Woodcutting

Woodcutting is a skill that involves players cutting down different types of trees spread throughout RuneScape. For each tree, a Woodcutting level is required as well as an axe that can be used on it.

As a player cuts a tree, a certain type of logs will appear in their inventory. The player can then light the logs with a tinderbox to raise the Firemaking skill, cut them with a knife and make them into bows using the Fletching skill in pay-to-play, or sell them to other players.

Woodcutting is also a very popular skill, as selling the logs given by the higher level trees to other players can give players a great amount of money.

Woodcutting is also a popular macroing skill. Especially on free-to-play servers, cutting yew trees in various places, most commonly found above Varrock Castle, and south of Falador.

Trees
In order to cut a tree, a player will need to have an axe. Axes are also known as 'hatchets' or 'woodcutting axes'. Axes are not to be confused with battleaxes, as battleaxes cannot cut down trees and are only used for combat, nor with pickaxes, which are used for mining.

Axes can be bought from Bob's Axes (located in Lumbridge), Brian's Axes (Port Sarim) or smithed by players using the smithing skill (as well as drops, trades, general stores etc.). However, Bob only sells bronze, iron, and steel axes. So players will have to buy the higher level axes from other players or smith the axes themselves (or find a head and attach it to a handle). To cut a tree, players will need certain woodcutting levels. For example, a player will need a woodcutting level of 75 to cut a magic tree. A certain woodcutting level is also required to use an axe. For example, a player will need a woodcutting level of 41 to use a rune axe. Also, if a player wants to wield an axe, then an attack level is required. For example, a player will need an attack level of 40 to wield a rune axe. Players are recommended that they wield their axe so that they have more space in their inventory, allowing them to carry more logs.

To cut a tree, players have to find one and then click on it. Trees are easy to find, as they are located all over RuneScape. (The exception to this is Morytania, where most of the trees cannot be chopped down.) When a player has found a tree, they can then click on it to chop it. A player's woodcutting level affects how fast they will get logs. If a player has a low woodcutting level, then they will get logs at a slow rate. But if a player has a high woodcutting level, then they will get logs at a fast rate. When the player is done cutting, they can then light the logs on fire with a tinderbox to obtain some firemaking experience, fletch them if they are a member, or sell them to other players.

Free players can only cut regular trees, oak trees, willow trees, and yew trees. However, even though there are no maple trees in the free world, members can bring maple logs to free worlds and both free players as well as members can trade them and burn them. These different types of trees are listed below.

Jungles
Members don't have to just cut trees. They can also cut small jungles in and around the small village Tai Bwo Wannai. Cutting down jungles is also part of the mini-game Tai Bwo Wannai Cleanup.

Machetes
To cut a jungle, players cannot use an axe. Instead, they need a machete. However, in Tai Bwo Wannai, the currency is not coins, but is instead 'trading sticks'. These sticks can be obtained by killing the monsters on Karamja or by doing favours for the villagers.

To buy a machete, players will need trading sticks. There are four different machetes, each one having a different price. The normal machete can be bought from the general store in the village, while the other three have to be bought from the NPC named Gabooty. A player can trade with him to see his store. He is usually located in the center of the village. Machetes can also be wielded at any level, and a woodcutting level is not needed to use them.

Jungles
There are three different kinds of jungles. There are light jungles, medium jungles, and dense jungles. When players cut a jungle, they receive no logs, unlike cutting trees. However, cutting jungles for long periods of time will be boring, but players can receive better experience from cutting jungles for an hour than cutting a yew tree for an hour.

Canoes
Members can also make canoes. Canoes can be used as a faster method of transportation. Canoes can be used to travel on the River Lum, which goes from Lumbridge all the way to level 35 Wilderness. However, a certain woodcutting level is needed to cut the trees that make the canoes. In addition, the player will receive a small amount of experience for making a canoe.

How to make canoes
To make a canoe, members have to find a canoe tree. These trees can be found at canoe stations. These stations are located in the following places.
 * Lumbridge: On the east side of the river a bit south of the house where Goblins respawn.
 * Champions Guild: On the east side of the river west of the wheat field.
 * Barbarian Village: South of the eastern bridge on the east side of the river.
 * Edgeville: On the east side of the river near the guard post.
 * Level 35 Wilderness: At the lake south of the Moss Giants. Players cannot go south from this station.

When the player has found a canoe tree at one of these stations they must then cut the tree down. The player then has to click on the fallen tree and select what type of canoe they want to make. When they've made the canoe they want, they then can click on the canoe to push it in the river. When in the river, the player can then click on the canoe and select where they want to go.

Canoes can only go to a certain number of stations away. Higher level canoes can go farther than the lower level canoes. It's recommended that players make the highest canoe they can make.

Other
Woodcutting has several other uses as well.

Random events
Random events are events that happen at random times. They were introduced to stop autoers, or people who use a program to do their work. Some random events include NPCs wanting players to do a task for them and rewarding them if they are successful or a monster that will attack the player. In woodcutting, there quite a few of random events.


 * Tree spirits: While cutting trees, a Tree Spirit may appear and will begin attacking a player. The combat level of the spirit depends on your level, but it will always be higher then the player's combat level. The Tree Spirit's combat level varies from level 14 to 170. The player can either kill it or run away from it. If a player kills a Tree Spirit, it can drop some axes, seeds for members, bananas, runes or nothing.
 * Lost Axe Head: While cutting trees, the player's axe might split, causing the axe head to fly off. The head will land somewhere nearby, usually 3 to 10 squares away. When this happens, the player has to find the axe head quickly before someone else sees it and grabs it. When the player has found the axe head, they can use it with their handle to put the axe back together. If you happen to be wielding your axe when it falls apart, it is possible to use the axe handle as a weapon. Before the addition of the quest What Lies Below, you couldn't re-equip an axe handle if you had accidentally un-equipped it, but Jagex has now added a Wield Option to both Pickaxe Handles and Axe Handles. This random event is now discontinued due to the addition of the Suprise Exam random event.
 * Nests: If the player is a member, a nest may fall out of the tree they are cutting. Wearing a strung rabbit foot gives a better chance of getting a Bird nest drop while woodcutting. They can either pick up the nest and search it or just leave it on the ground, though it is recommended that the player search it. When the player searches it, they will be given a random item, such as a gem, jewellery, some coins, or even a tree seed that can be used for farming, usually a seed. They can use the nest with a pestle and mortar to crush it. Crushed bird's nests are an ingredient in Saradomin brew.
 * Ents: A tree can also turn into an ent. Players can notice this if the tree they are cutting starts shaking, has an angry face somewhere on it's trunk, and a yellow dot on the mini-map where the tree is. As soon the tree starts showing the symptoms of an ent, players must walk away and wait for the tree to transform back into its original state. If the player keeps cutting the tree, the ent will break the axe. To fix it, players will have to take the axe back to Bob, the owner of Bob's Axes, located in Lumbridge, to get it fixed for a price.
 * Axe fixing costs:
 * Bronze axe: Free
 * Iron axe: Free
 * Steel axe: Free
 * Black axe: 10 coins
 * Mithril axe: 18 coins
 * Adamant axe: 43 coins
 * Rune axe: 427 coins
 * Dragon axe: 1,800 coins

Making money
Woodcutting may seem like a very boring skill, but it is also a very profitable skill. Selling logs to players is a great way to make excellent money.

If players wish to sell their logs instead of burning them, it is recommended that they sell willow logs and up. Normal logs and oak logs are not bought often and are not worth much money, though players fletching arrows may be buying normal logs. Selling logs to a general store is not usually very rewarding, as general stores give you small prices and are often already well stocked, though a few oaks or willows to the store on Karamja usually works quite well to pay your return fare. Players should sell their logs to other players, especially members.

All logs have a 'street price'. A street price in RuneScape is the price which players typically buy items for. Below are street prices for some logs.


 * Logs: 10 to 55 coins each.
 * Oak logs: 20 to 60 coins each.
 * Willow logs: 25 to 40 coins each.
 * Teak logs: 300 to 350 coins each.
 * Maple logs: 85 to 100 coins each.
 * Mahogany logs: 400 to 600 coins each.
 * Yew logs: 300 coins to 350 coins each.
 * Magic logs: 1000 coins to 1100 coins each.

It is important to remember that magic logs are members only. It is also important to note that prices change over time.

The best logs to sell are yews logs as there is a large demand for these logs and they can be sold for an excellent profit. However, it is recommended that players cut yews at level 76 woodcutting, because at this level players obtain yews faster. Magic logs are not recommended to sell as they take too long to cut. Willow logs are also good logs to sell.

The use of Oak planks as the next level wood in construction has significantly increased the demand for Oak logs, with greater collection, trading and prices. Oak trees are busier than they have ever been.

The best place to sell or buy logs is in or around Draynor Village's bank. Falador's banks and Varrock's banks as well as the centre are also good places for buying or selling logs, also, around house portals is a good place to sell your logs as people who need teak or mahogany logs but cannot cut them will have to buy them.

Non-member training
Here are some ways to raise a player's woodcutting level if they are a free player.


 * Level 1 to 15 - Cut normal trees. There is a great forest between Lumbridge and Draynor where there are many normal trees. This is an excellent spot to get to level 15. Another good spot is South of Varrock where there are also many normal trees.
 * Level 15 to 30 - Move on to oak trees. A good spot is east of Draynor Village's bank. Low level players should be careful here, as level 26 Jail Guards patrol the area. You can also try west of Varrock just south of the west gate or just west of the Lumbridge general store.
 * Level 30 to 76 - Cut willow trees. While it is a long time until players start cutting yews, it is recommended they stay with willows as the logs are given at a quick rate. A good spot is beside Draynor Village's bank, as there are 5 willow trees there, though it is often crowded during the day. Get on in the early morning hours of the server's location to avoid the high number of woodcutters (one to three o'clock). If you don't feel like storing your willow logs in the bank, there are also 4 willows in Port Sarim on the south-east corner of the tavern where you start the Pirate's Treasure quest. Another fine place to cut willows, again without storing them is in Rimmington. Just south of the Arrow shop, is a few trees, almost no one is here and a decent amount can be earned by selling the logs to the very close general store.If you are confident in yourself, you may try to cut willows near Lumbridge, west of Fred's farm. The high level woodcutters, whose woodcutting is higher then 50, are always there.
 * Level 76 to 99 - Cut yew trees. A good spot is behind Varrock castle, where there are 3 yew trees. If you do not mind the walk, there are four yew trees west of Rimmington. Although, the best Yew cutting area would have to be in Edgeville. However, cutting willow trees give players slightly better experience, so it's up to the player what they want to cut, for those who want experience over cash, willows are best, for those who prefer making money over experience, yew is best.

Members training
Here are two ways for players to raise their woodcutting level if they are members. If you are training to 99 be aware woodcutting is one of the longest and most repetitive skills in the game. There is a special woodcutting suit called Lumberjack Clothing, which is a really nice help in this skill.

1.
 * Level 1 to 15 - Cut normal trees. There is a great forest between Lumbridge and Draynor where there are many normal trees. This is an excellent spot to get to level 15. Another good spot is South of Varrock where there are also many normal trees.
 * Level 15 to 30 - Move on to oak trees. A good spot is east of Draynor Village's bank. Another great location is just outside Seers bank. South east of bank are three oak trees. On the side of the houses you can cut all three without having to move. Banking of the logs is easy too.
 * Level 30 to 76 - Cut willow trees. While it is a long time until players start cutting yews, it is recommended they stay with willows as the logs are given at a quick rate. A good spot is beside Draynor Village's bank, as there are 5 willow trees there, though it is often crowded. Another good spot is northwest of Seer's Village where there are 6 willow trees.
 * Level 60 to 76 - Cut maple trees. There are 4 just north of the Seers' Village bank and even more along the road to Rellekka. These are great spots to get to level 76.
 * Level 76 to 99 - Cut yew trees. A good place is south of the flax field south of Seer's Village. Another good spot is behind Varrock Castle.
 * Level 85 to 99 - Cut magic trees. A good place is northwest of the Legend's Guild at the Sorcerer's Tower. There are also a few near the Mage Training Arena and in the elven lands by Lletya. However, since it takes a long time to get logs from these trees, it is recommended that players cut yew trees until level 99.

2.
 * Level 1 to 15 - Cut normal trees. There is a great forest between Lumbridge and Draynor where there are many normal trees. This is an excellent spot to get to level 15. Another good spot is South of Varrock where there are also many normal trees.
 * Level 15 to 30 - Move on to oak trees. A good spot is east of Draynor Village's bank. Another great location is just outside Seers bank. South east of bank are three oak trees. On the side of the houses you can cut all three without having to move. Banking of the logs is easy too.
 * Level 30 to 99 - Cut willow trees. While it is a long time until players start cutting yews, it is recommended they stay with willows as the logs are given at a quick rate. A good spot is beside Draynor Village's bank, as there are 5 willow trees there, though it is often crowded. Another good spot is northwest of Seer's Village where there are 6 willow trees. You can also go to Barbarian Outpost were there are willow trees outside the building and there is a bank deposit box inside the building very close.

Temporary boosts

 * An Axeman's Folly increases woodcutting by one. This is brewed using the Cooking skill.
 * A Mature Axeman's Folly increases woodcutting by two. This is brewed using the cooking skill.
 * A brown Spicy stew randomly increases Woodcutting, Herblore, Farming, Fishing, Mining and Firemaking by 6 or decreases by 6, these can be made using the Cooking skill, only by P2P players who have beaten the Evil Dave section in the Recipe for Disaster Quest.

Other Items

 * Strung Rabbit foot's increase the chance of a bird nest falling out of tree while cutting.

Trivia

 * In early history, only regular trees could be cut. The experience given was based on the player's woodcutting level, or 28.25 + level * 1.75. After fletching was added, it was briefly reduced to 12.5 experience, and then raised to 25. While Jagex compensated for this by adding one-click woodcutting, many players (especially free users) were upset that reaching a high-level woodcutting would take many times longer.
 * The woodcutting speed of collecting logs depends on the skill level and on the type of axe. Better axe and higher skill level reduces the time to collect a full inventory of logs. The effect is fairly small compared to the random element in getting logs.
 * The duration of a tree depends on the skill level. A higher skill causes a tree to last longer. When multiple players are cutting the same tree, the player with lowest skill level determines the duration.
 * Woodcutting, like fishing and unlike mining (with the exception of rune essence), allows multiple players to share the same resource, without any influence to each other. The death of a tree is similar to the fish spot moving.