High Level Alchemy

Compare Low Level Alchemy.

High Level Alchemy (high alch, hi alch or alching) is a non-combat spell used to convert items into coins at the best price a player could get from a specialty store. The amount of coins generated is normally 50% more than the general store or Low Alchemy gives.

High Level Alchemy is a popular way for mid and high level mages to train their magic level, by buying or making valuable items and nature runes, then casting the spell on the items. For example, a player might buy or make, yew longbows and cast High Level Alchemy on it. In this case, the player may consume approximately 200 coins per bow, or if they made them, make a profit.

High (and Low) Alchemy can be cast on noted items, saving much withdrawal time from the bank, and simplifying the "click pattern".

In practice, a player might prefer training High Level Alchemy by buying items from other players, which usually results in more coins being created than paid for the converted item. This is widely regarded as a major cause of inflation in the game.

Some items, such as rares, are worth far more on the street than in the store. As such, players are advised not to carry any rare items in their inventory, as accidental alchemizing would cause a major loss for the player.

Casting alchemy spells on stackable items will only alchemize one at a time; on RuneScape Classic, it alchemizes the entire stack at once.

During the week of 4 April 2008, Jagex altered the way High Level Alchemy and Low Level Alchemy function so as to render them inoperable while standing inside the Barrows crypt areas.

MouseKeys
One option to reduce the effort when using High Alchemy on hundreds or thousands of items in a session is to enable an accessibility feature of Microsoft Windows called MouseKeys. This allows the '5' key on the number pad to be used as a substitute for clicking the left mouse button. To enable the feature on Windows XP hold down the Shift, Alt and Numlock keys simultaneously to show the MouseKeys dialog and then click setting-setting in lower part select when numlock is off then click the OK button. Press the shift, alt, and numlock again and then click ok. The cursor can then be controlled by moving the mouse device as normal, or by holding down the numbers around '5' on the number pad, and clicking can be performed by pressing '5' on the number pad.

Mac OS X users can do the same thing by using Universal Access in System Preferences. In Mac OS X's Universal Access window, select the Mouse & Trackpad pane and then turn on Mouse Keys. With Mouse Keys turned on, you can navigate around using the number keys on the number pad and mouse-click with the 5 key.

By positioning the items to be alchemised (in note form) at the left hand end of the fifth inventory row it is possible to repeatedly cast High Alchemy on the items by doing nothing more than pressing the '5' key at the correct intervals, with no mouse movement required.

This will most likely reduce the likelihood of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Special cases
Some specialty shops may offer a higher price for certain items than the amount High Level Alchemy gives. For example, High Level Alchemy converts a gold necklace into 270 coins, but Grum's Gold Exchange in Port Sarim offers 315 if there are no gold necklace in the shop's stock. The price decreases 9 coins for each additional necklace in the shop inventory until it reaches a low limit of 45 coins when there are 30 or more necklaces. Some players sell up to about 11 items and then world switch to find another shop which has a low inventory.

On the other hand, the Armoury in the Warriors' Guild offers the same price as High Level Alchemy gives, and the buying price in the shop does not decrease as the inventory increases. Using High Level Alchemy on items tradable at this shop is therefore only beneficial for gaining experience.

There are also three general stores which do buy at High Alchemy prices:
 * Bandit Camp, free-to-play, mid Wilderness
 * West Ardougne, members only, need to have started Plague City
 * Rogue's Den, members only, level 50 Thieving and Agility required
 * All stores on Karamja while wearing Karamja gloves 3

Note that the price will decrease as the inventory increases, except for in the armoury.link title