This Old School RuneScape Runecrafting guide shows the fastest and most efficient methods, as well as some insight into recent updates that nerfed and changed some of the greatest methods. Content for this article was inspired by Theoatrix OSRS's video.
Nerfed Methods
Ourania Altar (ZMI Altar)
Previously, one of the fastest Runecrafting training methods that existed was hiring Rune Runners at the Ourania Altar. The concept was that a runecrafter pays runners to go to the Bank and back, and trade Pure Essence to the runecrafter that is standing at the altar. The XP rates can reach up to and over 160K XP/H.
But, at the beginning of May, 2019, an update was released including a statement and update regarding the Ourania Altar. Trading Pure Essence in the underground area of the altar is now impossible, bringing the maximum XP rates back to the originally polled values.
Arceuus Library
Another fast and innovative Runecrafting method that used to exist was Woox’s Library method, and that capped out at 73K Runecrafting XP/H + 30K Hunter XP. The Runecrafting XP rate is much the same as efficiently making Lava Runes on your own. But, the added 30K Hunter XP made it better overall.
Two weeks after the Ourania Altar trading nerf, an update titled ‘Re-balancing Existing Content’ made it so that you cannot bank the books retrieved from the Arceuus House Library, lowering the overall XP rate of Woox’s method considerably.
Best Runecrafting Training Methods
Lava Runners
· Cost: 120GP/XP-140GP/XP
· Average Cost: 1M XP=130M RuneScape gold
With these two changes, the best and most cost-effective methods are the ones that existed before the Ourania Altar (ZMI Altar) and Woox’s methods grew popular. The fastest method is hiring essence runners and creating Lava Runes.
· 4 Runners – ~200K XP/H
· 3 Runners – ~160K XP/H
· 2 Runners – ~120K XP/H
The XP rates can cap out at a maximum of 230K XP/H, with 4 very experienced runners. With 4 less experienced runners, you will get around 200K XP/H. Going down the number of runners lowers your overall XP per hour by around 50K XP at maximum efficiency.
Hiring an experienced runner can be done through the runners’ discord, and due to the serious amount of focus that a runner needs, the prices of hiring a runner is very high.
The approximate GP/XP that you pay for any amount of runners is 130, and that can vary depending on the price and how efficient your runners are. On average, you will be paying your runners 7M-9M GP/H each, making the hourly cost max out at up to 36M/H with 4 runners. Although, you will get 200K XP/H.
The method consists of the runecrafter waiting at the Fire Altar, and the runners all will be using large and giant Runecrafting pouches.
Once timed correctly, you can craft both inventories of essence from each runner one after the other. Every 16 runecrafts, you will need another Binding necklace as well.
So, this means that one of your runners will need to bring a new necklace every 2 runs. So, that is currently the fastest possible method in the game.
Astral Runes
· Cost: 80-90 GP/XP
· Average Cost: 85M OSRS GP for 1M XP
A cheaper alternative is hiring Astral Rune runners, where each runner instead will cost 3.5M-4.5M, depending on their ability. They are a lot cheaper than Lava Rune runners, simply because the walk to the altar is a lot more AFK, and less click-intensive. Because the walk is so AFK, some players might choose to use their own Alt accounts doing the running to save some OSRS coins.
· 4 Runners – ~110K XP/H
· 3 Runners – ~85K XP/H
Overall, with 4 runners, the XP rate is roughly 110K– 120K XP per hour, as long as all of them have giant and large pouches.
This makes the GP/XP average out to only 80-90, making the hourly cost up to 18M/H, with 4 great runners.
Cost to 99: The total cost of hiring runners all the way to level 99 Runecrafting with Astral Runes is 900M gp. But, with Lava Runes, it is 1.7B gp. Those, of course, are extremely expensive for a skill that is meant to be profitable. So, a lot of players will choose to solo or use an Alt account, which I will show you now.
1 + 1 Lavas
· Cost: 60-70 GP/XP
· XP: 100K-110K XP/H
The next method is 1 + 1 Lavas. Although this concept would work at most other Runecrafting Altars, but Lavas is the most efficient.
The “1” at the start means the Runecrafter will also be running Essence at the bank. Then, he also hires one runner to do the exact same thing as him. But, instead of Runecrafting the essence, they will trade it to the main runecrafter.
This will effectively halve the GP/XP compared to hiring only runners since you get the same XP rate as 2 runners and standing at the altar. But, you will be replacing one of the runners. So, overall, you can get a max of 110K XP/H, and this can also be done with an Alt account. But, since the banking process is a little trickier, you can expect lower XP rates around 100K per hour. If you do not pay for any runner, it makes the GP/XP around the same as crafting Lava Runes normally, which means getting to level 99 Runecrafting would cost only around 30M OSRS gp.
Solo Lava Runes
· Cost: 3GP/XP
· XP: 75K Runecrafting XP/H + 13K Magic XP
For those players that do not have a lot of RuneScape money, and do not have any Alt accounts, the fastest Runecrafting method in the game is Solo Lava Runes.
With large and giant pouches, plus using Windows Mouse keys for banking and withdrawing essence from pouches, you can get up to 75K XP/H, along with 13K Magic XP/H as well.
The GP/XP is far cheaper than any runner method – only 3GP/XP. It is recommended to use at least the medium and large pouch when you are making Lava Runes as the smaller pouches will impair your efficiency.
Runecrafting Methods Comparison
4 Runners Lavas - 200K XP/H - 1.7B GP cost to level 99
3 Runners Lavas - 160K XP/H - 1.7B GP cost to level 99
4 Runners Astral - 110K XP/H - 900M GP cost to level 99
3 Runners Astral - 85K XP/H - 900M GP cost to level 99
1+1 Lavas (No Alt) - 110K XP/H - 850M GP cost to level 99
1+1 Lavas (Your Alt) - 100K XP/H - 30M GP cost to level 99
Solo Lava Runes - 75K XP/H - 30M GP cost to level 99
Blood/Soul Runes- Max 48K XP/H - 100M GP profit to level 99
Making Soul Runes is the fastest AFK-ish solo Runecrafting method. It can reach up to only 48K XP/H which is very low compared to many other methods above. The expense to 99 hiring runners is pretty ridiculous. So, if you are going for the best XP rates while trying to save your OSRS gold, the best option is to go and do 1 + 1 Lava Runes with your own Alt accounts. Alternatively, you can go and try to hire your own Runecrafting runners, which probably wouldn’t be as experienced as the ones you can find in the runners’ discord. Although, the price may be a lot cheaper.
For more news or money making guides, be sure to head over to our RS news page. You'll find 10 best F2P OSRS money making methods for 2019 which contains some new F2P money making methods. For RuneScape 3 players, there is a beginner flipping guide to earn some RS3 gold with little effort.
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