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This article is about the Free-to-play guide. For the members' guide, see Pay-to-play Fletching training.

This article gives tips about training the Fletching skill in a free-to-play world. Fletching was made Free-to-play Monday the 9th of October 2017.

Suggestion: Use portable fletcher for 10% more XP.

General notes[]

  • This guide focuses on the creation of bows, as that is the most common method of training the Fletching skill and therefore the materials are easiest to get hold of.
  • Xp/hr rates given in this guide are a maximum amount possible; they assume that you will be fletching steadily, with quick banking and few to no distractions in game or in real life. Many players will, realistically, not achieve these amounts. Note: to significantly speed up the banking process it is recommended that players use presets. This is especially important if stringing bows, as it will only take one click to swap the bows in your inventory with 14 unstrung bows and 14 bowstrings. Set up the preset to include whichever materials you are going to use and set it to either '1' or '2' for quick access. This quickly adds up and saves a lot of time.
  • Likewise, this guide assumes that you will be buying/gathering the materials for your Fletching before starting, rather than doing so as you go. Doing the latter will severely impact how much Fletching experience is gained per hour.
  • All calculations in this guide are rounded up; this may result in you needing slightly fewer materials than stated.
  • Grand Exchange prices are the median price. Materials may cost more than the prices stated, and finished products sell for less.
  • Fletching an inventory of unstrung bows from logs takes 50 seconds an inventory. Stringing an inventory of 14 bows to make the finished product takes 15 seconds. These have been rounded up to 60 seconds and 20 seconds respectively to account for banking time.
  • Experience for fletching a bow from a log and stringing that same bow gives the same experience. With this in mind, the number of logs and bowstrings should be halved if you decide to both fletch and string.
  • A calculator that shows the costs of making bows and ammunition can be found here: Calculator:Fletching/Items.

Level 1-99[]

This section will show the time and number of either logs or unstrung bows and bowstrings needed to reach level 99 if switching to each newly unlocked bow type you can fletch as soon as possible, along with the prices of the materials involved; logs, bowstrings, unstrung bows and finished bows.

Level 1-5 - Arrow shafts[]

Arrow shaft 5

The best way to get from level 1 to level 5 is using arrow shafts, which give 5 experience each.

  • Experience needed - 388
  • Logs needed - 78
  • Time - 150 seconds
  • Logs cost = 22,116
  • Arrow shafts = 18,240
    • Total profit = −3,876

Level 5-10 - Shortbows[]

Shortbow (u)

Between level 5 and 10 you should either fletch or string shortbows. Both methods give 5 experience.

  • Experience needed = 766
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 154
  • Time = 6 minutes (fletch) OR 4 minutes (string)
  • Logs cost = 44,814
  • Shortbow (u) cost = 58,828
  • Bowstrings cost = 58,982
    • Shortbow (u) and bowstrings total = 117,810
  • Shortbows = 187,110
    • Total profit (stringing) = 69,300
    • Total profit (fletching) = 14,014

Level 10-20 - Shieldbows[]

Shieldbow (u)

At this point you should switch to making shieldbows, which give 10 xp for fletching the shieldbow (u) from logs or adding the string to make a finished bow.

  • Experience needed = 3,316
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 332
  • Time = 12 minutes (fletch) OR 8 minutes (string)
  • Logs cost = 96,612
  • Shieldbow (u) cost = 73,704
  • Bowstrings cost = 127,156
    • Shieldbow (u) and bowstrings total = 200,860
  • Shieldbows = 361,548
    • Total profit (stringing) = 160,688
    • Total profit (fletching) = −22,908

Level 20-25 - Oak shortbows[]

Oak shortbow (u)

You can now work with oak to make bows. Oak shortbows give 16.5 experience for fletching or stringing them.

  • Experience needed = 3,372
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 210
  • Time = 7 minutes (fletch) OR 5 minutes (string)
  • Oak logs cost = 124,110
  • Oak shortbow (u) cost = 43,050
  • Bowstrings cost = 80,430
    • Oak shortbow (u) and bowstrings total = 123,480
  • Oak shortbows = 131,040
    • Total profit (stringing) = 7,560
    • Total profit (fletching) = −81,060

Level 25-35 - Oak shieldbows[]

Oak shieldbow (u)

You can now make oak shieldbows, for 25 experience for fletching or stringing.

  • Experience needed = 14,564
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 583
  • Time = 21 minutes (fletch) OR 14 minutes (string)
  • Oak logs cost = 344,553
  • Oak shieldbow (u) cost = 34,980
  • Bowstrings cost = 223,289
    • Oak shieldbow (u) and bowstrings total = 258,269
  • Oak shieldbows = 363,209
    • Total profit (stringing) = 104,940
    • Total profit (fletching) = −309,573

Level 35-40 - Willow shortbows[]

Willow shortbow (u)

Willow shortbows are now available. These give 33.3 experience for fletching from willow logs or stringing them.

  • Experience needed = 14,818
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 445
  • Time = 16 minutes (fletch) OR 11 minutes (string)
  • Willow logs cost = 110,360
  • Willow shortbow (u) cost = 53,400
  • Bowstrings cost = 170,435
    • Willow shortbow (u) and bowstrings total = 223,835
  • Willow shortbows = 227,840
    • Total profit (stringing) = 4,005
    • Total profit (fletching) = −56,960

Level 40-50 - Willow shieldbows[]

Willow shieldbow (u)

Now you can make willow shieldbows, which give 41.5 experience for fletching or stringing.

  • Experience needed = 64,109
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 1,545
  • Time = 55 minutes (fletch) OR 37 minutes (string)
  • Willow logs cost = 383,160
  • Willow shieldbow (u) cost = 103,515
  • Bowstrings cost = 591,735
    • Willow shieldbow (u) and bowstrings total = 695,250
  • Willow shieldbows = 517,575
    • Total profit (stringing) = −177,675
    • Total profit (fletching) = −279,645

Level 50-55 - Maple shortbows[]

Maple shortbow (u)

Now you can make maple shortbows, for 50 experience each when fletching from maple logs or stringing.

  • Experience needed = 65,303
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 1,307
  • Time = 47 minutes (fletch) OR 32 minutes (string)
  • Maple logs cost = 141,156
  • Maple shortbow (u) cost = 194,743
  • Bowstrings cost = 500,581
    • Maple shortbow (u) and bowstrings total = 695,324
  • Maple shortbows = 899,216
    • Total profit (stringing) = 203,892
    • Total profit (fletching) = 53,587

Level 55-65 - Maple shieldbows[]

Maple shieldbow (u)

You can now make maple shieldbows, which give 58.2 Fletching experience for fletching from maple logs or stringing.

  • Experience needed = 282,792
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 4,859
  • Time = 2 hours 53 minutes (fletch) OR 1 hour 56 minutes (string)
  • Maple logs cost = 523,908
  • Maple shieldbow (u) cost = 519,057
  • Bowstrings cost = 1,857,933
    • Maple shieldbow (u) and bowstrings total = 2,376,990
  • Maple shieldbows = 3,027,024
    • Total profit (stringing) = 650,034
    • Total profit (fletching) = −4,851

Level 65-70 - Yew shortbows[]

Yew shortbow (u)

You can now make yew shortbows, which give 67.5 experience for fletching from yew logs or stringing.

  • Experience needed = 288,199
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 4,270
  • Time = 2 hours 33 minutes (fletch) OR 1 hour 42 minutes (string)
  • Yew logs cost = 713,090
  • Yew shortbow (u) cost = 943,670
  • Bowstrings cost = 1,635,410
    • Yew shortbow (u) and bowstrings total = 2,579,080
  • Yew shortbows = 3,825,920
    • Total profit (stringing) = 1,246,840
    • Total profit (fletching) = 230,580

Level 70-80 - Yew shieldbows[]

Yew shieldbow (u)

You can now make yew shieldbows, which give 75 experience for fletching or stringing.

  • Experience needed = 1,248,441
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 16,646
  • Time = 9 hours 55 minutes (fletch) OR 6 hours 37 minutes (string)
  • Yew logs cost = 2,779,882
  • Yew shieldbow (u) cost = 3,229,324
  • Bowstrings cost = 6,375,418
    • Yew shieldbow (u) and bowstrings total = 9,604,742
  • Yew shieldbows = 14,382,144
    • Total profit (stringing) = 4,777,402
    • Total profit (fletching) = 449,442

Level 80-85 - Magic shortbows[]

Magic shortbow (u)

You can now make magic shortbows, which give 83.0 experience for fletching or stringing.

  • Experience needed = 1,272,526
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 15,286
  • Time = 9 hours 6 minutes (fletch) OR 6 hours 4 minutes (string)
  • Magic logs cost = 5,808,680
  • Magic shortbow (u) cost = 7,505,426
  • Bowstrings cost = 5,854,538
    • Magic shortbow (u) and bowstrings total = 13,359,964
  • Magic shortbows = 18,175,054
    • Total profit (stringing) = 4,815,090
    • Total profit (fletching) = 1,696,746

Level 85-99 - Magic shieldbows[]

Magic shieldbow (u)

You can now make magic shieldbows, which give 91.5 experience for fletching or stringing. This is the highest level of fletchable bows available to F2P.

  • Experience needed = 9,775,837
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 106,840
  • Time = 56 hours, 26 minutes (fletch) OR 38 hours, 22 minutes (string)
  • Magic logs cost = 40,599,200
  • Magic shieldbow (u) cost = 43,483,880
  • Bowstrings cost = 40,919,720
    • Magic shieldbow (u) and bowstrings total = 84,403,600
  • Magic shieldbows = 119,447,120
    • Total profit (stringing) = 35,043,520
    • Total profit (fletching) = 2,884,680

Ammunition[]

Level 61-99 - Adamant bolts[]

Adamant bolts 5

Making Adamant bolts from unfinished bolts and Feathers is a fast but moderately expensive way to reach 99. These are made in sets of 10 bolts, granting 7xp per bolt.

  • Experience needed = 12,732,143
  • Unfinished bolts needed = 1,818,878
  • Feathers needed = 1,818,878
  • Time = 30 hours, 19 minutes
  • Adamant bolts (unf) cost = 223,721,994
  • Adamant bolts price = 205,533,214
  • Feathers price = 23,645,414
    • Cost per bolt = −23
  • Total profit = −41,834,194

Level 69-99 - Runite bolts[]

Runite bolts 5

Making Rune bolts from unfinished bolts is the absolutely fastest but the most expensive way to reach 99 in F2P. These are made in sets of 10 bolts, granting 10xp per bolt.

  • Experience needed = 12,366,380
  • Unfinished bolts needed = 1,236,638
  • Time = 20 hours, 37 minutes
  • Runite bolts (unf) cost = 238,671,134
  • Feathers price = 16,076,294
    • Runite bolts (unf) and feathers total = 254,747,428
  • Runite bolts price = 243,617,686
    • Cost per bolt = −9
  • Total profit = −11,129,742

Level 75-99 - Rune arrows[]

Rune arrow

Fletching rune arrows is a fast, but expensive, method for training Fletching. When fletching rune arrows, you make 10 sets of 15 arrows, at 15 xp per arrow (187.5 xp per set).

  • Experience needed = 11,824,010
  • Rune arrowheads and headless arrows needed = 945,920
  • Time = 21 hours
  • Rune arrowheads price = 124,861,440
  • Headless arrow price = 44,458,240
    • Cost per arrow = −28
  • Total profit = −26,485,760

Other methods[]

Level 55-99 - Maple shieldbows[]

Maple shieldbow (u)

Maple shieldbows are usually a cheaper, if slightly slower, route to achieving level 99 in Fletching. They give 58.3 experience for fletching or stringing.

  • Experience needed = 12,867,795
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 220,717
  • Time = 131 hours 23 minutes (fletch) OR 87 hours 36 minutes (string)
  • Maple logs cost = 23,837,436
  • Maple shieldbow (u) cost = 23,616,719
  • Bowstrings cost = 84,534,611
    • Maple shieldbow (u) and bowstrings total = 108,151,330
  • Maple shieldbows = 137,727,408
  • Total profit (stringing) = 29,576,078
  • Total profit (fletching) = −220,717

Level 70-99 - Yew shieldbows[]

Yew shieldbow (u)

Yew shieldbows are another alternative method to reach 99. They're a compromise between the speed of magic shieldbows and the relative cheapness of maple shieldbows. 75 experience is given for fletching or stringing yew shieldbows.

  • Experience needed = 12,296,804
  • Logs/unstrung bows needed = 163,958
  • Time = 97 hours 36 minutes (fletch) OR 65 hours 4 minutes (string)
  • Yew logs cost = 27,380,986
  • Yew shieldbow (u) cost = 31,807,852
  • Bowstrings cost = 62,795,914
    • Yew shieldbow (u) and bowstrings total = 94,603,766
  • Yew shieldbows = 141,659,712
    • Total profit (stringing) = 47,055,946
    • Total profit (fletching) = 4,426,866

Experience per hour[]

This section shows the maximum possible experience per hour and the potential costs for fletching or stringing the high level shortbows and shieldbows. The last column shows what the possible profit/loss is per hour according to the info on the left.

Method Action Amount/hr Exp/hr Material costs Sell for Profit/Loss GP/XP
Maple shortbow (u) Maple shortbow (u) Fletch 1,680 84,000 181,440 250,320 68,880 0.82
Maple shortbow Maple shortbow String 2,520 126,000 1,340,640 1,733,760 393,120 3.12
Maple shieldbow (u) Maple shieldbow (u) Fletch 1,680 97,944 181,440 179,760 −1,680 −0.02
Maple shieldbow Maple shieldbow String 2,520 146,916 1,234,800 1,572,480 337,680 2.3
Yew shortbow (u) Yew shortbow (u) Fletch 1,680 113,400 280,560 371,280 90,720 0.8
Yew shortbow Yew shortbow String 2,520 170,100 1,522,080 2,257,920 735,840 4.33
Yew shieldbow (u) Yew shieldbow (u) Fletch 1,680 126,000 280,560 325,920 45,360 0.36
Yew shieldbow Yew shieldbow String 2,520 189,000 1,454,040 2,177,280 723,240 3.83
Magic shortbow (u) Magic shortbow (u) Fletch 1,680 139,440 638,400 824,880 186,480 1.34
Magic shortbow Magic shortbow String 2,520 209,160 2,202,480 2,996,280 793,800 3.8
Magic shieldbow (u) Magic shieldbow (u) Fletch 1,680 153,720 638,400 683,760 45,360 0.3
Magic shieldbow Magic shieldbow String 2,520 230,580 1,990,800 2,817,360 826,560 3.58
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