Fastest Way to Get Fossils in OSRS

Fastest Way to Get Fossils in OSRS

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), fossils are a valuable resource found on Fossil Island, offering players opportunities to earn kudos, experience lamps, numulites, and Prayer experience. Whether you’re aiming to complete Varrock Museum displays or unlock Volcanic Mine, gathering fossils efficiently is key. This guide explores the fastest ways to collect fossils in OSRS, optimized for players of all levels. Let’s dive into the best methods, tips, and strategies to maximize your fossil haul.

Fossils are items obtained on Fossil Island through various activities. They come in small, medium, large, plant, and rare varieties, each with specific uses:

  • Varrock Museum Displays: Cleaned fossils complete displays, granting 2 kudos and experience lamps (2,000–5,000 XP).
  • Numulites: Trade fossils to the Fossil Collector for 100–500 numulites, used for activities like Volcanic Mine.
  • Prayer Experience: Enrich fossils at the Mycelium Pool for 500–2,500 Prayer XP per bone.
  • Ancient Wyvern Shield: Fossils can recharge this shield, though this is less common.

To collect fossils, you must complete the Bone Voyage quest (requires The Digsite and 100 kudos). Fossils are obtained unidentified and must be cleaned at a Fossil Cleaning Station before use.

Fastest Methods to Gather Fossils

Old School RuneScape OSRS What to Do With Fossils Gamer Empire

Several activities on Fossil Island yield fossils, but some are significantly faster than others. Below are the top methods, ranked by efficiency, along with their requirements and benefits.

Cutting Sulliuscep Mushrooms (Best Overall)

Chopping Sulliuscep mushrooms in the Tar Swamp is the fastest and most reliable method for collecting fossils in OSRS, offering up to 100,000 Woodcutting XP per hour and a high fossil drop rate.

  • Requirements: 65 Woodcutting, axe, rake, completion of Bone Voyage.
  • Recommended Gear: Graceful outfit, high Hitpoints (50+), Prayer level (43+ for Protect from Melee), antipoison, and food.
  • Process: Navigate the Tar Swamp, clear vines with a rake, and chop the single active Sulliuscep mushroom. Each chop has a chance to drop small, medium, or rare fossils. Move to the next mushroom as they rotate.
  • Pros: High fossil yield, excellent Woodcutting XP, relatively AFK.
  • Cons: Hazardous area with Tar Monsters (use Protect from Melee), requires inventory management.

Tip: Store fossils in nearby Fossil Storage Crates to save inventory space and avoid banking trips.

Tracking Herbiboars

Tracking Herbiboars in the Mushroom Forest is a great option for players with high Hunter levels, combining fossil collection with herb and Hunter XP gains.

  • Requirements: 80 Hunter, 31 Herblore, completion of Bone Voyage.
  • Recommended Gear: Weight-reducing gear (e.g., Graceful), stamina potions, and a knife for harvesting herbs.
  • Process: Track Herbiboars using Hunter skills, harvest herbs from their backs, and receive fossils as a secondary drop. Expect small, medium, or rare fossils.
  • Pros: Up to 160,000 Hunter XP per hour at 95 Hunter, valuable herb drops, decent fossil rate.
  • Cons: High skill requirements, less fossil-focused than Sulliusceps.

Tip: Combine with birdhouse runs for passive fossil gains if you have 31+ Hunter.

Killing Lobstrosities

For combat-focused players, killing Lobstrosities underwater offers a straightforward way to farm fossils while training combat skills.

  • Requirements: 73 Slayer (or lower with a Slayer wild card), fishbowl helmet, diving apparatus, completion of Bone Voyage.
  • Recommended Gear: High melee stats (70+ Attack/Strength), trident of the seas or whip, and food.
  • Process: Access the underwater area via the rowboat, kill Lobstrosities, and collect fossil drops. They have a decent drop rate for small and medium fossils.
  • Pros: Good combat XP, simple mechanics, fossil drops stack with numulites.
  • Cons: Requires Slayer level, less efficient than Sulliusceps for fossils.

Tip: Use a fishbowl helmet and diving apparatus to maintain 100% oxygen, avoiding the need for pufferfish.

Volcanic Mine

Mining in the Volcanic Mine is a multi-skill activity that yields fossils alongside Mining XP and numulites.

  • Requirements: 50 Mining, completion of Bone Voyage, 150 numulites per entry.
  • Recommended Gear: Prospector kit, high Mining level (70+ for efficiency), and a dragon pickaxe.
  • Process: Mine boulders in the Volcanic Mine, which occasionally drop small, medium, or rare fossils. Solo capping can also yield calcite/pyrophosphite for fossil enrichment.
  • Pros: Up to 82,000 Mining XP per hour at 99, numulite rewards, fossil drops.
  • Cons: Requires coordination in groups, slower fossil rate than Sulliusceps.

Tip: Join a Volcanic Mine group via the official OSRS Discord for better efficiency.

Setting Up for Fossil Collection

Before farming fossils, set up your Fossil Island base to streamline the process. These steps ensure you can clean and store fossils efficiently.

Building the Cleaning Bench

To clean unidentified fossils, construct the Archaeologists’ Cleaning Bench east of the Museum Camp.

  • Materials: 5 planks, 5 nails, hammer, level 5 Construction.
  • Process: Build the bench, equip leather boots and gloves, and carry a trowel, rock pick, and specimen brush (available in nearby crates). Use unidentified fossils on the bench to clean them.
  • Reward: 100 Construction XP.

Tip: Alternatively, clean fossils at the Varrock Museum’s specimen table if you’re near Varrock.

Constructing the Bank Chest

A bank chest near the cleaning bench saves time when managing fossils and gear.

Tip: Use Fossil Storage Crates across the island to store up to 70 fossils, accessible from any crate or the Varrock Museum.

Comparing Fossil Collection Methods

To help you choose the best method, here’s a comparison of the top fossil-gathering activities based on requirements, fossil yield, and additional rewards.

Method Requirements Fossil Yield XP/Hour Other Rewards
Sulliuscep Mushrooms 65 Woodcutting High 100,000 Woodcutting Numulites, logs
Herbiboar Tracking 80 Hunter, 31 Herblore Moderate 160,000 Hunter Herbs, seeds
Lobstrosities 73 Slayer Moderate 50,000–70,000 Combat Numulites, fishing bait
Volcanic Mine 50 Mining Low-Moderate 82,000 Mining Numulites, ores

Note: Sulliuscep chopping is the clear winner for fossil yield and accessibility, making it ideal for most players.

Tips for Maximizing Fossil Efficiency

Boost your fossil collection with these practical tips:

  • Use the Mycelium Transport System: Unlock Magic Mushtrees for quick travel across Fossil Island, saving time between activities.

  • Claim Free Fossils: After reconstructing the Museum Camp, talk to Peter (west of the camp) for 5 free small fossils.

  • Trade Excess Fossils: Once museum displays are complete, trade fossils to the Fossil Collector for numulites to fund Volcanic Mine or other activities.

  • Combine Activities: Pair Sulliuscep chopping with birdhouse runs or herbiboar tracking for passive fossil gains while skilling.

  • Prepare for RNG: Fossil drops are random, so expect variability. Focus on high-yield methods like Sulliusceps to minimize grind time.

What to Do with Your Fossils

Once you’ve collected fossils, decide how to use them based on your goals:

Complete Varrock Museum Displays

Use cleaned fossils to fill 36 displays (14 small, 12 medium, 5 large, 5 plant), requiring 70 small, 60 medium, 25 large, and 25 plant fossils. This grants 72 kudos and 120,000 total XP via lamps.

Train Prayer

Enrich fossils at the Mycelium Pool (requires calcite and pyrophosphite) and process them at the Strange Machine for Prayer XP. Rare enriched bones yield 2,500 XP each, ideal for ironmen.

Trade for Numulites

Sell fossils to the Fossil Collector for numulites (100 for small, 200 for medium/plant, 300 for large, 500 for rare) to fund island activities.

By focusing on Sulliuscep chopping and supplementing with Herbiboar tracking or Lobstrosities, you’ll amass fossils quickly while earning valuable XP and rewards. Happy fossil hunting in OSRS!