Be sure to pick up every bone you come across. Bury them or save them for use on a Gilded Altar later to power-level your Prayer—a vital skill for RuneScape gold combat survivability.

Level Prayer Strategically

Prayer gives access to protective and offensive abilities critical for Ironman survivability, especially in bossing and quests. Here's how to train it early:

Bury all bones you collect from chickens, cows, goblins, and other creatures.

As you unlock more GP and Construction, build a Gilded Altar in your POH with burners for faster training.

Use Ectofuntus for early high XP gains if you're willing to grind slime and bone dust.

You'll want to hit level 43 for Protect from Melee as soon as you reasonably can—it will make many bosses and quest fights manageable.

Combine Skills for Efficiency

Time is precious in Ironman mode. Whenever possible, train multiple skills at once to reduce downtime and increase productivity.
Examples:

Fish and Cook: Cook what you catch immediately.

Chop and Burn: Train Woodcutting and Firemaking together.

Kill and Loot: Fight enemies that give both useful resources (bones, hides, herbs) and combat XP.

Mine and Smelt: Use the ores you mine right away to smith armor.

Also, make use of early-game tools and gear that improve your gathering speed—upgrade your axes, pickaxes, and fishing rods as soon as possible.

Unlock Key Locations and Resources

Gaining access to critical areas can streamline your Ironman journey immensely:

Fairy Rings – Unlocked via Fairytale II - Cure a Queen. Offers fast travel across Gielinor.

Ardougne Cloak 1 – Easy teleport to Ardougne Monastery and good early prayer bonuses.

Glory Amulet (via crafting or dragons) – Offers teleports to key locations.

Player-Owned House – Build it as soon as possible for easy teleports, banking alternatives (especially for UIM), and fast skill training.

Prepare for Mid-Game Goals Early

Planning your progression helps avoid wasted time and resources later on. As you near the mid-game, start preparing for:

Barrows – One of the best places for Ironmen to get top-tier combat gear. Prepare by raising combat stats and Prayer.

Slayer – Begin training it early. It's the best long-term skill for acquiring high-tier items, gear, and boss access.

Farming – Even basic herb patches will save you thousands of hours hunting for potion ingredients.

Construction – Even at level 50–60, POH unlocks give major utility and teleports.

Final Thoughts

Ironman mode is RuneScape at its rawest and rewarding. There's no marketplace safety net, no "just buy it"option, and no one to carry you. Every upgrade is earned. Every item is gathered. Every boss is conquered solo.

The early game can be a grind, but it's also where your path is forged. By focusing on efficient questing, self-sufficient resource gathering, skill synergy, and smart combat training, you'll set the groundwork for long-term success.

Whether your end goal is to complete the Achievement Diary, kill Zulrah, or simply enjoy the satisfaction of progressing without help, Ironman mode turns every milestone into a major victory.

Stay patient, stay organized, and enjoy the journey.

Old School RuneScape's Ironman mode transforms the traditional MMO experience into a grueling, highly rewarding solo adventure. In this self-sufficient playstyle, players are barred from trading, using the Grand Exchange, or relying on RS gold assistance from others. Every item, piece of gear, and coin must be earned through your own sweat, strategy, and skill.