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Nex gear setup

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

Nex gear setup

Nex gear setup
Type Gear setup
Boss Nex
Best spec weapon Zaryte crossbow; Voidwaker also strong12
Budget armour Mixed hide, then Masori34
Supplies 5 resource and 8 brew as a baseline5
Ring Lightbearer always6
Altar Needs an ancient item for the full restore78
Videos 5 (first 2022-04-11, latest 2024-06-23)
Main source HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS)

The Nex gear setup is Gnomonkey's evolving advice on what to bring to Nex, from the 2022 Zaryte crossbow setup to the budget duo setups of 2023 and 2024. Core themes: a crossbow for the boss, a Twisted bow or pipe for the minions, an ancient item for the altar, and thralls and Death Charge for DPS.9910

Contents

Weapons

His April 2022 setup added a ZCB (Zaryte crossbow) switch and a shield switch, which also requires bolts.11 The ZCB is around 15% better DPS on Nex than the Twisted bow without counting its special attack, but the Twisted bow is still incredibly good against the minions.11 In May 2023 he is torn between a six-way (BGS/Fang) with a ZCB and a Twisted bow with Pegasian boots and Assembler, noting the T-bow is only 2% worse than the ZCB when just autoing at full ranged potion.12 The T-bow is really good for minions and Reavers; the ZCB is really good for potting down; he sees the choice as very close.13 In July 2023 an eight-way Twisted bow setup with Assembler is within 2% of a ZCB, so a ZCB need not be bought.14

By June 2024 he states a Twisted bow plus Zaryte crossbow is the meta, with the Twisted bow replacing the blowpipe.15 Because Nex is weak to crossbows, an adamant crossbow does more than a Twisted bow on Nex, so a crossbow is always brought and the Twisted bow never camped; the Twisted bow is for minions and the crossbow for the boss.99 An adamant crossbow beats a rune crossbow since its higher range lets players flinch out of Nex's close-range damage, though both fire rubies.16 The toxic blowpipe is second best for minions but poor against high defence.10 He tells people never to bring the Bow of Faerdhinen: it is worse than an adamant crossbow on Nex and worse than a blowpipe on minions.17

Special attacks and melee

  • Voidwaker is a better special than the Claws/ZCB option13, roughly 15% more efficient per spec than the ZCB (July 2023).2 By June 2024 he lists Voidwaker or ZCB as better than Fang, with the ZCB best in slot for spec.1 He typically uses Voidwaker on phase 2: one spec used to leave 100% energy and sit on it.18
  • No good special weapon exists before ZCB or Voidwaker, so use Fang specs until then.19 The Osmumten's fang is about 35% better than a crossbow at Nex and also the fallback spec weapon.1 The Lightbearer is better with a good spec weapon, since Fang max hits matter little when it is so accurate.20
  • Upgrade path (July 2023): Masori top and bottom first, then Voidwaker, then sell it for a ZCB, then sell the ZCB for a Twisted bow. Do not buy Dragon claws (about 90m) because claws are bad.19 In June 2024: Voidwaker (about 80m then) is the next major purchase and way better than Fang specs; sell it if a ZCB later becomes affordable, though it is a solid backup.21
  • Pharaoh's gloves give a huge strength bonus, so a bracers switch is best.9 Budget melee uses Ferocious gloves, Primordial boots and a regular dragon defender; the Avernic defender (about 50m) is the next upgrade.21 Do not bring a rune defender: the 5 stab attack bonus lost matters more than 1 strength.22

Armour

Setup Notes
Karil's (budget duo, 2023) Good mage defence and no negative melee stats, with the best melee gear otherwise, a Fang, a four-way range switch, an ACB and a pipe for minions and Reavers.23 Cannot work at the high end; without Masori or better you get shredded.20
Masori First upgrade, the most important: better mage defence, a good ranged bonus and no negative melee, way better than Karil's.4
Mixed hide (budget, 2024) Lower max hit than Bandos but with a stab bonus, so better DPS at Nex; doubles as ranged armour and is extremely cheap.3 Without Masori, run Mixed hide; with it, camping Masori is slightly faster, and Mixed hide with a Masori switch is faster still as you improve.3
Torva Full Torva for duo Nex reduces a lot of damage; about the same supplies (two brews dropped), allowing melee on phase 2 and speeding it up dramatically.2414 The Torva helmet alone is a solid upgrade for defence and max hit.15 Extra potions are fine for learning rather than skipping full Torva.25

The cape swap and Masori helmet switch are not max hits, so a struggling setup can drop the switch, bring an extra potion and dump the bolts.26 Without a Quiver (no ammo slot), ditch the pegs (about 1% better than none, a fairly big DPS increase)27 and swap the boots; a boot switch is not necessary but very nice.28 In the budget setup he skips the Light bearer because only Fang specs are available, and skips Death Charge as the specs are bad anyway.4

Always wear the Lightbearer at Nex: it is better DPS than any other ring, including an Ultor or Venator ring, even with Fang specs, and he would not recommend Nex until you own one.6 The Buckler gives about 5% DPS when ranging and is extremely good5, though in 2022 he saw it as not worth the inventory slot over a brew.11

Shield

In 2022 he ranks Elysian over Spectral; with neither, run no shield.11 The Elysian saves roughly two brew doses per kill; the Spectral saves a bit less but also prayer.29 Whenever Nex targets him he camps the shield to prevent the damage, then returns to a Vernic; he flicks it whenever possible to lengthen trips, and supplies are shared by who was targeted most.29 He hits Nex a tick early at the start so shield flicking is easy.29 With a Spectral you can take the virus and camp it, reducing the prayer drain.30

Altar and supplies

The altar gives full health, prayer, run energy and spec restore, but only with an ancient item equipped.8 Bring some Zaros item (such as ancient bracers) to use the Ultar altar: without one it restores only prayer. A ZCB counts.31 Zaryte vambraces (about 100m, previously about 180m) are recommended for this.7 If you leave without an ancient item equipped, wear the Zaryte item or you will be hit and killed.32

  • Drink Menaphite remedy first: it restores stats every 15 seconds like an overload when brewed down, and cancels divine potions if drunk after them.33 A Super Combat minify potion is a nice pre-pot since it restores stats after brewing and on virus.34
  • Peak 2023 baseline: four Prayer restores (his setup saves about a dose; five or six when learning)24, and seven brews (about eight when learning, dropping the Buckler).18 In 2024 he brings five resource and eight brews, and says four resource potions are plenty for a normal kill.5 The second range potion is optional; ditch it for an extra brew or restore if struggling.5
  • Bring runes for Death Charge and thralls; thralls are a huge part of DPS because they hit through Nex's very high defence (Thralls).10 Fire runes go in the pouch; Death Charge works on minions and Reavers and carries into the next kill.5
  • It is hard for a learner in low gear to find a Nex duo, since poor gear and poor Nex skill go together, though kills in bad gear are absolutely doable.35
  • He ranks the ZCB with a nine-way (fast switching only mattering for Blood Sacrifice) and the Twisted bow with an eight-way for quick minion switches.28

Revision history

Date Video Change
2024-06-23 Max Budget Nex Guide (OSRS) Added Quiver-less adjustments, Buckler at about 5% DPS (was not worth a slot), and 5 resource, 8 brew baseline (Jun 2024).
2024-06-15 HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS) Changed to a Mixed hide budget setup and a Twisted bow plus ZCB meta, with adamant crossbow always brought (Jun 2024).
2023-07-04 Duo Nex BUDGET Guide (15M GP/HR) Added the budget Karil's setup, upgrade order, altar and Menaphite remedy advice (Jul 2023).
2023-05-28 Duo Nex Teaching Stream (Melee) OSRS Updated weapon view: Twisted bow only about 2% worse than ZCB (was ZCB about 15% better); added Torva, Voidwaker and supply counts (May 2023).
2022-04-11 NEX Advanced Tactics (16M GP/HR) OSRS Page created: 2022 setup with ZCB and shield switch, shield ranking and flicking.
## See also

References

  1. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 0:29 ↩↩↩

  2. Duo Nex BUDGET Guide (15M GP/HR), 2023-07-04. ▶ 16:26 ↩↩

  3. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 1:27 ↩↩↩

  4. Duo Nex BUDGET Guide (15M GP/HR), 2023-07-04. ▶ 0:27 ↩↩↩

  5. Max Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-23. ▶ 3:29 ↩↩↩↩↩

  6. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 5:22 ↩↩

  7. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 2:58 ↩↩

  8. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 3:31 ↩↩

  9. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 4:04 ↩↩↩↩↩

  10. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 4:36 ↩↩↩

  11. NEX Advanced Tactics (16M GP/HR) OSRS, 2022-04-11. ▶ 2:03 ↩↩↩↩

  12. Duo Nex Teaching Stream (Melee) OSRS, 2023-05-28. ▶ 0:00 ↩

  13. Duo Nex Teaching Stream (Melee) OSRS, 2023-05-28. ▶ 0:26 ↩↩

  14. Duo Nex BUDGET Guide (15M GP/HR), 2023-07-04. ▶ 16:57 ↩↩

  15. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 4:03 ↩↩

  16. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 5:08 ↩

  17. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 4:48 ↩

  18. Duo Nex Teaching Stream (Melee) OSRS, 2023-05-28. ▶ 1:20 ↩↩

  19. Duo Nex BUDGET Guide (15M GP/HR), 2023-07-04. ▶ 15:35 ↩↩

  20. Duo Nex BUDGET Guide (15M GP/HR), 2023-07-04. ▶ 18:58 ↩↩

  21. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 2:28 ↩↩

  22. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 35:58 ↩

  23. Duo Nex BUDGET Guide (15M GP/HR), 2023-07-04. ▶ 0:00 ↩

  24. Duo Nex Teaching Stream (Melee) OSRS, 2023-05-28. ▶ 0:54 ↩↩

  25. Max Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-23. ▶ 0:26 ↩

  26. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 1:59 ↩

  27. Max Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-23. ▶ 0:00 ↩

  28. Max Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-23. ▶ 1:54 ↩↩

  29. NEX Advanced Tactics (16M GP/HR) OSRS, 2022-04-11. ▶ 2:28 ↩↩↩

  30. NEX Advanced Tactics (16M GP/HR) OSRS, 2022-04-11. ▶ 3:01 ↩

  31. Duo Nex BUDGET Guide (15M GP/HR), 2023-07-04. ▶ 0:56 ↩

  32. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 26:59 ↩

  33. Duo Nex BUDGET Guide (15M GP/HR), 2023-07-04. ▶ 1:30 ↩

  34. Max Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-23. ▶ 4:28 ↩

  35. HOW TO DUO Budget Nex Guide (OSRS), 2024-06-15. ▶ 35:13 ↩

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