OSRS Slayer Guide: Tips for Faster XP, Points & Better Tasks

Slayer is one of Old School RuneScape's most loved skills, and for good reasons. It gives great combat XP, unlocks profitable boss monsters, gives access to gear like the awesome Slayer Helmet, and breaks up the boredom of just grinding combat stats. But, it can feel slow or annoying if you don't do it efficiently.

This guide gives practical tips to speed up your Slayer training, get the most Slayer points, and make the grind more enjoyable. You'll be applying combat triangle knowledge constantly!

Choosing Your Slayer Master

Who gives you tasks matters a lot for task quality and points gained.

  • Early Game (Low Combat): Start with Turael/Spria for super easy tasks just to get points/levels, but move on ASAP. Vannaka (Edgeville Dungeon) is okay for early-mid levels.
  • Mid Game (70+ Combat): Nieve (Gnome Stronghold) or Steve (after Monkey Madness II quest) offer a good mix of decent tasks and points. Chaeldar (Zanaris) is another option but often less popular.
  • Late Game (85+ Combat / High Combat Level): Duradel (Shilo Village - needs quest) is generally seen as the best for points and tasks that give good XP. Konar quo Maten (Mount Karuulm) gives location-specific tasks that drop Brimstone Keys (can be good money!), but sometimes assigns slow tasks in annoying spots. Use Konar smartly for point boosts (every 10th task).

Point Boosting Strategy: Always do your 10th, 50th, 100th, etc. task from the highest level Slayer Master you can use (usually Duradel or Konar) because they give way more bonus points on these milestone tasks.

Essential Slayer Point Unlocks (Spend Points Wisely!)

Slayer points take time to earn. Use them on the best unlocks first:

  1. Slayer Helmet (Needs Crafting level): Absolute #1 priority. Combines the damage/accuracy boost of a Black Mask (imbued) with slayer monster protection helmets (Spiny Helmet, Facemask, etc.) into one amazing item. HUGE upgrade. Cost: 400 points to learn how to make it.
  2. Blocking Tasks: Lets you permanently stop masters from giving you specific tasks you hate or that are super slow. Key for good XP rates. Unlock all block slots as soon as you can. Cost: 100 points per slot (you get up to 5 or 6 slots based on quest completion).
  3. Superior Slayer Monsters: Gives a chance for much stronger "Superior" versions of monsters to spawn during tasks. They drop way more XP and have unique loot chances (like Imbued Heart, Eternal Gem). Cost: 150 points to unlock.
  4. Task Extensions ('Bigger and Badder'): Worth considering later for tasks you really like and are fast XP/profit (e.g., extending Dust Devils or Nechryaels for bursting). Cost: Varies per task.
  5. Slayer Rings: Lets you craft Slayer Rings for teleports close to some task locations. Helpful, but lower priority than the above. Cost: 75 points unlock.

Building Your Block & Skip List

This is vital for efficient Slayer. Your aim is to permanently block tasks that are bad XP, annoying to get to, or you just really dislike. Use points to skip other bad tasks you couldn't block.

  • Common Blocks (Changes based on your level/goals): Hellhounds (until you do Cerberus boss), Greater Demons (until K'ril boss), Iron/Steel Dragons (annoying without specific gear), Spiritual Creatures (Warriors/Rangers/Mages), Suqahs, Black Demons (until Demonic Gorillas), Waterfiends.
  • Common Skips (using points): Metal Dragons (if you don't have Dragon Hunter Crossbow/Lance), any really slow tasks you didn't block, tasks assigned by Konar in terrible locations.
  • Think Ahead: Don't block tasks that become good later (like Black Demons needed for MM2). Check your gear progression.

General Plan: Block the tasks that are consistently slow or annoying for you. Use skip points occasionally for tasks that are just awful right now but maybe useful later, or tasks in bad Konar spots. Don't skip everything or you'll burn through points fast.

Tips for Faster Task Completion

  • Use a Cannon: Where possible (multi-combat areas, specific monsters), a Dwarf Multicannon significantly speeds up kills/XP. Keep it stocked! (Buying gold helps fund these).
  • Bursting/Barraging: For tasks like Dust Devils, Nechryaels, or Smoke Devils in multi-combat spots (like Catacombs of Kourend or Slayer Tower basement), using Ancient Magicks (Ice Burst/Barrage) offers insane XP rates. Needs Desert Treasure quest finished.
  • Efficient Gear: Wear your Slayer Helmet (i)! Use the best gear for the task (correct attack style, prayer bonus gear if needed). Use prayers like Piety/Rigour/Augury when possible. Get gear ideas from our OSRS Gear Progression Guide.
  • Travel Optimization: Use teleports! Slayer Rings, Player Owned House jewelry/portals, standard spellbook teleports, items like Ardy cloak – minimize running time.
  • Aggression Potions / AFK: For some tasks, using aggression potions or finding spots where monsters stay aggressive lets you AFK train more easily (often with Protect Prayers).
  • Alts (Optional Advanced): Some very efficient players use alternate accounts for tasks like speccing bosses (Dragon Warhammer specs) or providing other utility, but this is advanced and not necessary for good rates.

Conclusion: Slayer is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Slayer takes time – getting 99 is a long journey (see how long to max). But applying these efficiency tips makes it much smoother and more rewarding. Prioritize your point unlocks, manage your block/skip list smartly, and use the best methods for each task.

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Happy slaying!