OSRS Giant Mole Bowfa Guide: Master the Boss with Bow of Faerdhinen

OSRS Giant Mole Bowfa Guide: Master the Boss with Bow of Faerdhinen


Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers a variety of bosses, but the Giant Mole stands out as a beginner-friendly yet rewarding challenge. Located beneath Falador Park, this oversized critter is a popular target for players seeking mole claws, mole skins, and the elusive Baby Mole pet. With the introduction of the Bow of Faerdhinen (Bowfa), tackling the Giant Mole has become more efficient and enjoyable. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to use Bowfa to dominate the Giant Mole, including strategies, gear setups, and tips to maximize your kills per hour. Whether you’re a mid-level player or a seasoned veteran, this OSRS Giant Mole Bowfa guide will help you optimize your bossing experience.

The Bow of Faerdhinen, introduced with the Prifddinas update, is a powerful ranged weapon that rivals even the Twisted Bow in certain scenarios. Its versatility and high damage output make it an excellent choice for the Giant Mole. Here’s why Bowfa shines against this boss:

Advantages of Bowfa Over Melee

  • Safespotting: The Giant Mole’s lair is riddled with cavern walls, allowing you to safespot the boss and avoid its melee attacks entirely.
  • Relaxed Gameplay: Unlike melee setups (e.g., Dharok’s), you don’t need to maintain low HP or flick prayers constantly, reducing the risk of sudden death.
  • Fewer Digs: Bowfa’s high accuracy and damage per hit mean fewer attacks to kill the Mole, reducing its chances of burrowing away (25% chance per hit between 5-50% HP).
  • Supply Efficiency: Ranged setups with Bowfa use fewer prayer potions and supplies compared to melee, making trips longer and more profitable.

Bowfa vs. Twisted Bow

While the Twisted Bow (Tbow) is often considered the gold standard for Giant Mole, Bowfa is a more accessible and cost-effective alternative. Tbow excels with its scaling damage against high-magic-level targets, but the Mole’s moderate stats (level 230, 200 HP) make Bowfa nearly as effective at a fraction of the cost. For players without a billion-gold bank, Bowfa is the practical choice.

Gear and Inventory Setup for Giant Mole with Bowfa

To get the most out of your Bowfa at the Giant Mole, you’ll need the right gear and inventory. Below is a recommended setup tailored for efficiency and affordability.

Recommended Gear

  • Weapon: Bow of Faerdhinen (corrupted or uncorrupted with crystal shards)
  • Ammo: Crystal arrows or amethyst arrows (dragon arrows work too, but aren’t necessary)
  • Head: Crystal helm (or Slayer helm if on task)
  • Body: Crystal body (or blessed d’hide for budget)
  • Legs: Crystal legs (or blessed d’hide)
  • Cape: Ava’s assembler (or accumulator)
  • Neck: Necklace of anguish (or amulet of fury/glory)
  • Ring: Ring of endurance (for stamina) or Venator ring (for DPS)
  • Boots: Pegasian boots (or blessed d’hide boots)
  • Gloves: Barrows gloves (or blessed d’hide vambraces)

Note: Corrupted Bowfa eliminates the need for crystal shards, saving inventory space and gold over time. Crystal armor boosts Bowfa’s accuracy and damage, making it ideal if you can afford it.

Inventory Setup

  • Spade (to enter the lair)
  • Light source (e.g., bullseye lantern or Kandarin headgear; optional if Fire of Eternal Light is lit)
  • 2-4 Prayer potions
  • 1-2 Stamina potions (Ring of Endurance reduces this need)
  • Falador shield 3/4 (for locating the Mole after it burrows)
  • Teleport (e.g., Ring of Wealth to Falador Park)
  • Food (e.g., sharks or monkfish, 4-6 pieces for emergencies)
  • Cannon (optional, boosts kills per hour)

Budget Alternatives

If you’re not ready to invest in full crystal gear, a budget setup with blessed dragonhide, a magic shortbow (i), and rune arrows can still work. However, Bowfa’s superior stats will significantly improve your kill speed and overall experience.

Strategies for Killing Giant Mole with Bowfa

The Giant Mole is a straightforward boss with no complex mechanics, but its burrowing can be frustrating. Here’s how to use Bowfa effectively:

Getting to the Mole Lair

The Giant Mole resides in the Mole Lair under Falador Park. Use a Ring of Wealth to teleport to Falador Park (option 3), then dig on a molehill with your spade. Ensure you have a light source, as the lair is dark, and bugs will damage you without one. Completing Making Friends with My Arm and lighting the Fire of Eternal Light removes this requirement permanently.

Combat Strategy

  1. Locate the Mole: Upon entering, use the Falador shield 3/4 to track the Mole’s location via an arrow on your minimap.
  2. Safespotting: Position yourself behind a cavern wall where the Mole can’t reach you. It can’t path around obstacles, making this a safe and effective tactic.
  3. Attack with Bowfa: Set Bowfa to Accurate mode for higher max hits, reducing the number of attacks needed and thus the chance of burrowing.
  4. Prayer Usage: Activate Rigour (or Eagle Eye if Rigour isn’t unlocked) to boost ranged damage. Protect from Melee is optional if safespotting but recommended when moving between spots.
  5. Handle Burrows: When the Mole burrows (25% chance per hit between 5-50% HP), follow it using the Falador shield or thralls (if no shield) to find its new location quickly.
  6. Optional Cannon: Place a cannon in a spot where it can hit the Mole twice per rotation, further speeding up kills.

Tips for Efficiency

  • Falador Hard Diary: Completing this unlocks the Falador shield 3, making tracking the Mole effortless and boosting kills per hour from 20-30 to 50+.
  • Minimize Running: Use stamina potions or a Ring of Endurance to maintain run energy, as chasing the Mole can drain it quickly.
  • Avoid Overcrowded Worlds: Check molehills with the “peek” option to find an empty world and avoid crashers.

Loot and Profit from Giant Mole with Bowfa

The Giant Mole’s loot isn’t the most lucrative in OSRS, but it’s consistent and valuable for certain players, especially Ironmen. Here’s what to expect:

Drops Table

Item Quantity Rarity GE Value (April 2025)
Mole claw 1 Always ~6,000 GP
Mole skin 1-3 (avg. 2) Always ~5,000 GP each
Baby Mole pet 1 1/3,000 Untradeable
Elite clue scroll 1 1/500 Varies

Note: Mole claws and skins can be traded to Wyson the gardener for bird nests, which contain seeds and jewelry. Nests average ~10,000-15,000 GP each, depending on contents.

Profit Per Hour

With Bowfa and an optimized setup, you can achieve 50-60 kills per hour. Assuming an average of 2 mole skins per kill:

  • 50 kills = 50 claws (~300,000 GP) + 100 skins (~500,000 GP) = ~800,000 GP/hour
  • 60 kills = 60 claws (~360,000 GP) + 120 skins (~600,000 GP) = ~960,000 GP/hour

Factoring in nest value (if traded), profits can reach 1-1.5M GP/hour, though this varies with RNG and market prices.

Is Giant Mole with Bowfa Worth It?

The Giant Mole isn’t the flashiest boss, but it’s a solid choice for specific goals. Here’s a breakdown of its worth:

For Pet Hunters

The Baby Mole pet (1/3,000 drop rate) is a cute flex, and Bowfa’s speed makes grinding for it less tedious. At 50 kills/hour, you’ll average ~60 hours for the pet—faster than melee methods.

For Ironmen

Ironmen benefit from mole claws and skins, which trade for bird nests. These provide Herblore secondaries (crushed nests for Saradomin brews) and seeds, making the Mole a key resource.

For Profit

While 1M GP/hour is decent, other bosses like Vorkath or Zulrah outshine the Mole. It’s best for mid-level players or those rebuilding with Bowfa who want a low-stress money-maker.

Final Thoughts

The OSRS Giant Mole with Bowfa is a winning combo for relaxed, efficient bossing. Its safespot-friendly lair, combined with Bowfa’s power, makes it accessible and rewarding. Whether you’re chasing the pet, gathering nests, or just enjoying some chill PvM, this setup delivers. Grab your Bowfa, dig into Falador Park, and start mole-whacking today!