Best Way to Get Soft Clay OSRS Ironman

For Ironman players in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), gathering resources like soft clay can be a grind, but it’s essential for skills like Crafting, Construction, and making magic tablets. Soft clay is a versatile item used in quests, teleport tablets, and pottery, making it a must-have for progressing your account. This guide dives into the most efficient methods to obtain soft clay as an Ironman, tailored to different game stages, account builds, and progression levels. Whether you’re a low-level player or a seasoned Ironman with access to Prifddinas, we’ve got you covered with practical strategies to stock up on soft clay without wasting time.

Soft clay is a cornerstone resource for Ironman players due to its wide range of uses. Unlike main accounts, Ironmen can’t rely on the Grand Exchange, so gathering soft clay efficiently is critical. It’s used for:

• Crafting: Creating pottery like bowls, pots, and pie dishes.
• Construction: Building furniture in your player-owned house (POH).
• Magic Tablets: Crafting teleport tablets, especially POH tabs, for quick travel.
• Quests: Key items in quests like Prince Ali Rescue, The Golem, and One Small Favour.

Because Ironmen must be self-sufficient, finding the fastest and least tedious methods to gather soft clay can save hours of grinding. Let’s explore the top methods, starting with the most efficient for late-game players and working our way to accessible options for early-game Ironmen.

Mining Soft Clay in Prifddinas (Best Late-Game Method)

If you’ve completed Song of the Elves and unlocked Prifddinas, the Trahaearn Mine in the Ithell district is hands-down the best place to gather soft clay. This method shines for its speed, proximity to a bank, and ability to double your yield with a simple item.

Why Prifddinas Is King

The Trahaearn Mine contains soft clay rocks, which directly yield soft clay when mined—no extra steps needed. Unlike regular clay rocks, these save you from manually softening clay with water or spells. The mine is also close to a bank deposit minecart, making banking a breeze. For maximum efficiency, equip a bracelet of clay, which doubles your soft clay per action in this mine (two soft clays per rock instead of one).

How to Optimize Prifddinas Mining

• Requirements: Completion of Song of the Elves (high-level quest requiring 70 Agility, Construction, Farming, Herblore, Hunter, Mining, Smithing, and Woodcutting).
• Recommended Gear: Bracelet of clay (each lasts 28 charges), best pickaxe available (Rune or Dragon), Mining cape (if 99 Mining), and Celestial ring or Elven signet for a chance at extra clay.
• Method:
  1. Head to the Trahaearn Mine in Prifddinas.
  2. Equip a bracelet of clay and start mining soft clay rocks.
  3. Use the nearby minecart to deposit your inventory.
  4. Repeat, restocking bracelets as needed.
• Yield: Approximately 1,500–2,000 soft clay per hour with bracelets, depending on Mining level and gear.

Pro Tip: If you’re low on sapphires for bracelets, craft them yourself by mining gems or pickpocketing H.A.M. members for easy sapphire jewellery.

Who This Method Suits

This method is ideal for late-game Ironmen with high Mining levels and access to Prifddinas. It’s less viable for early- or mid-game players who haven’t tackled Song of the Elves yet, but it’s the gold standard once unlocked.

Buying Soft Clay Packs (Passive Collection)

For Ironmen who prefer a more passive approach, soft clay packs are a fantastic option. These packs, containing 100 soft clay each, can be purchased with various currencies earned through minigames and activities.

Where to Buy Soft Clay Packs

Shop	Location	Cost	Currency Source
Prospector Percy’s Nugget Shop	Motherlode Mine	10 Golden Nuggets	Mining in Motherlode Mine
Dusuri’s Star Shop	Mining Guild, Falador	150 Stardust	Shooting Stars minigame
Belona’s Mineral Exchange	Mining Guild, Falador	10 Unidentified Minerals	Mining Amethyst in Al Kharid

Each pack gives you 100 soft clay instantly, bypassing the need to mine or soften clay manually.

Best Strategy for Packs

• Shooting Stars: This is the most AFK-friendly option. Hunt stars using a telescope in your POH, mine them for stardust, and buy packs at Dusuri’s Star Shop. You can get 1,200–1,500 stardust per star on empty worlds, netting 8–10 packs.
• Motherlode Mine: If you’re training Mining anyway, save nuggets for packs after buying the Prospector Kit. This is great for mid-game Ironmen.
• Amethyst Mining: A slower but steady option for late-game players with 92 Mining. Use extra minerals for packs after unlocking desired rewards.

Yield: Varies by activity, but Shooting Stars can net 800–1,000 soft clay per hour if you focus on high-yield stars.

Who This Method Suits

Soft clay packs are perfect for players who want to multitask or avoid intensive grinding. They’re accessible to mid- and late-game Ironmen with some Mining progress and minigame experience.

Mining Clay with Humidify (Mid-Game Option)

For Ironmen without Prifddinas access, mining regular clay and softening it with the Humidify spell is a solid alternative. This method balances speed and accessibility, especially for mid-game players with some Magic levels.

Best Locations for Clay Mining

• Crafting Guild: Requires 40 Crafting to enter. Close to clay rocks, a sink for manual softening (if no Humidify), and a bank chest (with Falador Hard Diary or 99 Crafting).
• Rimmington Mine: No requirements, near a well for softening and a house portal for banking (if your POH is in Rimmington).
• West Varrock Mine: Free-to-play friendly, close to Varrock West Bank, but requires water containers.

How to Use Humidify for Efficiency

• Requirements: 68 Magic (or 65 with boosts), Lunar Spellbook (Dream Mentor completed), 1 astral rune, 3 water runes, and 1 fire rune per cast.
• Method:
  1. Mine a full inventory of clay at your chosen location.
  2. Cast Humidify to turn all clay into soft clay instantly.
  3. Bank at the nearest deposit point (e.g., Crafting Guild chest or Rimmington portal).
  4. Repeat, ensuring you have enough runes.
• Yield: Around 1,600–1,700 soft clay per hour at the Crafting Guild with high Mining and decent run energy.

Pro Tip: Use stamina potions to maintain run energy, and consider a ring of duelling for quick banking at Castle Wars if Rimmington is your spot.

Who This Method Suits

This method is great for mid-game Ironmen with 68 Magic and access to the Lunar Spellbook. It’s also viable for players who want to train Mining and Magic simultaneously.

Early-Game Soft Clay Grinding

New Ironmen with limited skills and no high-level quest completions can still gather soft clay efficiently with basic methods. These are slower but require minimal setup.

Manual Softening at Barbarian Village

• Requirements: Level 1 Mining, a pickaxe, and a jug or bucket.
• Method:
  1. Mine clay at the mine south of Barbarian Village.
  2. Fill a jug with water at the nearby well.
  3. Use the water on clay to make soft clay.
  4. Bank in Varrock West or Edgeville.
• Yield: About 500–700 soft clay per hour, depending on banking speed.

Using Bracelets of Clay Anywhere

• Requirements: Sapphire jewellery (craftable or from H.A.M. thieving), any clay mine.
• Method: Equip a bracelet of clay and mine at any clay rock (e.g., Dwarven Mine or Rimmington). Each bracelet yields 28 soft clay before breaking.
• Yield: Around 800–1,000 soft clay per hour with frequent banking.

Pro Tip: Combine with a necklace of passage to teleport to the Eagles’ Eyrie for clay rocks and bank with a ring of duelling for a low-level loop.

Who This Method Suits

Early-game Ironmen with low stats and no major quest unlocks. It’s tedious but gets the job done for small amounts of soft clay needed for quests or early Crafting.

Comparing Methods for Your Ironman

Choosing the right method depends on your account’s progress. Here’s a quick comparison:

Method	Requirements	Soft Clay/Hour	Best For
Prifddinas Mining	Song of the Elves, bracelets	1,500–2,000	Late-game
Soft Clay Packs	Mining minigames	800–1,000	Mid/late-game, passive
Humidify + Mining	68 Magic, Lunar Spellbook	1,600–1,700	Mid-game
Manual Softening	None	500–700	Early-game
Bracelets Anywhere	Sapphires	800–1,000	Early/mid-game

Tips for All Methods

• Bank Efficiently: Use deposit boxes or minecarts to cut banking time.
• Stockpile Sapphires: Thieve H.A.M. members or mine gems for bracelets.
• Multitask: Combine soft clay gathering with Mining or Magic training.
• Quest Early: Prioritize Song of the Elves for Prifddinas access if you’re close to the requirements.

Soft clay gathering doesn’t have to be a chore. Whether you’re mining in Prifddinas, buying packs with stardust, or grinding it out early-game style, these methods will keep your Ironman stocked up for Crafting, Construction, and those all-important teleport tablets. Pick the one that fits your account and start stacking that clay!