What is the Best Pickaxe for the Motherlode Mine?
The optimal pickaxe for the Motherlode Mine in Old School Runescape (OSRS) is undoubtedly the crystal pickaxe. While the dragon pickaxe is a solid contender and more accessible for many players, the crystal pickaxe offers a consistent and measurable speed advantage, making it the superior choice for maximizing your mining efficiency. The difference might seem small on paper, but over hours of gameplay, it adds up to significant gains in both experience and golden nuggets. Let’s delve into why this is the case and explore other relevant aspects of pickaxe choices for the Motherlode Mine.
Crystal Pickaxe vs. Dragon Pickaxe: The Speed Advantage
The primary factor in choosing between the crystal pickaxe and the dragon pickaxe is their mining speed. While both are excellent choices compared to a rune pickaxe, the crystal pickaxe boasts a crucial edge.
Crystal Pickaxe
- Superior Mining Speed: According to the information, the crystal pickaxe provides a 3.03% increase in overall mining speed compared to the dragon pickaxe. This may seem marginal, but over extensive mining sessions, this translates to noticeably faster ore collection and more experience per hour.
- Cost and Availability: The crystal pickaxe is obtained through the Elven Crystal Armor upgrade path, it can be a more expensive and time-consuming acquisition initially. However, the consistent speed boost will eventually pay off in the long run.
- No Special Attack: The crystal pickaxe lacks the special attack of the dragon pickaxe; This means no temporary boosts of your mining level. However, consistent speed will typically outpace the occasional boost.
Dragon Pickaxe
- Reliable and Accessible: The dragon pickaxe is much more readily available to players than the crystal pickaxe as they have multiple sources of drops, making it a good choice for those not wanting to spend time gathering the crystal version.
- Special Attack: The dragon pickaxe possesses a special attack that temporarily boosts a player’s mining level by 3, potentially improving mining speed and success rate for a short period. This boost does consume 100% of the special attack energy.
- Slightly Slower Speed: While still considerably better than a rune pickaxe, the dragon pickaxe is about 3.03% slower overall than the crystal pickaxe.
Why Crystal Pickaxe is Better for Motherlode Mine
The Motherlode Mine is a place where consistent mining speed is paramount. Ores respawn quickly, meaning the extra 3.03% speed of the crystal pickaxe is constantly in effect. The dragon pickaxe’s special attack is less beneficial in this environment, as the ore respawn rate usually doesn’t line up well with the temporary mining boost. The crystal pickaxe’s sustained higher speed results in a higher overall output at the Motherlode Mine.
Other Relevant Equipment
While the pickaxe is crucial, other equipment can significantly impact your experience at the Motherlode Mine.
Prospector Outfit
- XP Boost: The prospector’s outfit provides a 2.5% XP boost to mining when worn as a full set. This should be one of your first priorities when consistently training at the mine.
- Golden Nuggets: The outfit is purchased using golden nuggets obtained from the Motherlode Mine.
- Ordering Equipment: The optimal order to acquire the outfit pieces is: jacket, legs, helmet, and then boots.
Gem and Coal Bags
- Gem Bags: If you’re aiming for gems alongside experience, a gem bag will allow you to carry more. An amulet of glory should also be equipped to maximize gem acquisition.
- Coal Bags: Coal bags can be useful if you decide to mine coal deposits.
- Usage: Determine whether to use these depending on your goals. If you focus mainly on XP and golden nuggets, they may be less helpful.
Infernal Pickaxe
- Special Attack: The infernal pickaxe also has the same special attack as the dragon pickaxe, boosting mining level by 3, which consumes 100% special attack energy.
- Not Recommended: Due to the consistent mining speed being crucial, the special attack of the infernal pickaxe doesn’t make it a superior choice over the crystal pickaxe at the Motherlode mine.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How much experience can I expect per hour at the Motherlode Mine?
Expect to earn between 20,000 and 35,000 experience per hour at the Motherlode Mine, depending on your mining level and equipment.
2. How long does it take to get the full Prospector’s Outfit?
It can take anywhere from 10 to 20 hours to acquire the 180 golden nuggets needed for the full Prospector’s outfit, depending on your mining level.
3. Is the Molten Pickaxe useful at Motherlode Mine?
The Molten Pickaxe is from another game and not relevant to OSRS. It has no benefits at the Motherlode mine.
4. Where can I get a Dragon Pickaxe?
Dragon pickaxes are rare drops from chaos-aligned monsters on the Chaos Dwarf Battlefield and Chaos Giants.
5. Does the Varrock Armour effect work at the Motherlode Mine?
No, the Varrock armour effect does not work at the Motherlode Mine.
6. Can I get clue scrolls from mining at the Motherlode Mine?
No, you cannot receive clue scrolls from mining at the Motherlode Mine.
7. How much pay-dirt can the sack hold in the Motherlode Mine?
The sack can hold a soft cap of 81 pay-dirt, which can be upgraded to hold 162 pay-dirt with 200 golden nuggets.
8. Can I get the Mining pet from Motherlode Mine?
Yes, the chance of getting the Rock Golem pet does exist at the Motherlode mine; however, its not the fastest method of obtaining it.
9. What gems can I obtain at Motherlode Mine?
You can unearth various gems at the Motherlode Mine, including but not limited to aventurine, quartz, peridot, ruby, raspberry quartz, topaz, rose quartz, crystal points, sapphire, obsidian, smokey, moonstone, amethyst, emerald, fluorite, sodalite, calcite, citrine, pyrite, and garnet.
10. Is 3-tick granite mining better for XP than the Motherlode Mine?
3-tick granite is the fastest mining training method in the game, offering significantly more experience per hour at high levels (up to 130k at level 99). However, it’s a much more intensive method than the relatively relaxed Motherlode Mine.
11. What is the “Motherlode” trick in The Sims?
The term “Motherlode” in The Sims refers to a cheat code that gives players 50,000 simoleons. It is unrelated to the Motherlode Mine in OSRS.
12. Who owns the Mother Lode Mine in Alaska?
The Mother Lode Mine property in Alaska is owned by the Mother Lode Copper Mines Company of Alaska, LLC, and is unrelated to the Motherlode Mine in OSRS.
13. How does the crystal pickaxe compare to the rune pickaxe?
The crystal pickaxe provides a 9.09% increase in mining speed compared to a rune pickaxe, making it significantly faster.
14. Is the bone pickaxe useful at Motherlode Mine?
The bone pickaxe is from another game and has no benefits at the Motherlode Mine. It is not relevant.
15. Are Dragon Bone Tools better than diamond?
Dragon bone tools are from a different game and are not applicable in OSRS or at the Motherlode mine. They have no relevance to this game.
Conclusion
For optimal performance at the Motherlode Mine in Old School Runescape, the crystal pickaxe is the superior choice due to its consistent speed advantage over the dragon pickaxe. While the dragon pickaxe remains a solid option, especially for players who have not yet obtained the crystal pickaxe, long-term use of the crystal pickaxe is the best way to increase experience and obtain golden nuggets in the mine. Pair your superior pickaxe with the Prospector’s Outfit, and you’ll be well-equipped to maximize your gains from this popular mining location.