OSRS Onyx Bolt Tips: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting, Uses, and Profit

OSRS Onyx Bolt Tips: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting, Uses, and Profit


In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), onyx bolt tips are a high-value item tied to the Fletching skill and crossbow combat. These small, shimmering tips can transform runite or dragon bolts into powerful ammunition, offering players both utility and profit potential. Whether you’re an Ironman hoarding drops or a main account looking to maximize your gold, understanding onyx bolt tips is key to unlocking their full potential. This guide dives deep into everything you need to know about OSRS onyx bolt tips—how to obtain them, craft them, use them, and even turn them into a money-making opportunity as of April 08, 2025.

Onyx bolt tips are a crafting material used to create onyx bolts or onyx dragon bolts, which can then be enchanted into the coveted onyx bolts (e). These bolts are among the strongest in the game, boasting a unique Life Leech effect that heals players during combat. But before they become bolts, onyx bolt tips start as a product of the Fletching skill, requiring a cut onyx and a chisel.

How Are Onyx Bolt Tips Made?

To craft onyx bolt tips, you’ll need:

  • Fletching Level 73: The minimum requirement to work with onyx.
  • Cut Onyx: A gem obtained from mining, monster drops, or the Grand Exchange.
  • Chisel: A basic tool available from general stores or your tool belt.

Using a chisel on a cut onyx yields 24 onyx bolt tips, granting 9.4 Fletching experience per tip (225.6 XP total). However, this method is rarely recommended due to the high value of the cut onyx—often exceeding 1 million GP—compared to the bolt tips’ market price.

Why Crafting Them Isn’t Always Worth It

While crafting onyx bolt tips offers decent XP, the economics don’t add up for most players. A cut onyx might cost 1.05M GP, while 24 onyx bolt tips fetch around 150K-170K GP on the Grand Exchange. That’s a massive loss! Instead, players typically acquire them through drops or buy them directly, preserving their value for better uses.

How to Obtain Onyx Bolt Tips

Since crafting them from a cut onyx is inefficient, most players rely on alternative sources. Here’s how you can get your hands on onyx bolt tips without breaking the bank:

Monster Drops

Several high-level monsters drop onyx bolt tips, making them a rewarding byproduct of Slayer or bossing:

  • Lava Dragons: Found in the Wilderness, these drop 12 onyx bolt tips uncommonly.
  • Ninja Implings: Caught via Hunter, these can yield bolt tips as loot.
  • Infernal Eels: Fishing these in Mor Ul Rek offers a chance at onyx bolt tips.

Elite Clue Scrolls

Completing elite Treasure Trails can reward 12 onyx bolt tips. While not a guaranteed drop, it’s a nice bonus for clue hunters chasing bigger prizes like the 3rd Age gear.

Grand Exchange Purchase

For those with cash to spare, buying onyx bolt tips from the GE is the fastest route. As of April 08, 2025, prices fluctuate around 6,000-7,000 GP each, depending on market trends. Check GE Tracker for real-time data to snag the best deal.

Turning Onyx Bolt Tips into Bolts

Once you’ve got your onyx bolt tips, the real fun begins—crafting them into bolts. This process requires Fletching level 73 and either runite bolts or dragon bolts.

Crafting Onyx Bolts

Combine 10 onyx bolt tips with 10 runite bolts to create 10 onyx bolts, earning 9.4 Fletching XP per bolt (94 XP total). These bolts require 61 Ranged to equip and pack a punch with their high base strength.

Upgrading to Onyx Dragon Bolts

For even more power, attach onyx bolt tips to dragon bolts (requires 84 Fletching). Onyx dragon bolts are rarer and stronger, often used by endgame players tackling tough PvM content like Vorkath or Chambers of Xeric.

Enchanting into Onyx Bolts (e)

To unlock their full potential, enchant your onyx bolts with the Enchant Crossbow Bolt (Onyx) spell:

  • Magic Level 87: Required to cast the spell.
  • Runes: 1 Death Rune, 1 Cosmic Rune, 20 Fire Runes per 10 bolts.
  • Effect: Adds the Life Leech ability—20% extra damage and heals 25% of damage dealt.

The enchantment boosts their value and utility, making them a favorite for Ironmen and PvM enthusiasts.

Uses and Benefits of Onyx Bolts (e)

Onyx bolts (e) are a luxury item, but their unique effect justifies the cost in specific scenarios. Here’s why they’re worth considering:

Combat Applications

The Life Leech effect shines in prolonged fights:

  • PvM: Ideal for bosses like Zulrah or Theatre of Blood, where healing reduces inventory pressure.
  • PvP: A 10-11% activation chance (12.1% with Hard Kandarin Diary) can turn the tide in the Wilderness.

Note: They don’t work on undead enemies, so skip them for tasks like Barrows or Skeletons.

High Alchemy Profit

For Ironmen or players with excess bolts, high alching onyx bolts (e) yields 9,000 GP each—far more than their crafting cost. This makes them a solid GP sink for those grinding Magic or stockpiling cash.

Money-Making with Onyx Bolt Tips

Onyx bolt tips offer multiple profit avenues if you play your cards right. Here’s a breakdown of the best methods as of April 08, 2025:

Fletching and Alching

Buy runite bolts and onyx bolt tips, craft them into onyx bolts, then enchant and alch. Here’s a quick cost-benefit analysis:

Item Cost (GP) Quantity Total (GP)
Runite Bolts 150 10 1,500
Onyx Bolt Tips 6,500 10 65,000
Runes (Enchantment) ~500 1 cast 500
Total Cost – – 67,000
Alch Value (10 Bolts) 9,000 10 90,000
Profit – – 23,000

This nets ~2,300 GP per bolt, or 230K GP per hour with efficient cycling—great for Magic XP too!

Flipping on the Grand Exchange

Onyx bolt tips have a 10,000 buy limit, making them flippable for small margins. Watch GE Tracker for price dips (e.g., 6,400 GP buy, 6,600 GP sell) to earn 2,000-5,000 GP per stack passively.

Collecting Drops as an Ironman

For Ironmen, banking onyx bolt tips from lava dragons or clues builds a stockpile. At 73 Fletching, craft and alch them for a steady GP influx without relying on trades.

Tips and Tricks for Maximizing Onyx Bolt Tips

To get the most out of onyx bolt tips, consider these strategies:

Optimize Your Combat Loadout

Pair onyx bolts (e) with a high-tier crossbow like the Armadyl Crossbow or Zaryte Crossbow (boosts Life Leech to 32% damage). Switch to cheaper bolts like diamond (e) once healed to save costs.

Leverage Diaries

Complete the Hard Kandarin Diary to boost Life Leech activation from 11% to 12.1% in PvM—small but impactful over long sessions.

Track Market Trends

Prices for onyx bolt tips and bolts fluctuate. Use tools like GE Tracker to buy low and sell high, or alch when the market dips below 9K GP per bolt (e).

Conclusion: Onyx bolt tips may seem like a niche item, but they’re a goldmine for savvy OSRS players. Whether you’re crafting them into powerful bolts, alching for profit, or flipping for passive income, they offer versatility and value. As of April 08, 2025, their relevance remains strong, bridging combat utility with economic opportunity. Start hunting, crafting, or trading today—your bank (and Hitpoints) will thank you!