Runeology

99 Smithing


Currently there are less than 2100 RuneScape players who hold level 99 in the Smithing skill. Whilst not a hugely expensive skill, in comparison to some other buyable 99's, it can be laborious to get. It's a very nice skill to get 99 in, and is quite unique simply due to the low numbers of those who gain the right to wear the cape.

Methods

1. Smithing (Bars -> Items)
2. Smelting (Ores -> Bars)

1) Smithing:
Smithing, the action of making items from bars, is the fastest method of gaining experience in the Smithing skill. There is pretty much one acceptable speed route to getting 99 on bars, and that is platebodies. Ideally the maximum platebody that you can make is the one you should do. For most starting out these would be Mithril platebodies which are level 68 to make, then switching to Addy Platebodies at level 88.


For comparisons, current GE prices are used.
Level whatever to 88

The current loss per Mithril plate is 2485 gp each, when alched. Taking an average level of 75, the loss to 88 is roughly 31.5m

Pretty much, unless you go down the junk route, you are looking at alching these plates. So time either when you get 88/99, or during making the plates, must be set aside to alch. Naturally if you don't have 99 mage, then alching is a good way to gain Magic XP, if you are 99, it kinda hurts a little /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

Level 88 to 99

Moving on to Adamantite plates at 88 drops the loss down quite a bit, as well as time, as Adamantite plates do sell on the GE. The loss on selling the plates work out at around 1631 each, or if you want to alch them, 1646.

The overall cost from 88 to 99 works out around 45.1m.

2) Smelting:
The other acceptable method for 99 smith is to smelt Gold Ore into Bars (using goldsmith gauntlets). This makes the skill very AFK'able for large periods, allowing you to do other things.

Costs: From 75-99 you will have to smith a mammoth 210,392 bars of gold. Again using current GE prices, the estimated loss is 65.5m.

Conclusion

You need to decide whether you value time over effort. A full action on ores, in a standard furnace takes roughly 1 minute 24 seconds to do 28 ores. A full action on making plates takes roughly 20 seconds on 5 plates (25 bars). (Action does not include banking time. Just time from choosing gold ore to smith, or choosing plates to make)

Time to compare experience. A full load of Gold ores (28), using goldsmith gauntlets, gives you 1,573.6 xp. A full load of Mithril bars (25) gives you 1250 xp, and a full load of Adamantite Bars give you 1562.5 xp.

Working on the times above the XP per second is:
Gold Ores: 18.7xp
Mithril plates: 65.7xp
Addy Plates: 82.2xp
Addy plates come out on top, tho either platebody works out much faster xp per hour compared to Gold Ore (with gauntlets).

The fastest way to get 99 smith is to actually smith platebodies (mithril then adamant platebody) even though you lose roughly 11m more doing bodies over gold.