rates: 40,000–55,000 XP/hour at higher levels.

GotR is more engaging than traditional methods and offers the Raiments outfit, making it a strong choice until you can afford runners.

Optimizing Your Runecrafting XP Rates

To push your XP per hour even higher, follow these tips:

Gear and Inventory Setup

  • Maximize Essence: Use all available pouches (e.g., Giant + Colossal at 99 holds 52 essence).
  • Run Energy: Combine Graceful, Stamina potions, and high Agility (70+) for near-infinite running.
  • Teleport Efficiency: Rings of Dueling or Amulets of Glory speed up banking.

Time-Saving Tricks

  • Shift-Click Drop: Drop leftover runes quickly between trips.
  • Abyss Shortcuts: Use Mining (70) or Agility (66) obstacles for faster altar access.
  • Pre-Mine Essence: Stockpile Daeyalt or pure essence to avoid downtime.

XP Boosters

While rare, temporary boosts like Tears of Guthix or XP lamps can give you a small edge. Save them for when you’re close to a milestone (e.g., 77 for Zeah Runecrafting).

Runecrafting XP Rates Comparison Table

Here’s a quick comparison of the fastest methods:

Method Level Req XP/Hour Cost/Profit Intensity
Lava Runes (Solo) 23 40k–50k -2–3 GP/XP High
Lava Runes (Runners) 23 75k–80k -28–32M GP/hour Very High
Guardians of the Rift 27 40k–55k Break-even + rewards Medium
ZMI Altar 50 30k–40k Variable profit Medium

Note: XP rates assume optimal gear, levels, and focus. Costs vary with market prices.

Final Thoughts on Reaching 99 Runecrafting

The fastest way to train Runecrafting in OSRS boils down to your resources. If you’re loaded with GP, Lava runes with runners is unbeatable at 75k–80k XP/hour. For most players, solo Lava runes (40k–50k XP/hour) or Guardians of the Rift (40k–55k XP/hour) strike the best balance of speed and accessibility. Start with quests to skip early levels, gear up with pouches and Raiments, and optimize every trip with Stamina potions and teleports.

Runecrafting may never be “fun” for everyone, but with these methods, you’ll hit 99 faster than you thought possible. Got a favorite method or tip? Drop it in the comments below—happy crafting!