Herblore Money Making Guide OSRS

Herblore in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a members-only skill that can be both expensive to train and highly profitable if done right. This guide explores the best methods to make money with Herblore, focusing on low-effort, high-profit strategies suitable for players of varying levels. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, these techniques will help you turn herbs into gold pieces (GP) efficiently. Always check Grand Exchange (GE) prices before starting, as market fluctuations can impact profitability.
Herblore involves crafting potions from herbs and secondary ingredients, which are in constant demand for PvM, PvP, and skilling activities. The skill’s profitability stems from the high market value of clean herbs, unfinished potions, and certain finished potions. While training Herblore can be costly, specific methods like cleaning herbs or making niche potions can yield significant profits. This guide prioritizes methods that balance experience (XP) gains with GP, making it ideal for players looking to fund their adventures.
Key Requirements for Herblore
- Druidic Ritual Quest: Unlocks Herblore and grants level 3. No skill requirements.
- Grand Exchange Access: Essential for buying and selling herbs and potions.
- Starting Capital: Most methods require 1M–5M GP to buy bulk ingredients.
- Optional Gear: Amulet of Chemistry (5% chance for an extra potion dose) or Alchemist’s Amulet (15% chance) for cost savings.
Cleaning Grimy Herbs
Cleaning grimy herbs is one of the most accessible and profitable Herblore methods, especially for low-level players. It’s click-intensive but requires minimal skill levels and can be done at level 3 Herblore. The process involves buying grimy herbs from the GE, cleaning them, and selling the clean versions for a profit.
Best Herbs to Clean
Not all herbs are profitable, so always compare grimy and clean herb prices on the GE. Here’s a table of commonly profitable herbs based on recent market trends:
Herb | Level Required | Grimy Price (GP) | Clean Price (GP) | Profit per Herb (GP) | XP per Herb |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guam Leaf | 3 | 200 | 250 | 50 | 2.5 |
Ranarr Weed | 25 | 5,000 | 5,200 | 200 | 7.5 |
Toadflax | 30 | 2,800 | 3,000 | 200 | 8 |
Torstol | 75 | 3,500 | 3,800 | 300 | 15 |
Note: Prices are estimates and vary. Check the GE for real-time data. Cleaning 5,000 herbs per hour can yield 200K–1M GP/hour depending on the herb.
Tips for Cleaning Herbs
- Spam-Click Efficiently: Clean herbs manually for up to 150K XP/hour (Torstol at 75+ Herblore).
- Use Bank Presets: Set up GE bank presets to quickly withdraw grimy herbs and deposit clean ones.
- Monitor Margins: Test small batches (e.g., 100 herbs) to ensure profitability before buying in bulk.
Making Unfinished Potions
Creating unfinished potions is another low-level, profitable method. You combine clean herbs with vials of water to make unfinished potions, which are often in demand by players training Herblore. This method doubles profits when paired with cleaning herbs, as you can clean grimy herbs and then use them to make unfinished potions.
Profitable Unfinished Potions
Here are some high-demand unfinished potions:
- Guam Potion (unf): Level 3, ~100 GP profit per potion, 1M GP/hour potential.
- Ranarr Potion (unf): Level 30, ~300 GP profit, 500K–800K GP/hour.
- Irit Potion (unf): Level 45, ~200 GP profit, 400K–600K GP/hour.
Profit Example: At level 30, cleaning grimy Ranarr (200 GP profit) and making Ranarr Potion (unf) (300 GP profit) yields 500 GP per herb, or 500K GP/hour at 1,000 herbs processed.
How to Maximize Profits
- Outsource Tasks: Use Zahur in Nardah to combine noted herbs and vials of water for 200 GP each, saving time.
- Portable Wells: These grant a 10% chance to save resources or create extra potions, boosting profits.
- Herb Sack: If farming herbs, get a Herb Sack (750 Slayer points or 250 Tithe Farm points) to store up to 28 grimy herbs, ideal for Ironmen.
Crafting Guthix Rest
Guthix Rest is a profitable, medium-intensity method requiring level 18 Herblore and partial completion of the One Small Favour quest. It’s popular in PvP and offers decent XP (50K/hour) and profits (400K–600K/hour).
Requirements and Process
- Ingredients: Cup of hot water, 2 Guam, 1 Marrentill, 1 Harralander per tea.
- Process: Use a cup of hot water with one herb to start, then add the remaining herbs in sequence. Each tea grants 59 XP.
- Profit: Approximately 200–250 GP per tea, with 2,000 teas/hour possible.
Caution: Avoid adding extra herbs, as it ruins the tea and grants no XP. The Amulet of Chemistry has no effect here.
Ironman Tips
- Cups of Hot Water: Cast Humidify on empty cups, then heat on a range.
- Herb Runs: Farm Guam, Marrentill, and Harralander to reduce costs.
Making High-Level Potions
For players with higher Herblore levels (45+), crafting certain potions can be profitable, especially when decanting into 4-dose potions. These methods require more capital and market research but offer substantial returns.
Top Profitable Potions
Here’s a list of potions with high profit potential (assuming 2,500 potions/hour, decanted into 4 doses):
- Prayer Potion (Level 38): Ranarr Potion (unf) + Snape Grass. ~1,000 GP profit per potion, 2M GP/hour.
- Super Restore (Level 63): Snapdragon Potion (unf) + Red Spider Eggs. ~800 GP profit, 1.5M GP/hour.
- Saradomin Brew (Level 81): Toadflax Potion (unf) + Crushed Nest. ~1,200 GP profit, 2.5M GP/hour.
Note: Use an Amulet of Chemistry for potions where one dose is worth more than 200 GP to maximize profits.
Advanced Tips
- 1-Tick Potion Making: For high-intensity players, 1-ticking (4,583 potions/hour) can boost profits for potions like Stamina or Extended Antifire.
- Botanical Pie: Boosts Herblore by +4 (1.5K GP each) to access higher-level potions early.
- Decanting: Use Bob Barter in the GE to decant potions into 4-dose vials for maximum resale value.
Mastering Mixology Minigame (Level 60+)
The Mastering Mixology minigame, available at level 60 Herblore in Varlamore (requires Children of the Sun quest), is one of the best skilling money-makers, offering up to 2.6M GP/hour and 80K XP/hour. Players brew potions for NPC orders, earning reagents and gold.
How It Works
- Location: Aldarin, Varlamore.
- Mechanics: Complete potion orders using provided ingredients. Higher Herblore levels unlock better rewards.
- Reagents Pouch: At level 81+, unlock this for easier potion-making and higher profits.
Profit Tip: Focus on high-value orders (e.g., Saradomin Brews) and use bank presets to minimize downtime.
Why It’s Worth It
- Low Investment: Ingredients are provided, reducing costs.
- High Returns: Up to 2.6M GP/hour at high levels.
- XP Boost: Great for training Herblore alongside profits.
Herblore offers diverse money-making opportunities in OSRS, from cleaning herbs at level 3 to mastering high-level potions and minigames. Start with low-level methods like cleaning Guam or making unfinished potions, then progress to Guthix Rest or Prayer Potions as your level and capital grow. For endgame players, Mastering Mixology is unmatched. Always verify GE prices, use tools like Portable Wells, and consider Ironman-friendly options like herb runs. With these strategies, you’ll turn your Herblore skill into a gold-making machine!