1-99 Runecrafting Guide OSRS F2P

Runecrafting in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) free-to-play (F2P) is a challenging yet rewarding skill that allows players to craft runes for magic spells. While it’s known for being one of the slowest skills to level, with the right strategies, you can make steady progress and even turn a profit. This guide covers the most efficient methods to reach level 99 Runecrafting in F2P, tailored for both beginners and seasoned players looking to optimize their grind.

Runecrafting offers unique benefits, even in the F2P world. It’s a gateway to self-sufficiency for magic users, as you can craft your own runes instead of buying them. Plus, it’s a profitable skill, with runes like body runes fetching decent prices on the Grand Exchange. For those aiming for a maxed F2P account, Runecrafting is a prestigious milestone, showcasing dedication and patience.

Key Benefits of Runecrafting

• Profitability: Crafting runes can yield a steady income, especially at higher levels.
• Magic Support: Runes fuel spells like Weaken and Confuse, essential for F2P combat training.
• Prestige: Achieving 99 Runecrafting in F2P is a rare feat, earning respect in the community.

Getting Started with Runecrafting

Before diving into the grind, you’ll need to unlock Runecrafting by completing the Rune Mysteries quest. This short quest, available to all F2P players, introduces you to the basics of rune creation and grants access to the rune essence mine.

Essential Items for Runecrafting

To maximize efficiency, gather these items:

• Pure Essence: Cheaper than rune essence and yields the same XP in F2P. Buy from the Grand Exchange or trade with players.
• Talismans or Tiaras: Required to enter runic altars. Tiaras save inventory space and speed up altar access.
• Energy Potions: Restore 10% run energy per dose, boosting XP rates by 30–50%.
• Weight-Reducing Gear: Items like boots of lightness reduce energy drain, making runs faster.

Why Use Tiaras?

Crafting a tiara (e.g., air tiara, earth tiara) by using a talisman on its respective altar frees up an inventory slot and allows left-click access to altars. This small quality-of-life improvement adds up over thousands of trips, saving time and boosting XP.

Level 1-20: Building the Foundation

The early levels of Runecrafting are the slowest, but they set the stage for faster methods later. Focus on crafting runes that balance XP and accessibility.

Levels 1-9: Air Runes

Start by crafting air runes at the Air Altar south of Falador. Each pure essence grants 5 XP, and a full inventory of 28 essences yields 140 XP. The altar’s proximity to Falador’s bank makes this method straightforward.

• Essence Needed: ~194 (7 inventories).
• XP Needed: 969.
• Tip: Use an air tiara to save a slot and drink energy potions while running to maintain energy.

Levels 9-14: Earth Runes

At level 9, switch to earth runes at the Earth Altar northeast of Varrock. Each essence grants 6.5 XP (182 XP per inventory). The altar is close to Varrock’s east bank, and Varrock Teleport (with a staff of air) speeds up banking if you have 25 Magic.

• Essence Needed: ~211.
• XP Needed: 1,372.
• Tip: Sell accumulated air runes to fund pure essence purchases.

Levels 14-20: Fire Runes

From level 14, craft fire runes at the Fire Altar west of the Emir’s Arena in Al Kharid. Each essence provides 7 XP (196 XP per inventory). The bank distance is slightly longer, so prioritize energy potions and weight-reducing gear.

• Essence Needed: ~486.
• XP Needed: 3,400.
• Tip: Fire runes are useful for combat spells, so consider keeping some for personal use.

Level 20-99: The Body Rune Grind

From level 20, crafting body runes becomes the most efficient F2P method for both XP and profit. The Body Altar, located between Edgeville and the Barbarian Village, offers 7.5 XP per essence (210 XP per inventory). Higher levels unlock multiple runes per essence, boosting profit without extra XP.

Why Body Runes?

Body runes are the highest-level runes craftable in F2P, and their altar is reasonably close to a bank. They’re also in demand for spells like Confuse and Weaken, ensuring good resale value. Here’s how the rune output scales:

Runecrafting Level	Body Runes per Essence
20-45	1
46-91	2
92-99	3

Optimizing Body Rune Runs

To maximize XP per hour, follow these tips:

• Use a Body Tiara: Saves a slot and speeds up altar entry.
• Teleport for Banking: With 31 Magic, use Lumbridge Teleport (staff of air, law, and earth runes) to bank at Lumbridge’s F2P PvP world chest for ~30% faster runs.
• Energy Management: Drink energy potions every trip to maintain 100% run energy.
• Bank Efficiently: Withdraw essence and potions quickly using bank presets.

XP and Essence Requirements

Reaching 99 Runecrafting requires 13,034,431 XP. Here’s a breakdown for body runes from level 20:

Level Range	XP Needed	Essence Needed	Approx. Hours (32k XP/hr)
20-46	91,509	~12,201	~3
46-92	3,960,883	~528,118	~124
92-99	8,977,258	~1,196,968	~280
Total	13,029,650	~1,737,287	~407

Assuming ~32,000 XP per hour with teleports and potions, the journey takes around 400–450 hours. Without teleports, expect closer to 20,000 XP per hour and 600+ hours.

Alternative Method: Crafting Tiaras

For players with significant gold reserves, crafting tiaras offers a faster but costly alternative. Each tiara (e.g., water tiara at level 1, body tiara at 20) grants 30 XP, and you can craft up to 14 per inventory (420 XP).

Tiara Crafting Strategy

Focus on body tiaras at level 20 for the best XP rates. Use the F2P PvP world method:

• Requirements: 31 Magic, skull sceptre (i), staff of air, law/earth runes, energy potions.
• Method: Teleport to Barbarian Village via skull sceptre (i), run to the Body Altar, craft tiaras, then Lumbridge Teleport to bank. Repeat.
• XP Rates: Up to 47,000 XP per hour, but at a high cost (~10-15 GP per XP).

Is Tiara Crafting Worth It?

Tiara crafting is ideal for players prioritizing speed over profit. It’s roughly 50% faster than body runes but requires millions in gold for tiaras and talismans. If you’re low on funds, stick to body runes.

Tips for Staying Motivated

The Runecrafting grind is long, so keeping your spirits high is key. Here are some strategies to avoid burnout:

Break Up the Grind

Alternate Runecrafting with other activities like combat training or questing. Set daily XP goals (e.g., 50k XP) to make progress feel manageable.

Track Your Progress

Use a skill calculator to monitor how many essences or trips remain. Watching your level climb can be a great motivator.

Join a Community

Chat with other F2P players in a clan chat or on forums. Sharing tips and milestones makes the journey less lonely.

With dedication, you’ll hit 99 Runecrafting and join the ranks of F2P legends. Grab your essence, craft those runes, and enjoy the grind!