Armour

The Old School RuneScape Wiki also has an article on: osrsw:ArmourThe RuneScape Classic Wiki also has an article on: classicrsw:Armour

For boxed armour sets, see Item set.

Armour is the term for items that can be equipped to provide defensive bonuses during combat. Most armour sets require a certain Defence level to equip; the higher level an item requires, the greater bonuses it will provide. A player's total Armour stat can be seen in the Loadout screen, under the Hero tab.

Most armour is classed under a melee, magic, or ranged combat style. An armour piece's combat style dictates which styles it defends strongly and weakly against according to the combat triangle; this can be seen in-game as a Style Bonus, which is added or subtracted from your Armour stat. Armour not matching the style of your weapon will also penalise your accuracy, this being viewable by mousing over your Accuracy stat. Lastly, some armour sets are classed as hybrid, meaning they have no specific weakness and will not penalise accuracy under any style.

Aside from raising one's defence, a player might wear armour sets that sacrifice defence in return for more damage dealt, or one might wear hybrid armour for easy switching of combat styles.

Armour and the combat triangle

Main article: Combat triangle

The combat triangle is a figure that demonstrates how each combat style relates to another.

The combat triangle

• Melee fighters overcome rangers because their weapons can cut through leather armour with ease. Melee armour is also effective at protecting against Ranged attacks, as their projectiles have difficulty piercing the thick, metal armour.
• Ranged fighters overcome mages because their projectiles easily penetrate their robes. Ranged armour is usually crafted from tough animal hides with poor energy conductivity, which is highly resistant to Magic attacks.
• Magic users overcome warriors because their spells conduct in their metal armour, effectively cooking them. Effective mages can also bind warriors while attacking from afar, and their magical robes resist Melee attacks.

As can be seen above, armour plays a defining role in the combat triangle. Depending on an enemy's attacks, an item's Armour stat is used in varying amounts: 110% against the style it is strong against (e.g. Melee > Ranged), 100% against the same style (e.g.Melee = Melee), and 90% against the style it is weak to (e.g. Melee < Magic). This is represented in the Loadout screen by your Armour stat plus or minus your Style bonus.

To simplify, the mystic robe top and blue dragonhide body have equal Armour bonuses, but the former is classed Magic and the latter classed Ranged, so both armours will defend differently.

Also, not every armour set has a combat class. Some armour is class Hybrid (or class All on particular items), and can be used by any combat style without penalty. Details on Hybrid armour can be found here.

Wearing armour of a class other than the weapon's class in any slot except the cape penalises accuracy. A percentage of the item's Armour bonus is subtracted from the Accuracy stat: 150% if the armour is weak against the weapon's class, 80% if not.

Melee armour

Main article: Armour/Melee armour

• Melee armour is usually made from metal.
• Melee armour defends best against Ranged attacks and is weak to Magic attacks.
• Some Melee armour may be created with the Smithing skill.

Ranged armour

Main article: Armour/Ranged armour

• Ranged armour is usually crafted from animal skins, commonly dragonhide.
• Ranged armour defends well against Magic attacks and is weak to Melee attacks.
• Some Ranged armour may be produced with the Crafting skill.

Magic armour

Main article: Armour/Magic armour

• Magic armour is not armour as commonly envisioned, but instead robes and similar garments.
• Magic armour defends well against Melee attacks and is vulnerable to Ranged attacks.
• Some Magic armour may be produced with the Crafting skill, or Runecrafting for higher-end sets.

Armour types

There are five types of armour one may find, most with different stats and purposes.

Tank

A player wearing tetsu tank-type melee armour.

Tank armour provides the largest Armour bonuses. Aside from Nex armour, it is the only armour type to provide a life point bonus, although not all tank armour provides it. Tank armour also reduces damage in PvM. Most armour in the game is of this type.

Armour set	Level	Style
Bronze armour	1
Leather armour	1
Wizard equipment	1
First tower robe armour	1
Elemental armour	1
Mind armour	1
Mycelium web armour	5
Iron armour	10
Hard leather armour	10
Imphide equipment	10
Steel armour	20
Yak-hide armour	20
Studded leather armour	20
Spider silk equipment	20
Black armour	25
White armour	25
Initiate armour	25
Frog-leather armour	25
Fungal armour	25
Mithril armour	30
Proselyte armour	30
Snakeskin armour	30
Carapace armour	30
Batwing equipment	30
Body armour	33
Adamant armour	40
Bandos robe outfit	40
Green dragonhide armour	40
Armadyl robe outfit	40
Splitbark equipment	40
Cosmic armour	40
Ancient robe outfit	40
Necromancer robe armour	40
Rune armour	50
Blue dragonhide armour	50
Mystic equipment	50
Chaos armour	50
Sacred clay equipment	50
Granite armour	55
Red dragonhide armour	55
Infinity robe armour	55
Orikalkum armour	60
Black dragonhide armour	60
Grifolic equipment	60
Third age armour	65
Royal dragonhide armour	65
Slime hunter armour (tier 65)	65
Necronium armour	70
Dharok the Wretched's equipment	70
Guthan the Infested's equipment	70
Torag the Corrupted's equipment	70
Verac the Defiled's equipment	70
Karil the Tainted's equipment	70
Ahrim the Blighted's equipment	70
Slime hunter armour (tier 70)	70
Dinosaurhide armour	75
Ganodermic armour	75
Slime hunter armour (tier 75)	75
Bane armour	80
Linza the Disgraced's equipment	80
Second-Age armour	80
Tetsu equipment	85
Death Lotus equipment	85
Seasinger's equipment	85
Elder rune armour	90
Teralith equipment	90
Tempest equipment	90
Primeval equipment	90
Cryptbloom armour	90

Power

A player wearing Sirenic power-type ranged armour.

Power armour gives less Armour bonus than Tank armour, but it has a damage bonus similar to jewellery. The damage bonus increases with the required level of the armour.

Nex armour (Torva, Virtus and Pernix) is unique among high-level power armour because it has a life point boost. The vestments of havoc armour is also notable for having a much higher damage bonus and much lower armour rating than its level would suggest.

Armour set	Level	Style
Elite black armour	40
Robin hood armour	40
Dagon'hai robes	40
Rock-shell armour	50
Spined armour	50
Skeletal armour	50
Dragon armour	60
Demon slayer equipment	60
Lunar equipment	60
Superior rock-shell armour	65
Superior spined armour	65
Superior skeletal armour	65
Bandos armour	70
Armadyl armour	70
Robes of subjugation	70
Torva armour	80
Pernix armour	80
Virtus armour	80
Anima core of Zaros armour	80
Anima core of Zamorak armour	80
Anima core of Seren armour	80
Elite Robin Hood armour	82
Refined anima core of Zaros armour	85
Refined anima core of Zamorak armour	85
Refined anima core of Seren armour	85
Superior Statius's equipment	88
Superior Vesta's equipment	88
Superior Morrigan's equipment	88
Superior Zuriel's equipment	88
Masterwork armour	90
Malevolent armour	90
Sirenic armour	90
Tectonic armour	90
Trimmed masterwork armour	92
Elite sirenic armour	92
Elite tectonic armour	92
Vestments of havoc armour	95

PvP

PvP armour is especially good in PvP circumstances, or even in PvE. It offers the Armour bonus of Tank armour and the damage bonus of Power armour. It also reduces as much damage in PvP as Tank armour.

Armour set	Level	Style
Combat robes	20
Druidic mage robes	35
Penance armour	40
Hardened penance armour	40
Corrupt Statius's equipment	40
Corrupt Vesta's equipment	40
Corrupt Morrigan's equipment	40
Corrupt Zuriel's equipment	40
Battle robes	50
Statius's equipment	78
Vesta's equipment	78
Morrigan's equipment	78
Zuriel's equipment	78

Hybrid

A player wearing warpriest hybrid-type armour.

Main article: Armour/Hybrid armour

True to its name, Hybrid armour can be used by all combat styles without accuracy penalty. Hybrid armour carries lower defence than the above armours and provides no PvE Damage Reduction, but it defends equally well against all combat styles. It is useful when frequently changing attack style, or if fighting a monster that uses multiple attack styles. The following armour sets are Hybrid:

Armour set	Level	Style
Pathfinder armour	1
Ghost hunter equipment	20, 50, 70
Warpriest armour	25, 50, 75
Armour of Trials	25, 50, 75
Tasks set	30, 40, 50, 60
Dragonstone armour	50
Akrisae the Doomed's equipment	70
House Drakan outfit	70
High Armour of Hanto	70
Attuned crystal armour	80
Anima core of Sliske armour	80
Refined anima core of Sliske armour	85
Vanguard Armour	85
Battlemage armour	85
Trickster armour	85

All

This armour works identically to Hybrid armour. The following armour sets or items are classed as All:

Armour set	Level	Style
Void knight equipment	45
Elite void knight equipment	50
Superior void knight equipment	55
Superior elite void knight equipment	60
Obsidian armour	60
Relic helms	60
Dragon Rider armour	70
Gemstone armour	80

Hybrid power

Hybrid power armour is a small subset of items that are hybrid (or all) class but also provide damage bonuses, like power armour.

• Culinaromancer's gloves (levels 1 to 70)
• Silverhawk boots (levels 1 to 60)
• Rogue gloves (levels 60 to 80)
• Cinderbane gloves (level 85)

There is much debate on exactly how to provide a tier for these items, as their stats do not quite fit the models below. For example:

Item	Wield req.	Armour		Damage		Overall tier
		Value	Tier	Value	Tier
Silverhawk boots (level 60)	60 Defence	31.4	40	6.9	45	60
Culinaromancer's gloves 10	None	49.1	55	8.5	55	70
Atrocious rogue gloves	80 Defence	56	60	10.0	65	80
Cinderbane gloves	85 Defence	74.3	70	11.0	75	90

Certainly, with these four, we see two ways of applying the tier penalties:

• -15 to both armour and damage due to being hybrid, then -5 to just armour for being power (silverhawks, rogue gloves, cinderbane gloves)
• -15 to both for being hybrid (culinaromancer's gloves)

Bonuses

Power, Hybrid and All armour have lower defensive bonuses than Tank or PvP gear of the same required level. Using Tank as a base, their bonuses are derived as follows:

Armour type	Armour bonus	Traits
Tank	Base	PvM damage reduction
Power	-5 levels	Buffs damage
Hybrid and All	-15 levels	No combat class

To demonstrate, here are the bonuses of level 60 torso armour for each type:

Armour type	Armour bonus	Damage bonus	Damage reduction (PvM)	Damage reduction (PvP)
Tank	260	0	1.2%	3.6%
Power	226	22	None	1.8%
PvP	260	22	None	3.6%
Hybrid and All	168	0	None	1.8%

Damage bonus

The damage bonus from Power armour exists as Strength Bonus, Ranged Bonus, and Magic Bonus — the same bonuses as on jewellery. They are added to the player's main-hand damage bonus if they match the class of the wielded weapon. For example, if one wields an abyssal whip, the Strength Bonus from Bandos armour would affect their damage and the Ranged Bonus from Armadyl armour would not.

Should an off-hand be wielded, 50% of any damage bonus will also be added to the off-hand slot. If a two-handed weapon is wielded, the main-hand slot receives this 50% bonus.

The damage bonuses from Power armour rise with the required level of the armour. A full set provides an approximate 13% increase to a weapon's damage, assuming the armour and weapon are of equal level. Should a Fast or Average speed weapon be wielded, any damage bonuses will be multiplied to compensate for the player's larger damage stat. The damage values attributed to Power armour are equivalent to:

Armour slot	Value by tier	Damage distribution per slot	Damage increase
Helmet	25%	20%	2.6%
Body	37.5%	30%	3.9%
Legs	31.25%	25%	3.25%
Gloves	15.625	12.5%	1.625%
Boots	15.625	12.5%	1.625%
Total	125%	100%	13%

Example of damage by tier
Tier	Helmet	Body	Legs	Gloves	Boots	Total
40	10	15	12.5	6.2	6.2	49.9
50	12.5	18.7	15.6	7.8	7.8	62.4
60	15	22.5	18.7	9.3	9.3	74.8
70	17.5	26.2	21.8	10.9	10.9	87.3
75	18.7	28.1	23.4	11.7	11.7	93.6
80	20	30	25	12.5	12.5	100
85	21.2	31.8	26.5	13.2	13.2	105.9
90	22.5	33.7	28.1	14	14	112.3
92	24	36	30	15	15	120

Damage reduction

Damage reduction is available on all armour types in PvP, and only on Tank armour in PvM. It comes as two percentages that may be observed on the Loadout screen.

Damage reduction can also come from prayers, abilities, and set effects. All reduction modifiers are multiplicative.

Gloves, boots, and shields of all armour types do not reduce damage in PvP.

Armour type	Damage reduction (PvM)	Damage reduction (PvP)
Tank	PvM base	PvP base
Power	None	½ PvP base
PvP	None	PvP base
Hybrid and All	None	½ PvP base

The damage reduction from an item is determined by its required level, slot, and armour type, and functions as a percentage.

PvM reduction from Tank armour

• Head: $0.02\times {\mbox{level}}$
• Body: $0.02\times {\mbox{level}}$
• Legs: $0.02\times {\mbox{level}}$
• Gloves: $0.02\times {\mbox{level}}$
• Boots: $0.02\times {\mbox{level}}$

PvP reduction from Tank and PvP armour

• Head: $0.0375\times {\mbox{level}}$
• Body: $0.06\times {\mbox{level}}$
• Legs: $0.0525\times {\mbox{level}}$

PvP reduction from Power, Hybrid and All armour

• Head: $0.01875\times {\mbox{level}}$
• Body: $0.03\times {\mbox{level}}$
• Legs: $0.02625\times {\mbox{level}}$

PvM reduction from shields

• Shield: $0.1\times {\mbox{level}}$

Attributes

There are three attributes an armour piece may have: Armour, Life and Damage.

• Armour raises the chance to block attacks from a creature or player.
• Life raises the player's maximum life points. It is found on head, body, and leg Tank armour of levels 80 and above, shields of levels 70 and above, and on Nex armour.
• Damage raises the strength of your hits. It is seen as Strength Bonus, Ranged Bonus, and Magic Bonus. Armour-wise, only capes, Power armour and PvP armour have this attribute.

The bonuses on armour are set via formula, and thus it is possible to determine or approximate the stats of non-existent gear. All armour sets of the same level and type will have identical bonuses.

As mentioned previously, some armour may also have a Prayer bonus. A Prayer bonus does not help defensively, but lowers the drain rate of active prayers.

Calculating Armour bonus

The formulas for calculating Armour bonus are derived from a base defensive value:

${\mbox{Base}}={\frac {{\mbox{level}}^{3}}{500}}+(10\times {\mbox{level}})+100$

Using this base, the Armour bonus of each equipment slot is as follows:

• Head: $0.2\times {\mbox{Base}}$
• Body: $0.23\times {\mbox{Base}}$
• Legs: $0.22\times {\mbox{Base}}$
• Shield: $0.2\times {\mbox{Base}}$
• Gloves: $0.05\times {\mbox{Base}}$
• Boots: $0.05\times {\mbox{Base}}$
• Cape: $0.03\times {\mbox{Base}}$
• Ring: $0.02\times {\mbox{Base}}$

One may find charts with the bonuses of many armour levels here.

Calculating Life bonus

Note that Life bonus is only found on shields at levels 70 and above, or Tank armour at levels 80 and above in the head, body, and leg slots.

The results for certain armour levels may be seen here.

• Head: $({\mbox{level}}-69)\times 20$
• Body: $({\mbox{level}}-69)\times 40$
• Legs: $({\mbox{level}}-69)\times 30$
• Shield: $({\mbox{level}}-69)\times 35$

Calculating Damage bonus

The results for certain armour levels may be seen here.

• Head: ${\mbox{level}}\times 0.25$
• Body: ${\mbox{level}}\times 0.375$
• Legs: ${\mbox{level}}\times 0.3125$
• Gloves: ${\mbox{level}}\times 0.15625$
• Boots: ${\mbox{level}}\times 0.15625$

Prayer bonus

Main article: Armour/Prayer armour

Equipment can also have a Prayer bonus which reduces the drain rate of Prayers. Prayer bonuses aren't related to tier; however, higher prayer bonuses are generally on higher tiered equipment.

Set effects

Main article: Passive effects

Some armour sets have passive effects when every item of the set is worn, potentially allowing greater use for a set. Some passives boost damage like Power armour, but others may increase accuracy, heal the player, drain enemies' stats or adrenaline, and more. Nearly every armour set with an effect is available to members only.

An example of these are the Barrows sets, which have unique passives and are commonly seen. Another set used is the Void knight equipment, which boosts both damage and accuracy. There are also other sets with effects, such as PvP minigame armour and robes from the Fist of Guthix minigame.

Update history

This information has been compiled as part of the update history project. Some updates may not be included—see here for how to help out!

• patch 18 February 2019 (Update):
  • Players will now receive a unique message when damage reducing items (such as defenders or warpriest armour) proc from environmental damage.

• patch 4 August 2014 (Update):
  • The equipment requirements for PvP armour have reduced slightly to the old requirement of 78 Defence.

• patch 14 January 2013 (Update):
  • Members weapons and armour now display their stats on tooltips while on free worlds.

• ninja 17 December 2013 (Update):
  • Armours no longer degrades from players taking damage from the desert heat or bugs in dark areas.

• patch 3 January 2013 (Update):
  • Players can no longer equip higher level armour than they can use.

• patch 28 October 2008 (Update):
  • Human animations have been extensively modified to stop players appearing to glide around. You should also notice less 'clipping' with items like capes and armour when performing various actions or using emotes.

• update 8 December 2001 (Update):
  • Level requirements have been added.
    • You now need a certain minimum attack/defence to use the higher level weapons/armour respectively.