RuneScape has been a staple in the MMO world for years, offering a vast and immersive experience for players around the globe. As with any game that spans decades, it's bound to have its fair share of pitfalls—some of which can easily trap new players. These so-called "noob traps” can often stunt progress or lead to wasted time and money. Whether you're a fresh-faced adventurer or an experienced player trying to refine your game OSRS gold, it's crucial to avoid these common mistakes. While it's true that everyone has their own approach to playing RuneScape, some of these traps are worth noting to ensure a more efficient and enjoyable experience.

1. The Fighter Torso Mistake

Let's kick things off with a personal admission. For years, I played RuneScape without ever obtaining the coveted Fighter Torso, despite it being one of the most valuable and accessible items for any combat-oriented account. This piece of equipment offers a significant strength bonus—comparable to high-end items like the Bandos Chestplate, which costs upwards of 20 million GP—but it can be acquired through the Barbarian Assault minigame in just a couple of hours. Yet, I never bothered to obtain it on any of my accounts. Don't follow my example!

The Fighter Torso is a must-have for mid-tier combatants, especially if you're working on Slayer or participating in PvM activities. It's easy to obtain and provides one of the best strength bonuses for the price. You'll use it for almost every combat scenario, so it's worth the time investment.

Tip: Don't neglect the Fighter Torso, as it's essential for boosting your combat efficiency without breaking the bank.

2. Prioritizing the Slayer Helm Too Early

When starting out in Slayer, it's tempting to rush and buy the Slayer Helm, thinking it'll give you a major advantage. While the Slayer Helm does offer great benefits, it's often unnecessary in the early stages of the game. For the most part, a Black Mask (which is much cheaper) provides the same bonuses. The black mask imbued and the Slayer Helm imbued give identical damage and accuracy bonuses, so investing in the helm right off the bat isn't the smartest move.

Furthermore, Slayer points are much better spent on unlocking useful upgrades like superior monster block slots or task extensions. You'll need a significant amount of Slayer points to unlock these, so it's better to prioritize them over the helm in the early game. The Slayer Helm becomes more critical for tasks like Dust Devils and Smoke Devils, but even then, a Black Mask works fine for most tasks.

Tip: Hold off on purchasing the Slayer Helm early. It's more important to spend your Slayer points on upgrades that will benefit your long-term progress.

3. The Graceful Outfit Obsession

The Graceful Outfit is another item that new players often obsess over, sometimes at the expense of more crucial goals. Yes, the Graceful set is great for reducing run energy consumption, but it's not as essential as many people make it out to be. While getting the full set early can help with agility training, it's better to focus on more effective methods of leveling agility first, especially considering the recent changes to the run energy system.

Many players rush to the Canifis Agility Course to farm the set, but this is inefficient. The Canifis course offers relatively low XP rates compared to other agility courses, and grinding it for 15 hours to complete the full Graceful set isn't the best use of your time. Instead, opt for the Brimhaven Agility Course, which provides over double the experience at the same level.

Tip: Don't rush for Graceful; focus on leveling agility more efficiently and consider getting the set later when you have access to better courses like Sears Course.

4. Ignoring Internet Security

This one might seem like a no-brainer, but too many players overlook internet security, which can lead to devastating consequences. Accounts getting hacked is unfortunately quite common, and RuneScape is no exception. Scammers and phishers are constantly trying to gain access to players' accounts through fake links, fraudulent websites, and malicious software.

To mitigate this risk, I highly recommend using a VPN like NordVPN. NordVPN offers threat detection, which can prevent malicious downloads and block phishing attempts. It also protects your sensitive data while you browse and play, adding a much-needed layer of security when using unsecured networks. This extra layer of protection is especially crucial if you're using public Wi-Fi or engaging in online trading.

Tip: Never browse or log into your RuneScape account on unsecured networks. Always use a trusted VPN to protect your personal and account information.

5. The Potion Storage Trap

The Potion Storage reward from completing the Mastering Mixology achievement is another feature that might seem helpful at first but can quickly become a nuisance. While it theoretically allows you to store potions of all doses in your bank, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The Potion Storage interface clutters your bank tabs, and there's no way to turn off the icon that takes up space when you're organizing your items.

For most main accounts, the Potion Storage is not worth the hassle, as buying extra bank space is usually a more efficient option. This feature is better suited for Ironman accounts, where managing resources like potions can be more cumbersome. But for main accounts, it's just an unnecessary inconvenience.

Tip: Avoid unlocking Potion Storage unless you're playing on an Ironman account. It's more hassle than it's worth for most players.

6. Maxing Combat Before Bossing

Maxing your combat stats before diving into bossing is another trap that can slow down your RuneScape progress. While having high combat stats is beneficial, bossing itself provides a tremendous amount of experience, making it an efficient way to level up. Most bosses can be killed with combat stats in the 80–90 range, and there's no need to wait for 99s across all your combat skills before you start tackling them.

By focusing too much on leveling combat stats before bossing, you miss out on significant experience gains that you could be earning while bossing. In fact, many of the best bosses in the game, such as those found in Slayer, Raids, or God Wars Dungeon, drop valuable rewards and experience.

Tip: Don't waste time maxing combat stats before bossing. Start bossing earlier to gain experience and rewards along the way.

7. Overusing the Slayer Helm at Vorago

When fighting Vorago, many players instinctively wear the Slayer Helm for its damage bonuses, but this is often a mistake. Vorago is an Undead boss, and while the Slayer Helm works well with some Undead bosses, it does not stack with the Salvage Amulet—which is often the better option for this fight. The Salvage Amulet offers better damage and accuracy bonuses, making it a superior choice for Vorago.

While the Slayer Helm might provide a slight edge in certain situations, the Salvage Amulet generally outperforms it for most Undead bosses. For this reason, players should consider leaving the Slayer Helm in their bank and using other amulets or rings for better results.

Tip: Avoid using the Slayer Helm at Vorago; the Salvage Amulet offers a better bonus.

8. The Membership Bond Trap

Purchasing membership bonds is a common trap that many new players fall into, especially when they're just starting out. While bonds are a great way to maintain membership once you have a more established account, relying on them in the early game can severely hamper your progress. Bonds are expensive and require substantial in-game effort to acquire, often leading to players sacrificing progress in favor of maintaining membership.

The issue with buying bonds is that it eats into the money that could be used for improving your account. In the early game, it's better to focus on developing your character and earning wealth rather than spending all your time just to afford a bond.

Tip: Avoid using bonds early in your account's progression. Instead, focus on developing your character and earning money efficiently.

9. Imbuing the Archer Ring Early

The Archer Ring is a popular ring among range-based players, but in the early game, it's often not worth the investment. Imbuing it costs a significant amount of points and provides only a marginal increase in range accuracy, which often doesn't make a huge difference. You're better off saving your money and points for more impactful items such as the Berserker Ring or Ring of Suffering, which offer better overall utility, including more damage or better prayer bonuses.

Tip: Skip the Archer Ring early on, and invest in more useful rings like the Berserker Ring or Ring of Suffering for better overall performance.

10. Investing in Armadyl Gear for Main Accounts

Armadyl gear, including the Armadyl Crossbow and Armadyl Armour, is often overhyped in the early game, especially for main accounts. The Armadyl crossbow is only marginally better than the Dragon Crossbow, and the armour is better suited for Ironman accounts, as it can be broken down into the powerful Missouri gear. For main accounts, it's better to focus on other gear that provides better value or more consistent results in PvM activities cheap OSRS gold.

Tip: Don't waste money on Armadyl gear unless you're playing on an Ironman account. Opt for more effective gear alternatives.