Wintertodt vs Traditional Firemaking: Which Method is Better in 2026?

Should you train Firemaking the traditional way (burning logs) or camp Wintertodt exclusively? This comprehensive comparison breaks down XP rates, costs, profit, and which method is best for each stage of your account.

Quick Comparison Table

Aspect	Wintertodt	Traditional (Logs)
XP/Hour	200-300K (low level) to 300-400K+ (high level)	100-300K (level dependent)
GP/Hour	+100-300K profit	-300K to -2M+ loss
Requirements	50 Firemaking (recommended many skills for rewards)	1 Firemaking
AFK Level	⭐⭐☆☆☆ (Active)	⭐☆☆☆☆ (Very active)
HP Drain	Yes (damage over time)	None
Gear Needed	Warm clothing	None
Resource Cost	PROFIT (earns money)	EXPENSIVE (burn logs)
Best For	50-99 FM (all levels)	Speed 99 (90-99 logs)
Ironman Value	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Essential)	⭐☆☆☆☆ (Wasteful)

Traditional Firemaking Overview

How It Works

1. Buy logs (or chop them)
2. Use tinderbox on logs
3. Burn in a line (efficient pathing)
4. Repeat until 99

Simple, traditional, expensive.

Traditional Firemaking XP Rates by Log Type

Log Type	Level Req	XP Per Log	Logs/Hour	XP/Hour	Cost/Hour
Normal logs	1	40	2,000	80K	-20K
Oak logs	15	60	2,500	150K	-80K
Willow logs	30	90	2,500	225K	-100K
Maple logs	45	135	2,100	283K	-400K
Yew logs	60	202.5	1,700	344K	-800K
Magic logs	75	303.8	1,500	455K	-2M+
Redwood logs	90	350	1,800	630K	-2.5M+

Note: Costs are for buying logs on GE. Self-chopping = no cost but very slow.

Time to 99

50-99 Firemaking:

• Willow logs: ~40-45 hours (cheap)
• Maple logs: ~30-35 hours (mid-cost)
• Yew logs: ~25-30 hours (expensive)
• Magic logs: ~18-22 hours (very expensive)
• Redwood logs (90+): ~12-15 hours (extremely expensive)

Total Cost (50-99):

• Willow logs: ~40M
• Maple logs: ~120M
• Yew logs: ~200M+
• Magic logs: ~400M+
• Redwood logs: ~350M (90-99 only)

Advantages ✅

Pure Speed (90-99):

• Magic/Redwood logs are fastest XP/hr
• 455-630K XP/hr at high levels
• Can max in 12-22 hours (90-99)

No Requirements:

• Works from level 1
• No minigame
• No gear needed
• Can do anywhere

Simple:

• No mechanics to learn
• Just click and burn
• No strategy needed

Traditional Firemaking Drawbacks

Extremely Expensive:

• 40-400M+ to 99 depending on logs
• Burning money literally
• Zero return on investment

Boring:

• Most mind-numbing skill
• Click tinderbox, click log, repeat 100,000 times
• No variety
• Gets old fast

Not AFK:

• Must click constantly
• Running in lines
• Can't AFK at all

Wasteful for Ironman:

• Burning valuable logs
• Could use logs for Construction
• No supply generation
• Pure XP waste

Best For:

• Rich players wanting fastest 99 (90-99 redwoods)
• Players who already have 99 from Wintertodt but want faster XP
• Mains with money to burn
• NOT recommended for most players

Wintertodt Overview

How It Works

Wintertodt is a boss minigame at Zeah (Great Kourend).

Core loop:

1. Chop bruma roots
2. Burn bruma roots in braziers
3. Keep braziers lit
4. Repair broken braziers
5. Receive points based on actions
6. Get supply crates as rewards

It's a group minigame (10-100 players per world).

Requirements

Minimum:

• 50 Firemaking (to enter)

Highly Recommended:

• 10+ HP (low HP = less food needed)
• Warm clothing (prevents damage)
• Hammer (for repairs)
• Knife (for kindling)
• Any axe

For Better Rewards:

• Higher non-combat skills = better loot
• Construction, Herblore, Farming, etc.
• More skills = more valuable crates

XP Rates by Level

FM Level	Solo XP/Hr	Mass XP/Hr	Notes
50	150K	200-250K	Low efficiency
60	180K	250-280K	Getting better
70	200K	280-320K	Solid rates
80	220K	320-360K	Good rates
90	240K	350-400K	Excellent rates
99	250K+	400K+	Peak efficiency

Mass worlds are faster (official Wintertodt world = 309).

Wintertodt Profit Rates

Low Level (50-70 FM):

• 100-150K/hr profit
• Depends on other skill levels

Mid Level (70-85 FM):

• 150-200K/hr profit
• Better crate rewards

High Level (85-99 FM):

• 200-300K+/hr profit
• High-value herb/seed drops
• Magic logs, yew logs
• Grimy ranarrs, snapdragons

Average: ~100-300K/hr profit + 250-400K XP/hr

Typical Loot (500 Points)

Supply Crates contain:

• Grimy herbs (ranarrs, snapdragons, torstols)
• Seeds (ranarr, snapdragon, torstol seeds)
• Logs (magic, yew, maple)
• Ores (uncut gems)
• Pure essence
• Special drops: Tome of Fire, Phoenix pet, warm gloves, pyromancer outfit

Average Crate: 20-60K value

Advantages ✅

Highly Profitable:

• MAKE 100-300K/hr (vs LOSE money on logs)
• 50-99 FM = 50-150M profit
• Incredible for ironmen
• Pays for itself

Best Ironman Method:

• Essential supplies (herbs, seeds)
• Ranarr seeds for prayer potions
• Magic/yew logs for Construction
• Pure essence for Runecrafting
• Early-game wealth generation

Good XP Rates:

• 250-400K XP/hr at mass worlds
• Competitive with traditional FM
• Faster than willow/maple logs
• Only slightly slower than yews

Unique Rewards:

• Tome of Fire (bis item for fire spells)
• Phoenix pet (1/5000)
• Pyromancer outfit (+2.5% FM XP)
• Warm gloves (+10% FM XP)

Safe:

• Can't die (teleported at 0 HP)
• Group activity
• Social aspect
• Can AFK a bit between games

Disadvantages ❌

Requires Attention:

• Not AFK
• Must repair braziers
• Avoid AoE damage
• More active than burning logs

Takes Damage:

• Need food
• Cold damage over time
• Low HP better (ironically)
• Must heal during rounds

Requires Walking:

• Not click-intensive but need to move
• Chop roots → bank → brazier → repair
• More complex than logs

Slightly Slower Than Best Logs:

• 300-400K XP/hr vs 630K/hr (redwood logs)
• But redwoods cost 2.5M/hr
• Wintertodt MAKES 200K/hr

Crowded Worlds:

• Mass worlds are packed
• Can compete for roots
• Sometimes laggy
• But faster overall

Best For:

• ALL players 50-99 Firemaking
• ESPECIALLY ironmen (essential)
• Players wanting profit + XP
• Early game wealth generation
• Anyone not rich enough to burn 100M+ on logs

Wintertodt Strategy

Optimal Method:

1. Use World 309 (official mass world)
2. Bring: Hammer, knife, warm clothing, some food
3. Chop bruma roots when game starts
4. Fletch them into kindling (more points)
5. Burn them in brazier
6. Repair brazier when it breaks
7. Repeat until Wintertodt subdued
8. Loot crate and repeat

Points System:

• Need 500+ points for guaranteed loot
• More points = more rolls on loot table
• 500-750 points typical per game

Head-to-Head Comparison

XP Per Hour

Winner: Traditional FM (at Magic/Redwood logs)

• Redwood logs (90+): 630K XP/hr
• Magic logs (75+): 455K XP/hr
• Wintertodt: 300-400K XP/hr

BUT Redwoods cost 2.5M/hr. Wintertodt MAKES 200K/hr.

Verdict: Traditional is faster at high levels but insanely expensive.

Profit

Winner: Wintertodt (by a landslide)

• Wintertodt: +100-300K/hr profit
• Traditional FM: -300K to -2.5M/hr loss

50-99 Profit/Loss:

• Wintertodt: +50-150M profit
• Traditional (Willows): -40M loss
• Traditional (Maples): -120M loss
• Traditional (Yews): -200M loss
• Traditional (Magic): -400M+ loss

Verdict: Wintertodt makes you rich. Traditional burns your bank.

Time to 99

Winner: Traditional FM (Magic/Redwood logs)

• Redwood logs (90-99): ~12-15 hours
• Magic logs (75-99): ~18-22 hours
• Yew logs (60-99): ~25-30 hours
• Wintertodt (50-99): ~35-45 hours

Verdict: Traditional is 30-50% faster at high levels, but costs 100-400M.

Ironman Value

Winner: Wintertodt (not even close)

• Wintertodt: Essential supplies, massive profit, seeds, herbs
• Traditional: Waste of logs (need for Construction)

Verdict: Ironmen should ALWAYS do Wintertodt. Never burn logs.

AFK Potential

Winner: Neither (both require attention)

• Wintertodt: Must move, repair, chop
• Traditional: Must click tinderbox constantly

Verdict: Both are active. Wintertodt slightly more engaging.

Fun Factor

Winner: Wintertodt (subjective)

• Wintertodt: Group minigame, rewards, variety
• Traditional: Most boring skill in game

Verdict: Most players prefer Wintertodt (less mind-numbing).

Requirements

Winner: Traditional FM (no requirements)

• Traditional: Works from level 1
• Wintertodt: Requires 50 Firemaking

Verdict: Traditional is accessible earlier.

Which Method Should YOU Use?

Do Wintertodt If:

• ✅ Level 50-99 Firemaking
• ✅ Ironman account (ESSENTIAL)
• ✅ Want profit (100-300K/hr)
• ✅ Need supplies (herbs, seeds, logs)
• ✅ Don't want to waste 100M+
• ✅ Want unique rewards (Tome of Fire, Phoenix)
• ✅ Okay with 35-45 hours to 99
• RECOMMENDED FOR 99% OF PLAYERS

Do Traditional FM If:

• ✅ Rich (100M+ to burn)
• ✅ Want absolute fastest 99
• ✅ Level 90+ already (redwood logs viable)
• ✅ Don't care about profit
• ✅ Want to finish 99 in 12-15 hours instead of 40
• ✅ Already have Wintertodt rewards
• RECOMMENDED FOR RICH MAINS ONLY

The Hybrid Approach (BEST)

Most efficient path:

1. 50-99 FM: Do Wintertodt (profit + XP + rewards)
2. If you want 200M FM XP: Use traditional logs for speed

Why?:

• Get all Wintertodt rewards (Tome, outfit, pet chance)
• Make 50-150M profit
• Get 99 FM
• THEN if you want post-99 XP, use logs

Special Considerations

Low HP Wintertodt (Ironman Meta)

Strategy: Keep HP at 10

• Get hit less often
• Need less food
• More inventory for roots
• Higher XP rates

How:

1. Do Wintertodt at combat 10-30
2. Keep HP level 10-15
3. Use less food per game
4. More efficient

Note: Do this EARLY on ironman (before training combat).

Tome of Fire

Drop Rate: ~1/1000 (guaranteed at 500+ points per crate)

• Essential for fire spell methods
• BiS for fire surge PvM
• Only from Wintertodt
• Tradeable but better to get yourself

Pyromancer Outfit

Bonus: +2.5% Firemaking XP How to Get: ~7-10 hours of Wintertodt on average Worth It?: YES, get early for 2.5% boost

Popular Misconceptions

"Traditional FM is faster"

Truth: Only at 90+ with redwood logs, and costs 2.5M/hr.

Wintertodt is faster GP+XP combined value.

"Wintertodt requires high skills"

Truth: Only 50 FM required. Higher skills improve loot but not required.

"You can't AFK Wintertodt"

Truth: Correct, you can't AFK efficiently. But neither can you AFK log burning.

"Traditional FM is better for XP"

Truth: Only if you value pure speed over efficiency. Wintertodt is 300K XP/hr + 200K GP/hr = better overall value.

Calculator Tools

Use our Wintertodt Calculator: Wintertodt Calculator Track XP Progress: Firemaking Calculator

FAQ

Is Wintertodt better than burning logs?

Wintertodt is better for the vast majority of players, earning 100-300K GP per hour while burning logs costs 300K-2.5M per hour. Traditional firemaking is only faster at level 90+ with redwood logs.

How long does Wintertodt take to reach 99 Firemaking?

Wintertodt takes roughly 35-45 hours to reach 99 Firemaking from level 50. That's slower than magic logs at 18-22 hours or redwood logs at 12-15 hours, but those methods lose hundreds of millions of GP.

What Firemaking level do you need for Wintertodt?

You need level 50 Firemaking to enter Wintertodt. Higher non-combat skills like Construction and Herblore improve the value of your supply crate rewards, but they are not required to participate.

Does Wintertodt make money?

Yes. Wintertodt earns 100-300K GP per hour through supply crate rewards, and training from 50-99 Firemaking there can generate 50-150M profit. Traditional log burning instead loses 40-400M depending on the logs used.

Is Wintertodt or magic logs faster for Firemaking XP?

Magic logs are faster at 455K XP per hour compared to Wintertodt's 300-400K, and redwood logs reach 630K per hour. However, those logs cost up to 2.5M per hour, while Wintertodt actually earns you money.

Is Wintertodt worth it for ironmen?

Yes, Wintertodt is mandatory for ironmen. It provides essential supplies like herbs, seeds, magic and yew logs, and pure essence, plus massive profit, whereas burning logs wastes resources needed for Construction.

Related Guides

• Best Training Methods 2026
• Ironman Guide
• Low Level Money Making

Time & Cost Summary

To 99 Firemaking (Level 50 Start)

Method	Time	Cost/Profit	Total Value
Wintertodt	35-45 hrs	+50-150M	BEST VALUE
Willow logs	40-45 hrs	-40M	Slow + costly
Maple logs	30-35 hrs	-120M	Mid + expensive
Yew logs	25-30 hrs	-200M	Fast + very expensive
Magic logs	18-22 hrs	-400M+	Fastest + insane cost
Redwood logs (90-99)	12-15 hrs	-350M	Ultra fast + ultra expensive

Value Calculation:

• Wintertodt: 40 hours × 200K profit/hr = +50M profit
• Redwood logs: 15 hours × 2.5M loss/hr = -40M loss
• Difference: 90M in Wintertodt's favor

Conclusion

The Verdict: Wintertodt is better for 99.99% of players.

Simple Recommendation:

• 50-99 FM: Do Wintertodt (profit + XP + rewards)
• Post-99 XP: Use logs if you want speed (rich mains only)

Why Wintertodt Wins:

1. ✅ Makes 50-150M profit (vs losing 40-400M)
2. ✅ Good XP rates (300-400K/hr)
3. ✅ Essential for ironmen (supplies)
4. ✅ Unique rewards (Tome of Fire, pet, outfit)
5. ✅ More engaging than burning logs
6. ✅ Social/group activity

Only do Traditional FM if:

• You're rich (100M+ spare)
• You want absolute fastest 99 (don't care about cost)
• Level 90+ (redwood viable)
• Post-99 XP grinding

For everyone else: Wintertodt from 50-99, no question.

Ironmen: Wintertodt is MANDATORY. Never burn logs for training.

Good luck at Wintertodt, and may RNG bless you with an early Tome of Fire and Phoenix pet! 🔥🐦