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OSRS Early Game Skilling Unlocks & Milestones Guide
Progress your new OSRS account! Learn about key early-game skilling unlocks, important level milestones, and essential quests for unlocking content and methods.
OSRS Early Game Skilling Unlocks & Milestones Guide
Starting a new account in Old School RuneScape can be exciting, but knowing what to train and unlock first can make a huge difference in your progression speed and enjoyment. This guide highlights key early-game skilling unlocks, milestones, and associated quests that open up significant content and improve your gameplay experience.
(Note: "Early Game" generally refers to base stats below ~50-60 and limited quest completion.)
Key Quests for Early Skilling Unlocks
Questing is paramount in the early game, often providing more XP than grinding and unlocking essential skills and areas.
- Druidic Ritual: Unlocks the Herblore skill. Absolutely essential for potion making.
- Rune Mysteries: Unlocks the Runecraft skill, allowing you to craft runes. (Though training it early is often slow).
- Priest in Peril: Unlocks access to Morytania, required for numerous quests and Slayer tasks.
- Bone Voyage: Unlocks Fossil Island, home to:
- Bird House Trapping: Fastest early Hunter XP.
- Volcanic Mine: Group Mining activity (requires high Mining/stats).
- Underwater Agility/Thieving: Unique training methods.
- Hardwood Tree Patches: For Farming/Construction.
- Ammonite Crabs: Excellent low-intensity combat training spot.
- Plague City: Unlocks Ardougne Teleport (Standard Spellbook).
- The Dig Site: Unlocks specimen cleaning at Varrock Museum (passive Hunter/Crafting/Mining XP) and access to the Digsite Pendant (requires finding).
- Animal Magnetism: Unlocks Ava's Devices (Attractor/Accumulator), essential for saving ammunition when training Ranged. Requires 30 Ranged.
- Elemental Workshop I & II: Unlocks Elemental Shield, Mind Shield, and related Smithing/Crafting methods.
- Dwarf Cannon: Unlocks the ability to make and use the powerful Dwarf Multicannon, significantly speeding up Slayer and some Ranged training.
Important Early Skilling Milestones & Unlocks
Leveling specific skills unlocks crucial methods, gear, and quality-of-life improvements.
Agility:
- Level 10+: Access to various Rooftop Agility Courses (starting with Draynor).
- Level 30+: Can start earning Marks of Grace consistently for the Graceful Outfit (weight reduction, faster run energy restore). Aim to get this ASAP.
- Level 30-60: Unlocks numerous useful Shortcuts across the map, saving travel time. Check the Wiki for specific shortcut levels.
- Level 56: Shortcut to Large Guardian Remains in Guardians of the Rift.
Construction:
- Level 8+ (Post-Daddy's Home): Access to your Player Owned House (POH).
- Level 15-50: Building basic Teleport Rooms (Portal Chamber), Altars, Glory Mounts, and early storage significantly improves convenience.
- Level 50: Ability to build and use Portal Nexus, Lecterns (for teleport tablets).
Magic:
- Level 1-45: Unlocks various Teleport Spells (Varrock, Lumbridge, Falador, Camelot, Ardougne), crucial for travel.
- Level 33: Telekinetic Grab (useful for Wine of Zamorak, some quests).
- Level 43: Superheat Item (alternative Smithing/Magic training).
- Level 55: High Level Alchemy. Key spell for turning items into coins, often profitable and good passive XP while doing other activities.
Prayer:
- Level 31: Access to Monk Robes (Prayer bonus F2P gear).
- Level 43: Protection Prayers (Protect from Melee, Missiles, Magic). Game-changing for combat survival. A major early goal.
Mining & Smithing:
- Level 15: Mine Iron Ore / Smith Iron items.
- Level 30: Mine Coal / Smith Steel items. Access to Mining Guild & Motherlode Mine (lower level).
- Level 40: Smith Adamant items (requires 30 Defence for armour). Access to Rune Pickaxe.
- Level 50: Smith Mithril items (requires 20 Defence for armour).
Firemaking:
- Level 50: Access to the Wintertodt skilling boss. Excellent Firemaking XP and decent rewards, especially for Ironmen.
Fishing & Cooking:
- Level 35 Fishing: Access to Tempoross skilling boss. Good Fishing XP and unique rewards.
- Level 40 Fishing: Ability to fish Lobsters (requires Lobster Pot).
- Level 40 Cooking: Stop burning Lobsters consistently.
- Level 45 Fishing: Ability to fish Swordfish (requires Harpoon).
- Level 45 Cooking: Stop burning Swordfish consistently (with Cooking Gauntlets).
Hunter:
- Level 1+ (Post-Bone Voyage): Bird House runs on Fossil Island (best early XP).
- Level 27+: Ability to hunt Chinchompas (various types unlock at higher levels).
Herblore (Post-Druidic Ritual):
- Level 3: Attack Potions.
- Level 12: Strength Potions.
- Level 22: Defence Potions.
- Level 26: Energy Potions.
- Level 38: Prayer Potions (essential for extending combat trips).
General Progression Strategy
- Focus on Quests: Prioritize quests that unlock skills (Druidic Ritual, Rune Mysteries) and offer large XP rewards in skills you need (e.g., Waterfall Quest for Attack/Strength, Fight Arena for Attack).
- Unlock Teleports: Aim for early Magic levels to unlock basic teleports. Work towards Ardougne Easy Diary for Monastery teleport and unlock Fairy Rings (Fairytale II start) ASAP.
- Train Agility: Start Rooftop Agility early to gather Marks of Grace for the Graceful Outfit. The run energy restoration is invaluable.
- Establish Income: Find a simple money maker (see F2P Money Making Guide if needed, or early P2P methods) to fund runes, tools, and basic gear.
- Set Milestones: Aim for key unlocks like 43 Prayer, 55 Magic (High Alch), 50 Firemaking (Wintertodt), 35 Fishing (Tempoross), Graceful Outfit, and requirements for important quests like Recipe for Disaster or Dragon Slayer I.
- Integrate Skilling: Train skills like Woodcutting, Fishing, Cooking, and Mining as needed for quest requirements or passive income while working towards larger goals.
Conclusion
The early game in OSRS is about building a foundation. By strategically completing key quests and reaching important skilling milestones, you unlock faster travel, better training methods, essential gear, and crucial utilities like potions and prayers. This sets you up for efficient progression into the mid and late game.
Need help overcoming early quest hurdles or boosting initial skill levels? Our OSRS Quest Services and OSRS Skilling Services can provide the jumpstart you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Agility (for run energy restoration & shortcuts), Magic (for teleports & utility), Construction (for Player Owned House benefits), and combat skills are generally prioritized. Questing is crucial early on as it often unlocks skills (like Herblore via Druidic Ritual) and provides large XP rewards.
Druidic Ritual (Herblore), Rune Mysteries (Runecraft access), Animal Magnetism (Ava's Devices for Ranged), The Dig Site (Specimen cleaning XP), Bone Voyage (Fossil Island - Birdhouses, Crabs, etc.), Priest in Peril (Morytania access), Plague City (Ardougne Teleport).
15 Agility (Agility Pyramid access), 30+ Agility (Graceful Outfit start), 50 Firemaking (Wintertodt), 35 Fishing (Tempoross), 43 Prayer (Protection Prayers), 55 Magic (High Level Alchemy), 40+ Mining/Smithing (Rune gear access). See our individual OSRS Skilling Guides.
A mix is best. Quests often have skill requirements but also provide significant XP rewards and unlock crucial training methods or areas. Prioritize quests that unlock skills or provide large XP lamps in skills you want to train, then skill to meet the next quest requirement. Our OSRS Quest Services can help bypass tricky quest requirements.
