OSRS Prayer XP Methods Explained: Bones, Ensouled Heads, and Gilded Altar
Compare OSRS Prayer XP methods: burying bones, using a gilded altar, ensouled heads, and Chaos Temple. Covers XP rates, GP/XP costs, and the fastest path to 99 Prayer.
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OSRS Prayer Training Methods Overview
Prayer in OSRS is almost entirely trained by consuming bones or ensouled heads. The XP you receive depends heavily on the method used — the same Dragon Bones give 72 XP when buried but 252 XP at a Gilded Altar with two incense burners lit.
Bone XP Values by Method
The Ectofuntus in Port Phasmatys gives a 4× multiplier but requires refilling ectoplasm and is much slower in practice. Most players use Gilded Altar or Chaos Temple for bulk training.
Method 1: Gilded Altar (Best XP Rate, High Cost)
XP Multiplier: 3.5× base XP when both burners are lit
How it works: 1. Obtain bones (usually bought from Grand Exchange) 2. Use a player-owned house with a Gilded Altar (requires 75 Construction) or use a friend's house with one lit 3. Use bones on the altar — each action is instant 4. Restock from bank via house portal
Dragon Bones at Gilded Altar: - XP per bone: 252 - Bones to 99 from 1: ~51,754 bones - GP/XP: approximately 4–6 GP/XP depending on bone prices - Cost to 99: approximately 50–80M GP (varies with Grand Exchange prices)
Speed: ~1,000–1,200 bones/hr possible; ~300,000 XP/hr with Dragon Bones
Method 2: Chaos Temple (Free Gilded Altar Alternative)
Located in the Wilderness (level 38), the Chaos Temple has an altar that gives 3.5× XP — same as a lit Gilded Altar. It's free to use, but risk exists:
- PKers can attack you in the Wilderness
- Best approach: bring only bones, no valuable gear
- Teleblock and freeze can strand you; bring Wilderness Sword or shark to survive
Risk-adjusted: For ironmen or budget players, Chaos Temple saves significant construction cost.
Method 3: Ensouled Heads (Cheap, Slow, Profitable Alternatives)
Ensouled heads are dropped by various monsters and can be reanimated in the Arceuus spellbook to grant Prayer XP:
GP/XP: 1–3 GP/XP (much cheaper than bones) XP Rate: 30,000–70,000 XP/hr depending on head type Best for: Budget training; ironmen collecting heads during combat
Method 4: Burying Bones (Passive, Free)
Simply burying bones grants base XP. It's passive — collected from Slayer or combat automatically provides some Prayer XP. Not a viable primary training method for 99 but useful supplementally.
Best Method By Budget
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the fastest way to train Prayer in OSRS?
- The fastest XP rate is Superior Dragon Bones at a Gilded Altar (lit burners), yielding 525 XP per bone and up to 500,000 XP/hr at efficient click speeds. Dragon Bones give 252 XP each and ~300,000 XP/hr — the most common choice balancing cost and speed.
- What Prayer level do I need for Piety?
- Piety requires 70 Prayer to activate. It also requires completing the Knight Waves training ground (which unlocks the Chivalry/Piety prayers via the Proselyte armour quest chain). Piety provides Attack ×1.20, Strength ×1.23, and Defence ×1.25 — the strongest melee prayer.
- How many bones do I need for 99 Prayer from level 1?
- At a Gilded Altar: ~51,754 Dragon Bones (252 XP each × 51,754 ≈ 13,034,248 XP needed for 99). For Superior Dragon Bones (525 XP each): ~24,828 bones. For regular bones buried (4.5 XP): ~2,896,540 bones — impractical for any bulk training method.
- Is the Chaos Temple safe for Prayer training?
- The Chaos Temple is in the Wilderness (level 38), so PvP risk exists. Bring only bones and no valuable gear. Use cheap teleports (Wilderness sword for quick exits). Many players train there without incident by visiting at off-peak hours, but it's inherently riskier than a player-owned house.
Last updated 7/28/2026