Ammonite Crab Training OSRS Ultimate Guide

Ammonite Crabs in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) are a go-to choice for players looking to train combat skills efficiently. Found exclusively on Fossil Island, these creatures offer high hitpoints, low combat stats, and an AFK-friendly training experience, making them ideal for melee, ranged, and even magic training. This guide dives into everything you need to know about Ammonite Crab training, from accessing Fossil Island to optimizing your setup for maximum XP gains.

Ammonite Crabs stand out among other training spots like Sand Crabs or Rock Crabs due to their unique advantages. They’re perfect for players who want a low-effort, high-reward training method.

High Hitpoints for Better XP

With 100 hitpoints, Ammonite Crabs provide 400 XP per kill, significantly more than Rock Crabs (50 HP, 200 XP) or Sand Crabs (60 HP, 240 XP). This makes them the best choice for faster combat leveling, especially at mid-to-high levels.

AFK-Friendly Training

Ammonite Crabs are aggressive for 10 minutes before becoming tolerant, allowing you to set up auto-retaliate and focus on other tasks. Their low attack (1) and defense (1) mean you take minimal damage, extending your training sessions with little food required.

Unique Drops and Fossil Island Benefits

Beyond XP, Ammonite Crabs drop items like numulite, seaweed spores, and unidentified fossils, which can be used for profit or to gain XP in other skills at the Varrock Museum. These extras add value, especially for ironmen.

Requirements to Access Ammonite Crabs

Training at Ammonite Crabs requires unlocking Fossil Island, which involves a few prerequisites. Here’s what you need to get started.

Quest Requirement: Bone Voyage

To access Fossil Island, complete the Bone Voyage quest. Speak to Curator Haig Halen at the Varrock Museum to start. You’ll need:

• Level 100 Kudos: Earned by completing museum activities like cleaning fossils or answering quizzes.
• Quest items: 2 planks, 2 nails, a hammer, and a saw.

The quest is short but unlocks Fossil Island’s full potential, including Ammonite Crab training spots.

Traveling to Fossil Island

After completing Bone Voyage, use the barge at the Digsite to sail to Fossil Island. From there, Ammonite Crabs are accessible on coastal areas, the Mushroom Forest, or the Wyvern Cave.

Best Spots for Ammonite Crab Training

Fossil Island offers several Ammonite Crab locations, each with its own perks. Choosing the right spot depends on your combat level, gear, and whether you want a crowded or secluded area.

Mushroom Forest Beach (Top Spot)

Located just west of the Magic Mushtree in the Mushroom Forest, this beach spot has three Ammonite Crab spawns near a large seashell. It’s the most popular due to its efficiency, allowing you to fight multiple crabs at once for maximum XP. Position yourself by the seashell, enable auto-retaliate, and you’re set for AFK training.

Mushroom Forest Northeast

Northeast of the hardwood tree patches, you’ll find another spot with three to four crab spawns. It’s slightly less crowded than the beach but requires precise positioning to aggro all crabs. This is a great alternative if the main spot is taken.

North Wyvern Cave

Inside the North Wyvern Cave, near the entrance, two Ammonite Crab spawns offer a quieter training area. It’s ideal for lower-level players or those avoiding competition, as it’s rarely crowded. Reset aggro by climbing the ladder and returning.

Volcanic Beach

The Volcanic Beach, near the Fossil Island Volcano, has four crab spawns but comes with a catch—occasional lava eruptions deal minor damage. It’s less popular, so you’re likely to find a free world, but bring extra food to counter the environmental hazard.

Optimal Gear and Inventory Setup

Your gear and inventory can make or break your Ammonite Crab training efficiency. Since crabs have negligible defense, prioritize strength and attack bonuses over accuracy.

Melee Setup

Melee is the most common way to train at Ammonite Crabs. Here’s a recommended setup for different budgets:

Slot	Low Budget	Mid Budget	High Budget
Weapon	Rune Scimitar	Dragon Scimitar	Abyssal Whip
Chest	Rune Platebody	Fighter Torso	Bandos Chestplate
Legs	Rune Platelegs	Obsidian Platelegs	Bandos Tassets
Amulet	Amulet of Strength	Amulet of Glory	Amulet of Fury

Tip: Use the aggressive attack style to maximize strength XP. Potions like super strength can boost your XP rates significantly.

Ranged Setup

Ranged training at Ammonite Crabs is effective, especially for pures. Recommended gear includes:

• Low Budget: Leather armor, maple shortbow, mithril arrows.
• Mid Budget: D’hide armor, rune crossbow, broad bolts.
• High Budget: Armadyl armor, toxic blowpipe, amethyst darts.

Use rapid attack style and ranged potions for faster kills. A bone crossbow with bone bolts is a cheap, ironman-friendly option.

Magic Setup

Magic training is less common but viable. Use high-damage spells like Fire Bolt (with Chaos Gauntlets) or Fire Blast. Gear suggestions:

• Armor: Mystic robes or Ahrim’s for higher levels.
• Weapon: Slayer’s staff or trident of the seas.
• Runes: Chaos, death, and fire runes for cost-efficiency.

Magic is more click-intensive, so it’s less AFK than melee or ranged.

Inventory Tips

Your inventory should support long trips:

• Food: 5-10 pieces (sharks or monkfish) for low levels; high levels may need none.
• Potions: Super combat, ranging, or magic potions.
• Teleport: Digsite pendant or Fossil Island teleport (Mushroom teleport).
• Optional: Ring of wealth to auto-collect numulite drops.

Tips for Maximizing XP Rates

With the right strategies, you can push your XP rates to the limit. Here are proven tips to optimize your Ammonite Crab training.

Use Runelite Plugins

Runelite’s NPC Aggression Timer plugin is a game-changer. It alerts you when crabs become tolerant and shows reset boundaries, so you can re-aggro them quickly. Enable “Show Aggression Lines” for precise reset paths.

Reset Aggression Efficiently

When crabs stop attacking, run south (or climb the ladder in the Wyvern Cave) until they despawn from your minimap, then return. This resets their aggression for another 10 minutes. Practice quick resets to minimize downtime.

World Hopping for Spots

Popular spots like the Mushroom Forest beach can be crowded. Hop worlds to find one with two or three crab spawns free. Avoid peak hours for better luck.

XP Rates by Combat Style

Expected XP rates vary by level and gear:

• Melee: 5,000 XP/hr (levels 1-20), up to 60,000 XP/hr (80-99 with whip).
• Ranged: 12,000 XP/hr (20-40), up to 80,000 XP/hr (70-99 with blowpipe).
• Magic: 30,000 XP/hr (40-60), up to 70,000 XP/hr (60-99 with trident).

Melee tends to be the fastest for mid-level players, while ranged shines at higher levels.

Avoid Common Mistakes

Steer clear of these pitfalls:

• Overusing food: High defense means you barely take damage—don’t waste inventory space.
• Ignoring resets: Forgetting to reset aggression halts XP gains.
• Using cannons: Ammonite Crabs can’t be attacked with dwarf multicannons, unlike Rock Crabs.

Ammonite Crab training in OSRS is a fantastic way to level combat skills with minimal effort. By unlocking Fossil Island, choosing the right spot, and optimizing your gear, you can achieve impressive XP rates while enjoying a relaxed, AFK experience. Whether you’re a main, pure, or ironman, this method offers flexibility and rewards. Grab your weapon, head to Fossil Island, and start crushing those crabs!