Analysis, Discussion and Tips for Success

General Discussion

Finishing potions is a way to get Herblore XP more quickly than making them from scratch, by starting with the herb already in a vial of water, and just adding the secondary ingredient. With standard potions, all of the XP is granted when you add the secondary to finish the potion, so this lets you earn XP about 60% faster. (It's not twice as fast, because the second step is slower than the first, and the second step is a bit faster if you have just made the unfinished potions and they're already in your inventory.)

Of course, nobody wants to waste time putting herbs in water to get no XP unless there's a financial reward. This means that usually, an unfinished potion costs more than a vial of water and an herb. When that is not the case -- because the GE is not updating prices properly -- so many herblorists are trying to buy the unfinished potion that you can't get any. So beware of this before planning to do a lot of leveling this way.

Because of the importance of prayer in combat, prayer potions are possibly the most important type in the game, and possibly the most often used. They are so important, in fact, that reaching level 38 is considered a key milestone in the career of any herblorist. Each sip of prayer potion restores from 7 to 31 prayer points, which is computed as the player's Prayer level divided by 4, rounded down, plus 7.

Prayer potions are frequently used for training. They don't give a lot of XP compared to higher-level options, but despite the high price of ranarr herbs, they are economical to make because the potions themselves also go for high prices, and are constantly in demand.

Location and Access

You can make potions at any bank, but a one-click bank like Castle Wars is preferred.

Required and Recommended Equipment

No equipment is needed.

Required and Recommended Supplies

No supplies are required, aside from unfinished potions and secondary ingredients.

Familiar Suggestions

Summon a foraging familiar to earn extra money for you while you work -- I prefer the magpie, given the high value of rings and gems today. There isn't a really worthwhile forager below Summoning level 47, so I wouldn't bother with a familiar at lower levels.

Technique and Tips

Take out 14 unfinished ranarr potions and 14 snape grass. Click one vial and then one grass, right-click the main message area and choose "Make All". Wait for the potions to be made, then bank and repeat.