The Complete RuneScape 3 (RS3) Ironman Guide

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Nov 5

Written By Andrew Hamel

Last Updated: November 5, 2024

*Image Credit: Jagex, RuneScape 3 (RS3)*

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Early-Game | Mid-Game | Late-Game | D aily Activities | Essential Items

Playing as an Ironman in RuneScape [3] is all about doing things yourself. Without access to the Grand Exchange or trading, Ironman players face unique challenges that require a lot of planning and the resolve to grind. This guide is your roadmap to navigating the Ironman journey, from early-game survival tips to the best money-making methods, quests, and must-have items for building a strong and self-sufficient account. Be sure to book mark this page so you can come back as you level up!

The Ironman Early Game Guide: Questing for Progress

For Ironmen, questing is the fastest way to make real progress early on. Outside of just getting experience, questing unlocks new areas and access to some pretty helpful tools. Here’s a rundown of some of the most helpful quests for an Ironman starting out:

Essential Early-Game Quests for Ironman Mode:

Violet is Blue and Violet is Blue Too: Both of these quests grant large experience lamps that help boost important skills early. They’re a solid start to your Ironman journey and let you bypass some early training.
The Jack of Spades: Unlocking Menaphos is a game-changer for Ironmen in the mid-game, with access to skilling resources and experience. Getting here early on helps later when you’ll need easy access to resources.
Waterfall Quest: The experience rewards from this quest alone (13,750 XP in both Attack and Strength) are a huge leap forward, saving tons of low-level grinding.
Priest in Peril: This quest unlocks Canifis and Morytania, setting you up for Slayer tasks and resource gathering in a whole new area.
Witch’s House: With over 6,000 Constitution XP up for grabs, this quest makes combat training safer by giving you extra health points.
The Knight’s Sword: Here, you’ll receive over 12,000 Smithing XP, skipping those tedious early levels and opening up better smithing options.
The Tourist Trap: This quest rewards you with several XP lamps that can be applied to any skill you choose. Many Ironmen use these on skills like Agility, Smithing, and Thieving, which can be tough to train at first.
The Grand Tree: Not only does this quest give 7,900 Agility XP, but it also grants a large 18,400 XP lamp that can go toward combat skills.
The Dig Site: This is a big quest for early Ironmen, with large boosts to Mining and Herblore that speed up gathering and crafting supplies for later use.
Elemental Workshop I & II: Both quests combined give significant XP in Crafting and Smithing, letting you jump to higher levels for creating your own gear.
Troll Stronghold: After this quest, you get XP lamps that can be applied to any skill over level 30, letting you target specific skills that need a boost.
Temple of Ikov: This quest grants you both Ranged and Fletching XP.
Evil Dave’s Big Day Out: This quest is packed with experience rewards, providing huge boosts in Magic, Herblore, Agility, and Cooking, which are all helpful for making you self-sufficient.

From here, you’ll be in a great position to tackle mid-game content, start on higher-level quests, and push your combat and skilling even further.

Early Game Money-Making Methods

Making money as an Ironman relies on steady, reliable methods. These options will help you gather gold to fund your regular activities:

Daily Shooting Star Rewards: The Shooting Star D&D is a simple daily task with a solid 50,002 coins reward. It’s an easy way to start building gold reserves.
Bursting Corrupted Scarabs: Corrupted Scarabs in Menaphos drop an average of 1,160 coins per burst, with a chance for bigger drops up to 89,800 coins, so it’s worth adding them to your combat routine for steady income.
Pickpocketing Gullible Tourists: In Menaphos, these tourists occasionally drop a Menaphite gift offering (small) worth between 25,000 and 74,800 coins, along with other materials. It’s a great combo for skilling and gold.
Water Filtration System: This activity in Het’s Oasis provides coins, soft clay, uncut gems, and Elder Troves, which hold useful resources. The range of rewards here makes it perfect for Ironmen looking for a bunch of random resources.
Magical Dice (T1): After a few quests, you’ll earn a Magical Dice (T1) from May’s Quest Caravan, which awards 250,000 coins and a random Treasure Trail item. The added gold and potential for useful items make this a valuable early-game boost.
Stronghold of Security: Completing the Stronghold of Security is quick and gives 10,000 coins, a solid boost for new Ironmen.
Stronghold of Player Safety: Similar to the Security Stronghold, the Player Safety stronghold also awards 10,000 coins upon completion, providing extra gold to help cover early costs.
Wilderness Flash Events: These events yield sacks of wild rewards, which may contain necronium salvage, an item that can be high alched for decent money. It’s a higher-risk option but offers valuable rewards if you’re comfortable venturing into the Wilderness.

With these methods in rotation you’ll build up coins and supplies to keep you progressing through the game at a reasonable pace.

Food Options for Early Game Ironmen

In Ironman mode, food is essential for questing and combat. As you take on NPCs through slayer or low-level bossing you’ll need a reliable supply of healing items can make all the difference. Outside of what you’ll get when you level up fishing and cooking, here are some great early-game options:

Cake: With 333 Lifepoints of healing, cakes are perfect for low-level health needs. You can grab them by stealing from bakery stalls in Lumbridge (only level 5 thieving required), Catherby, and Ardougne, making them an easy-to-access and plentiful option.
Swordfish: Yielding 1,400 Lifepoints, swordfish can be gathered by fishing and setting workers in Managing Miscellania to fish once you complete Throne of Miscellania. This gives you both tuna and swordfish over time so you’ll always have a steady supply of food for combat.
Desert Sole: At 1,450 Lifepoints, this food option is a great healing source once you have 52 Fishing and Cooking. It’s easy to fish and cook in Menaphos, so you can also get good XP while stocking up.
Gnome Food: Gnome food heals up to 1,500 Lifepoints and is available for purchase at Gianne’s Restaurant in the Tree Gnome Stronghold, making it a convenient early-game choice.
Cooked Eeligator: With 1,875 Lifepoints of healing, this is one of the best foods for early Ironmen facing tougher content. It’s available from Mazcab Emergency Merchants in Kanatah and is especially helpful for quest bosses or high-level training.

Remember that some foods require certain Constitution levels to heal their full potential, so check these requirements before stocking up.

The Mid-Game

Reaching the mid-game as an Ironman in RuneScape 3 is where things get exciting. With early-game foundations set, it’s time to shift focus to unlocking powerful quests, expanding money-making methods, and gearing up. Let’s look at the best strategies to keep building your Ironman journey in the mid-game!

Quest Essentials for Mid-Game Ironmen

The following quests deliver invaluable rewards, helping you gain access to powerful prayers, new spellbooks, high-level areas, and some of the best experience lamps available in the game:

Desert Treasure: Grants access to the Ancient Magicks spellbook and awards 20,000 Magic experience, allowing you to explore a range of unique, powerful spells.
King's Ransom: Unlocks the Chivalry, Piety, Rigour, and Augury prayers, providing a boost to your combat effectiveness, plus 33,000 Defense experience.
Lunar Diplomacy: Unlocks the Lunar Magics spellbook, expanding your spell options for skilling, healing, and group support.
Recipe for Disaster: This multi-part quest unlocks Culinaromancer's gloves 10, one of the best sets of gloves in the game for Ironmen, with boosts that make it essential for PvM and Slayer.
The Branches of Darkmeyer: Grants access to Darkmeyer and awards 50,000 experience tomes, useful for training mid-level skills.
The Temple at Senntisten: Unlocks the Curse Prayers, essential for combat-focused Ironmen seeking stronger defensive and offensive options.
While Guthix Sleeps: Unlocks tormented demons and gives 100,000 experience lamps, which can be used on various skills for a huge experience boost.
The World Wakes: This quest unlocks the Sunshine and Death's Swiftness abilities, adding powerful combat utilities. It also provides a massive experience boost totaling 810,000 XP in various lamps.
City of Senntisten: Unlocks powerful new abilities like Smoke Cloud, Animate Dead, Exsanguinate, and Incite Fear, as well as the ability to create a Pontifex shadow ring.
Plague’s End: Unlocks the elven city of Prifddinas and offers a variety of experience lamps totaling 500,000 XP, making it a must-do quest for Ironmen ready to explore late-game content.
Fate of the Gods: Grants access to Freneskae and the Shard of Zaros, providing new training options and protection in certain areas.
Ritual of the Mahjarrat: Rewards 80,000 experience in lamps and advances your progress in one of the game’s major storylines.
River of Blood: Unlocks the Sunspear, a versatile weapon, along with 75,000 XP in experience tomes.
Children of Mah: This quest unlocks Nightmare Creatures, a new Slayer creature with valuable drops.
Nomad's Elegy: Unlocks the Urn enhancer, which boosts the effectiveness of urns in training skills.
Sliske’s Endgame: Completes the storyline involving Sliske and grants 250,000 XP in experience lamps which can be spread across skills to provide a significant boost.

Mid-Game Money-Making Methods

At this stage Ironmen have more ways to earn money and resources. These methods are ideal for funding supplies, maintaining gear, and continuing to level up without relying on trade:

Safecracking: Safecracking grants high-value loot that can be sold for coins. It’s also one of the best Thieving experience sources giving you both gold and levels.
Slayer Tasks: Slayer monsters drop a variety of alchable items, like metal salvage and battlestaves. This is a steady income source, as you can train combat skills and earn gold simultaneously.
Arch-Glacor (0 Mechanic): Fighting Arch-Glacor with no mechanics is a great way to gather alchable items like metal salvage and battlestaves, as well as charms and skilling supplies. It’s an accessible boss for mid-game Ironmen.
Skilling Wilderness Flash Events: Completing skilling events in the Wilderness rewards you with sacks of wild rewards, which may contain necronium salvage that can be high alched for money. While riskier than other methods, these events provide valuable resources if you’re up for the challenge.

Each of these activities provides a steady income stream for mid-game Ironmen so be sure to add these to your routine.

The Late-Game

The late-game for Ironman mode in RuneScape 3 is where all your hard work and preparation come together. Quests here provide major unlocks and rewards, while bossing becomes the core activity with unique drops and gear that is essential for advancing further. Let’s break down these key elements to make the most of your Ironman’s late game.

Essential Late-Game Quests

Late-game quests are packed with high-value rewards, granting essential experience boosts, powerful items, and game-altering upgrades. Each quest adds critical tools for taking on the game’s toughest challenges.

Curse of the Black Stone: Completing this quest rewards you with huge XP lamps and a permanent 10% damage reduction in the Temple of Aminishi, Dragonkin Laboratory, and The Shadow Reef elite dungeons. This reduction is a significant boost for survivability in these challenging areas.
Extinction: This quest gives 175,000 XP in lamps and unlocks the ability to convert the Ring of Vigour into a passive effect, freeing up an equipment slot while retaining its benefits. Additionally, it unlocks new Firemaking and Fletching skilling methods.
Twilight of the Gods: Rewards include access to reroll tokens and a 10% damage reduction in The Zamorakian Undercity, making it a valuable quest for anyone looking to dive into late-game bossing content efficiently.

These quests are very important when it comes to maximizing your combat potential and endurance as you step up and into RuneScape 3’s toughest challenges.

Bossing in the Late-Game

At this stage bossing becomes the primary focus and it’s where Ironmen gain their most powerful items (e.g. weapons and armor along with various resources). The list below organizes bosses by difficulty, helping you decide which ones to tackle based on your current gear, skills, and combat level.

Easy Bosses

King Black Dragon
Kalphite Queen
Barrows
TzTok-Jad
Dagannoth Kings
Chaos Elemental
Giant Mole
General Graardor
Kree’arra
K'ril Tsutsaroth
Commander Zilyana
Corporeal Beast
Legiones

These bosses provide a good introduction to boss mechanics while dropping useful gear and resources. They’re perfect for Ironmen building up their supplies and armor.

Medium Difficulty Bosses

Helwyr
Gregorovic
Twin Furies
Vindicta
The Magister
Giant Mole
Har-Aken
Queen Black Dragon
Rex Matriarchs
Crassian Leviathan
Croesus

These mid-level bosses add complexity and better loot, including unique drops that are crucial for late-game setups. Regularly tackling these bosses can build up resources and gradually enhance your armor and weapons.

Hard Difficulty Bosses

Telos, the Warden
Nex: Angel of Death
Solak
The Sanctum Guardian
Masuta the Ascended
Seiryu the Azure Serpent
Astellarn
Verak Lith
Black Stone Dragon
Taraket the Necromancer
The Ambassador
Raksha, the Shadow Colossus
Kerapac, the Bound
Arch-Glacor
TzKal-Zuk
Zamorak, Lord of Chaos
Vorago
Barrows: Rise of the Six
Araxxor
Beastmaster Durzag
Yakamaru

These bosses represent the pinnacle of PvM challenges in RuneScape 3. They demand high skill, knowledge of mechanics, and optimized gear, but the rewards can transform an Ironman account. Drops from these bosses offer best-in-slot items and high-value resources.

Top Money-Making Methods for Late-Game Ironmen

In the late-game phase, Ironmen have access to some of the best money-making methods in the game, enabling them to fund high-cost supplies and repairs. These advanced methods focus on combat with specific NPCs and bosses that drop valuable items or large quantities of alchables, providing an effective way to keep your Ironman account well-funded.

Vyrelords: Killing Vyrelords provides a steady stream of alchable items along with skilling supplies that can be used or stored for later. On top of that, Vyrelords award a significant amount of Prayer experience when killed with a Sunspear or similar weapon, making them a two-in-one training and money-making method.
Spiritual Warriors: These NPCs drop numerous alchable items and are a consistent source of god components, which are invaluable for training the Invention skill. If you’re working on leveling Invention, Spiritual Warriors are a top choice with both resources and gold.
Streaking Hard Mode Arch-Glacor: For high-level Ironmen, streaking the Hard Mode Arch-Glacor at high enrage can be the best money-making method available. High enrage streaks can yield more than 6 million coins or alchable items per kill, creating a powerful income source while also challenging your PvM skills.

Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Activities for Ironmen

Keeping a strong routine of daily, weekly, and monthly tasks is absolutely critical for Ironmen and a way to get consistent experience, resources, and progress without ever needing the Grand Exchange. Tracking these activities in an in-game notes page can be incredibly helpful for remembering each event and the benefits it provides.

Daily Activities for Ironmen

Guthixian Caches: A must-do for the best Divination XP; you can complete up to 200 points daily.
Daily Challenges: Earn skill XP and weekly streak bonuses like Distraction and Diversion tokens, Reaper gifts, and deathtouched darts.
Nemi Forest: Loot 9 different nodes each day, granting XP in Mining, Farming, Prayer, and Dungeoneering.
Jack of Trades Aura: Available from Solomon’s General Store; grants a daily XP reward book after completing a set number of tasks.
Soul Reaper: Slayer XP and Reaper Points, which can be used to purchase high-tier jewelry components.
Player-Owned Farm: Exceptional for Farming XP and provides rewards for both Farming and Herblore.
Shop Run: Stock up on daily supplies that help with skills, bossing, and general progress.
Vis Wax: Earn Vis Wax to reset auras, quick charge teleports, and extend Daily Challenges.
Travelling Merchant: Sells rare items ideal for Ironmen, including useful supplies for various skills.
Player-Owned Ports: Access powerful items like Scrimshaws and high-tier equipment with level 90 in select skills.
Wicked Hood: Withdraws rune/pure essence and provides teleport options to altars—essential for Runecrafting.
Water Filtration System: Grants coins, soft clay, uncut gems, and Elder Troves daily.
Coeden: Supplies high-tier logs like yew, magic, and elder logs.
Red Sandstone and Crystal-flecked Sandstone: Mined daily to craft Potion and Crystal flasks.
Trinks' Tasks: Provides 45 Mazcab reputation daily, and at 5000 reputation, unlocks raid reward rerolls.
Anachronia Base Camp: Supplies rewards like Big Game Hunter upgrades and Slayer Helm stands.
Motherlode Maw and Wythien: Access to high-level items and cores; Wythien gives daily rewards from the Maw’s drop table.
Divine Locations: Use divine locations for resources (capped at 250/day based on total level).
Skill Outfit Headgear: Various sets provide daily resources in their respective skill fields, from clay to bird nests.
Gorajo Hoardstalker: Located in the Meilyr Clan resource dungeon, gives daily Gorajo cards for Dungeoneering benefits.
Arc Contracts: Complete up to three daily contracts in The Arc, providing Chimes and XP without resource hand-ins.
Crystal Tree Blossom: Grants 50,000 XP when planted, plus 15,000 daily when harvested (boosted if wearing Tirannwn quiver 4).

Weekly Activities for Ironmen

Herby Werby: Earn Herblore XP and rewards from the Herby Werby Reward Shop.
Penguin Hide and Seek: Collect points to exchange for experience lamps.
Tears of Guthix: Gain experience in your lowest skill based on the number of tears collected.
Circus: Provides Agility, Magic, Ranged, Firemaking, and Thieving XP.
Managing Miscellania: Assign workers for resources like mahogany logs for Construction training.
Agoroth: Kill Agoroth twice a week for coins and Black pearls, which grant medium fallen star XP.

Monthly Activities for Ironmen

Troll Invasion: Kill troll waves for a Reward book of XP.
Giant Oyster: Provides Fishing and Farming XP, plus Treasure Trail rewards.
God Statues: Build statues for Construction and Prayer XP.
Effigy Incubator: Collect materials to create effigies, rewarding XP lamps upon use.

These activities, once established as part of your Ironman routine, will continually support skill training, gear upgrades, and overall account progression without needing external player trades or the Grand Exchange.

Essential Items

Bonecrusher: This item automatically buries bones dropped by monsters, saving time and ensuring a steady flow of Prayer XP.
Twisted Bird Skull Necklace: When combined with the Bonecrusher, it restores Prayer points upon burying bones. This necklace is later outclassed by the split dragontooth and demon horn necklaces.
Charming Imp: Automatically collects charms dropped by monsters. It can also be set to destroy charms for bonus experience, perfect for streamlining Slayer and combat training.
Guthix Staff: A tier-60 Magic staff with a special attack that reduces the enemy’s Defense level, ideal for tougher battles early on.
Dragon Hatchet, Pickaxe, and Mattock: Each of these tier-60 tools is augmentable and can be upgraded to their crystal counterparts, making them essential for efficient skilling.
Vanquish: This tier-75 hybrid weapon switches between Melee, Ranged, and Magic styles. It’s available from May after reaching 150 quest points, adding versatility for hybrid combat scenarios.
Sunspear: A tier-78 hybrid weapon from the “River of Blood” quest that can switch between all combat styles. It also automatically burns vyre corpses, providing Prayer and Firemaking XP.
Chaotic Equipment: These tier-80 weapons and shields are augmentable and bring a substantial power boost for all combat styles.
Elite Enhanced Excalibur: Obtained through Seers’ Village achievements, this augmentable sword gives you a major healing effect every five minutes, essential for lasting longer in combat.
Infernal Puzzle Box: Grants multiple benefits, with its most notable feature preventing adrenaline drain outside combat, an advantage in extended fights.
God Wars Dungeon 1 and 2 Armour: Tier-70 and tier-80 augmentable armor sets from these dungeons are essential for challenging PvM encounters.
Masterwork Armour: Crafted at 99 Smithing, this tier-90 augmentable melee armor is a game-changer for defense in late-game content.
Alchemical Onyx Jewelry: The Grace of the Elves allows storage of sign of the porter charges and can summon Seren spirits, while the Luck of the Dwarves provides tier-4 luck for rare drops and access to Hazelmere's signet ring.
Araxxor Weaponry: Tier-90 augmentable weapons crafted from Araxxor drops. These weapons are essential for high-tier PvM.
Ascension Crossbows: These tier-90 augmentable crossbows are highly valuable, especially when used with bakriminel bolts for ranged combat.
Cinderbane Gloves: Tier-85 hybrid gloves that have a poison damage boost, making them best-in-slot against poisonable enemies. They’re dropped by creatures of the Lost Grove.
Essence of Finality Amulet: This powerful amulet combines the effects of the amulet of souls and reaper necklace and can store weapon special attacks, making it incredibly versatile.
Igneous Capes: The Igneous Kal-Ket, Kal-Mej, and Kal-Xil capes are among the strongest capes for each combat style and are obtained from flawless TzKal-Zuk completions. They can later be combined into the Igneous Kal-Zuk for unmatched combat power.
God Wars Dungeon 3 Equipment: AKA the Elder God War Dungeon; Tier-95 augmentable weapons and tier-90 augmentable armor, these items provide top-tier stats.

Well, there you have it! Again, feel free to bookmark this page so that you can come back and look for more tips as you level up and achieve your goals.

Best of luck!

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