Woodcutting. Love it or hate it, it is one of the easiest skills to get to level 99 due to the perfect mix of affordability and the ease of leveling it whilst AFK. It makes sense then that Jagex has left it largely untouched over the years with only a few quality of life updates such as Ivy. That is all about to change though, as Jagex is implementing a large Woodcutting update coming June 19, 2023! Keep reading to find out what to expect when the new Woodcutting update goes live in RuneScape!
What to Expect in the New RuneScape Woodcutting Update
Jagex has stated that this update is a mix of two things. Aspects to the update that you can interact with now to make Woodcutting similar to other previously updated skills, as well as work behind the scenes to make sure that they are able to continue updating the skill in future updates. Which sounds like we will be getting more trees in the future! Heavily linked to Fort Forinthry, the new Woodcutting update takes place at a new adjacent grove that will be provided for you in close proximity to the Fort itself.
Hatchet and Tree Rebalances
This has been a long time coming and after reading through the rebalance work, I am quite happy with the changes. Especially when it comes to the trees. For years, new trees have been added to RuneScape without any thought to the existing tree level requirements. Check out how they are being rebalanced below.
| Tree | Original Required Level | Rebalanced Required Level |
| Wood | 1 | 1 |
| Oak | 15 | 10 |
| Willow | 30 | 20 |
| Teak | 35 | 30 |
| Maple | 45 | 40 |
| Acadia | 47 | 50 |
| Mahogony | 50 | 60 |
| Yew | 60 | 70 |
| Magic | 75 | 80 |
| Elder | 90 | 90 |
| Tree | Chop Speed | XP Per Cut |
| Hollow | Reduced – but more likely to succeed at higher levels. | |
| Maple | Significantly increased. | |
| Mahogony | Increased. | |
| Arctic Pine | Increased. | 140.2 → 145 |
| Eucalyptus | Increased. | |
| Yew | Significantly increased. | 175 → 187.5 |
| Magic | Significantly increased. | 250 → 365 |
| Blisterwood | 2000 → 2650 | |
| Elder | Increased. | 3250 → 4250 |
| Crystal | 4345 → 3500 | |
| Golden Bamboo | Changed to follow regular formula. | |
| Jadinko Lair | Changed to follow regular formula. | 1400 → 1616 |
| Acadia | Increased slightly. | 920 → 800 |
| Hatchet | Original Tier | Rebalanced Tier |
| Dragon | 55 | 60 |
| Crystal | 57.5 | 70 |
Woodcutter’s Grove in RuneScape
I don’t know about you, but just reading about Woodcutter’s Grove has me excited. It almost feels weird to say because it is Woodcutting. Woodcutter’s Grove cannot be unlocked until you have completed the Unwelcome Guest quest and have constructed a Tier 1 Guardhouse. From there it is simple! Just talk to Bill or Aster to unlock the Woodcutting of your dreams!
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Here is an overview of the updates that Woodcutter’s Grove provides you:
- One of the most convenient ways to level Woodcutting from 1-99.
- Imcando Hatchet – a new Tier 80 best-in-slot hatchet available after unlocking Tier 3 of Woodcutter’s Grove.
- Wood Box to store logs as you cut them down. Similar to the Ore Box for Mining.
- New Log Piles will act as a method to directly deposit logs into your bank.
- Bird’s Nests drops that will drop Imcando Hatchet fragments at Tier 3.
- Wood Spirits will be an item that consumes a log to increase cutting ability. Similar to Stone Spirits for Mining.
- Tier 2 Woodcutter’s Grove will provide the player with a Fairy Ring for convenient travel.
- Tier 2 Woodcutter’s Grove will provide the player with a tree patch to grow additional trees.
It sounds like Jagex has put a lot of thought and effort into the Woodcutting rebalance and I am excited to sink my axe into it on day one. I haven’t touched Woodcutting much since hitting level 99 and the fact that I am surprised to spend time on the skill again speaks volumes! I daresay that there are a lot of equally eager players out there that feel the same! In the meantime, make sure that you have collected all of your shards for the elusive Golden Cape before time runs out!
