This guide compiles many of the most interesting and effective new training methods available going into 2026, focusing on realistic experience rates, profit potential, and how viable they are for everyday players. All XP rates mentioned are rough maximums tested on RuneScape gold a main account, so expect lower numbers if your levels or gear aren't capped.

Combat and Slayer Training

A great place to start is regular Gryphons, the lesser variant of the Shellbane Griffin. Unlike their larger counterpart, these don't require a Tortugan Shield, but you do need at least 30 equipped weight to avoid being pushed back. They're fragile enemies, especially when attacked with stab weapons or air spells, and can yield around 35,000 Slayer XP per hour, killing roughly 300 per hour with good gear.

Another standout is Frost Dragons, which surprisingly do not require a Slayer level but can be assigned as a task by certain masters. With access to the Grimstone's private task area, they're incredibly relaxed to farm. Using a Dragon Hunter Wand alongside a Tome of Fire allows you to fully exploit their 100% fire weakness, resulting in around 125,000 Magic XP per hour and 37,000 Slayer XP per hour on-task. Their drops are consistently in demand, making them worth prioritising whenever assigned.

Prayer: New Bones, Same Rules

Two new bone types entered the game with Strikewyrms and Frost Dragons. Strikewyrm bones can reach 210,000 Prayer XP per hour at a gilded altar, but they're currently a worse value than dragon bones. Frost Dragon bones are even more extreme-capable of nearly 875,000 XP per hour, but at a cost exceeding 11 million GP per hour, making them impractical for most players. Using a Bonecrusher while killing Frost Dragons yields a modest 15,000 Prayer XP per hour, which is far more reasonable.

Runecrafting Improvements

While not a new altar, a major quality-of-life upgrade came from using Teleport to Two Pints when docked at Lunar Isle, unlocked at 76 Sailing. This significantly speeds up Astral Runecrafting compared to Moonclan Teleport. With Daeyalt Essence and the full outfit, you can achieve roughly 90,000 Runecrafting XP per hour and 23,000 Astral Runes, translating to around 1.3 million GP per hour.

Construction Without the Click Hell

A surprisingly efficient method involves crafting Mahogany Hull Parts at Port Gazard. Requiring only 41 Construction, this method offers about 300,000 XP per hour at roughly 10 OSRS gold per XP-cheaper than traditional mahogany furniture and far less click-intensive than Mahogany Homes. Teak variants are cheaper but slower, while higher-tier woods are best avoided due to poor cost efficiency.

Herblore: New Potions, Mixed Value

Five new potions were introduced, including Super Fishing, Super Hunter, Extended Stamina, Extreme Energy, and Armadyl Brew. All offer solid XP for their level requirements, but ingredient scarcity keeps prices volatile. Armadyl Brew stands out as the most impactful, boosting Ranged while healing at the cost of Magic and Melee stats. One notable limitation: these potions currently cannot be one-ticked, possibly due to a bug.

Thieving: Shockingly Strong Stalls

One of the most impressive additions is Port Roberts' stall thieving, available from levels 2 to 87. Every stall has infinite stock, but guards rotate. By stealing twice per stall and following guard movement, players can reach 120,000 XP per hour, scaling up to an insane 250,000 XP per hour at level 87. That puts it nearly on par with Pyramid Plunder and Blackjacking-at a fraction of the effort.

Crafting and Hunter via Sailing Content

Spinning hemp and cotton into yarn remains profitable, offering up to 140,000 Crafting XP per hour, depending on the material. On the Hunter side, Red, Blue, and Rainbow Crabs provide smooth progression from level 21 to 77, with Rainbow Crabs topping out around 150,000 XP per hour and modest profit through crab paste.

Mining and Smithing Alternatives

Mining Lead Ore at level 25 offers a competitive alternative to iron, reaching 90,000 XP per hour when power mining. Nickel Ore, while profitable, is slow and better suited to iron accounts. Smithing Lead Bars and Nickel-Copper Bars is underwhelming XP-wise, but the Ancient Forge allows processing nearly 700 bars per hour into cannonballs, offering solid AFK value.

Fishing, Cooking, and Firemaking Notes

Lantern Fishing for squids is simple but slow, peaking at 25,000 XP per hour, though the rare squid beak drop can be lucrative. Cooking new Sailing fish shows promise, especially halibut, which now outperforms karambwans as a combo food. Firemaking with new logs like Campfire, Ironwood, and Rosewood is not recommended due to the extreme costs compared to existing options.

Farming: Massive XP Drops

Finally, new hardwood tree patches allow planting Campfire, Ironwood, and Rosewood trees. With up to five patches, players can receive up to 23,000 Farming XP per tree, outperforming redwoods. While growth takes several days, the payoff is enormous and ideal for pet hunters or anyone pushing 99. Having plenty of RS gold can greatly help you earn more rewards.

New OSRS Training Methods to Know Heading Into 2026
Old School RuneScape continues to evolve, and recent updates-especially Sailing and Valamore content-have introduced a surprising number of fresh training methods across nearly every skill. As we move toward 2026, players now have more ways than ever to level efficiently, earn RS gold, or simply break away from stale grinds. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the most notable new training methods, their experience rates, and when they're worth your time.

Combat and Slayer Updates

Recent content expanded Slayer and combat training in meaningful ways. Regular griffins, the lesser variant of Shellbane Griffins, offer solid Slayer experience without the need for a Tortugan shield. As long as you meet the minimum weight requirement of 30, they won't knock you back. With stab weapons or air spells, they melt quickly, providing around 35,000 Slayer XP per hour at OSRS gold higher levels.