If you’ve spent any time at all grinding out quests in the Great Kourend, you’ve probably heard people whispering about the book of the dead osrs. It sounds spooky. It looks cool. But for a lot of players, it’s just another bank-filler that they forget about the second they finish the A Kingdom Divided quest. That is a massive mistake. Honestly, if you aren’t using this thing, you’re basically leaving a huge chunk of your magic potential on the table, especially when it comes to endgame PvM and efficient slayer tasks.
The book isn't just a quest reward. It’s a literal power spike for your off-hand slot.
Think about it. Most off-hand items for magic are either ridiculously expensive, like the Elidinis' Ward, or kind of niche. The book of the dead fits this perfect middle ground where it provides a +6 magic attack bonus and +6 prayer bonus. That prayer bonus is actually huge. It’s tied with the Unholy Book (Book of Darkness) but comes with the added benefit of being the literal key to the Arceuus spellbook's most broken feature: Thralls.
What the Book of the Dead OSRS Actually Does
Let's get the technical stuff out of the way first. You get this book after completing the Master-level quest A Kingdom Divided. It's an upgrade from the Kharedst's Memoirs. If you've ever used the Memoirs to teleport around Hosidius or Shayzien, you know how convenient it is. The Book of the Dead takes all those teleports—Lunch by the Lancalliums, The Fisher's Flute, History and Hearsay—and keeps them while adding a new one called "Memories" which puts you right at the Rose Garden in Kourend Castle.
But the teleports are just the flavor text. The real meat is the passive effect on the Arceuus spellbook.
If you want to summon a Greater Ghost, Skeleton, or Zombie, you must have the book of the dead osrs equipped or in your inventory. These are called Thralls. They are essentially little summons that deal consistent, chip damage to whatever you're fighting. They don't care about the enemy's defense stats. They just hit. They hit small, sure, but they hit often. Over a long boss fight like Zulrah or the Alchemical Hydra, that extra damage adds up to faster kill times and less gold spent on supplies.
The Thrall Meta is Real
You’ve probably seen high-level streamers with a little purple ghost floating behind them. That’s not a pet. It’s a Thrall.
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The community shifted toward the Arceuus spellbook for a reason. While the standard spellbook has its perks and Ancients are great for bursting, the Arceuus book is the king of sustained DPS (damage per second). When you use the book of the dead to summon a Greater Thrall, you’re adding an average of about 0.6 to 1.5 damage per second depending on the scenario. It doesn't sound like much until you realize it stacks with your actual attacks.
It’s free damage. Well, it costs some runes, but in the context of OSRS bossing, it’s basically free.
The book also boosts the effectiveness of other Arceuus spells. Take Mark of Darkness, for instance. If you cast that on an opponent while holding the book, your "Grasp" spells (like Undead Grasp) have a significantly higher chance of binding the target. This is a game-changer for soloing certain bosses where movement control is everything.
Why the Prayer Bonus Matters More Than You Think
A lot of people obsess over magic attack bonuses. They want the highest number possible. But in Old School RuneScape, magic accuracy is often less important than you’d think because many monsters have zero magic defense. What actually matters? Staying in the fight longer.
The +6 prayer bonus on the book of the dead osrs is top-tier.
Compare it to the Mage's Book from the Mage Training Arena. The Mage's Book gives +15 magic attack but 0 prayer bonus. It also costs several million GP and takes forever to get. The Book of the Dead is a quest reward. If you're doing a slayer task on 1% prayer, that +6 bonus is going to save you thousands of GP in prayer potions over the long haul. It’s the "budget" option that actually outperforms the expensive options in terms of utility.
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How to Get Your Hands on It (And What to Do If You Lose It)
You can't just buy this at the Grand Exchange. You have to earn it.
- Complete the A Kingdom Divided quest. It’s long. It’s got a lot of lore. But it’s worth it.
- You’ll need to have completed the previous Kourend questline, including The Forsaken Tower and Ascent of Arceuus.
- Once the quest is done, the Kharedst's Memoirs you’ve been carrying around transforms.
If you die in the Wilderness or just happen to be a bit clumsy and drop it, don't panic. You can get a replacement from Tamsin in the Kourend Castle architectural office. It’ll cost you a bit of GP, but it’s not going to break the bank.
The Hidden Lore Most People Skip
Most players space-bar through the dialogue. I get it. You want the XP. But the story of the book is actually kind of tragic. It contains the memories of the fallen leaders of the five houses of Kourend. Every time you use a teleport, you’re essentially tapping into the lingering soul of someone who died trying to protect their home.
When you upgrade it to the Book of the Dead, you’re finalizing the unification of Kourend. It’s a symbol of the kingdom coming back together after centuries of infighting and the corruption of Xeric. Does this help you hit harder? No. But it makes the item feel a lot more significant than just a collection of pixels.
Common Misconceptions and Mistakes
I see people making the same mistakes with this item all the time.
First, don't bring it to places where you absolutely need a shield. If you're fighting Dragons without a Super Antifire potion, keep your Anti-Dragon Shield. The book of the dead osrs won't save you from dragonfire.
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Second, remember that you don't actually have to wear the book to summon Thralls, you just need it in your inventory. However, if you're a magic user, you should probably be wearing it anyway for that sweet, sweet +6 bonus.
Third, some people think the book is only for Magic. Honestly, even if you’re a melee main, carrying the book and some runes to summon a Thrall is a valid strategy for boosting your DPS. You don't need magic gear to make the Thralls hit; their accuracy is calculated differently.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
If you haven't finished A Kingdom Divided, make that your priority this weekend. The requirements aren't even that steep—you mostly need 50+ in a handful of stats like Agility, Thieving, and Woodcutting.
Once you have the book:
- Go to a Wardrobe: Use the "Pages" feature to make sure you've collected all the memoirs from the various Kourend quests. This maximizes your teleport options.
- Stock up on Soul Runes: You’re going to need them for the Greater Thrall spells.
- Change your Spellbook: Head to the Dark Altar in Arceuus and swap over. Try out a Slayer task with a Greater Skeleton Thrall by your side. You’ll notice the difference in how fast the task goes.
- Tag your Book: If you use Runelite, use the Item Tags plugin to highlight the book so you never forget to bring it to a boss fight.
The book of the dead osrs is a permanent upgrade to your account's power level. It bridges the gap between mid-game and endgame in a way few other items do. Go get it. Use it. Stop sleeping on the best off-hand utility in the game.
Next Steps for Your Account:
Check your quest log for A Kingdom Divided. If you haven't started it, head to the Rose Garden in Great Kourend and talk to the NPC named Lord Kandur. Ensure you have 54 Agility and 52 Thieving before you start, as these are the hard gates for the quest's parkour and infiltration sections. Once the book is in your inventory, your next goal should be 76 Magic to unlock the Greater Thrall spells, which are the primary reason the book remains meta-relevant in 2026.