How to Start Crafting OSRS A Beginners Guide

Crafting in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a versatile and rewarding skill that lets you create jewelry, armor, pottery, and more. Whether you’re aiming to make a profit, unlock unique items, or just enjoy the grind, starting your crafting journey can feel overwhelming. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to kickstart your crafting adventure, from the basics to efficient leveling strategies, with tips to save time and gold.

Crafting is a non-combat skill that involves creating items from raw materials like leather, gems, and clay. It’s accessible to both free-to-play (F2P) and pay-to-play (P2P) players, though members have more options. You’ll need specific tools, materials, and sometimes a bit of patience to master it. The skill is profitable at higher levels and ties into quests, achievement diaries, and even combat gear creation.

Why Train Crafting?

Crafting isn’t just about making shiny rings—it has practical benefits:

Quest Requirements: Quests like “Dragon Slayer II” and “Fremennik Isles” need crafting levels.
Profit Potential: High-level jewelry and battlestaves can net millions.
Utility Items: Craft teleports, armor, or urns for convenience.
Achievement Diaries: Tasks like the Lumbridge Diary require crafting.

Tools You’ll Need

Before you start, gather these essentials:

Needle and Thread: For leatherworking.
Chisel: For cutting gems.
Moulds: For jewelry (rings, necklaces, amulets).
Glassblowing Pipe: For molten glass items.
Potter’s Wheel and Oven: For clay crafting.

Most tools are cheap and available at general stores or crafting shops like the one in Al Kharid.

Getting Started with Low-Level Crafting

Beginners should focus on easy, affordable methods to build experience. Start in free-to-play areas if you’re not a member, as they offer solid early-game options.

Level 1-20: Pottery and Leather

Pottery is the go-to for new players. Here’s how to do it:

Mine soft clay (or buy it from the Grand Exchange).
Use a bucket of water on clay to make it soft.
Head to a potter’s wheel (Barbarian Village or Crafting Guild).
Craft pots, bowls, or pie dishes.
Fire them in a pottery oven.

Leatherworking is another option. Buy cowhides, tan them at Al Kharid’s tanner (20-30 gp each), and craft leather gloves or boots with a needle and thread.

Experience Breakdown for Early Items

Item	Level Required	XP per Item	Materials Needed
Pot	1	6.3 (unfired), 6.3 (fired)	Soft Clay
Leather Gloves	1	13.8	Leather, Needle, Thread
Pie Dish	7	10 (unfired), 10 (fired)	Soft Clay

Efficient Leveling Strategies for Mid-Levels

Once you hit level 20, you can access more XP-heavy methods. Members have an edge here, but F2P players can still progress steadily.

Level 20-40: Jewelry Crafting

Crafting gold jewelry is fast and relatively cheap. Follow these steps:

Buy gold bars from the Grand Exchange.
Get moulds for rings, necklaces, or amulets.
Use a furnace (Al Kharid or Falador) to craft.

Gold rings (level 5) give 15 XP each, while amulets (level 8) give 30 XP. If you’re a member, consider cutting gems like sapphires to combine with gold for better XP and profit.

Level 40-54: Glassblowing

Glassblowing is a member-exclusive method that’s great for mid-levels. You’ll need a glassblowing pipe and seaweed to make molten glass:

Gather Materials: Harvest seaweed from beaches (e.g., Entrana) or buy soda ash and buckets of sand.
Make Molten Glass: Use a furnace to combine soda ash and sand.
Craft Items: Blow glass into vials (level 33, 35 XP) or orbs (level 46, 52.5 XP).

Glassblowing is semi-AFK and scales well until level 54.

Advanced Crafting for High Levels

At higher levels, crafting becomes a goldmine—literally and figuratively. Focus on methods that balance XP and profit, especially if you’re aiming for level 99.

Level 54-70: Battlestaves

Crafting battlestaves (members only) is one of the fastest ways to train. Buy unpowered orbs and battlestaves from the Grand Exchange, charge orbs at the Obelisk of Water or Fire, and combine them. Each water battlestaff (level 54) gives 100 XP, and fire battlestaves (level 62) give 125 XP.

Tip: Check Grand Exchange prices daily, as battlestaves can be profitable if you buy low and sell high.

Level 70-99: Gem Cutting and D’Hide Armor

Cutting gems like diamonds (level 43, 107.5 XP) or dragonstones (level 55, 137.5 XP) offers decent XP and profit. Alternatively, craft dragonhide armor (members only):

Green D’Hide Body: Level 63, 186 XP.
Blue D’Hide Body: Level 71, 210 XP.
Red D’Hide Body: Level 77, 234 XP.

Dragonhide crafting is costly but fast, especially if you tan hides yourself at the tanner.

Tips to Maximize Your Crafting Efficiency

Crafting can drain your bank if you’re not careful. Here are ways to train smarter:

Save Gold with Smart Choices

Bulk Buy Materials: Purchase clay, leather, or gems in bulk to avoid price spikes.
Use GE Tracker: Monitor item prices to craft when margins are favorable.
Quest XP Rewards: Complete quests like “The Fremennik Trials” (2,812 XP) or “Heroes’ Quest” (indirectly helps) to skip early levels.

Boost XP Rates

Members can use these to speed up training:

Crafting Cape: At level 99, teleport to the Crafting Guild for faster banking.
Portable Forges: Deployed by other players, these give a 10% XP boost for jewelry.
Falador Shield: Unlocked via diaries, it boosts XP slightly in the Crafting Guild.

Avoid Common Mistakes

New crafters often waste time or gold. Don’t:

Overbuy Materials: Only stock what you need for a level goal.
Ignore Quests: They save hours of grinding.
Skip Banking Tricks: Use bank presets to craft faster.

Crafting in OSRS is a grind, but it’s one of the most rewarding skills when done right. Start with pottery or leather, move to jewelry and glassblowing, and aim for battlestaves or dragonhide at higher levels. With smart planning, you’ll hit your level goals and maybe even make a profit. Grab your chisel, stock up on materials, and get crafting!