OSRS Herblore Cost and XP Planning: Cheapest Path to 99
Plan your OSRS Herblore training with exact potion XP values, cost-per-XP for every common potion, and the cheapest route to 99 Herblore from level 1.
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OSRS Herblore: Why Cost Planning Matters
Herblore is one of OSRS's most purely money-based skills — you buy herbs and secondaries, combine them into potions, and gain XP. The cost per XP varies wildly between potions. Good planning can cut your 99 Herblore bill by 30–50%.
Herblore Basics
Every potion requires: 1. A clean herb (grimy herbs must be cleaned first: 1 XP each) 2. A secondary ingredient (vial of water is usually implied) 3. A Herblore level meeting the potion's requirement
XP is awarded when you successfully combine herb + secondary into a finished potion.
Common Potions: XP and Cost
Cost-Per-XP Analysis (Grand Exchange Prices, Approximate)
Prices fluctuate. At writing, the most cost-effective options:
Stamina Potions are often the best balance of cost and accessibility, but require amylase crystals (from Agility pyramid — may be bought).
Recommended Training Path
Level 1–38: Attack/Antipoison/Strength potions — cheap early XP Level 38–55: Prayer Potions — usable XP, slightly higher cost Level 55–72: Super Strength/Restore potions Level 72–99: Stamina Potions (if amylase is affordable) or Prayer/Restore potions
How Many Potions for 99?
13,034,431 XP needed from level 1.
Most players make a mix — cheapest potions first, then better potions as levels unlock faster-XP options. The total cost depends heavily on Grand Exchange prices at the time of training.
Related Guides
- OSRS Runecrafting: Essence Required, XP Rates, and Profit GuidePlan your OSRS Runecrafting grind with essence quantities, XP rates by altar, and profit calculations. Covers Lavas, ZMI, Bloods, and double-rune thresholds.
- OSRS XP Table and Level Formula: How Experience Points Are CalculatedUnderstand the OSRS XP to level formula, how XP requirements scale, and why the gap between levels grows exponentially. Includes the full XP table from level 1 to 99.
- How to Plan an OSRS Skill Goal: XP Requirements and Time EstimationPlan your OSRS skill goals with XP gap calculations, time estimates at different XP rates, and how to choose efficient training methods for each skill.
- How to Estimate OSRS Cooking Burns: Burn Rate Formula and Stop-Burn LevelsCalculate OSRS cooking burn rates by food type and cooking level. Find the level where each food stops burning, and estimate food waste during your Cooking XP grind.
- OSRS Firemaking XP, Cost, and Time: Fastest Methods to 99Plan your OSRS Firemaking grind with XP per log, cost per XP, and time estimates for standard logs vs. Wintertodt. Find the fastest and cheapest path to 99 Firemaking.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the cheapest OSRS Herblore method to 99?
- The cheapest route varies with Grand Exchange prices. Antipoisons and energy potions typically have the lowest GP/XP. Stamina potions (super energy + amylase crystals) offer decent XP at moderate cost. Always check current GE prices — herb and secondary markets shift with supply and demand from boss drops.
- How much does 99 Herblore cost in OSRS?
- The cost varies widely based on chosen methods and Grand Exchange prices. Cheapest routes (antipoisons) may cost 10–30M GP; Prayer Potions run 50–80M; higher-XP potions can cost 100M+. Plan your route using current GE prices for a realistic cost estimate before buying materials.
- Should I make unfinished potions first?
- You can make unfinished potions (herb + vial of water) for XP, but this gives only about 1–5 XP per action — extremely slow. Making complete potions (herb + secondary) is far more XP-efficient. Unfinished potions are better used as a Bank Filler trick in conjunction with fast banking.
- Can I make profit training Herblore?
- Some potions are profitable when their Grand Exchange sell price exceeds the cost of ingredients. Prayer potions, Antidote++, and Super Restores are sometimes profitable. However, this changes daily with market conditions. The Herblore Profit page on the OSRS Wiki shows live margin data.
Last updated 7/28/2026