The Herblore skill is one of the most potent noncombat skills available to players of Old School Runescape. Herblore allows players to clean a variety of herbs and make incredible potions, such as the super combat potions, that enhance one’s abilities. You’ll find out how to train it in this Oldschool Runescape Herblore training OSRS guide.
Benefits of Herblore
As previously stated in this Runescape guide, Herblore is a powerful skill. The ability to create potions using items like the grimy herb is invaluable to players interested in combat, where every slight advantage matters. It is particularly powerful during raids due to the untradeable nature of the potions involved there.
Cleaning herbs can be invaluable as a moneymaker as well. Many players are in a hurry and desire to quickly train Herblore, so they simply buy clean herbs from the Grand Exchange. This is an excellent opportunity for players looking to make some OSRS gold, as they can buy grimy herbs, clean them, then sell them back to other players.
How to Unlock Herblore
Herblore is unlocked by completing the Druidic Ritual quest. The quest is simple and inexperienced players can easily complete it. It also will give the player some early level Herblore supplies to get them started on their journey.
How Herblore Training Works
The primary method of training Herblore involves creating potions. Making a potion is a 2 step process. First, take a vial of water and the desired herb of the potion you want to make and combine them. This will leave you with an unfinished potion, which you have to combine with a secondary ingredient to receive the final potion.
Quests that Reward Experience
Without any Herblore training several quests will reward you experience to help you skip the early levels. One of these quests is Druidic Ritual, which the player must complete to unlock the skill in the first place. Completing the Recruitment Drive quest will reward ample Herblore experience as well with no previous Herblore training. Quests you can complete for experience once you have gained some early levels include Jungle Potion and Zogre Flesh Eaters.
Training
Utilizing quests to get you Herblore experience will only get you so far. Eventually, you will have to train the skill for whatever reason. There are two primary methods to train Herblore, cleaning herbs and making potions. Otherwise, players can create tar using herbs and swamp tar to improve their Herblore skill.
Very Slow, Profitable Method
Cleaning grimy herbs is a very slow method to train Herblore but it is the most profitable. While this training method is slower then others, if you lack interest in paying much attention while your training this would be the perfect method.
- Level 3: Guam
- RS gold profit per herb: 5
- XP per herb: 2.5
- XP/Hour: 7,500
- Level 5: Marrentill
- Profit per herb: 7
- XP per herb: 3.8
- XP/Hour: 11,400
- Level 11: Tarromin
- Profit per herb: 24
- XP per herb: 5
- XP/Hour: 15,000
- Level 20: Harralander
- Profit per herb: 27
- XP per herb: 6.3
- XP/Hour: 18,900
- Level 25: Ranarr
- Profit per herb: 19
- XP per herb: 7.5
- XP/Hour: 22,500
- Level 30: Toadflax
- Profit per herb: 45
- XP per herb: 8.8
- XP/Hour: 26,400
- Level 40: Iris Leaf
- Profit per herb: 34
- XP per herb: 8.8
- XP/Hour: 26,400
- Level 48: Avantoe
- Profit per herb: 93
- XP per herb: 10
- XP/Hour: 30,000
- Level 54: Kwuarm
- Profit per herb: 31
- XP per herb: 11.3
- XP/Hour: 33,900
- Level 59: Snapdragon
- Profit per herb: 51
- XP per herb: 11.8
- XP/Hour: 35,400
- Level 65: Cadantine
- Profit per herb: 34
- XP per herb: 12.5
- XP/Hour: 37,500
- Level 67: Lantadyme
- Profit per herb: 59
- XP per herb: 13.1
- XP/Hour: 39,300
- Level 70: Dwarf Weed
- Profit per herb: -10
- XP per herb: 13.8
- XP/Hour: 41,400
- Level 75: Torstol
- Profit per herb: 38
- XP per herb: 15
- XP/Hour: 45,000
Fast, Expensive Method
The traditional method of training Herblore consists of making potions. For Ironmen, this can be an incredibly tedious process as acquiring the herbs needed will take a significant amount of time. For normal players, it is significantly easier as they have the option of simply buying the needed resources. Depending on the wealth you have accrued on your account you can either buy unfinished potions and just add the secondary or buy herbs to add to a vial of water.
It is important to note that some of the potions listed below may not be viable to make in large enough quantities to properly train. If this is the case then you should make the highest level potion that you can reasonably get the resources for.
For those who are short on money, it will also be worth checking the price of how much a potion costs on the Grand Exchange compared to the price of the ingredients. Depending on the margins for certain potions you may be able to break even on some potions.
- Level 3: Attack Potion
- Ingredients: Guam, Eye of Newt
- Cost: 102
- XP: 25
- XP/Hour: 62,500
- Level 5: Antipoison
- Ingredients: Marrentill, Unicorn Horn Dust
- Cost: 287
- XP: 37.5
- XP/Hour: 93,750
- Level 12: Strength Potion
- Ingredients: Tarromin, Limpwurt Root
- Cost: 1,013
- XP: 50
- XP/Hour: 125,000
- Level 15: Serum 207
- Ingredients: Tarromin, Ashes
- Cost: 22 3
- XP: 50
- XP/Hour: 116,500
- Level 22: Restore Potion
- Ingredients: Harralander, Red spiders’ eggs
- Cost: 1,353
- XP: 62.5
- XP/Hour: 156,250
- Level 26: Energy Potion
- Ingredients: Harralander, Chocolate Dust
- Cost: 927
- XP: 67.5
- XP/Hour: 168,750
- Level 34: Agility Potion
- Ingredients: Toadflax, Toad’s Legs
- Cost: 2,935
- XP: 80
- XP/Hour: 200,000
- Level 36: Combat Potion
- Ingredients: Harralander, Goat Horn Dust
- Cost: 972
- XP: 84
- XP/Hour: 210,000
- Level 38: Prayer Potion
- Ingredients: Ranarr, Snape grass
- Cost: 7,103
- XP: 87.5
- XP/Hour: 218,750
- Level 45: Super Attack Potion
- Ingredients: Irit, Eye of newt
- Cost: 724
- XP: 100
- XP/Hour: 250,000
- Level 48: Superantipoison
- Ingredients: Irit, Unicorn horn dust
- Cost: 943
- XP: 106.3
- XP/Hour: 265,750
- Level 50: Fishing Potion
- Ingredients: Avantoe, Snape grass
- Cost: 2,083
- XP: 112.5
- XP/Hour: 281,250
- Level 52: Super Energy Potion
- Ingredients: Avantoe, Mort Myre fungus
- Cost: 2,127
- XP: 117.5
- XP/Hour: 293,750
- Level 55: Super Strength Potion
- Ingredients: Kwuarm, Limpwurt Root
- Cost: 2,141
- XP: 125
- XP/Hour: 312,500
- Level 63: Super Restore Potion
- Ingredients: Snapdragon, Red spider’s egg
- Cost: 9,457
- XP: 142.5
- XP/Hour: 356,000
- Level 66: Super Defense Potion
- Ingredients: Cadantine, white berries
- Cost: 2,178
- XP: 150
- XP/Hour: 375,000
- Level 69: Antifire potion
- Ingredients: Lantadyme, dragon scale dust
- Cost: 1,451
- XP: 157.5
- XP/Hour: 393,750
- Level 72: Ranging potion
- Ingredients: Dwarf weed, Wine of Zamorak
- Cost: 1,570
- XP: 162.5
- XP/Hour: 406,250
- Level 76: Magic potion
- Ingredients: Lantadyme, potato cactus
- Cost: 1,890
- XP: 172.5
- XP/Hour: 431,250
- Level 77: Stamina potion
- Ingredients: 4 Super Energy Potions, 4 amylase crystals
- Cost: 5,663
- XP: 102
- XP/Hour: 255,000
- Level 80: Bastion Potion
- Ingredients: Cadantine, vial of blood, Wine of Zamorak
- Cost: 6,676
- XP: 155
- XP/Hour: 387,500
- Level 80: Battlemage Potion
- Ingredients: Cadantine, vial of blood, potato cactus
- Cost: 6,323
- XP: 155
- XP/Hour: 387,500
- Level 81: Saradomin Brew
- Ingredients: Toadflax, crushed nest
- Cost: 5,690
- XP: 180
- XP/Hour: 450,000
- Level 84: Extended Antifire Potion
- Ingredients: 4 Antifire Potions, 4 lava scale shards
- Cost: 1,286
- XP: 110
- XP/Hour: 275,000
- Level 87: Anti-Venom Potion
- Ingredients: 4 Antidote++ potions, 20 Zulrah Scales
- Cost: 3,512
- XP: 120
- XP/Hour: 300,000
- Level 90: Super Combat Potion
- Ingredients: 4 Super Attack, 4 Super Strength, 4 Super Defense potions, 1 Torstol
- Cost: 10,554
- XP: 150
- XP/Hour: 324,900
- Level 92: Super Antifire Potion
- Ingredients: 4 Antifire Potions, crushed superior dragon bones
- Cost: 9,148
- XP: 130
- XP/Hour: 325,000
- Level 94: Anti-Venom+ Potion
- Ingredients: 4 Anti-venom potions, 1 Torstol
- Cost: 9,113
- XP: 125
- XP/Hour: 152,500
- Level 98: Extended Super Antifire Potion
- Ingredients: 4 Super Antifire Potions, 4 lava scale shards
- Cost: 9,732
- XP: 160
- XP/Hour 400,000
Making Tar
Using herbs and swamp tar to create tar is an excellent method for those wanting to train faster than cleaning herbs but cheaper than making potions. If planning on training using this method you should immediately place an order for a significant amount of swamp tar due to its low Grand Exchange buy limit.
For each of the tars below the ingredients are the herb the tar is named after and fifteen swamp tar.
- Level 19: Guam Tar
- Cost: 158
- XP: 30
- XP/Hour: 61,000
- Level 31: Marrentill Tar
- Cost: 153
- XP: 42.5
- XP/Hour: 86,000
- Level 39: Tarromin Tar
- Cost: 252
- XP: 55
- XP/Hour: 110,000
- Level 44: Harralander Tar
- Cost: 883
- XP: 72.5
- XP/Hour: 145,000
Tips
Herblore is an expensive skill so it will be best to train it in chunks. It will take many millions to train the skill optimally so set many small goals to reach and plan around those.
If you are an Ironman player using experience lamps you earn on Herblore is a very good idea. Due to how difficult it is to acquire all of the ingredients you will want to reduce how much experience you have to train. A common way to get large experience lamps is through completing Achievement Diaries.
The potions with the cheapest cost per experience point are the Attack Potion at 4.08 gold per XP, Serum 207 with 4.46 gold per XP, and Super Attack Potions at 7.25 gold per XP.
FAQ
Question: Is Herblore profitable in OSRS?
Answer: Herblore can be profitable, depending on what you do with the skill. Cleaning herbs is profitable just about all the time, although it’s important to check margins before you commit to anything. Herblore is also indirectly profitable due to enhancing your PvM activities, therefore generating more money from them.
Question: How much does 99 Herblore cost in OSRS?
Answer: Achieving 99 Herblore from level 1 using the most efficient methods will cost you around 100-150 million gold. This cost can be reduced by doing slower and cheaper methods, such as making tar or cleaning herbs.
Question: What boosts Herblore in OSRS?
Answer: Herblore has several items to temporarily boost your skill level. A botanical pie will boost it by 4 levels without any debuffs. A Greenman’s and a Mature Greenman’s ale will boost it by 1 and 2 respectively while also reducing your combat skills. A spicy stew with a brown spice will boost or lower the Herblore skill by up to 5.
Summary
As one of the strongest non-combat skills in the game, every player will train Herblore at some point. It is a potent skill that can immediately enhance any and all PvM activities. All numbers are based on prices as of 6/22/2021 and are subject to change due to market volatility. Find out more about making money in this RS3 gold guide.
This article was updated on 11/03/2022 by the Rune Fanatics editorial team. Our goal at Rune Fanatics is to provide the most up-to-date relevant quest information, walkthroughs, and tips. We updated some of the article text to give you better, more relevant information.
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