Before diving into strategies, it's important to RuneScape gold distinguish between the different Ironman account types:

Ironman: The standard mode—no trading, no Grand Exchange, and no player assistance.

Hardcore Ironman (HCIM): Same rules as Ironman, but with a twist—death is permanent. If you die, you revert to a regular Ironman account.

Ultimate Ironman (UIM): The most difficult variant. No access to a bank; all items must be carried or stored in your player-owned house.

This guide focuses on standard Ironman accounts but will touch on differences relevant to HCIM and UIM players where appropriate.

Early Game Survival: Laying the Foundation

The early game is arguably the most difficult part of Iron Man mode. Without the safety net of trading or assistance, your focus should be on creating a stable base of skills, resources, and quest unlocks.
Prioritize Questing for Free XP and Unlocks

Questing is the most efficient way to gain experience in Ironman mode. Many quests offer large XP rewards, unlock new areas, or provide key items essential for progression. Here are some vital early-game quests:

Cook's Assistant: Fast and easy, it's your first introduction to cooking and resource collection.

Doric's Quest: Grants early Mining XP and access to a useful anvil for early Smithing.

The Restless Ghost: Jumpstarts Prayer training with a generous XP reward.

Imp Catcher: Unlocks access to basic elemental runes for Magic training.

Rune Mysteries: Essential for unlocking the Runecrafting skill, which is critical for Ironman progression.

Additional quests like The Grand Tree, Lost City, and Tree Gnome Village should be prioritized soon after, as they unlock crucial transportation networks and weapons.
Gathering Resources Efficiently

Self-sufficiency means you need to gather everything yourself—from food and gear to raw materials for skilling. Knowing where and how to collect essential resources early on will save hours down the road.

Woodcutting and Firemaking

Start with a bronze or iron axe and work your way up through regular, oak, and willow trees. This helps you train both Woodcutting and Firemaking simultaneously.

Logs are essential for early Firemaking levels.

Later, yew logs will be useful for Fletching bows and shafts.

Mining and Smithing

Start mining copper and tin, then move on to iron, coal, and mithril. This will provide the bars needed to smith your own weapons and armor.

The Dwarven Mine is a great starting location with multiple ore types.

Train Smithing by smelting bars and crafting gear for personal use.

Fishing and Cooking

Food is a top priority for survival. Begin with net fishing for shrimp and anchovies, then move to fly fishing for trout and salmon in Barbarian Village.

Cooking raw fish builds your Cooking level, reducing burn rates.

Higher-tier food like lobsters and monkfish will become essential as you progress.

Herblore and Farming

You'll need potions for combat and skilling, especially later on. Complete the Druidic Ritual early to unlock Herblore.

Train Farming concurrently to grow herbs.

Use basic potions like Strength, Attack, and Prayer potions to OSRS GP for sale improve combat efficiency.