Free-to-play Ranged training

Ranging in the free worlds, while having less equipment and features than the member’s world, provides some fun on battling monsters and players who would otherwise be out of reach. While member rangers are revered and considered dangerous even from sight, a well armed ranger of the free-to-play world still packs quite some power – enough to bring down an unprepared warrior with full rune armour in a few shots.

This guide will provide the steps and choices of ranging depending on the player style and taste in training.

Weapons
Rangers are advised to wield the best weapon their level can allow and to prepare money to buy the next bow they would need as their level will later allow them to wield. For new players, training arrows and bows are advised to save money at the start, they can be replaced with stronger bows later on.

Shortbows

The most ideal training weapon for most players. As far as training is concerned, shortbows are better as they can shoot faster because they have an attack speed of 6 compared to the longbow's 4, and have the same hit rate and damage as longbows. This makes shortbows the most ideal range weapon in free-to-play.

Longbows

Longbows provide similar bonuses as a shortbow of the same quality, but with a few notable differences. They shoot significantly slower (once per 5 ticks vs 3 ticks or 3 seconds vs 1.8 seconds on rapid) but also shoot 2 tiles further than shortbows on any attack setting. This makes them a niche weapon where you need to attack at a very long distance, as the shortbow is equal or superior in every way if you can get slightly closer.

Crossbows

Crossbows fill a specific niche for free-to-play players as they are the only one-handed ranged weapon available. Two crossbows are available to free-to-play players – the regular crossbow and the phoenix crossbow – both of which have the same stat bonuses. Both of these crossbows only have access to bronze bolts, which are similar in strength to iron arrows, but cost significantly less with most ranged shops always selling bronze bolts for only 1gp each. Crossbows have a slower fire rate than a shortbow, with an attack speed of 5 (3 seconds) vs an attack speed of 7 (1.8 seconds) while on rapid. Crossbows allow players to wield a shield on their shield slot, allowing rangers to add up some defences against melee and range attacks, or use the anti-dragon shield for Dragon Slayer. However, wearing most shields will also result in ranging penalty with metal kiteshields providing a larger penalty than a square shield. It's not recommended to use a crossbow beyond the early levels as the attack speed, ranged bonus, and the potential of stronger arrows of the shortbow quickly surpass it when a shield is not needed.

Armour
Rangers must wear the best ranging armour their money and level can provide or allow. Most ranging equipment sets are cheaper than their melee counterpart and should be no trouble for most players. Free-to-play players can also craft the most basic ranging armour such as the leather chaps up to the hard leather body.

Rangers are advised to get the best full ranging armour from head and body down to vambraces. Better ranging armour not only provides better overall protection from magic, melee, and range attacks, it also provides improved ranged accuracy, which can be even more helpful in making a hit and raising the ranger’s experience points in ranging. However, ranging armour is weaker to both range and melee attacks than their melee armour counterpart so rangers who were once training on melee must take this weakness into consideration.

Level 1 – 9 Defence and Ranged

Recommended set: a pair of leather chaps, a pair of leather vambraces and a leather body

Players should get a cowl, a pair of leather chaps, a pair of leather vambraces and a leather body should they be able to acquire these items. These items have no skill requirements. Because these items are made from cowhides, are fairly easy to craft (in Al Kharid which is Lumbridge's neighboring city) and the materials are easy to acquire. For more information about the leather armour and how to craft them, please see their articles and the skill crafting.

Level 10 – 19 Defence and Ranged

Recommended set: a pair of leather chaps, a pair of leather vambraces and a hardleather body

Rangers should replace their leather body with a hard leather body (which is tends to be in high supply in the general stores of Lumbridge, Al Kharid, and Varrock). Alternatively, rangers can craft hard leather into a hardleather body when their Crafting level is 28 or higher.

Level 20-39 Defence and Ranged

Recommended set: a coif, leather vambraces, a studded body, and a pair of studded chaps.

Rangers are recommended to buy a coif, a studded body, and a pair of studded chaps. The studded leather body and the studded chaps can be sold in Varrock though Horvik but these items tend to be in low supply because only members can craft them and no free-to-play monsters drop these items. The coif can be sold from the Champions Guild (which requires 32 quest points to enter) but the coif can only be crafted by members.

Level 40 or higher Defence and Ranging

Recommended Set: a coif, green dragonhide chaps, green dragonhide vambraces, and green d'hide body

Players can now use green dragonhide chaps and green dragonhide vamb, both of which can be sold from the Champion's Guild. The green dragonhide body can only be worn after achieving Defence and Range level of 40 and after finishing the quest dragon slayer. Players who had finished the quest dragon slayer and had fulfilled the minimum level requirements should equip these items as soon as possible since the full green dragon armour can greatly increase accuracy and protection much more than other free-to-play ranging armour.

Amulet
For most part, amulets are used as an adjunct or as an assistance to the ranger's regular armour and weapon. Amulets are not a must to players in training unless they are in need of defense or faster training since amulets, for the most part, end up getting lost when a player dies. While amulets are readily available to wealthier players or players with high Crafting and Magic level, low level players would find one amulet costing as much as their entire armour in terms of street prices.

Since no store sells enchanted amulets, it is advised that players carrying any amulet must judiciously decide to carry them or not. Also, rangers carrying any amulet be prepared to escape danger.

Amulet of Defense

The Amulet of Defense provides the highest boost of defense against magic, range, and melee attack more than any amulet in free-to-play worlds. This amulet is recommended for players with low Defense as well as players trying out new training grounds as these amulets are not expensive and can be crafted at a fairly low Crafting level.

If the player desires to fill the amulet slot to practice on new training grounds, especially when fighting stronger monsters, the Amulet of Defense is advised due to its cost, low crafting requirement to craft one, and its availability in terms of item and raw material to make them.

Amulet of Accuracy

The Amulet of Accuracy may the first or one of the first amulets available to new players or new accounts. This amulet is acquired after completing the Imp Catcher quest and provides a fair amount of boost in ranging, as well as magic and melee, attacks. However, many players found the bonuses provided in this amulet mediocre and wealthier players opt for the Amulet of Power whenever they could get their hands on it.

Amulet of Power

The Amulet of Power is the most powerful amulet overall in free-to-play world. In terms of ranging, it provides the best ranging bonuses among free-to-play amulets, enough to make a difference in accuracy even with the best ranging equipment.

The Amulet of power is recommended for high-level ranging player, and those well-versed in dungeons. However, any player with the amulet of power must be prepared to escape danger quickly to avoid losing this amulet. Also, players "exploring" new dungeons and places with stronger monsters are not recommended to carry the amulet of power unless they are carrying a set of teleportation runes to escape the dungeon or area rather than train until their hitpoints drop too low.

Arrows and bolts
For new players, the training arrows are the best as they are free and are the only arrows that cannot be picked up from other players. However, as the ranging level advances and strong monsters to be fought becomes tough enough to withstood the training arrows, players would be advised to get stronger arrows.

Any player wielding an oak bow or stronger bows should be prepared with bronze arrows (sometimes in the hundreds) since the training arrows can only be used with the training bow. Depending on the player’s financial capacity and willingness to spend (stronger arrows are more expensive), the monsters to fight (stronger monsters are more resistant to attacks), and the player's desired result. Players can train with any arrows in any amount (adamant arrows being the most powerful available to free-to-play players). However, steel arrows are considered as the upper limit as gathering hundreds or thousands of mithril or adamant arrows would be very slow and such amount would cost hundred of thousands of coins.

Bronze bolts

Bronze bolts had their application only to the crossbow - the only bolt and crossbow available to free-to-play players, respectively. For most part, this combination of crossbow and bolts are comparable in terms of training result with the combination of training arrows and training bows or the shortbow and bronze arrow. Crossbows are slower in terms of fire rate than a shortbow but with the introduction of training bow and training arrow, many players shun from using crossbows since they can get free arrows from the ranging tutor(in Lumbridge) but crossbows and bolts had be acquired either from shops, monster drops (goblins drop bronze bolts), or other players.

Training arrows

All new players should train on the training arrows using the training bow first until they reach level 10 Ranged. At this level, they can wield oak short/longbow (which training arrows cannot be equipped with as ammunition). Note that training arrows can serve as ammunition only to training bow and training bow cannot use any other arrows as ammunition.

However, players wishing to still save money can keep training on training arrows but by the time players reach level 20, training using the training arrows becomes impractical as it takes much more experience points and therefore much more arrows to train well. This impracticality stems on the fact that:
 * only the range tutor can provide training arrows
 * training arrows cannot be traded from other players
 * the ranging tutor gives only 25 training arrows at a time
 * training arrows cannot be dropped but can be destroyed
 * it takes 30 minutes of time elapsed before the range tutor can give more arrows
 * its not possible to keep much more than 25 training arrows as the range tutor will not give training arrows to players who still have training arrows in their inventory or bank (even if it is just 1 training arrow)

Bronze arrows

Bronze arrows wielded with the an ordinary shortbow (which is weaker than oak bows) are equally strong as training arrows on training bows. Bronze arrows are advised for players who will not or cannot find practicality on training arrows, such as power ranging (those who keep training ranging round the clock) as well as those using oak or stronger bows.

However, since bronze arrows are weaker than iron and since the addition the Stronghold of Security's Minotaur (which is known to drop large amounts of iron arrows frequently) and the notoriety of bronze arrows getting sold out from arrow or ranging shops, bronze arrows are not as popular or as good to train at than iron arrows.

Yet ranging players on training are advised to keep collecting bronze arrows and buying them from general shop (which sometimes can have a small supply of bronze arrows) when they get a chance as an extra set of arrows to keep pushing their supply up.

Iron arrows

Iron arrows are stronger than bronze arrows, but are more expensive. The cost of iron arrows limiting its use in ranging were overcome with the update of the Stronghold of Security and the Minotaur in it (which is known to drop plenty of iron arrows).

Iron arrows are much better in ranging than bronze, increasing one's maximum hit.

Players training Ranged should take every opportunity to go to the Stronghold of Security and fight the minotaur at the vault of war to get iron arrows. Some range and melee hybrids may find it easier to melee the minotaurs. However this is based entirely on your Attack and Strength levels which may vary from player to player.

Steel arrows

Steel arrows are more powerful than iron arrows – known to deal 12 points of damage with a high enough Ranged level. Unlike iron or bronze arrows, steel arrows are hard to acquire for most rangers in training.

Steel arrows are considered the most expensive arrows that are still practical for training – in terms of cost and supply. Players may buy steel arrows from shops and other players with each steel arrows costing almost five times as much as iron, depending on the supply of the ranging shop and the prices the selling player declares.

Another way of getting steel arrows are to kill the zombies at the Stronghold of Security in the catacomb of famine level (level 2 dungeon). This method, however, is very tedious because of the following:
 * The catacomb of famine has very limited safe spots from zombies,
 * The zombies are aggressive and are of higher level (unlike the Minotaur),
 * The place is not a multi-combat area.
 * Zombies drop fewer steel arrows than Minotaurs drop iron arrows.

Nevertheless, steel arrows are still the choice of arrows for demon-killing and giant-hunting rangers as it does pack quite a punch against these tough monsters.

Mithril arrows

Mithril arrows are very difficult to acquire. For free-to-play, the only possible means of getting mithril arrows is by buying from shops, buying them off other players, or getting them as monster drops. Monsters which drop mithril arrows are catablepons and white knights. However, many players who had a large stock on mithril arrows (especially those who were once members and had made many mithril arrows) would choose to train their ranging using mithril arrows as a way of spending them. Mithril arrows could be easily acquired through the Wilderness, as they are commonly used for Player Killing.

Adamant arrows

More commonly known as addy arrows, these are the most expensive and powerful arrows in free-to-play and are almost exclusively used in player killing. Because an adamant arrow can cost as much as 6 steel arrows, adamant arrows are often sold to other players (usually player killers) if they are not used. A quick way to obtain adamant arrows is to go on a Free-to-play Wilderness world and pick them up from the wilderness.

Even with the cost of an adamant arrow, it is not impossible for very rich, high-level players to use them against lesser demons.

Shooting techniques
Accurate The accurate style of attack gives an invisible +3 Ranged level boost, increasing accuracy and maximum damage.

For most part, accurate shot is recommended only when the player’s Ranging skill is 10 levels above the targeted monster or is above level 70, whichever is met. If any of the above condition is not met, the accurate shot usually fares more poorly than the rapid shot.

Because arrow loss increases with higher damage inflicted towards the target, it is expected that arrow loss is high with this technique.

Rapid

The rapid attack style increases the attack speed of the weapon by 1 (attacks come out 0.6 seconds faster), but do not increase one's ranged level. This technique is recommended for Ranged training at any level as it kills targets faster than any technique, thereby accelerating Ranged experience gains. However, players are advised to have plenty of arrows to do this.

Long range

The long range attack style boosts both Defence and Ranged by 1, increases the attack range of an attack by 2 squares (up to 10), but reduces the attack speed by 1 (attacks come out 0.6 seconds slower). In terms of range training, this technique is not recommended as it is slow.

Monsters for training
Monks (combat level 5)

These are great entities to train on, because, they have a good amount of hp (15), they do almost no damage (1's) and they heal you for free! You can find them in the Monastery (North-west of Barbarian Village). Even at higher levels, this is still a good place to train. The only cons are that many people train here and it's hard to find a non-crowded world.

Goblins (Combat level 2) and chickens (Combat level 1)

For starters, training on Lumbridge is considered the best as there is are plenty of chickens to kill and plenty of goblins around the area. In addition to these monsters, Lumbridge also has plenty of food available - a tutor fishing spot in the south, a fishing spot near the goblin house, a cow ranch. Many tutors are also stationed in Lumbridge, guiding and providing information to new players and sometimes providing free items such as training arrows and bows for those who use them.

Goblins drop many items, including bolts for crossbows which can help players keep a supply of ammunition. Chickens drop raw chickens which can be cooked for food in training as well as feathers which can be used for Fishing.

For most part, the advantage of ranging goblins and chickens lies in their low combat level - they can barely hit a player.

The disadvantage of these monsters arise when the player's ranging and overall combat level becomes high that the health points of these monsters become too low that they often die in one shot and their drops becomes unsatisfactory as higher-level players would seek stronger monsters to supply their material demands.

Wizards  (combat level 7 - 20)

For players achieving level 20 or higher Ranged level, the two dark wizards in Draynor Village, found among the willow trees, near the bank, provide good ranging training as their magic is often blocked by studded armour. Nearby is the Wizards' Tower, which is home to many level 7 wizards.

For players level 41 in Combat and over 30 Ranged can start fighting wizards at Delrith’s circle south of Varrock as they drop even more runes and are in greater number giving less likelihood of training overcrowding from other players.

Wizards drop copious amounts of runes which can be sold to other players or magic shops or can be later used for Magic training. They are noted for their higher level rune drops, such as nature runes.

Players are, however, advised to have a good supply of food against wizards as the level 7 ones can have a maximum hit of 4 and the level 20 dark wizards can hit up to 6, and frequently so.

One of the main advantages of training Ranged on wizards is that because they use a magic attack they stay where they are to attack. This means that when a player collects their arrows they will be all in the same spot. Melee targets will try to get as close as possible and will move, causing arrows to be scattered.

Minotaur (combat level 20 - 32)

The Minotaur can be fought once players reach level 25 Combat and Ranged level over 20. Minotaurs are non-aggressive (attacking only if it is attacked first), allowing an inexperienced or distressed player not to be mobbed down.

Since Minotaurs are weaker to melee than range, players who have good Strength, Attack, and Defence and are yet to experience ranging Minotaur should bring with them a melee weapon just in case Minotaurs prove harder to range than expected. For experienced and high level players, Minotaurs are easy to kill.

The Minotaurs are found in the vault of war (the first level of the Stronghold of Security, which is found in the barbarian village) and because of their ease to kill and their drop of iron arrows, minotaurs tend to be heavily trained and fought over many players, leading to training overcrowding.

Minotaurs drop a large amount of iron arrows (more than what is spent). As a result, players wanting to save money or wanting to train pure rangers can keep training on minotaurs until they reach their desired level.

Barbarians (Combat 16 or 17)

For players achieving 40 or higher Ranging level, these are good to train on.

Attack the ones in the long hall at the north end of Barbarian Village. You can shoot these across the tables and go and pick up your arrows once they are dead. These guys are non aggressive so you can pick up your arrows in safety. On the tables there is beer and cooked meat re spawns. This is a place where you should train with a maple short bow and iron arrows or it will take a bit too long to kill them.

These monsters are popular to train with due to being easy to kill and there are food re spawns. They do not drop very good items apart from a few iron items for low leveled or poor players.

For armour you should bring the best one possible. For bow it should be the best one possible and use iron arrows. Bring a power amulet if you can afford one since there is little chance of death since they are non aggressive. An amulet of accuracy will be fine. Bring little food as there is readily available food there.

Flesh crawler (combat 33 - 44)

Flesh crawler are relatively weak monsters to high level players. They are one of the few weak monsters to be less trained at by players because of their remote location. These monsters have relatively poor drops but are very vulnerable to attacks. All players, however, should be warned that flesh crawlers are highly aggressive and players who had not encountered these monsters before should survey them first, as flesh crawlers, despite being viewed as weak to most players, are known to kill players at combat level 20 - 30 within seconds.

Moss giants (combat 42)

For players achieving 45 or higher Ranging level, moss giants are good to train at. These monsters are found at:
 * Crandor Island,
 * The Wilderness (not a recommended location to train)
 * At the deepest end of the Varrock Sewer.

Moss giants have stronger defences than minotaurs and wizards to any arrows and much higher health points. However, moss giants have very good drops including big bones (which it always drops and provides much high Prayer experience points than regular bones or otherwise be sold for up to 400 coins), black square shields, steel bars, runes, and coins.

The moss giants are among the most popular training monsters for players, usually among warriors and rangers. As a result, training on moss giants tend to have a problem of overcrowding training and monster killing - so it is advised for players to change worlds should the area get too crowded.

Rangers new to training on moss giants are advised to bring iron or better arrows to train, a mithril or stronger weapon (not dagger), a teleport rune set (e.g. teleport to Varrock) and 10 salmons or better foods in case of emergency. It is suggested that rangers must restock their food supply whenever their food runs out (even with full health).

They can be found in the Wilderness, the innermost part of the Varrock Sewers and Crandor for free to play. It is not advised to train in the Wilderness due to PKers and the long distance to the bank. In the Varrock Sewers, there are two spawn locations but these are separated from each other. On Crandor there are several which spawn on the south side of the island. At both locations you can safe. However it may be advisable to train on Crandor Isle mainly due to the fact that there are more spawns. Both locations tend to be crowded from melee and ranged training but Crandor Isle is a single combat area. This means another player cannot deal more damage than you on that monster and therefore steal your drop.

Lesser demons (Combat level 82)

The lesser demons in Karamja and Crandor are attractive targets for the strongest players of RuneScape because of their expensive drops but seldom recommended to train at.

Lesser demons have significantly higher Defence than moss giants. While experienced players training their lesser accounts would start attacking lesser demons at level 55 Ranging, it is advised that new players must reach level 65 or higher Ranging before fighting the lesser demons.

The lesser demons, while weak against warriors in full runite, can deal significant (sometimes continuous and devastating) blows to rangers even if they are wearing full green dragonhide armour. Rangers are advised to bring or equip the following before fighting these monsters:
 * Bring hundreds of steel arrows (or stronger arrows if you can afford a massive amount of these),
 * Wear full dragonhide with coif, amulet of defence, and maple short bow,
 * Fill the rest of their inventory with tuna or better food
 * Teleport runes set or the Skull sceptre (Teleport to Varrock for example)

Power amulets are recommended for all players fighting lesser demons.

Ankou (Combat level 76)

While ankou have a lower Combat level than lesser demons, ankou are much more durable so players must be much better equipped and prepared for ankou than they are for lesser demons. Players must be level 70 in Ranging or higher before they start fighting ankou. Before fighting ankou, the player must be prepared of the following:
 * Bring hundreds of steel arrows (or stronger arrows if the player can afford a massive amount of these),
 * Wear full dragonhide with coif, amulet of power, and maple short bow,
 * Fill the rest of their inventory with tuna or better food
 * Teleport runes set or the Skull sceptre (Teleport to Varrock for example)

Although there are ankou with much higher Combat level in the Stronghold of Security, players are recommended to train on the weakest of ankou, those at level 76. Ankou are aggressive to any players but they are seldom being trained on because of their high Combat level and their remote location. The items which the ankou drops are quite cheap compared to moss giants but players in training will find much less competition among other players and therefore much more peaceful training.