How to Keep Untrimmed Skillcape in OSRS A Step-by-Step Guide

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), a skillcape represents the pinnacle of achievement—reaching level 99 in a skill. The untrimmed skillcape, awarded for your first 99, holds a special prestige for many players due to its unique appearance and rarity. However, once you achieve a second 99, all skillcapes in your possession automatically become trimmed, altering their look irreversibly unless you take specific steps to preserve the untrimmed version. This guide dives into the methods to keep your untrimmed skillcape, why it matters, and tips to avoid common pitfalls, ensuring you maintain that iconic untrimmed aesthetic.

Before diving into the how-to, let’s clarify what makes untrimmed skillcapes special and why players go to great lengths to keep them.

What Is an Untrimmed Skillcape?

An untrimmed skillcape is the default version you receive when you hit level 99 in your first skill. It lacks the decorative trim that appears on capes once you achieve a second 99. For example, an untrimmed Cooking cape is a solid color with no additional edging, symbolizing your first mastery.

Why Keep It Untrimmed?

The untrimmed cape is a badge of honor, especially for skills like Slayer or Runecraft, which are considered challenging. Players value it for:

• Visual distinction: It shows your first 99 without the trim that indicates multiple 99s.
• Rarity: Certain untrimmed capes, like Slayer or Hitpoints, are rare due to the effort or planning required.
• Personal pride: It’s a milestone that reflects your journey in Gielinor.

Trimming Mechanics in OSRS

When you reach 99 in a second skill, the game automatically trims all skillcapes in your inventory, bank, or player-owned house (POH). This process is irreversible unless you use workarounds to preserve the untrimmed version. Understanding this mechanic is crucial to planning your approach.

Primary Method Dropping and Telegrabbing

The most reliable and widely used method to keep an untrimmed skillcape involves dropping it before achieving a second 99 and using the Telekinetic Grab (Telegrab) spell to retrieve it. Here’s how it works.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Drop and Telegrab Method

Follow these steps carefully to ensure your untrimmed cape stays untrimmed:

1. Prepare for the Second 99: Monitor your experience points (XP) in the skill you’re about to max out. Stop training when you’re close to 13,034,431 XP (level 99).
2. Drop the Untrimmed Cape: Go to a safe location (e.g., Lumbridge courtyard) and drop your untrimmed skillcape on the ground. Ensure you’re in a members’ world (P2P) for simplicity, though F2P works too.
3. Equip Telegrab Runes: You’ll need 1 Law rune and 1 Air rune (or a staff to provide Air runes) to cast Telegrab, requiring 33 Magic.
4. Achieve the Second 99: Gain the final XP needed to hit 99 in your second skill. This triggers the trimming mechanic for any capes in your possession—but not for the dropped one.
5. Telegrab the Cape: Use Telegrab to pick up the dropped skillcape. Do not manually pick it up, as this will cause it to trim upon entering your inventory.
6. Verify: Check your cape to confirm it remains untrimmed. Store it safely in your bank or POH.

Why Telegrab Works

Telegrab retrieves the cape without directly “picking it up,” bypassing the game’s trimming check that occurs when a cape enters your inventory after a second 99. This method has been consistent since skillcapes were introduced, though it requires precision.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Manual Pickup: Clicking to pick up the cape instead of using Telegrab will trim it instantly.
• Wrong World: Dropping in a crowded world risks someone else taking the cape. Use a quiet world or a safe spot.
• Insufficient Magic Level: Ensure you have at least 33 Magic before attempting this method.

Alternative Method Death Storage

For players who want an extra layer of security or are playing on Hardcore Ironman accounts, death storage offers another way to preserve untrimmed skillcapes.

How Death Storage Works

This method involves using the death mechanics in OSRS to store your untrimmed cape safely:

1. Purchase Multiple Capes: Buy several copies of your untrimmed skillcape from the respective NPC master (e.g., Wilfred for Woodcutting). Each costs 99,000 coins.
2. Die Intentionally: Die in a way that sends your items to a gravestone or Death’s Office (e.g., die to a low-level NPC like a goblin). Ensure the capes are in your inventory.
3. Let the Gravestone Expire: Allow the gravestone timer to run out, transferring the capes to Death’s Office.
4. Achieve the Second 99: Reach 99 in your second skill while the capes are stored.
5. Reclaim Later: Pay the fee at Death’s Office to retrieve your untrimmed capes, which remain unaffected by the trimming mechanic.

Pros and Cons of Death Storage

Pros	Cons
Safer for Hardcore accounts	Requires multiple capes (costly)
No risk of losing cape to other players	Death’s Office fee can add up
Less time-sensitive	More steps than Telegrab method

When to Use Death Storage

This method is ideal if you’re worried about misclicking during the Telegrab process or if you want to stockpile untrimmed capes for future 99s. It’s also skiller-friendly, as it doesn’t rely on Magic levels.

Tips for Long-Term Untrimmed Cape Maintenance

Keeping your untrimmed skillcape isn’t a one-time task. Each time you approach a new 99, you’ll need to repeat these methods. Here are strategies to make it easier.

Plan Your Skill Order

Some skills are harder to keep untrimmed due to passive XP gains. For example:

• Hitpoints: Combat training often grants HP XP, making an untrimmed HP cape rare.
• Slayer: Requires careful planning to avoid combat XP in other skills.

Prioritize your first 99 in a skill you want to showcase untrimmed, like Runecraft or Construction, which have fewer passive XP sources.

Stockpile Capes

Buy multiple untrimmed capes before your second 99. This gives you backups in case of mistakes or if you want to display one in your POH while keeping others safe.

Use a POH Cape Hanger

Store your untrimmed cape on a cape hanger in your Achievement Gallery. This keeps it safe from accidental trimming during inventory mishaps, though you’ll still need to remove and drop it before each new 99.

Track XP Closely

Use an XP tracker like the one in the RuneLite client to monitor your progress. Set alerts for when you’re nearing 13M XP to avoid overshooting and triggering a 99 unprepared.

Why Untrimmed Capes Matter to the Community

Untrimmed skillcapes are more than just cosmetic—they’re a cultural phenomenon in OSRS. Let’s explore their significance and the debates surrounding them.

Prestige and Rarity

As of April 2025, skills like Runecraft (95,670 players with 99) and Slayer are among the least common skillcapes, making their untrimmed versions highly coveted. An untrimmed cape signals dedication, especially for skills that require hundreds of hours.

Community Debates on Trimming Mechanics

The OSRS community is split on whether the trimming mechanic should change:

• Pro-Untrimmed: Some argue Jagex should remove auto-trimming, allowing players to keep untrimmed capes without workarounds. This would benefit new players unaware of the Telegrab trick.
• Anti-Untrimmed: Others believe the challenge of maintaining an untrimmed cape adds to its prestige. They argue that simplifying the process would devalue rare capes like untrimmed Slayer.

Despite these debates, Jagex has kept the mechanic intact, citing fairness to players who already lost untrimmed capes and the complexity of tracking first 99s in the game’s code.

FashionScape and Bragging Rights

Untrimmed capes are a staple of “FashionScape,” where players showcase unique outfits. Pairing an untrimmed Runecraft cape with a matching hood or outfit is a flex that turns heads in the Grand Exchange.

Keeping an untrimmed skillcape in OSRS requires planning, precision, and a bit of game knowledge, but the reward is a lasting symbol of your first 99. Whether you choose the Telegrab method, death storage, or a combination of both, the key is to act before your second 99 triggers the trim. By following this guide, you’ll preserve your untrimmed cape and wear it with pride, whether you’re flexing at the bank or performing its unique emote. What’s your favorite untrimmed cape? Share your thoughts and experiences below!