In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), Long Bones are a curious drop that many players encounter during their grind. While they might look like simple bones, these items actually have some useful applications, particularly for those training in Construction. Since Construction is a notoriously expensive skill, finding alternative methods to save OSRS Gold is always welcome, and Long Bones provide exactly that.
What Are Long Bones?
A Long Bone is a special drop obtained from a variety of monsters, typically those that also drop Big Bones. While they can be buried for 15.1 Prayer experience, this is not recommended since their true value lies elsewhere. Instead, Long Bones can be exchanged for Construction experience or coins, making them far more useful in skilling rather than training Prayer.
Drop Rate and Sources
For most monsters that drop Big Bones, Long Bones appear at a rate of 1/400. However, there are notable exceptions. The Crazy Archaeologist drops them at 1/64, while the Deranged Archaeologist has a drop rate of 1/65.5, making them much more reliable sources compared to standard monsters. Other common sources include Fire Giants, Moss Giants, Giant Mole, Dark Beasts, Ogres, and Cyclopes in the Warriors’ Guild.
Because they come from a wide range of monsters, you’ll often accumulate Long Bones naturally while training Slayer or camping popular monsters.
Uses of Long Bones
After completing the Death to the Dorgeshuun quest, players can sell Long Bones to Barlak in Dorgesh-Kaan for 1,000 coins each. More importantly, Barlak will offer a lecture that grants 4,500 Construction experience per bone, which is equivalent to spending around 30,075 coins worth of Oak Planks. This makes Long Bones an efficient way to offset the steep gold cost of Construction.
It’s worth noting that you need level 30 Construction to claim this reward, and the experience cannot be boosted through temporary effects such as the Carpenter’s Outfit.
Should You Bury Them?
Technically, you can bury Long Bones for 15.1 Prayer XP, and they restore 2 Prayer points if used in the Catacombs of Kourend. However, this is highly inefficient compared to the Construction experience they provide, so it’s always better to save them for Barlak’s lectures.
How Many Do You Need for 99 Construction?
For fun perspective, it would take around 2,894 Long Bones to go from level 30 to 99 Construction solely through this method. While highly impractical, it highlights just how valuable each bone’s 4,500 XP reward can be in the long run.
Final Thoughts
Long Bones in OSRS are a small but impactful item for any player thinking ahead about Construction training. Instead of discarding or burying them for minimal Prayer experience, saving them for Barlak can save massive amounts of gold while still providing steady progress in one of the game’s most expensive skills. Whether you get them from Fire Giants, Dark Beasts, or the much more generous Crazy and Deranged Archaeologists, every Long Bone is worth keeping for the long grind ahead.
