The Best New OSRS Training Methods to Use in 2026

Old School RuneScape has gone through one of its most transformative years ever, especially when it comes to skilling. With the arrival of Sailing and a steady stream of updates, Jagex has quietly added a huge number of new training methods across multiple skills. Some of these methods are not just viable alternatives—they’re competitive, profitable, and in some cases, outright meta-defining.

Rather than listing everything added, this guide focuses on the strongest and most practical new training methods introduced over the past year that you should seriously consider incorporating into your 2026 progression.

Crafting: Spinning New Yarns

One of the most unexpectedly strong additions is yarn crafting, introduced alongside Sailing. Both hemp yarn and cotton yarn are extremely competitive at their respective levels and, surprisingly, profitable.

At 39 Crafting, you can spin hemp yarn, reaching around 100,000 Crafting XP per hour while still making money. At 73 Crafting, cotton yarn pushes this even further, offering up to 170,000 XP per hour with profits that can reach around 1 million RuneScape gold per hour, depending on market prices.

The process couldn’t be simpler: buy hemp or cotton balls from the Grand Exchange and spin them at a spinning wheel. The most convenient location is the spinning wheel at Neas Retreat, unlocked after Children of the Sun. It’s right next to a bank, making this one of the smoothest crafting loops currently in the game.

For players willing to trade a bit of profit for efficiency, Fossil Island offers a spinning wheel and a loom side by side. Spinning yarn and immediately converting it into sail components slightly increases XP rates while reducing downtime.

Thieving: Port Roberts Market Stalls

Port Roberts introduced one of the most unique and low-intensity thieving methods in OSRS. Accessible at 50 Sailing, this method works at nearly any Thieving level and scales exceptionally well.

Market stalls here never deplete and automatically restock, but rotating guards will catch you if they get too close. The optimal strategy is the “4–2 method”: loot your primary stall four times, switch to a secondary stall for two loots, then return. This keeps you safe while maximizing XP.

At around 65 Thieving, once you unlock the spice stall, you can expect roughly 120,000 XP per hour, scaling up to 250,000 XP per hour at higher levels when using top-tier stalls. A nearby bank deposit box also makes this method extremely convenient, especially for Ironmen, who can gather thousands of gems per hour from the gem stall.

Woodcutting: Ironwood Logs

Ironwood logs may completely reshape the Woodcutting meta. Requiring 80 Woodcutting, these trees are comparable to redwoods but offer higher XP and earlier access.

They’re best chopped on Sunble Island, which you can reach by sailing. While you can grow ironwood yourself via Farming, naturally spawned trees allow Forestry participation, making the method far more AFK and rewarding.

With Forestry gear equipped, ironwood trees despawn after four minutes, offering long stretches of uninterrupted chopping. Expect 75–80k XP per hour without events and over 100k XP per hour with Forestry events active. A nearby player-built bank chest keeps downtime minimal, making this an excellent AFK route to 99.

Runecrafting: Astral Runes via Teleport to Boat

A newly optimized astral runecrafting method offers a rare mix of low intensity, strong XP, and high profit—but it comes with steep requirements. You’ll need 75 Sailing, 69 Construction, a Greater Teleport Focus, and a Bottled Storm, making this a roughly 30 million GP investment.

By teleporting directly near the Astral Altar and using NPC Contact to repair pouches, this method becomes surprisingly relaxed. XP rates hover around 65–70k Runecrafting XP per hour, while profits reach approximately 1.5 million GP per hour. It’s not the fastest method available, but it’s one of the most comfortable, profitable Runecrafting options in the game.

Mining: Lead Ore Power Mining

Lead ore is a fantastic new low-requirement power mining method. It unlocks at just 25 Mining, with triple-node spots available later through Sailing access.

By rotating between three ores and dropping them, players can reach up to 75k Mining XP per hour at higher levels—no tick manipulation required. Alternatively, the ore is valuable enough to justify banking for players who want profit alongside solid XP.

Magic: Frost Dragons

Frost dragons have quickly become one of the best AFK magic training methods in the game. Accessible at 87 Sailing via Grimstone, they are extremely weak to fire spells, taking double damage.

Using Fire Wave or Fire Surge with a cost-effective magic setup, players can achieve 100k–140k Magic XP per hour while earning around 2 million cheap Runescape gold per hour. With Protect from Melee active and auto-retaliate on, this is one of the most relaxed high-level training methods currently available.

Hunter: Crab Trapping

Crab trapping is one of the strongest Hunter updates in years. As a static training method, XP rates do not scale with level, meaning you receive maximum efficiency the moment you unlock each crab.

Red Crabs (21 Hunter): ~50k XP/hr

Blue Crabs (48 Hunter): 120k+ XP/hr

Rainbow Crabs (77 Hunter): ~150k XP/hr with profit

The method is simple, fast, and remains competitive through the mid-to-late Hunter levels, making it the new gold standard for active Hunter training.

Construction: Shipwright Workbenches

Finally, Construction received a much-needed quality-of-life upgrade. Shipwright workbenches allow you to create hull parts or repair kits in a low-intensity, bank-style loop.

While not cheaper than traditional Construction, this method offers up to 450k XP per hour with far less clicking. Hull parts are generally the most efficient choice, especially when paired with a plank sack. For players looking for a relaxed path to 99 Construction, this is easily the best option heading into 2026.