What to Complete in F2P Before Buying Old School RuneScape Membership

Before spending money on a subscription or bond in Old School RuneScape, finish all 22 free-to-play quests, reach level 40 in your primary combat stats, train Magic to level 37 for capital teleports, and collect 10,000 gold from the Stronghold of Security.

Activating a paid membership on a brand-new account wastes subscription days on early-game training methods, low-level traveling, and starter errands that cost nothing in free-to-play (F2P) worlds. Establishing your core stats and unlocks first lets you dive immediately into member quests, minigames, and higher-tier training.

Finish All F2P Quests and Clear Dragon Slayer I

Completing every free quest bypasses slow, low-level grinds by awarding direct experience chunks across foundational skills. Leaving these unfinished into pay-to-play (P2P) forces you to spend paid time running errands around Lumbridge, Varrock, and Draynor Village for rewards that offer no members-only benefits.

Your ultimate F2P quest goal is Dragon Slayer I. Slaying Elvarg on Crandor awards substantial Strength and Defence experience while unlocking the ability to wear the Rune platebody and Green dragonhide body. The combat levels gained from this quest line put you directly into range for early member storylines like Lost City and Monkey Madness I.

Train Base Combat Stats to 40 and Unlock Magic Teleports

Train Attack, Strength, and Defence to level 40 using free training spots, such as the Barbarian Village longhall or Edgeville Dungeon Hill Giants. Level 40 allows you to equip full Rune armor and Green dragonhide gear the moment you enter a member world. Crossing into member areas with lower stats leaves you fragile against member slayer monsters and hostile quest zones.

Train Magic to at least level 37 to unlock standard spellbook teleports:

• Varrock Teleport (Level 25): Grants quick access to the Grand Exchange and central trade hubs.
• Lumbridge Teleport (Level 31): Returns you to starter quest areas, the furnace, and south routes.
• Falador Teleport (Level 37): Positions you near the member gate to Taverley and the Dwarven Mines.

Walking across Gielinor drains substantial play time. Unlocking these teleports ensures you can quickly restock, bank, and travel between quest locations without burning subscription hours on foot.

Clear the Stronghold of Security for Starter Gold

Run through all four floors of the Stronghold of Security in Barbarian Village to claim 10,000 gold, four emotes, and your choice of Fancy Boots or Fighting Boots. The route takes you through the Vault of War, the Catacomb of Famine, the Pit of Pestilence, and the Sepulchre of Death.

The 10,000 gold reward acts as starter capital. In F2P, this purse easily covers:

• Full sets of iron, steel, mithril, and adamant weaponry.
• Combat and utility runes from Aubrey’s rune shop in south Varrock.
• Cheap healing food, such as trout and salmon.

Entering member worlds with this cash reserve ensures you can buy required quest materials directly from the Grand Exchange without stopping to farm coins.

Raise Gathering and Production Skills to Level 30–40

Grinding the lowest tiers of gathering skills is slow, and doing so on member worlds provides little efficiency advantage. Leveling these skills in F2P lets you transition immediately to high-yield member activities like Motherlode Mine or new skills like Agility and Hunter:

• Fishing and Cooking (30–40): Fly fish for trout and salmon in Barbarian Village. Cook your catch and bank several hundred fish to create a free food supply for early member quests.
• Woodcutting (30–40): Chop normal trees, Oaks, and Willows to unlock higher-tier axes before crossing over.
• Mining (30–40): Mine copper, tin, and iron to reach the coal threshold in the Dwarven Mines or Al Kharid chasm.

Defeat Obor and Bryophyta to Test Combat Readiness

Before paying for membership, test your gear and mechanical readiness against the two F2P bosses:

• Obor: Found in Edgeville Dungeon; requires a Giant Key dropped by Hill Giants.
• Bryophyta: Found in the Varrock Sewers; requires a Mossy Key dropped by Moss Giants.

Both encounters require managing overhead prayers, eating mid-fight under heavy damage, and dealing with ranged or binding mechanics. If your account can consistently defeat Obor and Bryophyta in free-to-play gear, your stats, movement, and inventory management are ready for pay-to-play bossing and quest encounters.