Welcome to my updated 1-99 Thieving guide! Whether you’re new to Old School RuneScape (OSRS) or a seasoned veteran looking to improve your skills, this comprehensive guide will help you maximize your XP gains, explore different methods of training, and optimize your journey to 99 Thieving.
In this guide, we’ll first cover quests that can give you a jump start on your thieving gains. Then, we’ll explore helpful items and boosts that make training more efficient. After that, I’ll walk you through the simple route I’d recommend for 99 Thieving, followed by several alternate methods you can use to level up OSRS Powerleveling. And finally, we’ll discuss a few money-making options related to Thieving. With plenty of options to choose from, this guide is designed to offer flexibility based on your preferences and current OSRS progress.
Quests for Early Thieving XP
Many players overlook quests when considering Thieving training, but some excellent quests grant valuable XP early on. Completing these quests not only boosts your XP but also unlocks useful features and progress for future training. Here are a few key quests to get you started:
- Hazel Cult, Tower of Life, and Biohazard: These quests don’t have any Thieving requirements but can jump you from level 1 to 17 Thieving.
- Twilight’s Promise: This quest gives an additional 3k XP, bumping you up to 22 Thieving.
- Queen of Thieves: This quest will take you to 25 Thieving, a solid starting point for your Thieving journey.
For more quest options to help with Thieving XP, refer to the full list provided in the description. Completing these early quests will set you on the right path, and 25 Thieving is a good milestone to reach before moving on to more intensive training methods.
Helpful Items and Boosts for Thieving
Several items can significantly enhance your Thieving training efficiency, especially when it comes to pickpocketing and looting. Here are a few essential items and boosts to keep in mind:
Rogues Outfit
The Rogues outfit, which you can obtain from the Rogues Den, is a must-have for maximizing Thieving gains. This set includes several pieces, each of which increases your chance to pickpocket double loot. If you wear the full set, you’re guaranteed to get double loot every time. To participate in this mini-game, you need 50 Thieving and 50 Agility. While the obstacles in the Rogues Den can drain both stats, with some practice and knowledge, the path becomes relatively easy to follow. Once you complete the Den, you’ll have a chance to receive the Rogues equipment crate, which allows you to choose your desired gear piece.
Dodgy Necklace
A Dodgy Necklace is an essential item for anyone doing pickpocketing. You can get these by enchanting an Opal Necklace or simply buying them from the Grand Exchange. When worn, the necklace gives you a 25% chance to avoid being stunned or damaged when failing a pickpocket attempt. This item has 10 charges, so be prepared to burn through them during long training sessions.
Shadow Veil Spell
The Shadow Veil spell, found in the Ancient Magicks spellbook, requires level 47 Magic and the completion of the Kingdom Divided quest. Using this spell provides a short duration where you won’t be stunned or take damage when failing a pickpocket. It stacks with the Dodgy Necklace effect, and the higher your Magic level, the longer the effect lasts.
Ardouin Diaries
Completing the Ardouin Diaries provides a helpful boost to pickpocketing. At medium diary completion, you get a 10% increase to pickpocket chances in Ardouin. If you complete the hard diaries, this bonus applies everywhere in the game, even without the Ardouin cloak.
Thieving Cape
Once you reach level 99 Thieving, you’ll be able to wear the Thieving Cape, which provides a 10% increased chance for pickpocketing success. While not essential for training, this cape is helpful when you’re looking to maximize efficiency in high-level money-making methods.
Menu Entry Swapper
One of the best quality-of-life changes you can make is enabling the Menu Entry Swapper plugin on RuneLite. This plugin allows you to change the default interaction with NPCs. For Thieving, you can set the “Pickpocket” option to left-click, which will save you time and prevent you from mistakenly attacking or interacting with NPCs in a way you didn’t intend. This feature is also available for mobile players, making Thieving more streamlined on all platforms.
My Recommended 1-99 Thieving Route
Now that we’ve covered quests and useful items, let’s take a look at my recommended path to 99 Thieving. This route is designed to be efficient and straightforward, especially for players who prefer traditional training methods.
Levels 1-5: Pickpocketing Men/Women
You can start training Thieving as soon as you’ve completed the introduction to the game and can access NPCs. Men and women are found in many towns and cities, with Lumbridge being the most accessible. You’ll receive coin pouches instead of direct coins from these NPCs, which you can open for small amounts of OSRS gold. Wearing the Rogues outfit increases your loot chances, making these low-level pickpocketing opportunities much more rewarding.
Levels 5-25: Bakery Stalls (Ardouin)
At level 5, move on to bakery stalls in Ardouin. There are multiple bakery stalls in the city, but for the fastest XP, I recommend using the stall located in the northeast of the square. You can stand directly on the square with the baker and steal from him without being noticed. The nearby guards won’t aggro you unless you make a mistake. If you do aggro them, you’ll have to run a short distance to get them off your trail.
Levels 25-51: Fruit Stalls (Hosidius)
From level 25, you can begin looting fruit stalls in Hosidius. The stalls are near the bank, but for the best XP rates, head east to the stalls in the nearby house. Fruits here are of little value, so don’t worry about the potential for wasting inventory space. The added benefit of using Strange Fruits for run energy can save you on stamina potions, making this an economical training method. By level 51, you should be set to move on to more advanced methods.
Levels 51-99: Pyramid Plunder (Sopanam)
Pyramid Plunder in Sopanam is my go-to method for levels 51 to 99. To access it, you’ll need to complete the Icthlarin’s Little Helper quest. Once unlocked, you can use a Pharaoh’s Scepter or travel to Sopanam using the Magic Carpet system. The method involves looting urns, sarcophagi, and a golden chest within a time limit of 5 minutes per run. Focus on looting urns for XP and avoid sarcophagi, as they give slow strength XP instead. The key is to loot the golden chest each time for a chance at a Pharaoh’s Scepter. You’ll need to have food and anti-poison on hand, as certain urns can poison you. As you progress and unlock new rooms, your XP rates will improve significantly.
Alternate Methods for Thieving XP
If you’re looking for variety or higher intensity training, there are a few alternate methods worth considering:
Chambers of Xeric
In the Chambers of Xeric, there is a puzzle room focused solely on Thieving. While not the fastest method, it’s a great option if you’re participating in raids and want to level up Thieving passively while helping your team complete the raid.
Pickpocketing High-Level NPCs
Once you’ve reached higher Thieving levels, you can start pickpocketing NPCs that provide significant rewards. NPCs like Ardouin Guards, Master Farmers, or the like can offer higher XP per pickpocket. However, these methods can be more challenging and require a lot of attention.
Money-Making with Thieving
Thieving isn’t just a fast way to level up; it can also be a lucrative money-making skill or buy RuneScape gold. Some profitable methods include:
- Pickpocketing Elf Warriors: These high-level NPCs drop valuable items like the Elven Signet and high-value coins.
- Master Farmers: Pickpocketing these farmers can yield valuable seeds, herbs, and other high-value items.
- Looting Pyramid Plunder: The Pharaoh’s Scepter, while rare, can be worth millions of coins.
Conclusion
Thieving is a fun and rewarding skill in OSRS, offering a variety of methods to help you achieve your goal of 99. Whether you prefer questing, traditional pickpocketing, or more specialized methods like Pyramid Plunder, there are plenty of ways to level up and make some profit along the way. By combining useful items, boosts, and optimal routes, you’ll make quick progress towards your goal of becoming a master thief!
