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The Old School RuneScape Sailing skill is almost here, and you’ll be able to get your hands on an alpha version of it very soon. Developer Jagex has shown more of the MMO’s first-ever new skill as a part of RuneFest, while teasing the impending launch of a limited-time test. So if you want to take to the OSRS seas alone or with friends, you don’t have to wait long to do just that.
Sailing has been a long time coming in Old School RuneScape. Back in 2023 Jagex revealed it as the potential first-ever new skill, but left its inclusion in the MMO up to a vote. Over 70% of players made it clear they wanted to take to the high seas, and now we’ll be feeling the breeze in our hair very soon. The Sailing alpha will take around 75 minutes to beat and be available for one week later this month, with a boatload of content to get stuck into.
The introductory Pandemonium quest will get you to grips with the skill, so you’ll soon know the difference between a bowline and sheet bend. You just need to speak to Will and Anne in the docks of Port Sarim. Once the quest is done, you can buy your own vessel – well, it’s more of a raft to be honest. As your Sailing level increases you’ll be able to get bigger boats, but for the alpha you only have two options.
There’s also an entire sea of ship customization for you to explore. Cannons, masts, hulls, and other seafaring nouns are aplenty, but as this is the alpha Jagex says you’ll be given loads of upgrade materials in a chest to prevent the grind. The alpha will even have multiplayer, so you can hop on a friends’ vessel and sail the seas together. Just make sure your Sailing level is right, and you’ll be off in no time.
The world of OSRS is also changing with Sailing, as the blue tiles of the map will now become shallow, open, or deep seas. In the alpha this means little, but Jagex says, “In future we plan to add speed-related effects to different types of water, but these will likely only impact larger boats.”
To help you get to grips with the salt-filled air, Port Tasks will take you from place to place and act as a “lower-intensity” training method. As you make your way along the ocean blue, you’ll also come across shipwrecks. Using a salvaging hook, you can find lost treasures and other loot in a manner similar to The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. There’s even Sea Charting, where you can log all the locations, hidden currents, and ocean depths you come across.
Lastly, Jagex explains how Sailing will include Barracuda Trials. The first is called The Tempor Tantrum, and is a fast-paced training method that’ll test your sea legs and navigation skills. Beating each Barracuda Trials’ time will net you a Sailing-related reward, and they won’t even be instanced – so it’ll happen in the existing world alongside other players.
“Some of you may still have questions or concerns about Sailing, and that’s exactly why the Sailing alpha matters. It’s your chance to get hands-on and experience the skill for yourself,” Jagex writes. “We also want to be clear that the alpha is not the final product for Sailing. While there’ll be plenty of features to enjoy, this skill is very much still in development. Features may still be tweaked or completely overhauled, depending on your feedback.”
Jagex says it is planning on launching the Old School RuneScape Sailing alpha “later” in March 2025, giving you a chance to try the new skill. You can read the developer’s announcement here.
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