New Member Guide to Old School RuneScape (OSRS): Your Ultimate Starter Handbook
Welcome to Old School RuneScape (OSRS), a classic MMORPG that’s captured the hearts of millions since its 2013 revival. Whether you’re a nostalgic veteran or a fresh adventurer stepping into Gielinor for the first time, this guide is your go-to resource for starting strong as a new member. Packed with tips, tricks, and essential know-how, we’ll help you navigate membership perks, quests, skills, and more—all while keeping it beginner-friendly and SEO-optimized for players searching for the ultimate OSRS starter guide.
Starting as a free-to-play (F2P) player is a great way to dip your toes into OSRS, but becoming a member unlocks a world of possibilities. Membership isn’t just a status—it’s a gateway to richer gameplay, exclusive content, and faster progression. Here’s why upgrading is worth it:
Access to More Content
As a member, you gain access to 80% more of Gielinor, including new cities like Ardougne, regions like Morytania, and the sprawling wilderness areas. This expansion means more quests, monsters, and treasures to explore.
Faster Skill Training
Members get exclusive training methods for skills like Agility, Slayer, and Farming. These often yield better XP rates than F2P options, helping you level up quicker and unlock high-tier content sooner.
Economic Opportunities
The Grand Exchange is available to all, but members can trade a wider variety of items, craft high-value gear, and participate in profitable activities like bossing or clue scrolls—perfect for building your gold stash.
Getting Started: First Steps as a Member
Once you’ve activated your membership (via the OSRS website or in-game), the game transforms. But where do you begin? Let’s break it down into manageable steps to kickstart your journey.
Complete the Tutorial (If New)
If you’re brand new, finish Tutorial Island first. It’s mandatory for F2P accounts and teaches basics like combat, fishing, and navigation. Members can skip ahead, but it’s a solid refresher if you’re rusty.
Set Up Your Interface
Membership adds new options to your interface—skills like Slayer, Farming, and Hunter appear on your stats tab. Customize your layout (via Settings > Interface) to prioritize what you’ll use most, like combat or inventory tabs.
Bank Your F2P Loot
Head to a bank (Lumbridge or Varrock are easy starts) and deposit any F2P gear or items. Membership opens new gear options, so you’ll want space for what’s ahead.
Top Beginner Quests for Members
Quests are a cornerstone of OSRS, offering XP, loot, and story. As a new member, focus on these low-requirement quests to jumpstart your stats and unlock key features.
The Grand Tree
Requirements: 25 Agility
Rewards: 7,900 Agility XP, 2,150 Magic XP, 18,400 Attack XP
This quest introduces you to the Gnome Stronghold and trains Agility—a vital skill for shortcuts and stamina. It’s moderately easy and sets you up for future Gnome-related quests.
Waterfall Quest
Requirements: None
Rewards: 13,750 Attack XP, 13,750 Strength XP, 2 Diamonds
Perfect for combat beginners, this quest has no skill prerequisites and boosts your melee stats significantly. Watch out for the level 84 Fire Giants, though—bring food!
Lost City
Requirements: 31 Crafting, 36 Woodcutting
Rewards: Access to Zanaris, 3 Quest Points
Unlock the fairy city of Zanaris and the iconic Dragon Dagger. It’s a stepping stone to bigger adventures and profitable slayer tasks.
Pro Tip: Use the Quest Helper plugin (via RuneLite) to streamline your questing experience—it highlights objectives and required items.
Essential Skills to Train Early
Skills define your OSRS experience, and members have access to 23 total skills (versus 15 in F2P). Prioritize these early on to maximize efficiency and enjoyment.
Agility
Why? Agility unlocks shortcuts (like the Falador wall) and boosts run energy regeneration. Start at the Gnome Stronghold Agility Course (level 1) and aim for level 30+ for useful shortcuts.
Thieving
Steal from stalls in Ardougne or pickpocket NPCs like Master Farmers for seeds and cash. Early levels (1-38) are quick at the Draynor Village market—aim for 53 eventually for Blackjacking, a goldmine method.
Slayer
Exclusive to members, Slayer combines combat and profit. Start with Vannaka in Edgeville at level 1. Early tasks like banshees or cave crawlers build combat stats and drop decent loot.
Here’s a quick skill priority table:
| Skill | Starting Method | Goal Level | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agility | Gnome Stronghold Course | 30 | Shortcuts, energy regen |
| Thieving | Draynor Stalls | 38 | Seeds, early cash |
| Slayer | Vannaka Tasks | 20 | Combat XP, loot |
Making Gold as a New Member
Gold (GP) fuels your adventures—gear, supplies, and teleports all cost money. Here’s how to stack coins without high stats or hours of grinding.
Tanning Leather
Buy cowhides from the Grand Exchange (GE), tan them in Al Kharid (1 GP per hide), and sell the leather back for profit. With 10k starting GP, you can turn a 20-30k profit per hour at level 1.
Clue Scrolls (Beginner)
Members get access to beginner clue scrolls from HAM members (pickpocket in Lumbridge). These short treasure hunts drop rewards like cash, runes, or rares—perfect for low levels.
Killing Chaos Druids
Found in Edgeville Dungeon, Chaos Druids (level 13) drop herbs like ranarrs (1-2k each). With basic combat stats and food, you can make 50-100k GP/hour while training combat.
List of Starter Money Makers:
- Tanning Leather: 20-30k GP/hour, no requirements
- Clue Scrolls: 50k+ GP/hour, RNG-based
- Chaos Druids: 50-100k GP/hour, low combat
- Wine of Zamorak: Telegrab in Asgarnia Chaos Temple, 40-60k GP/hour
Final Tips: Use the GE to flip items (buy low, sell high) once you’ve got some capital. Avoid scams—never trade outside the GE unless you trust the player!
With membership, OSRS becomes a vast playground of opportunity. From quests to skills to gold-making, this guide gives you the foundation to thrive. Explore Gielinor, set goals (like 50 Slayer or 1M GP), and enjoy the journey. What’s your first goal as a new member? Drop it in the comments below!