Old School Runescape: 8 Things To Do Before Becoming A Member (2024)

Saving up for a bond in Old School Runescape can be quite the chore, especially if players get stuck grinding in free-to-play. However, f2p time can be spent a little more efficiently with an end goal in mind, most notably that shining, eccentric bond! By making sure that OSRS players have their accounts ready for membership at the end of their f2p experience, things can go a little more smoothly.

If gamers are willing to take a little extra time in f2p then these are all the things worth doing before either buying or saving up for their first bond. For both newbies and Runescape veterans alike, these are the most efficient goals to aim for in free-to-play OSRS, and what every player should ensure they have obtained before starting a membership.

8 Complete All F2P Quests

Completion of all f2p quests in OSRS is not only a great first goal to aim for because of the hilarious and entertaining dialogue but also because a lot of them gift the player with some bonus XP! Quests such as Goblin Diplomacy, Sheep Shearer, and Misthalin Mystery all level up players' crafting XP, while other quests such as Vampire Slayer (which can be completed very early on) give quite high combat experience points. Some member quests require completion of some f2p quests also, so it's a good use of time to get them finished before starting a membership.

Of course, the final goal of completing all f2p quests in OSRS is tackling the mammoth Dragon Slayer quest. This is the hardest quest that can be completed in OSRS, and gamers should only start it when they're absolutely ready, but it's one well worth it. Successful completion of Dragon Slayer, where players slay Elvarg, rewards 18,650 defense XP, which is the highest reward from any quest. Completion of Dragon Slayer is also a worthy goal to aim for as it allows players to equip both rune and green dragonhide armor.

7 Upgrade Armor

There are two sets of armor to aim for in f2p OSRS, full rune armor, and full green dragonhide armor. The best way of obtaining these is by purchasing them from the Grand Exchange, so players will have to save up quite a bit of gold beforehand. Full rune armor is the best armor set for melee and training combat, while full green dragonhide armor is the best for training the ranged skill.

The ideal rune armor loadout for melee combat consists of Rune Full Helm, Rune Platebody, Rune Plateskirt, Gilded Dragonhide Vambraces, Power of Amulet, and either Fancy Boots or Decorative Boots. The ideal armor loadout for ranged combat consists of a Coif, Amulet of Power, Green Dragonhide Body, Green Dragonhide Chaps, Green Dragonhide Vambraces, and Leather Boots.

6 Upgrade Gear

Similarly to armor, gear and weapons can only be upgraded to a certain quality in free-to-play. Rune Scimitar is the best weapon for melee combat and can be purchased at the Grand Exchange along with a Rune Kiteshield. For those training their ranged skill, the Maple Shortbow should be purchased along with a selection of Adamant Arrows.

As well as weapons, the best tools should be acquired for the most efficient training of skills. These can also be purchased from the Grand Exchange and include a Rune Pickaxe for mining, a Rune Axe for woodcutting, and both a Fishing and Fly Fishing Rod for... fishing. Once players have fully upgraded both their armor and gear, they can level all their skills in the most efficient manner.

5 Stronghold Of Security

Another early goal for free-to-play players should be completing the Stronghold of Security. This is an important dungeon located in Barbarian Village, just west of Varrock. It's worth leveling up some combat skills before venturing in as some of the monsters can spawn up to level 159 in lower levels. However, most players should be able to run through and avoid most enemies where possible.

Reaching the middle of each level rewards players with a variety of items, most prominently gold, making the dungeon a great way to earn some easy gold early in the game. The reason why completing the Stronghold of Security is such an important task is because progressing to the middle of the fourth and final level rewards players with the Fancy Boots, which are the best boots for melee training in free-to-play.

4 Level Up General Skills

An obvious goal is to level up all general skills (at least the ones available in f2p!) but it's tricky to know which levels to aim for, and which ones are needed most when players become a member. Firstly, players should aim for a base 20 across all stats, except for Runecrafting. Runecrafting is one of the most painfully tedious skills to level in f2p OSRS, and it's not one many players will actually need, so save it for membership!

Players should aim to level their gathering (woodcutting, mining, fishing, and firemaking) skills to anywhere between 30-40. Smithing, crafting, and cooking are all easier and more efficient to level in pay-to-play. Prayer is another highly tedious skill to level in f2p and should mostly be left until membership. Aiming for anywhere between 20-30 will suffice for the majority of these skills in f2p.

3 Level Up Combat Skills

Leveling up all combat skills is much better as a member if players have the time to kill, and the willingness to grind, a base stat of between 40-60 should be achieved. This includes attack, strength, defense, ranged, and hitpoints. Leveling these up before attempting to complete the Dragon Slayer quest will make things a lot easier!

The best methods to train melee from levels 1-20 are around Lumbridge in the cow field and by attacking the Monks in Edgeville Monastery. From then on players should grind Hill Giants in the Edgeville Dungeon, and then Flesh Crawlers in the Stronghold of Security from lvl 40-60. For ranged training, players should once again start with cows and monks before switching to wizards and dark wizards around level 20. From level 40 onwards, players can head back to the Stronghold of Security to shoot arrows at some Minotaurs or Flesh Crawlers.

2 Level Up Magic

Free-to-play players should aim to level their magic skill to level 55, which can be an expensive and time-consuming task. Essentially, 55 magic unlocks the high alchemy spell and many teleport spells, which are useful for both free-to-play and members. Some of these teleports are only available for members, but it makes navigation a lot easier when players obtain their bond.

Players can start leveling magic by casting Wind Strike on the cows around Lumbridge (picking up their cowhides is a good source of income too!) while wearing an Amulet of Magic, Wizard Hat, Blue Wizard Robe, and Zamorak Monk Bottoms. From Level 17 onwards, players can use Wind Bolt on Hill Giants, and from 33 onwards players can use Telekinetic Grab on hobgoblins (behind the crafting guild) or the Lesser Demon in the Wizard's Tower.

1 Save Up Money

Once all that is done, players should look to save up their precious gold, either putting it towards buying a bond at the Grand Exchange or just having a decent amount to help kickstart their membership experience. At the time of writing, a bond costs around 9 million gold, so it's going to take quite a while to save up in-game currency.

For players looking to earn that 9 million, there are a number of f2p moneymaking methods. The best of these include making pie shells, crafting jewelry, high-alching profitable items, making dyes, and cooking pizzas. For players who aren't so keen on grinding out these moneymaking methods then membership can be purchased with real-world currency - but hey, who wants to avoid the satisfaction of earning their very own bond!?

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