OSRS Optimal Quest Order Guide: Minimizing Skill Training

Embarking on the journey to conquer all of Old School RuneScape's quests can feel daunting. With hundreds of points to gather and countless requirements to meet, where do you even begin? This guide presents an optimal quest order specifically designed to minimize the amount of dedicated skill training required between quests, allowing for a smoother progression for Members accounts.

Important Note: This guide focuses on reducing skill grinding during the questing process. It is not necessarily the absolute fastest route to unlock specific content like Fairy Rings, Ancient Magicks, or Dragon equipment, nor the quickest path to a Quest Cape if you're willing to do larger chunks of skilling upfront. For maximum efficiency in unlocks, consider tackling quests listed in the "Notable Unlocks" section as soon as you meet their requirements.

Understanding This Guide's Approach

The core principle here is efficiency in terms of skill requirements. By following this order, the experience rewards from one quest often help meet the requirements for the next, reducing the need to stop questing and train skills separately.

  • Experience Rewards: Lamps and experience rewards are generally factored in to meet upcoming requirements. You can use random event lamps or diary rewards flexibly.
  • Player-Owned House (POH): Utilizing a POH for teleports, altars, and pools becomes increasingly beneficial. Check our POH guide for tips.
  • Early Mobility: Rings of dueling (Ferox Enclave) are excellent early on for banking and restoring stats.
  • Achievement Diaries & Miniquests: Completing diaries and useful miniquests alongside this guide offers significant advantages (teleports, XP lamps, shortcuts).

Crucial Notable Quest Unlocks

While the main guide provides a sequence, certain quests unlock game-changing content. Prioritizing these (even if slightly out of the listed order) can significantly enhance your gameplay:

  • Skill Unlocks:
    • Druidic Ritual: Unlocks Herblore.
    • Rune Mysteries: Unlocks Runecraft (for XP lamps).
    • Tears of Guthix: Weekly XP for your lowest skill.
    • Desert Treasure I: Access to Ancient Magicks.
    • Lunar Diplomacy: Access to the Lunar Spellbook.
    • King's Ransom: Unlocks Piety prayer.
    • A Kingdom Divided: Unlocks Arceuus Spellbook (Thralls etc.).
  • Area Unlocks:
    • Priest in Peril: Access to Morytania.
    • Bone Voyage: Access to Fossil Island.
    • Throne of Miscellania: Access to Managing Miscellania.
    • Song of the Elves: Access to Prifddinas.
    • Children of the Sun: Access to Varlamore.
  • Transportation:
    • Fairytale I & II (Partial) : Fairy Rings .
    • Tree Gnome Village / The Grand Tree: Spirit Trees & Gnome Gliders.
    • Ghosts Ahoy: Ectophial.
    • Specific Teleport Spells (Ardougne, Watchtower, Kourend etc. unlocked via quests).
    • A Taste of Hope: Drakan's Medallion.
  • Essential Equipment:
    • Dragon Slayer I: Enables Rune Platebody / Green D'hide Body. See our Gear Progression Guide.
    • Animal Magnetism: Ava's Devices.
    • Recipe for Disaster subquests: Culinaromancer's Gloves (culminating in Barrows Gloves).
    • Lost City: Dragon Dagger & Longsword.
    • Monkey Madness I: Dragon Scimitar.
    • Haunted Mine: Salve Amulet.

Consider tackling these unlocks when you meet their requirements, even if it means temporarily deviating from the main sequence below.

The Quest Order (Minimizing Training)

This sequence progresses from early-game foundational quests towards more complex, higher-requirement adventures.

Phase 1: The Absolute Basics (Getting Started)

Focuses on unlocking core skills, easy quest points, and initial exploration around Lumbridge, Varrock, and Falador.

  • Tutorial Island
  • Cook's Assistant
  • Sheep Shearer
  • Misthalin Mystery
  • Prince Ali Rescue
  • The Restless Ghost
  • Rune Mysteries
  • Activity: Stronghold of Security (for early cash)
  • Imp Catcher
  • Witch's Potion
  • Gertrude's Cat (Start raising a cat!)
  • Children of the Sun (Access Varlamore)
  • Natural history quiz (Miniquest)
  • Daddy's Home (Miniquest - POH setup)
  • Dwarf Cannon (Unlocks Cannon)
  • Waterfall Quest (Big early combat XP)
  • Tree Gnome Village (Spirit Trees)
  • Doric's Quest
  • Witch's House (Combat XP)
  • The Knight's Sword (Smithing XP)
  • Train Fletching 1-10
  • The Tourist Trap (Agility XP focus)
  • Black Knights' Fortress
  • Druidic Ritual (Unlocks Herblore)
  • Recruitment Drive
  • Goblin Diplomacy
  • Sleeping Giants (Giants' Foundry access)
  • Fight Arena (Combat XP)
  • Plague City (Ardougne Teleport)
  • Monk's Friend
  • Hazeel Cult
  • Sheep Herder
  • Biohazard

Phase 2: Early Member Essentials (Branching Out)

Venturing into Morytania, unlocking key prayers, and tackling quests requiring slightly higher stats.

  • Train Construction 8-10
  • Tower of Life
  • Tribal Totem
  • Death Plateau
  • Merlin's Crystal
  • Holy Grail (Defence & Prayer XP)
  • Murder Mystery
  • The Grand Tree (Gnome Gliders, NMZ access)
  • Activity: Easy Ardougne Diary (XP Lamp & Teleport)
  • Rag and Bone Man I (Start Rag and Bone Man II)
  • Priest in Peril (Morytania Access)
  • Nature Spirit
  • Train Cooking 14-20
  • Ghosts Ahoy (Ectophial)
  • Making History
  • The Lost Tribe (Dorgeshuun Access)
  • Death to the Dorgeshuun
  • Elemental Workshop I
  • Train Agility 34-35
  • Train Prayer 33-37 (Protect from Magic)
  • Icthlarin's Little Helper
  • The Golem
  • The Ribbiting Tale... (Varlamore)
  • Train Woodcutting 25-36
  • Train Crafting 30-31
  • Lost City (Dragon Dagger/Longsword, Cosmic Runes)
  • Fairytale I - Growing Pains (Start Fairytale II for Fairy Rings ASAP)
  • Recipe for Disaster/Another Cook's Quest
  • Recipe for Disaster/Freeing the Goblin generals

Phase 3: Expanding Horizons (Mid-Game Foundations)

Unlocking key transport, tackling multi-part quests, and building towards higher combat/skilling requirements.

  • Train Firemaking 1-30
  • Sea Slug
  • Fishing Contest
  • Recipe for Disaster/Freeing the Mountain Dwarf
  • Mountain Daughter
  • Ratcatchers (Requires starting The Giant Dwarf)
  • The Feud
  • Death on the Isle (Varlamore)
  • Alfred Grimhand's Barcrawl (Miniquest)
  • Scorpion Catcher
  • The Dig Site (Start Elemental Workshop II)
  • Elemental Workshop II
  • A Soul's Bane
  • Enter the Abyss (Miniquest)
  • X Marks the Spot
  • Pirate's Treasure
  • Client of Kourend (Kourend Teleport)
  • The Queen of Thieves
  • The Depths of Despair
  • A Porcine of Interest
  • Wanted!
  • Shield of Arrav (Requires partner)
  • Activity: Varrock Museum Kudos (Crucial XP lamps)
  • Bone Voyage (Fossil Island access - start Birdhouse runs!)
  • Train Mining 36-39
  • Watchtower (Watchtower Teleport)
  • The Giant Dwarf
  • Forgettable Tale...
  • Another Slice of H.A.M. (Dorgesh-Kaan train)
  • Vampyre Slayer
  • Ernest the Chicken
  • Demon Slayer
  • Shadow of the Storm
  • Train Prayer 38-40 (Protect from Missiles)
  • Horror from the Deep (Prayer Books)
  • Animal Magnetism (Ava's Devices)
  • Creature of Fenkenstrain
  • Big Chompy Bird Hunting
  • Jungle Potion
  • Shilo Village
  • Activity: Easy Karamja Diary
  • Zogre Flesh Eaters
  • Observatory Quest
  • Train Ranged 33-37
  • Spirits of the Elid
  • Garden of Tranquillity
  • Enlightened Journey (Balloon Transport)
  • Unlock Balloon transport routes (requires Firemaking)
  • Romeo & Juliet (Easy QP)
  • Tears of Guthix (Minigame access)
  • Train Prayer 41-43 (Protect from Melee)
  • In Search of the Myreque
  • Shades of Mort'ton
  • In Aid of the Myreque

Phase 4: Major Milestones & Power Unlocks

Tackling iconic quest lines like the Myreque, Elf, and Fremennik series, unlocking powerful gear and spells.

  • Skippy and the Mogres (Miniquest)
  • Troll Stronghold
  • Troll Romance
  • Train Strength 38-40
  • Darkness of Hallowvale
  • Train Agility 43-56 (Graceful recommended)
  • Underground Pass
  • Regicide (Access Tirannwn)
  • Dragon Slayer I (Enables Rune Plate/Green D'hide, Dragon tasks)
  • The Fremennik Trials
  • Train Construction 19-20
  • The Fremennik Isles (Helm of Neitiznot)
  • Recipe for Disaster/Freeing Evil Dave (Spicy Stews)
  • Recipe for Disaster/Freeing Pirate Pete
  • Tai Bwo Wannai Trio
  • Activity: Easy Kandarin Diary
  • Contact!
  • Train Ranged 37-40
  • Temple of Ikov
  • Train Magic 39-46
  • The Eyes of Glouphrie (Crystal Saw boost)
  • Temple of the Eye (Guardians of the Rift access)
  • One Small Favour
  • Train Hunter 9-12
  • The Ascent of Arceuus
  • Tale of the Righteous
  • The Forsaken Tower
  • Activity: All Easy Achievement Diaries (More XP Lamps)
  • Train Smithing 44-50
  • Between a Rock...
  • The Slug Menace (Proselyte Armour)
  • Getting Ahead
  • Activity: Museum Camp (XP)
  • Train Construction 32-37
  • Cold War
  • Train Crafting 45-49
  • The Hand in the Sand
  • Train Crafting 49-50
  • Enakhra's Lament
  • Eadgar's Ruse (Trollheim Teleport)
  • My Arm's Big Adventure
  • The Garden of Death (Varlamore)
  • Rag and Bone Man II
  • Train Prayer 43-45
  • Train various skills (Fishing, Farming, Slayer)
  • Rum Deal
  • Cabin Fever (Mos Le'Harmless access)
  • Meat and Greet (Varlamore)
  • Train Cooking 39-40
  • Recipe for Disaster/Freeing the Lumbridge Guide
  • Train Cooking 40-42
  • Recipe for Disaster/Freeing Skrach Uglogwee
  • Train Cooking 42-50
  • Train Mining 43-50
  • Heroes' Quest
  • Throne of Miscellania (Miscellania access)
  • Royal Trouble
  • Haunted Mine (Salve Amulet)
  • Lair of Tarn Razorlor (Miniquest)
  • Monkey Madness I (Dragon Scimitar)
  • Ethically Acquired Antiquities (Varlamore)
  • Twilight's Promise (Varlamore)
  • Train Ranged 43-60
  • Train Thieving 47-50
  • Roving Elves (Crystal Bow/Shield access)
  • Mourning's End Part I (Lletya access)
  • Mourning's End Part II (Major puzzle quest)
  • Train Magic 48-50
  • Train Firemaking 49-50
  • Desert Treasure I (Ancient Magicks)
  • Train Magic 51-55
  • Family Crest (Gauntlets)
  • Train Runecraft 33-35
  • What Lies Below
  • Train Hunter 16-27
  • Eagles' Peak (Box Traps)
  • A Tail of Two Cats
  • Train Mining 50-52
  • Train Woodcutting 42-50
  • Train Herblore 40-41
  • Legends' Quest (Major QP, access to Legends' Guild)

Phase 5: Towards the Quest Cape (Grandmaster Tier)

Completing the Recipe for Disaster series, tackling Grandmaster quests, and unlocking endgame content.

  • Land of the Goblins
  • Recipe for Disaster/Freeing Sir Amik Varze
  • Olaf's Quest
  • Train Woodcutting 50-52
  • A Kingdom Divided (Arceuus Spellbook upgrades)
  • A Taste of Hope (Ivandis Flail, Drakan's Medallion)
  • Train Hunter 29-46
  • At First Light (Varlamore)
  • Train Hunter 46-50
  • Train Fletching 31-50
  • Train Farming 41-46
  • Activity: Unlock more Balloon Routes
  • Activity: Medium Achievement Diaries (Requires varied skills)
  • Curse of the Empty Lord (Miniquest)
  • The General's Shadow (Miniquest)
  • Activity: More Varrock Museum Kudos
  • His Faithful Servants (Miniquest - Prayer XP)
  • Train Prayer 49-50
  • The Great Brain Robbery (Barrelchest Anchor)
  • Fairytale II - Cure a Queen (Finish for full access & XP)
  • Train Cooking 50-66
  • Recipe for Disaster/Freeing King Awowogei (Access Ape Atoll)
  • Recipe for Disaster/Defeating the Culinaromancer (Barrows Gloves!)
  • Train Defence 51-60
  • Train Strength 51-60
  • Perilous Moons (Varlamore - Challenging mid-game bosses)
  • Start Miniquest: In Search of Knowledge
  • Train Thieving 54-56
  • The Path of Glouphrie
  • Train Mining 52-55
  • The Heart of Darkness (Varlamore)
  • Train Magic 55-65
  • Train Crafting 52-61
  • Train Mining 55-60
  • Train Woodcutting 52-55
  • Lunar Diplomacy (Lunar Spellbook)
  • Train Defence 60-65
  • King's Ransom (Piety/Chivalry)
  • Knight Waves Training Grounds (Miniquest)
  • Train Magic 65-66
  • Train Fishing 52-57
  • Swan Song
  • Train Smithing 51-55
  • Train Hunter 50-52
  • Below Ice Mountain
  • Defender of Varrock
  • Train Smithing 55-65
  • Train Runecraft 40-50
  • Devious Minds
  • Train Woodcutting 55-68
  • Train Thieving 56-58
  • Grim Tales
  • Train Combat level to 85+
  • Dream Mentor (More Lunar Spells)
  • Activity: Medium Karamja/Wilderness Diaries
  • Train Crafting 61-65
  • Train Runecraft 50-55
  • The Fremennik Exiles (Neitiznot Faceguard)
  • Train Fletching 50-60
  • Sins of the Father (Access Darkmeyer)
  • Train Firemaking 50-60
  • Activity: Unlock more Balloon Routes
  • Miniquest: In Search of Knowledge (Passive completion)
  • Miniquest: Hopespear's Will (Prayer XP)
  • Train Agility 61-62
  • Beneath Cursed Sands (Keris Partisan)
  • Train Hunter 53-60
  • Train Agility 63-68
  • Train Slayer 64-69
  • Train Crafting 66-70
  • Monkey Madness II (Heavy Ballista, Demonic Gorillas)
  • Into the Tombs (Miniquest)
  • A Night at the Theatre (Entry Mode ToB access)
  • Train various skills (Construction, Magic, Mining, Smithing)
  • Dragon Slayer II (Vorkath, Myth's Guild, Ava's Assembler)
  • The Curse of Arrav
  • Train Firemaking 60-66
  • Making Friends with My Arm (Weiss access)
  • Train Thieving 63-64
  • Secrets of the North (Phantom Muspah access)
  • Train Thieving 65-72
  • Train Farming 47-65
  • Train Herblore 56-65
  • Train Attack/Strength 58/61 to 65
  • While Guthix Sleeps (Major Grandmaster Quest)
  • Train Firemaking 66-75
  • Train Runecraft 56-60
  • Train Construction 50-60
  • Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire (Grandmaster Quest, DT2 Bosses)
  • Train various skills (Construction, Farming, Herblore, Hunter, Woodcutting) to 70
  • Song of the Elves (Grandmaster Quest, Prifddinas access)

Final Steps & Remaining Quests

After Song of the Elves, the core requirements for most other quests are met. Finish any remaining quests like:

  • Clock Tower
  • The Corsair Curse

Tips for Efficient Questing

  • OSRS Wiki & Quest Helper: Use the OSRS Wiki for detailed guides and RuneLite's Quest Helper plugin for in-game assistance.
  • Teleportation: Unlock and utilize various teleport methods (spellbook, jewellery, POH portals, scrolls) to minimize travel time.
  • Stamina Potions: Keep a supply of stamina potions for long runs. The Graceful outfit is invaluable.
  • Banking: Plan your inventory before starting a quest to avoid unnecessary bank trips.

Conclusion

Following a quest order like this one, focused on minimizing skill training gaps, can make the journey towards a Quest Cape feel much more manageable and less grindy. Remember that this is a guideline, not a rigid rulebook. Prioritize key unlocks that benefit your playstyle, use XP lamps wisely, and don't be afraid to take breaks or train skills when needed. Happy questing!

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