Mastering Smithing in Old School RuneScape
Welcome, aspiring artisan, to the definitive guide and calculator for Old School RuneScape (OSRS) Smithing! Whether you're aiming for a quest requirement, a shiny new Rune Platebody, or the prestigious 99 skillcape, Smithing is a fundamental skill that transforms raw ores into valuable items. This guide, along with our interactive calculator, will help you plan your journey efficiently, considering both experience gains and your precious coin pouch.
What is Smithing?
Smithing in OSRS involves taking metal bars (created through the Mining and Smelting process) and shaping them into weapons, armor, and other useful items. It's a skill that requires patience, a good understanding of the Grand Exchange (GE) for material prices, and often a hefty investment of time and gold. However, the rewards, from crafting your own gear to making a profit, are well worth the effort.
Optimal Leveling Methods
The path to 99 Smithing can be expensive, but choosing the right methods for your current level and financial situation is key. Here's a breakdown of common and efficient training methods:
Levels 1-15: The Basics of Bronze
- Bronze Bars: Starting at level 1, you can smelt Copper and Tin ores into Bronze Bars. Each bar grants 6.2 XP. This is a quick way to get past the initial levels.
- Bronze Daggers: Smithed from 1 Bronze Bar, these provide 12.5 XP per dagger. More XP than bars, but requires an anvil.
- Bronze Platebodies: If you're looking for slightly faster XP at these low levels, 5 Bronze Bars can be smithed into a Bronze Platebody for 62.5 XP.
Levels 15-30: Ironing Out the Details
- Iron Bars: At level 15, you can smelt Iron Ore into Iron Bars for 12.5 XP each. Best done at the Blast Furnace to save coal or with Goldsmith Gauntlets for gold bars.
- Iron Platebodies: A common method for faster XP, requiring 5 Iron Bars for 62.5 XP.
- Cannonballs: At level 35, you can smith Cannonballs (4 per Steel Bar) for 25.6 XP per 4 cannonballs. This is often a profitable method, but slower XP.
Levels 30-50: Steeling Your Resolve
- Steel Bars: Smelting 1 Iron Ore and 2 Coal into a Steel Bar grants 17.5 XP. Again, the Blast Furnace is highly recommended for efficiency.
- Steel Platebodies: Requiring 5 Steel Bars, these give a significant 187.5 XP per item. This is a very popular method for mid-level training.
Levels 50-70: Mithril Mastery
- Mithril Bars: Smelting Mithril Ore with 4 Coal for 30 XP per bar.
- Mithril Platebodies: At level 65, these offer 300 XP per item, consuming 5 Mithril Bars. This is a fantastic method for high XP rates, though typically a loss.
Levels 70-99: Adamant and Rune Grandeur
- Adamant Bars: Smelting Adamantite Ore with 6 Coal for 37.5 XP per bar.
- Adamant Platebodies: From level 70, these provide 375 XP per item (5 Adamant Bars). A very high XP method.
- Rune Bars: Smelting Runite Ore with 8 Coal for 50 XP per bar.
- Rune Platebodies: The ultimate Smithing challenge, available at level 89. Smithed from 5 Rune Bars, each grants a massive 750 XP. This is the fastest Smithing XP per item, but also the most expensive.
- Dart Tips (Adamant/Rune): At level 85 (Adamant) and 90 (Rune), smithing dart tips can be a profitable alternative to platebodies, though often lower XP per hour. Adamant Dart Tips give 12.5 XP per 10 tips (1 bar), Rune Dart Tips give 25 XP per 10 tips (1 bar).
Profit vs. XP: Choosing Your Path
Smithing is notorious for being an expensive skill. Most of the fastest XP methods (like platebodies) result in a significant loss of GP. However, there are a few methods that can turn a profit, albeit usually at a slower XP rate:
- Cannonballs: A consistent profit-maker, especially at higher GE prices for Cannonballs. Requires Steel Bars.
- Dart Tips (Adamant/Rune): Can be profitable depending on the current GE prices of bars and tips. Check regularly!
- Smelting Gold Bars with Goldsmith Gauntlets: While not technically "smithing," this is a very fast and often profitable way to gain early Smithing XP (up to ~60-70) if you include the smelting process.
Our calculator above can help you quickly estimate the profit or loss for different items, allowing you to make an informed decision based on current market trends.
Essential Gear and Bonuses
To maximize your Smithing efficiency and minimize costs, consider these crucial items and methods:
- Varrock Armour: Obtained from the Varrock Achievement Diaries, this armour provides a chance to smith an extra bar when smelting, or a percentage chance of saving a bar when smithing. Varrock Armour 4 gives a 10% chance for both.
- Goldsmith Gauntlets: Dropped from the Family Crest quest, these gauntlets drastically increase the XP gained from smelting gold bars (from 22.5 to 56.2 XP). Essential for fast early-mid level XP.
- Blast Furnace: Located in Keldagrim, this mini-game allows you to smelt bars much faster and with half the coal requirement (or none if you use the appropriate minigame features). A must for efficient bar creation.
- Smithing Cape: At level 99, the Smithing Cape provides an unlimited teleport to the Falador anvil, making banking and smithing incredibly fast.
- Wise Perk (Invention): If you have access to Invention, the Wise perk can give a small percentage of bonus XP (up to 1%) across all skills.
- Experience Lamps/Books of Knowledge: Rewards from quests or events that grant direct XP into a skill. Always a good idea to put them into an expensive skill like Smithing.
Tips for Efficient Smithing
- Use an Anvil Close to a Bank: For smithing items, proximity to a bank is crucial. Falador and Varrock anvils are popular choices. The Platebody anvil in the Edgeville dungeon is also used by high-level players.
- Stamina Potions: If you're doing high-volume smithing that requires a lot of running (e.g., Blast Furnace, or certain anvil locations), stamina potions can save you significant time.
- Hotkeys: Use hotkeys for banking and withdrawing items to speed up your cycles.
- World Choice: For Blast Furnace, ensure you're on a dedicated Blast Furnace world to benefit from the community's efforts in fueling the furnace.
- Check GE Prices Regularly: Material costs and item selling prices fluctuate daily. Use an external tool or the Grand Exchange itself to get the most up-to-date prices before committing to a method.
Conclusion
Smithing to 99 in OSRS is a journey that demands dedication and strategic planning. By utilizing this calculator and understanding the various methods, bonuses, and economic factors, you can make your path to mastery as efficient and cost-effective as possible. Good luck, and may your anvils ring true!