Runecrafting Guide 1-99
ZMI, Lavas, Bloods & Souls
Master Runecrafting from lava runes for fastest XP to AFK blood runes at 77+. This guide covers everything from essential pouches to the GOTR minigame, with methods ranging from 35K to 72K XP/hr!
📋 Table of Contents
👜 Essential Runecrafting Pouches
Get Pouches FIRST!
Runecrafting pouches are ESSENTIAL for all training methods. They let you carry extra essence, dramatically increasing XP rates. Get them from the Abyss minigame (kill abyssal creatures).
Pouch Types & Requirements
| Pouch | Level | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Pouch | 1 | +3 essence | Never degrades |
| Medium Pouch | 25 | +6 essence | Degrades after uses |
| Large Pouch | 50 | +9 essence | Degrades after uses |
| Giant Pouch | 75 | +12 essence | Degrades after uses |
How to Repair Pouches
Dark Mage (Abyss): Free repairs but requires running through Abyss
NPC Contact Spell: 67 Magic + lunar spellbook, repair pouches anywhere (2 cosmic runes per cast)
Recommended: Use NPC Contact for convenience - bring cosmic runes on training trips
⚡ Fastest Training: Lava Runes
Overview
Lava runes (23+ RC) are the fastest Runecrafting XP in the game. Very click-intensive but extremely fast. Use this method if you want to get 99 Runecrafting as quickly as possible and don't mind intense clicking.
XP Rate: 60K-72K XP/hr depending on level and pouches
Cost: Breaks roughly even or slight loss
Requirements: 23 RC, fire altar access, binding necklaces
Difficulty: Very click-intensive
Lava Rune Method
Step 1: Fill inventory + pouches with pure essence
Step 2: Use Castle Wars ring to bank (or Crafting Guild teleport)
Step 3: Use binding necklace (makes all essence → lava runes, no waste)
Step 4: Use earth talisman on pure essence to make earth rune essence
Step 5: Teleport to fire altar (duel ring to Castle Wars, run south)
Step 6: Craft lava runes at fire altar
Step 7: Repeat
Warning: Extremely Click-Intensive
Lava runes require constant clicking and attention. Not recommended for long sessions. Consider ZMI altar (see below) for more relaxed training with still-good XP rates.
🌀 ZMI Altar (Balanced Method)
Overview
The ZMI (Ourania) altar is the most popular training method. It gives random runes AND gives 170% base XP (so you get more XP than crafting normal runes). Much more relaxed than lavas while still offering great XP rates.
Location: Ourania Cave (teleport via lunar spellbook or Ourania Altar teleport tablets)
XP Rate: 35K-50K XP/hr depending on level
Requirements: No level requirements, but higher RC = better runes
Difficulty: Moderate - easier than lavas
ZMI Method
Step 1: Bank at Ourania Cave (upstairs)
Step 2: Fill inventory + pouches with pure essence
Step 3: Run through shortcut ladder (requires 20 Agility, very helpful)
Step 4: Run past monsters to altar (they're aggressive but don't hit hard)
Step 5: Empty pouches and craft at altar
Step 6: Bank and repeat
💡 Join "ZMI" clan chat - other players tank monsters for you, making trips safer!
Recommended Gear for ZMI
• Graceful Outfit: Run energy restoration
• Stamina Potions: Essential - you'll be running constantly
• All Pouches: Small, Medium, Large, Giant
• Daeyalt Essence: Optional - gives 50% more XP than pure essence (from Sins of the Father quest)
Daeyalt Essence at ZMI
After completing Sins of the Father quest, you can mine daeyalt essence in Darkmeyer. Using daeyalt at ZMI gives 50% more XP than pure essence! This boosts rates to ~52K-75K XP/hr. Mine daeyalt while doing other activities, then use it at ZMI.
🎮 Guardians of the Rift (GOTR)
Overview
GOTR is a runecrafting minigame released in 2022. It's more engaging than traditional runecrafting and offers decent XP rates plus valuable rewards. Great for breaking up the monotony!
Location: Temple of the Eye (Wizards' Tower)
XP Rate: 45K-60K XP/hr depending on level and performance
Requirements: 27 RC (can boost from 24)
Rewards: Abyssal pearls (buy rune pouches, catalytic talismans, raiments of the eye outfit)
How GOTR Works
1. Game starts every ~10 minutes (games last ~10 minutes)
2. Mine guardian essence from barriers
3. Craft runes at elemental rifts (create Guardian Stones)
4. Power the Guardian with Guardian Stones
5. Defeat the Rift Guardian at the end
6. Receive XP + abyssal pearls based on contribution
GOTR Rewards Worth Getting
• Colossal Pouch (400 pearls): Stores 40 essence, requires 85 RC - MASSIVE upgrade
• Raiments of the Eye (400 pearls): Full outfit gives 10% RC XP boost
• Catalytic Talisman (100 pearls): Access to all elemental altars
• Abyssal Needle (400 pearls): Repairs pouches without needing Dark Mage
Is GOTR Worth It?
GOTR is great for unlocking the Colossal Pouch and Raiments outfit early on. Once you have those, ZMI altar or lavas are usually faster for pure XP. But GOTR is more engaging, so it's good for mixing things up!
🩸 AFK Blood Runes (77+ RC)
The AFK Dream
At 77 Runecrafting, you unlock the most AFK training method in the game: blood runes. Mine essence, craft blood runes, repeat. Each cycle is 60+ seconds of AFK time. You can watch Netflix while training!
Location: Blood Altar (Arceuus, Zeah)
XP Rate: 40K-50K XP/hr
Profit: 300-500K GP/hr (blood runes are valuable!)
Requirements: 77 RC, 73% Arceuus favour
AFK Level: Extremely high - 60+ second AFK cycles
Blood Rune Method
Step 1: Mine dense essence blocks at the mine (next to blood altar)
Step 2: Chisel blocks into dark essence fragments (done automatically if you chisel in inventory)
Step 3: Venerate fragments at the altar
Step 4: Bind venerated fragments into blood runes
Step 5: Repeat
💰 Blood runes sell for 300-400 GP each. You'll craft 200+ per hour = 60K-80K GP just from rune value!
Recommended Setup
• Pickaxe: Best pickaxe you can use (faster mining = more XP)
• Chisel: In inventory to auto-process essence blocks
• Graceful/Weight-Reducing Gear: Slightly faster run between mine and altar
• Optional: Raiments of the Eye outfit for 10% XP boost
Perfect for Multitasking
Blood runes are THE method for casual 99 RC. Mine → craft cycles are 60+ seconds of AFK. Watch TV, do homework, work from home - just click once per minute. It's slow but completely stress-free!
👻 AFK Soul Runes (90+ RC)
Even More AFK!
Soul runes at 90 RC are similar to blood runes but slightly better XP. Same ultra-AFK gameplay with 60+ second cycles. The best way to train RC while doing literally anything else!
Location: Soul Altar (Arceuus, Zeah)
XP Rate: 45K-55K XP/hr
Profit: 350-550K GP/hr (soul runes worth more than bloods)
Requirements: 90 RC, 100% Arceuus favour
AFK Level: Extremely high - same as blood runes
Soul Rune Method
Identical to blood runes: Mine dense essence → chisel → venerate → bind into soul runes. Same 60+ second AFK cycles. Just at a different altar location!
Better Profit Than Bloods
Soul runes are worth 400-500 GP each (vs 300-400 for bloods). This means 350K-550K GP/hr profit while training AFK. From 90-99 RC, you'll make 50-70M GP just from crafting soul runes!
🆓 F2P Runecrafting Guide
F2P Runecrafting is Extremely Limited
F2P players can only craft air, water, earth, fire, body, mind, and cosmic runes. You cannot access ZMI, GOTR, blood/soul runes, or any pouches except the small pouch. Training is painfully slow with no efficient methods available.
F2P Training Path
Levels 1-23: Mine essence, craft air/water/earth/fire runes for ~8K XP/hr (extremely tedious)
Levels 23-99: Quest XP (The Abyss quest) then body/mind runes for ~10K XP/hr
Time to 99 F2P: 1,300+ hours of extremely boring gameplay with near-zero profit
Why Get Membership for Runecrafting?
- •10x Faster XP: ZMI altar offers 35K-50K XP/hr vs F2P's 8-10K XP/hr
- •AFK Training: Blood runes at 77+ are extremely AFK (60+ second cycles)
- •Profit Methods: Blood/soul runes earn 300-550K GP/hr while training
- •Essential Pouches: Members get pouches that massively increase XP rates for all methods
🧮 Runecrafting Calculator
Track Your Progress
Calculate XP needed for your Runecrafting goals
Plan Training Methods
See exactly how many hours each method takes
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What's the fastest way to train Runecrafting?
Lava runes are fastest (60K-72K XP/hr) but extremely click-intensive. ZMI altar is more popular at 35K-50K XP/hr with less effort. GOTR minigame offers 45K-60K XP/hr and is more engaging.
When can I AFK train Runecrafting?
At 77 Runecrafting you unlock blood runes (40K-50K XP/hr, very AFK). At 90 you unlock soul runes (45K-55K XP/hr, same AFK level). Both have 60+ second AFK cycles - perfect for multitasking!
Should I use pure essence or daeyalt essence?
Daeyalt essence (from Sins of the Father quest) gives 50% more XP than pure essence. Mine daeyalt when you're AFK doing other activities, then use it at ZMI or GOTR for boosted rates. Pure essence is fine if you don't want to mine daeyalt.
What are runecrafting pouches and why do I need them?
Pouches let you carry extra essence, dramatically increasing XP rates for ALL training methods. Get them from killing abyssal creatures in the Abyss. You unlock better pouches at levels 25, 50, and 75. The Colossal Pouch from GOTR at 85 RC is a huge upgrade!
Can I make money training Runecrafting?
Yes! Blood runes at 77+ give 300-500K GP/hr. Soul runes at 90+ give 350-550K GP/hr. Both are very AFK. From 77-99 RC with blood/soul runes, you'll make 100-150M GP while training!
Is GOTR better than ZMI altar?
GOTR (45K-60K XP/hr) can be slightly faster than ZMI (35K-50K XP/hr) but requires more attention. Do GOTR to unlock the Colossal Pouch and Raiments outfit, then switch to ZMI for more relaxed training if you prefer.
How long does 99 Runecrafting take?
With lava runes: ~190 hours. With ZMI: ~270 hours. With blood runes (77-99): ~220 hours but extremely AFK. Most players mix methods: ZMI or GOTR early on, then switch to blood/soul runes at 77/90 for AFK training.
📚 Related Guides
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