Bones to Bananas OSRS Guide for Beginners and Pros

In the vibrant world of Old School RuneScape (OSRS), the Bones to Bananas spell is a unique and practical magic ability that transforms bones into bananas, providing players with a convenient food source during combat or training. Whether you’re a free-to-play (F2P) player looking to sustain yourself while fighting monsters or a member aiming to maximize efficiency, this spell offers versatility and utility. This comprehensive guide explores the mechanics, uses, profitability, and strategies for the Bones to Bananas spell, helping you make the most of this low-level magic spell in OSRS.
The Bones to Bananas spell is a level 15 Magic spell in OSRS that converts all normal bones, big bones, and monkey bones in your inventory into bananas. Each banana restores 2 Hitpoints, making it a handy food source when fighting monsters that drop bones as a 100% drop. The spell is accessible to both F2P and members, requiring minimal runes and a low Magic level, making it an excellent choice for early-game players.
Spell Requirements
To cast Bones to Bananas, you need:
- Magic Level: 15
- Runes: 1 Nature rune, 2 Earth runes, 2 Water runes
- Inventory: At least one bone (normal, big, or monkey)
Each cast grants 25 Magic experience, regardless of the number of bones converted. For optimal experience gain, cast with only one bone at a time, as the spell consumes runes for all bones in your inventory but only awards experience once per cast.
Compatible Bones
The spell works on the following bone types:
- Normal Bones: Dropped by most low-level monsters like goblins or cows.
- Big Bones: Dropped by giants or ogres, yielding the same number of bananas per bone.
- Monkey Bones: Dropped by monkeys, often used in specific quests or training areas.
Higher-tier bones, like dragon bones, or demonic ashes cannot be converted, and attempting to do so will prompt a message: “The bones you’re holding aren’t suitable for bananification.”
How to Use Bones to Bananas Effectively
The primary use of Bones to Bananas is to provide a sustainable food source during combat, especially in areas where bones are plentiful. It’s particularly effective against monsters with guaranteed bone drops, such as hill giants or skeletons, allowing players to stay in combat longer without banking for food.
Combat Applications
Here are some scenarios where Bones to Bananas shines:
- Low-Level Training: Use it while fighting monsters like hill giants in the Edgeville Dungeon, where big bones are a 100% drop, to maintain health without carrying food.
- Questing: During quests like Monkey Madness I, where monkey bones are abundant, the spell can provide quick healing.
- F2P Sustainability: F2P players can use it to extend training sessions in areas like the Stronghold of Security, where bones are common.
Mage Training Arena: Creature Graveyard
In the Mage Training Arena, the Creature Graveyard minigame requires players to use Bones to Bananas (or Bones to Peaches) to convert bones into fruit and deposit them into chutes for Pizazz points. Here’s a quick strategy:
- Collect 13 bones from a single pile near a deposit chute to ensure at least 28 bananas per cast, filling your inventory.
- Cast Bones to Bananas and deposit the bananas into the chute. Every 16 bananas deposited earns 1 Graveyard Pizazz point.
- Use a Mud Battlestaff to eliminate the need for Earth and Water runes, reducing costs.
Note that players take 2 damage every 6 seconds from falling bones, so eat some bananas or bring additional food to sustain yourself.
Profitability of Bones to Bananas
While Bones to Bananas is primarily a utility spell, it can also be a money-making method, especially for F2P players. By converting bones into bananas and selling the bananas on the Grand Exchange, players can generate profit, though margins are often slim due to rune costs and market fluctuations.
Money-Making Strategy
Here’s a step-by-step guide to maximize efficiency:
- Setup: Use a Mud Battlestaff (members) to eliminate Earth and Water rune costs, or a Staff of Water for F2P. Set a bank preset to withdraw 27 bones (or 26 for F2P) and 1 Nature rune.
- Casting: Cast Bones to Bananas, converting all bones to bananas, then bank and repeat. At maximum efficiency, you can cast up to 780 spells per hour, converting 21,870 bones.
- Optimization: Use the Explorer’s Ring 4 for a 50% chance to cast without using runes (up to 10 times daily) and bind the spell to a hotkey (e.g., “Q”) for faster casting.
Profit Calculation
The profitability depends on bone and banana prices, which fluctuate on the Grand Exchange. Below is a sample calculation based on hypothetical prices (check live prices before investing):
Item | Cost/Price (GP) | Quantity | Total (GP) |
---|---|---|---|
Normal Bones | 100 | 27 | 2,700 |
Nature Rune | 200 | 1 | 200 |
Bananas (Output) | 300 | 27 | 8,100 |
Profit per Cast | 8,100 – (2,700 + 200) = 5,200 GP |
Note: F2P players using a Staff of Water can convert 26 bones per cast, yielding a profit of approximately 185,640 GP per hour, while members with a Mud Battlestaff can convert 27 bones, potentially earning up to 549,450 GP per hour with optimal efficiency. However, profits can be negative if banana prices drop or bone prices rise. Always verify prices on the Grand Exchange.
Bones to Bananas vs. Bones to Peaches
The Bones to Peaches spell is an upgraded version of Bones to Bananas, requiring level 60 Magic and unlocking at the Mage Training Arena for 200 Telekinetic, 300 Alchemist, 2,000 Enchantment, and 200 Graveyard Pizazz points. It converts bones into peaches, which heal 8 Hitpoints each, making it more effective for combat sustainability.
Key Differences
- Healing: Bananas heal 2 Hitpoints; peaches heal 8 Hitpoints.
- Requirements: Bones to Peaches requires higher Magic and significant minigame grinding.
- Cost: Bones to Peaches uses 2 Nature runes, 4 Earth runes, and 4 Water runes per cast, doubling the rune cost.
For low-level players or F2P, Bones to Bananas is more accessible, while Bones to Peaches is better for prolonged combat in areas like the God Wars Dungeon.
Tips and Tricks for Bones to Bananas
Maximize your efficiency with these tips:
- Use Tablets: Create Bones to Bananas tablets in a player-owned house using a mahogany demon lectern, 1 soft clay, 1 Nature rune, 2 Earth runes, and 2 Water runes. Tablets are tradeable and don’t require bones in your inventory to use, ideal for quick conversions.
- Lumbridge & Draynor Diary: Completing the hard diary grants a 50% chance to cast Bones to Bananas without using runes (up to 10 times daily), reducing costs.
- Monkey Bones for Profit: Monkey bones can yield higher profits than normal or big bones due to their lower cost and similar banana output.
- Avoid Overstocking: Bones have a 10,000 buy limit every 4 hours, so plan purchases or trade with other players to bypass limits.
- Quest Synergy: Use the spell during quests like Pirate’s Treasure or Tai Bwo Wannai Trio, where bananas are needed, to save inventory space.
Fun Facts
- The spell may reference the song “I Like Bananas (Because They Have No Bones)” by The Hoosier Hot Shots, adding a playful nod to OSRS lore.
- In 2001, the spell was called Bones to Bread and required no Nature runes, making it even cheaper to cast.
Whether you’re using Bones to Bananas for combat, training, or profit, this spell is a versatile tool in OSRS. Experiment with the strategies above, check Grand Exchange prices, and enjoy turning those bones into a fruitful adventure!