RuneScape: Complete Guide

A guide to RuneScape (RS3) as it stands in late 2026: what's new with Havenhythe and the post-Treasure Hunter game, how skills and combat work, a free-to-play and members progression plan, money-making principles, and the mistakes that slow new players down.

Researched September 2026 — current as of Havenhythe Part II (launching 28 September 2026) and the Deep Clean update. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

What's Happening in September 2026

• Havenhythe Part II launches 28 September 2026. Havenhythe is a new landmass east of Morytania being released through 2026. Part II adds the vampyre city of Shuruk-Ba; the Ghrazi Blood Knights, a solo/duo end-game boss encounter, are part of the Havenhythe plan (check the launch notes for exactly when they go live). Jagex plans access to the Vampyrium itself in 2027.
• Earlier Havenhythe content: the western region launched 23 March 2026 and the Amberfell area on 1 June 2026. It includes the free-to-play quests Visions of Havenhythe and Hearts of Sanguine, members' quests Wiz Kid, Hermit Permits and Secrets of Amberfell, two early bosses (Ivar, King of Bones for free players and Silverquill, the Dreadhog for members), and training for Hunter, Farming, Fishing, Woodcutting, Archaeology and Summoning. Hunter's cap was raised to 110 with Havenhythe, alongside new Hunter content such as birdhouses, spirit moths and volatile chinchompas.
• Treasure Hunter is gone. After a player vote in October 2025, Jagex retired Treasure Hunter on 19 January 2026 and removed more than 225 MTX items from sale. A September 2026 post explains the plan for leftover legacy MTX items: use them during the next Double XP event in November 2026, before further changes arrive.
• Leagues II: EQUILIBRIUM ran from 10 August to 21 September 2026 and has wrapped up. Rewards go to your nominated account.
• The Deep Clean (week of 21 September) added quality-of-life fixes: fewer login messages and pop-ups, unified icons, refreshed level 99 skillcapes and boss health bars, keyboard bank PIN entry for Jagex accounts, and a 500-item furniture limit in Player-Owned Houses.
• Vulkan beta: an engine update on 7 September 2026 started an open beta of a Vulkan renderer, replacing OpenGL over time.

Quick Start

1. Make a Jagex Account. It's required for modern features like keyboard bank PIN entry and it secures your character.
2. Do the tutorial, then head to Lumbridge and Burthorpe. Follow the in-game guidance and early quests.
3. Quest early. Quests give XP, unlock areas, teleports and gear. Many early skills get jumps from quest rewards.
4. Pick a combat mode. Revolution auto-casts basic abilities from your bar; Full Manual gives you complete control. Start with Revolution and switch later.
5. Train Constitution by fighting. It's your health and comes from all combat.
6. Use the Grand Exchange (Varrock). Buy supplies and sell drops there; prices follow the market.
7. Bank often. Outside the Wilderness, items you die with go to Death's office, where you pay a reclaim fee to get them back; in the Wilderness you can lose them for good. Don't carry valuables you can't afford to reclaim.
8. Set goals. Pick a quest cape, a skill level, or a boss. RuneScape is huge and aimless play wears thin.
9. Consider membership once you like it. Members get all 29 skills, most quests, and the bulk of the map.

Skills

There are 29 skills. Free players can train 17 of them; members get all 29.

Level caps:

Invention needs level 80 in Crafting, Divination and Smithing before you can start. Necromancy (August 2023) is the newest skill and a standalone combat style.

Combat

RuneScape has four combat styles:

Ability Basics

• Abilities fill your action bar. Basic abilities build adrenaline; Thresholds and Ultimates spend it for big damage.
• Defensives like Resonance and Freedom save you in boss fights.
• Prayer: Protect prayers and damage-boosting prayers (curses once unlocked) matter a lot in PvM.
• Food and potions: Keep a stack of food and potions for anything dangerous.

Why Necromancy is a great first style

• It's self-contained: you get gear, abilities and conjures from the starting quest line at the City of Um, and it scales well into mid-game bosses.
• The starting quest is Necromancy!, which introduces the skill and its gear.

Early Progression Plan

Free-to-Play

1. Do early quests in Lumbridge, Draynor and Varrock for XP.
2. Train combat on goblins and cows, then hill giants.
3. Level Mining, Smithing and Woodcutting early; they feed gear and money.
4. Try the free Havenhythe quests Visions of Havenhythe and Hearts of Sanguine, and fight Ivar, King of Bones once your combat is up.

Members

1. Quests: Work toward the quests that unlock teleports, prayers and travel (fairy rings, spirit trees, Ancient Curses).
2. Slayer: Start with the first Slayer Master in Burthorpe (Turael). Slayer gives combat XP, drops and money all at once. Move up the masters as your combat level allows (see the table below).
3. Archaeology: Start at the Archaeology Campus near Varrock's Dig Site. It unlocks relic powers that help everything else.
4. Invention: Once you hit 80 Crafting, Divination and Smithing, Invention adds perks to your gear.
5. Bossing: Move from early bosses to mid-tier ones. Havenhythe's Silverquill, the Dreadhog is an early members boss.

Slayer Master Ladder

Higher masters assign tougher monsters and give more Slayer points per task. Spend points on unlocks that let you block or skip tasks you hate, and on extending tasks you like. Several masters (for example Chaeldar in Zanaris, Duradel in Shilo Village, and Morvran in Prifddinas) sit in areas that need quests before you can reach them, so check the master's wiki page before you plan around them.

Your First Week: A Checklist

A rough order that works for most new accounts, free or members:

1. Finish the tutorial and set up your Jagex Account with two-factor authentication.
2. Pick a combat style and stick with it for a while. Necromancy (members) or Melee are the easiest to learn.
3. Do the early quests around Lumbridge, Draynor and Varrock; they're quick and give XP in several skills.
4. Get a gathering skill and its processing skill going together (for example Mining and Smithing, or Fishing and Cooking) so you can make your own supplies.
5. Visit the Grand Exchange in Varrock to learn prices before you sell drops.
6. Start Slayer with Turael as soon as you're comfortable in combat.
7. Set up bank presets once you're doing repeated trips.
8. Try the free Havenhythe quests, and fight Ivar, King of Bones when your combat is ready.

Death and Risk

• Outside the Wilderness, dying sends your items to Death's office. You pay a reclaim fee based on the value of what you had; cheap gear costs little, expensive gear more.
• In the Wilderness you can lose items to other players. Only take what you're prepared to lose.
• Bosses: bring food, potions and the right prayers, and learn the mechanics on the wiki or in a practice run before bringing expensive gear.
• Hardcore Ironman accounts lose their hardcore status on death, so play those far more carefully.

Money Making (Principles)

• Skilling: Gathering skills (Mining, Woodcutting, Fishing) sell raw materials. Profit rises with level.
• Slayer and bossing: The best long-term money is PvM drops.
• Flipping: Buying low and selling high on the Grand Exchange, using buy limits and margins.
• Daily and weekly activities: Many minigames and dailies give valuable rewards.
• Avoid: Paying real money to buy gold from third parties; it's against the rules and risks bans.

Membership and Bonds

• Membership unlocks all skills, most of the map, and the vast majority of content.
• Bonds can be bought with real money and traded in game. They can be redeemed for membership, so rich players can pay for membership with gold.
• Ironman / Hardcore Ironman: Self-sufficient modes with no trading. Recommended only once you know the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping quests. They unlock huge amounts of content and XP.
• Training one skill forever. Balanced progress unlocks more gear and content.
• Walking into bosses without supplies. Food, potions and a good prayer set are mandatory.
• Ignoring Slayer. It's the best combined combat XP and money source.
• Buying gear upgrades you can't use. Check level requirements first.
• Hoarding old MTX items. Use them in the November 2026 Double XP event; Jagex has said they won't remain indefinitely.

Advanced Tips

• Learn Full Manual eventually. For bosses it's much stronger than Revolution.
• Use presets. Save your gear and inventory as bank presets for fast bossing trips.
• Aim for the Quest Cape. Finishing all quests is a major milestone and unlocks a lot along the way.
• Relics from Archaeology (for example Fury of the Small, which boosts adrenaline from basic abilities) are among the best long-term power upgrades for both combat and skilling.
• Plan for the Max Cape and Completionist Cape as long-term goals.

FAQ

Is Treasure Hunter still in RuneScape? No. It was retired on 19 January 2026 after a player vote. Remaining legacy MTX items are being phased out; Jagex recommends using them in the November 2026 Double XP event.

What is Havenhythe Part II? The next part of the Havenhythe region, launching 28 September 2026. It adds the vampyre city of Shuruk-Ba, with the Ghrazi Blood Knights end-game bosses planned as part of the expansion.

How many skills are there? 29. Free players can train 17; members get all 29.

What's the max level? Most skills cap at 99; some at 110 or 120. Hunter was raised to 110 with Havenhythe.

Should I play RS3 or Old School RuneScape? They're different games. RS3 has modern combat, more skills and a bigger world; OSRS is the 2007-era game with its own updates.

What's RuneScape: Dragonwilds? A separate survival-crafting game set in the RuneScape universe. Version 1.0 is now live.

Is RuneScape free? Yes, the free version is extensive. Membership unlocks most of the game.

Sources

• RuneScape on Steam
• Steam News: RuneScape
• RuneScape Wiki: Havenhythe
• RuneScape Wiki: Skills
• RuneScape Wiki: Slayer master
• What's happening with MTX Items in RuneScape (Sept 24, 2026)
• The Week Ahead: The Deep Clean (Sept 21, 2026)