Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a nostalgic MMORPG that has retained its popularity for over a decade. With its immersive world, deep lore, and vast skill progression system, it can be both overwhelming and exciting for beginners. Whether you’ve just signed up or are returning after a long break, navigating Gielinor for the first time can seem like a daunting task. But fear not—this guide will provide you with five essential tips to help you get started, level up faster, and enjoy the game to its fullest.
1. Focus on Questing for Early Experience and Rewards
One of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of OSRS is its vast array of quests. While many players are tempted to jump right into combat training or skill grinding, quests provide numerous advantages that make them an essential part of your journey, especially as a beginner.
Why Questing Matters
Experience Gains: Many quests reward players with valuable experience in various skills. For example, quests like “Waterfall Quest” provide significant experience rewards in Attack and Strength, helping you level up quickly without grinding.
Unlocking Content: Completing quests unlocks new areas, minigames, and even the ability to use certain items or weapons. For instance, completing the “Priest in Peril” quest unlocks the Morytania area, where you can access new training opportunities, shops, and OSRS gold.
Item Rewards: Many quests reward you with useful items, such as teleportation methods (e.g., Teleport to Lumbridge), which can significantly ease your travels around the map.
Recommended Beginner Quests
Here are a few quests to get you started:
“The Restless Ghost” – Provides prayer experience and unlocks the Lumbridge Swamp.
“Cook’s Assistant” – A simple, early quest that unlocks Cooking as a viable skill.
“Romeo and Juliet” – A light-hearted quest that offers some early experience and quest points.
“Waterfall Quest” – A must-do quest for new players, as it provides tons of experience in Attack and Strength, without the need to train them manually.
Tip: Make sure to keep an eye on your Quest Journal to track which quests you can do and what rewards you’ll receive. Some quests can even open up entirely new areas of the game.
2. Learn How to Efficiently Train Skills
One of the key pillars of OSRS is skill progression. Whether you want to focus on combat skills like Attack, Defense, or Ranged, or non-combat skills like Fishing, Woodcutting, or Mining, it’s important to approach skill training efficiently.
General Skill Training Tips:
Prioritize Combat Skills Early: If you’re new to OSRS, it’s a good idea to focus on leveling up your Attack, Strength, and Defense skills first, as these will make it easier to defeat monsters, earn gold, and survive in dangerous areas.
The Strength and Attack training methods are quite similar. Early on, train using the best available weapon you can afford, preferably a weapon with a high damage output. A Scimitar or Abyssal Whip (if you can afford it) is highly recommended for fast training.
Use Guides for Efficient Skill Methods: Many skills have optimized training methods that help you maximize your experience per hour (XP/hr). For example, Woodcutting is much more efficient with the Dragon Axe or Rune Hatchet, and Fishing can be sped up with Barbarian Fishing.
Don’t Forget the Importance of AFK Training: Some skills can be trained AFK (away from keyboard). Skills like Fishing, Woodcutting, Mining, and Firemaking can all be trained in a way that allows you to do other tasks while still earning experience. This can be a great option if you’re busy but want to slowly progress in a skill.
Combat Training for Beginners:
Slayer: For players looking to train combat skills, Slayer is one of the most effective ways to gain experience. By unlocking Slayer through the “The Curse of Arrav” quest, you’ll gain access to Slayer tasks, which offer solid experience and item rewards as you slay a variety of monsters.
Power-training with Prayer: Don’t forget to use the Prayer skill to boost your combat efficiency. Protection prayers (like Protect from Melee or Protect from Magic) are essential for surviving tougher fights, and Prayer bonuses can make combat training more effective.
Tip: Try to plan your skills ahead. Some skills, such as Herblore, Crafting, and Construction, require specific materials, and it’s easier to build these skills up incrementally by gathering resources early on.
3. Master the Art of Money-Making
In Old School RuneScape, earning gold (GP) is crucial to advancing your character and enjoying the full experience of the game. Whether you want to buy better equipment, level up your skills, or afford certain items, having a solid money-making strategy is important.
Money-Making Methods for Beginners:
Killing Low-Level Monsters: Some early bosses and monsters can drop valuable items that sell for decent prices. For instance, cows in the Lumbridge cow pen drop cowhides, which can be sold to other players or used for crafting.
Woodcutting and Mining: Early resources such as logs, ores, and gems can be sold to other players or used to level up your skills. Cutting Willow Trees or Maple Trees are great early methods.
Fishing: As a beginner, fishing Shrimps or Trout can earn you a steady income, especially when you begin cooking them. You can also sell Fish like Lobsters to other players.
Higher-Level Money Makers:
Once you get more experience and better gear, you’ll have access to high-level money-making methods such as:
PVM (Player vs Monster): Fighting bosses like Barrows or God Wars Dungeon can yield rare and valuable drops that sell for millions of GP.
Herblore and Crafting: High-level crafting and Herblore allow you to craft items like potions and amulets, which can be sold for high profit.
Tip: Always keep a stash of low-level resources such as logs and ores to sell on the Grand Exchange (GE). Using the Grand Exchange is a great way to make money passively without needing to trade manually.
4. Make Use of Teleports and the Map
The world of Gielinor is vast, and it can be quite time-consuming to travel from one location to another. Fortunately, OSRS offers numerous teleportation methods, including spellbooks, items, and more, to make traversing the world easier.
Key Teleportation Methods:
Teleport Spells: Once you unlock the Ancient Magicks or Lunar Magic spellbooks, you’ll have access to powerful teleport spells that can take you to key locations quickly.
Teleportation Items: Many items such as the Amulet of Glory, Games Necklace, and Ring of Dueling offer easy and quick teleportation to key locations.
The Teleport to House: The House teleport is one of the most useful methods to quickly access your house for farming and construction. Don’t forget to upgrade it to unlock additional teleports!
Map Awareness:
It’s important to become familiar with the world map and learn where key resources, training locations, and shops are located. Using external resources like OSRS Wiki or RuneScape Atlas can save you a lot of time when traveling.
Tip: Try to get the Explorer’s Ring by completing the Varrock Diary. This item grants you access to free teleports and additional bonuses.
5. Join a Clan or Community
One of the best ways to enjoy OSRS is to engage with the community. Whether you’re looking for advice, tips, or just want to chat while training, joining a clan or discord server can significantly enhance your experience.
Why Join a Clan:
Help and Support: Clans often have experienced players who can offer tips, share money-making methods, and provide helpful advice on tough quests or bosses.
Social Aspect: OSRS is a social game, and being part of a clan allows you to make friends, join group activities, and participate in events like Raids or Bossing runs.
Clan Perks: Many clans offer additional in-game perks, such as teleports, bank support, and group activities, which make the game more enjoyable.
Tip: Look for beginner-friendly clans or communities. Most clans will welcome newcomers and offer useful cheap RuneScape gold.
Conclusion
Old School RuneScape is an incredibly rewarding game, but it can feel overwhelming for beginners. By focusing on questing, mastering efficient skill training, and making use of teleportation methods, you’ll be able to level up quickly and enjoy the world of Gielinor at your own pace. Don’t forget to make money wisely and engage with the OSRS community to maximize your experience. With patience and dedication, you’ll soon find yourself becoming a skilled and successful adventurer in the world of OSRS. Good luck, and may your adventures be filled with wealth and glory!
