Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that has captivated players since its launch in 2013. Developed by Jagex, OSRS is a version of the original RuneScape, which dates back to 2001. The game was created in response to popular demand from players who sought a nostalgic experience that harked back to the game’s earlier days, prior to the numerous updates that transformed the modern iteration of RuneScape. This classic version has retained a dedicated player base, thanks to its commitment to maintaining the feel of the game as it was in its earlier days, while still providing regular updates based on player feedback.
Your first steps in Old School RuneScape begin in the hum of a strange machine, whisking you away to Tutorial Island. The world of Gielinor is vast, ancient, and brimming with stories—and danger. It’s a world that doesn’t hold your hand, one where your choices truly carve your legend. This OSRS guide is your first map, drawn by those who’ve walked the path before you. We’ll navigate your crucial first hours, from finding your footing in Lumbridge to setting goals that will ignite your passion for this timeless adventure.
The First Hours in OSRS
After completing the island’s lessons, you’ll find yourself in the verdant fields of Lumbridge. The castle spires loom, and the river whispers of possibilities. This moment of freedom is exhilarating but can be overwhelming. The single most important thing you can do is to embrace the game’s sandbox heart: your journey is yours to define. To help you start, here are your first concrete goals.
- Master Your Interface: Before chasing goblins, press
ESCto open the settings. Turn on “Esc closes interface” and set your F-key hotkeys to switch between your inventory, prayers, and magic. This simple step will save you hundreds of clicks and is a fundamental skill every veteran uses. - Seek the Grand Exchange: Your ultimate destination is northwest, in the great city of Varrock. The Grand Exchange (GE) is the economic heart of Gielinor, a place where players from all worlds trade. You can either earn access by completing quests or by accruing 24 in-game hours of playtime. Getting there early is a priority, as it turns your gathered resources into gold.
- Follow the Adventure Paths: If you feel lost, speak to the Gielinor Guide in Lumbridge. They offer optional Adventure Paths—structured beginner tasks for Combat and Gathering that introduce core mechanics and provide direction until you find your own way
Essential Quests for Beginners
Grinding skills from level 1 is the slow path. The wise adventurer knows that quests are the most efficient engine for early progression. They grant massive experience rewards, unlock essential travel methods, and introduce you to the rich lore of the kingdoms. Completing them is the fastest way to build a capable character.
Start with the simple tasks in Lumbridge. Cook’s Assistant and The Restless Ghost offer gentle introductions and small rewards. As you grow bolder, a sequence of iconic quests will catapult your combat prowess and open the map.
The following table outlines the most impactful early quests, their rewards, and why they are essential stepping stones for every new adventurer.
| Quest Name | Key Rewards & Unlocks | Why It’s Essential for Beginners |
|---|---|---|
 Waterfall Quest | ~30,000  Attack &  Strength XP | The single best early-game boost. It can jump your combat stats to level 30+ in minutes, skipping hours of grinding on cows and goblins. |
 Druidic Ritual | Unlocks the  Herblore skill | You cannot train Herblore—a vital skill for creating potions—without completing this short quest. |
 Rune Mysteries | Unlocks the  Runecrafting skill | Similarly, this quest grants access to the Runecrafting skill, the source of all magical runes. |
 Animal Magnetism | Unlocks  Ava’s Attractor | This device automatically picks up most of your ranged ammunition, making training the skill infinitely easier and cheaper. |
 Priest in Peril | Access to the region of Morytania | Opens a massive new area with future quests, the Slayer Tower, and the Barrows minigame. |
  Tree Gnome Village & The Grand Tree |  Spirit Tree and  Gnome Glider networks | Unlocks two fantastic, free transportation systems that will save you countless hours running across the map. |
 Dragon Slayer I | Right to wear the  Rune Platebody | The ultimate F2P achievement and a proud milestone that proves your mettle. |
Skills and Money-Making Methods
With your combat skills boosted by quests, you’ll need gold for better gear and supplies. Fortunately, even low-level skills can generate a steady income.
Once you have level 40-50 in your combat stats, start doing Slayer tasks. Slayer trains your combat while assigning you monsters that often drop valuable resources, making it a perfect blend of progression and profit.
Best Money-Making Methods for Beginners
You don’t need high stats to build your first fortune. Start with these reliable Money-Making methods:
10,000 Gold Reward From Stronghold of Security:
Stronghold of Security is a four-level dungeon located beneath Barbarian Village. it remains the standard first step for any new account to secure starting capital.
Reward Breakdown
By reaching the reward room at the end of each level, you collect a one-time total of 10,000 coins and several unique items:
| Level | Name | Coin Reward | Additional Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vault of War | 2,000 | “Flap” emote |
| 2 | Catacomb of Famine | 3,000 | “Slap Head” emote |
| 3 | Pit of Pestilence | 5,000 | “Idea” emote & one-time full heal |
| 4 | Sepulchre of Death | 0 | “Stomp” emote & Fancy or Fighting Boots |
Important Requirements
- Combat Safety: While the monsters in the Stronghold (like level 86 Ankous) are high-level, they are no longer aggressive to players. This means even a level 3 account can safely run through the dungeon to claim the rewards as long as they do not initiate combat.
- Security Questions: To pass through the doors in the dungeon, you must answer multiple-choice questions about account security.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): To claim the 10,000 coins and the boots, your account must have 2FA (Authenticator) enabled.
Mining and Fishing:
Mining Iron Ore
Mining iron is the most consistent low-level mining method. it earns approximately 63,000 GP per hour.
- Fastest Training: At level 15, “power-mining” (mining and immediately dropping) iron ore is the fastest way to reach level 99 in F2P.
- Best Locations:
- Al Kharid Mine: Contains three iron rocks close together, allowing you to mine continuously without moving.
- Mining Guild (60 Mining): Provides a bank nearby and an invisible +7 level boost, making it the most efficient location for banking ore.
- Price: iron ore typically trades between 110 and 155 GP on the Grand Exchange.
Fly Fishing (Trout & Salmon)
Fishing at Barbarian Village is the premier F2P method for rapid Fishing and Cooking levels.
- Requirements: You need a
fly fishing rod and 
feathers. You can catch trout at level 20 and salmon at level 30. - The “Barbarian Village” Method:
- Fastest XP: Drop the fish immediately to stay at the spot. You can expect roughly 20,000 to 35,000 XP per hour depending on your level.
- Banking for Profit: To make money, you must walk your catches to the Edgeville bank. This earns roughly 30,000 GP per hour at level 55 Fishing.
- Canoe Shortcut: Players with 57 Woodcutting can use the waka canoe from Barbarian Village to the Ferox Enclave to bank more efficiently.
- Combined Training: Use the permanent fire in the village to cook your fish before banking or dropping them to train Cooking simultaneously.
Cowhides in Lumbridge:
killing cows and collecting their hides remains a quintessential beginner method in OSRS because it combines combat experience with a 100% chance for a profitable drop.
Locations
- Lumbridge Cow Field (East): The most popular spot, located northeast of the Lumbridge church. It is very close to the Lumbridge Castle bank (top floor).
- Lumbridge Cow Field (Northwest): Located north of the windmill. This area allows you to use Beefy Bill, an NPC who will bank your hides for a 10% commission, letting you stay much longer.
- Falador Farm: South of Falador; often less crowded than Lumbridge.
Profit Strategy
Selling raw cowhides is simple, but as a new account, you should be aware of Grand Exchange trade restrictions (which require 10 quest points, 100 total level, and 20 hours of playtime to sell raw hides).
- Tanning: To bypass these restrictions and increase profit, take your hides to Ellis the Tanner in Al Kharid (just east of Lumbridge).
- Soft Leather: Costs 1 GP to tan; often higher profit margin.
- Hard Leather: Costs 3 GP to tan; very stable and used for mid-level crafting.
- Estimated Profit: Roughly 66k–100k GP per hour if collecting and tanning yourself.
Tips for Efficiency
Additional Loot: Don’t forget to pick up Bones (for early Prayer levels) and Raw beef (which can be sold or cooked for early Cooking levels).
Looting: On populated worlds (like W301 or W308), other players often leave hides on the ground. Picking these up can fill your inventory faster than killing the cows yourself.
World Hopping: If a field is too crowded, switch worlds to find one with more active spawns.
Enchanting:
The method involves purchasing unenchanted sapphire rings or emerald necklaces from the Grand Exchange, casting the appropriate enchantment spell on them, and selling the resulting 
Ring of Recoil or 
Binding Necklace back on the GE for a profit .
Level 1 Sapphire Ring Enchants (
Magic Level 7 required) can yield between 150,000 to 300,000 GP per hour . The process is straightforward:
- Buy sapphire rings in bulk from the Grand Exchange.
- Use Cosmic Runes and Water Runes (or a Staff of Water) to cast the Level 1 Enchant spell.
- Sell the resulting Rings of Recoil.
From F2P To Membership
The free-to-play world is just a fraction of Gielinor. Over two-thirds of the game’s content—including eight extra skills, dozens of quests, and vast new continents—is locked behind a membership.
- Start in F2P: It is highly recommended to experience the free game first. Complete the core F2P quests, like the epic Dragon Slayer I, and get your bearings. This ensures you get full value from the game before investing.
- Earning Your Membership: If you enjoy the grind, know that you can buy a Bond with in-game gold on the Grand Exchange. This item grants 14 days of membership. Farming for your first bond as a free player is a monumental and satisfying achievement.
The Next Milestones
When you’re ready, membership transforms your journey. Your goals will evolve:
- Unlock Transportation: Pursue quests like Fairytale II to use the Fairy Ring network, and Desert Treasure I for the powerful Ancient Magicks.
- Gear Upgrades: Work towards Barrows gloves from Recipe for Disaster and the Dragon Scimitar from Monkey Madness.
- Explore New Skills: Dive into Farming through herb runs for passive income, or Hunter for active profit.
Tips and Tricks for New Players
Account Setup is Key
- Enable 2FA Immediately: Secure your account with two-factor authentication (Authenticator). This is vital for security and is required to unlock the 10,000 coins and gear from the Stronghold of Security dungeon in Barbarian Village.
- Set Bank PIN: Set up a Bank PIN as soon as you have a bank account. It adds a crucial layer of protection to your hard-earned gold.
Prioritize Quests Over Grinding
- Quests are XP Jumps: Many early quests provide massive chunks of experience that skip hours of low-level grinding.
- Vampyre Slayer gets you to level 20 Attack instantly.
- The Knight’s Sword gets you to level 29 Smithing instantly.
- Quest Points Unlock Content: You need 32 quest points to start the final F2P quest, Dragon Slayer I. Prioritizing quests gives you goals, unlocks locations (like the Wizards’ Tower or Corsair Cove), and builds your total level quickly.
- Use a Quest Guide: The OSRS Wiki provides efficient quest guides (often called “optimal quest guides” or “quest helper” plugin guides) that tell you exactly which items to gather beforehand, saving huge amounts of time.
F2P Money-Making Strategy
- Start with Stronghold of Security: Your first 10,000 GP is your starting bankroll.
- Archery Shop Merch: The method of buying bows/arrows on the GE and selling to Brian in Rimmington is still one of the fastest F2P gold makers (~600k GP/h).
- High Alchemy Goal: Your primary F2P goal should be getting level 55 Magic for High Alchemy. It combines Magic training with consistent profit (~400k+ GP/h).
- Ogress Shamans are Great: Once you can access the Corsair Cove dungeon, safespotting Ogress Shamans is the most sustainable combat money-maker in F2P.
General Gameplay & Efficiency
- Use the OSRS Wiki: The OSRS Wiki is the most important resource you have. Type
/wiki [anything]in most popular OSRS game clients to instantly pull up information on monsters, drops, and training spots. - Get Run Energy Early: Agility is a vital skill. Get level 13 Agility right away so your run energy recharges faster.
- Keep Your Bank Organized: It may seem trivial now, but an organized bank saves hours of hassle later. Use placeholders and tabs from day one.
- Don’t Be Afraid of the Wilderness (at first): The low-level Wilderness often has good resource spots (like the Wilderness Chaos Temple for runite ore or the Abyss rifts) that are relatively safe if you bring cheap gear and only items you can afford to lose.
Final Thoughts
The world of Gielinor is timeless. Its magic doesn’t come from flashy guides, but from the stories you create: the frantic run from a deadly foe, the triumph of a first boss kill, the quiet satisfaction of a skill well-trained. Use this guide as your compass, but never let it drown out your own curiosity. Log in, explore, and begin your own legend.