Prayer point costs, bones and XP

Prayer points pay for active prayers. Prayer XP advances the skill. Burying a suitable item supplies points; dealing damage with an active prayer supplies XP. A larger point reserve is not itself a higher Prayer level.

Read when each prayer pays

Prayer	Base cost	Payment trigger
Guard, Evade or Protect	1 point	Enemy attack turn
Strength, Power or Will	1 point	Your attack turn
Protect Item	4 points	Enemy attack turn

Multiple active prayers add their relevant costs. Bonuses continue until the end of a turn already paid for, even if that payment empties the point reserve. With no points to pay the next trigger, the prayer gives no further bonuses until points are available again.

A cost example with unequal attack speeds

Suppose you make 30 attack turns while an enemy makes 20. One 1-point offensive prayer and one 1-point defensive prayer cost 30+20=50 points before preservation. It is not 60 just because two prayers are selected; each uses its own trigger.

Replacing the defensive prayer with Protect Item changes the example to 30+4×20=110 points. This comparison only budgets points. It does not claim that either setup deals the same damage or survives the same attacks.

Bones and Firemaking have different routes

Use the selected item’s bury action and displayed point reward. Some special items gained through combat instead have Firemaking recipes that award Prayer points. Do not assume every item named Ash, or every ordinary log burn, gives points as it might in another game.

Firemaking fuel and light covers that production role. Keep enough points for the chosen prayer mix, but also enough food and ammunition or runes. Prayer supply does not replace either.

If a selected prayer will not switch through its panel, disable the existing prayer in the relevant slot before selecting its replacement. Recheck the active icons and costs rather than assuming a highlighted list entry is already equipped.