Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers a myriad of training methods for each skill, and among these, AFK (Away From Keyboard) training is a popular choice for players looking to progress without having to constantly monitor their gameplay. This guide will cover everything you need to know about AFK training various skills in OSRS, including the best plugins to use, the most efficient methods, and tips to maximize your experience gains while you’re away from your screen.
Essential Plugins for AFK Training
To enhance your AFK training experience, several plugins can be incredibly helpful:
- Log Out Timer Plugin: This plugin allows you to extend the time before the game logs you out due to inactivity. Normally, if you don’t press any buttons for 5 minutes, the game logs you out. However, with this plugin, you can extend that period up to 25 minutes, which is crucial for long AFK sessions.
- Idle Notifier: Available through the Runelite client, this plugin alerts you with a beep or notification when your character stops acting. This is particularly useful for monitoring activities like mining or woodcutting where you need to manually restart the action if interrupted.
- Entity Hider: This plugin hides other players in busy areas, making it easier to see your own actions and reduce distractions, which is especially useful in high-traffic areas like the Gilded Altar in Rimmington.
- NPC Aggression Timer: This tool helps track how long NPCs will remain aggressive towards you, which is valuable for combat training in areas where NPCs’ aggression is time-based.
AFK Mining Methods
- Shooting Stars: Mining shooting stars is one of the most AFK-friendly methods available. Join the chat channel “star miners” to get updates on shooting star locations. Stars are categorized by tier, with higher tiers requiring more mining experience to interact with. For instance, a Tier 1 star requires level 10 Mining, while a Tier 2 star requires level 20 Mining. Each star can be mined for around 6.5 minutes if you use the Runelite Idle Notifier to alert you when you need to start mining again.
- Soult Deposit: If you have completed the Desert Treasure quest, you can mine soult deposits for decent XP. Though the time you can AFK here was recently reduced to 5 minutes, it’s a good alternative if you can’t keep up with shooting star notifications.
- Calcified Rocks: After partially completing the Perilous Moons quest and unlocking the Cam’torum area, you can mine calcified rocks for high XP rates. At level 85 Mining, you can achieve about 45,000 XP per hour. This method is less AFK than shooting stars but offers excellent XP and provides Blessed Bone Shards for training Prayer.
AFK Prayer Training
- Blessing Jugs of Wine: Once you have a sufficient number of Blessed Bone Shards, you can train Prayer by blessing jugs of wine at the Temple of the Marred in the Volore area. Use the jugs of wine to bless them and then offer the bone shards at the Liberation Bulb for 500 XP per 100 shards. With 99 Prayer, you can AFK for about 2 minutes before needing to replenish your Prayer points. This method can yield over 1 million Prayer XP per hour, making it highly efficient if you have accumulated a large number of shards.
- Gilded Altar in Rimmington: For a more conventional Prayer training method, head to Rimmington in World 330. Use the best bones you can afford on the Gilded Altar and utilize the Entity Hider plugin to avoid distractions from other players. With Dragon Bones, you can achieve around 320,000 XP per hour.
AFK Firemaking
- Forester’s Campfires: The recent update introduced the ability to light fires next to any bank. By using logs on a fire, you can AFK the Firemaking skill effectively. Though the XP rates are about one-third of the normal XP, it’s a cost-effective method. Maple logs, which are inexpensive, provide around 63,000 XP per hour, while redwoods can offer up to 163,000 XP per hour. Training Firemaking this way is especially affordable, with a cost of around 5 million OSRS Gold for 99.
AFK Smithing
- Cannonballs: Smithing cannonballs is a popular AFK method. To do this, you’ll need to have completed the Dwarf Cannon quest. Purchase a Cannonball Mold and use it with steel bars at any furnace. The process takes about 2 minutes and 40 seconds per inventory, yielding approximately 15,000 XP per hour. Additionally, making cannonballs can be profitable, as you earn about 200,000 GP per hour. You can also use the Giants Foundry minigame to get a double Cannonball Mold for increased profit.
AFK Combat Training
- Nightmare Zone: The Nightmare Zone is a fantastic place for AFK combat training. Choose creatures that attack with the same combat style, and use Absorption Potions combined with a low-health setup like a Rock Cake. By keeping your health at one and using Absorption Potions, you can stay in combat for extended periods. The use of Overloads can further increase your AFK time.
- Venator Bow: For a ranged AFK training method, the Venator Bow is effective. It pulls aggro from multiple creatures in multi-combat areas due to its ricochet effect. While this method can be costly and less predictable, it’s highly effective for extended AFK training.
- Splashing: Magic training through splashing involves wearing full melee gear and casting spells on low-level creatures. This method is extremely AFK-friendly, as you can train for up to 25 minutes before the game logs you out. While the XP rates depend on the spell used, splashing remains one of the easiest ways to train Magic AFK.
AFK Thieving
- Sorceress’s Garden: At level 65 Thieving, you can use the Sorceress’s Garden for AFK training. With the “One Click Summer Garden” plugin, navigate through the garden while avoiding Elementals. Stand on a highlighted square and time your actions to complete runs efficiently. Each run takes about 40 seconds, providing around 150,000 XP per hour. The method has its drawbacks, including potential interference from other players and occasional missed timers.
AFK Cooking
- Mythical Skill Cape Range: If you have completed Dragon Slayer II, the Mythical Skill Cape Range provides an excellent AFK cooking spot with a range on the same tile as a bank. For those without access, the permanent fire in the Rogue’s Den is a good alternative.
- Forster’s Woodcutting: With the Forestry update, woodcutting became more consistent for AFK training. You can use noted logs and light fires near banks, allowing you to AFK for over a minute per inventory. While XP rates vary, this method offers a balance between cost and efficiency.
Conclusion
AFK training in Old School RuneScape allows you to progress in various skills while spending minimal time actively playing. By leveraging the right plugins and methods, you can efficiently train skills like Mining, Prayer, Firemaking, Smithing, Combat, Magic, Thieving, and Cooking. Experiment with these methods to find what works best for you, and enjoy the convenience of advancing in OSRS while multitasking in your daily life.
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