OSRS Guide for New Members and Returning Players

RuneScape is the gift that keeps on giving. Initially launched way back in 2001, the MMORPG developed by Jagex is one of the most recognizable names in gaming. The title underwent multiple iterations since its debut almost two decades ago and is these days better known by many as OSRS, though it’s not the exact same game. Old School RuneScape or OSRS is Jagex’s attempt to introduce the game to a new generation of players without making significant changes to the original formula.

OSRS is a standalone game that doesn’t require the regular RuneScape to run. While RuneScape 3, as it’s often referred to, is very much alive and kicking as well, Old School RuneScape is a lot more popular and has a larger user base. It’s more or less the same situation we’ve seen with World of Warcraft vs World of Warcraft Classic.

But while Old School RuneScape remains a fun and addictive game to this day, wrapping your head around its many systems and mechanics can take some time. Between worrying about your OSRS gold, equipment, skills, activities and so much more, there’s quite a bit of learning to do here. With that in mind, we put together a few tips and tricks that will help you get started on the right foot. This short guide won’t teach you everything you need to know about OSRS, but it will cover some very important basics.

How to Get Started

Your first order of business as a new player is to sign up for an account on the official website. The game is available on PC, Android and iOS and progression is shared across all platforms. You can also install it on Linux but it only works reliably on Ubuntu at the moment. The signup process is very straightforward – simply enter your email, password and date of birth and you’re off to the races.

Once you download the game it’s time to pick the server. Since there are over a hundred OSRS servers to choose from, things can get a bit complicated. Luckily, the servers are sorted by category and each category is represented by a color. As a new player, you may want to pick a silver server since these are free-to-play and give you a good idea of what the game is all about.

If you want to take full advantage of what Old School RuneScape has to offer, however, you’ll have to become a paid member. This will set you back anywhere between $8.34 and $10.99 per month depending on the subscription plan. Paid members get access to a few other types of servers, but as a new player, you’ll want to go with the gold variant just to keep it safe.

Gameplay and Economy

OSRS is one of those easy to learn, hard to master types of games. At the very beginning of the game, you will be chucked on the tutorial island where you can customize your character and learn about some of the basic gameplay mechanics. Once you finish the tutorial section, you will be greeted by a massive sandbox world that lets you do pretty much anything you want. You can look at it as a choose-your-own-adventure game.

Just like any other good MMORPG, Old School RuneScape’s gameplay revolves heavily around its economy. There are quite a few ways of making money in the game, including killing high-value monsters, crafting and trading powerful items, pickpocketing, completing quests, and more.

But if you want to focus on other gameplay aspects without having to worry about grinding, you can simply buy all the in-game currency you need from RSGoldFast. Considering the age of the game and the fact that a lot of veteran players are fully kitted out, it’s a good idea to catch up using any methods you can.

Final Thoughts

OSRS is a pretty old game by this point but don’t let its age fool you because it’s still incredibly fun. After all, there’s a good reason why around 100K people are playing it at any given time. While it’s good to know the basics before jumping it, reading too much about the game can potentially lessen the experience. Which is why we decided to keep this guide short and sweet. As always, the best way to enjoy a video game is to play it yourself so go check it out!