Runecrafting in Old School RuneScape is a valuable skill that can be trained by both free-to-play and pay-to-play players. With our OSRS Runecrafting Guide here, we will discuss everything you need to know about this skill and how you can improve it as you continue your journey in Gielinor.

The skill itself deals with the crafting of magical runes, hence the straightforward name for it. These runes are used by mages to cast a plethora of spells and are consumed once a spell is cast.

Therefore, runes are always in demand, which makes this skill a decent way to make money in OSRS.

Complete OSRS Runecrafting Training Guide

Basics of OSRS Runecrafting
OSRS Runecrafting Items
Quests That Reward Runecrafting Experience
Quests That Require Runecrafting In Old School RuneScape
OSRS Diaries That Require Runecrafting
Runecrafting Training Guide From Level 1 to 99
Alternative Runecrafting Leveling Methods
OSRS Runecrafting Money Making Tips
Final Thoughts About Runecrafting In OSRS

Due to the tedious process of crafting runes, very few people have actually improved their character’s skill from Level 1 Runecrafting to Level 99.

If you are willing to put in the work, are stubborn and dedicated enough, then Runecrafting can be really rewarding, especially for those who are mages themselves.

Basics of OSRS Runecrafting

Like any other skill, Runecrafting has its materials and requirements. We have already mentioned Runes. Many different types of Runes can be crafted from raw materials. These raw materials are Rune essence, Pure essence, and Dark essence.

Essences

The first two types of essences can be mined after completing the Rune Mysteries quest. This quest does not only unlock access to the Runecrafting skill but serves as a simple Runecrafting tutorial. Completing the quest also rewards the player with an Air talisman. Dark essence is a relatively new item added in 2016.

osrs runecrafting essences

To craft Runes from it you must mine Dense essence blocks then turn those into Dark essence blocks and then cut these into Dark essence fragments using a chisel.

Mining and crafting Dark essence require level 38 Mining and Crafting respectively and also House Arceuus favor: 25% to enter the Arceuus essence mine to mine Dense essence and 100% to create Dark essence blocks.

Runecrafting Tools

For this OSRS Runecrafting guide, we will talk about the 13 types of talismans, and each has its corresponding Rune type. Talismans are required when a player wishes to turn essences into Runes that later can be used for casting spells or sold for profit.

When a player wishes to create runes they must have a talisman and rune essences in their inventory and approach a necessary Altar – Runes cannot just be crafted anywhere.

Runecrafting altars can be accessed via Mysterious ruins scattered throughout the world when the player has the necessary Talisman. Clicking on an Altar will turn all essences in the player’s inventory into corresponding Runes.

There is another, advanced, item that is also used to access Altars and that is a Tiara. Tiaras can replace Talismans when accessing an Altar. Similar to Talismans, Tiaras do not grant a universal passage to all Altars and instead can only be used to access a specific Altar.

To create a Tiara for this purpose you must have a Talisman of the type you want Tiara to adopt and bring them to the corresponding Altar. Use Tiara on the Altar and here you go – Tiara turns into a specific type of Tiara, you put it on your head and now you have that 1 extra space in inventory for Rune essences!

Crafting Multiple Runes at Once

A more experienced Runecrafter is not only able to craft higher tier Runes, but also more Runes of lower-tier using the same amount of essence.

This is extremely useful when using Magic yourself or selling Runes, however, it does not grant more experience since XP is calculated based on essences used rather than the number of resulting Runes.

Combination Runes

If you thought that making multiple Runes in one go is amazing then listen to this – you can also make so-called “Combination runes”. Combination runes are created by, well, you guessed it, combining other types of Runes.

Here’s how it works: you need to bring Rune A with Talisman A and Pure essence to Altar B. Make sure to have either Talisman B or Tiara B to access Altar B. Tiara is a recommended choice because it saves inventory space.

IMPORTANT: Click “Use” Rune A on the Altar B. If you simply click Altar B it will create Rune B instead of the desired Combination rune. There is a 50% success rate that can be increased to 100% with the Binding necklace.

There is an alternative method to create Combination runes. You need to cast Magic imbue spell and thus save inventory space on Talisman A.

In order for this to work, cast the spell just before using the Altar. Magic imbue spell requires level 82 Magic and the completion of Lunar Diplomacy quest to access the Lunar spellbook.

The spell itself also needs resources, which are 2 Astral runes, 7 Fire and 7 Water runes per cast. Using a Rune pouch is highly recommended along with a Binding necklace.

Not just any Runes can be combined though, only the elemental ones, meaning Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. Note that you get more XP when creating Combination runes at the Altar of a higher level.

For example, if you wish to create Lava runes (Earth+Fire), creating them at the Fire altar will reward more XP.

Ourania Altar

Ourania altar is a special kind of Altar for multiple reasons.

First, you do not need to meet the usual requirements of having a Talisman or wearing a Tiara.

Second, you cannot choose which type of Rune is created. Ourania altar creates random Runes with the chance of getting higher level Runes increasing with the player’s Runecrafting level. The only type of Runes that cannot be created is Wrath runes and any of the Combination runes.

Third, you can only craft Runes from Pure essences, unlike with lower-level Runes when Rune essences suffice.

Fourth, the XP you get for crafting Runes is double what you would receive otherwise.

Fifth, completing medium Ardougne Diary provides a chance of making more Runes than usual, but as is with crafting multiple Runes, the XP gained is calculated for essence used and not the resulting Runes. To sum up, Ourania altar is the best place to level up Runecrafting if you care only about gaining Runecrafting XP.

osrs runecrafting locations

OSRS Abyss

The Abyss is a very strange and very special place. To be allowed access there you must complete Enter the Abyss quest. After doing so, you can speak to the Mage of Zamorak in low-level Wilderness to be teleported there.

While Wilderness is dangerous, the Abyss itself is not too kind to players as well. Once teleported there you will instantly get skulled and your Prayer drained to 0 if you are not wearing Abyssal bracelet.

The Outer Ring of the Abyss is a dangerous multi combat zone. To get out of this hell that is the Outer ring, players must use one of their skills: Woodcutting, Mining, Thieving, Agility, or Firemaking. The higher your level in a skill, the better are the chances of you successfully getting through.

The math behind success rate is simple – skill level +1, so at level 99 your chance is 100%.

Why even bother getting into the Abyss which also means going through Wilderness on the way?

Via the Inner ring of the Abyss you can access any Altar except for Wrath and Astral. This means that this is almost a universal stop for all your OSRS Runecrafting needs at whatever Runecrafting level.

old school runescape abyss for runecrafting

OSRS Runecrafting Items

Pouches

Essence pouches are essential when training Runecrafting in OSRS. They can store Ruen or Pure essences and thus save inventory space. There are four types of pouches: Small, Medium, Large, and Giant pouch.

The required Runecrafting level to make full use of them is 1, 25, 50, and 75 and they have 3, 9, 18, and 30 slots respectively. Pouches decay over time with constant use, so make sure to repair them by talking to the Dark Mage in the Inner Ring of the Abyss or casting Contact NPC spell from the Lunar spellbook.

If you fail to repair them, they will be destroyed and you will have to find new pouches. Pouches are unique and you can only use 1 type of pouch at a time, meaning you can acquire and use all four sizes, but you can’t use two pouches of the same size.

There are also Rune pouches that are dedicated to Runes alone. You can put 16k Runes of three types into such a pouch, meaning that it is extremely useful to have one when Runecrafting and using Magic to teleport around the world for more efficient training.

Runecrafting Cape

Obviously, you won’t get to use this one until you hit level 99 Runecrafting. The Runecrafting cape is extremely useful for those who are stubborn enough to achieve level 99 Runecrafting and wish to make money with this particular skill.

It prevents pouches from deteriorating and allows access to all Altars without having to bother with bringing Talismans or wearing Tiaras.

Binding Necklace

Binding necklace is of great usefulness to those who wish to craft Combination runes whether by using Magic or not. It provides a 100% success rate when making Combination runes (the default chance being 50%).

Binding necklace has 16 charges and after they are expended it crumbles into dust. This item is a must-have for players who wish to craft Combination runes and it can be looted from monsters in the Abyss or created by casting Lv2 Enchant spell on an Emerald necklace. The latter option requires level 27 Magic.

Quests That Reward Runecrafting Experience

Quest	Experience	Other requirements	Level
The Ascent of Arceuus	500	20% Arceuus Favor	-
Enter the Abyss (miniquest)	1,000	-	-
The Slug Menace	3,500	30 Crafting 30 Slayer 30 Thieving	30
Devious Minds	5,000	50 Fletching 65 Smithing	50
The Fremennik Exiles	5,000	65 Crafting 60 Fishing 60 Slayer 60 Smithing	55
Lunar Diplomacy	5,000	61 Craffting 40 Defense 49 Firemaking 5 Herblore 65 Magic 60 Mining 55 Woodcutting	-
The Eyes of Glouphrie	6,000	5 Construction 46 Magic 45 Woodcutting
What Lies Below	8,000	42 Mining (if you have no access to the Abyss)	35

Quests That Require Runecrafting In Old School RuneScape

Quest	Level
The Slug Menace	30
What Lies Below	35
Devious Minds	50
The Fremennik Exiles	55

OSRS Diaries That Require Runecrafting

Difficulty	Diary	Task	Level
Easy	Lumbridge & Draynor	Craft some Water runes.	5
Easy	Varrock	Craft some Earth runes.	9
Medium	Lumbridge & Draynor	Craft some lava runes at the fire altar in Al Kharid.	23
Hard	Ardougne	Craft some Death runes at the Death altar.	65
Hard	Falador	Craft 140 Mind runes simultaneously.	56
Hard	Karamja	Craft some Nature runes.	44
Hard	Lumbridge & Draynor	Craft 56 cosmic runes simultaneously.	59
Elite	Falador	Craft 252 Air runes simultaneously.	88
Elite	Fremennik	Craft 56 astral runes at once.	82
Elite	Karamja	Craft 56 Nature runes at once.	91
Elite	Kourend & Kebos	Craft one or more Blood runes.	77
Elite	Lumbridge & Draynor	Craft 140 or more water runes at once.	76
Elite	Varrock	Craft 100 or more earth runes simultaneously.	78

Runecrafting Training Guide From Level 1 to 99

Runecrafting can be one of the best skills to level up in Old School RuneScape, and in this section, we will discuss what you should be doing for each level, so you can level up your runecrafting skills quicker than other RuneScape players.

Level 1-9 Runecrafting

Use Rune or Pure essence to craft Air runes. Bring as many Rune pouches as you can to save time. Air altar is located south of Falador, therefore it is convenient to use Falador teleport tabs to bank your Runes.

osrs map for runes

Level 9-14 Runecrafting

At this level range, you unlock the ability to craft Earth runes. The Earth altar is located south of Varrock Lumber Yard, the place where you had to or should rescue poor kittens. In this case, the Varrock teleport tab should come in handy.

osrs varrock and lumber yard

Level 14-23 Runecrafting

Playing with fire was never so safe (or boring…)! At level 14 Runecrafting you can craft Fire runes. The Mysterious ruins that lead to the Fire altar are located south-west of the Al Kharid Duel arena.

You have an excellent logistical option here – a Ring of dueling, which does not only teleport you to Castle Wars where you can bank your crafted runes, but it can also teleport you to the Duel arena, making this stage of Runecrafting leveling a real breeze.

runecrafting in lumbridge

Level 20-99 Runecrafting (Free-to-Play)

At level 20 Runecrafting players unlock the ability to craft Body runes. This method is only viable if you are a P2P player since members get access to vastly superior methods.

If you are now thinking about getting a bond, you can buy OSRS gold, and get your bond cheaper!

The Body altar is located just north-west of Barbarian Village, south of the Monastery.

barbarian village in old school runescape

Level 1-99 Runecrafting (Free-to-Play)

Crafting Tiaras is another option that F2P players can choose. To create a magical Tiara you need one Tiara and one Talisman of your choice.

This is a costly way of training Runecrafting but it is faster than crafting Body runes all the way to level 99 Runecrafting. It is recommended for those who want to at least approach Runecrafting training speeds that are available to members and have sufficient funds.

Level 23-99 Runecrafting

South of West Ardougne is the Ourania Altar. This special altar allows for a less tedious way of leveling Runecrafting and can be used to reach level 99 Runecrafting. The random nature of this Altar might be not to everyone’s liking, though.

The upside is that the quality of Runes crafted overall increases with your Runecrafting level. It is recommended to have level 71 Magic and have completed the Lunar Diplomacy quest to be able to teleport to Ourania dungeon. Ourania teleport spell requires 6 Earth runes, 1 Law rune, and 2 Astral runes, therefore it is wise to use Earth staff.

There is also a bank there that you can access for 20 non-combination Runes each time you use it. These 20 Runes are picked at random, but by talking to Eniola you can choose which Runes to exclude from the payment.

west ardougne in osrs

Alternative Runecrafting Leveling Methods

The following methods are recommended for players who wish to get two birds with one stone by making money while also training Runecrafting or are unable, or unwilling, to use other methods or are simply bored of them.

Level 23 Runecrafting

Remember all you have learned about Combination runes because you will need that knowledge now. At level 23 Runecrafting you can start making Lava runes. Lava runes are made by combining Fire runes and Earth runes. It is recommended to do this at the Fire altar rather than Earth altar due to higher XP gains.

For increased efficiency, it is recommended to have level 82 Magic for Magic imbue spell and also equip Ring of dueling and Binding Necklace. This method is convenient due to the ring allowing teleportation both to the Fire altar and Castle Wars where you can bank your Runes.

It goes without saying that you should bring all the Pouches available. At level 75 Runecrafting and once you have all four types of Rune pouches this method competes for the spot of being the fastest one.

Level 27 Runecrafting

Time to visit the magical land of fairies! At level 27 Runecrafting you unlock the ability to make Cosmic runes. Cosmic runes are mostly used for enchanting and since most enchanted items have limited charges, Cosmic runes are always in demand. The Cosmic altar is located in Zanaris and requires the completion of the Lost City quest to access it.

After completing Lost City, you can get Dramen staff, which will allow you to teleport to the Cosmic altar and also access the Fairy ring teleport system. When creating Cosmic runes it is recommended to use Amulet of glory to teleport to Edgeville and bank your Runes there. This location is ideal because there is a Fairy ring in proximity. Use Fairy ring *BKS* to teleport back to Zanaris.

At level 59 Runecrafting you can create 2 Cosmic runes at once without using additional essences. As it always is with multiple rune crafting, you do NOT receive extra XP.

osrs maps

OSRS Runecrafting Money Making Tips

Level 40 Runecrafting

While making money with Runecrafting is possible while crafting Cosmic runes, more opportunities appear once you reach level 40 Runecrafting and onwards. At level 40 Runecrafting you unlock the ability to craft Astral runes. Astral runes can be crafted at the Astral altar after completing Lunar Diplomacy quest (see, this quest is really worth completing).

The Astral altar is located at the southern point of the Lunar isle. It is recommended to have level 69 Magic for the ability to cast Moonclan teleport from the Lunar spellbook. At level 82 Runecrafting you unlock the ability to craft 2 Runes at once.

runecrafting in lunar isle

Level 77 Runecrafting

Blood runes are an expensive resource and thus worth creating yourself. You need to mine Dense essence blocks in the Arceuus Essence Mine (25% Arceuus favor required), turn these blocks into Dark essence blocks on the Dark altar, and then use a chisel to turn them into Dark essence fragments.

Dark essence fragments can then be used on the Blood altar to turn them into Blood runes. Having completed the elite tasks of the Kourend & Kebos diary will improve Blood rune yield by 10%, but not XP gained, as usual.

runecrafting training guide in osrs

Level 91 Runecrafting

At level 91 Runecrafting you unlock a really old, even classic, method of earning OSRS money with Runecrafting. It is making double Nature runes. This method is old and widely known so you might want to check Nature rune prices when considering it (although with almost any Runes you will be earning money, the question is which method would yield more profit). You have two options to choose from.

First, you can craft them using the Abyss which was mentioned earlier.

Second, you can craft them using the Nature altar.

We already discussed the Abyss. As for the Nature altar, if you choose to make Nature runes there, you should use Amulet of glory to teleport to Edgeville and bank your Runes and then Fairy ring teleport *CKR* to get to Karamja.

shilo village

Level 95 Runecrafting

The one and only, Wrath rune becomes available to be created at level 95 Runecrafting. But first, if you got this far in training Runecrafting congratulations are in place. You are a really stubborn and dedicated craftsman.

Wrath runes are the highest level runes in the game and since few players level up Runecrafting in the first place, Wrath runes catch a good price on the GE. Wrath runes were added to OSRS together with Dragon Slayer 2 quest and you must complete this quest if you wish to craft the runes.

If you need help with questing, you should check out our OSRS Optimal Quest Guide.

osrs map myths guild

Wrath altar is located south of the Myth’s Guild. It is recommended to equip Mythical cape, Ring of dueling, and Anti-Dragon shield.

The Mythical cape is required to teleport to the Mythic statue which you can click to get into Corsair Cave Dungeon. Once in the dungeon, you have to run south until you find a Cave entrance in the wall. Click on it to teleport to the island where you will find the Wrath altar.

The Anti-Dragon shield will help you when you are in the Corsair Cave Dungeon and Ring of dueling is necessary for convenient banking.

Final Thoughts About Runecrafting In OSRS

This is it, fellow scapers. The end of our OSRS runecrafting training guide. There are, of course, more ways to train Runecrafting, but we tried our best to list the most efficient or profitable ones.

runecrafting skillcape in osrs

We wish you good luck on your path to level 99 Runecrafting to get your Runecrafting skill cape. Make sure to come and unburden yourself from all those coins you will be earning by selling OSRS gold at Probemas.

Patience and dedication are paramount when training Runecrafting. Remember that!

If you need further help in your journey in Gielinor, you can join our Discord server and try out our other OSRS services like bossing and power leveling. We also provide exclusive OSRS offers for our members from time to time.

Related RuneScape Guides:

Last Updated: 01/14/2021

OSRS Runecrafting Training Guide From Level 1 to 99