In the world of Old School RuneScape, the ranged combat style reigns supreme. It allows players to take down enemies from a safe distance, dealing damage without taking a scratch. Not only is ranged the most powerful combat style in the game, but it’s also the fastest skill to level up. This makes it a favorite among many players, although some find the abundance of content for the ranged skill overwhelming. Today, we will discuss the best gear for ranged combat and how to progress in the skill effectively.
Ranged Gear Progression in Old School RuneScape
When it comes to combat, ranged is widely regarded as the strongest skill in the game. It empowers players to eliminate monsters from a safe distance, minimizing the risk of taking damage. What sets ranged apart from magic or melee is its faster leveling speed. However, its rapid progression often confuses players when it comes to choosing the best items for maximum bonuses. In this guide, we will delve into the details of these items and explore the optimal combinations for other combat-related gear.
Before We Begin
Before we start the guide, there are a couple of crucial points to note. Firstly, this guide is geared towards regular players and assumes a starting point of level 40. At this level, the melee progression diverges, making it the official beginning of your adventure in Old School RuneScape. Secondly, this guide is primarily aimed at non-Ironman players. Ironmen can still glean some useful information from this guide, but not all items will be applicable to their gameplay. Lastly, please bear in mind that all the items mentioned in this guide are exclusive to members only, meaning you must have a membership to access them.
Early Game
Once you reach level 40 in defense, hit points, and ranged, it’s time to equip yourself with some essential gear. Start by donning green d’hide armor, along with a snakeskin bandana, snakeskin boots, an amulet of glory, and green d’hide vambraces. Purchasing the entire set of green d’hide armor with vambraces will set you back around 7,000 GP at the Grand Exchange. However, note that you must complete the “Dragon Slayer I” quest in order to wear this armor.
When you hit level 50 in ranged, it’s advisable to acquire Ava’s accumulator by completing the “Animal Magnetism” quest. This non-tradable item grants a +4 ranged attack bonus and a +4 magic defense bonus. It’s time to upgrade your armor to blue d’hide, which will cost you around 8,000 GP at the Grand Exchange. Additionally, invest in a magic shortbow and some rune arrows. Although rune arrows can be a pricey investment (averaging at 100 GP per arrow), Ava’s accumulator will automatically retrieve ranged ammunition for you, allowing you to reuse the same rune arrows repeatedly. Unlock the ability to don the archer helmet by completing the “The Fremennik Trials” quest at 45 defense. You can purchase the archer helmet for 40,000 GP from the Grand Exchange. Ironman players will need to shell out 78,000 GP from Skulgrimen’s Battle Gear shop for the same item.
At level 60 ranged, upgrade your blue d’hide armor to red d’hide armor, which will cost you around 11,000 GP at the Grand Exchange. Once you reach 61 ranged, you’ll be able to equip the rune crossbow, a significant boost to your damage per second (DPS). Exchange your magic shortbow for a rune crossbow, which will set you back around 9,500 GP. With a rune crossbow, you can now equip a shield alongside it. Consider using broad bolts as ammunition, as they provide good DPS at an affordable price. At this stage, it’s also worth obtaining the book of law. This item offers a +10 attack bonus for range and can be purchased for 5,000 GP from Jossik after completing the “Horror from the Deep” quest.
Mid Game
Once you hit level 64 ranged, upgrade from the rune crossbow to the dragon crossbow. The dragon crossbow is available for purchase at the Grand Exchange for 1,550,000 GP or can be crafted with level 78 fletching. At level 70 ranged, aim to acquire the following items: black d’hide armor, an archer’s ring, an amulet of fury, blessed boots of any god, and barrows gloves. Black d’hide armor can be obtained for a reasonable price of 15,000 GP at the Grand Exchange. You can purchase an archer’s ring for 4,800,000 GP at the Grand Exchange, or alternatively, obtain it as a drop from the Dagannoth Supreme boss at the Waterbirth Island Dungeon. The amulet of fury is another tradable item that can be bought for 1,800,000 GP at the Grand Exchange, or you can craft it by enchanting an onyx amulet with the “Level-6 Enchant” spell. To wear barrows gloves, players must complete the “Recipe for Disaster” quest. While non-tradable, these gloves are available for purchase at the Culinaromancer’s Chest in Lumbridge Castle’s cellar for 130,000 coins.
Once you reach level 70 defense, switch your helmet to Karil’s coif, which you can buy for 62,000 GP at the Grand Exchange. At level 75 ranged, make it a priority to obtain the toxic blowpipe. This non-tradable item is crafted by using a chisel on a tanzanite fang. Although the tanzanite fang is valued at around 2,250,000 GP at the Grand Exchange, you can also acquire it by defeating the Zulrah boss. The toxic blowpipe grants you a respectable +30 attack bonus for ranged attacks. As it is a two-handed item, you’ll need to free up your shield slot. Don’t forget to equip a god blessing of your choice in your ammo slot for additional benefits.
End Game
Once you reach 75 hit points, it’s time to aim for the following items: a necklace of anguish, Ava’s assembler, and Armadyl armor. The necklace of anguish provides a substantial +15 ranged attack bonus and can be bought for 11,000,000 GP at the Grand Exchange. Alternatively, you can create one by enchanting a zenyte necklace with the “Level-7 Enchant” spell. Ava’s assembler is an enhanced version of Ava’s accumulator, boosting your ranged attack bonus by +8 and your ranged defense bonus by +2. You can upgrade Ava’s accumulator by bringing Vorkath’s head and 75 mithril arrows to Ava. To obtain Vorkath’s head, you’ll need to defeat Vorkath during the “Dragon Slayer II” quest. Lastly, the armadyl armor set provides the most formidable upgrade to your defense. The full set will cost you approximately 62,700,000 GP at the Grand Exchange or can be obtained as a drop from General Kree’arra and his crew in the God Wars Dungeon. Don’t forget to imbue your archer’s ring at this point to double its stats, resulting in a +8 defense and attack bonus for range. Once you hit 75 defense, it’s time to invest in pegasian boots, which can be purchased for 37,500,000 GP at the Grand Exchange. These boots grant you a +12 ranged attack bonus and a +5 ranged defense bonus.