OSRS Herblore 75-99: Super Combat vs Stamina Potion Guide

Game screenshots and facts are cited from the Old School RuneScape Wiki (strategy, equipment, drops, and related pages). Writing is original editorial, not a copy of the wiki article.

Training Herblore from 75 to 99 is one of the most expensive and bank-stand-heavy grinds in Old School RuneScape, but it unlocks the game's most powerful combat and utility potions. Two methods dominate the conversation: super combat potions, the high-level powerhouse requiring 90 Herblore, and stamina potions, the mid-level workhorse available at 77. This guide breaks down XP rates, gp per XP, supply requirements, and the honest math behind each route—so you can decide whether to grind, buy gold, or skip the pain entirely.

Before diving in, remember that Herblore training is fundamentally a bankstanding skill. The wiki states that adding secondary ingredients to unfinished potions can yield up to 2,500 potions per hour if you bank quickly. Both super combat and stamina potion making fit that pattern, but their unique requirements and inventory setups change real-world rates dramatically.

1. Why Train Herblore 75-99? Requirements and Unlocks

Herblore is locked behind the Druidic Ritual quest, but by level 75 you've long since passed that gate. The real unlocks in the 75-99 stretch are what matter:

• Level 77 – Stamina potions, a massive quality-of-life upgrade for any account.
• Level 85 – Extended stamina potions, using marlin scales on stamina potions.
• Level 86 – Stamina mix, after completing Barbarian Herblore Training, which adds caviar to a stamina potion(2).
• Level 90 – Super combat potions, a single potion that boosts Attack, Strength, and Defence, and a requirement for the Elite Varrock Diary.

Most players arrive at 75 Herblore after completing quests like Song of the Elves or While Guthix Sleeps, which grant large Herblore XP rewards. The journey from 75 to 99 is entirely about potion production, and your choice of method defines both speed and cost.

2. The Two Main Contenders: Super Combat vs Stamina Potions

At first glance, super combat potions look like the obvious endgame choice: 150 XP per potion, high demand, and a chance at profit with the right gear. Stamina potions, meanwhile, give only 25.5 XP per dose (102 XP for a 4-dose potion) but unlock much earlier and rely on cheap, stable ingredients. The real comparison comes down to level gating, gp/XP, and how much time you're willing to spend on inventory management.

Both methods are bankstanding potion-making, but super combat demands a multi-item inventory: torstol plus one 4-dose each of super attack, super strength, and super defence. Stamina only needs super energy(4) and amylase crystals, making it simpler to execute, especially on mobile or while watching a stream.

We'll break down each method in detail below, then pit them against each other in the cost and time sections.

3. Super Combat Potions: The 90+ Powerhouse

Super combat potions are created by using a torstol on any 4-dose super attack, super strength, or super defence potion while holding one 4-dose of each in your inventory. This consumes the torstol and the three super potions, yielding a super combat potion(4) and 150 Herblore XP per potion. The requirement is 90 Herblore.

Why Players Love Super Combats

• Highest XP per action among the two methods: 150 XP per 4-dose potion.
• End-game PvM staple—you'll use these potions yourself or sell them on the Grand Exchange.
• Elite Varrock Diary requires making one in the Varrock west bank.

Super combat potions are not just a training method; they are a product with real market demand. That means your training can fund itself—or at least offset a large chunk of the cost—if you have the right unlocks and enough starting capital to buy torstol and super potions in bulk.

4. Stamina Potions: The 77+ Utility Grind

A stamina potion is made at level 77 by mixing a super energy potion with amylase crystals. Each dose of stamina potion produced grants 25.5 Herblore XP, so a full 4-dose potion gives 102 XP. Amylase crystals themselves are obtained primarily from mixing amylase, which comes from the Morytania Legs rooftop agility course or from the Hallowed Sepulchre—but most players simply buy them on the GE along with super energy potions.

Why Stamina Potions Are Still Meta

• Unlocked at 77, filling the gap before super combats at 90.
• Essential for any account that runs a lot: 70% run energy drain reduction for 2 minutes per dose.
• Can be extended at 85 Herblore using marlin scales, or turned into stamina mix at 86 after Barbarian training.

Stamina potions are also available from the Theatre of Blood chest with infinite stock, but that's more relevant for ironmen or late-game PvM supplies than for training. For the 75-90 stretch, stamina potions are the bread-and-butter method, especially if you value simplicity and steady, predictable costs.

5. The Crucial Gap: 75-90 Before Super Combat

Since super combat potions require level 90, you cannot use them from 75 to 89. That leaves a 15-level gap where stamina potions are your primary option from 77 onward. But what about 75 to 77? The wiki's Herblore training page doesn't list a single dominant method for those two levels; players typically continue with whatever potion they were using, such as super energy or super restore, or pivot to Mastering Mixology.

Mastering Mixology, unlocked at level 60 with Children of the Sun completed, becomes more efficient at higher levels, with the last unlock at 81 Herblore. It doesn't require specific herbs or secondaries, grants much more XP per herb, and at 81 can reach up to 105k XP per hour. It's also the only source of items like the Prescription Goggles, Alchemist's Amulet, Chugging Barrel, and Potion Storage. If you're not in a rush to 90, doing Mixology from 81 to 90 can save a fortune in supply costs while banking useful utility items.

6. AFK vs Efficient Training: Attention and Bankstanding

No Herblore method is truly AFK in the way that woodcutting or fishing can be. You must click through each potion-making action and bank the results. That said, there are clear differences in how much attention each method demands.

Efficient training means chasing the wiki's max mixing rate of 2,500 potions per hour. That requires a fast bank, a clean inventory setup, and minimal distractions. Stamina potions are easier to maintain at that speed because you only handle two item stacks. Super combat potions require you to withdraw torstol and three types of super potions, combine them in a specific order, and bank the resulting super combat(4)—more clicks per inventory, which often lowers real potions-per-hour below the theoretical maximum.

Low-attention training includes cleaning grimy herbs, which the wiki describes as profitable but slow, or performing actions at a relaxed pace while watching videos. Mastering Mixology sits somewhere in between: it's a minigame with a set rhythm, but it requires less banking and inventory precision than traditional potion making.

Your choice between "AFK" and efficient really comes down to how much gold you're willing to burn. Efficient super combat training can be profitable with the right gear, while lazy stamina potion making might still turn a small profit or break even depending on day-to-day GE fluctuations.

7. Cost, XP/hr, and Realistic Time-to-Goal

Let's crunch the numbers using the wiki's mixing rate facts. The theoretical maximum rate is 2,500 potions per hour for simple secondary-to-unfinished combinations. Stamina potions, with 102 XP per 4-dose potion, would then yield 255,000 XP per hour if you hit that rate perfectly. Super combat potions at 150 XP per potion would give 375,000 XP per hour at the same rate. However, super combat's multi-item banking typically reduces real potions-per-hour to 1,600–2,200 for most players, while stamina can often stay closer to 2,200–2,500.

From level 75 to 99, you need approximately 11.8 million XP. Using the theoretical rates, stamina would take about 46 hours; super combat about 31 hours. With realistic banking slowdowns, stamina likely lands in the 50–60 hour range, while super combat might take 35–45 hours. These are rough estimates—your own XP tracker will tell the true story.

On the gp side, the wiki's money-making guide lists super combat potions with Prescription Goggles as a 673,050 gp profit per hour, and without them as a 113,400 gp loss per hour. Stamina potion profit is not listed in our research pack, so you must check live GE prices for super energy(4), amylase crystals, and stamina potions to know your margin. In general, stamina potions are cheaper to start and have lower risk of a massive per-hour loss, but they also produce less XP per action, meaning you spend more hours training.

8. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced players fall into these traps when training Herblore 75-99:

• Attempting super combat before 90. The level requirement is hard; you cannot boost to make super combats. Don't buy torstol early hoping to boost.
• Ignoring Prescription Goggles. These glasses from Mastering Mixology can turn a loss into a profit on super combats. They're worth the detour.
• Mixing up base potions. Super combat needs 4-dose super attack, strength, and defence. Using 3-dose or mixed potions will fail.
• Forgetting dose costs. A stamina potion(4) uses one amylase crystal and one super energy(4). If you buy super energy(3) by mistake, you'll waste time.
• Not checking profit margins before bulk-buying. A 10k stack of supplies at a bad price can erase hours of profit.

Avoid these by reading the wiki's creation sections carefully, testing one inventory before buying thousands of supplies, and using the official GE tracker.

9. When Buying Gold or a Service Is the Honest Shortcut

Herblore is notorious for its high supply cost. Stamina potions require amylase crystals, which are almost exclusively obtained from Hallowed Sepulchre or bought from other players. Super combat potions demand torstol, one of the pricier herbs, plus three types of super potions. If you don't have the bankroll to fund 11.8 million XP worth of potions, you have a few options: grind money elsewhere, do Mastering Mixology to reduce supply dependence, or consider buying gold or a training service.

We won't pretend buying gold is risk-free—it's against Jagex's Terms of Service and can lead to a ban. That said, many players weigh the time saved against the risk and choose to purchase GP to fund their Herblore grind. If you go that route, use a reputable marketplace and understand the consequences. Alternatively, you can buy a service to have someone else do the clicking, but the same rule-breaking caveat applies. An honest middle ground is to earn gold through PvM or skilling and use the Grand Exchange exclusively.

If you do decide to buy gold to fund your super combat or stamina training, view live gold rates to see current market pricing. Just remember: no amount of gold makes up for poor training habits, so lock in your method before spending.

10. Practical Next Steps and Training Plan

Ready to start? Here's a no-nonsense roadmap from 75 to 99:

1. Confirm you have 75 Herblore and Druidic Ritual completed.
2. Check the Grand Exchange prices for super energy(4), amylase crystals, stamina potions, torstol, and super attack/strength/defence potions. Calculate gp/XP per method.
3. If 77-90, buy stamina supplies in batches and grind at a bank chest. Consider Mastering Mixology at 81 if you want utility items and lower supply cost.
4. At 90, switch to super combat potions if you have Prescription Goggles and the capital to buy torstol and super potions. If profit margins are bad, continue stamina until prices improve.
5. Use Runelite's XP tracker to measure your real potions-per-hour and adjust banking habits.
6. Decide whether the time investment is worth it or if buying gold to fund supplies is your honest shortcut. If so, check live rates and proceed carefully.

For another method-vs-method skilling showdown, check our guide on Smithing: Giants' Foundry vs Blast Furnace Gold to 99. The same decision framework applies: XP/hr vs gp/XP vs attention.

Sources

• Herblore training — OSRS Wiki
• Super combat potion — OSRS Wiki
• Stamina potion — OSRS Wiki