How to Make a Water Battlestaff in OSRS

Crafting a water battlestaff in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a fantastic way to level up your Crafting skill, make some profit, and create a useful magical weapon. This medium-power elemental staff requires 30 Attack and 30 Magic to wield, provides unlimited water runes, and supports autocasting for elemental combat spells. Whether you’re a regular player or an Ironman, this guide will walk you through the entire process of making a water battlestaff, from gathering materials to crafting the final product, while optimizing your efficiency and profits.

The water battlestaff is a versatile item in OSRS, offering both practical use and economic benefits. Here’s why you should consider crafting it:

Crafting Experience: Each water battlestaff grants 100 Crafting XP, making it a solid method for leveling from 54 to higher levels.
Profit Potential: By buying materials from the Grand Exchange and alchemizing or selling the staff, you can earn a small profit per staff.
Utility: The staff provides unlimited water runes, saving inventory space for spellcasting.
Ironman-Friendly: Ironmen can gather all materials themselves, making it a self-sufficient crafting method.

Requirements for Crafting a Water Battlestaff

Before you start, ensure you meet the skill requirements and have the necessary items. Here’s what you need:

Skill Requirements

54 Crafting: Required to combine a water orb with a battlestaff.
56 Magic: Needed to cast the Charge Water Orb spell to create a water orb.
46 Crafting (Optional): To craft unpowered orbs from molten glass.

Item Requirements

You’ll need the following items, which can be bought, gathered, or crafted:

Battlestaff: Purchased from Zaff’s Superior Staffs! in Varrock, Baba Yaga on Lunar Isle, or the Grand Exchange.
Unpowered Orb: Crafted with molten glass or bought from the Grand Exchange.
30 Water Runes and 3 Cosmic Runes: To cast Charge Water Orb.
Glassblowing Pipe (Optional): For crafting unpowered orbs.
Seaweed and Bucket of Sand (Optional): To make molten glass for unpowered orbs.

Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting a Water Battlestaff

Follow these steps to create a water battlestaff from scratch. This guide covers both regular and Ironman methods, with tips to optimize efficiency.

Step 1: Obtain a Battlestaff

Battlestaves are the base item for crafting a water battlestaff. You can acquire them in several ways:

Purchase from Shops: Zaff’s Superior Staffs! in Varrock sells battlestaves for around 7,000 GP each after completing What Lies Below. Stock increases with Varrock Diary tasks.
Grand Exchange: Buy battlestaves for approximately 7,000–8,000 GP, depending on market prices.
Fletching (Ironman): With 40 Fletching, use a knife on Celastrus bark (grown from a Celastrus seed at 85 Farming) to craft a battlestaff.
Monster Drops: Rarely dropped by monsters like Waterfiends or Dagannoths.

Step 2: Create or Obtain an Unpowered Orb

Unpowered orbs are needed to make water orbs. You can craft them or buy them:

Crafting Unpowered Orbs:
1. Gather seaweed (from fishing spots like Piscatoris or Entrana) and a bucket of sand (from sand pits like Yanille or Bert in Yanille with 84 daily buckets after Hand in the Sand).
2. Cook seaweed on a range to make soda ash.
3. Combine soda ash and a bucket of sand in a furnace to create molten glass.
4. Use a glassblowing pipe on molten glass with 46 Crafting to craft an unpowered orb (87.5 Crafting XP).
Buying Unpowered Orbs: Purchase from the Grand Exchange for around 50–100 GP each. This is faster for non-Ironmen.

Step 3: Charge the Orb at the Water Obelisk

To turn an unpowered orb into a water orb, you need to charge it at the Water Obelisk in Taverley Dungeon. Here’s how:

Prepare Your Inventory: Bring unpowered orbs, 30 water runes, 3 cosmic runes per orb, and a staff of water (or mud battlestaff) to save runes. Include a dusty key (or 70 Agility), anti-poison, and teleports.
Travel to Taverley Dungeon:
- Use Falador Teleport and run to the dungeon entrance west of Falador.
- Alternatively, use a Games Necklace to teleport to Burthorpe and run south.
Navigate to the Water Obelisk:
- Head through Taverley Dungeon, passing Black Dragons and Poison Spiders (use Protect from Melee or anti-poison).
- Use the dusty key on the gate to access the deeper dungeon (or use the Agility shortcut if 70+ Agility).
- Climb the ladder to reach the Water Obelisk on a small island off Catherby.
Charge the Orb: Cast Charge Water Orb (56 Magic) on the obelisk with an unpowered orb in your inventory. Each cast uses 30 water runes and 3 cosmic runes, granting 66 Magic XP.
Teleport Out: Use an Amulet of Glory (Edgeville or Draynor) or Falador Teleport to bank and repeat.

Step 4: Combine the Water Orb and Battlestaff

With a water orb and battlestaff in your inventory, follow these steps:

Use the water orb on the battlestaff (not the other way around, as the staff’s default action is “Wield”).
With 54 Crafting, you’ll create a water battlestaff, earning 100 Crafting XP.

Step 5: Profit or Upgrade

Once crafted, you can use, sell, or upgrade the water battlestaff:

High Alchemy: Cast High Alchemy (5 fire runes, 1 nature rune) for 9,300 GP, yielding a profit of around 1,000–2,000 GP per staff if materials are bought from the Grand Exchange.
Sell on Grand Exchange: Sell for approximately 9,000–9,100 GP, depending on market trends.
Upgrade to Mystic Water Staff: After Scorpion Catcher, pay Thormac 40,000 GP (or 27,000 GP with Hard Seers’ Village Diary) to upgrade to a mystic water staff with better stats.
Cosmetic Upgrade: At 85 Crafting, attach a shade skull to create a skeletal battlestaff of water for a unique look.

Tips for Efficiency and Profit

Maximize your time and gold with these strategies:

Buy in Bulk

Battlestaves have a buy limit of 1,000 on the Grand Exchange, so stock up gradually or ask friends to help. Buy unpowered orbs in bulk to save trips.

Use Daily Battlestaff Purchases

Buy battlestaves daily from Zaff’s shop (15–120 depending on Varrock Diary progress) for a lower cost than the Grand Exchange.

Optimize Travel

Use teleports like Falador Teleport or Games Necklace to minimize travel time to Taverley Dungeon. High Agility (70+) skips the dusty key requirement.

Ironman Efficiency

For Ironmen, gather seaweed and sand while training other skills (e.g., Fishing or Mining). Use Bert’s daily sand delivery to save time.

Profit Analysis Table

Here’s a breakdown of the costs and profits for crafting a water battlestaff, assuming Grand Exchange prices (approximate as of 2025):

Item	Cost (GP)	Notes
Battlestaff	7,000–8,000	Cheaper from Zaff (~7,000 GP)
Unpowered Orb	50–100	Craft for free if gathering materials
Water Runes (30)	120	Free with staff of water
Cosmic Runes (3)	300	Required for Charge Water Orb
Total Cost	~7,470–8,520	Excluding runes if using staff
High Alchemy Value	9,300	Requires 1 nature rune (~200 GP)
Profit (High Alch)	~780–1,830	After nature rune cost
GE Sale Value	~9,000–9,100	Fluctuates with market
Profit (GE Sale)	~480–1,630	Less reliable than alching

Note: Profits vary based on market prices and whether you gather materials yourself. Ironmen save on costs but invest more time.

Conclusion

Crafting a water battlestaff in OSRS is a rewarding activity that combines Crafting and Magic training with potential profits. By following this guide, you can efficiently gather materials, charge orbs, and craft the staff, whether you’re buying from the Grand Exchange or playing as an Ironman. Use the tips and profit analysis to optimize your approach, and consider upgrading to a mystic water staff for enhanced combat stats. Start crafting today and turn your magical skills into gold!