OSRS Agility, Mining, Slayer, and Thieving Changes Incoming

Agility

Jagex is implementing enhancements to the Agility skill in Old School RuneScape, aiming to invigorate training and make it more engaging. Recognizing the monotony associated with Agility training is as simple as it is to buy OSRS gold, therefore, Jagex brings the focus on refining course benefits and shortcut utility, ensuring a balanced pace of progression without altering leveling speed significantly.

Efforts to rejuvenate Agility include making courses from levels 1 to 99 more rewarding and engaging by offering consistent XP rates, improving rewards for completing Achievement Diaries, and making courses like Pollnivneach and Rellekka more appealing. Notable changes include reducing the level requirement for the Draynor Rooftop Course, integrating Strength XP at the Barbarian Outpost, and adding Marks of Grace across all primary courses.

The Brimhaven Agility Arena receives special attention to boost its attractiveness for players with Agility levels 40-80, enhancing XP rates and tweaking the ticket system to encourage participation. Additionally, updates to Agility Shortcuts aim to make them more relevant and accessible, with adjustments to level requirements and removing Achievement Diary prerequisites. Jagex actively seeks community feedback on these changes, emphasizing a commitment to evolving the game in line with player preferences.

Thieving

Jagex is enhancing Thieving in Old School RuneScape by adjusting failure rates, adding clue scrolls to pickpocketing rewards, and improving stall respawn times to make Thieving more rewarding and varied. Even though thieving was already an excellent skill for OSRS power leveling, key NPCs like Paladins, Gnomes, and Heroes will now yield higher XP and the chance for rare clue scrolls, revitalizing the appeal of pickpocketing beyond repetitive tasks.

Additionally, marketplace stalls are being updated to shorten respawn times and increase XP rewards, encouraging more engagement with this aspect of Thieving.

Slayer

Slayer is a cornerstone of Old School RuneScape, celebrated for its engaging tasks and rewarding drops. Yet, for newcomers, the allure of Slayer may take time to be evident, particularly at the early stages, which can feel like a strenuous grind. Novices often turn to external resources to navigate sluggish assignments and lack Slayer Points for skipping undesirable tasks.

Recognizing these weaknesses, Jagex proposes changes to refine the initial Slayer experience. By eliminating the most cumbersome tasks and adjusting the kill counts for early assignments, the intention is to facilitate a smoother entry into the more exhilarating aspects of Slayer. Additionally, introducing unique drops early in the Slayer journey is designed to inject excitement and provide utility against low-level tasks, enhancing the overall appeal of starting Slayer.

Specifically, Jagex plans to remove certain tasks from the lists of Slayer Masters like Mazchna, Vannaka, and Chaeldar, including repetitive or overly challenging monsters such as Earth Warriors, Rock Slugs, and various dragon types.

This adjustment ensures that the tasks assigned are better suited to the capabilities of low-level players, keeping them engaged with content appropriate for their level. Furthermore, changes to the minimum and maximum quantity of monsters for most tasks will enable players to complete assignments more swiftly, unlocking Block Slots earlier without resorting to the Turael-boosting strategy currently prevalent among players seeking to optimize their Slayer progression.

In addition to task list revisions, modifications to Slayer monsters like Killerwatts and Fever Spiders aim to balance their challenge and make their drops more rewarding, recognizing the effort and requirements to engage with these creatures.

Mining In 2023, Jagex's updates to Shooting Stars positively impacted Mining in Old School RuneScape, yet many mining methods remain underexplored. While not planning a comprehensive overhaul like RuneScape's Mining and Smithing rework, Jagex aims to refine specific activities to enhance accessibility and diversify the skill's training options. This approach seeks to optimize what's already in place, with an openness to more extensive reworks in the future, particularly regarding Smithing.

Proposed improvements focus on making key mining activities more engaging. For the Motherlode Mine, changes include consistent vein timers and a new Super Hopper for more efficient Pay-dirt handling, which is designed to benefit especially newer miners. The Volcanic Mine will be tweaked to support solo play better, making the Prospector's Outfit more accessible. The Blast Mine is set for enhancements, including a reduction in dynamite costs and adjustments to ore handling, aiming to offer a more satisfying experience.

Additional updates are planned for Amethyst mining and the Mining Guild, making Mining Gloves more desirable and adjusting Gem Mine access requirements. These changes intend to affirm the viability of various mining methods, ensuring they are rewarding and accessible, thus encouraging players to delve into all the mining skill.

Jagex is updating Zalcano with a unique change by introducing a new currency to its loot, exchangeable for either XP or cash, allowing players to choose rewards that best fit their goals. This adjustment aims to maintain Zalcano's profitability while offering an option for increased XP gains, with a cap at approximately 50,000 XP/hr to keep the activity balanced.

Further improvements will address scaling issues, making participation more accessible and eliminating the need for world-hopping to find an ideal group size, enhancing the overall experience with this high-intensity boss.

Other Changes

Other upcoming key updates include boosting Cave Goblin Wire rewards for Lumbridge Elite Diary holders, decreasing fail rates for higher-level Thieving at the Wire machine, and enriching the Dorgesh-Kaan Light Orbs activity with better XP gains and a new progress counter.

Additionally, quality-of-life improvements will allow for more efficient potion-making and provide significant buffs to the Necklace of Faith and Ring of Pursuit. Efaritay's Aid receives a notable upgrade, improving combat effectiveness against Vampyres. Finally, the Fletching level required for crafting a Toxic Blowpipe is increased to ensure a balanced progression. These changes are designed to streamline and enhance the skilling experience.