Welcome to the ultimate 1-99 Woodcutting and Forestry guide for OSRS! Woodcutting is a fundamental skill in Old School RuneScape, and understanding the most efficient methods is key to mastering it. Did you know that Everdred was the first player to achieve 99 Woodcutting in RuneScape, reaching the milestone on August 28, 2001, less than 8 months after the game’s release?
Guide Quick-Links
1-99 Woodcutting Guide
Complete Forestry Guide
Changes To Woodcutting
What’s new with Woodcutting in OSRS? The major update in 2023 introduced Forestry, a collaborative woodcutting activity featuring dynamic events and updated tree mechanics.
Most trees now operate on a timer before being chopped down entirely, replacing the old 1 in 8 chance of tree depletion. The timer duration is level-dependent; for instance, Oak trees have a 27-second timer, while Redwood trees last for 4 minutes and 24 seconds.
This timer initiates upon receiving the first log. You can continuously chop until the timer hits zero. The tree is felled when you obtain a log after the timer expires.
This new system allows for longer AFK periods as the tree time doesn’t include the time taken to cut the first and last logs.
While woodcutting, forestry events can randomly occur. There are nine unique events, each offering different XP rates and strategies.
Examples include identifying odd symbols or pollinating flowers. Active participation in these events can boost your XP rates by at least 40%.
Furthermore, cutting trees alongside other players grants an invisible Woodcutting boost, up to +10. You gain +1 boost for each additional person chopping the same tree, up to a maximum of 10 players.
Woodcutting Mechanics
Let’s delve into the core mechanics of Woodcutting in OSRS. When you chop a tree, you have a chance to obtain a log every 4 game ticks, which is equivalent to 2.4 seconds.
The type of axe you wield and your Woodcutting level significantly impact your success rate in obtaining logs. A Rune Axe, for example, is approximately three times more effective than a Bronze Axe.
The Crystal Axe stands as the pinnacle, being over four times faster than the basic Bronze Axe.
Advanced players can utilize tick manipulation techniques to potentially obtain logs every 3 ticks, 2 ticks, or even 1.5 ticks. Achieving the fastest Woodcutting XP rates often involves mastering 1.5 tick methods.
Axes & Equipment
Always prioritize using the best axe available up to the Dragon Axe, as it significantly enhances your Woodcutting experience rate.
For players who have completed the Song of the Elves quest, the Crystal Axe is accessible, providing approximately a 4.5% speed increase over the Dragon Axe.
The Crystal Felling Axe is the top-tier axe for maximizing XP gain, although it requires crystal shards and rations for usage.
Felling Axes are two-handed axes obtainable from the Grand Exchange or craftable using an axe handle from the Forestry rewards shop. On average, felling axes are 10% faster than regular axes.
To operate a Felling Axe, Forester’s rations are needed. Each XP drop consumes one ration. Rations can be purchased from the Grand Exchange, or Ironmen can create them using leaves and cooked food.
Felling axes also introduce a 20% chance of not obtaining a log, making it more AFK-friendly by reducing inventory management.
With 61 Woodcutting and 85 Firemaking, the Infernal Axe becomes usable. It offers a 33% chance to burn the log obtained while woodcutting, granting half the Firemaking experience.
The Lumberjack outfit, a Woodcutting skilling outfit, is recommended for all account types. It provides a 2.5% Woodcutting XP boost when the full set is worn. Obtaining the outfit from Temple Trekking typically takes around 30 minutes, especially with the increased spawn rate of the undead lumberjacks event.
Low Level Training
When starting your Woodcutting journey in OSRS, axes are the first priority.
Regular accounts can purchase axes from the Grand Exchange. Ironmen can buy axes up to Steel from Bob in Lumbridge. Defeating Tree Spirits is a viable way to obtain higher-tier axes until you reach level 60 Woodcutting and can access the Woodcutting Guild.
The Woodcutting Guild shop sells axes up to Rune.
To bypass the initial slow levels, consider completing Woodcutting XP quests.
Completing quests like Monk’s Friend, The Restless Ghost, and Ernest the Chicken can quickly boost you to level 28 Woodcutting. For a very fast start, Monk’s Friend quest alone can take you from level 1 to 14 Woodcutting. Follow this with cutting 9 regular logs to reach level 15, and then complete the Ribbiting tale quest for a quick 2000 Woodcutting XP.
If questing isn’t your preference, traditional Woodcutting training is always an option. From level 1 to 15, you’ll need to cut approximately 161 regular trees.
Good locations for regular trees include behind Lumbridge Castle or around Varrock. Ironman accounts might consider fletching or burning the logs, while main accounts focused on speed can simply drop them.
Always use the best axe you can wield, as it significantly increases your chopping speed.
Upon reaching level 15, you can start cutting Oak trees. Oak trees provide the fastest XP rates until around level 35.
For Forestry with Oak trees, World 301 in Draynor Village is popular, east of the bank. For standard training, the Oak trees near Varrock West Bank are convenient.
Willow trees unlock at level 30 Woodcutting, but Oak trees remain superior for XP until level 35. Leveling from 15 to 35 at Oak trees requires cutting approximately 534 Oak logs.
At level 35, Teak trees become available, offering one of the fastest training methods in the game, leading into the next section: the fastest path to 99 Woodcutting.
Fastest Way To 99
For a fresh level 3 OSRS account, questing, specifically the Monk’s Friend quest, is the fastest initial Woodcutting method. While completing all Woodcutting quests might take longer than standard training, it’s efficient for those aiming for a Quest Cape.
Without questing, the fastest start involves regular trees followed by Oak trees, as detailed in the low-level training section. However, for peak efficiency from level 15, consider 2-tick Oak trees, which can yield over 100k XP per hour at higher levels.
This technique involves luring two rats from Falador Farm to Falador city entrance. By alternating clicks between the tree and the ground after each rat attack, you can achieve up to 111k XP per hour above level 60 with a Rune Axe, where Oak tree success rate is 100%.
For the absolute fastest methods, tick manipulation with Teaks is the way to go. While extremely click-intensive and not recommended over Forestry or AFK methods for general training, tick-manipulated Teaks offer the highest possible XP rates.
There are three primary tick manipulation techniques for Teaks: 3-tick, 2-tick, and 1.5-tick. Let’s explore each, starting with 3-tick Teaks.
3-Tick Teaks
Using a 3-tick action, such as applying herbs to tar, can increase your Woodcutting training speed by 33%. This involves initiating the 3-tick action every 1.8 seconds, then clicking the Teak tree, and repeating.
Starting at level 35, 3-tick Teaks provide competitive XP rates, reaching up to 93k XP per hour at level 99. However, the 33% XP increase might not justify the extra effort of constant clicking, making 2-ticking a potentially better alternative.
However, 3-ticking on a Forestry world can significantly boost XP rates.
Locations like Prifddinas or Soul Wars Island often have groups 3-ticking Teaks on Forestry worlds. Forestry events further enhance the XP rates achievable with 3-tick Teaks.
2-Tick Teaks
2-ticking effectively doubles your Woodcutting speed, as it reduces the standard 4-tick action to 2 ticks. Similar to 2-tick Oaks, this method requires an NPC to attack you every 2 ticks to reset the Woodcutting action. Using two NPCs with alternating attacks is ideal. Equip any shortbow without arrows and ensure auto-retaliate is ON. Retaliating resets the 4-tick Woodcutting cycle, allowing log acquisition on the next game tick.
A prime location is Ape Atoll jungle, tagging two Jungle Birds. Use a weak weapon or spells like Confuse or Weaken to maintain bird aggression and position them to attack every 2 ticks alternately. 2-ticking is generally considered easier than 3-ticking, though it still demands clicking every game tick but with fewer overall clicks than 3-tick methods.
An easier 2-tick method exists: planting your own Teak trees. By simply moving after each chop, you can 2-tick. This is because the game grants a chance of obtaining two logs at once.
While technically still 4-tick Woodcutting, receiving two logs effectively makes it 2-tick. Click the tree, then click a tile away, and repeat.
Both 2-tick methods can achieve up to 215k XP per hour at higher levels, with around 78k XP per hour attainable as early as level 35.
1.5-Tick Teaks
The fastest Woodcutting method in OSRS is 1.5-tick Teaks. This method is exclusive to player-planted trees and combines 3-ticking with the easier 2-tick movement method. Perform a 3-tick action and move to get a chance at two logs every 3 ticks, effectively making it a 1.5-tick method.
This method is highly click and focus intensive but rewards with massive Woodcutting XP. Expect close to 100k XP per hour at level 35 and up to 235k XP per hour at higher levels, making it the pinnacle of Woodcutting training speed.
Fast Methods
Forestry training is an excellent approach to level Woodcutting, offering good XP rates with periods of less intensive gameplay during events.
Below are the average XP rates for different tree tiers within Forestry worlds:
Starting with Oak trees at level 15, Forestry becomes accessible. Notably, Teak and Yew trees provide competitive XP rates when actively participating in Forestry events.
Optimal Forestry locations include:
- Oak Trees: Draynor Village or Varrock West Bank.
- Willow Trees: Draynor Village.
- Teak Trees: Near Castle Wars, Soul Wars, or Prifddinas.
- Maple Trees: Seers’ Village.
- Yew Trees: Outside Seers’ Village Church.
- Magic Trees: Near the Ranging Guild or Myths’ Guild.
Since their introduction in 2017, Sullyvanyep Mushrooms on Fossil Island have been a competitive Woodcutting training method, offering the fastest XP rates pre-Forestry without tick manipulation.
Unlocked at level 65 Woodcutting (Fossil Island access required), Sullyvanyeps offer XP rates from 55k to over 100k per hour with decent AFK intervals. You’ll need a rake and axe, prayer enhancing items, a strong defensive shield, poison cures, and good food due to aggressive enemies. Cycle through active mushrooms in a pattern, as shown:
AFK Methods
For AFK Woodcutting training, avoid Forestry worlds as tree depletion is less predictable. The Woodcutting Guild is ideal for AFK training due to its invisible +7 Woodcutting level boost.
With the new tree despawn timers, higher-level trees offer longer AFK periods. Use the “Tree Despawn Timer” RuneLite plugin to visualize these timers.
Maple trees in the Woodcutting Guild provide a good balance of XP and AFK time, offering approximately 1 minute of AFK with a decent chop rate.
Yew trees allow for around 2 minutes of AFK, yielding about 30k XP per hour upon unlocking.
Magic trees offer 4-minute AFK intervals. Redwood trees, unlocked at level 90, are the most AFK Woodcutting method, providing up to 80k XP per hour with 4.5-minute AFK times. Redwoods from 90-99 is a highly recommended AFK approach.
Another viable AFK option is Blisterwood trees in Darkmeyer.
Requiring the Sins of the Father quest, Blisterwood trees use old-school mechanics with a 1 in 8 chance of stopping. AFK intervals can vary from seconds to over 40 seconds, averaging around 60k-80k XP per hour, scaling with level. For levels 90+, Redwoods are preferable.
Profitable Methods
The most profitable Woodcutting method is actively participating in Forestry events.
By joining Forestry chats and event hopping, you can acquire over 2.5k Anima Bark per hour. Converting this bark into Felling Axes yields over 700k GP per hour at higher Woodcutting levels.
Chopping Mahogany logs is also profitable, netting around 200k GP per hour. Tai Bwo Wannai or Prifddinas are optimal locations.
Unlocked at level 50 Woodcutting, Mahogany logs offer about 140k GP per hour at that level.
Yew and Magic logs also provide profit, around 150k GP per hour each, although their XP rates are slower compared to other methods.
Forestry Guide
Forestry, requiring level 15 Woodcutting to chop Oak trees, is accessible to both members and free-to-play players.
Forestry Basics
To begin Forestry, visit a Friendly Forester in Draynor, Seers’ Village, or Prifddinas to obtain a free Forestry Kit.
This kit stores items found during Forestry events. Start Forestry by simply cutting trees on official Forestry worlds.
World 444 is the most populated Forestry world for members. Free-to-play players should use World 301. Forestry is not active in the Woodcutting Guild or with Blisterwood trees.
Forestry Locations
Popular Forestry locations on designated worlds are listed in the Fast Methods section of this guide.
Forestry Plugins
RuneLite plugins can enhance your Forestry experience.
Enable notifications and highlights for all events in the default Woodcutting plugin.
The “Tree Despawn Timer” plugin estimates tree lifespan.
“Tree Count” shows the number of players chopping a tree, useful for maximizing the Woodcutting boost (up to +10 with 10+ players).
“Entity Hider” helps visibility and navigation during Forestry events.
Forestry Events
Forestry events spawn randomly as you chop trees, offering bonus Woodcutting XP and sometimes rare rewards. There are 9 distinct events:
Rising Roots
Chop the roots with green veins for optimal XP and rewards.
Flowering Bush
Identify the two bushes that can trade pollen and repeatedly pollinate them. Bushes change periodically, requiring relocalization.
Beehives
Build a beehive by adding logs to the unfinished beehive for Woodcutting and Construction XP.
Struggling Sapling
Collect and feed the sapling three materials in the correct combination. Trial and error or public chat for combinations is advised.
Poachers
Disarm fox traps placed by poachers for Woodcutting and Hunter XP.
Enchantment Ritual
Stand on the odd-shaped or colored marking among the colored shapes on the ground.
Friendly Ents
Read the Ent’s dialogue and trim them according to their request.
Pheasant Control
Take eggs from unguarded nests and deliver them to the Freaky Forester.
Leprechaun
Talk to the Leprechaun to bank your collected logs.
Completing events rewards Anima Bark, spendable at the Forestry Rewards Shop.
Forestry Rewards
The Forestry Rewards Shop offers various items purchasable with Anima Bark.
Notable rewards include:
- Clothes Pouch Blueprint: Enables Lumberjack outfit XP boost without wearing the full set.
- Twitcher’s Gloves: Increase bird nest drop chance.
- Felling Axe Handle & Sawmill Vouchers: Useful for Ironmen.
- Cape Pouch: Decent upgrade for players with 99 Woodcutting.
F2P Woodcutting
For Free-to-Play OSRS players, the fastest 1-99 Woodcutting path differs significantly due to tree availability.
The fastest F2P method is 2-tick Oaks, explained earlier, achieving over 100k XP per hour, though demanding high focus.
Forestry with Willow trees, combined with 3-ticking, is another rapid F2P training method, yielding over 70k XP per hour.
Maple trees, recently introduced to F2P, offer a great AFK training option for free players.
