Ranged is one of the three combat classes in Old School RuneScape. It involves using bows, crossbows, and thrown weapons to damage opponents from a distance, and range armor can mostly be made from animal hides. Players who specialize in this skill are known as rangers or archers.
The Combat Triangle dictates that Rangers are strong against Mages and weak against Melee fighters.
Ranged's ability to attack from a distance means that a player can safespot a Melee monster while fighting from safety. Keep in mind that some Melee monsters have high Ranged defence, so a high ranged level may be needed. Crossbows are usefull against monster with high defense, as they are very accurate.
Equipment
Weapons: The rapid combat stance gives the fastest attack speed of all 3 stances while having a lower maximum hit compared to the Accurate or Long Range stances, which have a higher maximum hit. However, the Accurate and Long Range stances have a slower attack speed. Also, the Long Range stance gives defence experience, and as the name suggests, has a longer reach.
Knives/darts: Darts have the highest attack speed in the game, but they do very little damage and are innacurate. Knives have a lower attack speed, but have more ranged strength. Despite this, they are excellent for training. Knives are stronger than darts. Dragon darts are about the same as rune knives.
Throwing rings (Toktz-xil-ul) have similar stats to dragon darts and rune knives.
Shortbow/longbow: These bows both fire the same arrows, differing in speed, range and accuracy but not in damage. Longbows could be used for additional range, but are slower than shortbows on rapid. The magic shortbow has a special attack which hits twice, and the magic longbow has a special attack which boosts accuracy
Crossbow: Crossbows are very accurate, and crossbow bolts deal significantly more damage than arrows, maknig crossbows effective for training ranged.
Bone Crossbow: This is the only crossbow which can fire the cheap bone bolts. It is also faster than normal crossbows, and has a special attack which lowers the target's defense level.
Karil's Crossbow: Despite being a crossbow, it is more like a shortbow, requiring two hands and having a fast attack speed. Karil's crossbow will only work with bolt racks, which break when fired, making it expensive to use. This weapon should only be used against players, as everything else can be done more cheaply.
Ogre bow/Ogre composite bow: The ogre bow is extremely slow. It's only real use it to hunt chompy birds. The composite ogre bow has the same speed as a crossbow, but it can use brutal arrows. Rune brutal arrows have the same ranged strength bonus as dragon arrows, although this is not shown in the stats window.
Dark Bow: The dark bow is the slowest weapon in the game, but it fires two arrows at once. It is also the only bow which can fire dragon arrows, and it has a devestating special attack which boosts damage by 30% if using arrows that are not dragon, or by 50% if using dragon arrows. The special attack has a minimum damage of 5 per non-dragon arrow, or 8 per dragon arrow.
Enchanted crossbow bolts
Bolts that are tipped with gem stones that have a wide variety of effects. Here are the effects and runes/magic levels required to enchant the gem tipped bolt. Cut gems will yeild 12 bolt tips, although an oyster pearl will yeild 6.
Opal bolts (e): Level 4 magic for enchant: 1 cosmic 2 air runes Lucky Lightning: Extra damage. 11 fletching required.
Sapphire bolts (e): Level 7 magic for enchant: 1 cosmic rune 1 water rune 1 mind rune Clear Mind: Prayer siphon. 56 Fletching required.
Jade bolts (e): Level 14 magic for enchant: 1 cosmic rune 2 earth runes Earth's Fury: Opponent knockdown. 26 Fletching required. Also requires completion of The Knight's Sword in order to obtain blurite ore.
Pearl bolts (e): Level 24 magic for enchant: 1 cosmic rune 2 water runes Sea Curse: Extra (water-based) damage: effective against monsters specializing in the fire element, such as Obsidian creatures. fletching required.
Emerald bolts (e): Level 27 magic for enchant: 1 cosmic rune 1 nature rune 3 air runesMagical Poison: Greater chance of poison. 58 fletching required
Topaz bolts (e): Level 29 magic for enchant: 1 cosmic runes 2 fire runes Down to Earth: Lowers target's magic (other players only) 48 fletching required.
Ruby bolts (e): Level 49 magic for enchant: 1 cosmic rune 1 blood rune 5 fire runes Blood Forfeit: -10% LP from self, -20% from target. 63 fletching required
Diamond bolts (e): Level 57 magic for enchant: 2 law runes 1 cosmic rune 10 earth runes Armour Piercing: Ignore much of target's ranged defence. 65 fletching required
Dragon bolts (e): Level 68 magic for enchant: 1 cosmic rune 1 soul rune 15 earth runes Dragon's Breath: dragonbreath damage: Magical attack, effective against opponents with low magic defence. Antifire potions will decrease the hit. 71 fletching required
Onyx bolts (e): Level 87 magic for enchant 1 cosmic rune 1 death rune 20 fire runes Life Leech: Extra damage, HP siphon by 1/4 of hit. 73 fletching required. Chinchompas: Chinchompas deal very little damage, but they hit multiple targets, making them excellent for training. Because of this, they are extremely expensive.