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Melee gear progression

This article is compiled from the videos of GnomonkeyRS. It records what Gnomonkey said, with sources, not verified game fact. See About.

Melee gear progression

Melee gear progression
Type Guide
Focus Maximum melee DPS per gp1
Starter set Neitiznot helm, Dragon defender, Fighter torso, Dragon scimitar, Barrows gloves2
First purchase Dragon boots, then a whip3
Era May 20201
Videos 1 (first 2020-05-29, latest 2020-05-29)
Main source Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020

The melee gear progression is Gnomonkey's 2020 guide to the order in which a melee account should obtain equipment. It rests on making every piece of gold go as far as possible and focuses on maximum DPS, though defence or accuracy can matter more in cases such as bossing.1 He recommends checking a different set for a particular boss with the DPS calculator, and notes niche cases where other gear should be bought before the items listed.4

Contents

Stats that matter

Strength bonus is the most important stat for DPS in general because it directly improves max hit, and a higher max hit also slightly raises accuracy because there are more numbers to roll.4 Against regular or Slayer monsters with low defence it is basically the only priority; at bosses or certain monsters accuracy is very important. For example, off task Rune Dragons give more DPS with an Ardougne cloak 4 and Fighter hat than with a fire cape, because their stab accuracy matters more than the cape's strength bonus.5 Defence can matter where many hits are tanked: Dagannoth tasks in full Bandos allow skipping protection prayers.6

Untradeable unlocks

Before buying anything else, he says to finish the Barbarian trials (Berserker helm) and The Fremennik Isles (Neitiznot helm), as both give a +3 strength bonus.6 The other untradeable unlocks are the Dragon defender, Fighter torso, Fire cape, and Barrows gloves (by extension Ferocious gloves); Barrows and Ferocious gloves are the hardest.7

  • Order: Fire cape first, since it only needs a decent Ranged level and is not tied to melee, while still training melee to about 50-60 Defence to ease the caves. Then the Defender, then the Fighter torso, with Barrows gloves last because of their high requirements.89
  • New account: he would power level to 75 Ranged for a blowpipe and rush the Fight Caves.8
  • Barrows gloves give +5 strength over a regen bracelet, the largest upgrade of the unlocks. The Fighter torso gives only +1 strength over the obsidian platebody, and the Bandos chestplate beats it entirely, so for some accounts skipping the torso is fine.9

Upgrade order

The starter set is Neitiznot helm, blessing, glory, fire cape, Dragon defender, Fighter torso, Dragon scimitar, rune platelegs, rune boots and Barrows gloves.2

Step Item Notes
1 Dragon boots, then whip Boots are similar to the whip in strength per gp but cheap enough to get much faster; the whip is about 15% more DPS than a Dragon scimitar3
Slayer Black mask 16.67% damage and accuracy on task; get before starting Slayer, though he would skip Slayer until having more money10
2 Imbued Berserker ring Should be easy to imbue with Nightmare Zone points10
3 Obsidian platelegs Tough call against saving for a fury, but strength per cost is too good at about 1m gp11
4 Fury About 3m gp; +2 strength and +2 prayer over glory, better defensive stats11
5 Ferocious gloves About 7m gp, +2 strength; need Dragon Slayer II; gain attack bonuses but lose Barrows' defence12
6 Amulet of torture +2 strength and attack bonuses; loses fury's defence and 3 prayer12
7 Tassets +1 strength over obsidian legs plus prayer; over double ranged defence, 50% higher melee defence13
8 Bandos chestplate or primordial boots See below14

He calls the gear up to this point the intermediate setup, after which upgrades cost much more.11 For the chestplate and boots decision: the boots are far more expensive for +1 strength, while the chestplate gives no strength over the Fighter torso but double the ranged defence and 50% higher melee defence. For DPS only, buy the boots first; for tasks without protection prayers, the chestplate first.14 Tassets are useful on tasks without protection prayers such as Gargoyles, Kurask and Dagannoth.13

Weapons and extras

  • Saradomin godsword: a utility upgrade rather than DPS and a godsend for Slayer: the special uses 50% of the bar, raises max hit by 10%, doubles accuracy, restores health equal to 50% of damage and prayer equal to 25%. It costs about 35m gp and lets some tasks be done without prayer potions or food. For primarily bossing he would skip it for the Bandos godsword or Dragon warhammer.151513
  • Strength training: the abyssal whip cannot train strength, so he would train on controlled or use full obsidian slash in NMZ. The abyssal bludgeon trains only strength and is handy for Cerberus, Kalphite Queen and Gargoyle tasks, but is slightly worse DPS than a whip with Dragon defender because it is two-handed, so he would not buy it only for that. An abyssal dagger has seven less strength and accuracy bonus than the whip.161617
  • Neitiznot faceguard: +3 strength over the Neitiznot helm and +1 over a Serp helm, and does not degrade, but he could only think of Raids 1 or Bandos as uses where a Slayer helmet would not be used, so he would skip it.17
  • Guthan's: handy for AFKing but much worse DPS than a whip; without piety, the whip setup typically profits enough extra to cover prayer potions.18
  • Personal buys: he bought a Zamorakian hasta and a dragonfire shield for extended Rune Dragon and Adamant Dragon tasks; on task the hasta is more than enough for Rune Dragons.18

Late-game weapons

Late-game melee upgrades are insanely expensive, and he says other combat styles' gear should be very good before buying them. Before an Avernic defender he would buy one of the three equivalents: Ghrazi rapier, Blade of Saeldor or Inquisitor's mace.19

  • Inquisitor's mace: extremely expensive in 2020; its crush bonus is mainly useful for Kalphite Queen, the Nightmare, or maybe Cerberus.20
  • Blade of Saeldor: can be imbued with a thousand crystal shards (about 20m gp via enhanced seeds) so it never degrades, but becomes untradeable and the imbue is lost on reverting; even imbued it was about 15m cheaper than a rapier. It suits Theatre of Blood because Bloat and all Verzik phases are weak to slash.2021
  • Ghrazi rapier: more useful for Slayer, since most melee Slayer monsters (Dark Beasts, Suqah, Ice Trolls, Lizardman shamans) are weak to stab.21
  • Scythe of Vitur: about 800m gp at the time, typically best in slot against large enemies, but a charged one costs 1.3m gp an hour. Uncharged it only beats the rapier or Blade at Dagannoth Supreme and Gargoyles, and charged it is only worth it for money at Theatre of Blood or pet hunting.2222 If planning one for Theatre of Blood, it may be better to buy a rapier and not imbue the Blade.23
  • Avernic defender: the last upgrade he would buy, as it gives less strength per gp than the chaotic equivalents and cannot be resold.23

References

  1. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 0:00 ↩↩↩

  2. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 3:09 ↩↩

  3. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 3:18 ↩↩

  4. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 0:29 ↩↩

  5. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 0:56 ↩

  6. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 1:22 ↩↩

  7. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 1:52 ↩

  8. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 2:19 ↩↩

  9. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 2:47 ↩↩

  10. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 3:46 ↩↩

  11. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 4:12 ↩↩↩

  12. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 4:41 ↩↩

  13. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 5:42 ↩↩↩

  14. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 6:13 ↩↩

  15. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 5:09 ↩↩

  16. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 6:42 ↩↩

  17. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 7:17 ↩↩

  18. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 7:46 ↩↩

  19. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 8:18 ↩

  20. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 8:45 ↩↩

  21. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 9:18 ↩↩

  22. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 9:49 ↩↩

  23. Melee Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-29. ▶ 10:17 ↩↩

Mechanics

Colosseum invocations • Yama contracts • Invocations (Tombs of Amascut) • Jal-ImKot • Inferno pillars • Jal-Ak • Alt account • Thralls • Nex gear setup • Tempoross • Turael • Inferno waves • Jal-Nib • Doom of Mokhaiotl: rock block method • Monkey Room • Fortis Colosseum pillars • Phantom barrage • Awakened bosses • Melee gear progression • Demonic Brutus • Jal-MejRah • Prayer flicking • Butterfly Tech • Fortis Colosseum setup • Doom of Mokhaiotl: melee punish • Sulliuscep • Botting • Off-ticking • Corner trapping • Doom of Mokhaiotl: car attack • Combat Achievements • Doom of Mokhaiotl: shield phase • Pest Control • Blood Barrage • Nylocas • Great Olm 4-1 method • Nex reset • Triple Jad • RuneScape 3 combat • Tightrope skip

Category: Mechanics