OSRS Clue Scroll Drops: Your Ultimate Guide to Treasure Trails
Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is packed with exciting activities, but few are as thrilling as chasing clue scroll drops. These random rewards kick off Treasure Trails—scavenger hunts that send you across Gielinor to uncover loot ranging from modest gear to ultra-rare treasures worth millions of gold pieces. Whether you’re a free-to-play newbie or a seasoned member, understanding how to get clue scrolls and what drops them can turn a casual grind into a goldmine. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about OSRS clue scroll drops, from the tiers to the best methods for farming them efficiently.
Clue scrolls are special items dropped by monsters, obtained through skilling, or earned via certain activities. They come in six difficulty tiers—Beginner, Easy, Medium, Hard, Elite, and Master—each offering unique challenges and rewards. When you get a clue scroll drop, it’s your ticket to a multi-step adventure involving riddles, coordinates, or emotes, ending with a reward casket packed with loot.
Why Clue Scrolls Are Worth Your Time
The allure of clue scrolls lies in their unpredictability. A Beginner scroll might yield a few thousand gold, while a Hard or Elite scroll could drop items like 3rd Age gear or dyes worth tens of millions. Beyond the loot, they’re a fun way to explore Gielinor, test your game knowledge, and break up the monotony of grinding.
The Six Tiers of Clue Scrolls
- Beginner: 1-3 steps, free-to-play friendly, low rewards.
- Easy: 2-4 steps, simple tasks, modest loot like black armor.
- Medium: 3-5 steps, introduces coordinates, offers ranger boots.
- Hard: 4-6 steps, tougher puzzles and fights, includes gilded items.
- Elite: 5-7 steps, high skill and quest requirements, rare drops like blood dye.
- Master: 6-8 steps, the toughest tier, top-tier rewards like 3rd Age.
How to Get Clue Scroll Drops in OSRS
Clue scrolls don’t just fall into your lap—you’ve got to earn them. They drop from a variety of sources, including monsters, skilling activities, and minigames. The key is knowing where to focus your efforts based on the tier you’re targeting and your account’s capabilities.
Monster Drops: The Classic Method
Killing monsters is the most common way to snag clue scrolls. Each tier has specific droppers, and the higher the monster’s level, the tougher the scroll you might get.
- Beginner: Low-level F2P mobs like cows, goblins, and chickens (1/50 to 1/100 chance).
- Easy: H.A.M. members (pickpocketing, 1/50) or thugs in Edgeville Wilderness Dungeon (1/64 with Ring of Wealth).
- Medium: Guards (1/128) or dagannoths in Lighthouse (1/128).
- Hard: Hellhounds (1/64, 1/32 in Wilderness with Ring of Wealth) or Slayer monsters.
- Elite: Barrows chests (1/33 with all brothers killed) or Vorkath (1/65).
Skilling for Clue Scrolls
If combat isn’t your thing, skilling offers a passive way to score clue scrolls. These come in the form of clue bottles (Fishing), clue geodes (Mining), or clue nests (Woodcutting). The drop rates improve with higher skill levels, but they’re still rare—think 1/300 to 1/1000 depending on the activity and tier.
| Skill | Clue Container | Best Tier Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing | Clue Bottle | 28.5% Beginner/Easy |
| Mining | Clue Geode | 21.4% Medium |
| Woodcutting | Clue Nest | 14.2% Hard |
Implings: The Fast-Track Option
Hunting implings in Puro-Puro or around Gielinor is a gold-intensive but speedy way to farm clue scrolls. You’ll need decent Hunter levels and some cash to buy jars, but the drop rates are solid.
- Baby Implings: Beginner clues, 1/50.
- Young Implings: Beginner clues, 1/25.
- Eclectic Implings: Medium clues, 1/25.
- Dragon Implings: Elite clues, 1/50.
Best Monsters for Clue Scroll Drops
Not all monsters are created equal when it comes to clue scroll farming. Here’s a rundown of the top droppers for each tier, balancing efficiency, accessibility, and drop rates.
Beginner Clue Scroll Droppers
Cows (1/50): Found in Lumbridge, these are perfect for F2P players. Low HP, easy to kill, and a decent drop rate make them a go-to for newbies.
Goblins (1/50): Scattered across Goblin Village and Lumbridge, they’re another F2P-friendly option with minimal risk.
Easy Clue Scroll Droppers
H.A.M. Members (1/50): Pickpocketing in Lumbridge’s H.A.M. hideout is fast and profitable, especially with Rogue’s outfit for double loot.
Thugs (1/64): In Edgeville Wilderness Dungeon, wear a Ring of Wealth to boost the rate to 1/64. Watch out for PKers!
Medium Clue Scroll Droppers
Guards (1/128): Found in Falador or Varrock, they’re easy to kill with low HP. Falador Medium Diary bumps the rate slightly to 11/1280.
Dagannoths (1/128): In the Lighthouse, these aggressive mobs are great for AFK farming with decent loot alongside clues.
Hard Clue Scroll Droppers
Hellhounds (1/64): Wilderness (1/32 with Ring of Wealth) or Taverley Dungeon spots offer high rates. Bring a cannon for speed.
Sarachnis (1/40): A mid-tier boss in Forthos Dungeon, it’s accessible with 70 Attack and offers consistent hard clue drops.
Elite Clue Scroll Droppers
Vorkath (1/65): Post-Dragon Slayer II, this boss is a money-making machine with elite clues as a bonus.
Barrows (1/33): Killing all six brothers guarantees a shot at elite clues, plus Barrows gear profits.
Tips to Maximize Clue Scroll Drops
Farming clue scrolls efficiently takes strategy. Here are some pro tips to boost your success rate and make the most of your time.
Use Combat Achievements
Completing Easy, Medium, or Hard Combat Achievements grants a permanent 5% boost to clue scroll drop rates from all sources (except implings). It’s a small edge that adds up over time.
Loot Management and the Drop Trick
You can only hold one clue scroll per tier at a time—unless you use the drop trick. Drop your current scroll, kill more monsters or skill, and pick up another before the first despawns (61 minutes). This lets you stockpile scrolls for later.
Boost Drop Rates with Rings
The Ring of Wealth (i) doubles clue scroll drop rates in the Wilderness for certain monsters like hellhounds or thugs. It’s a must-have for serious farmers.
Rewards from Clue Scroll Drops
The real payoff comes when you crack open that reward casket. Here’s what you can expect from each tier, plus some standout rares that keep players hooked.
Beginner and Easy Rewards
Beginner caskets offer F2P items like steel gear or low-value cosmetics. Easy clues step it up with black equipment, wizard robes (g), or god pages—averaging 10-50k per casket.
Medium and Hard Rewards
Medium clues bring mithril armor, ranger boots (1/1133, ~1M gp), and crier coats. Hard clues up the ante with gilded items (1/10k+), rune gear, and a minimum value around 100k.
Elite and Master Rewards
Elite caskets can drop blessed dragonhide, blood dyes (20M+), or 3rd Age pieces (hundreds of millions). Master clues, often obtained via other scrolls (1/50 from Easy, 1/15 from Elite), offer the rarest loot like 3rd Age druidic robes or shadow dyes.
Notable Rare Drops:
- Ranger Boots (Medium): ~1M gp
- Gilded Armor (Hard): 5-50M gp per piece
- 3rd Age Gear (Elite/Master): 100M+ gp
Average Value per Tier
| Tier | Average Casket Value |
|---|---|
| Beginner | 5-20k |
| Easy | 10-50k |
| Medium | 30-150k |
| Hard | 100-500k |
| Elite | 200k-1M+ |
| Master | 500k-5M+ |
Clue scroll drops are a cornerstone of OSRS’s charm, blending adventure, strategy, and the thrill of the unknown. Whether you’re slaughtering hellhounds, fishing for bottles, or chasing implings, there’s a method for every playstyle. Start small with Beginner scrolls or dive into Elite farming—the choice is yours. With this guide, you’re ready to hunt down those clues and claim your treasure. Happy trailing!