How to Splash in OSRS?
Welcome to this comprehensive guide on splashing in Old School RuneScape (OSRS). Whether you're a new player or an experienced adventurer looking for a low-risk way to train your Magic skill, this guide covers everything you need to know about splashing—from gear requirements to the best locations and expected experience rates. Let's dive into the details and help you master this efficient AFK training method.
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What is Splashing in OSRS?
Splashing is a popular technique in OSRS used to train Magic with virtually no risk of dying or losing hitpoints. It involves casting spells that deliberately fail to hit the target by having a negative magic attack bonus, causing your character to "splash" the spell, which means the spell animation plays, but no damage or effect occurs on the enemy. Despite the lack of damage, you still gain Magic experience points, making this an ideal AFK training method.
The beauty of splashing is that it requires minimal stats. You can splash with virtually any Magic level, and there are no strict stat requirements. This makes it accessible for beginners and players who want to train Magic passively while doing other activities.
Understanding Magic Attack Bonus and How to Achieve Negative Values
The key to successful splashing lies in your magic attack bonus. To splash, your magic attack bonus needs to be at least negative 64 or lower (e.g., -65, -66, etc.). This ensures that your spells will not hit the target but still grant you experience points.
If you're unsure about your current magic attack bonus, you can check it easily in-game:
Open your equipment interface.
Click on “View Equipment Stats.”
Look under the “Attack Bonus” section for the Magic stat.
How to Get a Negative Magic Bonus
There are several ways to achieve the required negative magic bonus, depending on your account's level and gear availability.
1. Full Platebody Set Method
This is the most popular splashing setup for newer players because it requires no high-level stats and is straightforward to obtain. The key is to wear a full platebody armor set consisting of:
Full helmet (can be bronze, iron, steel, rune, or any plate helmet)
This combination drastically reduces your magic attack bonus, usually bringing it well below the -64 requirement.
2. Using Elemental Staves and Vambraces
If you have level 40 Ranged or higher and are using an elemental staff (such as Staff of Fire, Staff of Air, Staff of Earth, or Staff of Water), you'll need to wear vambraces to counteract the positive magic bonus these staves provide. Green vambraces, which require level 40 Ranged, are the preferred choice because they help maintain the necessary negative magic bonus.
Important note: Battlestaves do not work for splashing because they do not provide the elemental bonuses needed to balance your magic attack bonus.
3. Cursed Goblin Staff for Low-Level Players
If you don’t have level 40 Ranged or the gear for the full platebody method, the Cursed goblin staff is an excellent alternative. This staff can be purchased from Diango in Draynor Village for 45 points, which are relatively easy to collect through various minigames and activities.
Draynor Village is located just west of Lumbridge. Diango can be found wandering the main market area. Once you buy the cursed goblin staff, it will reduce your magic attack bonus to around -65, perfect for splashing.
One of the perks of the cursed goblin staff is that you can set it to auto-cast spells, similar to elemental staves. This makes AFK splashing even more convenient.
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Setting Up for Splashing
Once you have your gear sorted, here’s how to set up splashing:
Equip your full platebody set or cursed goblin staff setup to ensure a negative magic attack bonus of at least -64.
Set your spell to auto-cast. Fire Strike is a popular choice for splashing.
Turn on auto retaliate. This is crucial because if you don’t retaliate, your character might stop attacking, or you could be vulnerable to other players or NPCs.
Choose your target NPC for splashing.
Where to Splash in OSRS
You can splash almost anywhere in OSRS, but some locations are better due to proximity to banks or low-level NPCs that won’t pose a threat.
Important: Avoid the Blue Area Around Lumbridge
Jagex introduced a blue-highlighted area around Lumbridge where splashing does not grant any Magic experience. This measure was implemented to prevent confusion among new players who might see others splashing without killing NPCs.
If you attempt to splash in this blue area, you won’t gain any XP, so it’s best to avoid it.
Recommended Splashing Spots
North of Draynor Village Bank: Just north of the Draynor bank, in the house with stairs and Morgan, you will find a level 2 Woman upstairs, perfect for splashing. This spot is ideal because it’s close to the bank, making banking quick and efficient.
Port Sarim: Another excellent spot is Port Sarim, where you can find level 3 seagulls to splash on. These creatures are low-level and won’t damage you, allowing for safe and relaxed AFK training.
Varrock and Other Cities: You can splash on various low-level NPCs throughout the game world, just avoid the blue Lumbridge area.
How to Splash Effectively
Once you’re set up and in your chosen location, splashing is very simple:
Attack your selected NPC.
Make sure auto retaliate is enabled so your character keeps attacking automatically.
Every 20 minutes or so, click to reset the attack if needed and move slightly to ensure your character stays active.
Repeat this process for as long as you want to train Magic AFK.
It’s also important to keep your attention somewhat engaged to avoid logging out or being attacked by other players or aggressive NPCs.
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Expected XP Rates from Splashing
Depending on which fire spell you choose to splash, your experience rates will vary. Here are some approximate XP rates per hour based on the spell used:
Fire Strike: ~13.9k XP/hour
Fire Bolt: ~27k XP/hour
Fire Blast: ~41.3k XP/hour
Fire Wave: ~50.7k XP/hour
These numbers make splashing an efficient way to train Magic, especially if you want to AFK and do other things while gaining experience steadily.
Additional Tips and Considerations
Stay Safe: When splashing in popular areas, be mindful of other players who might attack you if you are in a PvP zone or near aggressive monsters.
Bank Proximity: Choosing a spot near a bank, like north of Draynor Village, allows you to quickly restock runes or change gear without wasting time.
Rune Management: Make sure you have enough runes for your chosen spell to avoid interruptions.
Auto Retaliate: Always keep auto retaliate on to maintain continuous splashing and avoid accidentally stopping your attacks.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What level of Magic do I need to start splashing?
A: You can splash at any Magic level. There are no minimum Magic requirements, making it accessible for beginners.
Q: Do I need a specific weapon or staff?
A: You need an elemental staff (Staff of Fire, Air, Earth, or Water) or the cursed goblin staff to achieve the negative magic attack bonus required for splashing. Battlestaves won't work.
Q: Can I splash anywhere in the game?
A: Almost anywhere except the blue-highlighted area around Lumbridge, where splashing does not grant experience.
Q: How do I know if my magic attack bonus is low enough?
A: Check your equipment stats under “Attack Bonus” for Magic. It needs to be -64 or lower.
Q: What spells should I use for splashing?
A: Fire Strike, Fire Bolt, Fire Blast, and Fire Wave are popular choices, with XP rates increasing with higher-level spells.
Q: Is splashing completely AFK?
A: While splashing is low-effort, you should occasionally check in and move your character every 20 minutes to avoid logging out or stopping attacks.
Final Words
Splashing is a fantastic way to train Magic in OSRS with minimal risk and effort, suitable for players of all levels. By ensuring your magic attack bonus is negative enough, equipping the right gear, and choosing the right spots, you can efficiently gain Magic experience while AFK. Whether you prefer the full platebody method or using the cursed goblin staff, splashing offers a safe, effective, and relaxing way to level up your Magic skill.
Remember to stay out of the Lumbridge blue zone, use auto retaliate, and pick locations close to banks for convenience. With the XP rates available, you’ll see steady progress with minimal input, letting you enjoy the game on your terms.
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