Welcome to Gielinor, adventurer! Whether you’re playing Old School RuneScape (OSRS) or RuneScape 3 (RS3), stepping into the world for the first time can be overwhelming. The continent of Gielinor is vast — filled with kingdoms, dungeons, quests, and thousands of players pursuing their own goals. But don’t worry — this guide will help you start your RuneScape journey efficiently, understand the game’s systems, and set yourself up for long-term success.

Brought to you by rsgoldfast, here’s everything you need to know to begin your adventure with confidence.

1. Understanding Gielinor – The World of RuneScape

Gielinor is a massive open world divided into distinct regions — each with unique enemies, resources, and storylines.

You’ll start your journey in Tutorial Island, where the basics of combat, skilling, and movement are explained.

After finishing the tutorial, you’ll be sent to Lumbridge, your first hub city. From there, you can explore nearby towns like Varrock, Falador, and Al Kharid.

Key Tip:

Use home teleport (available on your spellbook) to return to Lumbridge anytime. It’s your safe point when you get lost or run out of supplies.

2. Choosing Your Playstyle

RuneScape allows you to build your OSRS gold character however you like — there are no strict classes. Instead, you level up individual skills to shape your playstyle.

Here are three main ways to play:

Combat-Focused Player

Train Attack, Strength, Defence, Magic, Ranged, and Prayer to defeat monsters and complete boss fights.

Combat is great for earning gold, gear, and experience.

Skill-Based Player

Focus on non-combat skills such as Mining, Fishing, Cooking, Woodcutting, and Crafting.

These are relaxing, profitable, and essential for self-sufficiency.

Merchant/Trader

Buy and sell items on the Grand Exchange in Varrock.

Understanding supply, demand, and timing can make you rich without fighting a single monster.

Pro Tip: You can freely switch between playstyles — many players combine all three for maximum progress.

3. Leveling Up Early Skills

After the tutorial, the best way to learn the game is to start training basic gathering and production skills.

Woodcutting and Firemaking

Start south of Lumbridge cutting regular trees.

Burn the logs to train Firemaking simultaneously.

Move on to Oak and Willow trees as your level increases.

Fishing and Cooking

Fish Shrimps and Anchovies at the Lumbridge River.

Cook them at nearby fires for food to use in combat.

Later, move to Draynor Village or Catherby for better fishing spots.

Mining and Smithing

Visit the Lumbridge Swamp Mine or Varrock South Mine.

Mine Copper and Tin, then smelt them into Bronze Bars at a furnace.

Craft your first set of Bronze armor and weapons!

Efficiency Tip:

Use your mini-map to locate skill icons — they show nearby resource spots for quick navigation.

4. Starting Combat Training

Once you’ve gathered supplies, it’s time to fight! Combat training introduces you to RuneScape’s battle system and helps you unlock better weapons and armor.

Best Early Monsters to Train On

Cows (north of Lumbridge): Drop hides for Crafting and bones for Prayer XP.

Chickens: Easy kills, fast XP, and useful feathers for Fishing.

Goblins: Found near Lumbridge and Falador; drop coins and beginner gear.

Combat Tips

Train Attack, Strength, and Defence evenly at first.

Use Protective Prayer (once unlocked) for added defense in tougher areas.

Always carry food — cooked fish or bread can restore your health.

Pro Tip: Upgrade your weapons as soon as possible. Move from Bronze → Iron → Steel → Mithril → Adamant → Rune gear as your levels rise.

5. Quests – The Heart of RuneScape Progression

Quests are the best way to learn the world’s lore while unlocking key items, teleport options, and skill experience.

Top Early Quests to Complete:

Cook’s Assistant – Learn Cooking basics and gain early XP.

The Restless Ghost – Unlocks early Prayer XP and ghost storyline.

Rune Mysteries – Unlocks Runecrafting skill.

Vampyre Slayer – Great early combat experience.

Ernest the Chicken – Quick quest for easy rewards.

Efficiency Tip:

Many quests give skill XP rewards — plan your quest route to train multiple skills at once. For example, “Waterfall Quest” offers big Attack and Strength XP boosts for low-level players.

6. Earning Gold Early

Gold makes everything easier — from teleport runes to armor upgrades.

Here are beginner-friendly money-making methods that don’t require high levels:

Gathering Resources

Mine Iron Ore or chop Willow Logs for steady income.

Fish and cook Lobsters for player food markets.

Killing Monsters

Cows → Cowhides sell for good profit early.

Chickens → Feathers and bones bring steady gold.

Men/Women NPCs → Drop small coins (good at level 1).

Trading at the Grand Exchange

Unlock the Grand Exchange in Varrock as soon as possible.

It’s the central trading hub where you can sell materials or buy cheap supplies for reselling.

Pro Tip from rsgoldfast:

Always check market trends before selling items — prices fluctuate daily, and timing sales can double your profits.

7. Upgrading Gear and Tools

Your efficiency depends on your gear. Focus on steady upgrades through skilling and combat.

Weapons and Armor

Buy or smith metal gear tiers (Bronze → Rune).

For Magic users, craft or purchase staves and runes.

For Ranged players, make bows and arrows via Fletching.

Utility Gear

Unlock Amulet of Glory for teleporting across the map.

Craft rune pouches to save space while using Magic.

Equip Graceful Set (later on) for faster energy recovery when traveling.

8. Joining a Clan or Friends Chat

RuneScape is more fun with others. Joining a clan or friends chat helps you find guidance, group activities, and protection in dangerous areas.

Benefits of Joining a Clan:

Access to group bossing, minigames, and clan events.

Experienced players can help with gear recommendations.

Clan citadels offer extra training resources.

Search for friendly beginner clans in Lumbridge or on community forums — most are happy to teach new players.

9. Exploring Gielinor Safely

The world is open from the start, but danger scales fast the farther you roam.

Avoid these early mistakes:

Don’t enter the Wilderness unprepared — it’s a PvP zone where players can kill you for loot.

Don’t attack high-level monsters unless your gear and stats are ready.

Always bring teleport runes or jewelry to escape quickly if needed.

Exploration Tip:

Unlock lodestones or teleport spots in each major city early on. This makes traveling across Gielinor faster and safer.

10. Long-Term Goals for Beginners

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can focus on more ambitious goals:

Complete all Free-to-Play quests.

Reach level 50+ in several core skills.

Earn your first 1,000,000 coins.

Explore membership content (Members World) for expanded gameplay.

Members can access dozens of new skills, regions (like Morytania and Prifddinas), and high-reward bosses.

Pro Tip: If you’re playing on a free account, save up gold — you can buy membership bonds with in-game currency later.

Final Advice from rsgoldfast

RuneScape isn’t a race — it’s an open-ended adventure. The best way to enjoy it is to set small goals, celebrate your progress, and explore the world at your own pace.

Focus on training multiple skills instead of one.

Do quests regularly to unlock content faster.

Use the Grand Exchange smartly to build wealth early.

And most importantly — don’t rush. Every skill, quest, and encounter teaches something valuable.

With time, patience, and strategy, your humble beginnings in Lumbridge will lead to legendary adventures across Gielinor.

So grab your gear, stock up on runes, and step OSRS gold buy into the world — your RuneScape journey begins now.