Rune Dart Tips in OSRS: Your Ultimate Guide to Crafting and Using Them
If you’re diving into Old School RuneScape (OSRS) and looking to master the art of ranged combat or level up your Smithing and Fletching skills, rune dart tips are a key item to understand. These deadly little components are essential for crafting rune darts, a popular ranged weapon among members. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about rune dart tips in OSRS—how to craft them, their uses, profitability, and tips to optimize your gameplay. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a newcomer, this blog post will help you make the most of this versatile item.
Rune dart tips are an item in OSRS used to create rune darts, a powerful ranged throwing weapon exclusive to members. Crafted through the Smithing skill and finished with Fletching, these tips are a staple for players looking to train skills efficiently or engage in combat with a fast, one-handed weapon. But before you can wield or sell rune darts, you’ll need to start with the tips—and that’s where the journey begins.
Basic Overview of Rune Dart Tips
A rune dart tip is made from a single rune bar at an anvil, requiring a Smithing level of 89. Each bar produces 10 dart tips, making it a relatively quick process once you’ve got the materials and skills lined up. After crafting, you can attach feathers to these tips at Fletching level 81 to create fully functional rune darts.
Why Rune Dart Tips Matter
Rune dart tips are more than just an intermediate crafting item—they’re a gateway to fast combat training and a potential money-making method. Rune darts are known for their speed (matching the attack speed of throwing knives) and compatibility with shields or off-hand items, making them a favorite for PvM and PvP enthusiasts alike.
How to Craft Rune Dart Tips in OSRS
Crafting rune dart tips is a straightforward process, but it comes with some prerequisites and steps. Let’s break it down so you can start smithing like a pro.
Requirements for Crafting Rune Dart Tips
- Smithing Level 89: You need a high Smithing level to work with rune bars.
- Tourist Trap Quest: Completion of this members-only quest is mandatory to unlock the ability to smith dart tips.
- Materials: A rune bar and a hammer in your inventory.
- Anvil Access: Any anvil in the game will do, though some locations are more convenient than others.
Step-by-Step Crafting Process
- Gather your rune bars and a hammer.
- Head to an anvil—popular spots include Varrock West Bank or Prifddinas for efficiency.
- Use the rune bar on the anvil with a hammer in your inventory.
- Select “Rune Dart Tips” from the Smithing interface.
- Wait as your character crafts 10 dart tips per bar, earning 75 Smithing XP.
Best Locations for Smithing
While any anvil works, some spots save time:
- Varrock West Bank: Close to a bank, no requirements.
- Prifddinas: Faster smithing ticks if you’ve unlocked it.
- Necropolis Anvil: Useful for desert-based tasks.
Turning Rune Dart Tips into Rune Darts
Once you’ve got your rune dart tips, the next step is turning them into usable weapons. This is where Fletching comes into play, and it’s a fantastic way to level up that skill quickly.
Fletching Requirements
- Fletching Level 81: Necessary to combine dart tips with feathers.
- Feathers: Easily obtained from shops, monster drops, or the Grand Exchange.
How to Fletch Rune Darts
- Have rune dart tips and feathers in your inventory.
- Right-click the dart tips and select “Use” on the feathers (or vice versa).
- The game automatically crafts 10 rune darts, granting 188 Fletching XP per set.
Experience Rates and Efficiency
Fletching rune darts is one of the fastest ways to train Fletching, offering up to 270k XP per hour if you’re efficient with buying materials in bulk. The two-click process also makes it ideal for passive training while doing other activities like birdhouse runs.
Uses of Rune Darts in OSRS
Rune darts, made from rune dart tips, have multiple applications in OSRS. Here’s why players love them and how they fit into your gameplay.
Ranged Combat Advantages
- Speed: With an attack speed of 3 ticks, they’re among the fastest ranged weapons.
- Ranged Strength: +26 bonus, solid for mid-to-high-level combat.
- Versatility: One-handed, so you can pair them with a shield or god book.
- Poison Potential: Add weapon poison for extra damage over time.
Loading the Toxic Blowpipe
Unpoisoned rune darts can be used as ammunition for the toxic blowpipe, boosting its accuracy (+30) and strength (+20) while adding a 25% chance to envenom targets. This makes them a cost-effective alternative to higher-tier darts like dragon darts for certain PvM scenarios.
Master Clue Scroll Challenge
Fletching a rune dart is a specific task for a master clue scroll skill challenge assigned by Sherlock. Keep some tips and feathers handy if you’re a clue hunter!
Profitability and Money-Making with Rune Dart Tips
Can you make money with rune dart tips? Let’s dive into the economics and see if it’s worth your time.
Cost vs. Revenue Breakdown
| Item | Average GE Price (April 2025) | Quantity | Total Cost/Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rune Bar (Input) | ~12,000 GP | 1 | -12,000 GP |
| Rune Dart Tips (Output) | ~1,100 GP | 10 | +11,000 GP |
| Feathers (For Darts) | ~3 GP | 10 | -30 GP |
| Rune Darts (Final Product) | ~1,200 GP | 10 | +12,000 GP |
Note: Prices fluctuate; check the Grand Exchange for real-time values.
Smithing Profitability
Smithing rune dart tips alone often results in a loss (e.g., -1,000 GP per bar), as the cost of rune bars typically exceeds the value of 10 dart tips. Hourly, this could mean a loss of 690k–767k GP if you smith 9,000–10,000 tips.
Fletching Profitability
Fletching rune darts can break even or yield a small profit depending on market trends. With the above example, crafting 10 rune darts costs ~11,030 GP (tips + feathers) and sells for ~12,000 GP, netting a modest gain of ~970 GP per set.
Tips for Maximizing Profit
- Mine Your Own Rune Bars: For Ironmen or cost-cutters, mining runite ore skips the high GE cost.
- Bulk Buy Feathers: Stock up when prices dip to minimize expenses.
- Monitor GE Trends: Sell darts during high demand (e.g., after blowpipe updates).
Tips and Tricks for Rune Dart Tips in OSRS
To get the most out of rune dart tips, here are some pro tips to streamline your experience.
Optimize Your Workflow
Bank near an anvil (like Varrock West) and buy materials in bulk to reduce downtime. For Fletching, keep stacks of feathers and tips in your inventory for on-the-go crafting.
Combine with Other Activities
Since Fletching darts is a two-click process, you can train it while skilling (e.g., Mining) or doing birdhouse runs, maximizing your efficiency.
Stay Updated on Game Changes
Jagex occasionally tweaks ranged weapons or skills, impacting dart tip value. Keep an eye on updates—nerfs to the blowpipe or new ranged items could shift demand.
With this guide, you’re ready to tackle rune dart tips in OSRS like a pro. Whether you’re smithing for XP, fletching for profit, or hurling darts at foes, these little runite tips pack a big punch. Happy adventuring in Gielinor!