OSRS Lunar Diplomacy Herblore Guide: Master the Skill with This Quest

Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers a variety of quests that not only immerse players in its rich lore but also provide unique opportunities to train skills efficiently. One such quest is Lunar Diplomacy, a mid-to-high level quest that unlocks the Lunar Spellbook and offers a lesser-known method to train Herblore. If you’re looking to level up your Herblore skill in a cost-effective way or simply want to understand how this quest ties into the skill, this guide is for you. We’ll explore the Herblore training method tied to Lunar Diplomacy, its requirements, rewards, and tips to maximize your experience—all while keeping it SEO-friendly for OSRS enthusiasts.
Lunar Diplomacy is an experienced-level quest in OSRS that revolves around resolving the feud between the Fremennik people and the Moon Clan of Lunar Isle. Released in 2002 and carried over to OSRS, it’s a pivotal quest for players aiming to access the Lunar Spellbook, which offers utility spells for skilling, teleportation, and combat support. Beyond its rewards, the quest provides a unique opportunity to train Herblore during its progression, making it a dual-purpose adventure for skillers and questers alike.
Quest Overview
The quest begins in Rellekka, where players speak to Lokar Searunner to embark on a journey involving pirates, magical rituals, and dream worlds. Completing Lunar Diplomacy requires a mix of combat, puzzle-solving, and crafting, alongside specific skill levels, including a modest 5 Herblore. The Herblore component comes into play during the potion-making segment, which we’ll dive into shortly.
Why It’s Worth Doing
- Lunar Spellbook Access: Unlock powerful spells like Vengeance and Bake Pie.
- Herblore Training: A cheap, albeit slow, method to gain Herblore XP.
- Quest Points: Earn 2 quest points and additional XP in Magic and Runecrafting.
Herblore Requirements and Preparation for Lunar Diplomacy
Herblore plays a small but significant role in Lunar Diplomacy, both as a prerequisite and a training opportunity. Let’s break down what you need to get started and how to prepare effectively.
Skill Requirements
To start Lunar Diplomacy, you’ll need the following skills:
- 5 Herblore (non-boostable)
- 61 Crafting
- 40 Defence
- 49 Firemaking
- 65 Magic
- 60 Mining
- 55 Woodcutting
The Herblore requirement is minimal, making this quest accessible even to early-game players who’ve completed the prerequisite quests: The Fremennik Trials, Lost City, Rune Mysteries, Shilo Village, Jungle Potion, and Druidic Ritual.
Items Needed for the Herblore Portion
During the quest, you’ll craft a Waking Sleep Potion, which ties directly into Herblore training. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Guam Leaf: A common herb available from monster drops or farming.
- Marrentill: Another low-level herb easily obtainable.
- Suqah Tooth: Dropped by Suqahs on Lunar Isle (level 111).
- Pestle and Mortar: To grind the Suqah Tooth.
- Vial: Provided by Baba Yaga during the quest.
Bring extras of Guam and Marrentill if you plan to exploit the Herblore training method post-quest.
How to Train Herblore with Lunar Diplomacy
The standout feature of Lunar Diplomacy for Herblore enthusiasts is the ability to gain 84 Herblore XP per potion using a repeatable method during and after the quest. This technique is especially popular among Ultimate Ironmen (UIM) due to its low cost and inventory efficiency, but it’s viable for any account type.
Step-by-Step Herblore Training Method
Here’s how to use Lunar Diplomacy to train Herblore:
- Start the Potion Segment: After reaching Lunar Isle, speak to Baba Yaga in the chicken house north of the bank. She gives you a special vial and asks for a Waking Sleep Potion.
- Gather Materials: Fill the vial with water (there’s a sink near the bank), add a Guam Leaf and Marrentill, then grind a Suqah Tooth with a Pestle and Mortar and add it to complete the potion.
- Exploit the Glitch: Before giving the potion to the Oneiromancer, request more kindling and potion from her. Soak the kindling with the potion, drop it, and repeat. Each dropped soaked kindling leaves an empty lunar vial.
- Repeat for XP: Fill the empty vial with water, add Guam and Marrentill (no Suqah Tooth needed this time), and gain 84 XP per cycle. Destroy the vial and repeat by dropping more soaked kindling.
Note: After completing the quest, you can’t refill vials with water, but pre-stocked vials from this method can still be used with herbs for XP.
XP Rates and Efficiency
This method yields around 10,000–15,000 XP per hour, depending on your speed and preparation. While it’s slower than traditional Herblore training (e.g., making potions like Prayer Restores), it’s incredibly cheap, costing only the price of Guam and Marrentill—often under 250k GP to reach level 70 from 54, compared to millions for standard methods.
Method | XP/Hour | Cost (GP) | Best For |
---|---|---|---|
Lunar Diplomacy Vials | 10k–15k | ~250k to 70 | UIM, Budget Players |
Prayer Potions | 80k–100k | 5M+ to 70 | Fast XP, Main Accounts |
Maximizing Your Lunar Diplomacy Herblore Experience
To get the most out of this Herblore training method, consider these tips and strategies to streamline the process and boost efficiency.
Preparation Tips
- Stockpile Herbs: Buy or farm Guam and Marrentill in bulk before starting. Chaos Druids are a great source for drops.
- Bank Space: If you’re not an Ironman, store extra vials in your bank during the quest for later use.
- Combat Gear: Bring decent gear to kill Suqahs efficiently for the initial tooth and hides (needed later in the quest).
Post-Quest Considerations
Once Lunar Diplomacy is complete, you lose the ability to obtain new vials from the Oneiromancer, so maximize your vial collection during the quest. Banked vials remain usable with herbs, making this a one-time setup for long-term gains. Pair this method with other low-cost training, like cleaning herbs, to reach key Herblore milestones (e.g., 38 for Prayer Potions).
Rewards and Beyond: What’s Next After Lunar Diplomacy?
Completing Lunar Diplomacy offers more than just Herblore XP—it opens doors to new gameplay opportunities and skill progression.
Quest Rewards
- 2 Quest Points
- 5,000 Magic XP
- 5,000 Runecrafting XP
- Lunar Spellbook: Access to spells like Humidify and Plank Make for profit.
- 50 Astral Runes
Herblore Progression After the Quest
With the Lunar Spellbook unlocked, you can pivot to other Herblore training methods or use Lunar spells to complement your skilling. For example:
- Humidify: Fill vials with water quickly for faster potion-making.
- Bake Pie: Train Cooking and Herblore indirectly by boosting pie production.
From here, aim for level 38 Herblore to craft Prayer Potions or push toward 90 for Overloads, essential for endgame content like the Chambers of Xeric.
Final Thoughts
Lunar Diplomacy is more than just a quest—it’s a gateway to efficient Herblore training and versatile gameplay in OSRS. Whether you’re an Ironman on a budget or a main account looking to save GP, the Herblore method tied to this quest is a hidden gem. Pair it with the quest’s broader rewards, and you’ve got a compelling reason to set sail for Lunar Isle. Ready to start? Grab your Guam, Marrentill, and Seal of Passage, and dive into this mystical adventure today!