Guide to Training Runescape Archeology: Unlocking Store Upgrades and Finishing Quests for Bonuses

Archaeology is a gathering skill released in RuneScape as the 28th skill. It has a maximum level of 120 and features powerful player effects in the form of relic powers. There is a six-month grace period for Archaeology related requirements for the completionist cape, trimmed completionist cape, and master quest cape. Archie is Archaeology's skilling pet. The skill was revealed at RuneFest 2019. Runescape Archeology is a great skill to train for many reasons, from unlocking Relic powers to gaining access to powerful skilling items. LOLTANK will provide tips and advice on how to best train Archeology, from unlocking store upgrades to finishing quests for bonuses.

Buy Store Upgrades

Ezreal in the Archeology headquarters sells items and unlocks that take Crow Notes as currency. Buy as many upgrades as you can, such as Mad Talk Precision upgrades, soil box capacity upgrades, material storage container capacity upgrades, the regular and grandmaster Archeology outfits, and the Auto Screener blueprint. You can also buy consumable items that improve your excavating, though these are best used after you get the Grandmaster outfit.

Use Potions and God Banners

You can get a boost of +3 from Archeology potions or a +2 boost from a God Banner for 30 minutes once a day. Use these boosts to solve mysteries and gain Relic powers.

Spend GP on Archeology

You can use Runescape GP to buy materials to restore artifacts, crow notes, and consumables from Israel's shop. All of these will help speed up your Archeology training.

Don't Lamp Until After Level 99

You will need to get the achievements for excavating and restoring 1000 artifacts, so lamping won't save you time.

Hold Onto Restored Artifacts

Restored artifacts are valuable for disassembling into Ancient Invention components. You can also donate them to the cart by the Archeology Guild for 40 of their chrono value.

Don't Grind for Tetra Compasses

Your experience rates are better just sticking to the best digs for your level. You'll still get Tetra Compasses from excavating.

Use the RS Wiki Calculator

This calculator is great for getting an idea of experience rates, as well as other handy info like how many artifacts and materials you can expect to excavate per hour.

Get the Highest Level Plots

Generally, digging at the highest level plot you can is the best for experience rates. However, some plots require odd materials, so you may want to stick to plots that have materials found within the same plot.

Use Porters

These can be very helpful at higher-level plots, especially if you have a Grace of the Elves.

Do the Right Quests

Desperate Times and Desperate Measures will get you the Cosmic Focus and Cosmic Accumulator, respectively. The Pontifex Observation Ring can be created and upgraded after completing As a Nadra's Quest, City of Senntisten, and Extinction.

Iron Accounts

Iron accounts may need to manually make or gather supplies. Consider this when training in Archeology. Learning how to train archeology efficiently is key to a successful Ironman experience. Many Ironmen find themselves overwhelmed when it comes to excavating and restoring artifacts, but with the right tips and tricks, it doesn't have to be so daunting. 

First of all, it is important to remember that you should only excavate at proper excavation hot spots with artifacts for the best experience rates. It can be tempting to run material caches to get the missing materials and restore everything in your bank, but material caches are typically a bad experience and not very afk-able. You should focus on restoring artifacts that cost the least amount of materials since all artifacts for a given plot give the same experience when restored.

For irons, porters are essential for higher-level archeology. We recommend pickpocketing Amlod Elves as early as possible and as much as possible since they give out a ton of porters. It is also worth it to get level 99 Thieving and the master camouflage outfit as soon as possible. With this, you can pickpocket elves for five minutes straight, uninterrupted, and get a number of other handy rares along the way.

Grind for inquisitor staff pieces and the spear of annihilation

Once you hit level 107 archeology, you should train only at the Praetorian area excavation spots until you get two inquisitor pieces. Then, once you hit level 115 archeology, you should train only at the level 115 Bandos Warforge spot until you get a spear tip. You only need to dig up two inquisitor pieces yourself and once you hit level 115 archeology, you can boost to 118 with a potion and complete the last Zoroshan collection with Soren, who will give you a piece as well.

Lastly, it is important to keep accumulating chromatic notes by dumping restored artifacts from these plots into the donation bin and buying material manuals from the shop. These give a 10 boost to excavating materials from dig spots, which means a direct 10 chance to increase finding staff pieces or spear tips.

Final Thought

By following these tips, you will have the best and most efficient time training archeology. You may have to sacrifice some experience rates by dodging higher-level excavation spots along the way, but your odds of ending up with a full staff and/or spear by the time you hit level 120 are not too bad. Good luck!