Mid-Game Ironman Goals OSRS: Complete Progression Guide
Focus on three pillars: (1) Quest cape or near-completion, (2) Slayer to 87 for trident and 91 for primordials, (3) Major gear unlocks like zenytes and bowfa. Get 70 Prayer via Varlamore blessed shards, complete fire cape, and work on hard diaries.
You’ve finished the early game grind. You have graceful, fairy rings, and base 50s in combat. You’ve done the essential quests. Now what?
Mid-game is where most OSRS ironmen lose direction. Unlike early game (clear quest progression) or late game (chase specific BIS items), mid-game is a web of competing goals with no obvious order. Quest cape? Slayer grind? Corrupted Gauntlet? All valid, none clearly “first.”
This guide breaks down mid-game ironman progression, gives you a framework for prioritising goals, and helps you avoid common traps that waste time.
Defining Mid-Game
You’re in mid-game when:
- Early game foundation is complete (graceful, fairy rings, base 40-50s)
- Quest cape is achievable (or you’re close)
- You’re building toward self-sufficiency in PvM
You’ve reached late game when:
- You have consistent raid KC (ToA/CoX)
- Core gear is complete (trident, bowfa/ranged alternative, prims, zenytes)
- Your goals shift to BIS chasing (mega rares) and elite diaries
The middle ground is messy by design. Mid-game is about unlocking options, not following a linear path.
The Three Pillars of Mid-Game
Pillar 1: Quest Cape (The North Star)
Quest cape is the single best mid-game goal because it:
- Unlocks everything. Prif, fairy rings, spirit trees, diaries, teleports
- Gives structure. No decision paralysis when you’re working toward a clear end state
- Forces balanced stats. You’ll naturally hit skill thresholds needed for mid-game content
Key quest unlocks:
- Song of the Elves → Prif access, Corrupted Gauntlet, crystal gear
- While Guthix Sleeps → Tormented demons, demonbane weapons (for late-game bosses like Doom and Yama)
- Dragon Slayer II → Vorkath access, Ava’s assembler
- Recipe for Disaster → Barrows gloves (if not done yet)
You don’t need quest cape immediately, but it should be your default answer to “what do I work on next?” See our Early Ironman Quests guide for optimal quest order.
Pillar 2: The Slayer Ladder
Slayer is the backbone of mid-game. It gives you combat XP, GP, supplies, and essential gear drops. This is where you’ll spend 100-200 hours.
Critical milestones:
| Level | Unlock | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 58 | Black Mask | 16.67% damage and accuracy boost on-task (massive upgrade) |
| 75 | Gargoyles | Very AFK, consistent GP and alchables |
| 85 | Abyssal Demons | Abyssal whip (BIS melee weapon until late game) |
| 87 | Kraken | Trident of the seas (mandatory for Zulrah, raids, any magic PvM) |
| 91 | Cerberus | Primordial boots (BIS melee boots, pre-endgame requirement) |
| 93 | Smoke Devils | Occult necklace (BIS magic neck slot) |
The 87 → 91 grind is non-negotiable. Trident unlocks mid-game PvM, and prims are expected before you’re considered “late game ready.” See our full Slayer guide for efficient task management.
Pillar 3: Major Gear Unlocks
Mid-game is when you transition from quest rewards and basic gear to self-obtained upgrades.
Essential gear:
| Item | Source | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Fire cape | Fight Caves | First real DPS test, BIS cape until Inferno |
| Barrows gloves | Recipe for Disaster | BIS gloves for most content |
| Zenytes (4x) | Demonic Gorillas | Anguish, Torment bracelet, Suffering, Necklace |
| Trident | 87 Slayer (Kraken) | Mandatory for magic PvM |
| Abyssal whip | 85 Slayer | BIS melee weapon until fang/rapier |
| Primordial boots | 91 Slayer (Cerberus) | BIS melee boots |
| Elite Void | Pest Control | BIS for ToB, Colosseum, many bosses |
| Bow of Faerdhinen | Corrupted Gauntlet (optional) | Single largest DPS upgrade in the game |
The Bowfa Question:
Corrupted Gauntlet for bowfa is the most divisive mid-game decision. Bowfa is a mid-game grind that gates late-game efficiency - you get it before raids, not during them.
Arguments for doing CG early:
- Bowfa is the single largest gear upgrade an ironman can get
- Makes everything faster: Slayer, Zulrah, GWD, Cerberus
- Unlocks content that’s hard without it (some CoX rooms, efficient DKs, GWD)
- Required for efficient late-game PvM
Arguments for skipping/delaying CG:
- Can burn you out (50-500 KC for enhanced seed is brutal RNG)
- You can start entry-mode raids with trident/whip/zenytes (but it’s noticeably harder)
- Doing it at 87-91 Slayer means you already have trident (makes CG easier)
Varlamore’s Role in Mid-Game
Varlamore content (released 2024) added several new mid-game goals:
Prayer Training (70 for Piety)
Blessed bone shards from Hunter’s Guild are now the go-to prayer training method:
- 5-6 XP per shard (scales with Prayer level)
- Completely safe (no Wilderness risk)
- 46 Hunter to start, 72 Hunter for best rates
- Detailed breakdown in our Prayer Training Guide
Getting Piety at 70 Prayer is a massive melee DPS boost and should be a priority for all mid-game ironmen.
Moons of Peril (75+ Combat)
Mid-level boss that drops moon armour sets:
- Blood Moon (melee) - stepping stone to Bandos
- Eclipse Moon (ranged) - good ranged DPS gear
- Blue Moon (magic) - magic DPS option
These armour sets are solid mid-game alternatives if you don’t want to grind traditional content.
Tormented Demons (80+ Combat)
Requires While Guthix Sleeps quest. Drops tormented synapse (1/500) which crafts:
- Emberlight (melee demonbane)
- Purging Staff (magic demonbane)
- Scorching Bow (ranged demonbane)
These weapons are essential for late-game bosses like Doom of Mokhaiotl and Yama (demonbane weapons are 80%+ more effective). Getting at least one synapse is a late-mid-game goal.
Mixed Hide Armor (60 Ranged, 50 Defence)
Crafted from Hunter’s Guild furs in Varlamore (72 Hunter + 72 Crafting for top, or pay Pellem 20k):
- Better tank armour than Barrows for most ironman content
- Provides stab attack bonuses
- Low-cost, accessible alternative to traditional melee armour
Hard Diaries: The Side Quest
Hard diaries are natural mid-game checkpoints because their requirements align with mid-game stats (base 70s).
Worth prioritising:
- Western Provinces → Elite void earlier (halves Pest Control points needed)
- Fremennik → Free teleport to Rellekka, Dagannoth Kings access
- Morytania → 50% more Barrows runes (if you’re farming Barrows for tank gear)
- Kandarin → Increased Slayer points from tasks
You don’t need all hard diaries before late game, but completing 3-5 naturally as you progress is common for mid-game ironmen.
Decision Framework: What to Prioritize
With so many competing goals, how do you choose what to do next?
1. Prioritize by Bottlenecks
Some unlocks gate multiple other goals:
- Quest cape unlocks Prif (→ CG), diaries, teleports
- Trident (87 Slayer) unlocks Zulrah, efficient Barrows, raids
- Piety (70 Prayer) boosts all melee content
Do bottleneck goals first.
2. Prioritize by Impact
Not all upgrades are equal:
- Piety > most gear upgrades (universal 20%+ melee DPS boost)
- Bowfa > any other ranged upgrade (massive jump in capability)
- Barrows gloves > most jewelry (best gloves in the game)
Do high-impact unlocks early.
3. Follow Your Enjoyment
Mid-game is long. If you hate Pest Control, don’t force elite void early. If CG makes you miserable, do Slayer instead.
Burnout costs more than inefficiency.
The Mid-Game Checklist
Here’s a milestone tracker for the standard mid-game path. Not everything is mandatory, but these cover the common progression route.
Essential (Do These)
- Quest cape (or 250+ QP)
- Fire cape
- Barrows gloves
- 70 Prayer (Piety)
- 87 Slayer (trident)
- 85 Slayer (whip)
- First zenyte shard
- Black mask / Slayer helm
Recommended (Most Players Do)
- 91 Slayer (Cerberus / prims)
- All 4 zenytes
- Elite void
- Corrupted bowfa
- 3-5 hard diaries
- 83 Construction (or 82+stew)
- 93 Slayer (occult necklace)
Optional (Depends on Playstyle)
- All hard diaries
- Tormented synapse (demonbane weapons)
- Moons of Peril armour sets
- Mixed hide armour
- Barrows armour completion
- Dragon hunter lance (if doing lots of dragons)
Common Mid-Game Traps
1. Grinding 99s You Don’t Need
Don’t push for 99 Cooking, Fletching, or Firemaking in mid-game. Focus on unlocks, not levels.
2. Over-Farming Zulrah Before Raids
Zulrah is good for scales and GP, but don’t camp it for 1,000 KC before starting raids. Get your first ToA KC, then return to Zulrah if you need more scales.
3. Skipping Quest Cape “For Later”
Every month you delay quest cape costs you fairy rings, teleports, and diary progress. Just do it.
4. Burning Out on CG
Going 500+ KC dry on enhanced seed is soul-crushing. If you’re burning out, take a break. Do some Slayer. Come back later.
5. Neglecting Construction and Herblore
These buyables feel expensive, but 83 Construction (jewelry box, ornate pool) and 78 Herblore (super combat potions) are game-changers. Don’t delay them forever - they unlock huge quality-of-life improvements.
Sequencing: A Suggested Order
Everyone’s path will differ, but here’s a common sequence that minimizes backtracking:
Phase 1: Foundation (First)
- Finish any remaining RFD subquests → Barrows gloves
- Get fire cape (if not done)
- Push for 70 Prayer via Varlamore blessed shards
- Start working toward quest cape (prioritise SoTE if you want CG)
Phase 2: The Big Grinds (Order Flexible)
- Option A: Do Corrupted Gauntlet for bowfa (50-500 KC)
- Option B: Slayer to 87 for trident, then decide on CG
- Get first zenyte shard from demonic gorillas
- Complete quest cape (or get very close)
- Elite void if you enjoy Pest Control
Phase 3: Raid Prep (Final Push)
- Slayer to 91 (Cerberus / prims)
- Finish all 4 zenytes
- 93 Slayer for occult necklace (optional but strong)
- First ToA attempts (you’re ready with trident, whip, zenytes)
- Complete While Guthix Sleeps, get tormented synapse (for late-game demonbane)
When You’re Ready for Late Game
You’re transitioning when:
- You have your first 5-10 ToA or CoX KC
- You’re comfortable with raid mechanics
- Your goals shift from unlocks to rare drops (fang, shadow, tbow)
- Elite diaries become the focus
- You’re hunting specific BIS items, not broad upgrades
There’s no hard line. Some players start raids at 87 Slayer with budget gear. Others wait until 95 Slayer with full zenytes and bowfa. Both are valid - bowfa just makes everything significantly easier.
Common Mistakes
- Waiting too long to start raids. You don’t need BIS gear for entry-mode ToA. Get in there and learn.
- Forcing the efficiency meta. If CG makes you miserable, skip it. The game is long - enjoy it.
- Ignoring Varlamore. Blessed bone shards and mixed hide armour are low-effort, high-impact.
- Not banking demonic gorilla shards. You need 4 zenytes. Don’t alch the first one.
Related Guides
- Early Game Roadmap - Where mid-game begins
- Early Ironman Quests - Quest order and priorities
- Ironman Prayer Training Guide - Getting to 70 for Piety
- Ironman Slayer Guide - Task prioritisation and block lists
- Early Ironman Money Making - Funding your buyables
- Varlamore Guide - Blessed shards, Moons of Peril, and more
- Early Ironman Food Guide - Sustainable food for PvM