Hunter 1-99 Guide Best Methods for Fast Leveling

OSRS Hunter 1-99 Guide Best Methods for Fast Leveling

Ever wondered how to turn that dusty Hunter cape dream into reality without losing your mind in Old School RuneScape? I’ve been there, grinding through levels on my main account back when updates were slower and methods felt ancient. As someone who’s maxed Hunter twice now once on an Ironman and once on a regular account I can tell you it’s all about mixing smart methods with a bit of patience. This guide breaks down the journey from 1 to 99, focusing on fast, efficient paths while tossing in some profitable or AFK options. We’ll cover quests, gear, and those post-Varlamore tweaks that changed everything. Stick around, and you’ll hit 99 feeling like a pro.

First off, what even is Hunter in OSRS? It’s that skill where you sneak around Gielinor setting traps for critters, butterflies, and bigger beasts. Sounds simple, right? But it ramps up quick. I started Hunter thinking it’d be chill, like Fishing, but nope it’s hands-on at times. You gain XP by catching creatures, and higher levels unlock better spots with more traps. Max traps hit five at level 80, which speeds things up big time. Why train it? Besides the cape, it’s key for quests, clues, and even some bossing prep. Plus, that Herbiboar grind? Gold for herblore secondaries.

Before jumping in, knock out a few quests. They’re like free XP boosters.

Must-Do Quests:

• Varrock Museum Quiz: Instant level 9. Super easy, just answer trivia downstairs in the museum.
• Bone Voyage: Unlocks Fossil Island for birdhouses and more. You’ll need this for passive gains.
• Priest in Peril: Opens Morytania for swamp lizards.
• Eagles’ Peak: Gets you to level 29-ish with box traps unlocked.
• Perilous Moons: Newer one from Varlamore, bumps you to 20-26 and opens moss lizards.

On gear, keep it light. Graceful outfit is king for run energy, especially early on. Stamina potions? Stock up, they’ll save your sanity during chases.

Here’s a quick table of core gear by method:

I always carry a few Hunter potions for boosts. Remember that time I forgot them at level 12 and wasted hours on subpar birds? Lesson learned.

Starting Out Levels 1-9

So, how do you kick off Hunter without gear? Head to Varrock Museum. Talk to Orlando Smith in the basement and nail the Natural History Quiz. Runelite highlights answers if you’re stuck it’s a breeze. Boom, 1,000 XP and you’re at level 9 in minutes. No hunting needed yet.

Why skip the grind here? Because polar kebbits at level 1 are slow and snowy. I tried it once for nostalgia, caught like three before quitting. Quiz is the way.

Early Levels 9-29 Building Basics

At level 9, what’s next? Copper longtails in Piscatoris. Grab bird snares, head west of the falconry fence. Set traps on darker grass patches, wait, check, reset. It’s basic, but gets you to 12 fast maybe 10 minutes.

Boost to 15 with a Hunter potion and mix in ruby harvest butterflies. Use a butterfly net, catch and release with shift-drop. This combo triples your XP rate. I did this on my Ironman, juggling snares and butterflies felt like a dance, but it flew me to 20 in under half an hour.

From 20, Perilous Moons quest if you can handle the combat. It gives 5,000 XP, landing you at 26, and unlocks moss lizards in Moons of Peril cavern. Set traps on rocks, rustle bushes to lure them. Pattern: 1-3, then 2-4 traps. SUPER efficient with stamina pots.

No quest access? Stick to feldip weasels in Feldip Hills. Use a noose wand and Ring of Pursuit to track. Around 14k XP/hour. Teleport with fairy ring AKS, run south. Waterskins if desert-y, but it’s chill.

Hit 27? Eagles’ Peak quest for 2,500 XP to 29 and box traps. Quick quest, worth it.

Mid-Levels 29-47 Swamp and Desert Vibes

Level 29 opens swamp lizards in Morytania, southeast of Canifis. Need ropes and small nets per trap. Set up to three traps (boost if needed), catch, release. About 60k XP/hour with good rhythm. I grinded here for hours on my first account, the swamp fog made it atmospheric, but watch for ghasts rotting food.

At 37, keep lizards or switch to sapphire glacialis butterflies at Mons Gratia for 25-33k XP/hour. Less intensive, good if you’re multitasking.

Level 43? Falconry time in Piscatoris. Rent a gyr falcon for 500gp from Matthias. Catch spotted kebbits (level 43), then dark (57), dashing (69). Up to 60k XP/hour, but click-heavy. Pro tip: Position south for best spawns. I used this to break up monotony, recalling birds mid-chat with friends.

Alternative at 47: Orange salamanders in Uzer desert. Fairy ring DLQ, bring waterskins and desert robes. 70k XP/hour, four traps possible. Desert heat sucks, but the XP flows.

Wondering about profitability? Salamanders sell okay, but release for pure speed.

Pushing Higher 47-70 Salamanders and Chinchompas

This bracket’s where it heats up. At 47, orange salamanders as above, but level 53 brings red chinchompas in Feldip Hills. Box traps, catch these explosive guys. 150-200k XP/hour at higher levels, but start around 100k.

Why chins? They’re meta for fast training. I spent weekends here, stacking chins for ranged training later. Profitable too sell for 1-2k each.

Level 59: Red salamanders near Ourania Altar. Better spot, 110k XP/hour, safer than wilderness.

At 60, stick with reds or go black salamanders in wilderness (level 67 needed, but boost). 140k XP/hour with five traps at 80. Low PK risk if you’re careful I got jumped once, lost nothing but time.

Mix in birdhouse runs from level 9 onward. Fossil Island, after Bone Voyage. Set four houses with seeds, wait 50 minutes, harvest. 1-4k XP per run early, up to 20k later with redwoods at 89. Do them passive while questing. I hit 72 mostly from birdhouses over months, logging in quick.

Advanced Levels 70-99 The Grind Pays Off

Past 70, options explode thanks to Varlamore. Hunters’ Rumours in the guild best from 72. Talk to guild hunters for tasks like rare creature hunts. 8 minutes per rumour, up to 240k XP/hour at 91+ with blocklist. Block bad tasks for efficiency. I set up my blocklist watching guides, turned rumours into a XP machine.

What if no blocklist? Still solid at 150-200k.

Level 80: Herbiboar on Fossil Island. 150k XP/hour, plus herblore herbs. Need 77 with boost, magic secateurs, graceful. Track, harvest with secateurs. Profitable for mains, herby for Ironmen. My favorite I farmed thousands of herbs here, felt like double skilling.

AFK fans: Maniacal monkeys post-Monkey Madness II, level 60. 80-100k XP/hour, chill with box traps.

Or drift net fishing at 44 (but better later). Underwater Fossil Island, 60-116k Hunter XP/hour split with Fishing. Great if dual-training.

Black chinchompas in wilderness at 73. 250k+ XP/hour, but risky. Bring cheap gear, bank often. I skipped this on my Ironman, too sketchy.

Aerial fishing at 35/43, but slow solo. Better with friends.

Profitable vs AFK vs Fast Breakdown

Fastest overall: Mix quests, lizards, salamanders, then rumours/Herbiboar. ~75 hours active.

Profitable: Chins or Herbiboar. Reds net millions.

AFK: Birdhouses (passive), pyre foxes at 51, or monkeys.

Ironman tips: Farm your own traps, use rumours for variety.

Tips and Tricks from an OSRS Vet

Runelite plugins? Essential. Tag creatures, highlight traps.

Stamina management: Pots and graceful always.

Boosts: Hunter potions for early unlocks.

Multi-skill: Hunter pairs with herblore or ranged.

Avoid burnout: Mix methods. I alternated rumours with Netflix birdhouses.

Common mistakes? Forgetting to reset traps or ignoring bird runs. I lost weeks once by skipping passives.

Is 99 worth it? Absolutely. That cape flex, plus unlocks like better clues.

Wrapping up, Hunter’s evolved with Varlamore making it faster and funner. Follow this path, and you’ll cruise to 99. Share your grinds in comments what’s your fave method?

There you have it, from my experiences to proven strats. Happy hunting!