OSRS Fletching Training Guide 1-99 Fastest and Profitable Methods
Fletching in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is one of the fastest and most versatile skills to train, offering players the ability to craft ranged weapons and ammunition while making a profit or training passively. Whether you’re aiming for level 99, looking to save gold, or want to train alongside other activities, this guide covers the best methods to suit your playstyle. From zero-time dart fletching to AFK bow stringing, we’ll break down the fastest, cheapest, and most profitable ways to max out your Fletching skill.
Fletching is a fan-favorite skill because it’s quick, often profitable, and can be trained passively during other in-game activities. High Fletching levels unlock powerful ranged gear like the Toxic Blowpipe and Dragon Arrows, while also enabling money-making through High Alchemy or selling crafted items. Plus, it’s a requirement for several quests and achievement diaries, making it a must for completionists.
Key Benefits of Fletching
- Fast Experience: Fletching is one of the fastest 99s, with top methods exceeding 1M XP/hour.
- Passive Training: Train while questing, running agility courses, or farming.
- Profit Potential: Methods like stringing bows or tipping bolts can net millions in gold.
- Quest and Diary Requirements: Needed for tasks like Fremennik Trials and Western Provinces Diary.
Getting Started with Fletching
Before diving into training, ensure you have the basics: a knife, logs, feathers, and bowstrings. Most materials are available on the Grand Exchange, but prices fluctuate, so check a Fletching calculator for current costs. For Ironmen, gathering logs via Woodcutting or feathers from chickens is key. Early levels can be boosted with quests, which we’ll cover next.
Quests for Early Fletching XP
Completing low-requirement quests can skip the grind of early levels. Here’s a list of quests that reward Fletching experience:
- Big Chompy Bird Hunting: 262 XP (requires level 5 Fletching).
- Animal Magnetism: 1,000 XP (requires level 18 Slayer).
- Zogre Flesh Eaters: 2,000 XP (requires level 30 Ranged).
- Fremennik Trials: 2,812 XP (requires level 25 Fletching).
- Temple of Ikov: 8,000 XP (requires level 40 Ranged).
These quests can boost you to level 30+, saving hours of manual training.
Fastest Fletching Training Methods
For players chasing the fastest XP rates, zero-time methods like fletching darts or bolts are king. These methods are click-intensive and costly but unbeatable for speed. Below are the top options for rapid leveling.
Levels 1-10: Arrow Shafts and Headless Arrows
Start by fletching arrow shafts from regular logs, which give 5 XP per log. Then, combine arrow shafts with feathers to make headless arrows for 15 XP per action (1 XP per arrow). This is cheap and quick, costing around 100-200K to level 10.
- Materials Needed: Logs, feathers, knife.
- XP/Hour: ~45,000 (headless arrows).
- Cost: ~2-3 gp/XP.
Levels 10-37: Bronze and Iron Darts
Fletching darts is the fastest zero-time method, offering insane XP rates. Bronze darts (level 10) and iron darts (level 22) are accessible early. Use feathers with dart tips, and disable the “Make X” option in settings for two-click fletching to maximize speed.
- Materials Needed: Bronze/iron dart tips, feathers.
- XP/Hour: Up to 388,800 (bronze darts).
- Cost: ~10-15 gp/XP.
- Tip: Use a touchscreen for easier spam-clicking or Windows Mouse Keys for efficiency.
Levels 37-99: Steel to Dragon Darts
From level 37, steel darts dominate, followed by mithril (level 52), adamant (level 67), rune (level 81), and dragon darts (level 95). These are expensive but offer the highest XP rates in the game, with dragon darts hitting over 1.5M XP/hour.
| Dart Type | Level Required | XP/Action | Approx. XP/Hour | Approx. Cost (gp/XP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel | 37 | 7.5 | 600,000 | 12-15 |
| Mithril | 52 | 11.2 | 800,000 | 15-20 |
| Adamant | 67 | 15 | 900,000 | 20-25 |
| Dragon | 95 | 25 | 1,500,000 | 30-40 |
Note: Buy limits restrict dart tip purchases, so stock up in advance or use alts to bypass restrictions.
Profitable and AFK Fletching Methods
If burning gold isn’t your style, profitable or AFK methods like stringing bows or fletching headless arrows offer slower but sustainable training. These are ideal for players who want to make money or multitask.
Levels 1-25: Headless Arrows
Headless arrows remain a solid choice for profit. Combine arrow shafts (1 gp each) with feathers (2 gp each) to create headless arrows, which sell for a small profit. This method is AFK-friendly and stackable, perfect for training during agility or quests.
- Materials Needed: Arrow shafts, feathers.
- XP/Hour: ~45,000.
- Profit: ~100-150K/hour.
Levels 25-55: Oak to Maple Longbows
Fletching and stringing longbows becomes profitable at higher levels. Start with oak longbows (level 25), then move to willow (level 40) and maple longbows (level 55). Stringing is faster than cutting, yielding higher XP/hour.
| Bow Type | Level Required | XP/Action | Approx. XP/Hour | Approx. Profit/Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Longbow | 25 | 25 | 61,250 | -20,000 |
| Willow Longbow | 40 | 41.5 | 70,550 | 50,000 |
| Maple Longbow | 55 | 58.2 | 99,025 | 150,000-200,000 |
Tip: Use bank presets to swap unstrung bows and bowstrings instantly, saving time.
Levels 55-99: Maple Longbows and Beyond
Maple longbows are a sweet spot for profit, costing little to make and selling well. At level 70, yew longbows offer even higher profits (~300K/hour), and magic longbows (level 85) can net up to 500K/hour if alched. These methods are semi-AFK, requiring clicks every 45 seconds.
- Materials Needed: Logs, bowstrings, knife.
- XP/Hour: 99,000-120,000 (maple/yew longbows).
- Profit: 150,000-500,000/hour.
Tips for Efficient Fletching Training
Maximizing your Fletching efficiency saves time and gold. Here are advanced tips to streamline your training:
Use Zero-Time Methods Strategically
Zero-time methods like darts or bolts don’t delay other actions, making them ideal for agility courses, farm runs, or Slayer tasks. Carry stackable materials (feathers, dart tips) to train anywhere.
Boosts and Bonuses
Leverage boosts to train faster or access higher-level methods early:
- Dragonfruit Pie: Boosts Fletching by +4 (eat with Preserve prayer to extend).
- Spicy Stew: Random +1 to +5 boost (requires Evil Dave’s stew).
- Fletching Cape: +1 boost at level 99 (not practical for training).
Ironman Considerations
Ironmen should focus on gathering materials early. Chop logs while Woodcutting, collect feathers from birdhouse runs, and smith dart tips for darts. Broad arrows (level 52, requires 300 Slayer points) are efficient for training passively, as supplies are bought from Slayer masters.
Monitor Grand Exchange Prices
Fletching costs vary daily. Use a calculator like the one on OldSchool.tools to check if methods are profitable. Stock up on materials during price dips to save millions.
With these methods, you can hit 99 Fletching in as little as 10-15 hours with darts or spread it out over weeks with profitable bows. Whether you’re a main, Ironman, or casual player, Fletching’s flexibility makes it a rewarding skill to master. Grab your knife, stock up on supplies, and start crafting your way to the top!