OSRS Ironman Farming Guide 1-99

OSRS Ironman Farming Guide 1-99

Farming in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a vital skill for Ironman accounts, offering resources like herbs for Herblore and crops for other skills. Unlike regular accounts, Ironmen can’t rely on the Grand Exchange, making seed gathering and efficient training crucial. This guide covers the journey from level 1 to 99 Farming for Ironmen, with strategies to maximize experience, gather seeds, and manage resources effectively. Whether you’re a new or seasoned Ironman, you’ll find actionable tips to conquer this passive yet rewarding skill.

Farming is essential for Ironmen because it provides self-sufficiency. Herbs from Farming fuel Herblore, a skill heavily reliant on potions for combat and skilling. Crops like watermelons and Snape grass support other training methods, and tree runs offer logs for Construction or Fletching. The skill’s passive nature—plants grow even when offline—makes it ideal for Ironmen balancing multiple grinds. However, seed scarcity and disease risks pose unique challenges, requiring careful planning.

Key Benefits of Farming

  • Herblore Supplies: Herbs like Ranarr and Snapdragon are critical for potions.
  • Passive XP: Plant seeds, log off, and return to harvest XP.
  • Cross-Skill Utility: Crops support Cooking, Construction, and more.

Early Levels (1-34)

OSRS Farming Training Guide Fastest Methods To Level 99 Rune Fanatics

The first 34 levels lay the foundation for Farming. Ironmen should focus on quests, low-level crops, and unlocking key tools to ease the grind. Early seed gathering is critical since you can’t buy them.

Questing for Fast XP

Quests offer significant Farming XP to skip tedious low levels. Completing these early quests can boost you to level 20 or beyond:

Quest XP Reward Requirements
Recipe for Disaster (Goblin Generals) 1,000 Cook’s Assistant, Goblin Diplomacy
Fairytale I – Growing Pains 3,500 Lost City, Nature Spirit
The Garden of Death 10,000 20 Farming
Garden of Tranquillity 5,000 Creature of Fenkenstrain, 25 Farming

Completing these quests, especially The Garden of Death, can push you to level 30, unlocking better training methods like willow tree runs.

Low-Level Crop Training

Before quests or alongside them, plant low-level crops at allotment patches (e.g., Catherby, Falador). Seeds like potatoes, onions, and cabbages are obtainable from early activities:

  • Pickpocketing Master Farmers: At 38 Thieving, you can steal seeds like potatoes and onions. With 94 Thieving and Ardougne Hard Diary, you’ll get higher-tier seeds.
  • Wintertodt: Supply crates from Wintertodt (500+ points per fight) yield seeds, even at 1 Farming, though higher levels improve drops.

Use compost to reduce disease risk. Supercompost, made from pineapples (bought from charter ships) or watermelons, doubles as a training crop since you’ll harvest plenty.

Mid-Level Farming (34-65)

From level 34, Ironmen can access better patches and methods like Tithe Farm and tree runs. This range focuses on building seed stocks and unlocking rewards to streamline future training.

Tithe Farm for Rewards and XP

Tithe Farm in Hosidius is a minigame requiring 34 Farming. It’s click-intensive but offers decent XP and essential rewards:

  • Auto-Weed Perk: Unlocked at 34, prevents weeds from growing in patches.
  • Seed Box: Stores multiple seed types, saving inventory space.
  • Herb Sack: Holds up to 30 of each herb, ideal for herb runs.

Expect 50K-80K XP per hour depending on focus and level. Prioritize rewards over raw XP, as they save time long-term. Use Golovanova seeds initially, upgrading to Yanillian or Logavano as you level.

Tree and Fruit Tree Runs

Tree runs become viable at level 15 (oak trees) and fruit trees at 27 (apple trees). For Ironmen, they’re a core method due to high XP and low time investment:

  • Seed Sources: Bird nests from Woodcutting, Farming contracts (unlocked at 45 Farming), or Slayer drops (e.g., Aberrant Spectres).
  • Run Order: Visit patches in Falador, Taverley, Lumbridge, Gnome Stronghold (trees), and Catherby, Gnome Village (fruit trees).

Always use ultracompost (made with supercompost and 25 volcanic ash) to minimize disease. Pay farmers to protect trees if you have coins, or rely on ultracompost for unprotected patches. A level 34 Ironman can plant willow trees (1,480 XP each) for steady gains.

Herb Runs for Herblore

Herb runs start at level 9 (Guam) but shine at 32 (Ranarr). They’re critical for Ironmen needing Herblore supplies:

  • Patches: Unlock all nine herb patches (e.g., Trollheim after My Arm’s Big Adventure, Weiss after Making Friends with My Arm).
  • Teleports: Use Explorer’s Ring, Ardougne Cloak, or Ectophial for fast travel.

Plant the highest-level herb you can (e.g., Toadflax at 38, Avantoe at 50). Ultracompost guarantees at least six herbs per patch, boosting yield. Expect 10K-20K XP per run, plus herbs for potions.

High-Level Farming (65-99)

From level 65, Farming becomes more efficient with access to high-XP trees, special crops, and contracts. The goal is to optimize runs and seed gathering while stockpiling resources.

Advanced Tree Runs

At higher levels, focus on expensive trees and fruit trees for massive XP:

  • Magic Trees (75): 13,768 XP each, six patches yield ~82K XP per run.
  • Palm Trees (68): 10,150 XP each, six patches yield ~60K XP per run.

Two runs daily can net 200K+ XP. Farming contracts from the Farming Guild (45 Farming, 60% Hosidius favor) are the best seed source, often requesting these trees. Check patch health before harvesting for bonus XP.

Special Crops and Seaweed

Special crops like giant seaweed and Hespori offer unique benefits:

  • Giant Seaweed (23 Farming): Farmed underwater on Fossil Island, yields seaweed for Crafting (glassmaking). Use ultracompost and numulite for protection. Each patch gives ~120 XP with multiple harvests.
  • Hespori (65 Farming): A boss in the Farming Guild yielding 12,600 XP on kill. Drops the bottomless compost bucket, holding 10,000 ultracompost uses, saving inventory space.

Seaweed runs pair well with herb runs, while Hespori fights are quick XP boosts when seeds are available (from contracts or Slayer).

Farming Contracts

Farming contracts are a game-changer for seed gathering and XP. At 65 Farming, you unlock hard contracts, requesting high-level seeds like magic or palm. Completing contracts grants XP and seeds, creating a self-sustaining cycle. Keep patches planted with requested crops to finish contracts instantly upon acceptance.

Seed Gathering Strategies

Seeds are the bottleneck for Ironman Farming. Here’s how to stockpile them efficiently:

  • Pickpocketing Master Farmers: At 94 Thieving with Ardougne Hard Diary, expect up to 60 high-level herb seeds (Ranarr+) per hour. Rogue’s outfit doubles seed drops.
  • Slayer: Monsters like Nechryaels and Aberrant Spectres drop herb and allotment seeds. Prioritize these tasks.
  • Birdhouse Runs: Passive Hunter XP and nests containing tree/fruit tree seeds. Do these daily.
  • Wintertodt: Consistent low- and mid-tier seeds, with rare high-tier drops at higher Farming levels.
  • Farming Contracts: The most reliable for tree and high-level seeds, especially at 65+ Farming.

Tips for Efficient Farming

Maximize your Farming efficiency with these Ironman-specific tips:

Optimize Teleports

Use teleports like the Explorer’s Ring, Ardougne Cloak, or Spirit Tree network to hit patches quickly. Unlock fairy rings (Fairytale II started) for remote patches like Trollheim.

Prioritize Ultracompost

Make ultracompost with pineapples or watermelons and volcanic ash (mined on Fossil Island). It’s mandatory for herbs and recommended for trees to boost yields and reduce disease.

Combine Runs

Do herb, tree, and seaweed runs in one session to save time. Start with herbs, check trees, and end with seaweed for a 10-15 minute routine yielding 50K+ XP at higher levels.

Unlock All Patches

Complete quests like My Arm’s Big Adventure, Making Friends with My Arm, and Bone Voyage to access every herb and special patch. More patches mean more XP and resources per run.

Invest in Tools

Get the seed box, herb sack, and bottomless compost bucket from Tithe Farm and Hespori. These save inventory space, letting you focus on planting and harvesting.

By level 99, you’ll have a steady herb supply, logs for Construction, and a passive skill mastered. Expect 67-80 days with two daily tree/herb runs, costing little since you’re self-sustaining. Farming’s grind is long but rewarding, making your Ironman stronger across Gielinor.