Magic training
Magic can be trained almost entirely while doing other activities. This means that the skill is considered passive and can be trained in "zero time". The passive training methods can be somewhat tedious or expensive before High Level Alchemy becomes available, so players may opt to use low-effort or cheaper alternatives to get through the early levels.
At higher levels, Magic can be trained much faster through casting multi-target burst spells|burst or barrage spells on Ancient Magicks. The most efficient way to do this is on Slayer tasks, as certain Slayer monsters (such as dust devils and Greater Nechryael) can be bursted or barraged for fast Slayer experience. Doing this extensively while training Slayer would grant the player a lot of passive Magic experience.
Levels 1–55: Starting off[edit | edit source]
Levels 4–55/99: Enchanting bolts[edit | edit source]
Enchanting gem-tipped bolts using the Enchant Crossbow Bolt spell is the fastest way to train Magic and can be done while running or doing other activities. Each cast enchants a set of 10 bolts, and is automatically done every 3 ticks for 10 sets. With accurate timing, players can speed up the process by holding down the space bar and rapidly click on the spell. This way the spell can be cast every tick, which increases experience rates a lot.
Since bolts and runes are stackable, bolts can be easily enchanted while doing other activities, such as questing, training Agility, or while running. Additionally, casting the spell does not interrupt other actions.
However, this method can be very expensive, so it is only recommended for players who wish to get through the early levels as fast as possible and do not mind potentially spending a lot of money. Players who plan to train Magic passively while doing other activities are advised to switch to casting Low Level Alchemy at level 21, as this is much cheaper. At level 55, it is recommended to switch to casting High Level Alchemy, as it can also be done while doing other activities and the spell gives a decent amount of experience per cast.
Experience rates and costs are shown in the table below. Note that the prices may be inaccurate due to low trade volumes. Some options may also not be viable due to low supply.
level | Enchantment | Runes | XP/cast | Material cost each[1] | Profit each | XP/h[2] | GP/XP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | Opal | 2Air 1Cosmic | 9 | 715 | −525 | 49,500 | -58.33 | |
7 | Sapphire | 1Water 1Cosmic 1Mind | 17 | 1,108 | −958 | 93,500 | -56.35 | |
24 | Pearl | 2Water 1Cosmic | 29 | 915 | −795 | 159,500 | -27.41 | |
27 | Emerald | 3Air 1Cosmic 1Nature | 37 | 1,617 | −1,357 | 203,500 | -36.68 | |
29 | Red Topaz | 2Fire 1Cosmic | 33 | 3,635 | −3,515 | 181,500 | -106.52 | |
49 | Ruby | 5Fire 1Blood 1Cosmic | 59 | 3,057 | −897 | 324,500 | -15.20 | |
57 | Diamond | 10Earth 1Cosmic 2 | 67 | 3,909 | −939 | 368,500 | -14.01 | |
68 | Dragonstone | 15Earth 1Cosmic 1Soul | 78 | 5,964 | −1,524 | 429,000 | -19.54 | |
87 | Onyx | 20Fire 1Cosmic 1Death | 97 | 86,526 | 414 | 533,500 | 4.27 |
Levels 7–21: Lvl-1 Enchant[edit | edit source]
From level 7 to 21, enchant sapphire or opal jewellery by using the Lvl-1 Enchant spell. The spell can be cast manually every 3 ticks, and each cast gives 17.5 experience.
Players can gain up to around 32,000 experience per hour. It will take 250 casts to get from level 7 to 21.
Levels 21–55: Low Level Alchemy[edit | edit source]
At level 21, players can cast Low Level Alchemy (also known as "low alching") to convert items into coins. The spell can be cast every 3 ticks, and each cast gives 31 experience. This method can be done while doing other activities, such as questing, training Agility, or while running.
Cast Low Level Alchemy on noted items or stacks of items bought from the Grand Exchange. To decide what items to cast Low Level Alchemy on, see this calculator for more details. It is best to cast the spell on cheap items, such as rune arrows. Using more expensive items (such as rune armour pieces) will result in a huge loss due to their price being tied to their High Alchemy value. Because of this, this method will likely result in a small loss.
Another option is to cast this spell in the Mage Training Arena.
Players can gain up to around 60,000 experience per hour if standing still. When doing other activities, players can expect much lower rates. It will take 5,214 casts to get from level 21 to 55.
Levels 1–55: Other early training methods[edit | edit source]
Levels 1–55: Killing crabs[edit | edit source]
Killing crabs with combat spells requires very little attention and offers relatively fast experience at lower levels. It is best to use the highest-level combat spell available for the best damage output. Players who wish to spend less money on Magic training may want to keep using Fire Strike instead of switching to the more expensive bolt and blast spells. If you are waiting for respawns, consider switching to a denser spawn or higher Hitpoints crab. If you're taking too much damage from too many crabs, consider moving to a smaller spawn or lower Hitpoints crab.
There are three types of crabs the player can train on, but they all have high Hitpoints, very low Defence and deal minimal damage. They become aggressive when walked by, and stay aggressive for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the player has to reset aggressiveness by running away far enough, usually a minimap's length. The player should choose a spot that makes two or three spawns aggressive at the same time.
- Ammonite Crabs on Fossil Island. They have 100 Hitpoints, but are usually very crowded. They also drop unidentified fossils, which can be turned in for experience lamps in Varrock Museum after cleaning. Wind Blast or greater recommended, unless using Chaos gauntlets.
- Sand Crabs on Hosidius. They have 60 Hitpoints and have no quest requirements, but are usually crowded.
- Rock Crabs on Rellekka. They have no quest requirements and are usually less crowded than Sand Crabs and Ammonite Crabs, but only have 50 Hitpoints.
Having at least level 30 Defence is recommended before starting Magic training on these monsters to mitigate the damage. Low-level players may want to bring defensive equipment that does not penalise Magic accuracy too much, and some food to heal themselves.
Equip any staff that can autocast combat spells. Elemental staves are recommended, as they also provide unlimited elemental runes corresponding to their type (a staff of air provides unlimited air runes). At level 30 Magic and Attack, it is recommended to use a smoke battlestaff if the player can afford one. This staff provides a 10% increase in accuracy and damage when casting spells from the standard spellbook, which will increase experience rates.
Levels 1–55: Splashing combat spells[edit | edit source]
Splashing combat spells on weak monsters offers very slow experience, but only requires player input once every 20 minutes. This is done by attacking an NPC while wearing equipment that gives at least -64 Magic attack bonus. Although no damage is dealt, players will still gain the base experience from casting the spell. Simply equip any staff that can autocast the combat spell used (such as an elemental staff), turn on Auto Retaliate, and interact with the game client every 20 minutes to keep splashing the opponent.
Experience rates vary depending on the spell used, ranging from 6,600 to 37,800 experience per hour. More information about splashing can be found Splashing/Guide|here.
Levels 43–55: Superheat Item[edit | edit source]
From level 43 to 55, one possible option is to cast Superheat Item to smelt ores into bars. The spell can be cast every 3 ticks, and each cast gives 53 Magic experience. This method offers relatively fast Magic experience at these levels and also gives passive Smithing experience. Casting the spell usually costs some money, depending on the Grand Exchange prices.
With decent focus, players can gain up to 97,000 Magic experience per hour. The amount of Smithing experience gained varies depending on the ore used. It will take 2,195 casts to get from level 43 to 55.
See the Superheat Item page for a table with the cost per experience for each type of bar.
Levels 45–55: Camelot Teleport[edit | edit source]
Equip a Staff of air and hold about 1,895 law runes, then repeatedly cast Camelot Teleport. Players receive 55.5 experience per cast, which will give you about 80,000 experience per hour.
- 132 per law rune
- −132 per law rune per cast
- -2.40 cost per experience
- −250,140 from 45 to 55, or 105,124 experience (1,895 casts)
- −190,270.00 approximate cost per hour
Passive training methods[edit | edit source]
From level 55 onwards Magic can be feasibly trained while doing other activities, meaning that the skill is considered passive and can be trained in "zero time". Passive training methods may offer slow Magic experience per hour in real time. Players who wish to actively gain Magic experience should consider using faster methods below.
Level 55+: High Level Alchemy[edit | edit source]
At level 55, players can cast High Level Alchemy (commonly known as "alching") to convert various items into coins. The spell can be cast every 5 ticks, and each cast gives 65 experience. This is one of the best training methods for gaining passive Magic experience as it can be done while doing other activities, and it usually breaks even or profits slightly.
Cast High Level Alchemy on noted items or stacks of items bought from the Grand Exchange. To decide what items to cast High Level Alchemy on, see this calculator for more details. It is recommended to have spare capital to be able to buy a large number of items and nature runes at once, so the player would not have to constantly buy more once they run out. Cheaper items require less capital, but usually offer worse profit. Some options may not be viable due to low buy limits or high capital requirements.
For the best efficiency, players should cast High Level Alchemy while doing other activities, such as questing, training Agility, melee combat, and Farming|farm runs. When alching items, place the items in the third or fourth row, all the way to the right, to eliminate the need of moving the mouse.
Players can gain up to 78,000 experience per hour if standing still. When casting High Level Alchemy while doing other activities, players can expect much lower rates, anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 experience per hour.
Level 65+: Bake Pie[edit | edit source]
At level 65, players can train Cooking by baking pies using the Bake Pie spell on the Lunar spellbook. This offers relatively fast Cooking experience at a low amount of effort, and also a decent amount of passive Magic experience. However, this method is usually fairly expensive due to the low supply of uncooked pies, and some options may not be viable due to low trading volumes.
Players can gain up to 113,000 passive Magic experience per hour. For more information about the costs and Cooking experience rates, see Cooking training.
Level 82+: Magic Imbue[edit | edit source]
At level 82, players can cast Magic Imbue on the Lunar spellbook. It is mainly used when training Runecraft through crafting lava runes (or other combination runes), as casting the spell negates the need for talismans. If training Runecraft this way, players will gain a decent amount of passive Magic experience over time.
Similarly to High Level Alchemy, Magic Imbue can also be cast for the Magic experience alone while doing other activities. Magic Imbue only requires one click to cast and does not interrupt any actions, such as fishing. However, it can only be cast once every 21 ticks (12.6 seconds), costs money, and offers very slow experience by itself.
Players can gain up to around 20,000–24,000 passive Magic experience per hour. Casting the spell costs -2.30 per experience, assuming the player is wearing a steam battlestaff (or an equivalent combination of staff with a tome of fire or tome of water).
Levels 62–99: Multi-target spells on Ancient Magicks[edit | edit source]
The burst and barrage spells on this spellbook can be used to kill multiple monsters at once in multi-combat areas. This offers very fast experience, but can be somewhat expensive depending on the spell used and the monster killed.
The lowest-level burst spell, Smoke Burst, becomes available at level 62. Players may want to train with other methods until level 70, so they can use Ice Burst and wear better equipment (such as the occult necklace) for better damage output. It is best to use the highest-level multi-target spell for the best damage output, but Ice Burst remains a good cheaper alternative at higher levels.
When bursting or barraging, it is strongly recommended to use a weapon that can autocast Ancient Magicks. While this is not necessary, manually casting the spells adds a lot of extra effort and can become tedious over time. The kodai wand is the best weapon to use as it offers a 15% bonus in Magic damage, has a 15% chance of negating rune costs when casting offensive spells, and provides unlimited water runes. The nightmare staff is a good alternative as it also has the same Magic damage bonus, though it lacks the rune-saving effect and does not provide water runes. The ancient staff and the master wand are a lot weaker since they do not provide any Magic damage bonus, so they are only recommended for short-term use.
Slayer[edit | edit source]
Many Slayer monsters can be killed with Burst spells|burst or barrage spells on task for fast Slayer experience. This is one of the most efficient ways to train Slayer and Magic, and it usually breaks even or profits.
Monsters that are commonly bursted or barraged on task include dust devils, Greater Nechryaels, Warped Jellies, and smoke devils. If using alternative accounts to lure the monsters, it is also viable to kill abyssal demons, the TzHaar, and Mutated Bloodvelds.
Before starting Slayer training, it is best to train Magic up to level 94 through the passive training methods above. This allows the player to use Ice Barrage, the highest-tier barrage spell, right from the start for the fastest experience. However, since Slayer training generally offers a lot of passive Magic experience, players can start Slayer training even at level 70 Magic and use weaker spells until level 94 Magic. While this would be slightly slower overall, players would not have to put in the extra effort of passively training Magic while training other skills.
Killing maniacal monkeys[edit | edit source]
Killing maniacal monkeys in Kruk's Dungeon is the fastest viable way to train Magic in real time. This requires having started Monkey Madness II until the part the player reaches Kruk's Dungeon. Maniacal monkeys spawn in very large quantities, have a long aggression range, and have very low Magic defence, making them ideal for bursting or barraging. This method costs money, and the exact cost depends on the player's equipment.
It is best to use equipment that increases the player's Magic damage bonus. This increases damage output a lot and makes casting effectively cheaper, as each cast would deal more damage for the same rune cost. Otherwise, players should maximise their Prayer bonus as the monkeys already have very low Magic defence.
Having 2 alternative accounts to stack the monkeys is recommended should the player have access to them, as this makes this method fairly low-effort as well.
Experience rates vary depending on the exact method, equipment, and type of the spell used. With Ice Burst, players can gain up to around 310,000 experience per hour. With Ice Barrage, it is possible to gain up to around 400,000 experience per hour.
Other[edit | edit source]
For the players who have not started Monkey Madness II but have 65 Slayer, bursting dust devils in the Catacombs of Kourend is an excellent replacement that provides similar experience rates. The Dust Devils, like the maniacal monkey, are to be lured so that they can all be hit by the same spell.
In addition, those who have a fire cape can train on the TzHaar-Ket within the inner circle of Mor Ul Rek. This is a slower method, however it is still considerably faster than others, while also providing the opportunity to make a profit with the possible Obsidian armour and weapon drops. This is about equivalent experience to training on skeletal monkeys in the Ape Atoll Dungeon from Monkey Madness I.
Other methods[edit | edit source]
Levels 7–99: Profitable methods[edit | edit source]
While it may be beneficial to find a consistent money maker and then train Magic with the faster but more expensive methods, it's possible to train magic without any loss, and doing so can bring millions in profit if done all the way to 99. There's no way to profit up to level 7, so for new players interested in training Magic as soon as possible, it's suggested to do the Imp Catcher quest after obtaining the money for the beads from the Stronghold of Security.
Always check the jewellery Calculator:Magic/Enchant jewellery|Calculator to ensure you're enchanting the most profitable item, and check the page of each spell to see the currently profitable items to use them on before buying anything. Also note that some of these spells require additional quests or tasks to use; be sure that you can use a spell before buying materials for it, and that you know the mechanics of the spell itself before casting it in order to not waste materials.
Levels 55–80: Tele-alching[edit | edit source]
"Tele-alching" is a method which combines the two elements of casting High Level Alchemy and teleporting. To do this cast High Level Alchemy followed by any teleport then wait 3 game ticks (1.8 seconds). Therefore, it is possible to perform a high alchemy and a teleport spell within 5 game ticks. Utilizing "F" keys to manually swap back to the magic tab immediately after casting alchemy on an item, then quickly clicking a teleport spell will cause both the alchemy and teleport spell to be cast simultaneously, granting experience for both. You will, however, only see the animation for the teleport spell. This works best with High Alchemy and the Teleport to Camelot spells as they are located closely together and require less mouse movement between clicks.
Tele-alching at Camelot gives up to 144,600 experience per hour and is the cheapest of the two requiring a single law rune per teleport. Tele-alching at Ardougne is at most 151,200 experience per hour, but is a lot more expensive at the cost of an extra law rune per teleport.
At level 69 you can cast Kourend Castle Teleport, but it requires reading the transportation incantations. You can wield a steam battlestaff to minimise the cost.
Levels 80–99: Stun-alching[edit | edit source]
At level 80 Magic, Stun-alching becomes available, but does cost much more than high alchemy which is generally profitable or free. The player is to cast High Alchemy, then cast Stun on an NPC, and repeat until desired. For this, you'll want a mud battlestaff (provides free earth/water runes) and a set of metal armour such as iron (full helm, platebody, platelegs, kiteshield) and a d'hide vambrace to bring your magic attack bonus to -65 or lower, this will allow you to Splashing|splash your stun spell and continually cast it on the same target without needing to wait for their stats to restore, then find a suitable NPC to safespot. A good spot is the basement of the Magic Guild in Yanille. Equip a Granite helm, Granite legs, and a Fighter Torso as needed to keep your attack bonus below -65 with a tome of fire and mud staff equipped. Experiences rates of 184,000 per hour are possible.
It is possible to add in a teleport to this rotation without missing any game ticks. Using Ardougne Teleport as your choice keeps you within the range of a guard at all times to stun, and with this experience rates of up to 256,000 per hour are possible. This method is immensely click intensive, so it may not be desirable.
Levels 80–99: String Jewellery[edit | edit source]
Casting String Jewellery on the Lunar spellbook requires relatively low amount of effort. The spell takes 1.8 seconds per amulet strung, or 48.6 seconds for an inventory, and gives 4 Crafting experience and 83 Magic experience per amulet. Once clicked, it will string each amulet one by one in the inventory, giving experience for each amulet strung. Using a mud battlestaff is recommended.
Players can gain up to 150,000 Magic (along with 6,265 Crafting) experience per hour.
Levels 86–99: Plank Make[edit | edit source]
At level 86, players can auto-cast Plank Make on mahogany logs. This method will generate around 90,000 Magic experience per hour, which is around 1,000 casts, less depending on banking speed, as well as generating a small amount of profit. Each inventory takes around 90 seconds, meaning it is a quite idle method of training. The only downside is that mahogany logs can be expensive to buy in bulk if starting with a low amount of money.
Comparison of magic weapons[edit | edit source]
Name | Level(s) required | Magic attack | Magic damage | Price | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
File:Tumeken's shadow.png | Tumeken's shadow | +35 | N/A | 1,200,008,031 |
| |
File:Harmonised nightmare staff.png | Harmonised nightmare staff | 82 50 |
+16 | +15% | 395,790,221 |
|
File:Volatile nightmare staff.png | Volatile nightmare staff | 82 50 |
+16 | +15% | 253,364,917 |
|
File:Eldritch nightmare staff.png | Eldritch nightmare staff | 82 50 |
+16 | +15% | 230,390,566 |
|
File:Sanguinesti staff.png | Sanguinesti staff | 82 | +25 | N/A | 83,619,177 |
|
File:Holy sanguinesti staff.png | Holy Sanguinesti staff | |||||
File:Kodai wand.png | Kodai wand | 80 | +28 | +15% | 82,394,146 |
|
File:Trident of the swamp.png | Trident of the swamp | 78 | +25 | N/A | 4,316,804 |
|
File:Trident of the swamp (e).png | Trident of the swamp (e) | 8,331,932 | ||||
File:Toxic staff of the dead.png | Toxic staff of the dead | 75 | +25 | +15% | 9,337,871 |
|
File:Staff of light.png | Staff of light | 75 | +17 | +15% | 4,720,678 |
|
File:Staff of balance.png | Staff of balance | 75 | +17 | +15% | 28,467,827 |
|
Staff of the dead | 75 | +17 | +15% | 5,146,625 |
| |
File:Trident of the seas.png | Trident of the seas | 75 | +15 | N/A | 41,293 |
|
File:Trident of the seas (e).png | Trident of the seas (e) | 4,090,639 | ||||
File:Slayer's staff (e).png | Slayer's staff (e) | 75 55 |
+12 | N/A | 22,220[n 1] |
|
File:Nightmare staff.png | Nightmare staff | 72 50 |
+16 | +15% | 33,361,722 |
|
File:Ahrim's staff.png | Ahrim's staff | 70 | +15 | +5% | 130,737 |
|
File:Master wand.png | Master wand | 60 | +20 | N/A | 4,229,756 |
|
File:Thammaron's sceptre.png | Thammaron's sceptre | 60 | +20 | N/A | 4,983,667 |
|
File:Saradomin staff.png File:Guthix staff.png File:Zamorak staff.png | God staves | 60 | +6 | N/A | 80,000 |
|
File:Iban's staff.png | Iban's staff | 50 | +10 | N/A | 200,000[n 2] |
|
File:Iban's staff (u).png | Iban's staff (u) | 400,000[n 3] | ||||
File:Ancient staff.png | Ancient staff | 50 | +15 | N/A | 60,297 |
|
File:Slayer's staff.png | Slayer's staff | 50 55 |
+12 | N/A | 20,785 |
|
File:Void knight mace.png | Void knight mace | 42 22 |
+8 | N/A | Untradeable[n 4] |
|
File:Smoke battlestaff animated.gif | Mystic smoke staff | 40 | +14 | +10%[n 5] | 1,835,175 |
|
File:Smoke battlestaff animated.gif | Smoke battlestaff | 30 | +12 | 1,739,593 | ||
File:Swamp lizard.png File:Orange salamander.png File:Red salamander.png File:Black salamander.png |
Salamanders | 30 (Green) |
N/A | N/A | 267 |
|
50 (Orange) |
161 | |||||
60 (Red) |
74 | |||||
70 (Black) |
385 | |||||
File:Ancient crozier.png File:Armadyl crozier.png File:Bandos crozier.png File:Guthix crozier.png File:Saradomin crozier.png File:Zamorak crozier.png |
Croziers | 60 | +10 | N/A | 7,496 |
|
File:Skull sceptre.png | Skull sceptre | 1 | +10 | N/A | Untradeable |
|
File:Skull sceptre (i).png | Skull sceptre (i) | |||||
File:Staff of air.png File:Staff of water.png File:Staff of earth.png File:Staff of fire.png |
Elemental staves | 1 (Basic) |
+10 | N/A | 1,486 |
|
30 (Battlestaff) |
+12 | 8,980 | ||||
40 (Mystic staff) |
+14 | 25,109 |
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