RS3 Ironman Thieving Training Guide
Optimal path is pickpocketing → safecracking → heists. Safecracking starts at 62 (after the whole Thieves’ Guild quest series). Rushing 90 Thieving early is great for Player-owned Ports.
Thieving goes to level 120. Every method below is self-sufficient: no Grand Exchange, only what you gather, craft or earn yourself.
Last verified against the RuneScape Wiki: 28 September 2026 ·
Training path
6 stages from level 1, each starting at the level you unlock it.
- Levels 1–15
Quest XP (Hazeel Cult, Fight Arena, Biohazard, Buyers and Cellars) or bakery stalls (5)
Bakery stalls also bank a big pile of early-game food; The Feud (30 Thieving) later gives 15,000 XP
- Levels 15–62
Pickpocket the highest target you can; Thieves’ Guild practice doors/chests (after Buyers and Cellars) are an alternative
Master Farmers at 38 give herb/allotment seeds
- Levels 62–90
Safecracking — Misthalin (62), Asgarnia (76), Kandarin (83). The mainline XP method
Best XP/hr and tool-belt unlocks; rush 90 for Player-owned Ports
- Levels 90–95
Hidden safes (Rogues’ Castle, Zemouregal’s fort, Zanaris); Keldagrim palace chests at 94
- Levels 95–108
Vault of Hereditas heists (95, needs the Breaking the Seal mystery) — the best XP
Lower-effort alternative: pickpocket elven clan workers in Prifddinas (91+) for super-potion doses, crushed nest, dragon scale dust; +20% during Voice of Seren
- Levels 108–120
Asuran Arsenal heists (108, Anachronia Swamp Fortress)
Quests that give Thieving XP
56 quests have a set Thieving XP reward (lamps and choice rewards not counted).
- A Clockwork Syringe
- A Fairy Tale II - Cure a Queen
- A Fairy Tale III - Battle at Ork's Rift
- A Guild of Our Own
- A Void Dance
- Biohazard
- Buyers and Cellars
- Carnillean Rising
- Contact!
- Corporate Egg-Spionage
- Creature of Fenkenstrain
- Damage Control
- Deadliest Catch
- Dealing with Scabaras
- Death to the Dorgeshuun
- Diamond in the Rough
- Dimension of Disaster: Curse of Arrav
- Dimension of Disaster: Defender of Varrock
- Dimension of Disaster: Shield of Arrav
- Dishonour among Thieves
- Do No Evil
- Fight Arena
- From Tiny Acorns
- Grim Tales
- Hazeel Cult
- Heartstealer
- Hunt for Red Raktuber
- Icthlarin's Little Helper
- Land of the Goblins
- Let Them Eat Pie
- Lost Her Marbles
- Missing My Mummy
- Missing, Presumed Death
- Mourning's End Part I
- Perils of Ice Mountain
- Pharaoh's Folly
- Pieces of Hate
- Rat Catchers
- Rocking Out
- Some Like It Cold
- Spirits of the Elid
- Stolen Hearts
- The Chosen Commander
- The Curse of Arrav
- The Darkness of Hallowvale
- The Feud
- The Fremennik Trials
- The Giant Dwarf
- The Golem
- The Hand in the Sand
- The Jack of Spades
- The Path of Glouphrie
- The Prisoner of Glouphrie
- The Slug Menace
- Tower of Life
- Tribal Totem
Voice of Seren
No Prifddinas district lists Thieving, so the Voice of Seren does not boost it. See which skills it boosts this hour.
Key XP milestones
Total XP needed to reach each level, from the standard RuneScape XP formula.
| Level | Total XP | |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 101,333 | |
| 70 | 737,627 | |
| 92 | 6,517,253 | About half the XP of 99 |
| 99 | 13,034,431 | |
| 120 | 104,273,167 | Max level |
Common questions
How should an Ironman train Thieving?
Optimal path is pickpocketing → safecracking → heists. Safecracking starts at 62 (after the whole Thieves’ Guild quest series). Rushing 90 Thieving early is great for Player-owned Ports. The path in this guide: 1–15, Quest XP (Hazeel Cult, Fight Arena, Biohazard, Buyers and Cellars) or bakery stalls (5); 15–62, Pickpocket the highest target you can; Thieves’ Guild practice doors/chests (after Buyers and Cellars) are an alternative; 62–90, Safecracking — Misthalin (62), Asgarnia (76), Kandarin (83). The mainline XP method; 90–95, Hidden safes (Rogues’ Castle, Zemouregal’s fort, Zanaris); Keldagrim palace chests at 94; 95–108, Vault of Hereditas heists (95, needs the Breaking the Seal mystery) — the best XP; 108–120, Asuran Arsenal heists (108, Anachronia Swamp Fortress).
Which quests give Thieving XP?
56 quests give a set Thieving XP reward, including A Clockwork Syringe, A Fairy Tale II - Cure a Queen, A Fairy Tale III - Battle at Ork's Rift, A Guild of Our Own, A Void Dance, Biohazard, Buyers and Cellars and Carnillean Rising and 48 more.
How much XP is level 99 Thieving?
Level 99 Thieving needs 13,034,431 XP. Thieving goes to 120, which needs 104,273,167 XP.
More Ironman guides
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