Melee combat is one of the most iconic and vital combat styles in OSRS gold, used by countless players who prefer up-close, personal combat with their enemies. Whether you’re taking on monsters, PvP, or just progressing through quests and other in-game activities, leveling up your Melee combat skills can be incredibly rewarding.
In this guide, we’ll break down the Melee combat stats — Attack, Strength, and Defence — and provide an optimal training path to help you achieve level 99 in all three. Each skill plays a distinct role in your overall effectiveness in combat. This guide will cover training methods for both free-to-play (F2P) and pay-to-play (P2P), so whether you’re a new or seasoned player, you’ll find useful information to level up your Melee stats.
The Three Main Melee Stats in OSRS
Before diving into the training methods, it’s important to understand the three primary Melee combat skills in Old School RuneScape:
Attack: This skill determines your accuracy with Melee weapons. Higher Attack levels increase your chance of hitting your opponent and allow you to wield more powerful weapons.
Strength: Strength influences the damage dealt with Melee attacks. A higher Strength level means you will deal more damage per hit, which speeds up kills, making it one of the most important skills to level for any Melee-based player.
Defence: Defence reduces the damage you take from enemies. It’s crucial for increasing your survivability in combat. Higher Defence levels mean you’ll get hit less often and take less damage when you do.
All three skills contribute to your overall Combat Level. To maximize your Melee combat effectiveness, it’s important to level each of these skills simultaneously in a balanced manner.
Melee Combat Training Methods (1-99)
Attack Training:
Levels 1-60:
For the early levels, your goal should be to train Attack using the best available weapons while targeting low-level monsters for efficiency. A recommended method for these early levels involves killing monsters in Lumbridge Swamp or Varrock.
1-15 Attack: Train on Chicken or Cows near Lumbridge. These monsters are easy to kill and drop bones, which can be useful for Prayer training.
15-30 Attack: Transition to Goblins in Lumbridge Swamp or Varrock, as they are slightly stronger but still easy to kill with a low Attack level.
30-60 Attack: Rock Crabs in Rellekka are one of the best F2P training spots. They have a high Defence but low Attack, which allows you to train without being interrupted, making them an ideal training monster for both Attack and Strength.
Levels 60-99:
Once you hit level 60 Attack, you can wield the Dragon Scimitar, one of the best weapons for training Attack in both P2P and F2P environments. From here, the focus will shift to faster and more efficient combat methods:
60-99 Attack:
Aberrant Spectres (P2P) are excellent training monsters. They offer decent experience rates, drop valuable items, and give high Attack experience.
Experiments (P2P) in Mos Le’Harmless are another excellent choice for sustained Attack training. They have very high Hitpoints and very low Defence, which makes them perfect for fast combat training.
Sand Crabs (F2P and P2P) offer an afk-style combat method for efficient experience. They have high Hitpoints, low Defence, and a passive combat style, which means you can train without worrying much about damage.
Strength Training:
Levels 1-60:
Strength training can follow a similar path to Attack, but you’ll want to prioritize training on monsters that give you good experience per kill and allow you to focus on dealing heavy damage. Here are the best early training methods:
1-30 Strength: Train on Chickens or Cows just like with Attack, as they have low Defence and are easy to kill.
30-60 Strength: Once you hit level 30 Strength, head to Rock Crabs for more consistent and higher experience rates. This is also a great time to level up Attack simultaneously.
Levels 60-99:
Once you unlock the Dragon Scimitar, you should focus on maximizing your Strength training experience. Here are the best methods to follow for the higher levels:
60-99 Strength:
Nightmare Zone (P2P) is one of the most efficient ways to train Strength at high levels. In this mini-game, you can fight multiple bosses simultaneously with high Hitpoints and gain massive amounts of experience. The Absorption and Overload potions help speed up the process.
Zulrah (P2P) is another excellent boss to train on. It’s a solo boss that offers a high experience per hour and drops valuable items like Zgs and Zulrah’s scales, which can be exchanged for currency.
Sand Crabs and Ammonite Crabs (F2P and P2P) provide afk options with decent Strength experience rates. They are great for training while watching TV or doing other activities in the game.
Defence Training:
Levels 1-60:
Like Attack and Strength, Defence is best trained on monsters that are easy to kill while also dealing with minimal damage. Here’s a breakdown of the best ways to train your Defence early on:
1-30 Defence: Chickens and Cows once again serve as the perfect starting point for Defence. They’re easy to kill, and you’ll get a steady stream of experience while training Attack and Strength at the same time.
30-60 Defence: After level 30, move on to Rock Crabs or Sand Crabs to efficiently train Defence. These monsters provide high Hitpoints and low Defence, meaning you can train at a steady pace without being overwhelmed.
Levels 60-99:
Once you hit level 60 Defence, you’ll want to train on monsters or in areas that provide solid Defence experience and give access to better rewards.
60-99 Defence:
Experiments (P2P) are a great choice here for high Defence experience. These creatures offer great experience rates with minimal effort.
Nightmare Zone (P2P) is one of the best places for all-round training, including Defence. Using Defence-affecting gear and Defensive abilities will allow you to maximize your experience rates while also leveling Strength and Attack.
Sand Crabs (F2P and P2P) are still a reliable choice. They are extremely passive and ideal for afk training.
Melee Combat Gear:
The right gear can make a huge difference in your efficiency when training Melee combat in OSRS. Below is a quick rundown of the best gear options for Attack, Strength, and Defence training.
Weapons:
F2P: The Scimitar is your best option for both Attack and Strength. The Dragon Scimitar (level 60 Attack) is a top-tier weapon.
P2P: The Abyssal Whip is one of the best weapons for all-round Melee training, providing both high damage and accuracy. The Saradomin Sword and Armadyl Godsword are also excellent choices for high-level players.
Armor:
F2P: The Rune Full Helm, Rune Platebody, and Rune Platelegs offer good protection and strength bonuses. The Amulet of Power or Amulet of Fury (P2P) is also a great all-round choice.
P2P: Karil’s Crossbow and Void Knight gear are highly recommended for efficient Melee combat.
Prayer and Potions:
Prayer: The Protect from Melee prayer will help you stay alive while training in dangerous places. Additionally, using prayers like Piety and Chivalry will boost your Attack, Strength, and Defence.
Potions: Prayer potions, Super Attack, Super Strength, and Super Defence potions will increase your combat efficiency.
Conclusion
Leveling Melee combat in Old School RuneScape to 99 is a time-consuming yet rewarding endeavor. With the right strategies and a solid understanding of the game mechanics, achieving a 99 in Attack, Strength, and Defence will make you one of the most formidable players in Gielinor. By choosing the right monsters and efficiently combining Training methods, gear, and combat styles, you can reach your goal while enjoying the journey in the world of buy RS gold.
Now, get ready to take your Melee skills to the next level and dominate the wilderness and PvE encounters in Old School RuneScape!