Best Bones to Use on Gilded Altar in OSRS for Fast Prayer XP

Best Bones to Use on Gilded Altar in OSRS for Fast Prayer XP

Training Prayer in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a grind, but using a gilded altar in a player-owned house (POH) makes it faster and more efficient. With the right bones, you can maximize your Prayer experience per hour (XP/h) while balancing costs. This guide dives into the best bones to use on a gilded altar, breaking down XP rates, costs, and practical tips to optimize your Prayer training in 2025. Whether you’re aiming for 43 Prayer for protection prayers or pushing to 99, we’ve got you covered.

A gilded altar offers a massive XP boost compared to burying bones or other methods like the Ectofuntus. Built at level 75 Construction in a POH, it provides 250% of a bone’s base Prayer XP when used without incense burners. Light one burner with marrentill herbs, and you get 300% XP; light both, and it skyrockets to 350% XP per bone. This makes gilded altars the go-to for most players, especially on World 330 (Rimmington), where hosted altars are always buzzing.

How Gilded Altars Work

To use a gilded altar effectively:

  • Access a POH: Build your own (75 Construction) or visit a hosted altar (World 330, Rimmington or Yanille).
  • Light burners: Use marrentill herbs and a tinderbox (30 Firemaking required) for the 350% XP boost.
  • Bring bones: Un-note them at Phials in Rimmington’s general store for 5 coins each.
  • Manual offering: Click each bone on the altar for up to 2,550 bones per hour, yielding massive XP.

Why Bone Choice Matters

Not all bones are equal. Higher-tier bones give more XP but cost more, while cheaper bones are slower but budget-friendly. Your choice depends on your gold stack, XP goals, and how much time you’re willing to invest. Let’s explore the top options.

Top Bones for Gilded Altar Training

OSRS 199 Prayer Guide Fastest Cheapest Experience

Here’s a rundown of the best bones to use on a gilded altar, focusing on XP rates, cost-efficiency, and accessibility. All XP and cost calculations assume both incense burners are lit (350% XP multiplier).

Superior Dragon Bones

Best for max XP rates. Dropped by Vorkath and other high-level dragons, superior dragon bones are the king of Prayer training.

  • Base XP: 150
  • Gilded XP (350%): 525 XP per bone
  • XP per hour: ~1,340,000 (2,550 bones/h)
  • Cost per bone: ~24,000 GP (as of 2025)
  • Cost per XP: ~47.38 GP

Pros: Fastest XP in the game, ideal for players aiming for 99 Prayer quickly.

Cons: Insanely expensive, requiring ~1.24B GP for 99 from level 70. Only viable for wealthy players or those farming Vorkath.

Dragon Bones

Best balance of speed and cost. Dropped by green, blue, and other dragons, these are the most popular choice for mid-to-high-level players.

  • Base XP: 72
  • Gilded XP (350%): 252 XP per bone
  • XP per hour: ~643,000
  • Cost per bone: ~2,700 GP
  • Cost per XP: ~10.77 GP

Pros: Affordable for most players, widely available, and offers solid XP rates. Great for 43 or 70 Prayer milestones.

Cons: Slower than superior dragon bones, and costs add up (~140M for 99 from level 1).

Wyvern Bones

Dragon bone alternative. Dropped by skeletal and fossil wyverns, wyvern bones match dragon bones in XP but can fluctuate in price.

  • Base XP: 72
  • Gilded XP (350%): 252 XP per bone
  • XP per hour: ~643,000
  • Cost per bone: ~2,800 GP
  • Cost per XP: ~10.81 GP

Pros: Nearly identical to dragon bones, sometimes cheaper depending on market trends.

Cons: Less consistent supply, and prices can spike above dragon bones.

Lava Dragon Bones

Mid-tier option. Exclusive to lava dragons in the Wilderness, these offer a step up from dragon bones but are riskier to farm.

  • Base XP: 85
  • Gilded XP (350%): 297.5 XP per bone
  • XP per hour: ~760,000
  • Cost per bone: ~5,500 GP
  • Cost per XP: ~18.49 GP

Pros: Higher XP than dragon bones, decent for players with moderate budgets.

Cons: Expensive for the XP gain, and farming them in the Wilderness is dangerous.

Big Bones

Budget pick. Dropped by giants and other low-level monsters, big bones are dirt cheap but painfully slow.

  • Base XP: 15
  • Gilded XP (350%): 52.5 XP per bone
  • XP per hour: ~134,000
  • Cost per bone: ~230 GP
  • Cost per XP: ~4.38 GP

Pros: Super cheap, good for low-level Ironmen or F2P players transitioning to P2P.

Cons: Abysmal XP rates make it impractical for high Prayer levels.

Comparing Bones: Which Is Right for You?

Choosing the best bones depends on your budget and goals. Below is a table summarizing key metrics (prices approximate as of 2025):

Bone Type Gilded XP per Bone XP per Hour Cost per Bone (GP) Cost per XP (GP) Bones to 99 (Level 1) Total Cost (GP)
Superior Dragon 525 1,340,000 24,000 47.38 24,824 ~595M
Dragon 252 643,000 2,700 10.77 51,656 ~140M
Wyvern 252 643,000 2,800 10.81 51,656 ~145M
Lava Dragon 297.5 760,000 5,500 18.49 43,739 ~240M
Big 52.5 134,000 230 4.38 249,000 ~57M

Budget Players

If you’re low on GP, big bones are the cheapest, but they’ll take ~97 hours to hit 99. Dragon bones strike a better balance, costing more but cutting the grind to ~20 hours for 99.

Wealthy Players

Got a fat bank? Superior dragon bones are unmatched, getting you to 99 in ~10 hours. They’re a flex, but the cost is steep.

Ironmen

Ironmen can’t buy bones, so farming is key. Big bones from hill giants are easy early-game, while dragon bones from green or blue dragons are better for mid-to-late game. Superior dragon bones require Vorkath grinds, which are endgame.

Tips to Optimize Gilded Altar Training

Maximize your efficiency with these strategies:

Use World 330 Efficiently

Rimmington’s house portal on World 330 is Prayer training central. Bring noted bones and coins, un-note at Phials, and hop into a hosted altar. Use the “Visit-Last” option on the advertisement board to save time.

Manual Clicking for Speed

Manually use each bone on the altar instead of auto-offering. This boosts your rate to ~2,550 bones per hour, compared to ~1,070 for AFK training.

Bank Smart

In a PvP world, use the Camelot Castle bank chest for the fastest banking. Equip a dust battlestaff, carry law runes, two marrentills, and 24 bones per trip. Teleport to your POH, offer bones, and repeat.

Consider Runners

Hiring bone runners or using alts can push rates to 3,500+ bones per hour, but it’s costly and complex. Stick to solo unless you’re swimming in GP.

Alternatives to Gilded Altar

While gilded altars are top-tier, other methods might suit specific needs:

Chaos Altar

In level 38 Wilderness, the Chaos Altar gives 350% XP per bone plus a 50% chance the bone isn’t consumed, effectively doubling XP per bone. It’s cheaper (~5.38 GP/XP for dragon bones) but risky due to PKers.

Varlamore Prayer

At the Teomat’s libation bowl (level 30 Prayer), blessed bone shards offer up to 340 XP per dragon bone with sunfire wine. It’s safer than Chaos Altar and slightly better than gilded altars for XP per bone, but slower overall.

Ectofuntus

Gives 400% XP per bone but is much slower (~200,000 XP/h). Best for Ironmen with limited bones, not for speed.

Final Thoughts

For most players, dragon bones are the sweet spot on gilded altars, offering great XP rates (~643,000 XP/h) at a reasonable cost (~140M to 99). If you’re flush with cash, superior dragon bones cut the grind in half but demand a hefty ~595M. Budget players can start with big bones, while Ironmen should farm dragons for steady progress. Stick to World 330, click manually, and bank smart to blaze through Prayer levels. Whatever your goal—43, 70, or 99—a gilded altar is your ticket to efficient Prayer training in OSRS.