For players with massive GP reserves, hiring runners at RuneScape gold lava or ZMI altars can push XP rates even higher. This method is costly but offers unmatched efficiency.

ZMI (Ourania Altar)

A strong balance between effort and experience. XP and profit scale with level, making this a popular option from mid-game all the way to 99, especially after diary upgrades.

Profitable Runecrafting Methods

Nearly every Runecrafting method is profitable, but standouts include:

Astral runes (level 40+)

Nature runes (especially double natures at 91+)

Death runes (via the Abyss)

Blood runes (true Blood altar with Blood Essence)

Wrath runes (level 95+, Dragon Slayer II)

Ether runes (new high-level combo rune method)

Several of these exceed 2M GP per hour at high levels with the right setup.

Low-Intensity (AFK-Style) Training

True AFK Runecrafting doesn't exist, but Zeah Blood and Soul runes offer the lowest intensity experience in the skill. Mining essence blocks provides brief AFK windows, making this a favorite method from 77-99 for players who value comfort over speed.

Recommended Paths to 99

Main account (balanced):

1-27: Questing

27-75: Guardians of the Rift

75-99: ZMI or Zeah

Ironman:

1-27: Questing

27-85+: Guardians of the Rift

85-99: Blood runes or continue GOTR

Fastest:

27 → Lunar Diplomacy → Lava runes to 99

Most profitable:

Guardians of the Rift → Natures → Deaths → Astrals → Ether/Wrath runes

Runecrafting may never be everyone's favorite skill, but with modern updates and smart planning, it's more rewarding than ever. Whether you're chasing XP, gold, or self-sufficiency, there's a Runecrafting path that fits your playstyle. A large amount of RuneScape gold can also be very helpful.

After a long stretch away, it was finally time to return to Hard Resets-the series where every decision matters and every death is catastrophic. The premise is simple but brutal: I can only trade items at the moment I unlock them through PvM or PvP, and a single death wipes my entire bank and resets all progress. The end goal? Conquering one of the hardest challenges in Old School RuneScape-the Coliseum.

Building a Realistic Dream Gear List

While it would be amazing to walk into the Coliseum wearing best-in-slot gear, that simply isn't realistic under Hard Reset rules. Some items are technically possible to PK, but the odds are so low that they're not worth planning around. Instead, the focus shifted to gear that could reasonably be obtained through player kills. Having enough RS gold can be very helpful.

At the top of the list sat the S-tier upgrades. The crown jewel was the Tentacle Whip, a perfect weapon for the Coliseum's final boss, Sol Heredit, who is weak to slash attacks. Supporting pieces included Bandos Chestplate and Tassets for their blend of offense and defense, a Serpentine Helm, Guardian Boots, a Dragonfire Shield, and a Fury Amulet for all-around combat bonuses. For ranged defense, a Karil's top stood out as the most important pickup.

Below that, the A-tier featured reliable but slightly weaker options like the Abyssal Whip, Justiciar pieces, Primordial Boots, Crystal Shield, and Ahrim's gear for magic utility. Lower tiers included various Barrows tank pieces, Fang alternatives, and niche upgrades-useful, but not mandatory.

One item, however, stood alone in its own category: death. That was the true F-tier outcome. One mistake meant everything was gone.

Why the King Black Dragon Lair Is King

Most Wilderness locations simply don't offer consistent opportunities to catch players risking high-value gear. But one spot breaks that rule: outside the King Black Dragon lair.

This area is unique because players frequently pass through it wearing expensive setups, even though they only spend seconds in the Wilderness. That creates a narrow window-roughly 20 seconds-to land a teleblock, secure an entangle, and commit to the kill before they escape underground.

To improve reaction time and prevent instant log-outs, the account used a clever disguise: an Easter event box outfit. It looked harmless, weird, and just confusing enough to buy precious seconds.

Early Kills and Momentum Shifts

The first kill set the tone. Despite splashing far too many entangles, the target went down, delivering a valuable early unlock and immediate momentum. Not every fight was clean-DPS issues, missed freezes, and close escapes were constant-but the upgrades began stacking up.

A massive turning point came with the Dragonfire Shield drop, an essential S-tier unlock that felt mandatory before leaving the area. Shortly after, the account landed a Fury Amulet, another cornerstone upgrade that dramatically boosted all combat styles.

Things escalated quickly from there. Karil's top, Karil's skirt, and later Bandos Tassets all dropped in rapid succession. Each kill felt like threading a needle-splash-heavy fights, awkward pathing, and targets barely dying before teleport timers expired.

Big Risks, Bigger Rewards

As confidence grew, so did the targets. Zamorakian Hastas, Armadyl pieces, Burning Claws, Tortures, Anguishes, Dragon Hunter Crossbows-not every kill resulted in an unlock, but the value added up fast. Some fights dragged on painfully long due to bad hits, while others ended instantly with perfectly timed KOs and smites.

There were moments of pure disbelief: players returning seconds later with even riskier setups, misclicks that nearly caused escapes, and unexpected smites that paid out millions. Not every chase succeeded, but the Wilderness outside KBD consistently delivered action, profit, and progression.

The Final Tally

By the end of the week, the account had secured the vast majority of its realistic Coliseum gear goals. Not everything was sold-many items were kept specifically for the challenge ahead-but excess loot still translated into significant OSRS gold.

More importantly, the account was ready.

The upgrades were locked in. The risks had paid off. The richest PK spot in the Wilderness had done its job.

Next stop: the Coliseum.

One way or another, this journey ends with a quiver-or with everything wiped.

Old School RuneScape continues to evolve, and recent updates have quietly added a huge number of new training methods across nearly every skill. While major questlines like Varlamore and bosses like Yama brought some variety, nothing has reshaped skilling quite like the release of cheap RS gold Sailing. The sheer volume of side activities, resources, and mechanics it introduced has created fresh paths to 99s-and even new meta contenders.