Without Oplate shards, a large portion of RuneScape gold players can go thousands of KC without completing a full set. Including shards drastically reduces this grind.

Solo average KC with shards: 641 (down from 1,150)

Duo 50% damage: 1,200 KC (down from 2,000)

Shards create a secondary peak for unlucky players, ensuring that even those who get unlucky don't face extreme dry streaks. Unlike guaranteed drops, shards offer partial protection while still preserving the randomness and excitement of loot acquisition.

Contracts: The God-Tier Advantage

Completing contracts further improves efficiency. Two contracts are relevant:

Contract of Oplate Acquisition - guarantees a piece on completion

Contract of Oplate Shard Acquisition - boosts your shard collection

For players consistently completing contracts:

Solo average KC drops to 550

Duo 50% damage drops to 1,040

Contracts offer significant time savings for players skilled enough to complete them reliably. Why Yama's Design is Brilliant

Yama's drop mechanics are more than just RNG-they incentivize teamwork and smart play.

Duo Incentives: Forgotten lockboxes make duoing potentially faster than soloing.

Dry Protection: Oplate shards prevent extreme unlucky streaks while maintaining the thrill of randomness.

Contracts: God-tier players can further reduce grind times, rewarding skill and planning.

Compared to other bosses, Yama strikes a balance between solo viability, team efficiency, and long-term fairness. It's one of the best-designed bosses in the game from both a mathematical and gameplay perspective.

In conclusion, Yama isn't just profitable-it's a masterclass in boss design. Whether you're going solo, duoing, or aiming for god-tier efficiency with contracts, understanding the math behind Oplate drops can save you hours and make your grind far more predictable. Having enough cheap Runescape gold can also be very helpful.

Why Almost Every New OSRS Player Fails at Making Money
Making money in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is one of the hardest lessons for new players. You might train your stats, complete some quests, and pick up a few gear upgrades, but when it comes to stacking real GP, most beginners hit a wall. The truth is, 99% of new players never make significant money-not because the game is unfair, but because they fall into the same traps over and over.

In the early game, money is painfully slow. You're out there killing cows, mining iron, or fishing lobsters, and earning 50k GP per hour feels like a huge win. Every teleport scroll is a luxury. Every new piece of armor feels like a distant dream. Naturally, many players think, "If I can't make good money now, how will I ever afford a whip, barrows gear, or a bond?"

Here's the secret OSRS doesn't tell you: the game snowballs. The more you progress-through skills, quests, and gear-the more doors open. Early GP is stingy, but once you've proven yourself, the game becomes incredibly generous. Progress is the multiplier. The more you unlock, the more you earn, and the more you earn, the faster you unlock even more.

If you're grinding for your first few hundred thousand RuneScape gold and wondering how others have billions, don't quit. Focus on building your account. Unlock everything you can because the longer you stick with it, the faster your GP will start to compound. It's not about getting rich immediately-it's about laying the foundation for effortless wealth later.

Stop Grinding Outdated Methods

Most new players get stuck in inefficient early-game money-making methods: cows for hides, mining coal, or fishing lobsters. These top out at 50-150k GP per hour-barely anything. Modern alternatives are far more profitable. Early minigames like Wintertodt can earn 200-300k GP per hour while providing useful supplies like herbs, seeds, and ores.

Combat methods can also outperform outdated skilling. Hill giants in Edgeville Dungeon, for example, drop big bones and limpwurks, providing both GP and prayer XP. Stop following "classic" advice from 2007 guides. Research methods that fit your current levels-Wintertodt, Tempero's fishing spots, Hill giants-and instantly double or triple your GP per hour.

Invest in Quests

Quests are the hidden key to money, yet many new players avoid them. Certain quests unlock gear and tools that make money-making much easier:

Recipe for Disaster: Unlocks Barrows gloves, long-standing best-in-slot gloves for new players.

Lost City: Grants the Dragon dagger and Dragon longsword, enabling earlier access to profitable bosses.

Animal Magnetism: Unlocks Ava's device, saving millions in ammunition and providing a ranged boost.

Fairy Tale Part II: Unlocks the fairy rings for faster travel and more efficient money-making routes.

Garden of Tranquility: Adds extra farming patches, boosting passive income from herbs and crops.

Focus on quests that provide these unlocks. Every time you complete one, you're investing in future GP. Skipping these quests for buy RS gold small, inefficient grinds keeps you poor.