Free-to-play Runecrafting training

Levels 1-9/14/20 – Air runes
To start off, you must do the Rune Mysteries quest. It is a requirement to train the skill.

In free-to-play, the only way to begin training Runecrafting is by crafting air runes, which grants 5 Runecrafting experience per rune essence used (140 experience for an inventory of 28). The air altar is located just south of Falador, with a bank close by. Keep in mind that in Old School RuneScape, unlike in RuneScape 3, so the air altar is not located west of Varrock. You will end up with a decent amount of air runes, which you may then sell, or retain for your own personal use. Continue to craft air runes until you reach level 9, at which point it is best to move on to crafting earth runes.


 * Experience needed (1-9): 969
 * Rune essence needed: 194
 * № of inventories (28 essence per inventory): 7

Levels 9-14/20 – Earth runes
Players with a Runecrafting level of at least 9 are able to craft earth runes, which grant 6.5 experience per rune essence used (182 exp for an inventory of 28). The earth altar is located north-east of Varrock, near the sawmill. The distance between the altar and bank is a brisk walk away, so you can gather a great portion of experience in a short amount of time. You will accumulate a decent amount of earth runes, which you may sell or retain as you see fit.


 * Experience needed (9-14): 1,138
 * Rune essence needed: 176
 * № of inventories (28 ess per inventory): 7

Levels 14-20 – Fire runes
At level 14, it is best to craft fire runes, which grant 7 experience per rune essence used (196 exp for an inventory of 28). The fire altar is located west of the Duel Arena north of Al Kharid. The closest bank is Faldi's chest bank by the arena. You will accumulate a decent amount of fire runes, which you may sell or retain as you see fit.


 * Experience needed (14-20): 2,363
 * Rune essence needed: 338
 * № of inventories (28 ess per inventory): 12

Levels 20-99 – Body runes
Players with a Runecrafting level of at least 20 are able to craft body runes, which grant 7.5 experience per rune essence used (210 exp for an inventory of 28). Body runes are useful for a number of spells, such as Confuse and Weaken, which are often used for low-intensity magic training. Body runes are the highest level runes that free players are able to craft and crafting them grants the highest possible Runecrafting experience per hour for free players. You will accumulate a huge amount of body runes, which you may sell or retain as you see fit.

From levels 20 to 45, one body rune will be created per essence used. From levels 46 to 91, two body runes will be created per essence used. From level 92 onwards, three body runes will be created per essence used.


 * Experience needed (20-99): 13,029,961
 * Rune essence needed: 1,737,329
 * Body runes created: 4,335,146
 * № of inventories (28 ess per inventory): 62,048

Levels 23-27/35/44/54/59/65/82
Lava Runecrafting is the faster way to train Runecrafting for low levels. 82 Magic and Lunar Diplomacy is required to cast the spell Magic Imbue, otherwise Lava Runecrafting is the same as Fire Runecrafting except the player casts the spell Magic Imbue at the altar and uses earth runes on the fire altar.

Levels 27-35/44 – Cosmic runes
Players with a Runecrafting level of at least 27 who have completed the Lost City quest are able to craft cosmic runes, which grant 8 experience per pure essence used (280 exp for an inventory of 35). Cosmic runes are a very good source of experience, but require the completion of the Lost City quest and the distance from the Cosmic altar to the bank is a bit further than the Body Altar and the Edgeville bank. There are two shortcuts to the altar, one at 46 Agility and one at 66; these make the trip quite a bit shorter.


 * Experience needed (27-44): 45,919
 * Pure essence needed: 5,740
 * № of inventories (35 ess per inventory): 164

Levels 35-44
At level 35, players can now craft chaos runes, which grant 8.5 experience per pure essence used (297.5 exp for an inventory of 35). This method earns just a bit less experience per hour than Body Runes do, but Chaos runes are very useful and sought after. They are involved in the majority of attack spells and can yield great profits as well. However, if you're in it just for the Runecrafting experience, then this method may not be the most efficient for you. If you do however wish to use the Chaos altar, it is advised that you use the Abyss, as it will save you the hassle of going through the 3 level "maze" of the Chaos temple every time you wish to craft Chaos runes.

Levels 44-54/65/75/82/99 – Nature runes
Players with a Runecrafting level of at least 44 are able to craft nature runes, which grant 9 experience per pure essence used (315 exp for an inventory of 35). Nature runes are a quick and useful way to level up your Runecrafting level. The runes are involved in a numerous amount of extremely useful spells (in terms of spells used to level up your magic level quickly). The Nature altar is located in Karamja, north of Shilo Village. Since these runes are highly sought after, Runecrafting nature runes is a beneficial and profitable way to level up, and it is highly recommended you sell the runes if you have no intention of using them soon. Unless you have people running pure essence to you outside the nature altar, this will not be the fastest method for crafting Nature runes.

The fastest method for crafting Nature runes involves completing the Abyss miniquest and entering the Abyss. After completing the Abyss Miniquest, the Mage of Zamorak (Located in the Southern Wilderness mining site north of Edgeville) will teleport you to the Abyss upon right clicking him. Once in the void, you will instantly become skulled and lose all of your prayer points so this method is not recommended for low-level players as there are monsters up to level 81 inside.

The basic process for Abyss Nature crafting involves starting at the Edgeville bank. You will want to equip a Black pickaxe (The lightest pickaxe ingame) or mithril pickaxe (second lightest), an amulet of glory (6) or (4), it is also recommended to wear the best equippable dragonhide armour along with boots of Lightness, spottier cape, and graceful hood/gloves. Once these items are equipped, withdraw as much pure essence as you can into your inventory including any extra essence you can add with the pouches you are able to use. Run North to the mining site in the wilderness and teleport to the Abyss, once you enter you must quickly find an entrance the the middle ring by running around the sides looking for either a chute to jump through or a rock to mine. Higher agility/mining levels will increase your chances at successfully getting into the ring. If you don't successfully mine or make your way through a chute, keep right clicking them to avoid getting killed by the abyssal creatures. Once you have made your way to the middle ring you can now run to the Nature altar entrance and instantly be teleported there. Once you create your Nature runes use your amulet of glory to teleport back to Edgeville and start the process again.


 * Experience needed (44-54): 95,223
 * Pure essence needed: 10,581
 * № of inventories (35 ess per inventory): 303

Levels 54-59/65/82/91 – Law runes
Players with a Runecrafting level of at least 54 are able to craft law runes, which grant 9.5 experience per pure essence used (408.5 exp for an inventory of 43). At this point you should be using the abyss system with a way to teleport to Edgeville, via either house or glory. Another efficient method is using the balloon transport system from Castle Wars to Entrana, take a regular log to fuel the balloon. After crafting your laws teleport back to Castle Wars using your duelling ring and repeat. Many people prefer to start making law runes at 54 due to the increased experience, without much of a change in profit. The Law altar is located on Entrana, so when using the law altar make sure you don't have anything equipped because otherwise you won't be allowed in through the portal in the abyss. However, players can still use bronze pickaxes and drop them prior to entering the portal. Players using the balloon transport system are advised to click straight north upon arriving at Entrana, as this will result in the pathfinder generating a path to run all around the island, which can be then be cancelled after crossing the bridge to get to the law altar.


 * Experience needed (54-59): 97,014
 * Pure essence needed: 10,212
 * № of inventories (43 ess per inventory): 238

Levels 59-65/82/91 – Double cosmic runes
At level 59, you can create two cosmic runes per pure essence. This method results in reasonable profit and decent experience. Profit can be increased by using the best shortcut (requires 66 Agility) and by using a giant pouch (requires 75 Runecrafting).


 * Experience needed (59-82): 2,173,201
 * Pure essence needed: 271,651
 * № of inventories (43 ess per inventory): 6,318

Levels 65-82/91
At level 65, you may switch to death runes (assuming that you have completed the Mourning's Ends Part II quest), which grant 10 experience per pure essence used (430 exp for an inventory of 43). The Death altar will let you craft death runes using a talisman or a created tiara.

Levels 82-91 – Double astral runes
At level 82, you can create two astral runes per pure essence. Many players choose this method because of the short bank trips and reasonable income. 82-91 Runecrafting earns around 85m profit. While doing this, make sure you use an earth staff and have unlocked the Tele Group Moonclan spell. After banking (using only large and giant pouches), run south and click over the river, the pathfinder will find the most efficient path for you to get to the bridge and usually you will only waste 1 tick running east. Make sure you have some super energy potions ready to regen that small amount of run because at 0kg you will need just a bit more energy to keep up even with stamina potions. Finally, wear a rune kiteshield/blessed spirit shield/dragonfire shield/toktz-ket-xil/crystal shield (i) because suqah can hit very accurately against players who are not wearing any armour.


 * Experience needed (82-91): 3,481,744
 * Pure essence needed: 400,201
 * № of inventories (54 ess per inventory): 7,412

Levels 91-99 – Double nature runes
At level 91 you can create two nature runes per pure essence used. Many players choose to train Runecrafting to 99 using this method due to the massive profit that it yields. Training Runecrafting from level 91 to level 99 using this method requires 792,400 pure essence and yields 1,584,800 nature runes, which can be sold for tremendous profit.


 * Experience needed (91-99): 7,131,600
 * Pure essence needed: 792,400
 * № of inventories (54 ess per inventory): 14,675