Ironman Mode
For tips on how to train Ironmen accounts, please see Ironman guide or Free-to-play Ironman guide
Ironman Mode is an account type, released on October 13, 2014, that encourages the player to be entirely self-sufficient. Ironmen are locked out of or restricted in most forms of interactions with other players such as trading, the Grand Exchange, PvP, most group minigames, and almost all other group activities.
Ironman Mode can only be enabled at the end of Tutorial Island by speaking to Paul before being teleported by the Magic Instructor. There will be an option to toggle it off at any point the player wishes after the tutorial, but they won't be able to turn it back on after that. After confirming to toggle Ironman Mode off, there will be a 7-day waiting period before the toggle will take effect, during which time the player may cancel the change if they change their mind or if their account had been hijacked.
Players may also choose to permanently stay an Ironman by talking to Adam in Lumbridge, and these restrictions cannot be removed in-game, and they must contact Customer Support to have it removed. As of an update on 11 January 2018, new accounts must have a skill total level of 1,000 to set permanent Ironman status.
Standard ironman and 
Ultimate ironman were both released on October 13, 2014. 
Hardcore ironman was later released on November 10, 2016.
Contents
Distinctions[edit | edit source]
There are three types of ironmen accounts: A standard ironman, a hardcore ironman, and an ultimate ironman. Each type has their own armour (equivalent to iron equipment) and a chat badge to denote their status:
| Chat badge | Armour |
|---|---|
| Standard ironman
|
   |
| Hardcore ironman
|
   |
| Ultimate ironman
|
   |
There are also three HiScores for Ironman Mode: One each for normal, hardcore, and ultimate ironman accounts.
Restrictions[edit | edit source]
Standard[edit | edit source]
Ironman players are NOT able to do the following:
- Trade with other players (except certain quest items from Shield of Arrav and Heroes' Quest, as well as receiving bonds)
- Pick up drops from other players' kills, including PvP
- No loot will drop whatsoever if another player has dealt damage to that monster. Even one point of damage dealt by another player will prevent the ironman from getting any loot. This does not apply if that monster was weakened by other monsters. In addition, if the monster attacks other players too much, the ironman will not get loot to prevent tanking.
- Gain experience from player-versus-player encounters (base Magic experience from casting spells is still gained, however)
- Use the Accept Aid feature
- Enter another player's player-owned house, or have other players enter theirs
- Buy items from other players through overstocked shops or take advantage of higher sell prices of understocked shops
- Receive items via balloons in the Falador Party Room
- Stake in the Duel Arena
- Group activities in Nightmare Zone, and resource rewards from the reward chest (excluding scroll of redirection)
Hardcore[edit | edit source]
- For a list of first Hardcore Ironman Accomplishments, see Ironman Mode/Hardcore ironman firsts.
Hardcore Ironman players will only have one life, in addition to the standard restrictions given to all ironmen. If a Hardcore Ironman dies, they will be converted to a standard ironman. In addition, their experience and total level on the Hardcore Ironman highscore table will be locked, with their name slashed across like this.
Safe deaths, such as those in minigames, will not cause the player to become a standard ironman. The following activities are deemed safe:
- Barbarian Assault
- Camelot training room
- Castle Wars
- Chambers of Xeric
- Clan Wars
- Dream World during Lunar Diplomacy
- Duel Arena
- Fishing Trawler
- The Fremennik Trials - 4th phase of the duel with Koschei the Deathless
- Inferno
- Last Man Standing
- Magic Training Arena
- Nightmare Zone
- Pest Control
- Death within a player-owned house
- PvM Arena
- TzHaar Fight Cave
- TzHaar Fight Pit
- Random Event Areas
- Rogues' Den (maze)
- Zulrah - Resurrection reward from Elite Western Provinces Diary only
When a Hardcore Ironman dies, the following message appears in their chatbox: "You have fallen as a Hardcore Iron Man[sic], your Hardcore status has been revoked."
Ultimate[edit | edit source]
Ultimate Ironman players are not able to do the following, in addition to the standard restrictions given to all ironmen:
- Use the banks of RuneScape (they are still able to use noted items on bank booths or chests to unnote them)
- Create item sets using the Grand Exchange
- Receive resources from Managing Miscellania
- Send their Servant to the bank or the Sawmill
- Keep any item on death nor use the Protect Item prayer
- Use the seed vault
Ironmen and bonds[edit | edit source]
Ironmen can get bonds as gifts from other players or through the official OldSchool website. They can also turn untradeable bonds into tradeable bonds, but ironmen cannot use bonds on any other players.
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- Prior to the introduction of Ironman Mode, players who played without trading any other players, with the exception of Shield of Arrav and Heroes' Quest, were called purists or self-sufficient accounts, or were said to be playing a "DIY" (Do It Yourself) style.
- Downgrading your account from any Ironman selection will result in your Ironman exclusive armour being removed from your account. You can only obtain the armour appropriate to your Ironman selection.
- Example: Starting as Ultimate Ironman and downgrading to a normal Ironman will remove the Ultimate Ironman armour from your account. You can obtain a new set of normal Ironman armour from Adam.
- As of February 2017, 6.68% of active players were either ironmen, hardcore ironmen, or ultimate ironmen.
