OSRS Efficient Pest Control: Best Strategies to Maximize Points

OSRS Efficient Pest Control: Best Strategies to Maximize Points


Pest Control in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a popular minigame that offers combat experience, coins, and valuable Void Knight equipment. Whether you’re a low-level player looking to train or a veteran aiming for the elite Void set, efficiency is key to getting the most out of your time. This guide dives into the best strategies for efficient Pest Control in OSRS, helping you maximize points and rewards with minimal hassle. Let’s explore how to dominate the portals, optimize your setup, and make every game count.

Before jumping into advanced strategies, it’s worth understanding how Pest Control works. This minigame pits players against waves of monsters spawned from portals on an island. Your goal? Protect the Void Knight while destroying the portals. Winning earns you points based on your contribution, which you can spend on rewards.

How Points Are Earned

You need to deal at least 50 damage during a game to qualify for points. Successful games award:

  • Novice Boat: 2 points per win
  • Intermediate Boat: 3 points per win
  • Veteran Boat: 4 points per win

Bonus points scale with your combat level, capping at 10 extra points at level 100+. The key to efficiency is consistent wins and fast games.

Choosing the Right Boat

Pest Control offers three difficulty levels via different boats:

  • Novice (Combat Level 40+): Easiest, great for low levels or quick points.
  • Intermediate (Combat Level 70+): Balanced difficulty and rewards.
  • Veteran (Combat Level 100+): Hardest but offers the most points.

Pick a boat that matches your combat stats and gear for the best results.

Optimizing Your Gear and Inventory

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Your setup can make or break your Pest Control efficiency. The right gear and inventory minimize downtime and boost your damage output, ensuring faster portal takedowns.

Best Gear for Melee

Melee is a solid choice for most players due to its accessibility. Here’s a recommended setup:

Prioritize strength bonuses to hit harder and speed up games.

Best Gear for Ranged

Ranged excels at hitting portals from a distance. Try this setup:

A toxic blowpipe with decent darts can shred portals quickly.

Inventory Setup

Keep your inventory lean but effective:

  • 4-6 Prayer potions
  • Special attack weapon (e.g., Dragon dagger)
  • Runes for utility spells (e.g., High Alchemy)
  • Food (optional for lower levels)

Prayer potions let you maintain buffs like Piety or Eagle Eye, boosting your damage output.

Efficient Combat Strategies

Once you’re geared up, it’s time to fight smart. Efficient combat in Pest Control revolves around teamwork, positioning, and prioritizing targets.

Portal Rotation and Teamwork

Each game spawns four portals (West, East, Southwest, Southeast). Coordinate with your team to split up and tackle them simultaneously. Soloing a portal is fine, but it’s faster with 2-3 players per portal. Call out portal statuses in chat to keep everyone on track.

Using Special Attacks

Save your special attack energy for portals or high-health monsters like Ravagers and Spinners. A well-timed Dragon dagger spec can chunk a portal’s HP, shaving precious seconds off the game.

Dealing with Spinners

Spinners heal portals, so they’re your top priority. Attack them immediately when they spawn near a portal. If ignored, they’ll drag out the game, costing you efficiency.

Maximizing Points Per Hour

Efficiency isn’t just about winning—it’s about stacking points fast. Here’s how to optimize your Pest Control grind.

Stick to Active Worlds

Worlds like 344 (official Pest Control world) often have full boats and experienced players, leading to quicker wins. Avoid dead worlds where games stall due to low turnout.

Time Management Tips

Average games last 2-3 minutes with a good team. Aim for 20-25 wins per hour on the Veteran boat for 80-100 points per hour. Minimize downtime by banking or restocking only when necessary.

Experience vs. Points Balance

If you’re training combat, use the “Attack” style for your weapon to earn XP while still contributing damage. For pure points, switch to “Strength” or “Ranged” for faster kills.

Boat Points per Win Wins per Hour Points per Hour
Novice 2 25 50
Intermediate 3 22 66
Veteran 4 20 80

Note: Points per hour assume consistent wins and a combat level of 100+ for bonus points.

Rewards and Long-Term Goals

Pest Control isn’t just about the grind—it’s about what you get out of it. Let’s break down the rewards and how to plan your point spending.

Void Knight Equipment

The Void set is the big draw, offering versatile combat bonuses. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Void Knight Top: 250 points
  • Void Knight Robe: 250 points
  • Void Knight Gloves: 150 points
  • Void Helmet (Melee, Range, or Mage): 200 points each

Total for a full set: 850 points. The elite version (extra 200 points) boosts damage and accuracy further.

Experience Rewards

You can trade points for XP in Attack, Strength, Defence, Hitpoints, Ranged, Magic, or Prayer. The formula is:

For a level 100 player, 100 points could net 18,000 Strength XP—great for mid-level training.

Pest Control Tips for Ironmen

Ironmen benefit from Pest Control for early combat XP and Void gear without trading. Stick to Novice or Intermediate boats until you’re geared up, then scale to Veteran for faster points.

Efficient Pest Control in OSRS boils down to preparation, teamwork, and repetition. With the right gear, a solid strategy, and an active world, you’ll be racking up points in no time. Whether you’re chasing Void armor or combat XP, this minigame remains one of the best ways to level up while having fun. Grab your weapon, hop on a boat, and start smashing those portals!