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{{Otheruses|the pay-to-play guide|the free players' guide|Free-to-play melee training}}This article provides information about effective ways to train [[Attack]], [[Strength]], [[Defence]], and [[Hitpoints]] through [[melee]] [[combat]].
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#REDIRECT [[Twisted bow]]
  
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This guide is organised into sections based on skill levels. For example, if the section header is ''Levels 20 to 30'', you should begin training at the area with an [[Attack]] and [[Strength]] level of at least 20. [[Defence]] is also preferred to be at that level, but is not always required. The solution to lower Defence is to bring more [[food]], or use food that heals more.
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==General training notes==
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*The [[Waterfall Quest]] will give you both 30 Attack and Strength if completed at level 3 combat.
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*Strength can be trained without training hitpoints with [[barbarian fishing]].
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*Defence can be trained by using [[Ancient Magicks]] on longrange or [[Chinchompas]] on Long fuse against [[Maniacal monkey]]s for more experience per hour than using melee.
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*Once completed, the [[Recipe for disaster|Recipe For Disaster]] quest gives access to the [[Culinaromancer's gloves]], which significantly boost offensive accuracy.
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*Players can complete [[Slayer]] tasks to train [[Slayer]] while simultaneously training [[combat]] stats. This also allows players to use the very powerful [[Slayer helmet]], which significantly boosts melee damage and accuracy, to more efficiently fight monsters and gain experience faster. This combined with slayer giving access to many high-profit monsters and bosses means that most high-level players seeking to make profit or max their account should train slayer instead of fighting the monsters on this list, which will mostly be high-experience but low-profit monsters.
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*When fighting dangerous monsters it is suggested to bring a [[teleportation]] [[tablet]] '''or''' if your [[magic]] level is high enough, teleportation [[runes]] in order to quickly escape. Note that a tablet can be more easily clicked from your inventory and takes up less space than runes for a teleport spell.
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==Equipment choice==
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Items will be listed in order of how much they increase general melee damage per second. In nearly all cases, optimising for offensive stats is more effective than optimising for defensive or balanced stats, especially when fighting the low-offence, high hp monsters on this list. In addition, optimising for strength is usually better than optimising for accuracy except against high-defence monsters.
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=== Head-slot items ===
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* [[Serpentine helm]]
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* [[Helm of neitiznot]]
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* [[Berserker helm]]
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* [[Obsidian helm]]
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All four of these items provide the same strength bonus of +3, so choose between them based on their other stats such as their defence or availability. Note that these strength-boosting helmets are almost always better than helmets that only provide accuracy, such as the [[Warrior helm]], for general training. Also note that when training [[Slayer]], a [[Slayer helm]] (or [[Black mask]]) will always provide the greatest damage increase over any of these.
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=== Cape-slot items in order of effectiveness ===
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# [[Infernal cape]]
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# [[Fire cape]]
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# [[Mythical cape]]
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If the player does not have access to any of these, the [[Obsidian cape]] can be used instead due to its moderate defence bonuses, however it will not increase damage.
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=== Neck-slot items in order of effectiveness ===
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# [[Amulet of torture]]
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# [[Amulet of fury]]
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# [[Amulet of glory]]
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# [[Amulet of strength]]
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# [[Amulet of power]]
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# [[Amulet of accuracy]]
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When fighting [[undead]] monsters and not using a [[Slayer helmet]], the [[Salve amulet]] and its upgraded version the [[Salve amulet (e)]] are the best neck-slot items.
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=== Torso-slot items in order of effectiveness ===
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# [[Bandos chestplate]], [[Fighter torso]] *
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# [[Obsidian platebody]]
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<nowiki>*</nowiki> Both of these items provide the same strength bonus, but the [[Bandos chestplate]] has much better defences.
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===Shield-slot items in order of effectiveness===
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# [[Avernic defender]]
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# [[Dragon defender]]
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# [[Rune defender]]
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# [[Dragonfire shield]] *
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# [[Adamant defender]]
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# [[Toktz-ket-xil]] **
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<nowiki>*</nowiki> When fighting dragons, a Dragonfire shield is the best melee offhand item due to its ability to block dragonfire while having high strength and defence bonuses. However, if dragonfire protection and high defence are not needed, defenders are better due to their accuracy bonuses.
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<nowiki>**</nowiki> As defenders require access to the [[Warriors' Guild]] and thus a combined Attack and Strength level of 130 (for example, level 65 in both), the [[Toktz-ket-xil]] should be used until that requirement is met.
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=== Legs-slot items in order of effectiveness ===
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# [[Bandos tassets]]
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# [[Obsidian platelegs]]
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=== Hands-slot items in order of effectiveness ===
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# [[Barrows gloves]]
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# [[Dragon gloves]]
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# [[Rune gloves]]
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# [[Regen bracelet]]
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# [[Adamant gloves]]
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# [[Granite gloves]]
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# [[Combat bracelet]]
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# [[Mithril gloves]]
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# All other [[Culinaromancer's gloves]]
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=== Feet-slot items in order of effectiveness ===
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# [[Primordial boots]]
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# [[Dragon boots]]
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# [[Guardian boots]], [[Granite boots]]
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# [[Rune boots]], [[Climbing boots]]
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# [[Adamant boots]]
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=== Ring-slot items in order of effectiveness ===
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# [[Berserker ring (i)]]
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# [[Berserker ring]]
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# [[Warrior ring]], [[Tyrannical ring]], [[Treasonous ring]]
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<nowiki> </nowiki>Rings should be imbued at the [[Nightmare Zone]] as soon as possible. Also note that the Warrior, Tyrannical, and Treasonous rings only benefit one attacking style each, while the Berserker ring benefits all melee combat. If the player cannot afford any of these rings, a [[Ring of wealth]] is a decent alternative to help improve [[rare drop table]] rolls and pick up [[coins]], but it does not increase damage.
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==Weapon choice==
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===Some general rules when choosing a weapon===
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* In nearly all cases, choosing a weapon with an attack speed of 6 (2.4 second interval) will be the best choice for dealing the highest damage per second. Slower weapons almost always give less experience overall, even if they do more damage per hit.
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* Monster vulnerability may cause certain weapons to perform better than their stats suggest. For example most [[Dragons]] are weak to Stab, making the otherwise weaker [[Zamorakian hasta]] a better choice than the [[Abyssal whip]] when fighting them. Check a monster's wiki page to see its defensive bonuses and consider picking a weapon it is weak to.
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===Training weapons in order of effectiveness===
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<nowiki>*</nowiki>Note: All one-handed weapons in this table will have their stats displayed as if they were paired with a [[Dragon defender]], due to two-handed weapons having the disadvantage of not being able to use one. It is much more feasible for most players to obtain a Dragon defender compared to the expensive [[Avernic defender]] which is why it is chosen for this list, however if you do have access to one use it instead.
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If you do not have access to a shield at all, such as if you do not want to risk an additional item in the [[Wilderness]] or you have not yet unlocked the requirements for any offhand equipment, certain fast two-handed weapons like the [[Saradomin sword]] become more worth using due to lacking the opportunity cost they usually incur.
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The weapons listed here with level requirements of less than 60 will not include the bonuses of a defender, as it is unlikely that someone using one of these low level weapons would have access to one due to the 130 attack+strength requirement. As noted above, players with 60 defence without access to defenders should be using the [[Toktz-ket-xil]].
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{| class="wikitable"
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|+ 
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|-
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!Weapon Name
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!Requirements
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!Primary Attack Style
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!Primarily Used to Train
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!Attack & Strength Bonus (with dragon defender, if applicable)
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!Notes
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|-
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|[[Ghrazi Rapier|Ghrazi rapier]]
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|75 [[Attack]]
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|Stab
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|All Stats
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|<nowiki>+119 </nowiki>[[Stab]]
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+95 [[Strength]]
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|This is the most effective melee training weapon for all individual skills. In addition it doesn't degrade, unlike the [[Abyssal Tentacle|Abyssal tentacle]]. However, given its extreme rarity and only slight improvement over other weapons, it is infeasible for most players to use.
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|-
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|[[Abyssal tentacle]]
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|75 [[Attack]]
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|[[Slash]]
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|[[Attack]], [[Defence]]
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|<nowiki>+114</nowiki> [[Slash]]<br />
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+92 [[Strength bonus|Strength]]
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|While it is the second-strongest weapon in the game, the tentacle's high cost per attack makes it infeasible for training.
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|-
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|[[Abyssal whip]]
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|70 [[Attack]]
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|[[Slash]]
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|[[Attack]], [[Defence]],
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All stats on [[Controlled]]
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|<nowiki>+106</nowiki> [[Slash]]<br />
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+82 [[Strength bonus|Strength]]
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|This is the most common training weapon, especially considering its affordability. The whip is the second-strongest non-degradable attack and defence training weapon in the game. Using this weapon on [[Controlled]] is a very efficient way to reach 99 [[Attack]], [[Strength]], and [[Defence]].
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|-
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|[[Saradomin's blessed sword]]
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|75 [[Attack]]
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|[[Slash]]
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|[[Strength]]
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|<nowiki>+100</nowiki> [[Slash]]<br />
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+88 [[Strength bonus|Strength]]
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|Similar to the [[Abyssal tentacle]], the high cost of attacking with the Blessed variant of the [[Saradomin sword]] makes it infeasible for training. However, it is the second-best strength training weapon in the game should you choose to use it anyway.
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|-
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|[[Abyssal bludgeon]]
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|70 [[Attack]]<br />
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70 [[Strength]]
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|[[Crush]]
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|[[Strength]]
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|<nowiki>+102</nowiki> [[Crush]]<br />
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+85 [[Strength]]
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|This is the second-best non-degradable strength training weapon. It is very useful when fighting a monster with a vulnerability to Crush weapons, such as [[Revenants]] and [[Vet'ion]]. However, its fairly high cost and only slight upgrade over more affordable weapons make it less popular than them.
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|-
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|[[Zamorakian hasta]]
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|70 [[Attack]]<br />
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[[Barbarian training]]
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|[[Stab]]
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|
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[[Defence]]
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All stats on [[Controlled]]
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|<nowiki>+110</nowiki> [[Stab]]<br />
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+81 [[Strength]]
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|This weapon is not generally chosen for everyday training due to only being able to train on controlled or defence. It is both weaker and more expensive than the [[Abyssal whip]]. It is primarily used against monsters with a weakness to Stab, such as all types of [[dragons]]. It also has a decent Crush bonus, so it can be used as an alternative to the Abyssal bludgeon for fighting Crush-weak enemies like [[Kalphites]] and [[Vet'ion]].
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|-
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|[[Abyssal dagger]]
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|70 [[Attack]]
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|[[Stab]]
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|[[Strength]]
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|<nowiki>+100 </nowiki>[[Stab]]<br />
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+81 [[Strength]]
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|The second-best one-handed Strength training weapon, making it the fourth-best overall strength weapon behind much more expensive alternatives. It should not be used for attack training unless a Stab weapon is needed.
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|-
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|[[Staff of the dead]]
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|75 [[Attack]]<br />
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75 [[Magic]]
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|[[Slash]]
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|[[Strength]]
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|<nowiki>+94</nowiki> [[Slash]]<br />
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+78 [[Strength]]
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|The third-best one-handed Strength training weapon, and the best one that uses slash. It is more accurate with a defender than the next-best strength training weapon, the [[Saradomin sword]], but has lower strength. This makes the staff better against high-defence monsters, but it is much less affordable. Also it is strictly worse than the similarly-valuable [[Abyssal dagger]], which should usually be used instead unless slash is needed.
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|-
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|[[Saradomin sword]]
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|70 [[Attack]]
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|[[Slash]]
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|[[Strength]]
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|<nowiki>+82 </nowiki>[[Slash]]<br />
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+82 [[Strength]]
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|The Saradomin sword is a much more affordable Strength training weapon than anything above it on this list. Against lower defence monsters such as [[Yaks]], the Saradomin sword will on average do higher damage per second than the [[Staff of the dead]] due to its higher strength. However, this sword's lack of a shield and the staff's magic capabilities and melee accuracy make the staff usually more desirable if you can afford it.
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|-
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|[[Dragon scimitar]]
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|60 [[Attack]]<br />
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[[Monkey Madness I]]
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|[[Slash]]
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|All Stats
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|<nowiki>+91</nowiki> [[Slash]]<br />
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+72 [[Strength]]
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|This is the best training weapon for all attack styles at level 60. In addition, the Dragon scimitar is a '''''much''''' cheaper alternative to all of the weapons listed above, making it very popular even among some high level players. For attack and defence training, it should be replaced with the [[Abyssal whip]] as soon as one can afford and equip it.
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|-
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|[[Dragon sword]]
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|60 [[Attack]]
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|[[Stab weapons|Stab]]
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|All Stats
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|<nowiki>+90</nowiki> [[Stab]]<br />+69 [[Strength]]
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|This is comparable to the [[Dragon scimitar]] in stats, but without the quest requirement of [[Monkey Madness I]]. It is significantly more expensive than other comparable weapons, so it should only be used over the Dragon scimitar if its stab bonus is needed and/or the player cannot complete Monkey Madness I.
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|-
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|[[Dragon longsword]]
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|60 [[Attack]]<br />
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[[Lost City]]
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|[[Slash]]
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|All Stats
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|<nowiki>+93 </nowiki>[[Slash]]
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+77 [[Strength]]<br />
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<nowiki>*</nowiki>5 [[Attack speed|ATS]]*
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|A viable alternate training weapon before being able to use the [[Dragon scimitar]]. It should be noted that the [[Dragon longsword]] attacks 1 game tick slower than the Dragon scimitar, making it a worse training weapon.
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|-
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|[[Leaf-bladed sword]]
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|50 [[Attack]]<br />
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55 [[Slayer]]
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|[[Stab]]
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|All Stats
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|<nowiki>+67 </nowiki>[[Stab]]<br />+50 [[Strength]](no defender)
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|This is the best melee training weapon at 50 attack, but it has a high 55 slayer requirement that most low-level players will not have. Use this sword if you have the slayer level but not 60 attack.
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|-
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|[[Granite hammer]]
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|50 [[Attack]]
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50 [[Strength]]
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|[[Crush]]
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|All Stats
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|<nowiki>+57 </nowiki>[[Crush]]+56 [[Strength]]
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(no defender)
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|This is the best melee training weapon at 50 Attack and Strength without a slayer requirement. However, it is significantly more expensive than other weapons at this level.
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|-
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|[[Granite longsword]]
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|50 [[Attack]]<br />
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50 [[Strength]]
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|[[Slash]]
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|All Stats
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|<nowiki>+65</nowiki> [[Slash]]<br />+62 [[Strength]](no defender)
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<nowiki>*</nowiki>5 [[Attack speed|ATS]]*
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|This weapon is a good option at level 50 attack and strength, but attacks slower than the [[Granite hammer]], making it worse overall. Use it if you can't afford a Granite hammer.
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|-
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|[[Brine sabre]]
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|40 [[Attack]]
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|[[Slash]]
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|All Stats
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|<nowiki>+47</nowiki> [[Slash]]<br />
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+46 [[Strength]] (no defender)
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|A more expensive alternative to the [[Rune scimitar]], the [[Brine sabre]] boasts 2 additional slash and strength bonus, while also possessing a special attack. This makes it a popular training weapon for those who have the money.
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|-
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|[[Rune scimitar]]
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|[[Attack|40 Attack]]
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|Lunge
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|All Stats
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|<nowiki>+45</nowiki> [[Slash]]<br />
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+44 [[Strength]] (no defender)
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|The prototypical ''RuneScape'' weapon. This is your best bet for a cheap and effective training weapon at this level.
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|-
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|Other [[Scimitars]]
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|< 40 [[Attack]]
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|Lunge
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|All Stats
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|Varies
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|Before reaching 40 attack, it is recommended to train with the highest level [[scimitar]] that is available at your attack level.
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|}
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== Other equipment options ==
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=== Obsidian equipment + Berserker necklace ===
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Wearing the [[Obsidian platebody]], [[Obsidian platelegs]], and the [[Obsidian helmet]] gives a 10% damage and accuracy bonus to melee [[Obsidian weapons]]. Wearing the [[Berserker necklace]] also gives another 20% damage and accuracy bonus to Obsidian weapons. Combining all four of these items with the [[Toktz-xil-ak]] (Obsidian sword) can actually give faster experience rates than anything in the table above against low-defence monsters, such as those in the [[Nightmare Zone]]. However, the set has below-average defence and does not allow the use of a [[Slayer helmet]]. If the player cannot use all five items, they should not be using the [[Toktz-xil-ak]].
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=== Void knight equipment ===
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Wearing the [[Void melee helm]] with the full [[Void Knight equipment]] set gives a 10% melee damage and accuracy bonus. This bonus accuracy makes it good against certain high-defence monsters like the [[Corporeal Beast]]. It is a good alternative for players with 42 combat stats who do not have access to high-strength gear. However, this set gives less strength than other melee equipment and has significantly lower melee and ranged defence, making it usually worse for training than high strength gear.
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=== Dharok the Wretched's equipment ===
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Wearing a full set of [[Dharok the Wretched's equipment]] gives the set effect of increasing the player's damage the lower their remaining hitpoints are. Using a [[Dwarven rock cake]] or [[Locator orb]] the player can intentionally keep their health at 1 hp while using [[Protection prayers]] to block all forms of damage. If the player has a source of prayer or damage block, such as by using [[Prayer potions]], [[Absorption]]s (Nightmare zone only), or an altar, the player can safely use the set's effect to deal very high amounts of damage and gain fast experience. However, the set degrades after 4 hours of use and must be repaired in order to keep its stats.
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=== Guthan the Infested's equipment ===
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Wearing a full set of [[Guthan the Infested's equipment]] gives the set effect of a 25% chance to heal the player by the damage dealt. This set deals much less damage than other options on the list, but it allows players to train for long periods of time without banking to heal. Players can bring the four pieces in their inventory, train on their normal high-strength equipment, and switch to the Guthan's equipment only when their health gets low. Popular monsters for this tactic are [[Gargoyles]], [[Nechryaels]], and [[Bandit (Kharidian Desert)|Bandits]]. However, the set degrades after 4 hours of use and must be repaired in order to keep its stats.
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==Suggested training methods for best experience==
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'''Levels 1 to 30'''
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Completing the [[Waterfall Quest]] at level 1 attack and strength will instantly bring the player to level 30 in each. This quest has no requirements, making it the fastest way to train a brand new account to these levels, skipping much of the slow low-level training. However, there are several aggressive and hard-hitting monsters during the quest, so players may want to train some [[Defence]] and [[Hitpoints]] levels in order to make the quest safer. See the [[Waterfall Quest]] guide for more information on how to complete this quest.
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===Levels 1 to 10===
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{{Melee training monster
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|name = [[Chicken]]
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|locations = North-east of [[Lumbridge]] just east of [[River Lum]], south of [[River Lum]] in [[Farmer Fred]]'s chicken coop
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|combat = 1
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|hitpoints = 3
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|requirements = None
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|recommendations =
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|advantages = * No food required
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* Feathers are dropped in groups of 5-15 and are stackable, and can be sold for some profit
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* Bones will drop frequently, allowing the player to train their prayer as well
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|disadvantages = * Only 3 HP (12xp) per kill
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* Non-aggressive
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}}
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===Levels 10 to 60===
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{{Melee training monster
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|name = [[Ammonite Crab]]
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|locations = [[Fossil island]]
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|combat = 25
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|hitpoints = 100
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|requirements = [[Bone voyage]]
  +
|recommendations = Armour and food for low levels. [[Digsite pendant]]. Build the bank chest on Fossil island to get access to a nearby bank
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|advantages = * The best monster for training at low and medium combat levels
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* Very, very high health targets with low [[Defence]] and [[Attack]] ability, meaning you won't need much food if any
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* High in number, easy to group and kill in groups
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* Automatic aggro, meaning there are Many AFK spots
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|disadvantages = * Often crowded
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* Stops aggro after about 10 min, must be reset by walking about one screen away
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}}
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{{Melee training monster
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|name = [[Sand Crab]]
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|locations = Beach south of the [[Hosidius house]] in [[Great Kourend]], [[Crabclaw Isle]], [[Crabclaw caves]]
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|combat = 15
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|hitpoints = 60
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|requirements = 10,000 coins to enter [[Crabclaw Isle]], or have started [[The Depths of Despair]] to enter the [[Crabclaw Caves]]. There are also spots with no requirements.
  +
|recommendations = Armour and food for low levels. If you are farming on the beach south of the Hosidius House there is a bank chest nearby so inventory space is not a concern.
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|advantages = * Very, very high health targets with low [[Defence]] and [[Attack]] ability
  +
* High in number, easy to group and kill in groups
  +
* Automatic aggro, meaning there are Many AFK spots
  +
|disadvantages = * Often crowded
  +
* Stops aggro after about 10 min, must be reset by walking about one screen away
  +
}}
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{{Melee training monster
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|name = [[Rock Crab]]
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|locations = North of [[Rellekka]], [[Waterbirth Island]]
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|combat = 13
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|hitpoints = 50
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|requirements = To access [[Waterbirth Island]], you must have started [[The Fremennik Trials]] quest. If you haven't finished the quest, it will cost 1,000 coins to travel there. There are also spots with no requirements.
  +
|recommendations = Armour and food for low levels. [[Camelot teleport]] tabs or runes will bring you somewhat close.
  +
|advantages = * Very, very high health targets with low Defence and Attack ability
  +
* High in number, easy to group and kill in groups
  +
|disadvantages = * Often crowded
  +
* Stops aggro after 10-15 min}}
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===Levels 60 to 99===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Nightmare Zone]]
  +
|combat = Varies
  +
|hitpoints = Varies
  +
|requirements = at least 5 quests that Nightmare Zone supports
  +
|recommendations = Please refer to the Nightmare Zone wiki page for more info.
  +
|advantages =
  +
*Monsters are extremely weak to melee, leading to the fastest exp in the game for high level players
  +
*Use of overloads, gained from NMZ points reduces need for super combat potions.
  +
*Use of absorption potions, gained from NMZ points reduces need for prayer potions
  +
*Points gained can be used for imbues which upgrade equipment.
  +
*Can also purchase [[Herb boxes]] for some profit if done correctly.
  +
*No competition from other players; Nightmare Zone is instanced and deaths are safe - you will not lose any items upon death/leaving apart from dropped items in the arena.
  +
|disadvantages=
  +
*Requires a coin fee in order to start, and some quests in order to utilise.
  +
*Players may need super combat and prayer potions for the first few games as they have no points
  +
*No drops other than spending points
  +
|locations = North of [[Yanille]], northwest of the bank.
  +
}}
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{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Slayer]]
  +
|combat = Varies
  +
|hitpoints = Varies
  +
|requirements = None
  +
|recommendations = 85 combat to use [[Nieve]], Slayer helm, Various teleports and quests
  +
|advantages =
  +
*The damage and accuracy bonuses of the [[Slayer helm]] often make killing your slayer task great melee xp
  +
*Trains the slayer skill at the same time, letting you work towards the profitable slayer monsters and bosses
  +
*Many slayer monsters have good drops
  +
*Accumulates [[Slayer points]] which allow you to unlock items and block tasks you don't like
  +
|disadvantages=
  +
*Some slayer tasks do not give good xp/hr. If the player has not accumulated enough points to block those tasks yet they may be stuck training slowly for a while
  +
*Efficiently training slayer has many requirements, including completing most of the game's quests to unlock teleports and blocking bad tasks
  +
*Some slayer tasks cannot be killed with melee
  +
*Many slayer spots can often be crowded
  +
|locations = Varies
  +
}}
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  +
==Suggested training methods for experience and profit hybrid==
  +
It is not recommended to train melee for profit at low levels. It is usually better to train with [[Ammonite Crab|crabs]], [[Slayer]], or the [[Nightmare Zone]] and do something else to make money for overall more efficient play. For example, killing [[Hobgoblins]] for two hours will give both less money and less experience than spinning flax for one hour and training on crabs for one hour. Low-level players looking to make money for early gear should check out the [[Money-making guide]].
  +
  +
Here are some easy options for training melee if you do want to kill monsters for profit and still get decent experience rates.
  +
  +
===Levels 1 to 10===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Chicken]]
  +
|locations = North-east of [[Lumbridge]] just east of [[River Lum]], south of [[River Lum]] in [[Farmer Fred]]'s chicken coop
  +
|combat = 1
  +
|hitpoints = 3
  +
|requirements = None
  +
|recommendations =
  +
|advantages = * No food required
  +
* Feathers are dropped in groups of 5-15 and are stackable, and can be sold for some profit
  +
* Bones will drop frequently, allowing the player to train their prayer as well
  +
|disadvantages = * Only 3 HP (12xp) per kill
  +
* Non-aggressive
  +
}}
  +
  +
===Levels 10 to 20===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Men]] and [[Women]]
  +
|locations = Varies, including [[Lumbridge]]
  +
|combat = 2
  +
|hitpoints = 7
  +
|requirements = None
  +
|recommendations = Your best weapon and armour. Food if you try this from level 3.
  +
|advantages = * Very common and weak NPC
  +
* Most of the profit will come from herbs, including the valuable [[Ranarr weed]]
  +
* Often close to banks
  +
* Decent amount of hp so you don't have to switch targets as often as you do when fighting chickens
  +
|disadvantages = * If you are unlucky and do not get many herbs you won't make much money
  +
* Not aggressive
  +
* Often not grouped close together
  +
}}
  +
  +
===Levels 20 to 30===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Al-Kharid warrior]]
  +
|locations = [[Al Kharid Palace]]
  +
|combat = 9
  +
|hitpoints = 19
  +
|requirements = None
  +
|recommendations = Decent but cheap food like [[trout]] or [[salmon]]. Alternatively, you can buy [[kebab]]s for 1 gp each in Al Kharid. Also bring your best armour and weapons, because they can deal some damage.
  +
|advantages = * Lots of warriors to fight
  +
* [[Aggressive]] if one warrior is attacked — all nearby others will come and fight. This makes it easy to always be fighting something
  +
* Bank is very, very close by
  +
* They frequently drop valuable [[herbs]]
  +
|disadvantages = * Often crowded
  +
* Reliant on herb drops for profit
  +
}}
  +
  +
===Levels 30 to 60===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Chaos druid]]
  +
|locations = [[Edgeville Dungeon]], [[Chaos Druid Tower]]
  +
|combat = 13
  +
|hitpoints = 20
  +
|requirements = Decent combat, 46 thieving if fighting in [[Chaos Druid Tower]]
  +
|recommendations = Food. Your best weapon and armour if fighting outside of the [[Wilderness]]. Only three valuable items and a [[Looting bag]] if fighting in [[Edgeville dungeon]].
  +
|advantages = *Great profit for a low level monster, drops valuable herbs, runes, and [[Mithril bolts]]
  +
*Not far from a bank and teleport if using an [[Amulet of glory]] or [[Ardougne teleport]]
  +
*Aggressive
  +
|disadvantages = *Easiest spot to reach is in low-level Wilderness, where players may be attacked by other players or may accidentally attack another player, [[Skulling]] themselves.
  +
*Non-wilderness locations are far from a bank or require decent thieving
  +
*They deal decent damage to low level players
  +
*Sometimes crowded
  +
}}
  +
===Levels 40 to 60===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Moss giant]]
  +
|locations = [[Catacombs of Kourend]]
  +
|combat = 42
  +
|hitpoints = 60
  +
|requirements = Mid-level combat
  +
|recommendations = Food, armour, [[High alchemy]] runes, [[Teleport to house]] tablets for using another player's house to teleport to [[Kourend]] to reach the Catacombs, [[Ring of dueling]] for banking
  +
|advantages = *Fairly high HP for level
  +
*Decent herb, seed, and alchable drops
  +
*Chance of dropping a [[Mossy key]], which allows the player to fight [[Bryophyta]], who also has good drops and a chance of dropping the valuable [[Bryophyta's staff]]
  +
*Chance of dropping pieces of the [[Dark totem]], which allows the player to fight [[Skotizo]] once they are a higher level
  +
*Always drops [[Big bones]] which can be sold for guaranteed profit or used for Prayer experience while training
  +
|disadvantages = *It can be hard to reach the [[Catacombs of Kourend]] for low-level players. Regular players should use the Kourend portal in the [[Player-owned house]] of another player on world 330.
  +
*Hits hard if you have low defence or armour
  +
*Without [[Mossy key]] or valuable seed drops, they are usually not worth the time and food it takes to kill
  +
}}
  +
  +
===Levels 60 to 70===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Wilderness Slayer]]
  +
|combat = Varies
  +
|hitpoints = Varies
  +
|requirements = None
  +
|recommendations = Slayer helm, Dragon defender, Many [[Quest points]] to block bad tasks, food, [[Burning amulet]], [[Amulet of glory]], high ranged for [[Dragonhide]] armour
  +
|advantages =
  +
*The damage and accuracy bonuses of the [[Slayer helm]] often make killing your slayer task great melee xp
  +
*Trains the slayer skill at the same time, letting you work towards the profitable slayer monsters and bosses
  +
*Many slayer monsters have good drops
  +
*Accumulates [[Slayer points]] much quicker than normal slayer. You can save up a lot of these very quickly before starting normal slayer later on.
  +
*Far fewer requirements than normal slayer. Not many quests help navigate the wilderness.
  +
*All monsters killed on Wilderness Slayer assignments have a chance of dropping a valuable [[Mysterious emblem]]. Players with average luck can expect to get about one per task.
  +
|disadvantages=
  +
*Some slayer tasks do not give good xp/hr. If the player has not accumulated enough points to block those tasks yet they may be stuck training slowly for a while
  +
*The player is constantly in danger of being killed by another player, especially in greater than level 30 Wilderness. It is highly recommended to set player attack options to "Hidden" so they don't accidentally [[Skull]]
  +
*The player cannot bring their most expensive gear. Only ever bring three valuable items in the wilderness: a weapon, a [[Dragon defender]], and the [[Slayer helm]].
  +
*The player should use cheap items like [[Climbing boots]], [[Dragonhide armour]], and the [[Amulet of glory]]
  +
*Some common slayer tasks cannot be killed with melee, such as [[Lava dragon]]s
  +
|locations = [[Wilderness]]
  +
}}
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Green dragon]]
  +
|locations = [[Wilderness]] in various locations
  +
|combat = 79
  +
|hitpoints = 75
  +
|requirements = [[Dragonfire]] protection, good weapons, food, and armour
  +
|recommendations = Food. Only three valuable items and a [[Looting bag]]. A teleport to bank, such as a [[Ring of dueling]]. A [[Games necklace]] to teleport to [[Corporeal Beast]]
  +
|advantages = *Every kill is guaranteed to drop a [[Green dragonhide]] and [[Dragon bones]] which make up most of the profit
  +
*Also drops [[Ensouled dragon head]] and [[Nature runes]]
  +
*Aggressive
  +
|disadvantages = *Green dragons are only easily reached in medium-level Wilderness, where players may be attacked by other players or may accidentally attack another player, [[Skulling]] themselves.
  +
*Dragonfire protection, such as from an [[Anti-dragon shield]], is required to fight them.
  +
*No good rare drops
  +
*They can deal heavy damage, so a lot of food is required
  +
*Often crowded with both other Green dragon farmers and [[player-killers]]
  +
}}
  +
  +
===Levels 70 to 99===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Slayer]]
  +
|combat = Varies
  +
|hitpoints = Varies
  +
|requirements = None
  +
|recommendations = 85 combat to use [[Nieve]], Slayer helm, Various teleports and quests
  +
|advantages =
  +
*The damage and accuracy bonuses of the [[Slayer helm]] often make killing your slayer task great melee xp
  +
*Trains the slayer skill at the same time, letting you work towards the profitable slayer monsters and bosses
  +
*Many slayer monsters have good drops
  +
*Accumulates [[Slayer points]] which allow you to unlock items and block tasks you don't like
  +
|disadvantages=
  +
*Some slayer tasks do not give good xp/hr. If the player has not accumulated enough points to block those tasks yet they may be stuck training slowly for a while
  +
*Efficiently training slayer has many requirements, including completing most of the game's quests to unlock teleports and blocking bad tasks
  +
*Some slayer tasks cannot be killed with melee
  +
*Many slayer spots can often be crowded
  +
|locations = Varies
  +
}}
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Gargoyle]]
  +
|locations = [[Slayer tower]]
  +
|combat = 111
  +
|hitpoints = 105
  +
|requirements = 75 [[Slayer]], [[Rock hammer]], [[Priest in peril]]
  +
|recommendations = [[Guthan the Infested's equipment]], a [[Kharyll teleport]] portal, access to [[Fairy rings]] or a [[Slayer ring]]. Your best armour and weapons. [[High level alchemy]] runes. Gargoyle smasher slayer perk.
  +
|advantages = *Consistently drops valuable items like Rune armour and noted bars
  +
*Below-average offensive capabilities for their level. Players with high defence can easily sustain their health with Guthan's equipment, a [[Saradomin godsword]], or food
  +
*Most of its drops are noted or are alchable, meaning the player can stay indefinitely without needing to bank
  +
*Aggressive
  +
*Easy to kill without paying attention with the Gargoyle smasher slayer perk
  +
|disadvantages = *Above-average defence for their level, will give less xp/hr than other options
  +
*75 slayer requirement
  +
*No rare valuable drops, just consistently good drops
  +
*Far from a bank
  +
*They can deal heavy damage to low-level players
  +
*Often crowded
  +
}}
  +
  +
===Levels 80 to 99===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Revenant]]
  +
|locations = [[Revenant caves]]
  +
|combat = Varies
  +
|hitpoints = Varies
  +
|requirements = A charged [[Bracelet of ethereum]]
  +
|recommendations = [[Salve amulet (e)]], A good crush weapon, a [[Royal seed pod]] or a charged [[Ring of wealth]] for escaping
  +
|advantages = *Revenants have one of the most generous drop tables in the game, with valuable rare items and consistently good drops
  +
*As long as the player has a charged [[Bracelet of ethereum]], Revenants cannot deal damage
  +
*Players only need to get a few drops for a trip to be worth doing, meaning the occasional death isn't much of a setback
  +
*Other than being a high level, there are very few requirements
  +
|disadvantages = *Highly crowded with other players who will either steal your monsters or kill you, especially if you are a low level
  +
*The whole area is multicombat, meaning a group can single you out and kill you without any chance of you escaping
  +
*The [[Bracelet of ethereum]] and [[Revenant ether]] you have equipped are never kept on death, meaning you will always be risking them
  +
*The chat announces if you get a good drop, making you an immediate target for other players
  +
*Players cannot teleport out except in the south-most part of the Revenant section of the caves
  +
*The frequent time spent banking and dying will prevent the player from getting good melee xp
  +
}}
  +
  +
===Levels 90 to 99===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Rune dragon]]
  +
|locations = [[Lithkren Vault]]
  +
|combat = 380
  +
|hitpoints = 330
  +
|requirements = [[Dragon Slayer II]]
  +
|recommendations = High combat including prayer, [[Dragonfire shield]], a [[Zamorakian hasta]] or [[Abyssal dagger]], [[Insulated boots]], [[Digsite pendant]], armour with high defences, [[Super combat potion]]s, food
  +
|advantages = *Rune dragons are the most profitable non-boss monster a high level player can kill for profit with melee while not paying too much attention
  +
*Drops a [[Runite bar]] and [[Dragon bones]] on every kill, as well as frequently dropping valuable rune and dragon equipment
  +
*Has a chance of dropping several valuable rare items including the [[Dragon limbs]]
  +
*Is close to the [[Digsite pendant]] [[Lithkren]] teleport
  +
*Not too crowded
  +
|disadvantages = *Requires very expensive gear and completion of [[Dragon Slayer II]]
  +
*The dragons deal heavy damage even with max stats and the best items in the game. Players must keep their health above 60 to avoid dying to a ranged attack and melee attack combo
  +
*Rune dragons can heal themselves with their unblockable special attack. If the player is unlucky or weak the dragons will heal faster than they can be killed
  +
*The player must frequently bank to get lots of high-level food and potions to fight the dragons effectively.
  +
*Their high defence yields below average xp rates
  +
*At this point in their account, players should have access to better money makers such as [[Vorkath]] and [[Zulrah]]
  +
}}
  +
  +
==Alternative training methods for good experience==
  +
You may use these if the above methods are too crowded or otherwise not available. However, they are not as good as the other methods.
  +
  +
===Levels 60 to 99===
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Yak]]
  +
|locations = [[Neitiznot]]
  +
|combat = 22
  +
|hitpoints = 50
  +
|requirements = Started [[The Fremennik Isles]], requires completing [[The Fremennik Trials]]
  +
|recommendations = Best strength gear
  +
|advantages = *High xp/hr
  +
*Not crowded
  +
*Bank is very close
  +
*No food required
  +
*Could collect hides for Crafting xp, not recommended though
  +
|disadvantages =
  +
*No good drops
  +
*Not automatically aggressive
  +
}}
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = [[Monkey Guard]]s
  +
|locations = [[Marim]]
  +
|combat = 167
  +
|hitpoints = 130
  +
|requirements = Started [[Monkey Madness I]]
  +
|recommendations = [[Dharok's set]]
  +
|advantages =
  +
*Seldomly used, so not many players visit apart from the occasional player completing Monkey Madness I.
  +
*Guards are continually aggressive as long as a monkey greegree is not worn.
  +
*Nearby altar allows for infinite prayer points.
  +
|disadvantages =
  +
*No drops
  +
*Antipoison is required as there are poisonous level 1 spiders, which share the same aggression mechanic as the monkeys and gorillas of Ape Atoll.
  +
*Teleport is needed if you need to quickly leave the area if not near a staircase/ladder.
  +
}}
  +
{{Melee training monster
  +
|name = Pest Control
  +
|locations = [[Void Knights' Outpost]]
  +
|combat = Varies
  +
|hitpoints = Varies
  +
|requirements = Combat level depending on the boat, at least 5 players to start the game
  +
|recommendations = 25 players to start game quickly, best strength gear/Dharok's set, special attack weapon|advantages = *Prayer, health, and [[run energy]] fully restores at the end of each game
  +
*Portals have very high health and can regenerate health providing high amounts of XP
  +
*Points gained can be used to purchase [[Void Knight equipment]] or XP in certain combat skills and other rewards
  +
*Successfully completing each gains yields a small amount of gp (10 times the amount of the player's combat level)|disadvantages = *Waiting for a game to start can be long if not many players are playing (usually depends on the time of day)
  +
*Sometimes games can fail if players allow the Void Knight to die yielding no points and gp
  +
*Not AFK because players have to constantly focus on the screen to attack other monsters and portals after the one they are currently fighting has died, also games end very quickly (from 2 minutes to 10 depending on party size and skill) requiring the player to re-enter the boat and wait for the game to start again
  +
}}
  +
{{Training guides}}

Revision as of 12:22, 3 March 2019

This article is about the pay-to-play guide. For the free players' guide, see Free-to-play melee training.

This article provides information about effective ways to train Attack, Strength, Defence, and Hitpoints through melee combat.

This guide is organised into sections based on skill levels. For example, if the section header is Levels 20 to 30, you should begin training at the area with an Attack and Strength level of at least 20. Defence is also preferred to be at that level, but is not always required. The solution to lower Defence is to bring more food, or use food that heals more.

General training notes

  • The Waterfall Quest will give you both 30 Attack and Strength if completed at level 3 combat.
  • Strength can be trained without training hitpoints with barbarian fishing.
  • Defence can be trained by using Ancient Magicks on longrange or Chinchompas on Long fuse against Maniacal monkeys for more experience per hour than using melee.
  • Once completed, the Recipe For Disaster quest gives access to the Culinaromancer's gloves, which significantly boost offensive accuracy.
  • Players can complete Slayer tasks to train Slayer while simultaneously training combat stats. This also allows players to use the very powerful Slayer helmet, which significantly boosts melee damage and accuracy, to more efficiently fight monsters and gain experience faster. This combined with slayer giving access to many high-profit monsters and bosses means that most high-level players seeking to make profit or max their account should train slayer instead of fighting the monsters on this list, which will mostly be high-experience but low-profit monsters.
  • When fighting dangerous monsters it is suggested to bring a teleportation tablet or if your magic level is high enough, teleportation runes in order to quickly escape. Note that a tablet can be more easily clicked from your inventory and takes up less space than runes for a teleport spell.

Equipment choice

Items will be listed in order of how much they increase general melee damage per second. In nearly all cases, optimising for offensive stats is more effective than optimising for defensive or balanced stats, especially when fighting the low-offence, high hp monsters on this list. In addition, optimising for strength is usually better than optimising for accuracy except against high-defence monsters.

Head-slot items

All four of these items provide the same strength bonus of +3, so choose between them based on their other stats such as their defence or availability. Note that these strength-boosting helmets are almost always better than helmets that only provide accuracy, such as the Warrior helm, for general training. Also note that when training Slayer, a Slayer helm (or Black mask) will always provide the greatest damage increase over any of these.

Cape-slot items in order of effectiveness

  1. Infernal cape
  2. Fire cape
  3. Mythical cape

If the player does not have access to any of these, the Obsidian cape can be used instead due to its moderate defence bonuses, however it will not increase damage.

Neck-slot items in order of effectiveness

  1. Amulet of torture
  2. Amulet of fury
  3. Amulet of glory
  4. Amulet of strength
  5. Amulet of power
  6. Amulet of accuracy

When fighting undead monsters and not using a Slayer helmet, the Salve amulet and its upgraded version the Salve amulet (e) are the best neck-slot items.

Torso-slot items in order of effectiveness

  1. Bandos chestplate, Fighter torso *
  2. Obsidian platebody

* Both of these items provide the same strength bonus, but the Bandos chestplate has much better defences.

Shield-slot items in order of effectiveness

  1. Avernic defender
  2. Dragon defender
  3. Rune defender
  4. Dragonfire shield *
  5. Adamant defender
  6. Toktz-ket-xil **

* When fighting dragons, a Dragonfire shield is the best melee offhand item due to its ability to block dragonfire while having high strength and defence bonuses. However, if dragonfire protection and high defence are not needed, defenders are better due to their accuracy bonuses.

** As defenders require access to the Warriors' Guild and thus a combined Attack and Strength level of 130 (for example, level 65 in both), the Toktz-ket-xil should be used until that requirement is met.

Legs-slot items in order of effectiveness

  1. Bandos tassets
  2. Obsidian platelegs

Hands-slot items in order of effectiveness

  1. Barrows gloves
  2. Dragon gloves
  3. Rune gloves
  4. Regen bracelet
  5. Adamant gloves
  6. Granite gloves
  7. Combat bracelet
  8. Mithril gloves
  9. All other Culinaromancer's gloves

Feet-slot items in order of effectiveness

  1. Primordial boots
  2. Dragon boots
  3. Guardian boots, Granite boots
  4. Rune boots, Climbing boots
  5. Adamant boots

Ring-slot items in order of effectiveness

  1. Berserker ring (i)
  2. Berserker ring
  3. Warrior ring, Tyrannical ring, Treasonous ring

Rings should be imbued at the Nightmare Zone as soon as possible. Also note that the Warrior, Tyrannical, and Treasonous rings only benefit one attacking style each, while the Berserker ring benefits all melee combat. If the player cannot afford any of these rings, a Ring of wealth is a decent alternative to help improve rare drop table rolls and pick up coins, but it does not increase damage.

Weapon choice

Some general rules when choosing a weapon

  • In nearly all cases, choosing a weapon with an attack speed of 6 (2.4 second interval) will be the best choice for dealing the highest damage per second. Slower weapons almost always give less experience overall, even if they do more damage per hit.
  • Monster vulnerability may cause certain weapons to perform better than their stats suggest. For example most Dragons are weak to Stab, making the otherwise weaker Zamorakian hasta a better choice than the Abyssal whip when fighting them. Check a monster's wiki page to see its defensive bonuses and consider picking a weapon it is weak to.

Training weapons in order of effectiveness

*Note: All one-handed weapons in this table will have their stats displayed as if they were paired with a Dragon defender, due to two-handed weapons having the disadvantage of not being able to use one. It is much more feasible for most players to obtain a Dragon defender compared to the expensive Avernic defender which is why it is chosen for this list, however if you do have access to one use it instead.

If you do not have access to a shield at all, such as if you do not want to risk an additional item in the Wilderness or you have not yet unlocked the requirements for any offhand equipment, certain fast two-handed weapons like the Saradomin sword become more worth using due to lacking the opportunity cost they usually incur.

The weapons listed here with level requirements of less than 60 will not include the bonuses of a defender, as it is unlikely that someone using one of these low level weapons would have access to one due to the 130 attack+strength requirement. As noted above, players with 60 defence without access to defenders should be using the Toktz-ket-xil.

 
Weapon Name Requirements Primary Attack Style Primarily Used to Train Attack & Strength Bonus (with dragon defender, if applicable) Notes
Ghrazi rapier 75 Attack Stab All Stats +119 Stab

+95 Strength

This is the most effective melee training weapon for all individual skills. In addition it doesn't degrade, unlike the Abyssal tentacle. However, given its extreme rarity and only slight improvement over other weapons, it is infeasible for most players to use.
Abyssal tentacle 75 Attack Slash Attack, Defence +114 Slash

+92 Strength

While it is the second-strongest weapon in the game, the tentacle's high cost per attack makes it infeasible for training.
Abyssal whip 70 Attack Slash Attack, Defence,

All stats on Controlled

+106 Slash

+82 Strength

This is the most common training weapon, especially considering its affordability. The whip is the second-strongest non-degradable attack and defence training weapon in the game. Using this weapon on Controlled is a very efficient way to reach 99 Attack, Strength, and Defence.
Saradomin's blessed sword 75 Attack Slash Strength +100 Slash

+88 Strength

Similar to the Abyssal tentacle, the high cost of attacking with the Blessed variant of the Saradomin sword makes it infeasible for training. However, it is the second-best strength training weapon in the game should you choose to use it anyway.
Abyssal bludgeon 70 Attack

70 Strength

Crush Strength +102 Crush

+85 Strength

This is the second-best non-degradable strength training weapon. It is very useful when fighting a monster with a vulnerability to Crush weapons, such as Revenants and Vet'ion. However, its fairly high cost and only slight upgrade over more affordable weapons make it less popular than them.
Zamorakian hasta 70 Attack

Barbarian training

Stab

Defence

All stats on Controlled

+110 Stab

+81 Strength

This weapon is not generally chosen for everyday training due to only being able to train on controlled or defence. It is both weaker and more expensive than the Abyssal whip. It is primarily used against monsters with a weakness to Stab, such as all types of dragons. It also has a decent Crush bonus, so it can be used as an alternative to the Abyssal bludgeon for fighting Crush-weak enemies like Kalphites and Vet'ion.
Abyssal dagger 70 Attack Stab Strength +100 Stab

+81 Strength

The second-best one-handed Strength training weapon, making it the fourth-best overall strength weapon behind much more expensive alternatives. It should not be used for attack training unless a Stab weapon is needed.
Staff of the dead 75 Attack

75 Magic

Slash Strength +94 Slash

+78 Strength

The third-best one-handed Strength training weapon, and the best one that uses slash. It is more accurate with a defender than the next-best strength training weapon, the Saradomin sword, but has lower strength. This makes the staff better against high-defence monsters, but it is much less affordable. Also it is strictly worse than the similarly-valuable Abyssal dagger, which should usually be used instead unless slash is needed.
Saradomin sword 70 Attack Slash Strength +82 Slash

+82 Strength

The Saradomin sword is a much more affordable Strength training weapon than anything above it on this list. Against lower defence monsters such as Yaks, the Saradomin sword will on average do higher damage per second than the Staff of the dead due to its higher strength. However, this sword's lack of a shield and the staff's magic capabilities and melee accuracy make the staff usually more desirable if you can afford it.
Dragon scimitar 60 Attack

Monkey Madness I

Slash All Stats +91 Slash

+72 Strength

This is the best training weapon for all attack styles at level 60. In addition, the Dragon scimitar is a much cheaper alternative to all of the weapons listed above, making it very popular even among some high level players. For attack and defence training, it should be replaced with the Abyssal whip as soon as one can afford and equip it.
Dragon sword 60 Attack Stab All Stats +90 Stab
+69 Strength 		This is comparable to the Dragon scimitar in stats, but without the quest requirement of Monkey Madness I. It is significantly more expensive than other comparable weapons, so it should only be used over the Dragon scimitar if its stab bonus is needed and/or the player cannot complete Monkey Madness I.
Dragon longsword 60 Attack

Lost City

Slash All Stats +93 Slash

+77 Strength
*5 ATS*

A viable alternate training weapon before being able to use the Dragon scimitar. It should be noted that the Dragon longsword attacks 1 game tick slower than the Dragon scimitar, making it a worse training weapon.
Leaf-bladed sword 50 Attack

55 Slayer

Stab All Stats +67 Stab
+50 Strength(no defender) 		This is the best melee training weapon at 50 attack, but it has a high 55 slayer requirement that most low-level players will not have. Use this sword if you have the slayer level but not 60 attack.
Granite hammer 50 Attack

50 Strength

Crush All Stats +57 Crush+56 Strength

(no defender)

This is the best melee training weapon at 50 Attack and Strength without a slayer requirement. However, it is significantly more expensive than other weapons at this level.
Granite longsword 50 Attack

50 Strength

Slash All Stats +65 Slash
+62 Strength(no defender)

*5 ATS*

This weapon is a good option at level 50 attack and strength, but attacks slower than the Granite hammer, making it worse overall. Use it if you can't afford a Granite hammer.
Brine sabre 40 Attack Slash All Stats +47 Slash

+46 Strength (no defender)

A more expensive alternative to the Rune scimitar, the Brine sabre boasts 2 additional slash and strength bonus, while also possessing a special attack. This makes it a popular training weapon for those who have the money.
Rune scimitar 40 Attack Lunge All Stats +45 Slash

+44 Strength (no defender)

The prototypical RuneScape weapon. This is your best bet for a cheap and effective training weapon at this level.
Other Scimitars < 40 Attack Lunge All Stats Varies Before reaching 40 attack, it is recommended to train with the highest level scimitar that is available at your attack level.

Other equipment options

Obsidian equipment + Berserker necklace

Wearing the Obsidian platebody, Obsidian platelegs, and the Obsidian helmet gives a 10% damage and accuracy bonus to melee Obsidian weapons. Wearing the Berserker necklace also gives another 20% damage and accuracy bonus to Obsidian weapons. Combining all four of these items with the Toktz-xil-ak (Obsidian sword) can actually give faster experience rates than anything in the table above against low-defence monsters, such as those in the Nightmare Zone. However, the set has below-average defence and does not allow the use of a Slayer helmet. If the player cannot use all five items, they should not be using the Toktz-xil-ak.

Void knight equipment

Wearing the Void melee helm with the full Void Knight equipment set gives a 10% melee damage and accuracy bonus. This bonus accuracy makes it good against certain high-defence monsters like the Corporeal Beast. It is a good alternative for players with 42 combat stats who do not have access to high-strength gear. However, this set gives less strength than other melee equipment and has significantly lower melee and ranged defence, making it usually worse for training than high strength gear.

Dharok the Wretched's equipment

Wearing a full set of Dharok the Wretched's equipment gives the set effect of increasing the player's damage the lower their remaining hitpoints are. Using a Dwarven rock cake or Locator orb the player can intentionally keep their health at 1 hp while using Protection prayers to block all forms of damage. If the player has a source of prayer or damage block, such as by using Prayer potions, Absorptions (Nightmare zone only), or an altar, the player can safely use the set's effect to deal very high amounts of damage and gain fast experience. However, the set degrades after 4 hours of use and must be repaired in order to keep its stats.

Guthan the Infested's equipment

Wearing a full set of Guthan the Infested's equipment gives the set effect of a 25% chance to heal the player by the damage dealt. This set deals much less damage than other options on the list, but it allows players to train for long periods of time without banking to heal. Players can bring the four pieces in their inventory, train on their normal high-strength equipment, and switch to the Guthan's equipment only when their health gets low. Popular monsters for this tactic are Gargoyles, Nechryaels, and Bandits. However, the set degrades after 4 hours of use and must be repaired in order to keep its stats.

Suggested training methods for best experience

Levels 1 to 30

Completing the Waterfall Quest at level 1 attack and strength will instantly bring the player to level 30 in each. This quest has no requirements, making it the fastest way to train a brand new account to these levels, skipping much of the slow low-level training. However, there are several aggressive and hard-hitting monsters during the quest, so players may want to train some Defence and Hitpoints levels in order to make the quest safer. See the Waterfall Quest guide for more information on how to complete this quest.

Levels 1 to 10

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Chicken North-east of Lumbridge just east of River Lum, south of River Lum in Farmer Fred's chicken coop 1 3 None
Advantages Disadvantages
  • No food required
  • Feathers are dropped in groups of 5-15 and are stackable, and can be sold for some profit
  • Bones will drop frequently, allowing the player to train their prayer as well
  • Only 3 HP (12xp) per kill
  • Non-aggressive

Levels 10 to 60

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Ammonite Crab Fossil island 25 100 Bone voyage Armour and food for low levels. Digsite pendant. Build the bank chest on Fossil island to get access to a nearby bank
Advantages Disadvantages
  • The best monster for training at low and medium combat levels
  • Very, very high health targets with low Defence and Attack ability, meaning you won't need much food if any
  • High in number, easy to group and kill in groups
  • Automatic aggro, meaning there are Many AFK spots
  • Often crowded
  • Stops aggro after about 10 min, must be reset by walking about one screen away
Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Sand Crab Beach south of the Hosidius house in Great Kourend, Crabclaw Isle, Crabclaw caves 15 60 10,000 coins to enter Crabclaw Isle, or have started The Depths of Despair to enter the Crabclaw Caves. There are also spots with no requirements. Armour and food for low levels. If you are farming on the beach south of the Hosidius House there is a bank chest nearby so inventory space is not a concern.
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Very, very high health targets with low Defence and Attack ability
  • High in number, easy to group and kill in groups
  • Automatic aggro, meaning there are Many AFK spots
  • Often crowded
  • Stops aggro after about 10 min, must be reset by walking about one screen away
Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Rock Crab North of Rellekka, Waterbirth Island 13 50 To access Waterbirth Island, you must have started The Fremennik Trials quest. If you haven't finished the quest, it will cost 1,000 coins to travel there. There are also spots with no requirements. Armour and food for low levels. Camelot teleport tabs or runes will bring you somewhat close.
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Very, very high health targets with low Defence and Attack ability
  • High in number, easy to group and kill in groups
  • Often crowded
  • Stops aggro after 10-15 min

Levels 60 to 99

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Nightmare Zone North of Yanille, northwest of the bank. Varies Varies at least 5 quests that Nightmare Zone supports Please refer to the Nightmare Zone wiki page for more info.
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Monsters are extremely weak to melee, leading to the fastest exp in the game for high level players
  • Use of overloads, gained from NMZ points reduces need for super combat potions.
  • Use of absorption potions, gained from NMZ points reduces need for prayer potions
  • Points gained can be used for imbues which upgrade equipment.
  • Can also purchase Herb boxes for some profit if done correctly.
  • No competition from other players; Nightmare Zone is instanced and deaths are safe - you will not lose any items upon death/leaving apart from dropped items in the arena.
  • Requires a coin fee in order to start, and some quests in order to utilise.
  • Players may need super combat and prayer potions for the first few games as they have no points
  • No drops other than spending points
Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Slayer Varies Varies Varies None 85 combat to use Nieve, Slayer helm, Various teleports and quests
Advantages Disadvantages
  • The damage and accuracy bonuses of the Slayer helm often make killing your slayer task great melee xp
  • Trains the slayer skill at the same time, letting you work towards the profitable slayer monsters and bosses
  • Many slayer monsters have good drops
  • Accumulates Slayer points which allow you to unlock items and block tasks you don't like
  • Some slayer tasks do not give good xp/hr. If the player has not accumulated enough points to block those tasks yet they may be stuck training slowly for a while
  • Efficiently training slayer has many requirements, including completing most of the game's quests to unlock teleports and blocking bad tasks
  • Some slayer tasks cannot be killed with melee
  • Many slayer spots can often be crowded

Suggested training methods for experience and profit hybrid

It is not recommended to train melee for profit at low levels. It is usually better to train with crabs, Slayer, or the Nightmare Zone and do something else to make money for overall more efficient play. For example, killing Hobgoblins for two hours will give both less money and less experience than spinning flax for one hour and training on crabs for one hour. Low-level players looking to make money for early gear should check out the Money-making guide.

Here are some easy options for training melee if you do want to kill monsters for profit and still get decent experience rates.

Levels 1 to 10

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Chicken North-east of Lumbridge just east of River Lum, south of River Lum in Farmer Fred's chicken coop 1 3 None
Advantages Disadvantages
  • No food required
  • Feathers are dropped in groups of 5-15 and are stackable, and can be sold for some profit
  • Bones will drop frequently, allowing the player to train their prayer as well
  • Only 3 HP (12xp) per kill
  • Non-aggressive

Levels 10 to 20

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Men and Women Varies, including Lumbridge 2 7 None Your best weapon and armour. Food if you try this from level 3.
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Very common and weak NPC
  • Most of the profit will come from herbs, including the valuable Ranarr weed
  • Often close to banks
  • Decent amount of hp so you don't have to switch targets as often as you do when fighting chickens
  • If you are unlucky and do not get many herbs you won't make much money
  • Not aggressive
  • Often not grouped close together

Levels 20 to 30

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Al-Kharid warrior Al Kharid Palace 9 19 None Decent but cheap food like trout or salmon. Alternatively, you can buy kebabs for 1 gp each in Al Kharid. Also bring your best armour and weapons, because they can deal some damage.
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Lots of warriors to fight
  • Aggressive if one warrior is attacked — all nearby others will come and fight. This makes it easy to always be fighting something
  • Bank is very, very close by
  • They frequently drop valuable herbs
  • Often crowded
  • Reliant on herb drops for profit

Levels 30 to 60

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Chaos druid Edgeville Dungeon, Chaos Druid Tower 13 20 Decent combat, 46 thieving if fighting in Chaos Druid Tower Food. Your best weapon and armour if fighting outside of the Wilderness. Only three valuable items and a Looting bag if fighting in Edgeville dungeon.
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Easiest spot to reach is in low-level Wilderness, where players may be attacked by other players or may accidentally attack another player, Skulling themselves.
  • Non-wilderness locations are far from a bank or require decent thieving
  • They deal decent damage to low level players
  • Sometimes crowded

Levels 40 to 60

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Moss giant Catacombs of Kourend 42 60 Mid-level combat Food, armour, High alchemy runes, Teleport to house tablets for using another player's house to teleport to Kourend to reach the Catacombs, Ring of dueling for banking
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Fairly high HP for level
  • Decent herb, seed, and alchable drops
  • Chance of dropping a Mossy key, which allows the player to fight Bryophyta, who also has good drops and a chance of dropping the valuable Bryophyta's staff
  • Chance of dropping pieces of the Dark totem, which allows the player to fight Skotizo once they are a higher level
  • Always drops Big bones which can be sold for guaranteed profit or used for Prayer experience while training
  • It can be hard to reach the Catacombs of Kourend for low-level players. Regular players should use the Kourend portal in the Player-owned house of another player on world 330.
  • Hits hard if you have low defence or armour
  • Without Mossy key or valuable seed drops, they are usually not worth the time and food it takes to kill

Levels 60 to 70

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Wilderness Slayer Wilderness Varies Varies None Slayer helm, Dragon defender, Many Quest points to block bad tasks, food, Burning amulet, Amulet of glory, high ranged for Dragonhide armour
Advantages Disadvantages
  • The damage and accuracy bonuses of the Slayer helm often make killing your slayer task great melee xp
  • Trains the slayer skill at the same time, letting you work towards the profitable slayer monsters and bosses
  • Many slayer monsters have good drops
  • Accumulates Slayer points much quicker than normal slayer. You can save up a lot of these very quickly before starting normal slayer later on.
  • Far fewer requirements than normal slayer. Not many quests help navigate the wilderness.
  • All monsters killed on Wilderness Slayer assignments have a chance of dropping a valuable Mysterious emblem. Players with average luck can expect to get about one per task.
  • Some slayer tasks do not give good xp/hr. If the player has not accumulated enough points to block those tasks yet they may be stuck training slowly for a while
  • The player is constantly in danger of being killed by another player, especially in greater than level 30 Wilderness. It is highly recommended to set player attack options to "Hidden" so they don't accidentally Skull
  • The player cannot bring their most expensive gear. Only ever bring three valuable items in the wilderness: a weapon, a Dragon defender, and the Slayer helm.
  • The player should use cheap items like Climbing boots, Dragonhide armour, and the Amulet of glory
  • Some common slayer tasks cannot be killed with melee, such as Lava dragons
Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Green dragon Wilderness in various locations 79 75 Dragonfire protection, good weapons, food, and armour Food. Only three valuable items and a Looting bag. A teleport to bank, such as a Ring of dueling. A Games necklace to teleport to Corporeal Beast
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Green dragons are only easily reached in medium-level Wilderness, where players may be attacked by other players or may accidentally attack another player, Skulling themselves.
  • Dragonfire protection, such as from an Anti-dragon shield, is required to fight them.
  • No good rare drops
  • They can deal heavy damage, so a lot of food is required
  • Often crowded with both other Green dragon farmers and player-killers

Levels 70 to 99

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Slayer Varies Varies Varies None 85 combat to use Nieve, Slayer helm, Various teleports and quests
Advantages Disadvantages
  • The damage and accuracy bonuses of the Slayer helm often make killing your slayer task great melee xp
  • Trains the slayer skill at the same time, letting you work towards the profitable slayer monsters and bosses
  • Many slayer monsters have good drops
  • Accumulates Slayer points which allow you to unlock items and block tasks you don't like
  • Some slayer tasks do not give good xp/hr. If the player has not accumulated enough points to block those tasks yet they may be stuck training slowly for a while
  • Efficiently training slayer has many requirements, including completing most of the game's quests to unlock teleports and blocking bad tasks
  • Some slayer tasks cannot be killed with melee
  • Many slayer spots can often be crowded
Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Gargoyle Slayer tower 111 105 75 Slayer, Rock hammer, Priest in peril Guthan the Infested's equipment, a Kharyll teleport portal, access to Fairy rings or a Slayer ring. Your best armour and weapons. High level alchemy runes. Gargoyle smasher slayer perk.
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Consistently drops valuable items like Rune armour and noted bars
  • Below-average offensive capabilities for their level. Players with high defence can easily sustain their health with Guthan's equipment, a Saradomin godsword, or food
  • Most of its drops are noted or are alchable, meaning the player can stay indefinitely without needing to bank
  • Aggressive
  • Easy to kill without paying attention with the Gargoyle smasher slayer perk
  • Above-average defence for their level, will give less xp/hr than other options
  • 75 slayer requirement
  • No rare valuable drops, just consistently good drops
  • Far from a bank
  • They can deal heavy damage to low-level players
  • Often crowded

Levels 80 to 99

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Revenant Revenant caves Varies Varies A charged Bracelet of ethereum Salve amulet (e), A good crush weapon, a Royal seed pod or a charged Ring of wealth for escaping
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Revenants have one of the most generous drop tables in the game, with valuable rare items and consistently good drops
  • As long as the player has a charged Bracelet of ethereum, Revenants cannot deal damage
  • Players only need to get a few drops for a trip to be worth doing, meaning the occasional death isn't much of a setback
  • Other than being a high level, there are very few requirements
  • Highly crowded with other players who will either steal your monsters or kill you, especially if you are a low level
  • The whole area is multicombat, meaning a group can single you out and kill you without any chance of you escaping
  • The Bracelet of ethereum and Revenant ether you have equipped are never kept on death, meaning you will always be risking them
  • The chat announces if you get a good drop, making you an immediate target for other players
  • Players cannot teleport out except in the south-most part of the Revenant section of the caves
  • The frequent time spent banking and dying will prevent the player from getting good melee xp

Levels 90 to 99

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Rune dragon Lithkren Vault 380 330 Dragon Slayer II High combat including prayer, Dragonfire shield, a Zamorakian hasta or Abyssal dagger, Insulated boots, Digsite pendant, armour with high defences, Super combat potions, food
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Rune dragons are the most profitable non-boss monster a high level player can kill for profit with melee while not paying too much attention
  • Drops a Runite bar and Dragon bones on every kill, as well as frequently dropping valuable rune and dragon equipment
  • Has a chance of dropping several valuable rare items including the Dragon limbs
  • Is close to the Digsite pendant Lithkren teleport
  • Not too crowded
  • Requires very expensive gear and completion of Dragon Slayer II
  • The dragons deal heavy damage even with max stats and the best items in the game. Players must keep their health above 60 to avoid dying to a ranged attack and melee attack combo
  • Rune dragons can heal themselves with their unblockable special attack. If the player is unlucky or weak the dragons will heal faster than they can be killed
  • The player must frequently bank to get lots of high-level food and potions to fight the dragons effectively.
  • Their high defence yields below average xp rates
  • At this point in their account, players should have access to better money makers such as Vorkath and Zulrah

Alternative training methods for good experience

You may use these if the above methods are too crowded or otherwise not available. However, they are not as good as the other methods.

Levels 60 to 99

Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Yak Neitiznot 22 50 Started The Fremennik Isles, requires completing The Fremennik Trials Best strength gear
Advantages Disadvantages
  • High xp/hr
  • Not crowded
  • Bank is very close
  • No food required
  • Could collect hides for Crafting xp, not recommended though
  • No good drops
  • Not automatically aggressive
Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Monkey Guards Marim 167 130 Started Monkey Madness I Dharok's set
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Seldomly used, so not many players visit apart from the occasional player completing Monkey Madness I.
  • Guards are continually aggressive as long as a monkey greegree is not worn.
  • Nearby altar allows for infinite prayer points.
  • No drops
  • Antipoison is required as there are poisonous level 1 spiders, which share the same aggression mechanic as the monkeys and gorillas of Ape Atoll.
  • Teleport is needed if you need to quickly leave the area if not near a staircase/ladder.
Monster name Location(s) Combat level Hitpoints Requirements Recommendations
Pest Control Void Knights' Outpost Varies Varies Combat level depending on the boat, at least 5 players to start the game 25 players to start game quickly, best strength gear/Dharok's set, special attack weapon
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Prayer, health, and run energy fully restores at the end of each game
  • Portals have very high health and can regenerate health providing high amounts of XP
  • Points gained can be used to purchase Void Knight equipment or XP in certain combat skills and other rewards
  • Successfully completing each gains yields a small amount of gp (10 times the amount of the player's combat level)
  • Waiting for a game to start can be long if not many players are playing (usually depends on the time of day)
  • Sometimes games can fail if players allow the Void Knight to die yielding no points and gp
  • Not AFK because players have to constantly focus on the screen to attack other monsters and portals after the one they are currently fighting has died, also games end very quickly (from 2 minutes to 10 depending on party size and skill) requiring the player to re-enter the boat and wait for the game to start again
Free-to-play guides

Attack style icon • Ranged icon • Magic icon • Defence icon • Prayer icon • Hitpoints icon • Crafting icon • Mining icon • Smithing icon • Fishing icon • Cooking icon • Firemaking icon • Woodcutting icon • Runecrafting icon

Members' guides

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