1–99 Runecrafting Guide

Runecrafting is one of the most rewarding skills in Old School RuneScape. It unlocks top-tier money makers, passively trains other skills, and is required for quests and achievement diaries. Thanks to modern updates, reaching level 99 is now significantly faster and more flexible than ever before.

Why Train Runecrafting?

• High-profit skilling methods (Blood, Wrath, Aether runes)

• Passive Mining, Crafting and Magic XP

• Required for quests and achievement diaries

• Flexible playstyles: AFK, semi-AFK or high intensity

Key Unlocks You Should Prioritize

Essence Pouches

Essence pouches increase the amount of essence you can carry per run. They are obtained either from the Abyss or as rewards from Guardians of the Rift. Keeping them repaired is essential for efficiency.

Colossal Pouch

The Colossal Pouch combines all standard pouches and scales with your Runecrafting level, making it a major upgrade for nearly every method.

Raiments of the Eye

This outfit increases rune output by 60%, massively boosting profit across all Runecrafting methods.

Daeyalt Essence

Daeyalt Essence provides 50% more Runecrafting XP per essence at the cost of Mining time. It reduces click intensity and is ideal for players who prefer AFK gameplay.

Fastest Paths to 99 Runecrafting

With Runners (Fastest Overall)

• Level 1–23: Tiara crafting

• 23–90: Lava runes with runners

• 90–99: Aether runes with runners

This method can reach 99 in ~35 hours but costs several billion GP.

Fastest Without Runners

Solo lava runes from level 23 to 99 are the fastest affordable option. XP scales from ~35k to nearly 100k per hour depending on unlocks.

Low-Level Runecrafting (1–27)

Questing

Questing is the most efficient early progression, unlocking Guardians of the Rift and skipping slow early levels.

Tiara Crafting

Crafting tiaras is the fastest raw XP method from level 1 to 23, reaching up to 50k XP per hour.

Recommended Training Methods

Guardians of the Rift (GOTR)

A balanced, non-combat minigame offering Runecrafting XP, Mining XP, Crafting XP and valuable rewards.

• XP: 20k–70k/hr

• Profit: Moderate

• Great for Ironmen

Ourania Altar (ZMI)

A versatile method with no Runecrafting requirement. XP improves dramatically with Daeyalt Essence and advanced spellbook usage.

• XP: 20k–70k/hr

• AFK movement windows

• Moderate profit

Zeah Runecrafting (Blood & Soul Runes)

The most AFK Runecrafting method. Dense essence mining allows long AFK intervals and consistent profit.

• Blood runes (77 RC): ~35k XP/hr

• Soul runes (90 RC): ~40k XP/hr

• High profit, low effort

AFK Runecrafting Comparison

• Daeyalt mining: ~60 seconds AFK

• Zeah dense essence: up to 1 minute AFK

• ZMI running: ~25–30 seconds AFK

Most Profitable Runecrafting Methods

• Blood runes: 1–1.5M GP/hr

• Astral runes: ~800k GP/hr

• Aether runes: High profit + good XP

• Wrath runes (95 RC): 2.5M GP/hr

Profit increases significantly with Raiments of the Eye and agility shortcuts.

Ironman Runecrafting

Ironmen naturally obtain essence through gameplay, making Guardians of the Rift and Zeah Runecrafting ideal choices.

• Early levels: Questing + GOTR

• Mid-game: ZMI or GOTR

• Late-game: Zeah Blood & Soul runes

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping essential unlocks early

• Ignoring pouch repairs

• Overvaluing XP without considering effort

• Training past goals without purpose

FAQ

What is the fastest Runecrafting method?

Lava or Aether runes with runners.

What is the most AFK Runecrafting method?

Zeah Runecrafting using dense essence.

Is Runecrafting profitable?

Yes. From level 77 onward, most methods generate steady profit.

Efficiency Note

Many players prioritize unlocking profitable Runecrafting methods rather than rushing 99. Structured progression and efficiency-focused planning—like the approach used at ArgenGaming—often deliver better long-term results.