How to Get Nightmare Zone Points in OSRS: The Ultimate Guide

How to Get Nightmare Zone Points in OSRS: The Ultimate Guide


If you’re playing Old School RuneScape (OSRS) and looking to rack up Nightmare Zone (NMZ) points efficiently, you’ve landed in the right place. Nightmare Zone is a fan-favorite minigame for training combat skills, earning rewards, and stockpiling points to imbue gear or snag herb boxes. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a newbie, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to get Nightmare Zone points in OSRS, with tips to maximize your gains. Let’s dive into the dream world of NMZ and turn those boss fights into a point-earning goldmine!

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of earning points, let’s cover the basics. Nightmare Zone is a combat-based minigame located northwest of Yanille bank, run by Dominic Onion. Players enter a “dream” where they face off against bosses from previously completed quests. It’s a safe minigame—meaning no risk of losing items on death—and offers three modes: Practice, Endurance, and Rumble, each with Normal and Hard difficulties. The goal? Defeat bosses, earn points, and cash them in at Dom Onion’s Reward Shop for upgrades, resources, or benefits.

Why Focus on Nightmare Zone Points?

NMZ points are the currency of this minigame, and they unlock some seriously useful rewards:

  • Imbued Gear: Upgrade rings, black masks, or crystal items for better combat stats.
  • Herb Boxes: A daily limit of 15 boxes at 9,500 points each, offering a tidy profit (around 150k GP per day).
  • Potions: Overloads and absorption potions to enhance your NMZ runs.

Plus, it’s a prime spot for AFK combat training, making it a win-win for points and XP.

Getting Started: Prerequisites for Nightmare Zone

OSRS Nightmare Zone Guide NovaMMO

To start earning points, you’ll need to set the stage. Here’s what you need before stepping into the dream:

Quest Requirements

You must complete at least five quests with bosses eligible for NMZ. The more quests you’ve done, the more bosses you can fight, and the more points you’ll earn per kill. Here are some beginner-friendly quests to unlock:

For maximum points, aim to complete high-point quests like Desert Treasure, Recipe for Disaster, and Dream Mentor—more on that later.

Combat Stats and Gear

While there’s no strict stat requirement, a combat level of 70+ (Attack, Strength, Defense) is recommended for efficiency. Gear-wise, you’ll want:

  • Melee Setup: Proselyte armor (prayer bonus), Dharok’s set (high damage at low HP), or Obsidian armor (pre-92 HP).
  • Weapons: Abyssal whip, Saradomin godsword, or dragon claws for special attacks.
  • Inventory: Dwarven rock cake/locator orb (to lower HP), prayer potions, and coins (deposit 100k+ in the coffer).

Cost of Entry

Deposit coins into Dominic’s coffer to play. Costs vary by mode:

Mode Normal Cost Hard Cost
Practice Free Free
Endurance 1,000 coins 5,000 coins
Rumble 2,000 coins 6,000 coins
Custom Rumble 22,000 coins 26,000 coins

Max quest points reduce Custom Rumble costs by 10,000 coins—another reason to quest up!

Best Strategies to Earn Nightmare Zone Points

Now, let’s get to the good stuff: how to maximize your NMZ points per hour. The key is choosing the right mode, bosses, and tactics.

Choose Hard Custom Rumble Mode

For the best point gains, stick to Hard Custom Rumble (26,000 coins). Why? Hard mode bosses have higher stats and yield significantly more points per kill than Normal mode. Custom Rumble lets you pick your bosses, optimizing for both points and survivability.

Select High-Point Bosses

Points scale with the number of bosses activated and their individual value. To hit 1-2M points per hour, enable these high rollers:

Pro Tip: Avoid turning on Dream Mentor bosses without Desert Treasure bosses active—it slashes your points by a factor of 6 due to a quirky mechanic.

Use Absorption and Overload Potions

Buy these from the NMZ reward chest with points:

  • Absorption (1,000 points/dose): Reduces damage taken to 1 per hit when at 1 HP.
  • Overload (1,500 points/dose): Boosts combat stats but requires 51+ HP to drink safely.

Use a dwarven rock cake to drop to 1 HP, sip absorptions, and activate Protect from Melee. This combo lets you tank hits while racking up kills.

Leverage Power-Ups

In Rumble mode, power-ups spawn randomly. Here’s how to use them:

  • Power Surge (Yellow): Refills special attack energy—spam your weapon’s spec for faster kills.
  • Zapper (Purple): Deals extra damage, boosting points without affecting XP.
  • Recurrent Damage (Red): Stacks damage over time, good for points.
  • Ultimate Force (White): Avoid this—it wipes bosses instantly but gives zero points.

Optimizing for Maximum Points Per Hour

Ready to push the limits? Here’s how to hit 1M+ points per hour consistently.

Dharok’s Method (High Risk, High Reward)

With 92+ HP, equip full Dharok’s armor and a weapon like the Greataxe. Lower your HP to 1 with a rock cake, use absorptions, and swing away. Dharok’s hits harder at low HP, shredding bosses for 1M+ points/hour. Expect 80k-90k melee XP too.

Prayer Method (AFK-Friendly)

For a laid-back approach, wear Proselyte armor, use Protect from Melee, and sip prayer potions as needed. Pick melee-only bosses like Count Draynor, The Kendal, and King Roald. You’ll net 200k-400k points/hour and 50k-60k XP/hour while barely lifting a finger.

Boss Selection for Points vs. XP

Balance is key. For max points, activate all bosses from Recipe for Disaster, Desert Treasure, and Dream Mentor. For XP-focused runs, stick to weaker melee bosses to avoid downtime. Test combos to find your sweet spot.

Rewards: What to Spend Your Points On

Once you’ve stacked those points, head to the reward chest. Here’s what’s worth your haul:

Top Picks for Spending NMZ Points

  • Herb Boxes (9,500 points each): 15/day for ~150k GP profit—great for mains.
  • Imbues: Berserker Ring (650k points), Slayer Helmet (1.25M points), or Salve Amulet (800k points).
  • Potions: Stock up on absorptions and overloads for future runs.

Free Points Trick (Hard Combat Achievements)

Completed Hard Combat Achievements? Uncharge imbued items (full refund), claim the 50% imbue discount from Ghommal, then re-imbue. You’ll pocket half the original points—up to 3.9M if you’ve imbued everything!

Final Tips for Nightmare Zone Success

To wrap up, here’s a quick checklist to dominate NMZ:

  • Prep: Complete key quests, gear up, and deposit coins.
  • Mode: Hard Custom Rumble is your go-to.
  • Bosses: Enable high-point earners, avoid point penalties.
  • Tactics: Use absorptions, overloads, and power-ups wisely.
  • Rewards: Prioritize herb boxes or imbues based on your goals.

With these strategies, you’ll be swimming in Nightmare Zone points faster than you can say “Dominic Onion.” Whether you’re after profit, gear upgrades, or combat XP, NMZ has you covered. So grab your rock cake, step into the dream, and start stacking those points—happy grinding!