OSRS 99 Herblore Guide Fast and Profitable Methods

OSRS 99 Herblore Guide Fast and Profitable Methods

Herblore in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a members-only skill that lets you craft potions to boost stats, heal, or unlock new gameplay opportunities. Reaching level 99 Herblore is a prestigious goal, but it’s known for being expensive and repetitive. This guide breaks down the fastest, cheapest, and most profitable ways to hit 99, whether you’re a main account or an Ironman. With smart planning, you can minimize costs and even make some gold along the way. Let’s dive into the best strategies to master Herblore!

Before you can train Herblore, you need to unlock the skill by completing the Druidic Ritual quest in Taverley. This short quest has no requirements and grants 250 XP, boosting you to level 3 Herblore instantly. From there, you’ll be mixing potions, cleaning herbs, or making tars to climb the levels.

Why Train Herblore?

Herblore offers massive benefits:

  • Combat Buffs: Potions like Super Combats and Saradomin Brews are essential for high-level PvM.
  • Quest Requirements: Quests like Song of the Elves and Fairy Tale Part II need high Herblore levels.
  • Profit Potential: Cleaning herbs or crafting certain potions can net you gold.
  • Ironman Utility: Self-sufficiency for potions is a game-changer.

Essential Items for Training

To make your grind smoother, grab these items:

  • Amulet of Chemistry: 5% chance to create a 4-dose potion, saving materials.
  • Herb Sack: Stores grimy herbs, great for Ironmen (750 Slayer points or 250 Tithe Farm points).
  • Botanical Pie: Temporarily boosts Herblore by +4, letting you make potions early.
  • Pestle and Mortar: Needed for crushing secondaries like bird nests.

Fastest Path to 99 Herblore

199 Quick Herblore Guide Old School RunescapeOSRS YouTube

The quickest way to 99 is making potions, as it offers the highest XP per hour (up to 450,000 XP/h at high levels). However, it’s costly, often requiring 50–100M GP depending on market prices. Here’s the optimal potion-making route.

Level 3–38: Attack and Strength Potions

Start with low-level potions to build your base:

  • Attack Potions (Level 3): Guam leaf (unf) + Eye of newt. ~25 XP per potion.
  • Strength Potions (Level 12): Tarromin (unf) + Limpwurt root. ~50 XP per potion.

Buy unfinished potions and secondaries from the Grand Exchange for speed. Expect 50,000–80,000 XP/h. This stage is cheap, costing ~120k GP to hit level 38.

Level 38–63: Prayer and Energy Potions

Now, focus on mid-tier potions:

  • Prayer Potions (Level 38): Ranarr (unf) + Snape grass. ~87.5 XP per potion.
  • Energy Potions (Level 26): Harralander (unf) + Chocolate dust. ~67.5 XP per potion (optional if Prayer Potions are too pricey).
  • Super Attack Potions (Level 45): Irit (unf) + Eye of newt. ~100 XP per potion.

Prayer Potions are cost-effective since they sell for a small loss. You’ll hit ~200,000 XP/h here. Costs vary, but expect 5–10M GP to reach level 63.

Level 63–81: Super Restores and Super Strengths

These potions balance speed and cost:

  • Super Restore Potions (Level 63): Snapdragon (unf) + Red spiders’ eggs. ~142.5 XP per potion.
  • Super Strength Potions (Level 55): Kwuarm (unf) + Limpwurt root. ~125 XP per potion.

Super Restores are pricey but offer great XP (250,000–300,000 XP/h). Budget players can stick with Super Strengths. This stretch might cost 20–30M GP.

Level 81–99: Saradomin Brews

The final push is all about Saradomin Brews:

  • Saradomin Brews (Level 81): Toadflax (unf) + Crushed bird nest. ~180 XP per potion.

These yield up to 450,000 XP/h but are expensive (~60M+ GP to 99). Use an Amulet of Chemistry to cut losses. For Ironmen, bird nests from birdhouse runs and Toadflax from herb runs are key.

Budget-Friendly Herblore Training

OSRS 199 Herblore Guide NovaMMO

If you’re low on GP, cleaning herbs or making tars can save you millions. These methods are slower but often profitable.

Cleaning Grimy Herbs

Cleaning herbs is click-intensive but can be done with minimal investment:

  • Guam (Level 3): ~2.5 XP, ~8 GP profit per herb.
  • Tarromin (Level 11): ~5 XP, ~10 GP profit per herb.
  • Ranarr (Level 25): ~7.5 XP, ~50 GP profit per herb.

You can clean 5,000–12,000 herbs per hour (manual clicking hits the higher end), earning 50,000–100,000 XP/h and potentially 500k GP/h profit. Check GE prices before buying, as margins fluctuate.

Making Herbal Tars

Tars are less click-intensive and decent for AFK training:

  • Guam Tar (Level 19): Guam leaf + 15 Swamp tar. ~30 XP per action.
  • Harralander Tar (Level 44): Harralander + 15 Swamp tar. ~72 XP per action.

Expect 100,000–150,000 XP/h. Stockpile Swamp tar (buy limit: 13,000) to avoid interruptions. This method can break even or turn a small profit.

Ironman Herblore Strategies

Ironmen face unique challenges since they can’t rely on the Grand Exchange. Herb runs, Slayer, and questing are your best friends.

Herb Farming for Supplies

Herb runs are the backbone of Ironman Herblore:

  • Unlock All Patches: 9 herb patches (e.g., Hosidius, Trollheim, Weiss) maximize yields.
  • Use Ultracompost: Boosts yield and reduces disease risk.
  • Plant High-Tier Seeds: Ranarr, Snapdragon, and Toadflax for Prayer Potions, Super Restores, and Saradomin Brews.

A full run takes 5–10 minutes every 80 minutes, yielding 50–100 herbs. Pair with Magic Secateurs (+10% yield) and Farming cape for efficiency.

Secondary Ingredient Sources

Gathering secondaries is time-consuming but manageable:

  • Snape Grass: Farm at allotments or collect from Waterbirth Island.
  • Red Spiders’ Eggs: Kill Spidine in Tower of Life or loot from Venenatis.
  • Crushed Bird Nests: Birdhouse runs or Giant Mole kills (trade claws/skins for nests).

Slayer tasks (e.g., Nechryael, Aberrant Spectres) also drop herbs and seeds regularly.

Questing for Early Levels

Knock out these quests for free XP:

Quest Herblore XP Level Requirement
Druidic Ritual 250 None
Jungle Potion 775 3
Recruitment Drive 1,000 None
The Dig Site 2,000 10
Zogre Flesh Eaters 2,000 8

These get you to level 26 with minimal effort, letting you make Energy Potions early.

Tips and Tricks for Efficiency

Maximize your Herblore grind with these pro tips:

Optimize Banking

Train near a bank (e.g., Grand Exchange or Varrock West) to make 2,500 potions per hour. Set bank withdrawal to 14 for equal splits of unfinished potions and secondaries.

Boosting Herblore Levels

Use Botanical Pies (+4 boost) or Preserve Prayer with Best Prayer gear to extend boosts. At level 34, you can make Prayer Potions early with a boost, saving GP.

Profit-Driven Potion Choices

Some potions can reduce losses or even profit:

  • Super Combat Potions (Level 90): ~329,400 XP/h, ~870k GP/h profit.
  • Super Antifire Potions (Level 85): ~325,000 XP/h, ~2M GP/h profit.

These require high capital (30–40M GP/h), so check GE prices before committing.

Mastering Mixology Minigame

At level 60, try the Mastering Mixology minigame in Varlamore (requires Children of the Sun quest). It offers up to 80,000 XP/h and can be profitable (2.6M GP/h). It’s a slower but engaging alternative to potion-making.

With this OSRS 99 Herblore guide, you’re equipped to tackle the grind, whether you’re chasing speed, savings, or self-sufficiency. Potion-making is the fastest route, but cleaning herbs and tars offer budget-friendly options. Ironmen should lean on herb runs and Slayer for supplies. Whatever your playstyle, plan ahead, check prices, and use boosts to stretch your XP. Got questions or tips? Drop them below, and happy skilling!