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Toxic blowpipe

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

For the Dragon dart and Amethyst dart variants used in the blowpipe see Darts.

Toxic blowpipe

Toxic blowpipe
Type Item
Requirements 75 Ranged1
Attack speed Two ticks on rapid, unaffected by darts2
Running cost About 400k gp/hr in scales (2020), plus darts3
Special attack Double damage and double accuracy, heals the user45
Videos 9 (first 2020-04-27, latest 2025-12-07)
Main source What Is The BEST Ammo to Use? (Darts/Bolts/Arrows/Scythe) (OSRS 2020)

The Toxic blowpipe is a cheap Ranged weapon that Gnomonkey regards as the clearest example of power creep in the game. Since 2020 he has called it the best main weapon for the Fight Caves and, other than the Twisted bow (or the Dragon hunter crossbow in specific situations), the highest-DPS ranged weapon.167 In 2022 he called it the worst power creep in OSRS history by far, and in 2025 he still uses it as a heal and a damage special across the Inferno, Tombs of Amascut and Doom of Mokhaiotl.84910

Contents

Why it is strong

It is one of the few weapons giving both ranged strength and accuracy, and darts do not slow it: it still attacks every two ticks on rapid.2 Gnomonkey says it was intended to be three ticks, but a Jmod forgot that rapid reduces attack speed by a tick.8 It was added with Zulrah near the start of OSRS, when developers were less experienced and had worse tools.811 Even after the Twisted bow arrived, it challenged that weapon in many locations, with a mid-level boss dropping arguably the best ranged weapon in the game.11 The developers later nerfed it so that weapons like the Bow of Faerdhinen could shine in their tier, but he still thinks it is fairly overpowered and says it has shaped the direction of the game.12

All Fight Caves enemies can be envenomed except Jad, who can only be poisoned, and the DPS plus venom make it the clear choice; on its own it annihilates every enemy in the cave.16 A Twisted bow is better against Jad and the 360s if the player can afford one.13

Cost and darts

In 2020 the blowpipe cost about 400k gp/hr in scale cost alone, before darts, and about 450k gp/hr with adamant darts (more if the darts are left on the ground).1433 Because it fires every two ticks, darts are lost faster than on other ranged weapons.15

Dart Ranged strength Added cost Notes
Adamant +10 About 45k gp/hr Gnomonkey's baseline; use almost always3315
Rune +14 Just under 600k gp/hr 33
Dragon +20 Just under 1.5m gp/hr, about 1m gp/hr over rune 3316

Each dart tier has a small accuracy bonus and typically gives one extra max hit, roughly 4% DPS.3 That upgrade is worth using only when making over 10m gp/hr, and it breaks even on paper at just over 12m gp/hr.15 In 2020 he knew of only the Theatre of Blood (up to 11m gp/hr with perfect trios) and the Nightmare, where the blowpipe is not used, earning that much.15 Skeletal Mystics and the Chambers of Xeric are among the few high-defence targets where the pipe is used, and there the upgrade is about 5% DPS.15 He says dragon darts, over 20m gp/hr to pay off, are only for pet hunters or boss kill count high scores.16

By 2025 he treats dragon darts as the standard in demanding content: a dragon-dart pipe is basically always better than a Bofa except on triple Jads and Zuk, so it can be main-handed. Amethyst darts cost only one max hit on normal attacks and two on specs.171819

Special attack

The special does double damage and double accuracy, so it is good for killing and not just healing.520 It heals the user, which makes it a staple at Zulrah even when the pipe is not the main weapon.4 He recommends using it even at full health just to start the spec energy recharging.2122

  • Best used on the tankiest enemy, the melee, whenever the player has spec and full health; a good time to spec is while tanking damage.2324
  • Spec bats rather than tanking them, since bats drain stats and run energy, slow the player and hit hard.25
  • A mage under about 30 HP can be finished with the blowpipe, saving about three ticks over a Twisted bow shot that would deal only about five.26
  • If all else fails against a melee, use Deadeye or Rigour with specs, which heal with the Light bearer.20

Usage notes

Place Advice
Zulrah Overtakes the Atlatl only with at least rune darts, since the atlatl is a lot more accurate.27
Grotesque Guardians Fill with dragon darts, or the heal skip is rarely achieved; Barrows gloves are fine since Zaryte vambraces are a very small upgrade.2828 During Dawn, move to a set tile between shots while praying ranged and Rigour, which two-tick offs both bosses; in the heal-orb phase stand next to Dawn on melee prayer and Rigour and DPS her instead of chasing orbs.2930
Doom of Mokhaiotl Without a ZCB the budget specs are the blowpipe and Dragon knifes; the pipe heals, the knives cost half the spec energy and hit slightly higher but do not heal, so he brings both.99 A dragon-dart pipe is about 5% worse than a Twisted bow and about 11% better than the Scorching bow on the car phase, which he calls one of the most ignored important items.3117 Spamming knife specs, or anything with double hitsplats, spawns a lot of acid on delve 3 and above.32
Inferno The Inferno cannot be learned without a pipe, since it is vital for Zuk's healers; tagging them all with Bofa would add about 15 shots.10 A Bofa is better against tanky targets if only amethyst darts are available, but a viewer noted the pipe is better whenever range potted, which is most of the time on waves that matter.331934

Revision history

Date Video Change
2025-12-07 NEW Golden Trio for First Inferno Cape (OSRS) Changed dart view: dragon darts now make the pipe better than Bofa nearly everywhere; added Inferno Zuk healers.
2025-08-09 Ironman Budget Doom Delve Boss Guide (OSRS) (NEW) Added Doom of Mokhaiotl budget specs and dragon-dart comparison.
2025-07-13 EASY INFERNO: SUB 65 MINUTE GUIDE (OSRS) Added spec damage and accuracy and usage on melee, bats and mages.
2025-04-24 Budget Zul'rah Guide (Atlatl + BOFA) OSRS Added Zulrah comparison with the Atlatl and the heal special.
2022-05-25 Why Power Creep is NECESSARY (OSRS) Added power creep opinion, original attack speed trivia and the nerf.
2022-03-16 Grotesque Guardians Guide MAX EFFICIENT (OSRS) Added Grotesque Guardians setup with dragon darts.
2020-10-01 What Is The BEST Ammo to Use? (Darts/Bolts/Arrows/Scythe) (OSRS 2020) Revised scale cost to about 400k gp/hr and added the dart tier cost/benefit table.
2020-06-27 Ranged Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020 Added running cost with adamant darts and the attack-speed property.
2020-04-27 Jad/Fight Caves Blowpipe Guide (Mid-High Level Slayer/Beginner) OSRS Page created: best main weapon for the Fight Caves, venom and Jad exception.
## See also

References

  1. Jad/Fight Caves Blowpipe Guide (Mid-High Level Slayer/Beginner) OSRS, 2020-04-27. ▶ 1:26 ↩↩↩

  2. Ranged Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-06-27. ▶ 5:43 ↩↩

  3. What Is The BEST Ammo to Use? (Darts/Bolts/Arrows/Scythe) (OSRS 2020), 2020-10-01. ▶ 1:36 ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩

  4. Budget Zul'rah Guide (Atlatl + BOFA) OSRS, 2025-04-24. ▶ 16:52 ↩↩↩

  5. EASY INFERNO: SUB 65 MINUTE GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-07-13. ▶ 31:00 ↩↩

  6. Jad/Fight Caves Blowpipe Guide (Mid-High Level Slayer/Beginner) OSRS, 2020-04-27. ▶ 2:30 ↩↩

  7. Ranged Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-06-27. ▶ 11:18 ↩

  8. Why Power Creep is NECESSARY (OSRS), 2022-05-25. ▶ 8:55 ↩↩↩

  9. Ironman Budget Doom Delve Boss Guide (OSRS) (NEW), 2025-08-09. ▶ 1:59 ↩↩↩

  10. NEW Golden Trio for First Inferno Cape (OSRS), 2025-12-07. ▶ 47:10 ↩↩

  11. Why Power Creep is NECESSARY (OSRS), 2022-05-25. ▶ 9:14 ↩↩

  12. Why Power Creep is NECESSARY (OSRS), 2022-05-25. ▶ 9:47 ↩

  13. Jad/Fight Caves Blowpipe Guide (Mid-High Level Slayer/Beginner) OSRS, 2020-04-27. ▶ 1:56 ↩

  14. Ranged Gear Upgrade Guide (BEST GP TO DAMAGE) OSRS 2020, 2020-06-27. ▶ 5:12 ↩

  15. What Is The BEST Ammo to Use? (Darts/Bolts/Arrows/Scythe) (OSRS 2020), 2020-10-01. ▶ 2:28 ↩↩↩↩↩

  16. What Is The BEST Ammo to Use? (Darts/Bolts/Arrows/Scythe) (OSRS 2020), 2020-10-01. ▶ 3:28 ↩↩

  17. Ironman Budget Doom Delve Boss Guide (OSRS) (NEW), 2025-08-09. ▶ 8:08 ↩↩

  18. NEW Golden Trio for First Inferno Cape (OSRS), 2025-12-07. ▶ 18:23 ↩

  19. NEW Golden Trio for First Inferno Cape (OSRS), 2025-12-07. ▶ 46:44 ↩↩

  20. NEW Golden Trio for First Inferno Cape (OSRS), 2025-12-07. ▶ 16:19 ↩↩

  21. Budget Zul'rah Guide (Atlatl + BOFA) OSRS, 2025-04-24. ▶ 16:57 ↩

  22. EASY INFERNO: SUB 65 MINUTE GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-07-13. ▶ 41:20 ↩

  23. EASY INFERNO: SUB 65 MINUTE GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-07-13. ▶ 35:30 ↩

  24. NEW Golden Trio for First Inferno Cape (OSRS), 2025-12-07. ▶ 50:18 ↩

  25. EASY INFERNO: SUB 65 MINUTE GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-07-13. ▶ 50:50 ↩

  26. EASY INFERNO: SUB 65 MINUTE GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-07-13. ▶ 51:00 ↩

  27. Budget Zul'rah Guide (Atlatl + BOFA) OSRS, 2025-04-24. ▶ 16:16 ↩

  28. Grotesque Guardians Guide MAX EFFICIENT (OSRS), 2022-03-16. ▶ 2:30 ↩↩

  29. Grotesque Guardians Guide MAX EFFICIENT (OSRS), 2022-03-16. ▶ 5:32 ↩

  30. Grotesque Guardians Guide MAX EFFICIENT (OSRS), 2022-03-16. ▶ 7:07 ↩

  31. Ironman Budget Doom Delve Boss Guide (OSRS) (NEW), 2025-08-09. ▶ 7:35 ↩

  32. Ironman Budget Doom Delve Boss Guide (OSRS) (NEW), 2025-08-09. ▶ 17:13 ↩

  33. NEW Golden Trio for First Inferno Cape (OSRS), 2025-12-07. ▶ 18:53 ↩

  34. NEW Golden Trio for First Inferno Cape (OSRS), 2025-12-07. ▶ 51:47 ↩

Items

Inferno gear • Bow of Faerdhinen • Burning claws • Tumeken's shadow • Toxic blowpipe • Atlatl • Dagannoth Kings • Scythe of Vitur • Soulreaper axe • Confliction gauntlets • Mixed hide armour • Voidwaker • Perilous Moons • Twisted bow • TzHaar-Ket Breaker • Osmumten's fang • Eclipse atlatl • Oathplate armour • Eye of Ayak • Venator bow • Bone dagger • Emberlight • Heka of Tumeken • Rubium • Sanguinesti staff • Dark crab • Eldritch veil • Void Knight equipment • Avernic treads • Crossbow bolts • Blood fury • Daeyalt Essence Mine • Noxious halberd • Torva armour • Divine potion • Soulflame horn • Surge potion • Ascension crossbow • Dharok's armour • Amulet of rancour

Category: Items