OSRS Early Ironman Guide: Kickstart Your Solo Adventure

OSRS Early Ironman Guide: Kickstart Your Solo Adventure


Starting your journey as an Ironman in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is both thrilling and challenging. Unlike regular accounts, Ironmen can’t trade with other players or use the Grand Exchange, making self-sufficiency the name of the game. This guide is designed to help you navigate the early stages of your Ironman adventure, from your first steps in Lumbridge to unlocking key skills and items that set you up for mid-game success. Whether you’re a beginner or a returning player, this OSRS early Ironman guide will give you a clear path to follow.

The early game as an Ironman revolves around building a foundation. You’ll need to gather resources, train skills, and complete quests to unlock essential tools and areas. Efficiency is key since you’re limited to what you can obtain solo.

Starting in Lumbridge

Every Ironman begins in Lumbridge after completing the tutorial. Your immediate goal is to gather basic supplies and train combat skills.

  • Fish for Food: Grab a small fishing net from the Lumbridge fishing tutor and catch shrimp in the nearby river. Cook them on a fire for early healing items.
  • Chop Trees: Use an axe from the general store (or one you find) to cut trees for logs. This trains Woodcutting and provides fuel for cooking.
  • Kill Chickens: Head to the chicken coop east of Lumbridge to train combat and collect feathers. Feathers are vital for Fishing later.

Essential Early Quests

Quests are a lifeline for Ironmen, offering XP rewards and access to useful items without tedious grinding.

  • Cook’s Assistant: A quick quest that gives 300 Cooking XP and access to the cooking range in Lumbridge Castle.
  • The Restless Ghost: Grants 1,125 Prayer XP, helping you skip early Prayer training.
  • Sheep Shearer: Provides 150 Crafting XP and some coins to kickstart your cash stack.

Training Key Skills Efficiently

As an Ironman, your early skill training sets the stage for everything else. Focus on skills that unlock resources and improve your survivability.

Combat Training

Combat is crucial for gathering drops and progressing through quests. Start small and scale up.

  • Chickens and Cows: Train to level 10 in all combat stats using chickens and cows near Lumbridge. Collect feathers and cowhides.
  • Goblins: Move to the goblins north of Lumbridge for slightly better XP and drops like coins and bones.
  • Hill Giants: Once you hit 20-30 combat stats, head to the Edgeville Dungeon with a brass key (bought from the Varrock general store or dropped by goblins). Hill Giants drop big bones and limpwurt roots, key for Prayer and Herblore.

Skilling for Resources

Gathering skills provide the raw materials you’ll rely on as an Ironman.

  • Fishing: After shrimp, use feathers to fly fish trout and salmon at Barbarian Village. This boosts Fishing and Cooking levels fast.
  • Mining and Smithing: Mine copper and tin in the Lumbridge Swamp, then smelt and smith bronze items. Upgrade to iron at level 15 Mining.
  • Woodcutting: Progress from regular trees to oaks near Draynor Village, banking logs for Fletching or Firemaking.

Unlocking Transportation and Areas

Mobility is a game-changer for Ironmen. Unlocking teleports and new areas saves time and opens up training opportunities.

Early Teleport Options

Without access to the Grand Exchange, teleports rely on quests and items you can obtain yourself.

  • Home Teleport: Use the Lumbridge Home Teleport (no cost, 30-minute cooldown) to return to base.
  • Canoe System: Train Woodcutting to 12 and use the canoe stations along the River Lum to travel between Lumbridge, Barbarian Village, and Edgeville.
  • Quest Teleports: Complete “The Grand Tree” for access to the Gnome Glider system, an early network for fast travel.

Key Areas to Unlock

Expanding your map early gives you access to better resources and training spots.

  • Draynor Village: Close to Lumbridge, it offers fishing spots, oaks, and the bank for storage.
  • Varrock: Head north for Mining (east mine), shops, and the Varrock Teleport spell (requires Magic training and runes).
  • Falador: West of Draynor, it has a Mining guild entrance (level 60 Mining required later) and white knight gear drops.

Questing for Early Boosts

Quests are the fastest way to jumpstart your Ironman account. They provide XP, items, and unlocks that bypass slow grinds.

Top Early Quests for XP

Here’s a prioritized list of quests to tackle within your first 10-20 hours.

Quest XP Reward Benefits
Waterfall Quest 13,750 Attack and Strength XP Boosts combat to level 30+ instantly
Vampire Slayer 4,825 Attack XP Easy combat boost, stake for later use
Witch’s Potion 325 Magic XP Quick Magic levels for teleports
Druidic Ritual 250 Herblore XP Unlocks Herblore at level 3

Quest Preparation Tips

Maximize efficiency by preparing for quests ahead of time.

  • Gather Items: Stockpile quest items like bones, feathers, and fish beforehand.
  • Train Skills: Meet minimum skill requirements (e.g., 10 Magic for Witch’s Potion) to avoid delays.
  • Combine Goals: Train combat while gathering items like cowhides or wool for multiple quests.

Setting Up for Mid-Game Success

The early game isn’t just about survival—it’s about preparing for the mid-game grind. Focus on unlocks that pay off later.

Gearing Up

Equipment is harder to come by as an Ironman, so prioritize obtainable upgrades.

  • Iron Armor: Smith your own iron gear from bars you smelt. Aim for a full set by level 15 Smithing.
  • Weapons: Use a steel scimitar (smithable at 20 Smithing) or grab a silverlight from “Demon Slayer” for a decent early weapon.
  • Amulets: Craft an amulet of strength (requires 50 Crafting, doable later) or use drops like the amulet of power from enemies.

Money-Making Methods

Cash is critical for repairs, supplies, and quest costs. Here are sustainable early methods.

  • Thieving: Pickpocket men and women in Lumbridge to level 5, then steal from stalls in Ardougne at 20 Thieving for cakes and silk.
  • High Alchemy: Train Magic to 55 and alch bronze/iron items you smith or loot (e.g., bronze platebodies give 120 gp each).
  • Drops: Sell big bones (100-150 gp each) and limpwurt roots (300-400 gp each) to general stores from Hill Giants.

Planning Your Next Steps

By the end of the early game (around 20-30 hours), aim for these milestones:

  • Combat Level 40+: Achieved via quests and Hill Giant training.
  • Base 30 Skills: Fishing, Cooking, Mining, Smithing, and Woodcutting at 30+ for resource access.
  • Quest Points: 30-50 QP to unlock “The Grand Tree,” “Fight Arena,” and other mid-game quests.

With these foundations, you’re ready to transition into Slayer, better gear, and tougher challenges. The early Ironman grind is tough, but the rewards of self-reliance make it worth it. Stick to this guide, stay efficient, and you’ll be crushing it in Gielinor in no time!