OSRS Stats Needed for Hard Clue Scroll Completion
Hard clue scrolls in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) are a thrilling part of the Treasure Trails activity, offering players a chance to solve complex puzzles and earn valuable rewards like rune gear, 3rd age items, or gilded equipment. However, completing these scrolls requires specific skill levels, quest completions, and sometimes a bit of combat prowess. In this guide, we’ll break down the stats needed to tackle every hard clue scroll, ensuring you’re prepared for the challenges ahead. Whether you’re an ironman or a main account, knowing these requirements will save you time and frustration.
Hard clue scrolls are a step up from easy and medium scrolls, typically involving 4-6 steps that can include anagrams, coordinates, ciphers, puzzle boxes, and combat encounters. The rewards are significantly better, with an average loot value of around 178,439 coins, plus a 1/15 chance of receiving a master clue scroll worth an additional 59,565 coins on average [OSRS Wiki]. For ironmen, hard clues are a key source of items like rune boots or god dragonhide armor, while mains chase rare cosmetics and high-value drops. To access these rewards, you’ll need the right stats and preparation.
Skill Requirements for Hard Clue Scrolls
Certain clues require you to wield specific items, access areas, or complete tasks that demand minimum skill levels. The table below outlines the highest skill requirements to complete every hard clue scroll, excluding quest-related skills (we’ll cover those later). Note that ironmen face additional crafting or slayer requirements to obtain certain items themselves, as they can’t rely on the Grand Exchange.
| Skill | Level (Main Account) | Level (Ironman) | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prayer | 60 | 60 | Wield stoles and croziers |
| Ranged | 50 | 50 | Equip blue dragonhide armor |
| Magic | 66 | 68 | Access Piscatoris Fishing Colony (Swan Song); ironmen need 68 for mystic robes |
| Attack | 40 | 40 | Wield rune weapons |
| Strength | 20 | 20 | Wield rune halberd |
| Defence | 40 | 40 | Equip rune armor, blue dragonhide body |
| Fishing | 68 | 68 | Access Fishing Guild |
| Agility | 56 | 56 | Pass dense forest in Tirannwn |
| Slayer | — | 80 | Obtain rune boots (ironmen only) |
| Crafting | — | 68 | Craft blue dragonhide chaps or diamond bracelet (ironmen only) |
| Hunter | — | 89 | Catch amulet of glory (ironmen alternative) |
Main Account Skill Priorities
For main accounts, focus on getting these skills to the required levels:
- Prayer (60): Needed for stoles and croziers, often part of emote clues.
- Fishing (68): Grants access to the Fishing Guild for specific clue steps.
- Magic (66): Required to start Swan Song and enter Piscatoris Fishing Colony.
- Agility (56): Allows navigation through Tirannwn’s dense forest.
- Combat Skills (Attack 40, Defence 40, Ranged 50): Ensure you can equip rune gear and blue dragonhide armor for emote or combat clues.
Ironman-Specific Skill Challenges
Ironmen face stricter requirements since they must obtain items like rune boots or blue dragonhide chaps themselves. Key skills include:
- Slayer (80): Necessary to kill wyverns or other monsters for rune boots.
- Crafting (68): Needed to craft blue dragonhide chaps or diamond bracelets for emote clues.
- Hunter (89) or Crafting/Magic (80/68): To obtain an amulet of glory, either by catching it or crafting one from scratch.
Pro Tip: Ironmen can bypass the amulet of glory requirement if they get an amulet of glory (t) from a hard clue reward, but don’t bank on this luck early on.
Quest Requirements for Hard Clue Scrolls
Many hard clue steps require access to specific areas or NPCs locked behind quests. Completing these quests not only unlocks clue locations but also boosts your overall game progression. Below is a comprehensive list of quests you’ll need to complete or start to tackle every hard clue.
Essential Quests for Full Access
Here’s a breakdown of the key quests and their relevance:
- Priest in Peril: Unlocks Canifis, a common clue location.
- Regicide: Grants access to Tirannwn for agility-based clue steps.
- Legends’ Quest: Opens Kharazi Jungle, required for some coordinate clues.
- Swan Song: Allows entry to Piscatoris Fishing Colony (requires 66 Magic, among other skills).
- Horror from the Deep: Unlocks the Lighthouse, a frequent clue spot.
Additional Quests for Flexibility
While not always mandatory, these quests can appear in clue steps and are worth completing:
- Plague City: Access to West Ardougne.
- Shilo Village: Entry to Shilo Village.
- Troll Stronghold: Access to Trollheim.
- Fairy Tale II – Cure a Queen (partial): Unlocks fairy rings for faster travel to clue locations.
- Bone Voyage: Access to Fossil Island for clue steps and songs.
Note: Some quests, like Fairy Tale II or The Grand Tree, only need to be started to access areas like fairy rings or the Ship Yard. Check the OSRS Wiki for exact requirements if you’re short on quest points.
Combat Stats for Hard Clue Scrolls
Hard clue scrolls often involve combat, especially coordinate clues that spawn a level 108 Saradomin wizard (outside the Wilderness) or a level 65 Zamorak wizard (in the Wilderness). You may also encounter a double agent during emote clues. While high combat stats aren’t strictly required, they make these fights much easier.
Recommended Combat Levels
To handle these encounters efficiently, aim for:
- Attack/Strength/Defence (60+): Allows you to use dragon weapons and decent armor for faster kills.
- Ranged (70+): Ideal for safespotting wizards or hitting hard with a magic shortbow.
- Magic (61+): Enables you to cast high-damage spells like Fire Blast to clear enemies quickly.
- Prayer (43+): Access to Protect from Melee (for Saradomin wizards) or Protect from Magic (for Zamorak wizards).
Combat Tip: Bring dragonhide armor and a dose of antipoison for Saradomin wizards, as their dragon dagger (p++) can poison you. In the Wilderness, watch out for PKers and use Protect from Magic against Zamorak wizards’ Flames of Zamorak.
Wilderness Considerations
Coordinate clues in the Wilderness (above level 20) are risky, as dying causes the clue scroll to disappear unless you have a clue box or it’s one of your protected items. To minimize risk:
- Carry a Wilderness sword to cut webs.
- Use a Royal Seed Pod or Teleport Crystal for quick escapes.
- Bring only items you’re willing to lose, as clue scrolls are kept over these teleports but not over death.
Tips to Prepare for Hard Clue Scrolls
Beyond stats and quests, preparation is key to efficiently completing hard clue scrolls. Here are some practical tips to streamline your Treasure Trails experience.
Gear and Inventory Setup
Having the right items on hand saves time and reduces frustration. Recommended gear includes:
- Spade: Essential for digging at coordinate or map clue locations.
- Teleport runes/jewelry: Amulet of glory, ring of dueling, or law runes for quick travel.
- Combat gear: Rune armor, dragonhide, and a decent weapon (e.g., dragon scimitar or magic shortbow).
- Clue-specific items: Keep a stole, crozier, blue d’hide chaps, or rune halberd in your bank for emote clues.
Efficient Clue Solving
To maximize your clue scroll completion rate:
- Use hidey-holes: Store emote clue items in STASH units across Gielinor to avoid banking.
- Leverage fairy rings: Unlock them for fast travel to remote clue locations.
- Practice puzzle boxes: Familiarize yourself with sliding puzzles to solve them quickly.
- Check the OSRS Wiki: It has detailed guides for anagrams, ciphers, and coordinate locations.
Bonus Tip: If a clue step feels too risky (e.g., deep Wilderness), trade it to Watson in Hosidius for a master clue scroll and try for a new hard clue.
Hard clue scrolls in OSRS are a fantastic way to test your skills and earn exciting rewards, but they demand a mix of combat, skilling, and questing prowess. By hitting the required stats—60 Prayer, 68 Fishing, 66 Magic, 56 Agility, and 40+ combat skills for mains, plus extra crafting or slayer for ironmen—you’ll be ready to tackle every step. Complete the necessary quests like Regicide, Swan Song, and Legends’ Quest to unlock all areas, and gear up for combat encounters with wizards or double agents. With this guide, you’re well-equipped to dive into Treasure Trails and claim your loot. Happy hunting!