The short version
30-second read- Free players get Smithing from The Knight's Sword. It pays 12,725 Smithing XP and needs 10 Mining, which can be boosted.
- Low-XP quests unlock skills and areas. Druidic Ritual opens Herblore, Rune Mysteries opens Runecraft and Priest in Peril opens Morytania.
- Batch quests by region to cut travel. Lumbridge, Draynor and Varrock cover most of the free ones, so clear them together.
- Move to an optimal order after 15-25 quests. Lingering on easy quests delays achievement diaries and bossing.
Quick Take
The best beginner quests in OSRS are Waterfall Quest, Tree Gnome Village, Fight Arena and The Grand Tree for members, and The Knight's Sword and Vampyre Slayer if you are still free-to-play. Waterfall Quest alone pays 13,750 Attack and 13,750 Strength XP with no skill requirements, which takes a fresh account to level 30 in both.
Do the twelve quests below before you train combat by hand, then move on to the full optimal quest order.
XP and requirements match the OSRS Wiki as of October 2026. Open the wiki page for each quest before you start it.
The 12 Best Early Quests for XP
| Quest | Free or members | XP reward | What to check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Restless Ghost | Free | 1,125 Prayer | No skill requirements |
| Doric's Quest | Free | 1,300 Mining | No skill requirements |
| The Knight's Sword | Free | 12,725 Smithing | 10 Mining, boostable |
| Vampyre Slayer | Free | 4,825 Attack | No skill requirements |
| Waterfall Quest | Members | 13,750 Attack, 13,750 Strength | No skill requirements. You run past level 86 fire giants and a level 84 moss guardian |
| Tree Gnome Village | Members | 11,450 Attack | No skill requirements |
| Fight Arena | Members | 12,175 Attack, 2,175 Thieving | No skill requirements |
| Witch's House | Members | 6,325 Hitpoints | Four forms from level 19 to 53, fought back to back |
| The Grand Tree | Members | 18,400 Attack, 7,900 Agility, 2,150 Magic | 25 Agility (boostable). The level 172 Black demon can be safespotted with Ranged or Magic |
| The Tourist Trap | Members | 4,650 XP twice, in Agility, Fletching, Smithing or Thieving | 10 Fletching and 20 Smithing, both boostable |
| Sleeping Giants | Members | 6,000 Smithing | 15 Smithing, not boostable. Opens the Giants' Foundry |
| Dragon Slayer I | Free | 18,650 Strength, 18,650 Defence | 32 quest points and a level 83 Elvarg. Lets you wear a rune platebody |
Doric's Quest goes before The Knight's Sword because its 1,300 Mining XP is level 10 on its own, which is the Mining The Knight's Sword needs. The Knight's Sword then pays 12,725 Smithing XP, which puts you at level 29 and clears the 20 Smithing for The Tourist Trap and the 15 for Sleeping Giants.
Dragon Slayer I sits last because it needs 32 quest points, and the eleven quests above it give 23. Goblin Diplomacy (5), Romeo & Juliet (5) and Ernest the Chicken (4) are free and close the gap.
Quests That Switch Something On
Some quests give little XP but unlock a skill, an area or a teleport you will use for the life of the account:
- Druidic Ritual: you cannot train Herblore at all until it is done
- Rune Mysteries (free): opens Runecraft
- Priest in Peril: opens Morytania and pays 1,406 Prayer XP. A long list of later quests needs it
- Lost City: opens Zanaris and lets you buy and wield the dragon longsword and dragon dagger at 60 Attack. Needs 31 Crafting and 36 Woodcutting, both boostable
- Children of the Sun: a very short members quest with no requirements that opens Varlamore
- X Marks the Spot (free): a 300 XP lamp for any skill, access to scroll boxes, and a clue scroll stack limit one higher on every tier
Who This Guide Is For
- Accounts under about 100 quest points
- Players training combat the slow way
- Anyone overwhelmed by a list of 184 quests
This is a starter shortlist. A quest cape route is a different, much longer plan.
Practical Step-By-Step Plan
A simple beginner questing loop:
- 1
Open the wiki quest list and filter to quests whose requirements you already meet.
- 2
Batch quests in the same region to cut travel.
Lumbridge, Draynor and Varrock cover most of the free ones.
- 3
Spend quest XP on slow skills when a quest gives a choice.
- 4
Stop to train only the next requirement you need, not random skills.
- 5
After 15 to 25 quests, switch to an optimal order guide.
- 6
Keep a note of quests you started and left half done.
When to Stop Beginner Questing
Once you have the combat quests above done, a money method and travel through Morytania or Zanaris, switch to a structured order. Hanging around easy quests forever delays achievement diaries and bossing.
Common Mistakes
- Doing quests in alphabetical order
- Training 20 levels for one optional quest too early
- Skipping the wiki guide and getting stuck halfway through a dialogue chain
- Starting grandmaster quests as a brand-new player
Treat early quests as XP and unlocks. The quest cape can come later.
When Paid Help Makes Sense (Optional)
If dialogue-heavy quests are the only thing between you and content you enjoy, quest services can clear a specific list with the scope agreed in writing.
Browse Quest services, read client reviews, or go back to the blog hub.
FAQ
What is the best first quest in OSRS?
Waterfall Quest for members. It has no skill requirements and pays 13,750 Attack and 13,750 Strength XP. For free players, The Knight's Sword (12,725 Smithing) and Vampyre Slayer (4,825 Attack) are the best XP.
Free-to-play only: which quests matter?
24 quests are free, worth 46 quest points. The biggest XP rewards are The Knight's Sword, Vampyre Slayer, Doric's Quest, The Restless Ghost and Dragon Slayer I, which pays 18,650 Strength and Defence and lets you wear a rune platebody.
Which quests give quest points fastest?
Among the free quests, Goblin Diplomacy (5 points, very short), Romeo & Juliet (5, short) and Ernest the Chicken (4, very short) are the best value. Demon Slayer, Vampyre Slayer, Prince Ali Rescue and Black Knights' Fortress add 3 each, for 26 points across those seven.
Should I rush Dragon Slayer I?
Only once you have the 32 quest points and can handle a level 83 dragon. The rune platebody unlock is worth it, but do it when your combat stats make the fight comfortable.
Still stuck on a mechanic? Ask the team on our Discord, it is free.
Bottom Line
Waterfall Quest, Tree Gnome Village, Fight Arena and The Grand Tree cover most of your early Attack. The Knight's Sword and Sleeping Giants cover Smithing, and Witch's House covers Hitpoints.
Shortlist, batch by region, then follow an optimal order.
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