Old School RuneScape is built on grinds. Whether you’re chasing XP, OSRS GP, or unlocks, there’s always something standing between you and your next milestone. Some grinds are satisfying, but others? They test your patience, your sanity, and your willingness to click thousands of times in pursuit of a single item.

 

The good news is that almost every “awful grind” can be made a little quicker — or at least a little less painful. Here are 10 of the worst OSRS grinds that nearly every account faces, along with tips to help you power through them.

 

1. The Quest Cape

 

Questing is one of the first major hurdles in OSRS. While the cape itself isn’t powerful, completing every quest unlocks teleports, gear, and areas that make your account feel complete.

 

How to make it faster:

 

Use the Quest Helper plugin on RuneLite — it tells you what to bring, where to go, and who to talk to.

 

Remember that each quest is one-and-done. Even if a Grandmaster quest takes 3 hours, once it’s done, it’s done forever.

 

Think of questing as short-term sprints, not a marathon grind like a 99 skill.

 

2. Dragon Defender

 

The Dragon Defender is one of the most important melee gear upgrades, obtained at the Warrior’s Guild. But farming through steel, mithril, adamant, rune, and finally dragon defenders can feel endless.

 

Tip: Stockpile 3,000+ tokens before you start. Nothing is worse than running out halfway through and having to stop your progress.

 

3. Skilling Outfits

 

Graceful, Prospector, Angler, Pyromancer, Lumberjack — the list of skilling outfits is long, and most of them are worth getting. Each set provides XP boosts or useful perks.

 

How to speed it up:

 

Buy the cheapest pieces first, so you can start benefiting earlier.

 

Store finished outfits in your POH costume room to free bank space.

 

Remember that many sets (like Prospector or Pyromancer) are unlocked passively while training the skill anyway.

 

4. Void Knight Armor

 

Full Void (and later Elite Void) is essential for raids and certain bosses. But Pest Control is notoriously slow, especially with uncooperative teams.

 

How to make it faster:

 

Wait until 100 combat to use the Veteran boat for faster points.

 

Use Combat Achievement tiers for bonus points if you already have them.

 

Grind the extra 400 points needed for Elite Void in the same trip, so you’ll never need to return.

 

5. Mage Training Arena

 

Love it or hate it, the Mage Training Arena is mandatory for unlocking Bones to Peaches and completing diaries. Sadly, it’s four rooms of mind-numbing clicking.

 

Tip: Rank the rooms from worst to “least bad” in your opinion, then do the hardest first. Getting the worst grind out of the way makes the rest feel easier.

 

6. Kalphite Queen Head

 

To complete the Desert Diary, you need a KQ head — a 1/128 drop. If you’re unlucky, it could take hundreds of kills.

 

How to survive the grind:

 

Spread it out: aim for 5–10 kills per day.

 

If you’re insanely rich, boosters can help extend trips — but realistically, slow and steady is best.

 

At 256 KC, you’re guaranteed a head for your POH, so the pain has a ceiling.

 

7. Barbarian Assault

 

Whether you’re chasing a Fighter Torso or grinding out level 5 roles for the Kandarin Diary, Barbarian Assault is infamous. The mechanics are confusing, and relying on random teammates in World 306 can be torture.

 

Tips to make it better:

 

Learn all the roles yourself, then rank them from worst to least bad. Do your least favorite first.

 

Stick with a consistent team if possible — random groups make the grind much longer.

 

Watch or read a guide before you start; going in blind makes teammates more likely to quit on you.

 

8. Your First 99

 

Reaching your first 99 skill is a defining OSRS moment, but it’s a grind no matter which skill you choose.

 

How to stay motivated:

 

Turn training into a challenge. Track your XP rates per hour and try to “beat” your own record each session.

 

Pick a 99 you’ll actually enjoy. Fast 99s like Cooking, Firemaking, or Fletching are great first capes if you just want to hit the milestone.

 

Remember: untrimmed capes are a badge of honor — your first 99 will always be unique.

 

9. Pets

 

OSRS pets are purely cosmetic, but their rarity makes them some of the most brutal grinds. RNG can bless you with a drop at 50 KC or curse you with thousands of dry kills.

 

Tips:

 

Invest in gear upgrades to maximize kills per hour — don’t be afraid to sell banked items for efficiency.

 

Unlock diary shortcuts to reduce travel time for boss pets.

 

Set a daily kill goal (e.g., 100–200) to keep the grind sustainable.

 

Pets are a marathon, not a sprint — so pace yourself.

 

10. Maxing

 

Finally, the mother of all grinds: Maxing your account. Every 99 skill, every cape, all combined into the most useful item in the game: the Max Cape. Expect 3,000+ hours of effort if you’re starting fresh.


How to approach it:

 

Choose your path: slowest-to-fastest skills, fastest-to-slowest, or even leveling everything evenly.

 

Mix AFK grinds (Fishing, Woodcutting) with intensive ones (Thieving, Agility) to avoid burnout.

 

Remember: it’s not just a grind — it’s the journey to the ultimate flex.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Every OSRS player faces these painful grinds sooner or later. Having a large amount of RS gold can easily help you to kill monsters. They’re part of what makes achievements in Gielinor meaningful. With the right approach — breaking tasks into chunks, using the best tools, and pacing yourself — you can turn even the worst grind into a manageable (if still frustrating) step toward your goals.