How to Make Unfinished Potions in OSRS: A Step-by-Step Guide

Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers a rich world of skills to master, and Herblore is one of the most rewarding yet intricate ones. A key part of training Herblore involves crafting unfinished potions, which serve as the foundation for creating powerful potions used in combat, skilling, and more. If you’re wondering how to make unfinished potions in OSRS, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the process, from gathering materials to maximizing efficiency. Whether you’re an Ironman, a casual player, or someone looking to profit, this blog post has you covered with tips, tricks, and step-by-step instructions.

What Are Unfinished Potions?

Unfinished potions, often abbreviated as “unf” potions in OSRS, are intermediate items created during the Herblore skill. They’re made by combining a clean herb with a vial of water (or other bases like coconut milk or blood vials in specific cases). These potions aren’t usable on their own—you’ll need to add a secondary ingredient to complete them into a functional potion, like a Prayer Potion or Super Strength. They’re a crucial stepping stone in Herblore training and can also be a profitable venture if sold on the Grand Exchange.

Why Make Unfinished Potions?

Crafting unfinished potions offers several benefits:

• Herblore Training: It’s the first step in creating finished potions that grant significant experience points.
• Profit Potential: Unfinished potions often sell for more than the combined cost of herbs and vials, making them a money-making method.
• Ironman Utility: For Ironmen, making unfinished potions is essential for self-sufficiency in potion crafting.

Understanding their role will help you decide whether to craft them manually or use alternative methods to streamline the process.

Gathering Materials for Unfinished Potions

Essential Ingredients

To make unfinished potions in OSRS, you’ll need two primary items:

• Vials of Water: These are the base for most unfinished potions. You can buy them from shops like the General Store in East Ardougne for 2 GP each (in packs) or on the Grand Exchange for around 4-5 GP.
• Clean Herbs: Each potion requires a specific herb, such as Guam, Tarromin, or Ranarr, cleaned from their grimy form. You can farm herbs, buy them, or gather them from monster drops.

For special cases, like the Serum 207 unfinished potion, you’ll use ashes instead of a traditional herb, paired with a vial of water.

Where to Get Vials of Water

Vials of water are widely available:

• Shops: General Stores, Herblore shops like Jatix in Taverley, or Aemad’s Adventuring Supplies in East Ardougne.
• Grand Exchange: Buy in bulk for convenience, though prices fluctuate slightly.
• Crafting: Fill empty vials with water at any fountain or sink (e.g., Falador fountain).

How to Obtain Clean Herbs

Herbs start as grimy and must be cleaned to use in potions:

• Farming: Grow herbs like Guam, Marrentill, or Toadflax using Farming patches.
• Monster Drops: Creatures like Chaos Druids or Aberrant Spectres drop grimy herbs frequently.
• Grand Exchange: Purchase grimy or clean herbs directly, depending on your budget.

Cleaning herbs requires a specific Herblore level (e.g., Guam at level 3, Ranarr at 25) and grants a small amount of XP.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Unfinished Potions

Manual Crafting Process

Here’s how to make unfinished potions manually in OSRS:

1. Gather Materials: Ensure you have vials of water and clean herbs in your inventory.
2. Check Herblore Level: Verify you meet the level requirement for the herb (e.g., 38 for Ranarr).
3. Combine Ingredients: Click a clean herb, then a vial of water (or vice versa). You’ll create one unfinished potion per combination.
4. Repeat: Continue the process for your entire inventory—typically 14 or 27 potions per bank trip, depending on inventory space.

This method is click-intensive but straightforward, ideal for small batches or Ironmen processing their own supplies.

Using Zahur in Nardah

For a faster alternative, visit Zahur in Nardah after completing the Hard Desert Diary or while wearing the Herblore cape:

• Location: North of the bank in Nardah.
• Cost: 200 GP per potion.
• Process: Right-click Zahur and select “Make unfinished potion(s).” She’ll combine noted or unnoted clean herbs and vials of water instantly, saving you time.

This is a game-changer for bulk production, especially if you’re training Herblore or flipping potions for profit.

Example: Making Ranarr Unfinished Potions

Let’s walk through a popular example:

1. Buy or farm Ranarr weeds (grimy).
2. Clean them at level 25 Herblore (2.5 XP each).
3. Combine clean Ranarr with vials of water at level 30 Herblore to make Ranarr potion (unf).
4. Optionally, add Snape Grass later for a Prayer Potion.

Ranarr potion (unf) is in high demand due to Prayer Potions’ utility in PvM and PvP.

Tips for Efficiency and Profit

Maximizing Efficiency

Time is money in OSRS, so here’s how to streamline potion-making:

• Use Zahur: Skip manual crafting for large batches—200 GP per potion is negligible compared to the time saved.
• Bankstanding Setup: Craft near a bank (e.g., Nardah or GE) to minimize travel time.
• Hotkeys: Press “Space” to confirm potion quantities and “Esc” to close the bank quickly.

Manual crafting averages 2,000-3,000 unfinished potions per hour, while Zahur’s method is near-instant for your entire stack.

Money-Making with Unfinished Potions

Unfinished potions can be profitable due to their demand:

• Check Prices: Use the Grand Exchange to compare herb, vial, and unfinished potion prices (e.g., Toadflax potion (unf) often yields 200-300 GP profit each).
• Bulk Production: Craft high-demand potions like Ranarr or Snapdragon in large quantities.
• Farming Synergy: Grow your own herbs to cut costs and boost margins.

For example, as of April 2025, making Toadflax potion (unf) might net 400k-600k GP per hour with manual crafting, or more with Zahur and pre-farmed herbs.

Table: Popular Unfinished Potions and Requirements

Ranarr

Unfinished Potion	Herb	Herblore Level	Secondary (Example)
Guam potion (unf)	Guam	3	Eye of Newt (Attack Potion)
Ranarr potion (unf)	30	Snape Grass (Prayer Potion)
Toadflax potion (unf)	Toadflax	34	Crushed Nest (Saradomin Brew)
Snapdragon potion (unf)	Snapdragon	63	Red Spider Eggs (Super Restore)

This table highlights some of the most common unfinished potions and their next steps.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overlooking Costs

Don’t blindly craft without checking prices—sometimes selling clean herbs is more profitable than making unfinished potions. For instance, if vials spike to 10 GP each, your margins shrink.

Ignoring Level Requirements

Attempting to use a herb before reaching its required Herblore level wastes time. Double-check your stats (e.g., 38 for Irit, 45 for Avantoe) before starting.

Skipping Zahur for Bulk Jobs

Manual crafting is fine for small batches, but for hundreds or thousands of potions, Zahur’s service is unmatched. The 200 GP fee is a small price for the convenience.

Mastering how to make unfinished potions in OSRS opens up a world of opportunities, from leveling Herblore to raking in profits. Whether you’re grinding manually at a bank or leveraging Zahur’s expertise, the process is simple once you get the hang of it. Start small with Guam or Marrentill, then scale up to high-value potions like Ranarr or Snapdragon as your skills and bankroll grow. With this guide, you’re equipped to tackle Herblore like a pro—so grab those vials, clean those herbs, and get mixing!