OSRS Thieving Guide: 1-99 Training - Old School Runescape

Thieving, a Members-only skill in Old School RuneScape, lets you steal Gold Coins and Items from Market Stalls, Chests, and even directly from NPC pockets. It also grants the ability to pick locks and disarm traps, opening access to new areas and shortcuts. Thieving stands out as one of the more enjoyable and lucrative Skills in OSRS. At level 90+, players can pickpocket Master Farmers and earn more than 1,000,000 Gold per hour, making Thieving essential for anyone focused on gold-making in the game.

Leveling up Thieving can be exciting, especially compared to slower skills like Runecrafting, though there are also AFK-friendly approaches. Multiple methods exist to raise this skill effectively while maintaining good profits. This guide explains the fastest, most efficient, and most profitable methods to train Thieving from 1–99. It also explores quests, gear, and items that can improve the process and smooth the grind overall.

Before You Start

Before diving into Thieving training, it’s wise to make some preparations. Certain quests and items make leveling smoother, faster, and much less frustrating. Some steps are mandatory, while others are simply recommended. Here’s what you need to know before starting.

Quests

Completing quests that reward Thieving experience is often faster and more cost-effective than traditional grinding. Some have higher requirements and take longer but still offer excellent XP and variety. Here are some of the most notable quests for boosting your early Thieving journey:

• The Giant Dwarf (Optional) – Requirements: 14 Thieving, 16 Firemaking, 33 Magic, 12 Crafting (plus optional 20 Smithing/Mining). Rewards: 2500 Mining, Crafting, and Smithing XP, 1500 Thieving, Firemaking, and Magic XP. This quest is more Mining/Smithing focused, but still worth noting.
• Hazeel Cult (Optional/Recommended) – Requirements: None. Rewards: 1500 Thieving XP, 2000 Gold. Very short and beginner-friendly, great for quick XP.
• Tribal Totem (Optional/Recommended) – Requirements: 21 Thieving. Rewards: 1775 Thieving XP, 5 Swordfish. Easy and low-requirement quest for extra XP.
• Death to the Dorgeshuun (Recommended) – Requirements: 23 Thieving, 23 Agility. Rewards: 2000 Thieving XP, 2000 Ranged XP, access to H.A.M Storerooms and Dorgesh-Kaan. Unlocks treasure chests and key pickpocketing opportunities for great GP and XP.
• The Queen of Thieves (Optional) – Requirements: 20 Thieving. Rewards: 2000 Thieving XP, 2000 GP, access to The Warrens, Piscarilius favor, teleport item. Fast and simple quest, good for a break from grinding.
• Fight Arena (Recommended) – Requirements: None, but combat gear is needed. Rewards: 2175 Thieving XP, 12175 Attack XP, Khazard Armor. Bosses can be safe-spotted, making it beginner-friendly.
• The Slug Menace (Optional) – Requirements: 30 Runecrafting, 30 Thieving, 30 Slayer, 30 Crafting. Rewards: 3500 Thieving XP, plus Runecrafting and Crafting XP. Useful if training Runecrafting too.
• Icthlarin's Little Helper (Optional/Recommended) – Requirements: None, but involves fighting level 91 monsters. Rewards: 4500 Thieving XP, 4000 Agility XP, 4000 Woodcutting XP, Catspeak Amulet, access to Sophanem. Straightforward quest with good XP gains.
• Darkness of Hallowvale (Optional) – Requirements: 22 Thieving, 40 Strength, 5 Construction, 33 Magic, 26 Agility, 32 Crafting, 20 Mining. Rewards: 6000 Thieving XP, 7000 Agility XP, 2000 Construction XP, Tome of Experience. Highly rewarding but requires prep.
• Contact! (Optional) – Requirements: None, but tough quest. Rewards: 7000 Thieving XP, 7000 XP in two other skills, The Keris weapon, Sophanem bank access. Hard quest but huge rewards.
• Dragon Slayer II (Optional) – Requirements: High skill levels including 60 Thieving. Rewards: 15000 Thieving XP, 25000 Smithing XP, access to Myths’ Guild. Extremely long and difficult but valuable.
• The Feud (Recommended/Mandatory) – Requirements: 30 Thieving. Rewards: 15000 Thieving XP, Desert Disguise, access to Rogue Trader minigame, ability to Blackjack. Essential for progressing quickly from 30–37 and unlocking the Blackjacking method.
• Mourning’s End Part I (Optional) – Requirements: 50 Thieving, 60 Ranged. Rewards: 25000 Thieving XP, 25000 Hitpoints XP, access to Lletya. A long but rewarding Master-level quest.

Items and Equipment

Having the right items makes Thieving far smoother. These are some of the best tools to boost your efficiency:

• Gloves of Silence – Boosts pickpocket success by 5%. Requires 54 Hunter. Can be bought or crafted cheaply. Degrade after failed attempts but can be restored with Crafting.
• Ardougne Cloak – From Ardougne Diary. Boosts pickpocket success by up to 10% and stall thieving success by 10%. Cloak 2+ recommended as it works anywhere.
• Dodgy Necklace – Gives 25% chance to avoid stun/damage on failed pickpocket. Very useful for efficiency but has limited charges.
• Rogue Equipment – Full set guarantees double loot from pickpocketing. Essential for profit-focused training. Obtained through the Rogue’s Den minigame.

Note: Gloves of Silence and Ardougne Cloak bonuses don’t stack. Choose one depending on your progression.

Things to Remember

• Set Attack options to "Hidden" to left-click NPCs for faster pickpocketing.
• Stall Thieving has 100% success if unseen by Guards/Owners. If caught, you’ll be attacked and locked out of the stall for 10 minutes.

The Training

Skill Levels 1-14 ⇒ The "Fight Arena" Quest

Completing Fight Arena grants 2175 Thieving XP, enough to jump straight to level 14. No skill requirements and safe spots make this the recommended start.

An alternative approach for Levels 1-5 ⇒ Pickpocketing Women and Men

Pickpocketing men and women found across RuneScape provides 8 XP and 3 GP per attempt. About 49 attempts are needed to reach level 5.

Skill Levels 5-20 ⇒ Thieving from Cake Stalls in Ardougne / Tea Stalls in Varrock

Both yield 16 XP per theft. Avoid guard sightlines to prevent being caught. Ardougne’s Cake Stall offers profit and food, while Varrock’s Tea Stall is safer.

Skill Levels 20-25 ⇒ Thieving from Silk Stalls in Ardougne

Located in East Ardougne Market. 141 thefts needed for 20–25. Can provide up to 15k XP/hr and 30k GP/hr selling Silk.

Skill Levels 25-45 ⇒ Thieving from Fruit Stalls in Hosidius

Requires 15% Hosidius favor. Each theft gives 28.5 XP. Guard dogs can be trapped for 100% success. Up to 30k XP/hr possible.

An alternative approach for Levels 30-37 ⇒ "The Feud" Quest

The Feud gives 15k XP, boosting Thieving from 30–37 instantly. Mandatory for unlocking Blackjacking.

Skill Levels 45-91 ⇒ Blackjacking

Use Maple Blackjack in Pollnivneach. Knock out NPCs and pickpocket them:

• 45–55: Bearded Bandits (~80k XP/hr)
• 55–65: Unbearded Bandits (~150k XP/hr)
• 65+: Menaphite Thugs (~200k XP/hr)

Skill Levels 91-99 ⇒ The Pyramid Plunder

Accessible from level 71 but best from 91+. Grants up to 270k XP/hr. Requires Icthlarin’s Little Helper quest. Recommended gear: Graceful outfit, Antidote++, food, stamina potions, and some coins. Contact! quest provides nearby bank access.

An alternative approach for Levels 38-99 ⇒ Pickpocketing Master Farmers

Profitable seed drops but low success below 50 Thieving. With Rogue set, at 38 Thieving yields ~32k XP/hr and 120k GP/hr. At 94+, up to 1M GP/hr.

An alternative approach for Levels 55-99 ⇒ Pickpocketing Knights of Ardougne

AFK-friendly option. Yields 84.3 XP per success. With Ardougne Cloak 2+, XP ranges from 60k/hr at level 55 to 250k/hr at 95+. Profits ~120k GP/hr.

Conclusion

This guide outlines the most effective ways to train Thieving from 1–99. While these methods are reliable, you can adapt your training style based on goals and preferences. We hope this rewritten guide helps you optimize your Thieving journey. Future updates will expand with lesser-known techniques, so stay tuned. And remember—feedback is always welcome to improve the content further.