OSRS Maxed Main Account Guide 2026: From Noob to Max Cape

Building a maxed main account is the ultimate OSRS achievement. This comprehensive guide covers everything from your first steps to obtaining the legendary Max Cape.

Quick answer: A main account has no restrictions and aims for the Max Cape—99 in all 23 skills. Expect a 1,500-3,000+ hour journey costing 500M-2B+ GP, with questing first and combat trained through Slayer.

What is a Main Account?

A main account has no restrictions—you train all skills, do all quests, and access all content. Unlike pures or restricted accounts, mains prioritize overall account progression toward maxing all 23 skills to level 99.

End Goal: Max Cape (99 in all 23 skills) Timeline: 1,500-3,000+ hours depending on efficiency Cost: 500M-2B+ GP for efficient maxing

Account Progression Phases

Phase 1: New Player (Total Level 0-500)

Duration: 20-50 hours Goals:

• Complete **early quests
• Unlock basic transportation
• Build first 5-10M bank
• Reach 40+ in combat stats

Priority Quests:

1. Waterfall Quest (instant 30 Attack/Strength)
2. Witch's Potion (Magic levels)
3. Fight Arena (more free combat XP)
4. Tree Gnome Village (Attack XP)
5. The Grand Tree (Attack/Strength choice)
6. Druidic Ritual (unlocks Herblore)
7. Rune Mysteries (unlocks Runecrafting)

Training Tips:

• Do quests before grinding
• Train combat at Sand Crabs (AFK)
• Cut trees for first GP
• Complete achievement diary easy tiers

Phase 2: Early Game (Total Level 500-1000)

Duration: 50-150 hours Goals:

• Quest cape (all quests completed)
• Base 50 stats in all skills
• 50-100M bank
• Access to mid-level content

Essential Quest Unlocks:

• Fairy Tale Part II - Fairy rings
• Lost City - Dragon dagger/longsword
• Monkey Madness I - Dragon scimitar
• Horror from the Deep - God books
• Animal Magnetism - Ava's accumulator
• Desert Treasure - Ancient spellbook
• Recipe for Disaster - Barrows gloves (BiS)
• Lunar Diplomacy - Lunar spells

Money Making:

• Barrows (500K-800K/hr)
• Herb runs (300-500K per run)
• Blast Furnace (600K-1M/hr)
• Slayer (300-700K/hr)

Phase 3: Mid Game (Total Level 1000-1750)

Duration: 200-500 hours Goals:

• Base 70 stats
• 200-500M bank
• All hard diaries complete
• Access to high-level bosses

Priority Training:

• Slayer to 85+ (unlock profitable monsters)
• Prayer to 70 (Piety unlocked)
• Construction to 83 (Max house with pool)
• Herblore to 78+ (Super combats, staminas)
• Farming to 80+ (Max herb run profit)
• Track herb cycles with Farming Timers

PvM Progression:

1. God Wars Dungeon (all bosses)
2. Zulrah (learn switches)
3. Vorkath (consistent 2-3M/hr)
4. Demonic gorillas (practice switches)
5. Chambers of Xeric (start raiding)

Achievement Diary Goals:

• All Easy + Medium diaries
• Most Hard diaries
• Start on Elite requirements

Phase 4: Late Game (Total Level 1750-2200)

Duration: 500-1000 hours Goals:

• Base 80-85 stats
• 500M-1B bank
• Most Elite diaries complete
• All end-game PvM unlocks

Expensive Buyables:

• Prayer (70→99): 70-150M
• Construction (83→99): 100-200M
• Herblore (78→99): 150-300M
• Crafting (70→99): 50-100M
• Smithing (70→99): 100-150M (or profit with Gold ore)

End-Game PvM:

• Theater of Blood
• Tombs of Amascut
• Nex
• Inferno (Infernal cape)
• CM raids

Phase 5: Maxing Push (Total Level 2200-2277)

Duration: 500-1500 hours Goals:

• 99 in all skills
• Max cape achieved
• All Elite diaries complete
• 1B+ total bank value

Final Grinds (Slowest 99s):

• Runecrafting (90→99): 150-250 hours
• Agility (90→99): 100-150 hours
• Mining (90→99): 150-200 hours
• Fishing (90→99): 100-150 hours

Efficient Maxing Order

Combat Skills (First Priority)

Why First?:

• Unlocks all PvM for money making
• Required for most quests
• Provides bank for buyables

Recommended Order:

1. Attack/Strength/Defence (through Slayer)
2. Ranged (Slayer + Chinning)
3. Magic (Bursting/Barraging Slayer)
4. Hitpoints (naturally levels with combat)
5. Prayer (Dragon/Superior dragon bones)
6. Slayer (to 99, makes money while training combat)

Methods:

• Slayer 1-99 (primary combat training)
• NMZ for pure combat XP (boring but efficient)
• Chinning for Ranged at Maniacal Monkeys
• Bursting/Barraging for Magic at Maniacal Monkeys/Nechs

Gathering Skills (During Combat)

Passive Training:

• Farming: Herb runs every 75 minutes (300-500K profit/run) using Farming Timers for consistency
• Birdhouses: Every 50 minutes (Hunter XP + profit)
• Seaweed/Sand Collection: Daily

Active Training:

• Woodcutting: Teaks → Redwoods (low intensity)
• Mining: Granite → Amethyst (decent GP at 92+)
• Fishing: Barbarian fishing → Anglerfish (profitable)

Buyable Skills (Once You Have Bank)

Prayer (70-150M):

• Use Gilded altar with dragon bones
• Or Chaos altar (risky, 1.5x XP)
• 200-250K XP/hr
• Total time: 10-15 hours

Construction (100-200M):

• Oak planks to 74
• Mahogany tables 74-99
• Or Mahogany homes (slower, but profitable)
• Total time: 25-40 hours

Herblore (150-300M):

• Make super combats, stamina potions
• Check Wiki for current best methods
• 250-400K XP/hr
• Total time: 40-60 hours

Crafting (50-100M or profit):

• Dragon hide bodies (loss but fast)
• Battlestaves (profit but slower)
• Or cut gems (balanced)
• Total time: 50-80 hours

Smithing (100-150M loss, or profit with Gold) :

• Adamant/Rune items at Blast Furnace
• OR Gold ore at Blast Furnace (slight profit!)
• Total time: 80-120 hours

Check our Blast Furnace Calculator!

Production Skills

Cooking (Fast + Profitable):

• Karambwans or sharks
• Super fast 99 (20-30 hours)
• Can profit or break even

Fletching (Fast + Profit):

• Broad arrows (if 55 Slayer)
• Dragon darts (profit at 95 Fletcher)
• 20-40 hours to 99

Firemaking (Fastest Skill):

• Wintertodt 50-99 (40-60 hours)
• Profit + outfit + tome
• Very chill

Slow Skills (The Grind)

Runecrafting (Most Hated):

• Lavas 23-77 (fast, 0 profit)
• Recommended: Bloods 77-99 (afk, some profit)
• Or ZMI altar (balanced)
• 200-300 hours total

Agility (Second Most Hated):

• Rooftop courses for marks of grace
• Graceful outfit by 60-70
• Hallowed Sepulchre 72+ (faster + better GP)
• 150-200 hours total

Mining (Tedious but Okay):

• Motherlode Mine (afk)
• Volcanic Mine (faster, less afk)
• Amethyst at 92 (afk + profit)
• 150-250 hours total

Fishing (Very AFK):

• Barbarian fishing 58-99 (fastest, some Agility/Str XP)
• Anglerfish (slower but profitable)
• 120-180 hours total

Money Making Progression

Early Game: Build First 50M

• Barrows chests (700K/hr)
• Herb farming runs (passive 3-5M/day) tracked with Farming Timers
• Green dragons (600-800K/hr)
• Shop runs (5 minutes, 200K profit)

Mid Game: Build to 500M

• Vorkath (2-4M/hr)
• Zulrah (2-3M/hr)
• God Wars bosses (1-2M/hr)
• Slayer (Gargoyles, Nechryaels, Dust devils)

Late Game: Sustain Maxing Costs

• Chambers of Xeric (2.5-4M/hr)
• Theater of Blood (4-7M/hr)
• Tombs of Amascut (4-8M/hr)
• Nex (4-6M/hr)
• High-level Slayer (Hydra 2M+/hr)

Use our guide: Best Money Making Methods 2026

Achievement Diaries Priority

###Easy & Medium (Do ASAP) Benefits: Huge QOL improvements

• Varrock Medium: 30 Battlestaves daily (~100K profit)
• Kandarin Medium: 10% more marks (Agility training)
• Falador Medium: Mole locator
• Morytania Medium: Burgh de Rott teleport

Hard Diaries (Mid-Game Priority)

• Morytania Hard: 50% more Barrows runes
• Karamja Hard: Free Duradel teleports
• Western Prov Hard: Elite void access
• Fremennik Hard: Dagannoth King access improvement

Elite Diaries (End-Game)

• Lumbridge Elite: Free 120 battlestaves/day (~200K profit)
• Desert Elite: Shortcuts, KQ teleport
• Falador Elite: Mole skin noted
• Ardougne Elite: Unlimited teleports

Use our Achievement Diary Tool!

Efficient Daily/WeeklyRoutine

Dailies (10-20 minutes, 500K-2M profit)

• Herb run (5 min, 300-500K)
• Birdhouse run (2 min, 50-100K)
• Battlestaves from Zaff (1 min, 150K with Varrock diary)
• Miscellania collection (once daily)
• Tears of Guthix (weekly, free XP)

Passive Income While Maxing

Do herb runs between training sessions:

• 8 herb runs per day = 2.5-4M profit
• Takes 30-40 minutes total
• Doesn't interrupt training
• 75M+ monthly passive income!

Maxing Cost Breakdown

Buyable Skills Total Cost

Expensive Route (Fast):

• Prayer (70→99): ~150M
• Construction (83→99): ~180M
• Herblore (78→99): ~250M
• Crafting (80→99): ~80M
• Smithing (80→99): ~120M
• Total: ~780M+ for fast buyables

Efficient Route (Balanced):

• Prayer (70→99): ~70M (d bones on altar)
• Construction (83→99): ~150M (mahogany tables)
• Herblore (78→99): ~150M (efficient methods)
• Crafting (80→99): ~50M (balance profit/speed)
• Smithing (80→99): Profit with gold ore!
• Total: ~420-500M

Cannon + Chins (Combat Skills):

• Chinning to 99 Range: 60-100M
• Cannonballs for Slayer: 50-100M
• Bursting/Barraging Magic: 40-80M

Grand Total to Max: 500M-1B+ (depending on efficiency)

Maxing Timeline by Playstyle

Ultra-Efficient (2,000 hours)

• Play 6-8 hours daily
• Tick manip everything
• Max efficiency, no fun
• Use all the best methods
• ~8-12 months

Efficient (2,500-3,000 hours)

• Play 4-6 hours daily
• Some efficient, some fun
• Mix in PvM for money
• Enjoy the journey
• ~12-18 months

Casual (4,000+ hours)

• Play 2-3 hours daily
• Lots of PvM, socializing
• AFK training methods
• Focus on fun, not speed
• ~2-4 years

Essential Gear Progression

Early Game (~50M bank)

• Dragon weapons
• Black d'hide
• Barrows gloves (RFD)
• Dragon defender
• Fire cape
• God books
• Amulet of fury

Mid Game (~200M bank)

• Whip/Tent whip
• Blowpipe
• Trident of the swamp
• Bandos/Armadyl pieces (start collecting)
• Torture/Anguish/Occult
• Primordial/Pegasian/Eternal boots
• Rigour/Augury prayers

Late Game (~500M+ bank)

• Bandos full set
• Armadyl full set
• Ancestral pieces
• Dragon hunter lance/crossbow
• Twisted bow (1B+)
• Scythe of vitur (1B+)
• Full BiS for all styles

Common Maxing Mistakes

❌ Training skills randomly - Have a plan and order ❌ Doing buyables too early - Need bank first ❌ Ignoring farm/bird runs - Missing free GP and XP ❌ Not doing achievement diaries - QOL and profit loss ❌ Inefficient methods - Costs time/money ❌ Burning out - Take breaks, do PvM, have fun ❌ Buying gear over training supplies - Progress stalls

Optimal Queueing Strategy

Quest Cape → Combat 90+ → Buyables → Slow Skills

Reasoning:

1. Quests give free XP (saves hours)
2. Combat unlocks money makers
3. Use money for buyables (fast 99s)
4. Finish with slow AFK skills

FAQ

How long does it take to max?

2,000-4,000+ hours depending on efficiency. Most players take 12-24 months playing 3-5 hours daily.

How much GP do I need to max?

500M-1B for efficient maxing (buyables + supplies). Can be done cheaper with profit-methods but takes longer.

What's the hardest 99?

Runecrafting is universally agreed as most tedious. Agility is second. Mining is third.

What order should I max in?

Combat → Buyables → AFK gathering → Slow skills. See detailed order above.

Should I quest first?

YES! Quest cape gives tons of free XP and unlocks essential content. Do it early.

Can I max F2P?

No, Sailing requires membership. You can get quest cape and 99s in F2P skills, but not true "maxed."

Is maxing worth it?

For prestige, yes! For gameplay, questionable—you access all content way before max. Most people max for the achievement.

Max Cape Perks

Once you hit 99 in all 23 skills:

Max Cape Benefits:

• Teleport to all skill guild locations
• Acts as all skill capes combined
• Shows you've "beat" OSRS
• Huge prestige
• Allows trimmed max cape hunting

What Changes After Max:

• Can work on 200M XP in skills
• Collection log completion
• Pet hunting
• Trimmed max cape (all diaries + music cape)
• XP gains mean nothing (liberating!)

Related Guides & Tools

• Best Training Methods 2026 - Efficient skill training
• Best Money Making Methods - Build your bank
• All Skill Calculators - Plan your training
• Achievement Diary Tracker - Track completions
• Farming Timers - Keep herb, tree, and special patch loops on schedule

Conclusion

Maxing in OSRS is the ultimate achievement—a badge of honor that takes 2,000-4,000 hours and costs 500M-1B+ GP. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Key Takeaways:

• Quest cape first (saves ~100+ hours)
• Train combat through Slayer for money
• Do herb/birdhouse runs daily (passive 3-5M/day)
• Buy skills once you have 200-500M bank
• Save slow/tedious skills for last (Agility, RC, Mining)
• Take breaks to avoid burnout
• Mix in PvM for fun and profit

Realistic Maxing Path:

1. Months 1-3: Quest cape, base 70 all skills (500 hours)
2. Months 4-8: Combat 90+, make 500M bank (800 hours)
3. Months 9-15: Buy all buyables, base 85+ (600 hours)
4. Months 16-24: Finish slow skills, achieve max (600+ hours)

Total: 24 months playing 4 hours/day

Remember: The joy is in the journey. Max cape is amazing, but don't forget to actually ENJOY the game along the way. Do PvM, make friends, try different content, and celebrate milestones!

See you at the MAX Guild! 🎉⚡