This post represents the Free-to-play version of our original OSRS Runecrafting Guide. All of the methods found in this guide can be used for training runecrafting in free-to-play worlds.
Fastest F2P Runecrafting Training
Below you will see the methods used to gain the fastest experience and 1-99 runecrafting in f2p.
Air Runecrafting: levels 1-9
At level 1, players in free to play can train runecrafting with Air runes. Each rune or pure essence will grant 5 runecraft experience. The altar is located south of Falador, in the wooded area. You will need to do 7 inventories of essence before reaching level 9. Follow the map in the image below for the optimal route to and from the bank.
Earth Runecrafting: levels 9-14
From level 9 runecraft, earth runes are unlocked. Each essence now grants 6.5 experience when crafting them into earth runes. Another 7 inventories will need to be carried to and from the Earth Altar, located south of the sawmill, north-east of Varrock.
Follow the map below for the optimal route to the Earth Altar and back to the Varrock east bank. A Varrock Teleport can be used to speed up travel time if it is available. Additionally, an earth tiara can be used to save an inventory spot.
Fire Runecrafting: levels 14-20
Upon reaching level 14, f2p players will now be able to runecraft fire runes. The fire altar is located to the west of the Emir’s Arena (Duel Arena). Making the closest bank the Fadli’s chest, just north of the arena.
Due to the longer banking, the experience rates are very similar to earth runecrafting. Since only a total of 13 inventories are needed to go from 14 to 20, its personal preference if you want to move or stay with earth runecrafting till 20.
Body Runecrafting: levels 20-99
At level 20 runecraft in f2p, the ability to craft body runes is unlocked. Each essence provides 7.5 experience when crafting these runes. They are the highest tier of rune available to free to play runecrafters. Making it extremely slow to train to 99, players will need to do a total of 62,048 inventories full of essence to reach 99 runecrafting in free to play.
Making Tiaras: levels 1-99
Making tiaras actually provides the fastest runecrafting experience per hour in free to play. However, it is highly unfeasible, due to the associated costs.
Making body tiaras is the best xp, with an average of 57,000 xp/hr with this f2p method. However, to get 99, it costs an average of 300-400 million gold depending on GE prices.
To make a tiara you will need a normal tiara and a corresponding talisman to use on the altar. An example inventory can be seen below.
Both Water and Earth Tiaras are considerably less expensive to do. But, have considerably lower rates of experience, of only around 25,000-27,000 runecrafting xp per hour.