Have you ever been training your melee stats, equipping the newest swords and armour, and still find yourself being killed by lower-level monsters? Perhaps you’re into player versus player combat and are still getting killed by your opponent, even though you’re higher level than they are.
In Old School RuneScape, buying shiny new items doesn’t always benefit you as much as you’d think it does.
Recommended Read: Old School RuneScape – Ranged Gear Progression
A lot of these item bonuses stack, and sometimes their stacked bonuses are much better than that new piece of armour you’ve just unlocked.
This guide goes over how to progress your melee gear the right way in Old School RuneScape and what is the benefit of each build.
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Melee Gear Progression in Old School RuneScape
Melee is one of the hardest skills to progress on Old School RuneScape. For instance, you must level your strength, attack, defense, and your hit points at the same time. With being able to wield a new item every time you level up, you are bound to get confused at some point.
There is a lot of content when it comes to melee gear progression, so it’s often handy to have a quick guide by your side.
Before We Begin
Before we begin this guide, there are a few things I’d like to emphasize.
First of all, this guide begins at level 40; this is where the melee gear progression starts branching out and can be considered the true beginning of OSRS.
Second of all, this guide is made for regular players. Hardcore iron men could still benefit from this guide, but some of the items won’t be applicable to you. This guide also assumes that you’re already a member since all the items below are members only.
Early Game
Starting at level 40, you’re going to want to wear a full rune armour set. Rune armour sets sell for approximately 130,000 GP and don’t have many requirements in order to use them. The only requirement you need is to complete the “Dragon Slayer I” quest to be able to wear a rune plate body.
Alongside with the rune armour set, you’re also going to want to wear the following items: an amulet of glory, a blessing (any), a combat bracelet, and rune boots. At this level, you’ll also be able to complete the Ardougne Diary and obtain the first ardougne cloak.
The reason why you’d want to obtain the ardougne cloak (1) is because it gives an extra +2 for stab weapons, +2 for magic, and +2 for prayer attack bonuses.
Once you reach level 60 attack, you’ll be able to obtain and use the dragon scimitar. In order to be able to wield the dragon scimitar, you must first complete the “Monkey Madness I” quest.
Regular players can purchase one from the Grand Exchange for around 60,000 GP, while iron man players can purchase the item from Daga (located in Ape Atoll) for 100,000 GP.
Once you reach 65 attack and 65 strength, you should switch out your rune kiteshield for a rune defender. You must have at least 40 defense and attack in order to wield the rune defender, but wielding it at such a high level could give you a nice bonus for your damage-per-second stats without having to sacrifice many defense bonuses.
The rune defender is not tradable but is obtained by a random drop chance. Players can obtain it by killing Cyclopes at the Warrior’s Guild.
Once you’ve reached 65 attack and strength, it’s time for you to catch up on your defense training.
Once you reach 45 defense, you may now exchange your rune helmet for a berserker helmet. In order to wear the berserker helmet, you must complete “The Fremennik Trials” quest.
The berserker helmet is tradable and can be bought from the Grand Exchange for approximately 80,000 GP. Iron-man players can purchase this helmet from Skulgrimen’s Battle Gear shop (that is located in Rellekka) for 78,000 GP.
The berserker helmet gives you around +30 defense bonuses for all three attack types (stab, slash, and crush) and for range as well, but will subtract five attack bonuses from magic and range.
At 55 defense, you should exchange your berserker helmet for the helmet of neitiznot. The helmet of neitiznot removes all the subtracted bonuses that the berserker helmet gives you, and even adds a +3 defense bonus for magic.
Mid Game
At 60 defense, you should upgrade to the following items: dragon defender for your shield slot, dragon boots, barrows gloves for the extra attack and defense bonuses, fighter torso, a berserker ring, obsidian platelegs, and a sarachnis cudgel as your main weapon.
The dragon defender is dropped from killing level 106 Cyclopes that are found in the Warrior’s Guild basement. Dragon boots are tradable and can be bought for around 170,000 GP at the grand exchange.
Players must complete the “Recipe for Disaster” quest first before they’re able to wear barrows gloves. Barrows gloves are not tradable but can be purchased for 130,000 coins from the Culinaromancer’s Chest, which is located in Lumbridge Castle’s cellar.
The barrows gloves also give you an extra +12 defense and attack bonuses for all the three melee attack types, ranged, and strength. They also give you an extra +6 defense and attack bonus for magic.
The fighter torso is a non-tradable item that is obtained by playing the barbarian assault minigames. Through the barbarian assault minigames, players will get honour points that they can use to purchase the fighter torso.
Players must have at least 40 defense in order to wear the torso. But is recommended to first attempt to obtain the item when they’re at a much higher level due to how difficult the barbarian assault minigames are.
The torso can be bought for 375 honour points by talking to Commander Connad at the barbarian outpost.
The berserker ring gives you an extra +4 defense bonus for the crush attack type and a +4 bonus for strength. This ring is tradable and can be bought for around 4,350,000 GP at the Grand Exchange. It can also be dropped by killing the Dragannoth Rex, which is a boss located at the Waterbirth.
Players must have at least level 60 defense in order to wear obsidian platelegs. They can be bought from the grand exchange for around 570,000 GP or from TzHaar-Hur-Zal’s Equipment Store for 100,500 Tokkul.
Finally, the sarachnis cudgel is a one-hand crush weapon that is dropped by killing the Sarachnis boss. Sarachnis cudgel requires at least 65 attack to equip and can be bought from the Grand Exchange for around 150,000 GP.
Once you reach 65 defense, you should attempt the TzHaar Fight Cave to get the fire cape.
Once you reach 70 strength and 70 attack, you’ll be able to equip the abyssal whip and the amulet of fury. The abyssal whip is a tradable weapon that requires 70 attack to wield. It can be bought from the Grand Exchange for around 1,685,000 GP.
The amulet of glory is a tradable amulet that can be bought for 1,800,000 GP from the Grand Exchange. It’s regarded as one of the best amulets in the game, giving a +10 attack bonus for all combat slots (stab, slash, crush, magic, and ranged), as well as +15 defense for all combat slots and a +8 bonus for strength.
Once you reach 75 defense, you’ll be able to wield the dragon fire shield. The dragon fire shield is a tradable item that can be bought for 3,000,000 GP at the grand exchange. On top of needing 75 defense in order to wear it, you must also at least start the “Dragon Slayer I” quest.
End Game
Once you reach 75 hit points, you should swap out your current helmet with a serpentine helmet. The serpentine helmet is not a tradable item but can be crafted if the player has at least 52 in crafting. Alongside with the serpentine helm, players should also get the amulet of torture.
The amulet of torture gives a +15 attack bonus to all the attack types and a +10 bonus for strength. The item is tradable and can be bought for 11,000,000 GP at the grand exchange.
Since the amulet of torture is a zenyte amulet, players must have at least 75 hit points in order to wear it.
Finally, at level 80 for defense, attack, and strength, you’re going to want to obtain the following items: ferocious gloves, bandos armour, a neitiznot face guard, and primordial boots.
Starting with ferocious gloves, in order to equip them, players must have at least 80 attack and defense. They’re a non-tradable item that can be dropped by killing the Alchemical Hydra, a boss that can be found in the Karuulm Slayer Dungeon located in Mount Karuulm.
The bandos armour is the best armour in the game for strength bonuses. Players must have at least 65 defense in order to wear it. The reason why it’s so high up the list is because of how expensive it really is.
All together, the chest plate, tassets, and boots will cost you around 48,500,000 GP. Fortunately, bandos armour can be dropped by General Graador and his crew at the God Wars Dungeon.
Another reason why it’s so high up on the list is because killing him is not an easy task, especially if you only have 65 defense.
The neitiznot face guard is a non-tradable item that can be obtained by completing the “The Fremennik Exiles” quest. Players must have at least 70 defense in order to wear the item, and it is a better upgrade from the helm of neitiznot.
The primordial boots are a tradable item that can be bought for around 26,200,000 GP from the Grand Exchange. Primordial boots can actually be created by using a primordial crystal with dragon boots. To create primordial boots, players must have 60 in runecrafting and magic.
Now it’s time to choose your final one-handed weapon. The three best weapons at this level are: ghrazi rapier (stab), blade of saeldor (slash), and the inquisitor’s mace (crush).
You should choose your weapon based on your playstyle. For instance, if your play style is stab, then you should go for the ghrazi rapier.
The ghrazie rapier is going to cost you 55,000,000 GP if you were to buy it from the Grand Exchange. Players can also obtain the rapier from the Theatre of Blood raid drops. Players must have at least 80 attack in order to wield it.
The blade of saeldor is a non-tradable sword that requires at least 80 attack in order to wield.
Players can create the blade of saeldor by using a singing bowl and combining 100 crystal shards with an enhanced crystal weapon seed. In order to craft the weapon, players must have at least 82 in smithing and crafting.
If you were to buy the Inquisitor’s mace, then it’s going to cost you around 230,000,000 GP at the grand exchange. The item is also in The Nightmare of Ashihama’s drop, so players can also obtain it by killing the boss.
All three of these weapons bonuses are nearly identical, so choosing the cheaper item won’t set you back that much in terms of damage per second, but it really only depends on what your playstyle is.
You’re also going to say goodbye to your dragon shield and exchange it with the avernic defender. Players must have at least 70 in defense and attack in order to wield the item. It can be obtained by combining your old dragon defender with the avernic defender hilt.
Finally, at this point in the game, you should attempt to obtain the infernal cap, which is the best melee cape in the game.
The infernal cape gives you +4 attack bonuses for all attack types. It also gives +12 defense bonuses for all combat skills. Players can obtain the infernal game by defeating TzKal-Zul at the inferno.
That’s the best melee gear progression in Old School RuneScape!
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