Ultimate OSRS Crafting Leveling Guide

Apr-08-2026 PST Category: Runescape
Crafting is one of the most versatile and rewarding skills in Old School RuneScape (OSRS). It allows players to create jewelry, armor, battlestaves, and other items, many of which are essential for combat, quests, and trading. While leveling Crafting from 1 to 99 can be time-consuming, careful planning and knowledge of the most efficient methods can significantly speed up the process. This guide provides a detailed roadmap to help you efficiently level Crafting while balancing cost, XP rates, and profit potential.

 

Levels 1-19: Laying the Foundation

Starting Crafting is simple, with early levels focused on basic items that are inexpensive and easy to make. At level 1, players can begin by crafting soft clay items or leather goods. Soft clay is obtained by mining clay rocks and then using a bucket of water on the clay to make soft clay. Players can craft simple items like soft clay bowls or pottery, which provide small amounts of experience but are perfect for getting started.

 

Leather crafting is another early option. Players can purchase cowhide from the Grand Exchange or kill cows and tan their hides using a tanner. Crafting leather gloves or leather boots grants decent early XP and familiarizes players with the crafting process. Using a needle and thread, players can turn tanned leather into wearable items.

 

Completing early quests also offers an opportunity to gain Crafting experience. Quests like The Restless Ghost and Rune Mysteries provide XP rewards and unlock items or locations useful for early training.

 

Levels 19-40: Leather and Gold Training

Once you reach level 19, players have access to additional leather items and low-level jewelry crafting. Leather items such as vambraces, cowhide body armor, and leather chaps are popular training methods because they require minimal materials and provide consistent XP. This stage is also ideal for combining training with money-making, as leather items can often be sold to other players or to stores for small profit.

 

Gold jewelry crafting is another viable option. Players can start making gold rings, necklaces, and bracelets using a gold bar and a mold at a furnace. This method requires level 7 Crafting to smelt gold bars from gold ore. After level 20, players can craft gold rings using molten gold and a ring mold, offering more XP per item than basic leather products.

 

Questing continues to play a useful role. Completing quests that reward Crafting experience, such as Doric's Quest, can provide early boosts and save time when progressing to higher levels.

 

Levels 40-70: Silver and Battlestaves

At level 40, silver jewelry crafting becomes an efficient option. Silver bars can be smelted from silver ore or purchased directly with OSRS gold, and players can craft items such as silver necklaces, rings, or amulets. Using a furnace and molds, silver items provide higher XP per item than gold jewelry and are often cheaper to make. Players can also take advantage of crafting multiple items in quick succession to maximize experience per hour.

 

In addition to jewelry, battlestaves become an important mid-level Crafting method. Battlestaves can be bought unpowered from stores or other players, and players attach orbs to them for experience. For example, attaching air, water, or fire orbs to battlestaves grants significant XP and prepares players for higher-level Crafting methods. Battlestaves training also offers some profit potential since elemental battlestaves are always in demand for combat and Magic training.

 

At this stage, players should also consider training through quest rewards. Completing quests like The Grand Tree or Dragon Slayer I provides not only Crafting XP but also access to better resources or magical items for further training.

 

Levels 70-90: High-Level Jewelry and Battlestaves

Once players reach level 70, Crafting options expand to include gold amulets with gems, high-level battlestaves, and even some armor pieces. Crafting amulets with semi-precious gems offers excellent experience and can be highly profitable if the gems are purchased at a reasonable price or obtained through mining or drops. Using a furnace, players can attach a gold amulet to a gem, creating items such as sapphire, emerald, or ruby amulets. This method provides a high XP rate per hour and is one of the preferred mid-to-high level Crafting methods.

 

High-level battlestaves remain a top choice for both XP and profit. By using staves purchased from stores and attaching elemental orbs, players can craft staves that are useful in both Magic training and combat. Battlestaves like air, water, and fire staves offer a consistent training method while providing items that are valuable to other players.

 

In addition to crafting jewelry and staves, players can also begin making green, blue, or red d'hide bodies if they have completed the relevant quests and unlocked the ability to use dragon leather. These high-level leather items require tanned green, blue, or red dragonhide and are crafted using a needle and thread. While they are more expensive than earlier leather items, they offer excellent XP per hour for players who can afford the materials.

 

Levels 90-99: Endgame Crafting

The final stretch from 90 to 99 Crafting focuses on the most efficient methods in terms of XP per hour, regardless of cost. At this stage, players often use high-level jewelry and battlestaves or rare items like dragonhide armor to maximize experience. Crafting gold amulets with the highest-tier gems, such as diamond, ruby, or dragonstone, offers the fastest XP for those who can manage the cost. Each amulet provides a substantial amount of XP, and crafting multiple items consecutively ensures maximum efficiency.

 

Battlestaves continue to be a reliable method, particularly when combining elemental orbs with high-level staves. The XP gained per staff is significant, and players benefit from producing items that are consistently in demand for Magic training.

 

Another popular endgame method is crafting high-level leather items from green, blue, or red dragonhide. While expensive, dragonhide armor grants a high XP rate and can be sold to other players for a reasonable profit. For players with sufficient funds, this method is often the fastest way to reach 99 Crafting.

 

Questing and minigames still provide opportunities for additional XP and resources. For example, the King's Ransom quest offers rewards that can complement high-level Crafting methods, and participating in minigames like Tears of Guthix can provide boosts to experience gains.

 

Cost Considerations

Crafting is unique among skills in OSRS because it can be either a money-maker or a money-drainer depending on the chosen method. Early leather training is inexpensive, and some methods even generate profit through crafting items for sale. Jewelry crafting varies in cost based on the type of bars and gems used, with mid-level items being moderately expensive but manageable for most players.

 

High-level methods, particularly dragonhide armor and gemmed amulets, can be very costly. Players should carefully plan purchases and consider market fluctuations in the Grand Exchange. You can also get them with cheap OSRS gold. Some players prefer to combine profit-making with experience, such as crafting battlestaves for Magic training or selling crafted jewelry, to balance efficiency and financial sustainability.

 

AFK and Semi-AFK Training Methods

Crafting generally requires active engagement, but there are a few methods that allow for semi-AFK training. Making battlestaves or amulets in bulk can be relatively low-effort, and using bank deposit boxes close to furnaces or workshops allows for quick crafting cycles. Players can also combine crafting with other skills, such as mining ores for smelting into bars or collecting hides for leather training, to create an efficient, multitasking approach to leveling.

 

Conclusion

Leveling Crafting from 1 to 99 in Old School RuneScape is a rewarding endeavor that offers both practical benefits and potential profit. Early levels focus on leather items and soft clay, while mid-levels expand to jewelry and battlestaves. High-level methods involve crafting gemmed amulets, high-tier battlestaves, and dragonhide armor for maximum XP gains. Cost management, questing, and AFK strategies all play important roles in efficient training. By following a structured approach and adapting methods to available resources, players can achieve 99 Crafting efficiently, unlocking access to all the skills and items that make Crafting a versatile and valuable skill in OSRS.