Skill calculator
OSRS Prayer Calculator
Enter your current and target Prayer level to see exactly how much XP you need and the best practical ways to train it at your level — with resources, time and live cost.
Prayer is the classic 'buy levels with gp' skill: you offer bones at a gilded altar (or scatter ashes) and the only real questions are which bone gives the best value and how much it will cost you. This calculator turns a target Prayer level into the exact number of bones or ashes you need, the time at a gilded altar, and the live Grand Exchange cost — so you can compare dragon bones against superior dragon, wyvern, dagannoth or lava dragon bones before you commit a big gp pile.
Prayer 1 → 99
0%
0 / 13,034,431 XP
XP remaining
13,034,431
to level 99
What reaching Prayer 99 unlocks
Fastest
Ourg bones — gilded altar
1,249,500 xp/hr
Your path: 1 → 99
- 1–70
Ourg bones — gilded altar
~1,249,500 xp/hr
- 70–99
Superior dragon bones — gilded altar
~1,338,750 xp/hr
Methods available now
Ourg bones — gilded altar
Recommended490 XP each with both burners lit (140 buried). From General Graardor / Ogre burial mounds.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~1,249,500
490/action
Resources
26,601
~10h 26m
Cost
−1.1b
43.2k ea · live
Dagannoth bones — gilded altar
437.5 XP each with both burners lit (125 buried). Dropped by the Dagannoth Kings.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~1,115,625
437.5/action
Resources
29,793
~11h 41m
Cost
−368.2m
12.4k ea · live
Raurg bones — gilded altar
336 XP each with both burners lit (96 buried). From the Ogre burial mounds.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~856,800
336/action
Resources
38,793
~15h 13m
Cost
−291.2m
7.5k ea · live
Lava dragon bones — gilded altar
297.5 XP each with both burners lit (85 buried). Often the best XP-per-gp bone for irons who farm them.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~758,625
297.5/action
Resources
43,814
~17h 11m
Cost
−245.9m
5.6k ea · live
Fayrg bones — gilded altar
294 XP each with both burners lit (84 buried). From the Ogre burial mounds (Rag and Bone Man).
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~749,700
294/action
Resources
44,335
~17h 23m
Cost
−223.3m
5k ea · live
Dragon bones — gilded altar
252 XP per dragon bone with both burners lit (72 buried). The standard, cost-effective Prayer method.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~642,600
252/action
Resources
51,724
~20h 17m
Cost
−182.3m
3.5k ea · live
Wyvern bones — gilded altar
252 XP each with both burners lit (72 buried) — identical XP to dragon bones; price is the tiebreaker.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~642,600
252/action
Resources
51,724
~20h 17m
Cost
−178.8m
3.5k ea · live
Dragon bones — Chaos Altar
Chaos Altar, Wilderness (level 38)
252 XP per bone (350%), but ~50% of bones are saved — roughly half the gp of a gilded altar. Wilderness: bring only what you can lose.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~600,000
252/action
Resources
51,724
~21h 43m
Cost
−91.2m
3.5k ea · live
Wyrm bones — gilded altar
175 XP each with both burners lit (50 buried).
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~446,250
175/action
Resources
74,483
~29h 13m
Cost
−161.4m
2.2k ea · live
Babydragon bones — gilded altar
105 XP each with both burners lit (30 buried). A cheaper stand-in for dragon bones.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~267,750
105/action
Resources
124,138
~48h 41m
Cost
−133.3m
1.1k ea · live
Big bones — gilded altar
52.5 XP per big bone with both burners lit (15 buried). Cheap and a big step up from normal bones.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~133,875
52.5/action
Resources
248,275
~97h 22m
Cost
−66m
266 ea · live
Dragon bones — Ectofuntus
Ectofuntus (Port Phasmatys)
288 XP per dragon bone (4× burying) — the most XP per bone, but very slow (grind bones, collect slime, worship). Best for ironmen or the very cost-conscious.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~120,000
288/action
Resources
45,259
~108h 37m
Cost
−159.5m
3.5k ea · live
Bones — gilded altar
15.75 XP per bone with both burners lit (4.5 buried). Cheapest, but very slow — only for low levels or clue steps.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
~40,163
15.75/action
Resources
827,583
~324h 32m
Cost
−28.1m
34 ea · live
Vile ashes — scattered
25 XP each when scattered. Gained from lesser demons; not altar-boosted.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
—
25/action
Resources
521,378
Vile ashes
Cost
−69.9m
134 ea · live
Malicious ashes — scattered
65 XP each when scattered. Gained from black demons and similar.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
—
65/action
Resources
200,530
Malicious ashes
Cost
−259.3m
1.3k ea · live
Abyssal ashes — scattered
85 XP each when scattered. Gained from abyssal demons.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
—
85/action
Resources
153,347
Abyssal ashes
Cost
−388.4m
2.5k ea · live
Infernal ashes — scattered
110 XP each when scattered. The highest-XP ash; from greater/hellhound-tier demons.
Available
1
any
XP/hr
—
110/action
Resources
118,495
Infernal ashes
Cost
−474.7m
4k ea · live
Unlocks as you level
Superior dragon bones — gilded altar
Available from level 70 — +69 to reach
Requires 70 Prayer (unboostable). 525 XP each with both burners lit (150 buried) — the fastest practical Prayer XP, and the most expensive.
Available
70
required
XP/hr
~1,338,750
525/action
Resources
24,828
~9h 44m
Cost
−498.1m
20.1k ea · live
Superior dragon bones — Chaos Altar
Available from level 70 — +69 to reach
Chaos Altar, Wilderness (level 38)
Requires 70 Prayer (unboostable). 525 XP per bone with ~50% saved — the fastest Prayer XP for roughly half the gilded-altar cost. Wilderness risk applies.
Available
70
required
XP/hr
~1,250,000
525/action
Resources
24,828
~10h 26m
Cost
−249m
20.1k ea · live
XP per action and resource counts are exact. XP/hr and time are conservative experienced-player estimates that vary with gear, efficiency and setup. Cost uses live Grand Exchange prices where an item is consumed per action; other gp figures are estimates.
Prayer training methods
The practical ways to train Prayer from level 1 to 99, with the level they open up, an estimated XP rate and where you do them. XP/hr figures are conservative estimates that vary with gear and efficiency.
| Method | Level | XP/hr | Where / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ourg bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~1,249,500 | 490 XP each with both burners lit (140 buried). From General Graardor / Ogre burial mounds. |
| Dagannoth bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~1,115,625 | 437.5 XP each with both burners lit (125 buried). Dropped by the Dagannoth Kings. |
| Raurg bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~856,800 | 336 XP each with both burners lit (96 buried). From the Ogre burial mounds. |
| Lava dragon bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~758,625 | 297.5 XP each with both burners lit (85 buried). Often the best XP-per-gp bone for irons who farm them. |
| Fayrg bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~749,700 | 294 XP each with both burners lit (84 buried). From the Ogre burial mounds (Rag and Bone Man). |
| Dragon bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~642,600 | 252 XP per dragon bone with both burners lit (72 buried). The standard, cost-effective Prayer method. |
| Wyvern bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~642,600 | 252 XP each with both burners lit (72 buried) — identical XP to dragon bones; price is the tiebreaker. |
| Dragon bones — Chaos Altar | 1+ | ~600,000 | Chaos Altar, Wilderness (level 38). 252 XP per bone (350%), but ~50% of bones are saved — roughly half the gp of a gilded altar. Wilderness: bring only what you can lose. |
| Wyrm bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~446,250 | 175 XP each with both burners lit (50 buried). |
| Babydragon bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~267,750 | 105 XP each with both burners lit (30 buried). A cheaper stand-in for dragon bones. |
| Big bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~133,875 | 52.5 XP per big bone with both burners lit (15 buried). Cheap and a big step up from normal bones. |
| Dragon bones — Ectofuntus | 1+ | ~120,000 | Ectofuntus (Port Phasmatys). 288 XP per dragon bone (4× burying) — the most XP per bone, but very slow (grind bones, collect slime, worship). Best for ironmen or the very cost-conscious. |
| Bones — gilded altar | 1+ | ~40,163 | 15.75 XP per bone with both burners lit (4.5 buried). Cheapest, but very slow — only for low levels or clue steps. |
| Vile ashes — scattered | 1+ | per run | 25 XP each when scattered. Gained from lesser demons; not altar-boosted. |
| Malicious ashes — scattered | 1+ | per run | 65 XP each when scattered. Gained from black demons and similar. |
| Abyssal ashes — scattered | 1+ | per run | 85 XP each when scattered. Gained from abyssal demons. |
| Infernal ashes — scattered | 1+ | per run | 110 XP each when scattered. The highest-XP ash; from greater/hellhound-tier demons. |
| Superior dragon bones — gilded altar | 70+ | ~1,338,750 | Requires 70 Prayer (unboostable). 525 XP each with both burners lit (150 buried) — the fastest practical Prayer XP, and the most expensive. |
| Superior dragon bones — Chaos Altar | 70+ | ~1,250,000 | Chaos Altar, Wilderness (level 38). Requires 70 Prayer (unboostable). 525 XP per bone with ~50% saved — the fastest Prayer XP for roughly half the gilded-altar cost. Wilderness risk applies. |
How the Prayer calculator works
XP per item is the exact game value — a gilded altar with both incense burners lit grants 350% of an item's bury XP, so resource counts are precise. Ashes are scattered for their base XP and are not altar-boosted, so they show resources and cost but no altar time. Time assumes ~2,550 bones/hour (the Wiki's manual estimate); alt-lit burners or a runner go faster. Cost is the live GE price of the item × the quantity needed.
Want the full method breakdown, milestones and requirements? See the Prayer training guide.
Training Prayer toward a goal?
Content that needs Prayer — set your target level here, then go unlock it.
Quests requiring it
Example uses
- Deciding how to hit 70 Prayer for Piety? Set your current level and target 70, then flip between dragon and wyvern bones to see which is cheaper on today's prices.
- Sitting on a bank and want a fast 99? Compare superior dragon bones (fastest) against dragon bones (far cheaper) over your exact level range to see the gp difference.
- Playing an ironman? Point the calculator at lava dragon or dagannoth bones you can farm to plan how many you need — no GE trip required.
Prayer calculator FAQ
- What's the cheapest way to train Prayer?
- Per XP, normal and big bones are cheapest but painfully slow. Among fast options, dragon bones are usually the best balance of cost and speed — switch bones in the calculator to compare the live cost of each.
- What's the fastest Prayer XP per hour?
- Superior dragon bones at a gilded altar with both burners lit — 525 XP each, roughly 1.34M XP/hour at 2,550 bones/hour. It's also the most expensive, which the cost figure makes clear.
- Do ashes work on a gilded altar?
- No. Ashes (vile, malicious, abyssal, infernal) are scattered for their base XP and are not boosted by an altar. They're a byproduct of killing demons rather than a dedicated altar grind, so the calculator shows the quantity and cost but not an altar time.
- Does the calculator assume both incense burners are lit?
- Yes — every gilded altar figure uses the 350% bonus from both burners lit, which is the standard setup. Without burners you'd get less XP per bone and need more of them.