Whether you’re new to PvM or have been grinding solo kills and are looking to step up your game, the road to raiding is exciting but requires some planning. I want to talk about getting raid-ready. We’ll discuss quests, recommended training spots, gear progression, and essential mechanics to master.

Prerequisite Quests

Quests are an essential foundation for any PvM journey in OSRS. If you already have the Quest Cape, you might be familiar with some of the benefits, but here’s a breakdown of specific quests that directly impact raiding success:

1. Desert Treasure I – Unlocks the Ancient Spellbook, which is critical in Theater of Blood (ToB) for freezing enemies like crabs in Nylo rooms.

2. Lunar Diplomacy – Grants access to the Lunar Spellbook. Spells like Vengeance are invaluable for various encounters, and in some raids, you may be tasked with buffing your team using the Lunar spells.

3. A Kingdom Divided – Provides access to the Arceuus Spellbook and spells like Ghostly Grasp, which can boost DPS once you’re comfortable with other setups.

4. Desert Treasure II – Required for best-in-slot rings like the Magus Ring, which is particularly effective in Tombs of Amascut (ToA) when combined with the Tumeken’s Shadow or Scythe of Vitur.

Other recommended quests include:

• Sins of the Father (to unlock Hallowed Sepulchre, a great training ground for movement practice).

• Song of the Elves and Hard Western Provinces Diary for the Crystal Halberd, which is helpful for encounters in ToB.

• Beneath Cursed Sands – Grants access to the Tombs of Amascut, essential if you plan to start raiding in OSRS.

Essential Skills and Mechanics

Understanding OSRS’s Tick System

One of the fundamental aspects of OSRS combat is the tick system, where actions occur every 0.6 seconds. Mastering this timing helps with prayer flicking, switches, and other combat skills crucial for raids. To practice, consider using the “Visual Metronome” plugin on RuneLite. This will visually cue you to each tick, making it easier to train your rhythm.

Inventory Tags

Inventory tags are essential for quick gear switching. You can color-code items, allowing you to identify and swap gear in a split second during intense moments in a raid. This practice helps you develop the muscle memory for efficient switches, which are frequent in both CoX and ToB.

F-Key Bindings

Setting up F-keys allows you to switch between inventory, prayers, and spellbooks efficiently. You can remap these keys using RuneLite’s “Key Remapping” plugin. Once accustomed to this, you’ll find it much easier to navigate your menu, cast spells, and use your gear quickly, all crucial elements during raids.

Movement Practice

Good movement skills are essential for raiding, especially in Theater of Blood, where positioning and pathing make a huge difference. Try practicing in Hallowed Sepulchre, which can refine your movement and reaction time, making you more agile in boss fights.

PvM Training Recommendations

To build confidence and familiarity with PvM encounters, start with solo bosses that test core skills:

1. Corrupted Gauntlet – The preparation phase in the Corrupted Gauntlet helps refine your prayer switches, positioning, and gear swaps. You’ll encounter high-pressure moments similar to those in raids, making it a perfect practice ground.

2. Hallowed Sepulchre – As mentioned, this is an agility-based minigame that also challenges your reaction time and movement skills. Aim for a sub-7-minute completion, which shows a solid level of control and speed.

3. Zulrah – A great boss to practice gear switches and prayer flicking. Zulrah’s phase changes will push you to switch between ranged and magic, a skill crucial in many raid settings.

Minimum Levels and Gear

Entry-Level Requirements

• Tombs of Amascut (ToA) – If you’re just looking to get into Entry Mode ToA, base level 60 stats for Dragon weaponry, a Rune crossbow, and a basic warped scepter are enough.

• Chambers of Xeric (CoX) and Theater of Blood (ToB) – For beginners, aim for base level 85 stats and access to Rigor and Augury prayers. This is a solid foundation, especially for group raids.

For more challenging levels, like solo CoX or Hard Mode ToB, you’ll need base level 90s or higher, ideally reaching near max stats for the best chances of success.

Gear Progression for Each Raid

Chambers of Xeric (CoX)

For CoX, some of the key items include:

• Abyssal Whip – A reliable melee weapon for starting.

• Dragon Crossbow – Great for ranged DPS.

• Trident of the Swamp – Effective for magic-based encounters.

Items like a Lightbearer, Godsword, or Rune pouch are also helpful. As you progress, upgrade to gear such as the Dragon Hunter Lance, Dragon Hunter Crossbow, or the Sanguinesti Staff to improve your overall raid efficiency.

Theater of Blood (ToB)

For ToB, Void armor is a budget-friendly option that allows you to keep your inventory open for food. Void also minimizes gear switches, which are critical in ToB. Key items include:

• Bandos Armor – Ideal for melee DPS roles.

• Blade of Saeldor or Inquisitor’s Mace – Great weapons for higher DPS.

• Abyssal Tentacle – A versatile melee weapon for ToB encounters.

Over time, aim for upgrades like Bandos armor and the Scythe of Vitur. For range DPS, Void with an Armadyl Crossbow is a solid starting point.

Tombs of Amascut (ToA)

Starting with base level 75s for ToA is fine if you’re tackling normal raids. Key equipment for ToA includes:

• Bow of Faerdhinen (Bofa) with Crystal Armor – Effective against many bosses in ToA.

• Amulet of Blood Fury – Provides passive healing, which can be useful in certain ToA encounters.

For high-level raids, it’s beneficial to invest in items like Tumeken’s Shadow or a Twisted Bow for added DPS.

Additional Recommendations and Tips

Training for Raid Roles

In ToB, you’ll encounter specific roles like melee DPS, range DPS, and freeze roles. Get familiar with all three styles as they allow you to be more versatile within your team. For CoX, you’ll need to adapt to different rooms and bosses, so prepare to be flexible.

Rune Pouch and Divine Rune Pouch

A Rune Pouch is essential for carrying spells, as you’ll need to bring different spellbooks for different raids. Upgrading to a Divine Rune Pouch after a few ToA completions offers additional slots, allowing you to bring more runes or spare inventory space.

Practicing Bosses and Minigames

The Corrupted Gauntlet, Hallowed Sepulchre, and Zulrah aren’t just great for practice—they also reward you with items and resources, providing OSRS gold funds for your raiding journey. Repeated practice of these encounters will make you a much stronger raider, ready to handle whatever raid bosses throw at you.

Conclusion

Getting raid-ready in OSRS is about more than just levels and gear. It’s about building familiarity with the game’s mechanics, investing time in foundational quests, and developing muscle memory through smaller, challenging PvM encounters. Start by getting comfortable with the gear and tactics outlined here, and you’ll soon be ready to tackle CoX, ToB, and ToA with confidence. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced solo player, raiding can be a rewarding and exhilarating journey in Old School RuneScape. Happy raiding, and may your drops be ever in your favor!