RS3 December Skilling Money Makers (and How to Keep Them Consistent)

This guide breaks down the strongest December skilling-based money makers on the RuneScape Wiki, with practical notes on requirements, how “stable” each method tends to be, and what usually causes profits to spike or crash. You’ll also learn which options are best for active play vs AFK downtime, and how to plan upgrades and supplies without overpaying for gear, inputs, or materials.

Although these methods are based on skilling, a lot of the profit comes from market behavior: new updates shifting demand, players stockpiling supplies, and certain items being bottlenecked by high requirements. If you want smoother account progression, it helps to treat skilling like a small business—track margins, avoid panic-buying, and pick methods that match your attention level.

When you’re planning bigger upgrades, it’s also worth thinking about your overall cashflow. Some players prefer to grind everything out; others top up RS3 gold to avoid getting stuck on supply costs, unlocks, and expensive training materials. Either way, the goal is the same: keep your time spent in-game feeling rewarding.

1) Runecrafting Dominates: Necromancy Runes and the Abyss

December continues the same story: Runecrafting sits at the top of skilling profits, especially where Necromancy-related outputs and Abyss routes are involved. A big reason is that these runes stay in demand for combat and ritual-related consumption, and many players can’t (or won’t) meet the requirements to craft them efficiently.

Necromancy runes: high profit, high volatility

The standout category this month is Necromancy rune production, including several rune types that can post extremely high hourly profit on paper. The catch is that these items can swing hard in price—sometimes within the same day—because demand is sensitive to PvM activity, training trends, and supply shocks.

How to approach it:

• Check margins before committing. If your input costs rose (or outputs dipped), your “wiki GP/hr” can evaporate.
• Sell in smaller batches. Dumping huge stacks can move the price against you, especially for thinner markets.
• Plan around requirements. If your setup requires high levels and unlocks, the barrier to entry can keep profits elevated—but only while demand holds.

Abyss Runecrafting: consistent, scalable, and still strong

Abyss methods remain a reliable backbone for players who want repeatable profit with predictable loops. Water, air, law, and other rune routes can be very competitive, especially if you already have the quality-of-life unlocks that reduce friction (faster banking, better pouches, and fewer interruptions).

Practical tip: Abyss profits often improve when you optimize “time lost” rather than raw crafting speed—things like banking pathing, preset usage, and not overcomplicating your inventory.

Traditional runes: still profitable, but watch the dips

Blood, cosmic, and nature rune crafting can still be good, but this month they’ve shown noticeable dips compared to prior periods. That doesn’t mean they’re dead—it means you should treat them as “check first” methods rather than automatic picks.

2) Heists and Chests: High-Roll Profit with a Key Constraint

Some of the best “skilling-adjacent” profits come from repeatable chest/heist systems where your limiting factor is access (keys, attempts, or route efficiency). These can be excellent when you’re patient and let access items accumulate over time.

Opening the Alchemist’s Chest can remain extremely lucrative, but the method is easy to ruin if you buy access too aggressively. The profit tends to be best when you treat it like a slow-burn pipeline rather than a binge activity.

• Best practice: accumulate keys gradually and open in controlled sessions.
• Why it works: the reward structure can outpace the cost of access when you’re not paying peak prices.

Muddy chest variants: decent mid-tier option

Muddy chest runs can sit in the “good but not insane” category. They’re often chosen by players who want a change of pace without needing high-end combat requirements.

3) Big Game Hunter: Dinosaurs, Eggs, and Tier Choices

Big Game Hunter (BGH) continues to show up as a competitive profit option, with different dinosaur tiers offering different balances of intensity, consistency, and learning curve.

Tier 1 vs Tier 2 vs Tier 3 dinosaurs

In general:

• Lower tiers can be easier to sustain and are friendlier for newer BGH players.
• Higher tiers may offer better profit, but mistakes and slower clears can erase the theoretical advantage.

Dinosaur propellant: a standout “rebuild-style” skilling method

Dinosaur propellant is notable because it can be profitable with minimal direct spending on inputs if you gather what you need yourself. It’s also attractive as a “rebuild” method because it doesn’t require you to risk expensive supplies to get started.

What to expect: the method shines when you already have the related quest unlocks and the Firemaking level to craft efficiently.

Collecting dinosaur eggs: steady supplementary income

Egg collection can be a clean, repeatable money maker that pairs well with other Anachronia routines. It may not always beat top-tier Runecrafting, but it’s often easier to slot into daily/weekly play.

Herblore remains one of the best “convert inputs into profit” skills—when the market cooperates. Many players underestimate how much profit comes from simply choosing the right potion at the right time, then letting the Grand Exchange do its work.

Aggression potions: back to form

Aggression potions have rebounded to more typical profit levels after a weaker period. This makes them a strong pick if you can consistently source ingredients at a favorable price.

How to keep this method profitable:

• Buy ingredients during off-peak hours when margins are less contested.
• Sell potions in smaller stacks if the price is jumpy.
• Don’t assume yesterday’s margin applies today. Re-check your numbers before a long session.

Other classic Herblore options

Super sets and anti-poison lines can show solid profit, especially when PvM activity increases demand. These are often less “spiky” than niche items, but they can still be affected by supply surges.

If you’re budgeting for longer training grinds, remember that Herblore can be both a profit skill and a cost sink depending on what you make. That’s one reason some players keep a reserve of in-game currency ready for ingredient dips and bulk opportunities.

5) Crafting and Processing: Hides, Battlestaves, and Sand Reality Checks

December’s list includes several processing methods that look deceptively simple: buy raw inputs, process, sell outputs. These can be great—if you respect margins and avoid crowded items where buy limits and competition squeeze profits.

Tanning dragonhides: straightforward profit with volume considerations

Tanning (including higher-tier hides) can exceed expectations when demand is healthy. The main limitation is often how quickly you can move large quantities without undercutting yourself.

Battlestaves: unusually strong returns

Earth, water, fire, and air battlestaves can post surprisingly high profit per hour when component prices shift. If you see battlestaves outperforming expectations, it usually means one side of the equation moved fast: either staves became cheaper due to increased supply, or the finished product stayed buoyant due to steady demand.

Extra fine sand can still be a strong pick, especially for lower-to-mid accounts, but it’s one of those methods where the real profit depends heavily on the exact buy/sell prices at the time you do it. Treat it as a “check live prices” method, not a guaranteed number.

6) Agility for Profit: Anachronia Codex Pages

Agility is not usually associated with big profits, which is exactly why the Anachronia course stands out. Codex pages can push the method into “excellent money while training” territory.

Why it’s valuable: you’re not choosing between XP and GP—you’re getting both. If you’re trying to keep skilling profitable while still progressing your account, this is one of the cleanest options on the list.

7) Ritual and Ink Markets: When Demand Outpaces Supply

Ghostly ink variants and ritual-related outputs can remain profitable because they’re consumed continuously and not everyone enjoys producing them. These items can also be sensitive to training trends, which is why they can hold value longer than you’d expect after an update.

Practical approach: if you notice ink prices climbing, consider selling into strength rather than hoarding. If prices are falling, shorten your sessions and avoid getting stuck with a massive stack.

8) Screening, Sifting, and “Low Attention” Profit Picks

Several December methods fall into the category of low-intensity processing: screening soil, sifting materials, and similar loops. These are popular during holiday downtime because they pair well with multitasking.

Just remember: the more AFK a method is, the more likely it becomes crowded, and the faster the margin can compress. If you’re chasing consistency, rotate between two or three options instead of doing one method for an entire week.

9) Practical December Strategy: Picking Methods That Match Your Time

The best method isn’t always the one with the highest quoted hourly profit. In December especially, you’ll often make more by choosing a method you can sustain comfortably.

• If you want peak profit and can focus: prioritize Runecrafting routes and high-requirement rune outputs.
• If you want a balanced grind: mix Anachronia Agility with a processing method like hides or battlestaves.
• If you want low attention: rotate screening/sifting options and keep an eye on margins.

Budgeting for supplies and upgrades

Even “profitable” skilling can require upfront investment—runes, ingredients, tools, and unlocks. If you’re trying to avoid stalling out, it helps to keep a cash buffer for market dips, bulk buys, and quality-of-life upgrades. Some players also look for fast RS3 gold options to smooth out expensive weeks, particularly when they’re pushing multiple skills at once or preparing for new content.

If you do choose to top up, prioritize spending that increases your long-term earning power: faster banking, better gear for gathering, and unlocks that reduce failure rates. That’s usually a better return than cosmetic splurges—at least until your income is stable.

Which skilling method is the most reliable for consistent profit?

Abyss Runecrafting routes are typically among the most consistent because demand for core runes stays steady. They’re also easy to repeat without relying on rare drops.

Why do Necromancy-related runes swing so much in price?

They’re sensitive to changes in player activity (training spikes, PvM trends) and supply shifts. That volatility is why the top GP/hr methods can feel inconsistent day-to-day.

Is Herblore still worth doing if ingredient prices are high?

Yes, but only if you’re checking margins. When inputs spike, switch to a different potion line or pause until prices normalize instead of forcing the same recipe.

What’s a good option if I want profit while training Agility?

The Anachronia course with codex page drops is a strong choice because you’re earning valuable items while gaining XP, rather than sacrificing one for the other.

How can I avoid getting stuck without enough cash for supplies?

Keep a buffer and avoid buying all inputs at once during peak prices. Some players also research trusted RS3 gold site with secure payment and customer support options to smooth out supply costs, but it’s still smart to spend efficiently on upgrades that improve your hourly returns.