OSRS Fletching Guide 1-99 Fastest and Most Profitable Methods

Fletching in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is one of the fastest and easiest skills to train, offering players the chance to craft ranged weapons and ammunition while potentially turning a profit. Whether you’re aiming for the coveted Fletching skill cape or looking to make some gold, this comprehensive 1-99 Fletching guide covers the fastest methods, profitable strategies, and alternative approaches to suit all playstyles. From darts to bows, we’ll break down everything you need to know to reach level 99 efficiently.
Fletching is a versatile skill that not only enhances your ranged combat capabilities but also opens up money-making opportunities. Here’s why it’s worth mastering:
- Speed: Fletching is renowned for being the fastest skill to 99, with top players achieving it in as little as 3 hours using high-intensity methods.
- Profit Potential: Unlike many skills, Fletching can be profitable, especially at higher levels with methods like stringing bows or tipping bolts.
- Flexibility: Many Fletching methods can be done while multitasking, such as running, questing, or training other skills like Agility.
- Utility: Crafting your own arrows, bolts, and darts saves money for ranged training and provides valuable items for PvM and PvP.
Fastest Fletching Methods for 1-99
If speed is your priority, the following methods will get you to 99 Fletching in the shortest time possible. These are click-intensive and often expensive, but they deliver unmatched experience rates.
Bronze Arrows and Darts (Levels 1-10)
Start your Fletching journey by crafting bronze arrows or darts. Bronze arrows are made by combining arrow shafts (fletched from logs) with feathers and bronze arrowtips, yielding up to 60,000 XP per hour. Alternatively, bronze darts require only feathers and bronze dart tips, offering similar XP rates with fewer steps.
- XP per Action: 3.9 for bronze arrows, 1.8 for bronze darts.
- Cost: Approximately 500k-1M GP for levels 1-10.
- Tip: Use a dragonfruit pie to boost your Fletching by +4, allowing you to craft bronze darts at level 6 instead of 10.
Mithril and Adamant Darts (Levels 10-52)
Once you hit level 10, switch to mithril darts (level 20) and later adamant darts (level 30). These provide significantly higher XP rates, peaking at 600,000-800,000 XP per hour with precise clicking or mobile tapping.
- XP per Dart: 11.2 for mithril, 15 for adamant.
- Cost: Around 50-80M GP to level 52, depending on market prices.
- Pro Tip: Use Windows MouseKeys or OSRS Mobile for faster fletching—two-finger tapping on mobile can double your output.
Dragon Darts (Levels 52-99)
From level 52, dragon darts are the king of Fletching XP, offering up to 1.8M XP per hour with perfect clicks. They’re unlocked at level 95, but boosting with dragonfruit pies from level 91 makes them accessible earlier.
- XP per Dart: 25.
- Cost: Approximately 200-300M GP from 52-99.
- Buy Limits: Be wary of Grand Exchange limits (13,000 dart tips every 4 hours). Stock up in advance or trade with friends.
Note: Dragon darts are extremely expensive, so consider mixing in cheaper alternatives like amethyst darts (level 90, 21 XP per dart) if your budget is tight.
Profitable Fletching Methods for 1-99
Not everyone wants to burn through millions of GP for a 99. These methods balance XP with profit, making them ideal for players who want to earn gold while skilling.
Headless Arrows (Levels 1-15)
Headless arrows are a cheap and semi-AFK way to start Fletching. Combine arrow shafts (5 XP per log) with feathers for 1 XP per headless arrow. This method is slow but often breaks even or profits slightly.
- XP per Hour: Up to 45,000.
- Cost/Profit: Minimal cost, potential profit of 1-2 GP per arrow.
- Materials Needed: 13,363 arrow shafts and feathers to level 15.
Stringing Bows (Levels 15-99)
Stringing bows is the go-to profitable method for Fletching. You’ll fletch unstrung bows from logs and then add bowstrings for additional XP and profit. Here’s a breakdown:
Level | Bow Type | XP per Bow (Stringing) | XP per Hour | Estimated Profit |
---|---|---|---|---|
15-25 | Oak Longbow | 25 | 40,000 | 5-10k |
25-40 | Willow Longbow | 41.5 | 80,000 | 50-100k |
40-55 | Maple Longbow | 58.3 | 120,000 | 200-400k |
55-70 | Yew Longbow | 75 | 180,000 | 2-5M |
70-99 | Magic Longbow | 91.5 | 220,000 | 10-15M |
Tip: Check Grand Exchange prices regularly, as bowstring costs can fluctuate. Stringing is more profitable than cutting unstrung bows, but it’s slightly more click-intensive.
Tipping Dragon Bolts (Levels 84-99)
At level 84, you can tip dragon bolts with gem tips (e.g., diamond or onyx), which is often profitable and offers decent XP. Diamond-tipped dragon bolts yield around 210,000 XP per hour and can net over 100M GP from 84-99.
- XP per Bolt: 12 (diamond-tipped).
- Profit: 9-10 GP per XP, depending on market trends.
- Capital Needed: Significant upfront investment (50M+).
AFK Fletching Methods for Casual Players
For those who prefer a relaxed approach, these AFK methods require less clicking and allow you to multitask, such as watching a movie or working.
Cutting Bows (Levels 1-99)
Cutting unstrung bows from logs is one of the most AFK methods, though it’s slower than stringing. You’ll need a knife and logs, with each action taking 3 game ticks (1.8 seconds).
- Levels 1-10: Shortbows (8,500 XP/hr, ~5k loss).
- Levels 10-25: Oak Shortbows (28,000 XP/hr, ~10k loss).
- Levels 25-40: Willow Shortbows (56,000 XP/hr, ~4k profit).
- Levels 40-70: Yew Longbows (127,000 XP/hr, ~1.5M profit).
- Levels 70-99: Magic Longbows (155,000 XP/hr, ~10M profit).
Battlestaves (Levels 40-80)
From level 40, crafting battlestaves using Celastrus bark offers 80 XP per action and is highly AFK. It’s slower than darts but cheaper than high-level darts, costing around 10M GP to level 80.
- XP per Hour: 110,000.
- Cost: ~10.8M GP for 24,361 barks.
- Time: ~17 hours to level 80.
Redwood Shields (Levels 92-99)
At level 92, crafting redwood shields provides 168,000 XP per hour and is a great AFK alternative to magic longbows. It costs around 6M GP from 92-99 and is less profitable but very low-effort.
- XP per Shield: 216.
- Materials: 60,346 redwood logs.
- Cost: ~1 GP per XP.
Ironman Fletching Strategies
Ironmen face unique challenges due to the need to gather materials themselves, but Fletching remains a fast skill with the right approach.
Banking Resources Early
Ironmen should focus on “banking XP” by saving logs, feathers, and arrowtips from other activities:
- Logs: Cut yew or magic trees during Woodcutting training.
- Feathers: Complete Bone Voyage for birdhouse trapping, which provides a steady feather supply.
- Arrowtips/Bolts: Smith your own dart tips after completing The Tourist Trap quest, or save tips from Slayer tasks.
Quest Rewards for Early Levels
Knock out a few quests to skip the early grind:
- Animal Magnetism: 1,000 XP (level 10).
- Big Chompy Bird Hunting: 735 XP.
- Zogre Flesh Eaters: 2,000 XP (level 18).
- Temple of Ikov: 8,000 XP (level 30).
These quests can boost you to level 30 with minimal effort, letting you focus on higher-XP methods.
Recommended Path
For Ironmen, a balanced path might look like this:
- Levels 1-30: Quest and fletch headless arrows or bronze arrows using banked materials.
- Levels 30-55: Fletch maple longbows, which are easy to source and decent XP.
- Levels 55-99: String yew or magic longbows, supplementing with bolts or arrows from Slayer drops.
Tips for Efficient Fletching Training
Maximize your Fletching efficiency with these practical tips:
- Stock Up: Buy materials in bulk to avoid Grand Exchange buy limits, especially for darts and bolts.
- Use Mobile: Fletching darts or bolts on OSRS Mobile is less straining on your hands and allows for two-finger tapping.
- Combine with Other Skills: Fletch while running during Agility, Slayer, or farm runs to make it feel like “zero-time” training.
- Monitor Prices: Use a Fletching calculator to check GP per XP, as prices fluctuate daily.
- Boost with Pies: Dragonfruit pies are your best friend for unlocking high-XP methods early.
With these strategies, you’ll be flaunting your Fletching cape in no time, whether you’re chasing speed, profit, or a relaxed grind. Happy fletching!