Pay-to-play melee training

The Old School RuneScape Wiki also has an article on: osrsw:Pay-to-play melee training

This article is about the members' guide. For the free players' guide, see Free-to-play melee training.

This article provides information for members about effective ways to train Attack, Strength, and Constitution through melee combat. It contains some general training tips and suggestions for suitable monsters to kill for a wide range of levels. In this article, monsters are sorted according to the level of the skill being trained, not the recommended overall combat level.

This article assumes that players are training Attack, Strength, and Constitution more or less equally. If not, see the pure melee guide.

General training notes

• Use the best equipment owned and a weapon that has a style the monster is weak to. (For example, moss giants are weak to slash attacks, so it is a good idea to attack them with weapons such as the abyssal whip or the dragon 2h sword rather than weapons using crush or stab).
• (Optional) Select which specific skill(s) earned experience will go to through the Combat XP section in the Combat section under the Gameplay Settings in the Settings menu (Esc to open). Experience will automatically go to Constitution.
• Complete slayer tasks whenever possible in order to train Slayer while training other combat skills. (+12.5% Attack/Strength bonus while wearing a black mask or slayer helmet when on a task). However, remember that slayer tasks may give monsters with weaknesses to ranged or magic rather than melee.
• Wear a ring of Wealth or better whenever fighting a monster that drops items on the rare drop table if valuable drops are desired rather than slightly faster experience rates from rings with combat-related stats.
• An emergency teleport that can be activated with one click can be useful to avoid death. A teleportation tablet is recommended (except for the ones that would teleport the user to a combat location, such as the God wars teleport) as they are cheap.
• Use of potions to boost skill levels is essential to maximise experience rates. For convenience, it is recommended to use a super melee potion.

In general, for training melee, it is most effective to kill monsters with a weakness to melee attacks. This is even more pronounced when matching a monster's specific type of weakness to slash, stab, or crush weapons. For complete lists of monsters weak to each type, see the following pages:

• Weak to Stab
• Weak to Slash
• Weak to Crush
• Weak to nothing

As with any style of combat, you may choose to train it predominantly through Slayer. This has several benefits, such as the damage bonus from a full slayer helmet, less crowded areas, and unique monsters to kill. In addition, you may choose to sculpt your block and prefer lists to allow you more tasks that are ideal for melee training.

Abilities

• Healing abilities are a must-have for extending the length of a training trip. The Resonance ability is a basic level Defence ability that causes the next hit to heal instead of damage the player. Rejuvenate is an ultimate Defence ability that restores 40% total life points over several seconds. Regenerate is a basic Constitution ability that uses whatever adrenaline left to restore health if the player is not in combat.
  • Although the Resonance and Rejuvenate abilities require a shield to be equipped, the shield only needs to be equipped for as long as it takes to activate the ability.
  • Another great healing ability is Guthix's Blessing, which will heal 8% of total life points every two seconds up to ten seconds. This ability should only be used when not in direct combat with a monster as the summoned butterfly can be attacked and killed, ending the effect prematurely.
• Consider using threshold abilities instead of ultimate ones; the damage done by thresholds is lower, but they use less adrenaline, meaning more than one can be used in a row.
• Set up the action bar before going into combat, making sure all of the abilities can be used with the weapons that will be used. Remember that multiple bars can be set up at once, and there is no penalty for changing the active one.

Common equipment, accessories, and setups

Weaponry

• Utilize monster weaknesses. Using a crush weapon against a monster weak to crush gives a much higher chance to hit against that monster. Avoid monsters who have a weakness to ranged attacks, as they will have a very high defence to melee attacks. See weakness for more information.
• Players should always use the best tier of weapons they can wield and afford. Better weapons ensure higher damage output and a higher chance to hit.
• Some enemies are good to fight with halberds (weapons that can attack from two squares away) as they benefit from the wider AoE ability range halberds provide. The strongest halberd in the game is the Noxious Scythe (level 90), with the Dragon Rider lance (level 85) and attuned crystal halberd (level 80) as alternatives.

Armour

For extended combat training, consider wearing high defence and life point armour (such as Barrows armour). This allows for prolonged training in one sitting. However, a better choice for training would be to use offensive armour (such as Bandos armour), as it will increase damage output and thus increase kill rate.

Barrows armour is a cheaper alternative to Bandos armour and can be used with the corresponding weapons for powerful set effects. The trade-off, however, is that it degrades with use, meaning that it will incur a maintenance cost. Alternatively, the Void Knight armour with the melee helm (from the Pest Control minigame) has a set effect of increasing attack and strength bonuses but at the cost of low defensive stats. This is a viable way to train melee quickly due to the increased damage output for players who are willing to use extra food or, if available, Soul Split.

Accessories and other equipment

Having a good set-up overall includes using the best accessories, too, such as capes, rings and amulets. These items are typically the best to use:

• Cape: Max cape (Only with Strength perk) > TokHaar-Kal-Ket > Fire cape > Cape of Accomplishment > Obsidian cape
• Gloves (Offensive): Razorback gauntlets > Torva gloves > Bandos gloves > Dragon gauntlets > Rockshell gloves
• Boots: (Offensive): Torva boots > Bandos boots > Dragon boots > Rockshell boots
• Ring: Asylum surgeon's ring > Ring of death > Sixth-Age circuit > Luck of the Dwarves > Warrior ring > Berserker ring > Ring of Fortune > Ring of Wealth
• Amulet: Amulet of souls (or) > Amulet of souls > Reaper necklace (or) > Reaper necklace >Brawler's knockout necklace > Saradomin's whisper > Amulet of fury > Amulet of glory > Amulet of power
• Aura: Berserker > Brawler aura > Vampyrism > Equilibrium

Healing

Main article: Life points § Healing

Generally speaking, most of the time, food will not be needed if healing abilities are used, such as Rejuvenate, an ultimate ability which restores 40% total health, Regenerate, which can be used outside combat to convert remaining adrenaline into health, and Resonance, which makes the next attack that hits heal instead of dealing damage.

Other methods of healing include:

• Using food
• Guthan the Infested's equipment has excellent defence bonuses, a feasible two-handed weapon, and a set effect, which players can use to heal themselves. However, use of Guthan's has a few downsides. Use of Guthan's helm prevents the use of other head-slot items, such as a slayer helm or face mask. In addition, though Guthan's spear is a good training weapon, it pales in comparison to stronger weapons such as Godswords and chaotic/Drygore weaponry.
• Bones to Peaches is a spell unlocked at the Mage Training Arena which allows players to convert bones and big bones into peaches, each of which heals 500 life points. Players who have not unlocked this spell can instead buy and use bones to peaches tablets.
• Soul Split requires 92 Prayer and access to the Ancient Curses. It heals its user 10% of the damage dealt if it is activated during a successful hit against a monster. Because of its rapid drain rate, many players use the prayer flicking technique to drastically reduce, or outright nullify, Prayer point drain.
• The Saradomin godsword's passive effect (requires 70 Agility), Healing Blade, has a 25% chance of healing the player 3% life points and 3% prayer points every hit or special attack Healing Blade, which deals 75-275% ability damage and restores life points by half of the damage dealt and prayer points by 2.5% of it.
• Auras such as vampyrism help by healing the player by 5% of damage dealt with every hit.
• Healing familiars such as the Bunyip and Unicorn stallion.

Potions

• Potions are well worth the extra cost. They increase experience per hour significantly. 
• It can help to get 96 Herblore for overloads which makes training much faster. Other extreme potions such as extreme attack, strength, and defence are also worth the added cost.
• If unable to create overloads or extremes due to a low Herblore level, super sets work well too.
• Regular combat potions are more cost effective than attack potions and strength potions because they combine the effects of both while being cheaper than the two individual items combined.

Torstol incense sticks

Each potency level of torstol incense sticks provides a 0.5% increase to base XP gain. The potency level will increase every 10 minutes and will reach its maximum at level 4 (+2% to base XP). Overloading consumes 6 sticks but instantly provides the maximum potency. Level 75 Firemaking is required to light them or make them.

Relic powers

Relic powers can be unlocked through the Archaeology skill to unlock permanent passive buffs to assist in combat training among other things. Only 3 Relic powers can be active at one time.

Relic power		Effect	Level	Required relic(s)	Monolith energy	Chronotes
	Font of Life	Increases maximum health by 500.	5	The Mortal Cup	50	1,000
	Berserker's Fury	Deal up to +5.5% damage (all styles) the lower your current life points are below max. (Doesn't stack with Dharok's set effect.)	56	Dharok's Memento (Lock of hair + Amulet of the forsaken)	250	5,000
	Death Ward	5% damage reduction when your life points are below 50%; 10% damage reduction when they are below 25%.	81	Ring of Solomon (give a restored Aviansie dreamcoat to Armadyl)	150	3,000
	Fury of the Small	All basic abilities generate 1% more adrenaline.	97	Goblin Warpaints (combine the Red hand cave painting with the Green skull cave painting	150	3,000
	Persistent Rage	Your adrenaline will not drain outside of combat.	98	The Rings of Razulei	150	3,000
	Heightened Senses	Increases maximum adrenaline by 10%.	105	Cup of Nectar	350	7,000
	Conservation of Energy	After using an ultimate ability, you will regain 10% adrenaline.	118	Experimental Aether Reactor	350	7,000
	Inspire Awe	You will gain 2% more XP when training combat skills.	119	Helm of Terror	250	5,000

Equipment

Main article: Armour/Melee armour

Best-in-slot equipment

Slot	Item	Bonus	Bonus	Bonus
Head	Trimmed masterwork helm	457.4	2	24
Body	Trimmed masterwork platebody	526	3	36
Legs	Trimmed masterwork platelegs	503.1	2	31
Hands	Trimmed masterwork gloves	114.3	2	15
Feet	Trimmed masterwork boots	114.3	2	15
Cape	Igneous Kal-Zuk	57	2	43
Neck	Essence of Finality amulet (or)	0	7	59
Ring	Ring of death (i)	0	3	27.7
Pocket	Erethdor's grimoire	0	4	7
Total		1759.1	25	236.7

Slot	Item	Bonus	Bonus	Bonus
Head	Achto Teralith helmet	491	0	420
Body	Achto Teralith cuirass	565	0	840
Legs	Achto Teralith leggings	540	0	630
Shield	Malevolent kiteshield	491	0	735
Hands	Achto Teralith gauntlets	122	0	0
Feet	Achto Teralith boots	122	0	0
Cape	Superior reefwalker's cape	65.3	0	300
Neck	Amulet of defence	6.3	0	0
Ring	Superior leviathan ring	43	0	0
Pocket	Fully charged Defender's insignia	300	0	0
Total		2745.6	0	2925

Slot	Item	Bonus	Bonus	Bonus
Head	Anima core helm of Zaros	338	0	20
Body	Anima core body of Zaros	389	0	30
Legs	Anima core legs of Zaros	372	0	25
Hands	Bandos gloves	64	1	11
Feet	Bandos boots	64	1	11
Cape	Igneous Kal-Ket	57	2	43
Neck	Brawler's knockout necklace	0	0	44
Ring	Champion's ring	0	0	30
Pocket	Illuminated god book	0	4	7
Total		1271	8	211

Slot	Item	Bonus	Bonus	Bonus
Head	Second-Age full helm	384	0	0
Body	Second-Age platebody	442	0	0
Legs	Second-Age platelegs	423	0	0
Shield	Divine spirit shield	338	3	0
Hands	Pneumatic gloves	108	0	0
Feet	Steadfast boots	108	0	0
Cape	Completionist cape	44	5	100
Neck	Amulet of defence	6.3	0	0
Ring	Onyx ring (i)	22	0	0
Total		1875.3	8	100

Popular Training Methods

Slayer

Main article: Slayer training

Slayer is the preferred method of training combat stats for many players. The Black mask/Slayer helmet gives bonuses against assigned monsters and slayer tasks and keep combat more interesting when compared to killing the same monster for hours at a time. Depending on gear and combat levels, experience rates can reach anywhere from 50,000 - 2,000,000 experience per hour.

Elite Dungeon 3

Main article: Shadow reef

Due to the Elite Dungeon experience nerf, being carried in Elite Dungeon 3 no longer grants a large sum of experience an hour. To gain proper experience rates, the player being carried should have high enough accuracy to land a large percentage of their hits. After some experimentation, a player wearing Tier 50 equipment can receive rates faster than other methods in this guide. Depending on optimization, combat gear and combat levels, experience rates can reach anywhere from 200,000 - 1,500,000.

Sophanem Slayer Dungeon

Starting at level 88 Slayer, players can kill corrupted creatures in the Sophanem slayer dungeon. With high combat stats and high level gear, alongside a Scrimshaw of aggression or aggression potions, it is possible to AFK these monsters for an extremely long time. The chest in the dungeon can be set to automatically collect drops as well in order to make GP. Approximately 500,000 experience per hour can be expected if using tier 90 gear.

Abyssal training

Main article: Abyss/Combat training

Training melee, Magic, and Ranged skills is a good way to earn experience with minimal setup or effort. The south-west and south-east corners spawn 15+ creatures that are aggressive and will attack the player upon respawn. There is a world-hopping safespot in the far south-west corner behind a tendril. The creatures become non-aggressive after 10 minutes. To reset the aggression timer simply run away and come back or use a Scrimshaw of aggression or aggression potions.

Over 500,000 experience per hour can be obtained with following setup: Melee halberd (power armour, blood amulet, super melee potion, dragon rider lance recommended). Use Revolution++ with the following bar: Meteor Strike, Berserk, Hurricane, Quake, Cleave.

Blood amulet of fury or Bunyip is enough to heal for a complete AFK experience.

Due to high amount of kills per hour it is recommended to use Charming Imp and Scavenging.

Vyrewatch training

Main article: Vyrewatch/Strategies

Alongside Abyssal training, killing Vyrewatch in Darkmeyer is another AFK method of training combat. The maximum combat experience per hour sits at around 490,000 to 655,000. Alongside this, 160,000 to 215,000 Constitution experience, 315,000 to 415,000 Prayer experience (if Morytania legs 4 are owned and equipped), 225,000 to 300,000 Firemaking experience, and 90,000 to 140,000 Farming experience (if the player has seedicide unlocked). Players can also make upwards of 4,000,000 coins per hour if the player loots every one to two minutes.

Because of these rewards and the killing of Vyrewatch being semi-AFK, this is a popular method of training. This method of training does require the elite Morytania achievements (only for the best experience rates; not a strict requirement), many quests (the entire Myreque series up through and including River of Blood), seedicide (only if the player desires the additional Farming experience), and a high combat level.

Shattered Worlds

Main article: Shattered Worlds § Strategy guide

At worlds 50+, Shattered Worlds can be a very good source of experience. In general, each world offers better experience per kill than the one before it until the player no longer has enough resources to continue. In addition to experience, Shattered Worlds awards the player with Shattered anima for rewards like Bladed Dive and Slayer masks. It is recommended that players train around worlds 70-80, bringing their own armour and weapons, for the fastest experience rates. High level players can receive close to 2 million experience per hour in a chosen combat style at world 100, by using the guaranteed adrenaline buff to have high damage area of effect abilities such as quake, hurricane and meteor strike available with no concerns for adrenaline.

Suggested Monsters to train on

Levels 1-40

	Monster name	Location	Combat Level	Experience
	Troll chucker	Burthorpe Troll Cave	1	30 (and 10 experience)
	Chicken	North of Lumbridge	1	24.9 (and 8.2 experience)

Levels 40-50

	Monster name	Location	Combat Level	Experience
	Moss giant	Moss Giant Island and Varrock Sewers	51	136.5 (and 45 experience)
	Ghoul	North of Canifis	64	138.3 (and 45.6 experience)

Levels 50-70

	Monster name	Location	Combat Level	Experience	Notes
	Fire giant	Waterfall Dungeon	85	425 (and 140 experience)
	TzHaar-Xil	TzHaar City	86	297.3 (and 98.1 experience)
	Hellhound	Taverley Dungeon	92	361 (and 120 experience)	Also viable training beyond levels 50-70, up to 99
	Abyssal leech Abyssal walker Abyssal guardian	The Abyss	72 77 79	183 (and 60.3 experience) 211.5 (and 69.7 experience) 233.1 (and 76.9 experience)	Also viable training beyond levels 50-70, up to 99

Levels 70-80+

All methods listed are also viable training for 80-99

	Monster name	Location	Combat Level	Experience
	Abyssal demon	Slayer tower	98	661 (and 218.1 experience)
	Slayer, see Slayer training	Varies	Varies	Varies
	The Shadow reef (experience farming), see Money making guide/Killing monsters in The Shadow Reef	The Shadow Reef	Varies	Varies
	Shattered worlds, see Shattered_Worlds#Strategy_guide	Shattered worlds	Varies	Varies

Levels 80-90+

All methods listed are also viable training for 90-99

	Monster name	Location	Combat Level	Experience	Notes
	Frost dragon	Asgarnian Ice Dungeon resource dungeon	112	1085.4 (and 358.1 experience)	Requires 85 Dungeoneering
	Corrupted Scorpion	Sophanem Slayer Dungeon	98	462.7 (and 152.6 experience)	Requires 88 Slayer
	Vyrelord	Darkmeyer	98	661 (and 218.1 experience, 300 experience, 420 experience)	Blisterwood weapons required River of Blood recommended Sunspear (melee) highly recommended Morytania legs 4 recommended 92 recommended
	Spiritual warrior	God Wars Dungeon	98	661 (and 218.1 experience)	Requires 68 Slayer and God protection
	Spiritual mage	God Wars Dungeon	98	661 (and 218.1 experience)	Requires 83 Slayer and God protection

Levels 90-99

	Monster name	Location	Combat Level	Experience	Notes
	Arch-Glacor	Glacor Front at Senntisten	7000	10,533.7 (and 3,476.1 experience)	Enable 0 mechanics for fastest kills, or enable all 5 for more loot
	General Graardor	God Wars Dungeon	624	3204 (and 1,057.3 experience)	92 recommended
	K'ril Tsutsaroth	God Wars Dungeon	650	5136 (and 1,694.8 experience)	92 recommended

Completing quests

Quests for Attack experience

Quest	Members	Experience reward	Attack requirement	Other requirements
The Blood Pact		100	N/A	N/A
A Shadow over Ashdale		300	N/A	N/A
In Search of the Myreque		600	N/A	25 Agility
Mountain Daughter		1,000	N/A	20 Agility
A Fairy Tale I - Growing Pains		2,000	N/A	N/A
In Aid of the Myreque		2,000	12	25 Crafting 7 Magic 15 Mining
The Fremennik Trials		2,812	N/A	40 Crafting 25 Fletching 40 Woodcutting
Underground Pass		3,000	N/A	25 Ranged
Heroes' Quest		3,075	N/A	53 Cooking 53 Fishing 25 Herblore 25 Defence (Black Arm Gang only) 50 Mining
Quiet Before the Swarm		4,000	35	42 Strength
TokTz-Ket-Dill		5,000	50	50 Construction 43 Crafting 41 Mining 45 Strength
Tree Gnome Village		11,450	N/A	N/A
Fight Arena		12,175	N/A	N/A
Waterfall Quest		13,750	N/A	N/A
The Mighty Fall		80,000	79	69 Slayer 72 Defence 78 Constitution 79 Strength
Total		141,262

Quests for Strength experiences

Quest	Members	Experience reward	Strength requirement	Other requirements
The Blood Pact		100	-
The Death of Chivalry		250	-
A Shadow over Ashdale		300	-
In Search of the Myreque		600	-	25 Agility
In Aid of the Myreque		2,000	-	25 Crafting 7 Magic 15 Mining
The Fremennik Trials		2,812	-	40 Crafting 25 Fletching 40 Woodcutting
Land of the Goblins		3,000	-	30 Prayer 36 Agility 36 Fishing 36 Thieving 37 Herblore
Heroes' Quest		3,075	-	53 Cooking 53 Fishing 25 Herblore 25 Defence (Black Arm gang only) 50 Mining
Troll Romance		4,000	-	28 Agility
Horror from the Deep		4,662	-	35 Agility
Quiet Before the Swarm		4,900	42	35 Attack
TokTz-Ket-Dill		5,000	45	50 Attack 50 Construction 43 Crafting 41 Mining
Scorpion Catcher		6,625	-	31 Prayer
Dealing with Scabaras		7,000	60	21 Firemaking 50 Agility 60 Thieving
The Curse of Arrav		9,000	64	37 Slayer 41 Summoning 61 Agility 64 Ranged 64 Mining 66 Thieving
Roving Elves		10,000	-
Waterfall Quest		13,750	-
Dragon Slayer		18,650	-
The Chosen Commander		20,000	46	46 Agility 46 Thieving
Haunted Mine		22,000	-	15 Agility 35 Crafting
The Path of Glouphrie		30,000	60	56 Thieving 56 Slayer 47 Ranged 45 Agility
Forgiveness of a Chaos Dwarf		30,000	69	61 Hunter 61 Firemaking
King of the Dwarves		50,000	77	68 Mining 70 Smithing
Thok It To 'Em (saga)		75,765	70	59 Dungeoneering
The Mighty Fall		80,000	79	69 Slayer 72 Defence 78 Constitution 79 Attack
Thok Your Block Off (saga)		105,010	75 (Unabridged)	71 Dungeoneering
Birthright of the Dwarves		200,000	85	80 Mining 82 Smithing
Total		708,499

Quests for Constitution experience

Quest	Members	Experience reward	Constitution requirement	Other requirements
Stolen Hearts		250	-
Diamond in the Rough		250	-
A Shadow over Ashdale		300	-
A Soul's Bane		500	-
In Search of the Myreque		600	-	25 Agility
Song from the Depths		700	-
Nature Spirit		2,000	-
Fur 'n Seek		2,500	-	25 Slayer
The Fremennik Trials		2,812	-	40 Crafting 25 Fletching 40 Woodcutting
Heroes' Quest		3,075	-	53 Cooking 53 Fishing 25 Herblore 25 Defence (Black Arm gang only) 50 Mining
Recipe for Disaster: Freeing Sir Amik Varze		4,000	-
Grim Tales		5,000	-	45 Farming 52 Herblore 58 Thieving 59 Agility 71 Woodcutting
Royal Trouble		5,000	-	40 Agility 40 Slayer
Witch's House		6,325	-
Missing My Mummy		7,000	-	35 Construction 35 Cooking 35 Crafting 35 Magic 35 Prayer
Dream Mentor		15,000	-	85 Combat
Salt in the Wound		17,000	50	60 Defence 47 Herblore 45 Summoning 35 Dungeoneering
Mourning's End Part I		25,000	-	60 Ranged 50 Thieving
The Firemaker's Curse		76,000	76	74 Firemaking 64 Agility
Total		173,312

Quests for Defence experience

Quest	Members	Experience reward	Defence requirement	Other requirements
The Blood Pact		100	N/A	N/A
A Shadow over Ashdale		300	N/A	N/A
A Soul's Bane		500	N/A	N/A
In Search of the Myreque		600	N/A	25 Agility
In Aid of the Myreque		2,000	N/A	25 Crafting 7 Magic 15 Mining
Nature Spirit		2,000	N/A	N/A
What Lies Below		2,000	N/A	35 Runecrafting
The Fremennik Trials		2,812	N/A	40 Crafting 25 Fletching 40 Woodcutting
Heroes' Quest		3,075	25 (Black Arm gang only)	53 Cooking 53 Fishing 25 Herblore 50 Mining
Between a Rock...		5,000	30	40 Mining 50 Smithing
Elemental Workshop III		8,500	33	20 Mining 33 Smithing
Defender of Varrock		10,000	N/A	51 Agility 51 Hunter 54 Smithing 59 Mining
Dimension of Disaster: Defender of Varrock		10,000	N/A	N/A
Olaf's Quest		12,000	N/A	40 Firemaking 50 Woodcutting
Holy Grail		15,300	N/A	30 Attack
Dragon Slayer		18,650	N/A	N/A
A Clockwork Syringe		19,000	76	50 Dungeoneering 61 Slayer 62 Construction 65 Summoning 74 Smithing 74 Thieving
King's Ransom		33,000	65	45 Magic
Salt in the Wound		45,000	60	50 Constitution 47 Herblore 45 Summoning 35 Dungeoneering
Total		189,837

Completing some of the easier quests such as Fight Arena, Holy Grail, Waterfall Quest, Scorpion Catcher, and Tree Gnome Village gives efficient combat experience if done at a low combat level.

Waterfall Quest is particularly of note, as it is fairly short, and unlike most other quests, have absolutely no requirements (does not require for players to defeat anything, and while they may be attacked by aggressive monsters, even level 3 players can complete it with some food) but gives enough experience to bring Attack and Strength straight to level 30, skipping to mithril weapons.