Ironman Prayer Guide OSRS: Best Methods to Level Up in 2025
For Ironman players in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), training Prayer can feel like a daunting task. Unlike regular accounts, you can’t rely on the Grand Exchange to buy bones or ashes, making self-sufficiency the name of the game. Whether you’re a standard Ironman, Hardcore, or Ultimate, this Ironman Prayer guide for OSRS will walk you through the most efficient methods to level up Prayer in 2025. From early-game questing to late-game bone grinding, we’ve got you covered with practical strategies tailored to the Ironman experience.
Prayer is a cornerstone skill for Ironmen, offering combat boosts and protection prayers that make questing, bossing, and Slayer tasks significantly easier. Reaching level 43 for protection prayers (Protect from Melee, Magic, and Missiles) is a key early goal, while higher levels like 70 for Piety unlock powerful offensive boosts. However, gathering bones and finding efficient training spots can be a grind without trading. This guide focuses on low-competition methods and accessible resources to help you progress smoothly.
Early Goals: Level 1-43
For new Ironmen, hitting level 43 Prayer is a priority. Protection prayers reduce damage from tough enemies, making early quests and combat training safer. The good news? You can skip the tedious low-level grind with a handful of quests.
- The Restless Ghost: No requirements, grants 1,125 XP.
- Priest in Peril: Requires The Restless Ghost, rewards 1,406 XP.
- Recruitment Drive: Needs 12 quest points, offers 1,000 XP.
- Rag and Bone Man I: No requirements, gives 500 XP.
- Holy Grail: Minimal requirements, delivers 11,000 XP (boosts you to level 28 from 0).
Completing these quests can take you to level 36 with minimal effort, leaving only a small gap to bridge to 43. Supplement this with bones from early combat training, like chickens or cows, to get there faster.
Low-Level Prayer Training Methods
Once quests are done, you’ll need to gather bones or ashes yourself. Here are some low-competition methods for Ironmen to train Prayer efficiently at lower levels.
Bone Shards in Varlamore
Introduced with Varlamore, bone shards are a safe and accessible option for Ironmen. You can obtain them by breaking down sun-kissed bones, mining calcified rocks, or blessing bones at the Exposed Altar. Sacrifice them at the Libation Bowl for 5 XP per shard (6 XP with blessed sunfire wine). Up to 100 shards can be used per action, making this a decent early-game method with minimal risk.
Ectofuntus Worship
The Ectofuntus, located in Morytania, offers 4x the base XP per bone compared to burying. It’s a bit tedious—you’ll need to grind bones into bonemeal and collect slime—but it’s safe and efficient for low-level Ironmen. Blue dragons in Taverley Dungeon are a great source of dragon bones, as they’re safe-spottable and near the Ectofuntus after banking.
Forthos Dungeon Red Dragons
Killing red dragons in Forthos Dungeon provides dragon bones, which you can offer at the nearby Sacred Bone Burner for 3x XP per bone. This method is slower than others but requires fewer resources early on. Note that you’ll need to placate Olbertus with five dragonstones (tough to acquire early) to unlock XP from the first 100 bones.
Mid-Level Prayer Training: Scaling Up
As your combat stats improve, you can access better bone sources and training spots. These methods balance efficiency with Ironman constraints.
Chaos Altar in the Wilderness
The Chaos Altar in level 38 Wilderness offers 3.5x XP per bone with a 50% chance to preserve it, averaging 7x XP per bone. It’s risky due to PKers, but suiciding with dragon bones (teleport to Ghorrock, run south, use bones, die, repeat) can yield 200K-300K XP per hour. Bring only what you’re willing to lose—Edgeville respawn helps speed up runs.
Green Dragons in the Wilderness
Killing green dragons (various Wilderness spots) provides a steady supply of dragon bones. With 80+ melee stats, you can gather 170 bones per hour. The Elite Wilderness Diary makes bones noted, extending trips to 300-400 bones per hour with a Dragon Hunter Lance. Use a Games Necklace to teleport near the Graveyard of Shadows for quick access.
Ensouled Heads from Slayer
Slayer tasks drop ensouled heads, which you can reanimate using Arceuus spells and kill for Prayer XP. This method scales with your Slayer level and doubles as combat training. Blue dragon tasks become viable with a Dragon Hunter Lance, and red dragons are an optional unlock for more bones.
Late-Game Prayer Training: Max Efficiency
At higher levels, you can optimize Prayer training with better gear, unlocks, and resources. These methods are ideal for pushing to 99.
Gilded Altar in Your POH
With 75 Construction, build a gilded altar in your Player-Owned House (POH). Using both incense burners lit, you get 3.5x XP per bone. Source dragon bones from Myths’ Guild dragons (post-Dragon Slayer II) or Vorkath for a consistent supply. This method is safe, fast (up to 1M XP/hour with superior dragon bones), and inventory-efficient for Ultimate Ironmen.
Myths’ Guild Dragons
After completing Dragon Slayer II, the Myths’ Guild basement offers green and blue dragons. Kill them for dragon bones, then use the nearby bank to stockpile. Pair this with a gilded altar for maximum efficiency. It’s safer than Wilderness options and sustainable long-term.
Offering Spells with Bonecrusher
Arceuus offering spells (e.g., Demonic Offering) convert ashes into Prayer XP. Pair this with a bonecrusher (34K Dungeoneering tokens) for passive XP from bone drops during Slayer or combat. The Fountain of Rune can recharge runes if you’re short, making this a low-effort supplement.
Tips and Tricks for Ironman Prayer Success
Maximizing Prayer XP as an Ironman requires strategy. Here are some pro tips to streamline your journey.
Prioritize Quests Early
Knock out Prayer XP quests as soon as possible. They’re free levels that save you from grinding low-tier bones, letting you focus on combat progression.
Use Passive XP Tools
The bonecrusher and ash sanctifier (Slayer reward) grant XP from bones and ashes you wouldn’t pick up. They’re clutch for passive gains during Slayer or bossing.
Optimize Bone Collection
Target monsters like blue dragons early (Taverley Dungeon) and green dragons mid-game (Wilderness). Later, Vorkath and Myths’ Guild dragons provide the best bone-per-hour rates.
Risk vs. Reward at Chaos Altar
Weigh the Chaos Altar’s XP boost against PKer risks. Non-peak hours (e.g., 09:00 UTC) reduce encounters. Use cheap gear and limit bone stacks to 500 per trip if tanking.
| Method | XP/Hour | Risk Level | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bone Shards | 50K-70K | Low | Varlamore access |
| Ectofuntus | 80K-100K | Low | Bone grinder, slime |
| Chaos Altar | 200K-300K | High | Dragon bones, Wilderness access |
| Gilded Altar | 800K-1M | None | 75 Construction, bones |
| Myths’ Guild | 300K-500K | Low | Dragon Slayer II |
Note: XP/hour varies based on bone type, gear, and efficiency. Superior dragon bones push gilded altar rates highest.
Final Thoughts on Ironman Prayer Training
Training Prayer as an Ironman in OSRS is a test of patience and resourcefulness, but with the right approach, it’s manageable and rewarding. Start with quests to bypass early levels, lean on safe methods like the Ectofuntus or bone shards, and scale up to high-XP options like the Chaos Altar or gilded altar as you progress. Whether you’re dodging PKers in the Wilderness or chilling in your POH, this guide has the tools to get you to 99 Prayer in 2025. Stay persistent, and may RNG bless your bone drops!