Barrows has long been one of Old School RuneScape’s most iconic pieces of content. Even in 2025, it remains a profitable mid-level PvM activity that combines combat, tanking, and puzzle solving with the excitement of unique rewards. For players who don’t want to grind, some even choose to buy OSRS gold instead, but completing Barrows runs remains one of the most enjoyable and reliable ways to earn GP in-game.In this guide, we’ll break down the process, gear choices, strategies, and loot so you can follow a similar journey yourself.

Getting Set Up for Barrows

Gear and Weapons

The standout weapon for this grind was the Eye of Ajak, a new magic weapon released in 2025. Its high DPS made it even more effective at Barrows than the Tumeken’s Shadow. Combined with Confliction Gauntlets, Avernic Treads, the Maggus Ring, and full Ancestral, this setup maximized magic damage while keeping the run smooth.

Secondary gear included Dragon Claws for special attacks on Ahrim, boosting kill speed and keeping runs efficient. While these high-end items aren’t required for Barrows, they showcase how upgrades over the years have significantly increased DPS compared to the early days.

Inventory

A typical loadout included:

· Saturated Heart for boosted stats

· Super Strength for melee special attacks

· Food and prayer potions

· Teleports (Construction cape or house tabs for fast banking)

Your exact inventory may vary depending on your account type and budget, but the key principle is to bring balance between offense, sustain, and quick banking.

Running the Barrows Brothers

Each Barrows run begins by entering the crypts and killing selected minions to increase reward potential. Mr. No Sleep typically killed three skeletons each run, ensuring 88-90% reward potential before looting the chest. This approach guarantees extra runes and a chance at bolt racks without dragging out kill times.

A good habit is to use your strongest attack style against each brother’s weakness:

· Ahrim → strong melee (Claw spec works well)

· Dharok, Torag, Guthan, Verac → magic with Eye of Ajak or similar

· Karil → tank with prayer or food, then return fire with mage

With practice, you can complete a full run in 2-3 minutes depending on gear.

Loot Progression and Item Highlights

Over the course of 1,000 chests, the loot showcased both the strengths and frustrations of Barrows. Early highlights included:

· Dharok’s Greataxe (1.7M GP)

· Ahrim’s Robe Top (close to 2M GP)

· Elite Clue Scrolls scattered consistently through the grind

Certain items appeared repeatedly, such as Guthan’s Platebody, while others proved elusive. Completing full sets became a natural side goal. By the 769th chest, the Verac’s Flail finally dropped, completing that set. Eventually, Mr. No Sleep completed Guthan’s, Torag’s, Verac’s, Ahrim’s, and Karil’s sets-falling just one Dharok’s Helm short of a clean sweep.

Clue Scroll Integration

An overlooked bonus of Barrows is its elite clue scroll drop rate. Over the 1,000-chest journey, 27 elite clues were obtained. By stacking and completing them in batches, the grind yielded not just regular loot but also master clues and the chance at rare rewards like Third Age items.

While Third Age didn’t appear this time, the clue rewards added around 10M GP, essentially covering supply costs for the entire grind. For players looking to maximize efficiency, this makes Barrows both a money-maker and a clue farm.

Profit Breakdown

After 80 hours of Barrows and another 5 hours of clue scrolls, the final tally was impressive:

· Runes, bolt racks, and coins: ~44M GP

· Barrows items: ~32M GP

· Clue scroll rewards: ~10M GP

That totals roughly 86M GP profit. With supply costs (tiers, potions, and charges) averaging around 7M GP, nearly all loot was profit. This averages out to just over 1M GP per hour, a solid figure for a mid-level PvM activity with minimal risk.

Lessons for Your Own Grind

1. Invest in DPS gear - Weapons like the Eye of Ajak drastically improve kill speed, though cheaper setups can still profit.

2. Prioritize reward potential - Aim for at least 88% to maximize rune and GP income.

3. Stack clue scrolls - Doing elites and masters in batches helps smooth out RNG and adds long-term excitement.

4. Track your loot - RuneLite’s loot tracker or a dedicated bank tab keeps progress motivating.

5. Patience is key - Dry streaks are inevitable, but over the long haul, Barrows still pays off.

Final Thoughts

Barrows may no longer be the top moneymaker in Old School RuneScape, but it remains one of the most satisfying mid-game activities. With consistent profit, valuable runes, and the chance at completing full armor sets, it offers a mix of nostalgia and efficiency. While some players turn to cheap RuneScape gold to boost their accounts quickly, others enjoy the grind itself-and Barrows is still one of the most enjoyable ways to do it.Barrows holds its place as a timeless piece of OSRS content. Whether you’re chasing profit, elite clues, or the thrill of completing sets, there’s always something rewarding waiting beneath the crypts.