How Much Is 99 Prayer in OSRS A Comprehensive Guide

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), achieving 99 Prayer is a prestigious milestone that showcases dedication and resourcefulness. Prayer is a unique skill, offering powerful combat buffs and utility, but it’s also one of the most expensive skills to train. Whether you’re a new player or a seasoned adventurer, understanding the costs and methods to reach 99 Prayer can save you millions of gold pieces (GP) and hours of grinding. This guide dives deep into the costs, methods, and strategies for reaching 99 Prayer in OSRS, updated for 2025, to help you plan your journey efficiently.

Before calculating the costs, let’s explore why 99 Prayer is worth pursuing. Prayer enhances combat performance with buffs like Piety, Rigour, and Augury, making it essential for high-level PvM (Player vs. Monster) activities, such as raids or bossing. Additionally, achieving 99 Prayer grants access to the prestigious Prayer Skill Cape, a symbol of mastery, and provides practical benefits like increased prayer point restoration.

Prayer’s Role in Combat

Prayer is invaluable in combat, offering protection prayers to mitigate damage from bosses like Zulrah or the Inferno’s minions. Offensive prayers boost accuracy and damage, critical for slaying tough monsters efficiently.

Prestige and Long-Term Benefits

Hitting 99 Prayer is a flex in the OSRS community. The Skill Cape’s perk—restoring prayer points faster—saves time and resources during extended PvM sessions, making it a worthwhile investment.

Cost of Training Prayer to 99

Training Prayer to 99 requires 13,034,431 XP, and the cost depends heavily on the method and materials used. Most players train Prayer by offering bones or ashes at an altar, with the Chaos Altar in the Wilderness or a Gilded Altar in a player-owned house being the most popular options. Below, we break down the costs for common methods based on 2025 Grand Exchange prices.

Cost Using Dragon Bones

Dragon bones are a balanced choice for Prayer training, offering decent XP per bone at a moderate price. Here’s the breakdown:

• XP per dragon bone (Gilded Altar): 252 XP
• Bones needed for 99: ~51,723
• Price per bone (approx.): 2,500 GP
• Total cost: ~129,307,500 GP

Using the Chaos Altar reduces costs by ~50% due to its bone-saving mechanic, bringing the total to around 64,653,750 GP.

Cost Using Superior Dragon Bones

Superior dragon bones, dropped by Vorkath, offer higher XP but at a steeper price. They’re faster for those with deeper pockets.

• XP per superior dragon bone (Gilded Altar): 450 XP
• Bones needed for 99: ~28,966
• Price per bone (approx.): 10,000 GP
• Total cost: ~289,660,000 GP

At the Chaos Altar, costs drop to roughly 144,830,000 GP, but the Wilderness risk may deter some players.

Cost Using Frost Dragon Bones

Frost dragon bones are a premium option, balancing XP and cost for high-budget players.

• XP per frost dragon bone (Gilded Altar): 630 XP
• Bones needed for 99: ~20,690
• Price per bone (approx.): 15,000 GP
• Total cost: ~310,350,000 GP

With the Chaos Altar, expect to spend around 155,175,000 GP.

Bone Type	XP per Bone (Gilded Altar)	Bones Needed	Cost (Gilded Altar)	Cost (Chaos Altar)
Dragon Bones	252	51,723	~129M GP	~65M GP
Superior Dragon Bones	450	28,966	~290M GP	~145M GP
Frost Dragon Bones	630	20,690	~310M GP	~155M GP

Cheapest Methods to Train Prayer

If you’re on a budget, there are ways to minimize costs without sacrificing too much efficiency. Here are the most cost-effective methods for 2025.

Chaos Altar in the Wilderness

The Chaos Altar offers the same XP as a Gilded Altar but has a 50% chance to save bones, effectively halving costs. However, it’s in level 38 Wilderness, so PKers (player killers) are a risk. Bring only what you’re willing to lose, and use affordable gear.

• Pros: Saves millions of GP, fast XP.
• Cons: Risk of dying, requires caution.

Ensouled Heads

Ensouled heads, used with the Reanimation spell (requires 72 Magic), provide Prayer XP at a lower cost than bones. For example:

• Ensouled dragon heads: ~1,040 XP each, ~10,000 GP.
• Total cost to 99: ~125M GP (less with profit from drops).

This method is slower but doubles as Magic XP training, making it efficient for Ironmen or budget players.

Pest Control and Minigames

Pest Control rewards can be spent on Prayer XP, offering a free (but slow) training method. It’s ideal for players who enjoy minigames and want to avoid spending GP.

Faster Alternatives for Wealthy Players

If time is more valuable than GP, consider these high-cost, high-speed methods to hit 99 Prayer quickly.

Frost Dragon Bones at Gilded Altar

As shown earlier, frost dragon bones yield 630 XP per offering, requiring fewer trips and less time. With a Gilded Altar and two burners lit, you can achieve ~1.2M XP per hour, reaching 99 in roughly 11 hours.

Superior Dragon Bones at Chaos Altar

For a balance of speed and savings, use superior dragon bones at the Chaos Altar. The bone-saving mechanic reduces costs, while the high XP rate (~900k XP/hour) gets you to 99 faster than dragon bones.

Buying Bones in Bulk

Wealthy players can buy bones in bulk from the Grand Exchange or farm them from high-level monsters like Vorkath or Frost Dragons. This cuts reliance on market fluctuations and saves time scouting prices.

Tips to Optimize Your Prayer Training

Reaching 99 Prayer is a marathon, but these tips can make the journey smoother and more affordable.

Use a Bonecrusher or Ectofuntus for Extra XP

The Bonecrusher (from Dungeoneering) automatically buries bones during combat, providing passive Prayer XP. Alternatively, the Ectofuntus offers 4x XP per bone compared to burying, but it’s slower and less popular in 2025 due to altars’ efficiency.

Stock Up During Market Dips

Bone prices fluctuate. Monitor the Grand Exchange and buy in bulk when prices drop, potentially saving millions over time.

Join a House Party World

World 330 (House Party) has open Gilded Altars, saving you the cost of building one. Tip the host a small amount to keep the community thriving.

Combine with Slayer or Bossing

Farm bones or ensouled heads during Slayer tasks or boss runs. This offsets costs and makes training feel less like a grind.

Here’s a quick list of key items to enhance Prayer training:

• Graceful outfit: Reduces weight for faster altar runs.
• Teleport tablets: Quick access to altars or banks.
• Prayer potions: Sustain prayer points at altars.

Conclusion

Achieving 99 Prayer in OSRS is a significant investment, with costs ranging from ~65M GP (Chaos Altar with dragon bones) to over 300M GP (frost dragon bones at a Gilded Altar). Your choice depends on your budget, risk tolerance, and time commitment. Budget players should lean toward the Chaos Altar or ensouled heads, while those with GP to burn can speed through with frost or superior dragon bones. By planning ahead, leveraging market trends, and using efficient methods, you can minimize costs and maximize enjoyment on your path to the Prayer Skill Cape.

Whether you’re praying for protection from PKers or aiming for that sweet 99, this guide equips you with everything you need to succeed. Happy training, and may RNGesus bless your bone offerings!