Every legend in OSRS has a humble beginning. Yours likely started on Tutorial Island, and now you stand in Lumbridge Castle, surrounded by ducks, cows, and countless possibilities. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but remember: every great hero, started exactly where you are now. The key to rapid, enjoyable progress isn’t grinding on chickens for hours—it’s completing the quests.
Questing is the single most efficient thing you can do as a beginner. It forces you to explore the vast world of Gielinor, introduces you to its quirky characters and deep lore, and, most importantly, grants massive experience rewards that can skip dozens of slow, early levels. This OSRS (Old School RuneScape) guide is designed to walk you through the essential beginner quests that don’t just give you a quick level boost, but unlock fundamental skills, areas, and abilities that will serve you for your entire OSRS career. Let’s begin your adventure.
The Essential Skill Unlocks Quests
In Gielinor, survival depends on more than a sharp sword. True prowess comes from mastering a suite of skills, and some of the most vital are locked behind simple, early quests.
Druidic Ritual
Unlocking the Herblore skill: You can’t simply pick herbs and start mixing potions. The secret art of Herblore is a closely guarded ritual. This quest introduces you to the druids of Taverley, who will initiate you into this essential skill. Completing it is non-negotiable for any serious adventurer.
Why It’s Key: Unlocks the entire Herblore skill . You’ll go from being unable to identify a Guam leaf to being able to create Attack Potions (Level 3), Strength Potions (Level 12), and eventually, Prayer Potions (Level 38) that are the lifeblood of extended combat trips .
The Reward: Beyond the skill unlock, you get a cool 1,000 XP in both Herblore and Farming, giving you a instant head start.
Rune Mysteries
The runes that power every teleport and fire strike don’t appear from nowhere. The air altar you may have seen south of Lumbridge is useless without the knowledge of how to channel its energy. This quest, starting with Duke Horacio in Lumbridge Castle, unravels the mystery of rune essence and introduces you to the Runecraft skill .
Why It’s Key: Unlocks the Runecraft skill and access to the rune essence mine . While training Runecraft can be slow early on, this unlock is mandatory for accessing one of the game’s most fundamental resources.
The Reward: A Quest Point and the foundation of all your magical endeavors.
The Restless Ghost
Communicating with the Departed: As you explore, you’ll find that many of Gielinor’s problems are caused by, or involve, those who have passed on. Trying to speak to them will only result in eerie “Ooooooo” sounds. This quest, found with Father Aereck in Lumbridge Church, provides the tool you need .
Why It’s Key: Rewards you with the Ghostspeak Amulet . This amulet allows you to speak with ghosts, a requirement for dozens of other quests and a gateway to understanding the deeper, often sorrowful, history of the world.
The Reward: 1,125 Prayer XP and the invaluable Ghostspeak Amulet.
Combat Leveling Quests
Nothing accelerates your combat levels faster than a few well-chosen quests. The experience lamps from these adventures can instantly propel you from a weakling to a formidable fighter, saving you hours of mindless grinding on goblins and minotaurs.
Waterfall Quest
The Single Biggest Boost: This is the crown jewel of early-game quests. While it involves a journey to the beautiful but dangerous Baxtorian Falls and features fire giants and moss giants, the combat can largely be safespotted. The payoff is monumental .
Why It’s Key: Upon completion, you are granted a whopping 13,750 Attack XP and 13,750 Strength XP . For a level 3 account, this instantly boosts you to over Level 30 in both Attack and Strength.
Tip: This is a members-only quest, but if you are a member, it should be one of the very first things you do.
Fight Arena & Tree Gnome Village
These two quests form a powerful one-two punch after the Waterfall Quest. Fight Arena pits you against a series of challenging but manageable gladiators, while Tree Gnome Village introduces you to the peaceful gnomes and their struggle, unlocking a fantastic transportation system .
Why It’s Key: Fight Arena grants another 12,175 Attack XP, and Tree Gnome Village gives 11,450 Attack XP . Together, they will push your combat stats firmly into the 40s and unlock Spirit Tree travel.
Vampyre Slayer & Witch’s Potion
The Local Initiations: For pure free-to-play players or those looking for a simpler start, these two quests are perfect. Vampyre Slayer in Draynor Village is a classic rite of passage, while Witch’s Potion in Rimmington serves as a fun introduction to Magic .
Why It’s Key: Vampyre Slayer gives a solid 4,825 Attack XP boost, and Witch’s Potion provides the first real chunk of Magic XP (325) for many players .
The Reward: Beyond XP, you get the satisfaction of cleansing Draynor of a ancient threat and learning your first real potion-brewing from Hetty the witch.
Travel and Key Locations Quests
Gielinor is vast. Running everywhere on foot is not only time-consuming but dangerous. The following quests unlock transportation networks that will make you feel like the world is truly opening up.
Fairytale I – Growing Pains & Fairy Rings
This is a mid-level beginner quest, but its reward is so transformative it must be mentioned. You’ll help the Fairy Queen and, critically, learn to use the Fairy Ring transportation network.
Why It’s Key: Fairy Rings are the single most extensive and useful transportation system in the game, allowing you to access remote skilling areas, quest locations, and boss lairs in seconds. This unlock is a game-changer.
Important Note: You only need to start Fairytale II – Cure a Queen to be able to use the rings; you don’t need to meet the steep skill requirements to complete it.
Plague City
Gateway to the North: The walled city of Ardougne is a major hub for mid and late-game content. This quest unlocks access to it and, just as importantly, unlocks the Ardougne Teleport spell.
Why It’s Key: The Ardougne Teleport is one of the most-used teleports in the game, placing you near an altar, a farming patch, and a host of other important NPCs and locations.
Priest in Peril
Entering the Cursed Lands: To the east of Varrock lies the gloomy, vampire-infested land of Morytania. The gate is locked, and a troubled priest holds the key. This quest unlocks this entire region .
Why It’s Key: Unlocks access to Morytania, which is required for the Slayer Tower, the Barrows minigame, and the Hallowed Sepulchre, among many other quests .
The Reward: You’ll also get 1,406 Prayer XP, a nice early boost.
The Grand Finale and Foundational Quests
Some quests are simply milestones that every player should aim for, serving as a culmination of your early efforts.
- Animal Magnetism – A Ranged Adventurer’s Best Friend: If you plan to use Ranged, the constant need to pick up your arrows or bolts is a nightmare. This quest, which requires 30 Ranged and a few other simple quests, solves this forever .
- Why It’s Key: Unlocks Ava’s Devices, most notably the Accumulator. This device automatically picks up most of your ammunition for you, saving you immense time and money.
- Bone Voyage – Unlocking a Skilling Paradise: After helping the Varrock Museum, you’ll gain permission to travel to Fossil Island. This is not just another location; it’s a skilling hub packed with unique and efficient training methods .
- Dragon Slayer I – The Free-to-Play Crown Jewel: For free players, this is the ultimate achievement. It’s a long, challenging quest that requires you to build a boat, sail to the island of Crandor, and face the mighty dragon Elvarg. It’s a test of everything you’ve learned .
- The Knight’s Sword: This quest can be tricky, but it offers a monumental 12,750 Smithing XP reward, which can blast you from level 1 to 29 Smithing instantly .
- Cook’s Assistant & Sheep Shearer: Don’t ignore the simplest quests. Cook’s Assistant is the iconic first quest for a reason, and both provide easy early XP in Cooking and Crafting to get you started .
A Suggested Path for Completing The Quests
While you can do quests in any order, this efficient sequence will minimize travel time and build your account logically:
- The Lumbridge Circle: Start with Cook’s Assistant, Sheep Shearer, The Restless Ghost, and Rune Mysteries right in your starting area .
- The Massive Combat Boost (Members): Immediately complete Waterfall Quest, followed by Fight Arena and Tree Gnome Village .
- Skill Unlocks: Secure your future by completing Druidic Ritual to unlock Herblore.
- Area Access: Complete Priest in Peril to open Morytania and Plague City for Ardougne access.
- Mid-Game Foundations: Work towards The Dig Site and Bone Voyage for Fossil Island, and Animal Magnetism for Ava’s device.
- The Grand Finale: As a free player, make Dragon Slayer I your ultimate goal, a true test of your early-game mettle .
The world of Gielinor is now yours to conquer. These quests are the keys that will unlock its deepest secrets and greatest treasures. Remember, every legendary hero was once a beginner who simply decided to help a cook find some ingredients.