The short version
30-second read- Linked characters get 20 extra bank spaces. Linking to a Jagex Account is permanent, and turning on two-factor also opens the fancier boots option.
- Do Children of the Sun, then Twilight's Promise. Both are short, open Varlamore and give you Renu, your own quetzal for the transport network.
- Double-check guides that never mention Varlamore or Sailing. Confirm their requirements and GP per hour on the wiki before buying supplies.
- Write a 30-day goal sized to your hours. One skill, one questline and one boss is plenty for a first month back.
Quick Take
Spend your first session back on the account itself. Log in through the Jagex Launcher, link your old character to a Jagex Account if you never did, switch on an authenticator and price-check your bank. Then read the table of changes below, pick one money method and one goal for the month, and leave the Inferno for later.
This guide is for players coming back after months or years away. Dates and requirements below match the OSRS Wiki as of October 2026.
Who This Guide Is For
- Players returning after one to five or more years
- RS3 players moving over to OSRS
- Mains who stopped halfway to a quest cape and lost track
Brand-new players should start with the beginner guide.
What Changed While You Were Away (2024 to 2026)
If you left before 2024, these are the updates that change where you train, boss and travel. Everything here is members-only except the tutorial change.
| Update | Released | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Varlamore Part One | 20 March 2024 | A new region, opened by Children of the Sun (very short, no requirements). Adds the Fortis Colosseum and the Hunter Guild |
| Varlamore Part Two: The Rising Darkness | 25 September 2024 | Aldarin and the Hueycoatl group boss |
| Varlamore Part Three: The Final Dawn | 23 July 2025 | Tlati Rainforest, Auburn Valley, the Doom of Mokhaiotl and the Gemstone Crab |
| Tutorial Island becomes a quest | 22 October 2025 | Renamed Learning the Ropes on 11 February 2026, so it now counts in your quest list |
| Sailing | 19 November 2025 | A new members skill. Start it with Pandemonium on the Port Sarim docks, which gives you a raft as your first boat |
| Wyrmscraig | 29 July 2026 | An island in The Lonely Sea that needs 62 Sailing. Fallen From Grace unlocks the Mad Angel boss, and the Slayer master Mortimer only assigns superior monsters |
Sailing is the big one for most returners, because islands, Wyrmscraig and several new quests sit behind Sailing levels. The Sailing guide covers what it unlocks for an existing account.
Gone since before 2024? A few earlier updates matter just as much: Nex, sealed under the God Wars Dungeon (January 2022), the Guardians of the Rift Runecraft minigame (March 2022), the Tombs of Amascut raid (August 2022), Forestry events for Woodcutting (June and October 2023) and Desert Treasure II with its four new bosses (July 2023).
The wiki counts 184 quests worth 343 quest points as of 8 September 2026. A quest cape earned before the newer quests came out stays unequipped until you finish them.
Logging In After a Long Break
Login is the first thing that will look different. Since 9 January 2024 every new account has to be a Jagex Account, and older accounts can be upgraded with the Upgrade button in the account settings.
- Linking a character to a Jagex Account is permanent and replaces its old login details
- You then play through the Jagex Launcher, which starts the official client, RuneLite or HDOS. Steam login keeps working
- Linked characters get 20 extra bank spaces
- With two-factor authentication on, the fourth floor of the Stronghold of Security offers fancier boots
- Save the backup codes you get when you set up the authenticator app. They are the only way back in if you lose the phone
First Login Checklist
In order, before you go after any old favourite boss:
- Update RuneLite and your plugins, and rebind the keys you still remember
- Price-check the bank, because item values may have moved a lot
- List unfinished achievement diaries and key quests
- Pick a current money method instead of the one you used in 2019
- Check the date on any guide or video you follow. If it never mentions Varlamore or Sailing, confirm its requirements and GP per hour on the wiki before you buy supplies
- Join a relaxed clan or Discord where you can ask what changed
Practical Step-By-Step Plan
Your first two weeks back:
- 1
Spend one session only on the client, login and bank layout.
- 2
Finish the easiest incomplete diary tier you can.
- 3
Do Children of the Sun so Varlamore is open, then Twilight's Promise (short, and Children of the Sun is its only requirement). It gives you Renu, your own quetzal, which opens the quetzal transport network. After that, resume one questline you care about.
- 4
Test one money method for a full hour and write down the real GP per hour.
- 5
Kill one boss you already almost know.
- 6
Write a 30-day goal that fits the hours you actually have.
One skill, one questline and one boss is plenty.
What Probably Feels Different
- New areas and travel, from Varlamore's quetzals to Sailing routes
- Boss and raid strategies that assume better prayer and gear knowledge
- Grand Exchange prices that make an old rich bank feel average
- Plugins and tick-precise play being normal for harder content
Feeling behind is normal. You do not have to catch up in a week.
Gear Reality Check
Your old best-in-slot gear is probably still fine for learning. Use the BiS gear guide as a long-term target, and upgrade whatever actually gets you killed first (defence, damage or prayer) before the slot that looks best.
Common Mistakes
- Buying an expensive item on day one that you cannot use well yet
- Ignoring diaries that would save hours every week
- Comparing yourself to maxed streamers on day two
- Starting a Hardcore Ironman in your first week back. One unsafe death turns it into a regular Ironman
- Quitting again after one bad boss trip
Most returns fail because the player tries to do too much in the first week.
When Paid Help Makes Sense (Optional)
If you came back with limited hours and a quest wall, questing or targeted skills can get you moving again. Check your account security settings before anyone else logs in.
Browse Questing services, read client reviews, or go back to the blog hub.
FAQ
Is OSRS too different after years away?
It is bigger, not unrecognisable. The loop is still train, quest, unlock and fight. Raids, Slayer and achievement diaries still decide how strong an account is, and the newer content adds places to do that rather than replacing what you already know.
Do I have to switch to a Jagex Account?
New accounts have had to be Jagex Accounts since 9 January 2024. An older character can be upgraded with the Upgrade button in your account settings. Linking cannot be undone, and in return you get 20 extra bank spaces, plus the fancier boots option once two-factor authentication is on.
Where do I start Sailing?
Talk to Will and Anne on the Port Sarim docks to start Pandemonium. It has no requirements beyond membership and gives you a raft.
Do I need to train Sailing right away?
No. It is a long-term skill. Train it when it gates something you want, such as the 62 Sailing for Wyrmscraig, and fit it around quests and diaries instead of rushing it in your first month back.
Is my old money method dead?
Often it has been nerfed or overtaken. Test it for one hour, and if the GP per hour is poor, switch using the 2026 money guide.
Should I make a new account?
Rarely. Coming back on your main keeps your bank and quest progress. A new account makes sense if you want to try Ironman, which can only be chosen on Tutorial Island.
Still stuck on a mechanic? Ask the team on our Discord, it is free.
Bottom Line
Login and security first, then bank, diaries and one money method. Varlamore and Sailing can wait until the basics feel familiar again.
Give yourself 14 days before you decide whether OSRS still holds your interest.
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