Best Way to Get Dragon Bones in OSRS - OSRS Money Making Guide

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), dragon bones are a prized resource for training the Prayer skill, offering 72 Prayer experience when buried, with even higher XP yields when used at gilded altars (252 XP) or the Ectofuntus (288 XP). Their accessibility and efficiency make them a go-to for players aiming to level Prayer quickly. But what’s the best way to gather dragon bones? This guide dives into the most effective methods, locations, and strategies to stock up on dragon bones, whether you’re a main account, an Ironman, or just looking to save some gold. From slaying dragons to leveraging game mechanics, we’ve got you covered with practical tips to maximize your haul.

Dragon bones are the backbone of efficient Prayer training in OSRS due to their balance of availability and XP output. Unlike rarer bones like superior dragon bones or ourg bones, dragon bones are dropped by a wide variety of dragons, making them easier to farm. They’re also tradeable, so you can buy them on the Grand Exchange if you’ve got the coin—but farming them yourself can be more rewarding and cost-effective, especially for Ironmen or players on a budget.

Prayer XP Breakdown

Here’s how dragon bones stack up for Prayer XP:

Burying: 72 XP per bone
Gilded Altar (two burners lit): 252 XP per bone
Ectofuntus: 288 XP per bone
Chaos Altar (Wilderness): 252 XP per bone, with a chance to save bones
Sinister Offering (Magic spell): 216 XP per bone, plus Magic XP

The gilded altar and Ectofuntus are the most popular choices, but farming bones efficiently is the first step to unlocking that XP.

Top Methods to Farm Dragon Bones

OSRS Obtaining the Dragon Platebody and Dragon Chainbody Guides

There are several ways to gather dragon bones, each suited to different playstyles, combat levels, and risk tolerances. Below, we explore the best methods, focusing on accessibility, profit, and efficiency.

Killing Green Dragons

Green dragons are the most popular source of dragon bones due to their low combat level (79) and consistent drops. They always drop dragon bones and dragonhide, making them a profitable choice even for lower-level players.

Locations:

Wilderness (West of Dark Warriors’ Fortress, near Lava Maze): Levels 12-24 Wilderness. High risk due to PKers, but multiple spawns make it efficient.
Below Myths’ Guild (Corsair Cove Dungeon): Safe, members-only area requiring Dragon Slayer II. Fewer spawns but no PK risk.
Chaos Tunnels: Multi-combat area with green dragons, but watch out for baby black dragons. Requires partial completion of What Lies Below.

Gear and Strategy:

Combat Level: 70+ recommended for melee or ranged.
Gear: Anti-dragon shield or dragonfire shield, rune crossbow with broad bolts, or melee setup with a dragon scimitar.
Inventory: Looting bag (Wilderness only), teleport runes or amulet of glory, 6-8 food (sharks or better), and antipoisons for spider spawns.
Tips: In the Wilderness, stay alert for PKers. Use single-combat areas to avoid multi-PK teams. Bank frequently to minimize losses.

Yield: Expect 100-150 dragon bones per hour in the Wilderness, depending on your combat stats and world hopping. Corsair Cove yields fewer (50-80 bones/hour) but is safer.

Blue Dragons for Steady Grinding

Blue dragons (combat level 111) are a step up but still manageable for mid-level players. They’re a favorite for Ironmen due to safe locations and decent loot alongside dragon bones.

Locations:

Taverley Dungeon: Requires 70 Agility for the shortcut or a dusty key. Popular for AFK training with safespotting.
Heroes’ Guild Basement: Requires Heroes’ Quest. Fewer spawns but safe and quiet.
Ogre Enclave (Gu’Tanoth): Requires Watchtower. Less crowded but harder to access.

Gear and Strategy:

Combat Level: 80+ recommended.
Gear: Magic (Fire Bolt with Chaos Gauntlets) or ranged (rune crossbow). Safespot using dungeon walls.
Inventory: Noted food, teleport to Falador, alch runes for blue dragonhide drops.
Tips: Use the bonecrusher to auto-bury bones for passive Prayer XP, or bank hides for Crafting profit.

Yield: 60-100 dragon bones per hour, with blue dragonhide adding 50-100k GP/hour.

Elvarg in Nightmare Zone (Ironman-Friendly)

For Ironmen, repeatedly killing Elvarg in Nightmare Zone (NMZ) practice mode is a surprisingly effective method. It’s free, safe, and requires only Dragon Slayer I completion.

Strategy:

Setup: Enter NMZ practice mode with Elvarg as the only boss. Use a dragon dagger (p++) for specials or a dragon mace.
Inventory: Anti-dragon shield, 4-6 food, and teleports to Yanille for banking.
Process: Kill Elvarg (combat level 83), pick up one dragon bone per kill, exit NMZ, bank, and repeat.
Tips: No dragonhide drops, so it’s less profitable but zero risk. Ideal for low-wealth accounts.

Yield: 40-60 dragon bones per hour, depending on banking speed.

High-Level Dragon Bone Sources

For players with higher combat stats (100+), tackling tougher dragons can yield dragon bones faster, often with better loot to offset costs.

Black Dragons

Black dragons (combat level 227) drop dragon bones and black dragonhide, with a rare chance at the draconic visage.

Locations:

Evil Chicken’s Lair: Requires Recipe for Disaster (Sir Amik Varze). Use raw chickens at the shrine near Zanaris.
Myths’ Guild Dungeon: Post-Dragon Slayer II. Fewer spawns but safe.

Gear: High-tier ranged (crossbow with diamond bolts (e)) or magic (Trident of the Seas). Bring extended antifires.

Yield: 30-50 bones/hour, but hides and rares boost profit to 200-400k GP/hour.

Vorkath for Endgame Players

Vorkath, a post-Dragon Slayer II boss, drops 2 dragon bones per kill alongside superior dragon bones and other high-value loot.

Strategy:

Gear: Void with a dragon hunter crossbow or lance, Salve amulet (ei), and extended super antifires.
Inventory: House teleport, prayer potions, high-healing food (manta rays).
Tips: Requires 80+ Ranged/Melee and practice to master the fight. Use the Woox walk to dodge acid pools.

Yield: 80-120 dragon bones/hour (40-60 kills), with 1-2M GP/hour in total loot.

Wilderness Chaos Altar for Risky Efficiency

While not a direct farming method, using the Chaos Altar in the Wilderness (level 38) to offer bones can stretch your dragon bone supply. It grants the same XP as a gilded altar (252 XP/bone) but has a 50% chance to save bones, effectively doubling your XP per bone on average.

Strategy:

Access: Teleport via burning amulet or run from Ferox Enclave.
Inventory: One inventory of unnoted dragon bones, black dragonhide armor, and a teleport (glory or combat bracelet).
Risk: Expect to lose 10-20% of bones to PKers. Bring only what you’re willing to lose.

Tip: Use low-population worlds and offer bones one inventory at a time to minimize losses.

Cost vs. Time Comparison

Deciding whether to farm or buy dragon bones depends on your goals. Here’s a breakdown:

Method	Bones/Hour	GP/Hour (Approx.)	Risk Level	Combat Req.
Green Dragons (Wildy)	100-150	200-400k	High	70+
Blue Dragons (Taverley)	60-100	100-200k	Low	80+
Elvarg (NMZ)	40-60	0	None	50+
Black Dragons	30-50	200-400k	Low	100+
Vorkath	80-120	1-2M	Medium	90+

Buying Bones: At ~2,000 GP per bone (Grand Exchange price as of 2025), training to 70 Prayer requires ~2.4M GP at a gilded altar or ~2.1M at the Ectofuntus. Farming saves gold but costs time.

Tips for Maximizing Efficiency

Regardless of your method, these tips will boost your dragon bone farming:

Use a Looting Bag: Doubles inventory space in the Wilderness.
Bonecrusher: Auto-buries bones for passive XP, saving trips for Ironmen.
High Alchemy: Alch dragonhide drops to offset food/potion costs.
World Hopping: Find less crowded worlds to kill dragons faster.
Quests: Unlock Corsair Cove, Myths’ Guild, or NMZ for safer farming spots.

By combining these strategies, you can farm dragon bones efficiently while minimizing costs and risks.

Whether you’re braving the Wilderness for green dragons, AFKing blue dragons, or battling Vorkath, there’s a method for every player to gather dragon bones in OSRS. For most, green dragons strike the best balance of accessibility and profit, while Ironmen may prefer Elvarg or blue dragons for safety. Weigh your combat level, risk tolerance, and time against the cost of buying bones to find your ideal approach. Now grab that anti-dragon shield and start boning!