OSRS Prayer Guide 1-99 Fastest and Cheapest Methods

OSRS Prayer Guide 1-99 Fastest and Cheapest Methods

Prayer is one of the most valuable skills in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), offering combat buffs like protection prayers, stat boosts, and even item protection on death. However, it’s also one of the most expensive and click-intensive skills to train. This comprehensive OSRS Prayer guide will walk you through the fastest and cheapest methods to reach level 99, whether you’re a free-to-play (F2P) player, pay-to-play (P2P) member, or an Ironman. From early quests to endgame methods, we’ve got you covered with strategies to save time and gold while maximizing experience.

Prayer enhances your combat effectiveness and survivability, making it essential for PvM, PvP, and challenging quests. Higher Prayer levels unlock powerful abilities, such as Protect from Melee at level 43 and Piety at level 70, which significantly boost your performance. Additionally, a higher Prayer level increases the prayer points restored by potions, saving you resources in the long run. Let’s dive into how to train this skill efficiently from level 1 to 99.

Starting Out Early Prayer Levels (1-30)

The first 30 levels are the easiest to achieve without spending much gold, especially through quests that reward Prayer experience. Completing these quests is highly recommended for all account types to skip the tedious early grind.

Recommended Quests for Prayer XP

  • The Restless Ghost: Rewards 1,125 XP, boosting you to level 9 instantly. No requirements, perfect for new accounts.
  • Priest in Peril: Grants 1,406 XP. Requires defeating a level 30 enemy, so bring basic combat gear.
  • Recruitment Drive: Provides 1,000 XP. Needs completion of Druidic Ritual and Black Knights’ Fortress.
  • Holy Grail: Awards 11,000 XP, enough to jump from level 1 to 28. Minimal requirements but avoid if you’re a pure (it gives Defence XP).
  • Spirits of the Elid: Offers 8,000 XP. Higher requirements (33 Magic, 37 Ranged, Mining, and Thieving), but worth it for level 30.

Completing The Restless Ghost, Priest in Peril, Recruitment Drive, and Holy Grail gives a total of 14,531 XP, taking you from level 1 to 30 without any manual training. If you also do Spirits of the Elid, you’ll hit level 36, saving even more time.

Tips for F2P Players

For F2P players, training Prayer beyond quests is slow and costly. Burying bones is the only option, with regular bones giving 4.5 XP and big bones offering 15 XP. Expect around 13,000 XP per hour with regular bones or 43,000 XP per hour with big bones, but buying them is inefficient—burying regular bones to 99 costs over 200 million GP, and big bones cost around 177 million GP. Instead, gather bones from low-level monsters like goblins or chickens and complete The Restless Ghost for a quick boost.

Core Prayer Training Methods for P2P (30-99)

Once you hit level 30, P2P players gain access to faster and more efficient methods. The following options cater to different budgets and playstyles, from gold-saving to maximum XP rates. Below, we’ll explore the most popular methods: Gilded Altar, Chaos Altar, Varlamore Prayer, Ensouled Heads, and Ectofuntus.

Gilded Altar The Fastest Method

The Gilded Altar, found in a Player-Owned House (POH), is the go-to method for most players due to its high XP rates. With two lit incense burners, it grants 350% XP per bone compared to burying. You can use someone else’s altar on World 330 (Rimmington) to avoid the 75 Construction requirement.

How it works:

  • Bring noted bones and gold to unnote them with Phials (5 GP per note).
  • Use bones on the altar manually for maximum XP (auto-offering is slower).
  • Teleport back to a bank (Camelot or House Teleport) and repeat.

XP Rates and Costs:

Bone Type XP per Bone (Gilded Altar) XP per Hour Cost to 99 (GP)
Dragon Bones 252 600,000–650,000 ~120 million
Superior Dragon Bones 525 1,200,000–1,340,000 ~210 million
Wyrmling Bones 73.5 180,000–200,000 ~30 million

Pro Tip: Use the Menu Entry Swapper RuneLite plugin to set “use” as the default left-click option for bones, speeding up the process. Manually clicking each bone doubles XP rates compared to AFK auto-offering.

Chaos Altar The Cheapest High-XP Method

Located in level 38 Wilderness, the Chaos Altar offers the same 350% XP as a Gilded Altar but with a 50% chance to not consume the bone, effectively halving costs. However, it’s a multi-combat zone with high PKer activity, so caution is key.

How to Use:

  • Bring small inventories of bones to minimize risk.
  • Use noted bones and unnote them with the Elder Chaos Druid (50 GP per note).
  • Keep Protect from Magic active to counter PKers.
  • Use a burning amulet to teleport to the Lava Maze for quick access.

XP Rates and Costs:

  • Dragon Bones: 300,000–450,000 XP per hour, ~60 million GP to 99.
  • Superior Dragon Bones: 700,000–900,000 XP per hour, ~100 million GP to 99.

Warning: Set your respawn point to Lumbridge and avoid bringing valuable gear. Use RuneLite plugins like Player Indicator and World Hopper to spot and evade PKers. This method is best for those comfortable with Wilderness risks.

Varlamore Prayer A Balanced Alternative

Introduced with the Varlamore update, this method involves offering Blessed Bone Shards at the Teomat’s Libation Bowl, requiring level 30 Prayer. It’s slower than Gilded Altars but offers decent XP and is safer than the Chaos Altar.

Steps:

  1. Unlock Varlamore and access the Teomat (Ralos’ Rise mountain).
  2. Convert bones into Blessed Bone Shards.
  3. Offer shards with blessed jugs of wine or sunfire wine (sunfire is faster but drains more Prayer points).
  4. Restore Prayer at the nearby Shrine of Ralos.

XP Rates: Up to 400,000 XP per hour with dragon bones and sunfire wine, assuming 4,000 bones processed per hour. Costs are similar to Gilded Altars but slightly lower due to shard efficiency.

Advantage: The Zealot’s Robes (1.25% chance per piece to save shards) can reduce costs by up to 5% with the full set, making it appealing for budget-conscious players.

Ensouled Heads The Macro-Efficient Option

Reanimating ensouled heads using Arceuus spells is a cheaper, slower alternative that also trains Magic and combat. It’s ideal for Ironmen or players looking to save gold while gaining multi-skill XP.

How it Works:

  • Buy ensouled heads from the Grand Exchange (place overnight orders for better prices).
  • Cast reanimation spells at the Dark Altar in Arceuus to summon monsters.
  • Kill the reanimated monsters for Prayer XP.

XP Rates and Costs:

  • Ensouled Dragon Heads: 290,000–300,000 Prayer XP per hour, ~90 million GP to 99, plus 30,000–40,000 Magic/combat XP.
  • Ensouled Bloodveld Heads: 145,000–180,000 Prayer XP per hour, ~50 million GP to 99.

Requirements: Access to the Arceuus spellbook (no favor needed) and Magic levels (e.g., 93 for dragon heads). This method is less click-intensive and great for multitasking.

Ectofuntus For Ironmen and Budget Players

The Ectofuntus in Port Phasmatys gives 400% XP per bone, the highest multiplier, but it’s time-consuming due to grinding bones into bonemeal and collecting slime. It’s best for Ironmen or players with limited gold.

Process:

  1. Grind bones into bonemeal using the Ectofuntus grinder.
  2. Collect buckets of slime from the pool below.
  3. Offer bonemeal and slime at the Ectofuntus altar.

XP Rates: Around 200,000 XP per hour with dragon bones, costing ~30–40 million GP to 99. Completing Ghosts Ahoy for the Ectophial teleport speeds things up.

Ironman Prayer Training Tips

Ironmen face unique challenges since they can’t buy bones or heads from the Grand Exchange. Here’s how to train efficiently:

  • Early Game: Use bones from slayer tasks or low-level monsters like green dragons. Offer them at the Ectofuntus or Chaos Altar for maximum XP.
  • Mid-Game: Save ensouled heads from slayer drops and reanimate them. The Bonecrusher (Hard Morytania Diary reward) provides passive XP when killing monsters.
  • Late Game: Farm high-level monsters like wyrms or dragons for bones. The Varlamore method is also viable if you grind shards yourself.
  • Quests: Prioritize Holy Grail and Spirits of the Elid for big XP boosts.

The Chaos Altar is particularly strong for Ironmen, as the 50% bone-saving chance stretches limited resources further.

Tips to Optimize Your Prayer Training

Regardless of the method, these tips will help you train smarter:

Use RuneLite Plugins

Plugins like Menu Entry Swapper, Player Indicator, and World Hopper streamline Gilded Altar and Chaos Altar training, reducing clicks and PKer risks.

Break It Into Milestones

Aim for key levels like 43 (protection prayers), 70 (Piety), or 77 (Augury/Rigour) to stay motivated. Use an OSRS Prayer calculator to estimate bones needed.

Stock Up During Low Prices

Buy bones or heads when Grand Exchange prices dip, especially after major updates when supply increases.

Prayer Gear

Equip items like Monk’s Robes or Zealot’s Robes to extend Prayer points, saving potions during Varlamore or Chaos Altar runs.

Combine with Other Skills

Ensouled heads offer Magic and combat XP, while the Bonecrusher provides passive Prayer XP during Slayer, making them great for multi-skill training.

Final Thoughts

Reaching level 99 Prayer in OSRS is a grind, but with the right method, it’s achievable for any player. The Gilded Altar is the fastest for those with gold to burn, while the Chaos Altar saves millions at the cost of risk. Varlamore Prayer and Ensouled Heads offer balanced alternatives, and the Ectofuntus shines for Ironmen. Start with quests, pick a method that fits your budget, and use our tips to optimize your journey. Soon, you’ll be rocking that Prayer skillcape and dominating Gielinor’s toughest challenges.

Happy training, and may Guthix guide your path!