Compare Prayer training methods
OSRS Prayer calculator with live Grand Exchange bone prices. Compare Gilded Altar vs Chaos Altar vs Varlamore rites — see exact GP cost, bones.
Time estimates assume ~1,000 actions per hour of focused gameplay. Your actual rate varies with attention, latency, and banking. Use the time column as a comparative guide rather than an exact prediction.
Level | Item | Actions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.5 | 2,896,540 | 34.5d | … | |
| 1 | 130 | 100,265 | 1.2d | … | |
| 1 | 182 | 71,618 | 20.5h | … | |
| 1 | 286 | 45,575 | 13.0h | … | |
| 1 | 364 | 35,809 | 10.2h | … | |
| 1 | 454 | 28,711 | 8.2h | … | |
| 1 | 480 | 27,156 | 7.8h | … | |
| 1 | 494 | 26,386 | 7.5h | … | |
| 1 | 520 | 25,067 | 7.2h | … | |
| 1 | 584 | 22,320 | 6.4h | … | |
| 1 | 650 | 20,053 | 5.7h | … | |
| 1 | 716 | 18,205 | 5.2h | … | |
| 1 | 770 | 16,928 | 4.8h | … | |
| 1 | 780 | 16,711 | 4.8h | … | |
| 1 | 832 | 15,667 | 4.5h | … | |
| 1 | 866 | 15,052 | 4.3h | … | |
| 1 | 908 | 14,356 | 4.1h | … | |
| 1 | 962 | 13,550 | 3.9h | … | |
| 1 | 1,104 | 11,807 | 3.4h | … | |
| 1 | 1,170 | 11,141 | 3.2h | … | |
| 1 | 1,234 | 10,563 | 3.0h | … | |
| 1 | 1,300 | 10,027 | 2.9h | … | |
| 1 | 1,560 | 8,356 | 2.4h | … | |
| 1 | 4.5 | 2,896,540 | 34.5d | … | |
| 1 | 33 | 394,983 | 4.7d | … |
When choosing between methods, weigh time investment against cost or profit. For gathering skills, profitable methods take longer but offset supply costs. For buyable skills like Prayer or Construction, faster methods cost more GP per XP - match your choice to your budget.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Use these answers to choose a route that matches your budget, risk tolerance, and session style before buying supplies.
01What is the fastest way to train Prayer in OSRS?
The fastest Prayer training method is offering Superior dragon bones on a gilded altar with both incense burners lit (350% XP), which provides 1.5M-2M XP per hour but costs approximately 200-250M GP to reach 99. Dragon bones on a gilded altar offer 700K-800K XP per hour at lower cost (100-150M GP to 99). For budget training, Big bones on a gilded altar provide 300K-400K XP per hour. All methods require access to a player-owned house with a gilded altar.
02What is a gilded altar and how do I use one?
A gilded altar is a Construction feature in player-owned houses that provides 350% Prayer XP when used with both incense burners lit (requires 75 Construction, or lower with boosts). Players can use other players' gilded altars by visiting open houses on world 330 (house party world). To use it, simply use bones on the altar. This is the standard method for training Prayer efficiently. Hosting your own altar requires significant Construction investment. You can optimize your POH layout for gilded altars and calculate construction costs for building your altar.
03Can you make money training Prayer?
No, Prayer training always costs money using traditional methods. However, you can minimize costs: using the Chaos Altar in the Wilderness provides 700% XP (double gilded altar) but carries PK risk with 50% bone loss on average. Reanimating Ensouled heads (60% of gilded altar cost) requires combat but is cheaper. The Ectofuntus provides 400% XP and is very cheap but extremely slow and tedious. Most players accept the cost and use gilded altars for speed and convenience.
04What is the Chaos Altar and should I use it?
The Chaos Altar in the Wilderness (level 38) provides 700% Prayer XP, effectively double the XP of a gilded altar, making it the most cost-effective training method. However, it's in the Wilderness and you risk being killed by PKers, losing bones and supplies. On average, you'll lose 50% of bones to PKers but still save money due to doubled XP. It's recommended for budget-conscious players comfortable with Wilderness PvP risk. Bring only 3-4 items and expect to die occasionally.
05What Prayer level do I need for important prayers?
Key Prayer levels: Protect from Melee/Ranged/Magic (43), Eagle Eye/Mystic Might (44-45), Protect Item (25), Smite (52), Piety (70 requires King's Ransom), Rigour (74 requires unlock scroll), Augury (77 requires unlock scroll), and Preserve (55). Level 43 for protection prayers is essential for most PvM. Level 70 for Piety is a major milestone for melee combat. Level 74-77 for Rigour and Augury are crucial for endgame PvM but require expensive unlock scrolls.
06Should I use Ensouled heads for Prayer training?
Ensouled heads are a budget alternative to bones, costing 60-70% less than using bones on a gilded altar. You reanimate heads using the Arceuus spellbook and kill the reanimated creature for Prayer XP. It's slower than using a gilded altar (150K-250K XP per hour) and requires combat, but saves significant money. It's popular for Ironmen and budget-conscious players. Most players prefer the speed and convenience of gilded altars despite higher cost.
07How long does it take to get 99 Prayer?
Getting 99 Prayer takes approximately 10-20 hours depending on bones used and method. Using Superior dragon bones on a gilded altar (1.5M-2M XP/hour) takes 7-9 hours but costs 200-250M GP. Dragon bones (700K-800K XP/hour) take 17-20 hours costing 100-150M GP. Using the Chaos Altar halves costs but adds risk and slightly more time. Most players achieve 99 Prayer in 1-2 months by saving money, making it one of the fastest but most expensive skills to max.