Herblore

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Herblore
Released 27 February 2002 (Update)
Members Yes
Type Production
Statistics
Players with
99
160,569
as of 1 April 2026 - update
Players with
200M XP
410
as of 2 April 2026 - update

Herblore is a members-only skill that allows players to make their own potions from herbs and various secondary ingredients.

Potions created with the Herblore skill have a variety of effects. Most potions can be drank to give players temporary skill boosts or other status effects, such as antifire or antipoison. Effects of temporary skill boosts degrade at roughly 1 level per minute until the potion completely wears off.

Herblore level up - normal
The music that plays when levelling up.
Herblore level up - with unlocks
The music that plays when levelling up and unlocking new content.

Requirements

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Training Herblore or obtaining a temporary boost requires completion of the Druidic Ritual quest. Upon completing this quest, players are rewarded with 250 Herblore experience, granting them level 3 in Herblore. From level 3 onwards, players will be able to train Herblore by creating potions.

Training activities

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There are roughly five methods to train Herblore: by cleaning herbs, making potions, adding herbs to swamp tar, making barbarian potions, and Mastering Mixology.

Cleaning herbs & unfinished potions

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Cleaning herbs is a simple task players have to perform before adding a herb to a vial of water to create an unfinished potion.

For information about the cost/profit on cleaning herbs or creating unfinished potions, see Calculator:Herblore/Herbs

Herblore Level
(cleaning)
Grimy Herb Experience
(cleaning)
Clean Herb Herblore Level
(unf. potion)
Unfinished potion
3 2.5 3
5 3.8 5
11 5 12
20 6.3 22
25 7.5 30
30 8 34
40 8.8 45
48 10 50
54 11.3 55
58 11.8 58
59 11.8 63
65 12.5 66
67 13.1 69
70 13.8 72
75 15 78

Potions

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Most potions act as a temporary skill boost, but some have other effects, like curing poison or providing dragonfire protection. A player must add a secondary ingredient to the unfinished potion, finishing the potion completely. A newly finished vial of potion contains three (3) doses of the potion. Some higher-level potions require a vial of coconut milk or blood to be used instead of water.

Wearing an amulet of chemistry gives a 5% chance of creating a four (4) dose potion instead. A charged alchemist's amulet increases this chance to 15%. Prescription goggles give players a 10% chance to not consume a secondary ingredients when mixing potions. These items can be useful for conserving resources on Ironman accounts or for potions with rare or expensive ingredients.

For information about the cost per experience, see Calculator:Herblore/Potions

Herblore Level Potion Experience Potion Base Primary Ingredient Secondary Ingredient Notes
3 5 Flowers (various) N/A Used in impling hunting and to make impling jars. Many types of flowers can be used to make it.
3 25 Temporarily raises Attack level by 10% + 3.
5 37.5 Cures poison and provides immunity for 90 seconds.
8 40 Cures disease. Requires partial completion of Zogre Flesh Eaters.
12 50 Temporarily raises Strength level by 10% + 3.
15 50 Temporarily cures Afflicted NPCs in Mort'ton
Learned and required in Shades of Mort'ton.
18 59
Guam leaves x2
Marrentill
Cures poison, restores some run energy, and heals 5 Hitpoints (with the ability to overheal).
The herbs can be mixed in any order.
Requires partial completion of One Small Favour.
22 60 Used to convert Compost into Supercompost.
22 62.5 Restores combat-related stats back to normal by 30% of level plus 10.
Does not restore Hitpoints or Prayer points.
22 50
(2 × 25)
Used against Vampyre Juvinates and Vampyre Juveniles, particularly in the Temple Trekking minigame.
25 80 Used to make oily fishing rods during the Heroes' Quest.
26 67.5 Restores 10% run energy.
30 75 Temporarily raises Defence level by 10% + 3.
34 80 Temporarily raises Agility level by 3.
36 84 Effect of both Attack potion and Strength potion.
38 87.5 Restores 25% of the player's total Prayer level plus 7.
Effect increased by Holy wrench.
45 100 Temporarily increases Attack level by 15% + 5.
47 55 Transforms the player into a goblin.
Not tradeable.
Made during the Land of the Goblins quest and is usable only within the Goblin Cave and Goblin Temple.
48 106.3 Cures poison and provides immunity for 6 minutes.
50 112.5 Temporarily raises Fishing level by 3.
52 117.5 Restores 20% run energy.
52 6 Reduces player size during the Grim Tales quest.
53 120 Temporarily raises Hunter level by 3.
54 132 Causes aggression of all monsters within a 9x9 area surrounding the player.
55 125 Temporarily raises Strength level by 15% + 5.
56 27 Used to make haemostatic dressings.
56 100 N/A Cures bleed and heals 5 Hitpoints if bleed was cured.
57 130 Temporarily raises Magic level by 3.
Not tradeable.
Made during Fairytale II - Cure a Queen quest, and components are only available via the Fairy rings.
58 132 Restores 1 Prayer point every 12 ticks for 8 minutes, restoring a total of 66 Prayer points per dose.
60 137.5 For use on arrows, daggers, spears, hastae, javelins, darts, knives, and bolts.
Poison starts at 4 damage for melee weapons and 2 damage for ranged weapons.
62 140.5 Temporarily raises Fishing level by 6.
63 142.5 Restores all stats (except hitpoints) by 25% + 8.
65 160
Snake weed
Nail beast nails
Sanfew Serum combines the properties of super restore, superantipoison, and relicym's balm potions all in one.
Partial experience is given for each addition of one of the secondary ingredients in this potion.
66 84

(4 x 21)

N/A Restores 40% run energy.
66 150 Temporarily increases Defence level by 15% + 5.
67 154 Temporarily raises Hunter level by 6.
68 155 Cures and gives immunity to poison for 9 minutes.
69 157.5 Provides some resistance to dragonfire.
Can be used with an anti-dragonfire shield to completely prevent dragonfire damage.
Each dose lasts about 6 minutes.
70 2
(4 × 0.5)
N/A Boosts the same as a super attack whilst lasting for 5 minutes with no state degradation.
Requires the completion of Song of the Elves to make.
70 2
(4 × 0.5)
N/A Boosts the same as a super defence whilst lasting for 5 minutes with no state degradation.
Requires the completion of Song of the Elves to make.
70 2
(4 × 0.5)
N/A Boosts the same as a super strength whilst lasting for 5 minutes with no state degradation.
Requires the completion of Song of the Elves to make.
72 162.5 Temporarily increases Ranged level by 10% + 4.
73 190 For use on arrows, daggers, spears, hastae, javelins, darts, knives, and bolts.
Poison starts at 5 damage for melee weapons and 3 damage for ranged weapons.
74 2
(4 × 0.5)
N/A Boosts the same as a ranging potion whilst lasting for 5 minutes with no state degradation.
Requires the completion of Song of the Elves to make.
76 172.5 Temporarily raises Magic level by 4.
77 102
(4 × 25.5)
N/A Restores 20% run energy and reduce the rate of energy depletion by 70% for 2 minutes.
One amylase crystal is required per dose.
78 175 Boosts Strength by 12% + 2 and Attack by 20% + 2, but lowers Defence and remaining Hitpoints by 10% + 2.
78 2
(4 × 0.5)
N/A Boosts the same as a magic potion whilst lasting for 5 minutes with no state degradation.
Requires the completion of Song of the Elves to make.
79 177.5 Drinking two doses of antidote++ will cure venom. The first dose reduces the venom to poison and the second removes the poison. In addition, it provides up to 36 seconds immunity to venom upon drinking it.

If only poisoned, only one dose is required to cure poison.

80 155 Temporarily increases Ranged by 10% + 4 and Defence by 15% + 5.
80 155 Temporarily increases Magic by 4 and Defence by 15% + 5.
81 180 Boosts Defence and Hitpoints but lowers Attack, Strength, Magic, and Ranged.
81 185 Restore 25% special attack energy. Five-minute cooldown between sips.
82 190 For use on arrows, daggers, spears, hastae, javelins, darts, knives, and bolts.
Poison starts at 6 damage for melee weapons and 4 damage for ranged weapons.
84 110
(4 × 27.5)
N/A Provides some resistance to dragonfire.
Each dose lasts about 12 minutes.
One shard is required per dose.
85 190 Boosts Magic by 5% + 2 and restores prayer points by 10% + 2, but lowers Attack, Strength, and Defence by 10% + 2.
85 110
(4 × 27.5)
N/A Restores 40% run energy and reduce the rate of energy depletion by 70% for 4 minutes.
86 2
(4 × 0.5)
N/A Boosts the same as a bastion potion whilst lasting for 5 minutes with no state degradation.
Requires the completion of Song of the Elves to make.
86 2
(4 × 0.5)
N/A Boosts the same as a battlemage potion whilst lasting for 5 minutes with no state degradation.
Requires the completion of Song of the Elves to make.
87 120
(4 × 30)
N/A Instantly cures venom.
Five scales are required per dose.
88 200 Restores 6 + 16% of the player's combat stats every 15 seconds, over the course of five minutes.
89 205 Boosts Ranged and Hitpoints but lowers Attack, Strength, Defence, and Magic.
90 150

Super attack
Super strength
Super defence
N/A Combines the properties of super attack, super strength, and super defence potions.
91 145 N/A Upgraded version of an Ancient brew. Boosts Magic by 8% + 3 and restores prayer points by 10% + 2, but lowers Attack, Strength, and Defence by 10% + 2.
20 essence is required per dose.
92 130 N/A Grants complete immunity to dragonfire for three minutes.
94 125 N/A Instantly cures venom and provides immunity to it for three minutes.
94 20 N/A Instantly cures venom and provides immunity to it for six minutes.
Uses 1 venom sack per dose.
97 2
(4 × 0.5)
N/A Boosts the same as a super combat potion whilst lasting for 5 minutes with no state degradation.
Requires the completion of Song of the Elves to make.
98 Extended super antifire 160
(4 × 40)
N/A Grants complete immunity to dragonfire for six minutes.
One shard is required per dose, or one crushed bone per potion.
180 N/A

Herbed tar

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All swamp tar require a pestle and mortar to make.

Herblore Level Swamp tar Experience Primary Ingredient Secondary Ingredient Notes
19 30 Ammo for swamp lizards.
31 42.5 Ammo for orange salamanders.
39 55 Ammo for red salamanders.
44 72.5 Ammo for black salamanders.
55 85 Ammo for tecu salamanders.

Other

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Herblore Level Product Experience Primary Ingredient Secondary Ingredient Notes
49 11 Automatically smokes hunter traps.
Automatically consumed.

Barbarian Mixes

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Barbarian potions can be made by adding roe or caviar to two-dose potions. The barbarian potions will hold two doses that give the same effect as their regular counterparts, as well as restore 3 to 6 Hitpoints per dose. They no longer count as potions for attack delays, however, and as such can no longer be Combo Eaten with normal food.

Note that the default left-click option for roe and caviar is "eat", not "use", making it possible to consume the ingredients by accident instead of using them.

Potion Herblore Herblore Heals

(per dose)

Eggs used
Level Exp
4 8 3 or
6 12 3 or
9 14 3 or
14 17 3 or
24 21 3 or
29 23 3
33 25 6
37 27 6
40 28 3
42 29 6
47 33 6
51 35 6
53 38 6
56 39 6
58 40 6
59 42 6
61 43 6
67 48 6
71 50 6
74 52 6
75 53 6
80 54 6
83 57 6
85 58 6
86 60 6
91 61 6
92 63 6
98 70 6
99 78 6

Ingredient Processing

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Herblore often requires time consuming actions that do not reward experience such as crushing raw ingredients or making unfinished potions. Some NPCs offer services that can complete these processes on many items at once and save players time.

Crushing

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  • Wesley in Nardah will crush noted ingredients for 50 coins each.

Mixing

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  • Zahur in Nardah will combine noted vials of water and herbs to create unfinished potions for 200 coins each. (Requires completion of the hard desert diary or a Herblore cape)

Cleaning Grimy Herbs

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  • Zahur in Nardah will clean grimy (un-noted) herbs for 200 coins each.

Decanting

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The following NPCs can help players combine or separate your potions into 1-dose, 2-dose, 3-dose, or 4-dose items instead.

  • Zahur in Nardah will decant potions for free.
  • Bob Barter at the GE will decant potions for free.

Mastering Mixology

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Mastering Mixology is a minigame located on Aldarin that requires an unboosted Herblore level of 60 to participate in. Herbs and unfinished potions are processed into Aga, Mox, and Lye paste. These pastes are crafted into unique potions to fulfil orders and earn Aga, Mox, and Lye resin for Mixology Rewards. These rewards enhance the player's ability to make, store, and use potions. The minigame itself offers slower experience than traditional potion-making, but rewards more experience per herb.

Temporary boosts

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Herblore cannot be boosted before completing Druidic Ritual as attempting to use such an item will consume it and give the message, Your lack of Herblore experience prevents you from gaining any further bonus.This however is not the case when drinking a Chichilihui rosé, which will boost Herblore to level 2.

Boost Level
increase
Visibility Other info
1 Visible Players can search the Herblore cape to obtain a pestle and mortar.
In addition, while the cape is equipped, grimy herbs can be used to create unfinished potions.
1 Visible Hitpoints Hitpoints 1
Attack Attack - floor(CurrentLevel * 0.04) - 2

Defence Defence - floor(CurrentLevel * 0.04) - 2
Strength Strength - floor(CurrentLevel * 0.04) - 2

1 Visible Hitpoints Hitpoints 16
Attack Attack -5
Farming Farming -1
2 Visible Hitpoints Hitpoints 2
Attack Attack - floor(CurrentLevel * 0.04) - 3

Defence Defence - floor(CurrentLevel * 0.04) - 3
Strength Strength - floor(CurrentLevel * 0.04) - 3

4 Visible Hitpoints Hitpoints 7 per bite.
±0-5 Visible Hitpoints Hitpoints 11
Depending on type of stew, any skill except Hitpoints can be boosted or reduced by 0 to 5 levels randomly.

Quests

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Quests requiring Herblore

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Quest Herblore
requirement
Other skill requirements
Jungle Potion Herblore 3 -
Lunar Diplomacy Herblore 5 Defence 40 , Crafting 61 , Firemaking 49 , Magic 65 , Mining 60 , Woodcutting 55
Zogre Flesh Eaters Herblore 8 Smithing 4 , Ranged 30 , Fletching 30
The Dig Site Herblore 10 Agility 10 , Thieving 25
Watchtower Herblore 14 Magic 15 , Thieving 15 , Agility 25 , Mining 40
Shades of Mort'ton Herblore 15 Crafting 20 , Firemaking 5
One Small Favour Herblore 18 Agility 36 , Crafting 25 , Smithing 30
Heroes' Quest Herblore 25 Quest points 55 , Cooking 53 , Fishing 53 , Mining 50
At First Light Herblore 30 Construction 27 , Hunter 46
Eadgar's Ruse Herblore 31 -
A Taste of Hope Herblore 40 Crafting 48 , Agility 45 , Attack 40 , Slayer 38
Legends' Quest Herblore 45 Quest points 107 , Agility 50 , Crafting 50 , Magic 56 , Mining 52 , Prayer 42 , Smithing 50 , Strength 50 , Thieving 50 , Woodcutting 50
Land of the Goblins Herblore 48 Agility 38 , Fishing 40 , Thieving 45
A Kingdom Divided Herblore 50 Agility 54 , Thieving 52 , Woodcutting 52 , Mining 42 , Crafting 38 , Magic 35
Grim Tales Herblore 52 Farming 45 , Thieving 58 , Agility 59 , Woodcutting 71
Fairytale II - Cure a Queen Herblore 57 Thieving 40 , Farming 49
Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire Herblore 62 Firemaking 75 ,Magic 75 ,Thieving 70 ,Runecraft 60 ,Construction 60
While Guthix Sleeps Herblore 65 Quest points 180 , Magic 67 , Agility 66 , Farming 65 , Thieving 72 , Hunter 62 , Defence 40
Song of the Elves Herblore 70 Agility 70 , Construction 70 , Farming 70 , Hunter 70 , Mining 70 , Smithing 70 , Woodcutting 70

Quests rewarding Herblore experience

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Quest Experience
reward
Herblore
requirement
Other requirements
Druidic Ritual 250 - -
At First Light 500 Herblore 30 Construction 27 , Hunter 46
Jungle Potion 775 Herblore 3 -
Recruitment Drive 1,000 - Quest points 12
Heroes' Quest 1,325 Herblore 25 Quest points 55 , Cooking 53 , Fishing 53 , Mining 50
The Dig Site 2,000 Herblore 10 Agility 10 , Thieving 25
Shades of Mort'ton 2,000 Herblore 15 Crafting 20 , Firemaking 5
Shades of Mort'ton - Diary of Herbi Flax 335 - Trade the diary with the Apothecary
Zogre Flesh Eaters 2,000 Herblore 8 Smithing 4 , Ranged 30
Fairytale II - Cure a Queen 3,500 Herblore 57 Thieving 40 , Farming 49
Land of the Goblins 8,000 Herblore 48 Agility 38 , Fishing 40 , Thieving 45
My Arm's Big Adventure 10,000 Herblore 31 Woodcutting 10 , Farming 29
Eadgar's Ruse 11,000 Herblore 31 -
Grim Tales 15,000 Herblore 52 Farming 45 , Thieving 58 , Agility 59 , Woodcutting 71
Song of the Elves 40,000 Herblore 70 Agility 70 , Construction 70 , Farming 70 , Hunter 70 , Mining 70 , Smithing 70 , Woodcutting 70
While Guthix Sleeps 75,000 Herblore 65 Quest points 180 , Magic 67 , Agility 66 , Farming 65 , Thieving 72 , Hunter 62 , Defence 40
Total 171,850

Skill choice

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Upon completing any of the following quests, players may choose to allocate experience to Herblore. These rewards usually come in the form of items, such as lamps or books, and are independent of any experience rewards directly received for completing the quest.

QuestExperience
reward
Skills availableSkill requirements
X Marks the Spot300AnyNone
Client of Kourend500 twiceAnyNone
Fairytale II - Cure a Queen2,500Any skill above 30Farming 49 , Herblore 57
A Tail of Two Cats2,500 twiceAny skill above 30None
The Great Brain Robbery5,000Any skill above 30Crafting 16 , Construction 30 , Prayer 50
King's Ransom5,000Any skill above 50Defence 65
Darkness of Hallowvale2,000 three timesAny skill above 30Construction 5 , Mining 20 , Thieving 22 , Crafting 32 , Magic 33 , Strength 40
A Taste of Hope2,500 three timesAny skill above 35Crafting 48 , Herblore 40 , Attack 40 , Agility 45 , Slayer 38
A Kingdom Divided10,000 twiceAny skill above 40Agility 54 , Thieving 52 , Woodcutting 52 , Herblore 50 , Mining 42 ,
Crafting 38 , Magic 35
In Search of Knowledge
(miniquest)
10,000Any skill above 40None
Curse of the Empty Lord
(miniquest)
10,000Any skill above 50Some players will need Prayer 31
One Small Favour10,000 twiceAny skill above 30Agility 36 , Crafting 25 , Herblore 18 , Smithing 30
Recipe for Disaster
(The final battle)
20,000Any skill above 50Quest points 175 , Cooking 70 , Agility 48 , Mining 50 , Fishing 53 ,
Thieving 53 , Herblore 25 , Magic 59 , Smithing 40 , Firemaking 50 ,
Ranged 40 , Crafting 40 , Fletching 10 , Slayer 10 , Woodcutting 36
Legends' Quest30,000 four timesAttack Strength Defence Magic Hitpoints Prayer
Woodcutting Crafting Smithing Herblore Agility Thieving
Quest points 107 , Agility 50 , Crafting 50 , Herblore 45 , Magic 56 , Mining 52 ,
Prayer 42 , Smithing 50 , Strength 50 , Thieving 50 , Woodcutting 50
Sins of the Father15,000 six timesAny skill above 60Woodcutting 62 , Fletching 60 , Crafting 56 , Agility 52 , Slayer 50 , Attack 50 , Magic 49
Total322,300


Level up messages

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This article on a skill has an associated transcript page for level up messages.
Click here for the transcript.

Changes

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Date Changes
8 May 2024
(Update)

Barbarian mixes now have a "make-all" option, which can be toggled in the Settings menu.

7 April 2021
(Update)

Some grammar has been corrected in the Herblore level-up messages.

10 September 2020
(Update)

You may now clean all your herbs automatically after cleaning the first one in your Inventory.

26 February 2015
(Update | poll)

Unidentified herbs were changed back to grimy herbs so that they could be listed on the Grand Exchange.

6 January 2014
(Update)

When you fail to identify a herb because your Herblore level is too low, the message no longer refers to cleaning.

14 November 2013
(Update)

Some Herblore mixing animations have been updated to stop them interfering with your walk animation.

25 February 2013
(Update)

The change for herbs from "unidentified" to "grimy" was reverted, by popular request.

22 February 2013
(Update)

Unidentified herbs have been changed to grimy herbs.

Trivia

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  • In RuneScape Classic, the skill was spelled "Herblaw". This was the case in 2001 when it was first listed in the skills list (even though it was unimplemented prior to the release of Pay-to-play in 2002), until Classic closed in 2018.
  • Paul Gower stated that the skill was renamed to Herblore in RuneScape 2 because Herblaw is "spelled wrong".[1][2] Specifically, he realised he had spelled the component word "Lore" incorrectly as "Law" due to his accent.[3]
    • In English texts, there are prior usages of the word "Herblore" going back to at least the 1800s[4] but no such prior usage for the word "Herblaw". However, players of Classic generally did not consider the skill to be spelled wrong, since it is a very obscure word not found in any dictionary, and it was used in the fantasy setting of RuneScape.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Tom Puttemans. "Runefest 2010 - Insider Session "RuneScape Genesis" 2/3" (in 9:09). YouTube video. 28 August 2010. Quote by Paul Gower: There was Herblore, spelt wrongly in those days. We eventually figured out that Herblore is spelled L O R E, for knowledge or something.
  2. ^ Alex Calvin, (2021) RUNESCAPE THE FIRST 20 YEARS - AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY p.30 Quote: Originally this was incorrectly spelled 'Herblaw'. It was corrected to 'Herblore' in RuneScape 2.
  3. ^ Clarification from unrecorded discussion at RuneFest 2025.
  4. ^ Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, (1883) Westminster and Foreign Quarterly Review - Volume 120 p.234 Quote: Chapter I. introduces us to the medical and superstitious treatment of the insane in the olden time, the days of leechdoms and wortcunning, or herblore, and the days of starcraft.