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OSRS Easiest Skill to 99: Your Ultimate Beginner-Friendly Breakdown

OSRS Easiest Skill to 99 Your Ultimate Beginner-Friendly Breakdown
Ever wondered which skill in Old School RuneScape is the absolute easiest to grind all the way to 99? As a longtime player who’s sunk countless hours into the game, maxing out skills on multiple accounts, I get asked this all the time. People want that shiny skill cape without pulling their hair out over endless clicks or bankrupting their GP stash. Well, after years of trial and error, I can confidently say Firemaking takes the crown for easiest overall. It’s not always the fastest, but when you factor in low effort, profitability, and how forgiving it is for newbies, nothing beats it. Don’t get me wrong, skills like Cooking or Fletching can zip you to 99 quicker if you’re loaded and love intense sessions, but for most folks? Firemaking is where it’s at. Let me break it down for you, sharing some of my own stories along the way.
First off, why even chase a 99? It’s that rush of achievement, right? Your first one feels epic. I remember my initial maxed skill it was Cooking, back when I was a total noob scrambling for gold. But looking back, I wish I’d started with Firemaking. It would’ve saved me so much frustration.
Ease isn’t just about raw speed. Sure, blasting through levels in under 10 hours sounds great, but if it costs a fortune or requires pixel-perfect timing, is it really easy? Nah. Let’s think about the key stuff that matters.
Factors to Consider When Picking Your First 99
- Speed: How many hours until you’re done? Faster methods often mean more focus.
- Cost: Will it drain your bank or even make you money?
- Effort Level: AFK-friendly or click-heavy? Nobody wants carpal tunnel.
- Requirements: Do you need high levels in other skills or quests first?
- Profitability: Turning a profit while training? That’s a win.
From my experience, the best easy skills balance these. I’ve tried the grindy ones like Agility trust me, that’s a nightmare of endless laps. But for something chill? Stick to the buyables or minigames.
Top Easiest Skills to Hit 99 in OSRS
Based on community chats, guides, and my own runs, here are the frontrunners. I’ll rank them by overall ease, not just time. Spoiler: Firemaking tops my list, but I’ll cover why others might suit you better.
Firemaking: The Chill King’s Choice
Ah, Firemaking. This one’s my pick for easiest, hands down. Why? It’s semi-AFK, profitable, and you can start early without fancy gear. I got my 99 on my main account mostly through Wintertodt, and it felt like cheating. You’re not just burning logs you’re playing a minigame that rewards you with crates full of seeds, ores, and fish. Perfect for stocking up other skills.
Want the basics? From level 1 to 50, light regular logs up to maples. Takes maybe 35 minutes if you’re efficient. Then, dive into Wintertodt at 50. That’s where the magic happens. You light braziers, chop roots, and fend off the cold. XP rates hit around 300,000 per hour at higher levels, and the whole grind to 99? About 55-65 hours if you go pure Wintertodt. But get this it’s profitable! I made like 8 million GP from drops on one run, covering supplies and more.
Pro Tip: Wear warm gear like Santa hats or pyromancer outfits to minimize damage. And always repair braziers for max points.
Is it boring? Sometimes. But compared to clicking a thousand times on a range for Cooking? Way better. I used to multitask watch Netflix while doing Wintertodt runs. Ended up with 99 and a binge-watched series. If you’re ironman, this is gold since it gives resources for Herblore or Farming.
Alternative method: Burning higher logs like yews or redwoods from 50-99. Faster at 35 hours, but costs 23 million GP. Not as easy on the wallet.
Cooking: Fast but Fussy
Cooking is a close second, especially if you want speed over everything. It’s what I did first, and boy, was it quick. You can hit 99 in 16-24 hours with the right setup. But it’s more hands-on than Firemaking.
Start with shrimps or herring up to 15-20, then trout and salmon to 30. From there, jugs of wine to 70 (super cheap, around 20 million total for the skill). Past that? 1-tick karambwans for insane XP up to a million per hour. Hold space or ‘2’ and spam raw fish on a fire every tick. Sounds simple, but it requires focus.
My story: I burned so many sharks early on, wasting gold like an idiot. Learned the hard way to use Hosidius Kitchen for 5% less burn rate. Saved me tons.
Why it’s easy: Low requirements, and you can profit by selling cooked food. But if your internet lags? Frustrating.
Question: Can you AFK Cooking? Kinda, with wines, but not really for max efficiency.
Fletching: The Speed Demon’s Dream
Fletching? This bad boy can get you to 99 in as little as 3-8 hours. Yeah, you read that right. But it’s expensive around 120-150 million GP and super click-intensive.
Method: Start with bronze arrows to 10, then darts all the way. Mithril darts for budget, dragon darts for speed demons hitting 4-9 million XP per hour. Use mouse keys (Jagex-approved) to fly through it.
I tried this on an alt account once. Finished in a weekend, but my fingers ached. Felt like a bot, honestly. Great for quick capes, though.
Is it the easiest? If you have cash and stamina, yes. Otherwise, nah passes the ease test for most.
Other Contenders Worth Mentioning
Prayer: 10-12 hours with superior dragon bones on a gilded altar. Costs a fortune (200+ million), but low effort once set up. I did this after bosses for bones felt rewarding.
Construction: 22 hours building mahogany tables or gnome benches. 180 million GP, high clicks. Good if you want a fancy house.
What about Magic? Nah, too varied and costly for “easy.”
Why Firemaking Edges Out as the True Easiest
Look, speed is cool, but ease means not hating the process. Firemaking via Wintertodt is forgiving you can mess up and still progress. Plus, it’s group-friendly; join worlds with teams for better runs. My clan used to hop in together, chatting while grinding. Made it social.
Compare that to Fletching’s marathon clicking or Cooking‘s burn risks. Firemaking? Set it and semi-forget it.
And here’s a table to visualize:
Skill | Time to 99 (Hours) | Cost (Million GP) | Effort Level | Profit Potential |
---|---|---|---|---|
Firemaking | 55-65 (Wintertodt) | Profitable (6-10M) | Low (Semi-AFK) | High |
Cooking | 16-24 | 10-20 | Medium (Clicky) | Medium |
Fletching | 3-8 | 120-150 | High (Intense) | Low |
Prayer | 10-12 | 200+ | Low | None |
Construction | 22 | 180 | High | None |
See? Firemaking wins on balance.
Tips and Tricks from an OSRS Vet
Want to make your grind smoother? Here’s what I’ve learned.
- Gear Up Right: For Firemaking, pyromancer set boosts XP by 2.5%. Grab it from Wintertodt crates.
- Bank Efficiently: Use lunar isle for log burning less running.
- Quest First: Do Firemaking-related quests like Making History for early boosts.
- Ironman Mode?: Wintertodt is your best friend for resources.
Question: How do I avoid getting bored? Mix it up! Do short sessions, alternate skills.
One time, I aimed for 99 Firemaking during a double XP weekend. Nailed it in under 50 hours, thanks to boosts. Felt AMAZING.
Common Mistakes to Dodge
Don’t burn low-level logs forever wastes time. Skip straight to Wintertodt at 50.
Avoid overcrowded worlds lag kills efficiency.
And never forget food at Wintertodt those hits add up.
FAQs: Your Burning Questions Answered
What’s the absolute fastest skill? Fletching, no doubt. But easiest? Firemaking.
Can I do this F2P? Yeah, but slower. Burn willows or yews in Varrock.
How much GP do I need to start? For Firemaking, basically zero if you chop your own logs.
Is 99 worth it? Totally. Unlocks diaries, capes with perks like unlimited teleports.
Wrapping up, if you’re new or just want an easy win, go Firemaking. It’s forgiving, fun in its own way, and sets you up for more. I’ve maxed it on three accounts now, and each time it’s been a breeze. What skill are you tackling first? Drop your thoughts below I’d love to hear. Grind on, adventurers!
That covers the basics and then some. If you follow this, you’ll be caped in no time. Remember, OSRS is about the journey, but a quick 99 sure helps.