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Black Dragon Leather OSRS Ultimate Guide

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), Black Dragon Leather is a key material for crafting high-tier ranged armor, offering players a way to boost their Crafting skill while creating valuable gear. Whether you’re a skiller, a PvM enthusiast, or a Slayer task grinder, understanding how to obtain and use Black Dragon Leather can enhance your gameplay. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about Black Dragon Leather, from sourcing Black Dragonhide to crafting Black Dragonhide armor, with tips to maximize profit and experience.
Black Dragon Leather is a processed material used in the Crafting skill to create Black Dragonhide armor, a popular choice for rangers due to its high ranged attack and defense bonuses. It’s made by tanning Black Dragonhide, which is a 100% drop from Black Dragons, Brutal Black Dragons, Lava Dragons, and the King Black Dragon (KBD). Each piece of Black Dragonhide armor requires specific Crafting levels and grants 86 experience per hide used, making it a solid method for both skilling and money-making.
Key Features of Black Dragon Leather
- Tradeable: Yes, available on the Grand Exchange with a buy limit of 10,000.
- Members Only: Requires a membership to use.
- Crafting XP: 86 XP per hide when crafting armor.
- Primary Use: Crafting Black Dragonhide armor (body, chaps, vambraces, and shield).
How to Obtain Black Dragon Leather
Black Dragon Leather is created by tanning Black Dragonhide, which can be obtained through combat or purchased directly from the Grand Exchange. Below are the primary methods to acquire it.
Farming Black Dragonhide
The most direct way to get Black Dragonhide is by killing Black Dragons or their variants. Here are the best locations and strategies:
- Taverley Dungeon: Contains two Black Dragons in the common area and 12 in the Slayer-only area (requires a Black Dragon Slayer task). Use a dusty key or 70 Agility to access. Safespots near the ladder allow ranged attacks with minimal risk.
- Evil Chicken’s Lair: Accessed via Zanaris with a raw chicken, this area has four Black Dragons and is rarely crowded. Ideal for players with access to Fairy Rings.
- Myths’ Guild Basement: Post-Dragon Slayer II, this spot has Black Dragons close to a bank, accessible with the Mythical Cape teleport.
- Wilderness Locations: Lava Maze Dungeon and Revenant Caves host Black Dragons but carry PKer risks. Use a Burning Amulet for quick access.
Tip: Equip an anti-dragon shield or use an Antifire potion to negate dragonfire damage. Ranged setups with high-level crossbows (e.g., Rune Crossbow) are recommended, as Black Dragons are weak to bolts.
Tanning Black Dragonhide
Once you have Black Dragonhide, you need to tan it into Black Dragon Leather. There are two main methods:
- Tanner NPCs: Pay 20 coins per hide (45 coins at Sbott in Canifis) to tanners in Al Kharid, Ranging Guild, Canifis, Crafting Guild, or Forthos Dungeon.
- Tan Leather Spell: Requires 78 Magic, Lunar Diplomacy, and Hard Fremennik Diary. Costs runes but is faster and grants Magic XP (129K XP/hour).
Profit Tip: Tanning with the spell can yield around 1.5M gold per hour if you use high-value hides like Black Dragonhide, depending on Grand Exchange prices.
Crafting Black Dragonhide Armor
Black Dragon Leather is used to craft Black Dragonhide armor, which requires a needle, thread, and specific Crafting levels. The armor is ideal for mid-to-high-level rangers and provides excellent ranged bonuses.
Black Dragonhide Armor Crafting Table
Item | Crafting Level | Leather Required | XP Gained | Ranged Level Required |
---|---|---|---|---|
Black D’hide Vambraces | 79 | 1 | 86 | 70 |
Black D’hide Chaps | 82 | 2 | 172 | 70 |
Black D’hide Body | 84 | 3 | 258 | 70 |
Black D’hide Shield | 83 | 2 | 172 | 40 Defence |
Note: Crafting on Fossil Island requires 84 Crafting for certain items and additional materials like a hammer, redwood shield, and rune nails.
Why Craft Black Dragonhide Armor?
- High XP Rates: Crafting a Black D’hide Body grants 258 XP, making it efficient for leveling.
- Profit Potential: Depending on Grand Exchange prices, crafting and selling armor can be profitable, especially for chaps and bodies.
- Utility: The armor is widely used for Slayer tasks, PvM, and PvP due to its balanced stats.
Money-Making with Black Dragon Leather
Black Dragon Leather offers several money-making opportunities, whether through farming, tanning, or crafting. Here are the top methods:
Killing Black Dragons
Killing Black Dragons yields Black Dragonhide and Dragon Bones, both high-value drops. At 20 kills per hour in the Evil Chicken’s Lair or Myths’ Guild, you can expect:
- Dragon Bones: ~3,000 GP each, totaling ~60,000 GP/hour.
- Black Dragonhide: ~3,000 GP each, totaling ~60,000 GP/hour.
- Total Profit: Approximately 120,000–150,000 GP/hour, plus combat XP.
Requirements: 70+ Ranged, anti-dragon shield, and food for lower levels. Myths’ Guild access requires Dragon Slayer II.
Tanning and Flipping
Tanning Black Dragonhide into Leather can be profitable, especially with the Tan Leather spell. Recent Reddit discussions suggest Black Dragon Leather prices spiked due to bot bans affecting Vorkath, a major hide source, creating flipping opportunities (r/OSRSflipping, 2024). Check GE Tracker for live prices to maximize margins.
Steps:
- Buy Black Dragonhide in bulk (check GE prices).
- Tan using the spell or a tanner.
- Sell Black Dragon Leather or craft into armor for higher margins.
Profit Example: Tanning 1,000 hides/hour at a 2,000 GP profit per hide yields 2M GP/hour, though margins vary.
Tips and Tricks for Black Dragon Leather
Maximize your efficiency and profits with these expert tips:
Optimizing Slayer Tasks
Black Dragons are a common Slayer task from Konar, Nieve, Duradel, or Krystilia. Use these strategies:
- Baby Black Dragons: Found in Taverley Dungeon, they’re easier to kill but drop less valuable hides.
- Brutal Black Dragons: Higher risk but better drops, including Ensouled Dragon Heads.
- Expeditious Bracelets: Speed up kills by reducing Slayer task counts.
Gear and Inventory Setup
For farming Black Dragons:
- Weapons: Rune Crossbow or Armadyl Crossbow with diamond bolts (e).
- Armor: Blessed D’hide or Karil’s for better defense.
- Inventory: Anti-dragon shield, Antifire potion, food (sharks or better), and teleports (Falador or Zanaris).
Avoiding PKers in the Wilderness
If farming in the Wilderness (Lava Maze or Revenant Caves), take precautions:
- Bring only 3–4 valuable items to protect on death.
- Use Protect Item prayer to save an extra item.
- Bank frequently and watch for player-killers.
Market Monitoring
Black Dragon Leather prices fluctuate due to bot activity, updates, and demand for ranged gear. Use GE Tracker to monitor trends and time your buys/sells for maximum profit.
Conclusion: Black Dragon Leather is a versatile and profitable resource in OSRS, offering opportunities for combat, skilling, and money-making. Whether you’re farming Black Dragons, tanning hides, or crafting armor, this guide provides the tools to succeed. Start your Black Dragon Leather journey today and watch your Crafting XP and gold stack grow!