TruthScape.com  9  TruthScape Skill Secrets       9  TruthScape Skill Secrets - Herblore            9  TruthScape Skill Secrets - Herblore - Training Techniques and Strategies                 9  Sample Herblore Training Plans

Low-Level Herblore Training Recommendations (Levels 3 to 37) High-Level Herblore Training Recommendations (Levels 63 to 81)

The middle levels are a nice stage of the Herblore skill. It is here that you start to be able to make many more potions than is possible when you’re a “newb”, and other training options begin to open up to you as well. Yet at the same time, leveling is still quick, so you get the nice feeling of seeing those fireworks over your head much more often than at the higher levels. Of course, there’s still lots of prep work to be done in terms of skills and quests, but now you will start to see some tangible benefits from it.

You should work continuously on raising your combat level as you work on Herblore, with a target for this stage of around level 70 or 80. You will want to continue working on Herblore-related monsters, of course, as we’ll discuss below, but should also now be working on training Slayer—which you’ll need at higher levels—and also trying to get charms for Summoning. Balance these activities as you improve your combat prowess.

You should be training non-combat skills up to around the level 40 to 50 range, because nearly all of them will be needed for at least one of the quests you’ll need to do for maximum efficiency in Herblore training. Here are some specific targets to aim for:

• Agility: At least level 15, to be able to start barbarian fishing (to get roe).
  
  
• Crafting: Level 33 if you want to make your own potion vials.
  
  
• Farming: At least level 32, to grow ranarrs.
  
  
• Fishing: Level 48 for barbarian fishing.
  
  
• Magic: Level 51, to enable you to teleport to both Camelot and Ardougne, enabling more efficient Farming runs.
  
  
• Strength: Level 15, for barbarian fishing.
  
  
• Summoning: Level 40 for the bull ant (for enhanced herb storage when gathering) and level 41 for the macaw (superior herb drops and foraging.)
  
  
• Thieving: Level 38 to pickpocket master farmers for herb seeds; level 46 is even better so you can picklock the door to the chaos druids area near Ardougne.

At this point in your character’s development, you should be able to complete most of the mid-level quests that are useful for Herblore training. This include Death to the Dorgeshuun, Fremennik Trials, Heroes Quest, In Aid of the Myreque, Nature Spirit, Shades of Mort’ton, Throne of Miscellania and its sequel Royal Trouble, Rum Deal, Tower of Life and Zogre Flesh Eaters.

These quests will unlock many new Herblore features, make gathering herbs more productive, enable access to new herb dropping monsters, and generally make your training easier and more fun. I describe what each one unlocks in my discussion of quest recommendations.

Towards the end of the mid-level stage you should do A Fairy Tale Part II, which enables access to the very important fairy rings. You need level 57 Herblore for it (or level 56 with a greenman’s ale.)

Once you are mid-level in combat, you should have no problem with getting herbs from any of the primary herb droppers except aberrant spectres. As I mentioned earlier, fight these in combination with other monsters as you train Herblore, Slayer and Summoning. Also start making Serum 207 and harralander tar when in dungeons, to make better use of waste herbs.

You’ll want to continue with Farming, of course, training that skill in parallel with Herblore as the game intends. Once you’ve got the necessary quests done—including Ghosts Ahoy for the ectophial—you can begin doing full herb runs to the four main herb growing patches. Continue growing either marigolds or limpwurts as you do your herbs.

What to grow will depend on your playing style. If you are interested in maximizing Farming XP, then grow whatever the highest herb is you can, then use those herbs to make potions or sell them for cash to buy herbs that are cost-effective for training. If making (or saving) money is more of a priority, I recommend sticking with growing ranarrs and then using them in prayer potions, all the way from Farming level 32 to 62.

Once you’ve completed Throne of Miscellania, you can also start using your kingdom there to get herbs or other items. Visit every few days to top up your “favor” and ensure your money supply stays reasonably high, and withdraw the resources your subjects have collected. If you get herbs then decide which to use and which to sell; if you’re using this as more of a “cash cow” then sell the items like flax and coal that you receive, and buy herbs for leveling that way.

You can start using Herbcall scrolls with a macaw familiar at this stage, and also explore some of the more esoteric herb gathering methods.

At level 38 you can make prayer potions; this is probably your best bet for a while, especially if you are growing your own ranarrs. At level 45 you can switch to super attacks, at level 52 super energies, and level 55 super strength potions. These four potions all have very similar skill ratings, so be sure to check current prices carefully to see what’s most cost-effective.

As I mentioned earlier, some players just make prayer potions all the way from level 38 Herblore through level 62, especially if they grow their own ranarrs.

If you are rich and want to level even faster, you can buy unfinished potions. Conversely, you can make money to finance your training by making these and selling them.

There are a number of alternative methods that it’s worth considering doing in the mid-level area:

• Most generic XP rewards can be applied to Herblore at either level 30 or level 50.
  
  
• At level 40, start scanning the market for opportunities to make XP and possibly money with grimy herbs.
  
  
• Begin making harralander tar at level 44.
  
  
• Once you’ve done In Aid of the Myreque, making unfinished Guthix balance potions becomes an option, assuming you can get the supplies.
  
  
• At around level 55 you may be able to begin assisting others, though this is easier when you are higher level.

Low-Level Herblore Training Recommendations (Levels 3 to 37) High-Level Herblore Training Recommendations (Levels 63 to 81)