Published: August 24, 2025
High Level Alchemy is one of the most popular methods for training Magic in Old School RuneScape. It's relatively AFK, profitable at higher levels, and doesn't require much attention once you get the rhythm down. This guide covers everything you need to know about alching from level 55 (when you unlock High Level Alchemy) all the way to 99 Magic.
High Level Alchemy is a Magic spell that converts items into coins. It requires level 55 Magic to cast and uses 5 nature runes and 1 fire rune per cast. The spell has a 3-second cooldown, meaning you can cast it once every 3 seconds.
When you cast High Level Alchemy on an item, you receive coins equal to 60% of the item's Grand Exchange mid price. For example, if an item is worth 1000 coins, alching it gives you 600 coins. This means you lose 40% of the item's value, but you gain Magic experience.
Each successful alch gives 65 Magic experience, regardless of what item you're alching. This makes alching a consistent training method, though the cost varies depending on which items you choose to alch.
When you first unlock High Level Alchemy at level 55, you'll want to focus on items that minimize losses. At these levels, you're still building your bank, so profit matters more than speed.
Good starter items include yew longbows, which are commonly alched because they're easy to obtain and have reasonable margins. You can buy them from the Grand Exchange or make them yourself if you have the Fletching level.
Another option is rune items like rune med helms or rune full helms. These often have small profit margins or break even, making them ideal for early alching. Check Grand Exchange prices before buying large quantities, as prices fluctuate.
At these levels, expect to gain around 50,000 to 60,000 Magic experience per hour. This is slower than other methods, but alching is more AFK and can be profitable if you choose the right items.
As you progress, you'll unlock better items to alch and can afford to take small losses for faster experience. Magic longbows become available and are popular choices for mid-level alching.
Dragonhide bodies are excellent at these levels. Green dragonhide bodies are commonly alched and often have small profit margins. Blue and red dragonhide bodies become options as you level up and can afford them.
Experience rates improve to around 65,000 to 75,000 per hour at these levels. You're still being efficient with your time, but you can afford to take small losses for convenience.
Consider using a rune pouch to save inventory space. This lets you carry more items to alch and reduces banking frequency. The rune pouch holds your nature and fire runes, freeing up inventory slots.
At high levels, you can afford to take larger losses for maximum experience rates. Many players switch to items like onyx bolts or other high-value items that give faster experience despite higher costs.
However, if you want to maintain profitability, items like magic longbows, dragonhide bodies, or battlestaves remain good options. You can achieve 78,000 to 82,000 experience per hour while still making small profits or breaking even.
Some players prefer to alch while doing other activities, like agility training or bank standing skills. This maximizes efficiency by training multiple skills simultaneously.
At these levels, you're close to 99, so consistency matters more than speed. Find items that work for your budget and stick with them until you reach your goal.
The best items to alch depend on your budget and goals. For profit-focused alching, look for items with small margins between their Grand Exchange buy price and their alch value minus rune costs.
Yew longbows are consistently good choices. They're easy to obtain, have reasonable margins, and are commonly traded. Magic longbows are better at higher levels but cost more upfront.
Dragonhide bodies are excellent mid to high level options. Green, blue, and red dragonhide bodies all have good alch margins and are commonly available on the Grand Exchange.
Rune items like rune med helms, rune full helms, and rune kiteshields are good early level options. They often break even or have small profits, making them ideal for players building their banks.
Battlestaves are popular high-level options. Air battlestaves are commonly alched and have good margins. They're more expensive upfront but offer better experience rates.
For efficient alching, you'll want a rune pouch to save inventory space. This holds your nature and fire runes, freeing up slots for items to alch. The rune pouch is essential for long alching sessions.
Wear lightweight armor to reduce weight and improve run energy regeneration. You don't need combat stats for alching, so prioritize weight reduction over defense.
Consider using a staff of fire or fire battlestaff to save fire runes. This reduces rune costs slightly, though the savings are small compared to nature rune costs.
For banking, use a bank that's close to a good alching spot. The Grand Exchange is popular because it's close to banks and has good item availability. Varrock West Bank is another good option.
To maximize experience rates, minimize banking time. Use a rune pouch, carry as many items as possible, and bank efficiently. Every second saved banking adds up over long sessions.
Learn the alching rhythm. The spell has a 3-second cooldown, so you can develop a consistent clicking pattern. Many players find a rhythm that makes alching feel natural and less tedious.
Consider alching while doing other activities. You can alch while training agility, doing bank standing skills, or even while watching videos. This makes the grind more bearable.
Use noted items when possible. This lets you carry more items per inventory, reducing banking frequency. However, you'll need to unnote items at banks, which adds a small time cost.
Alching costs depend on which items you choose and current Grand Exchange prices. Nature runes cost around 100-120 coins each, and fire runes are cheap. The main cost is the difference between item buy price and alch value.
For profitable alching, you need items where the alch value minus rune costs is higher than the buy price. This requires checking prices regularly, as margins change with market fluctuations.
At higher levels, many players accept small losses for faster experience. If you can afford it, taking a 10-20 coin loss per alch is reasonable for the convenience and experience rates.
Calculate your costs before buying large quantities. A small profit per alch adds up over thousands of casts, but so do small losses. Know your budget and stick to it.
From level 55 to 99 Magic, you need approximately 13 million experience. At 65,000 experience per hour (a reasonable rate for efficient alching), this takes around 200 hours of alching.
This is a significant time investment, but alching is one of the more AFK Magic training methods. You can do it while watching videos, listening to music, or doing other activities.
Many players don't alch all the way to 99. They use alching for early levels, then switch to faster methods like bursting or barraging at higher levels. Alching is more about convenience and profit than pure speed.
If you want faster experience rates, consider other Magic training methods. Bursting or barraging at the Monkey Madness 2 tunnels gives much faster experience but costs significantly more.
Superglass Make is another option that's faster than alching and can be profitable. It requires level 77 Magic and Lunar spellbook access, but gives excellent experience rates.
Alching remains a solid choice for players who want AFK training, profit potential, or a method that doesn't require much attention. It's not the fastest method, but it's reliable and accessible.
Ultimately, the best Magic training method depends on your goals, budget, and playstyle. Alching is excellent for players who want a balance of experience, profit, and convenience.