OSRS Bank Standing Skills Guide for Efficient Skilling
Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a game that rewards efficiency, and bank standing skills offer players a way to train without constant movement or resource gathering. These skills allow you to stay near a bank, minimizing travel time and maximizing experience gains. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a newcomer, mastering bank standing skills can save time and make your skilling sessions more relaxed. In this guide, we’ll explore the best bank standing skills, their benefits, and how to optimize them for both experience and profit, all while keeping your gameplay engaging.
Bank standing skills refer to skills in OSRS that can be trained primarily or entirely while standing near a bank. These skills rely on items that can be stored in your bank, allowing you to withdraw materials, process them, and deposit the results without leaving the bank area. This method is ideal for players who prefer low-effort training or want to multitask while skilling.
Why Choose Bank Standing Skills?
Bank standing skills are popular for several reasons:
- Convenience: No need to travel across Gielinor to gather resources.
- Efficiency: Quick access to materials speeds up training.
- Multitasking: Perfect for players watching videos or chatting.
- Profit Potential: Some methods yield items that sell well on the Grand Exchange.
Which Skills Qualify as Bank Standing?
Not all OSRS skills can be trained at a bank, but several lend themselves to this method. The primary bank standing skills include:
Each of these skills has methods that allow you to stay near a bank, and we’ll dive into the best approaches below.
Top Bank Standing Skills and Methods
Let’s break down the most effective bank standing skills, including specific methods, requirements, and potential rewards. These methods are designed to balance experience rates with cost and effort.
Herblore: Mixing Potions
Herblore is one of the most popular bank standing skills due to its fast experience rates and profitability. Players mix herbs with secondary ingredients to create potions, all while standing at a bank.
- Requirements: Varies by potion (e.g., 3 for Attack potions, 45 for Super strengths).
- Method: Withdraw 14 herbs and 14 vials of water, combine to make unfinished potions, then add secondary ingredients.
- Experience: Up to 250,000 XP/hour with high-level potions like Super combat potions.
- Cost: Can be expensive, but some potions (e.g., Prayer potions) are profitable.
Tip: Use the bank preset feature to quickly withdraw items and speed up the process.
Crafting: Cutting Gems or Making Jewelry
Crafting offers several bank standing methods, such as cutting gems or crafting jewelry, both of which are simple and effective.
- Gem Cutting: Requires a chisel and uncut gems (e.g., sapphires at level 20, diamonds at 43). Yields up to 120,000 XP/hour.
- Jewelry Crafting: Use a gold bar and gem to craft necklaces or amulets. Requires a furnace nearby but can be done with portable forges.
- Profit: Cutting opals or crafting gold amulets can break even or turn a small profit.
Tip: Buy uncut gems in bulk from the Grand Exchange to save time and money.
Fletching: Stringing Bows or Making Darts
Fletching is a fast and affordable bank standing skill, perfect for players looking to level quickly without breaking the bank.
- Stringing Bows: Combine unstrung bows with bowstrings. Yields up to 200,000 XP/hour with yew or magic longbows.
- Making Darts: Attach feathers to dart tips. Extremely fast, up to 700,000 XP/hour with high focus.
- Cost: Stringing bows is often profitable; darts can be costly depending on the metal.
Tip: Use a bank with minimal lag (e.g., Grand Exchange) to maximize clicks per hour.
Optimizing Your Bank Standing Setup
To get the most out of bank standing skills, you need an efficient setup. This includes choosing the right location, managing inventory, and using game features to your advantage.
Best Bank Locations
Not all banks are equal for skilling. Here are the top spots for bank standing:
| Location | Benefits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Exchange | Central hub, minimal lag, easy access to buy/sell items. | None |
| Castle Wars | Quiet, close to a bank chest, good for focused skilling. | None |
| Lumbridge Castle | Close to a bank chest, ideal for free-to-play players. | None |
| Prifddinas | Access to skill-boosting altars, close bank proximity. | Song of the Elves quest |
Using Bank Presets and Interfaces
Bank presets allow you to withdraw a set number of items with one click, drastically reducing setup time. Configure presets for each skill (e.g., 14 herbs, 14 vials for Herblore). Additionally, keep the bank interface open while skilling to deposit items quickly.
Tip: Bind the preset to a hotkey for even faster access.
Balancing Cost, Experience, and Profit
Bank standing skills can be expensive, but with the right methods, you can minimize costs or even turn a profit. Here’s how to approach each skill strategically.
Herblore Cost vs. Profit
Herblore is notoriously costly, but certain potions offer better value:
- Prayer Potions: Often break even or profit due to high demand.
- Super Attack/Strength: Cheaper to make, decent XP, but less profitable.
Check Grand Exchange prices daily to find the most cost-effective potions.
Crafting and Fletching Profit Potential
Crafting and Fletching have methods that can be profitable if you play the market:
- Crafting: Gold amulets (unstrung) often sell for more than their crafting cost.
- Fletching: Stringing yew longbows is a reliable profit method due to alching value.
Tip: Use a price tracker like GE Tracker to monitor margins.
Tips for Staying Engaged While Bank Standing
Bank standing can feel repetitive, but there are ways to keep it enjoyable and productive.
Multitasking Ideas
Since bank standing requires minimal movement, it’s perfect for multitasking. Try these:
- Watch Streams/Videos: Catch up on OSRS content or entertainment.
- Chat in Clan: Join a clan chat to socialize while skilling.
- Plan Your Next Goal: Use downtime to map out your next skill or quest.
Avoiding Burnout
To prevent boredom, mix up your bank standing skills or set short-term goals:
- Rotate Skills: Spend an hour on Herblore, then switch to Fletching.
- Mini-Goals: Aim for a level milestone (e.g., 70 Herblore) in one session.
- Take Breaks: Step away every hour to stay fresh.
Leveraging Boosts and Bonuses
Maximize your XP rates with these boosts:
- Skilling Outfits: Outfits like the Crafting cape or Fletching cape offer small XP boosts.
- Clan Avatar: Provides a 3-6% XP boost if your clan has one.
- Bonus XP Weekends: Plan heavy skilling during double XP events.
Tip: Check the OSRS news for upcoming events that might offer temporary boosts.
Bank standing skills in OSRS are a fantastic way to train efficiently while keeping your gameplay low-effort. Whether you’re mixing potions in Herblore, cutting gems in Crafting, or stringing bows in Fletching, these methods offer flexibility, decent XP rates, and even profit potential. By choosing the right bank location, optimizing your setup, and staying engaged, you can make the most of your skilling sessions. Start experimenting with these methods today, and watch your skill levels soar!