Weapons are wieldable items that a player can use to inflict damage in Combat.
All players wield weapons in their right hand. If a player is using a two-handed weapon, such as a bow or a two-handed sword, they may not have any items equipped in the Shield slot at the same time, thus two-handed weapons are held in both hands preventing the use of a shield. In the case of thrown weapons, which are stackable, multiples of the same thrown weapon may be equipped in the Weapon slot at once. A player may also equip a pickaxe or a Woodcutting axe in the weapon slot so that they may hold more ore or logs, respectively.
Basic melee weapons
These weapons are more commonly used than the other weapons available because they don't have to be replaced unless upon death, and they do not require ammunition to use unlike most Magic or Ranged weapons. Most types of basic Melee weapons come in eight different kinds of metal.
Most weapons have a primary attack mode in all three attack styles and a secondary mode in the Aggressive or Controlled style. The secondary mode is normally weaker, but it may be more appropriate to your target.
Chainmail armour is weaker against stabbing; platemail is weaker against crushing, while the slash attack is highly effective against cloth, leather or unarmoured targets. Against monster hide, the most effective style varies. The only absolute Defence against a particular attack is the Protect from Melee prayer, or the occasional NPC that requires something special to kill them, so you will still hit with the "wrong" attack and weapon, just not as often and with less damage (or not even at all, in the case of monsters like vampires).
Weapon groups
The whole idea of having multiple weapon types is that one weapon type should not be all-conquering, or there would be not much point having the others. Overall, there are three attack styles: Stab, Slash, and Crush.
Weapon | Stab | Slash | Crush |
---|---|---|---|
Dagger | |||
Sword | |||
Longsword | |||
Scimitar | |||
Mace | |||
Battleaxe | |||
Warhammer | |||
Two-handed sword | |||
Spear/Hasta | |||
Halberd | |||
Claws | |||
Axe | |||
Pickaxe | |||
Maul | |||
Whip |
Weapon characteristics
There are also a variety of 'novelty weapons' available. They deal out very little, if any, damage.
The various groups of weapons are summarised below. The level of Strength in each class is not definitive.
Weapon | Speed/Strength | Primary/Secondary | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Dagger | Fast/Weakest | Stab/Slash | A dagger is the first item that can be smithed in any metal. Generally (but not always), it has higher stats than a sword of the weaker metal. A dagger is tied in speed with the scimitar and shortsword. Daggers are primarily stabbing weapons although they have a decent slash attack. Members can poison daggers to great effect. Dragon daggers are discoloured upon poisoning, making the tip of the dagger a bright green colour. A Dragon dagger (p++) is a very popular special attack weapon in general fighting and PvP combat; the store is located in South Varrock. |
Axe | Medium/Weak | Slash/Crush [1] | Intended for Woodcutting, but it can be used as a weapon. Bob's Brilliant Axes sells low-tier axes up to steel. |
Pickaxe | Medium/Weak | Stab/Crush [1] | Intended for Mining, but it can be used as a weapon. Nurmof's Pickaxe Shop sells pickaxes up to rune. |
Shortsword | Fast/Medium | Stab/Slash | A Shortsword is able to hit higher than a dagger at the same attack speed although it cannot be poisoned. This makes it unpopular. However, players can find it useful as a sword is a cheap alternative to scimitars for Rune and lower metals; the store is located in South Varrock. |
Mace | Medium/Medium | Crush/Stab | The crush attack is better against platemail, and the Prayer bonus can be useful. Maces are slightly slower than the Shortsword and slightly weaker. It also features a Controlled stabbing attack. The Dragon mace is mainly used in player killing due to its special attack; the store is located in Falador. |
Scimitar | Fast/Medium | Slash/Stab | A scimitar is an excellent slashing weapon against cloth or leather and average against chainmail, but it is weak against platemail. It can hit just as fast as a shortsword or dagger, and it deals slightly more damage than shortswords but less than longswords. The secondary stabbing attack is rather inefficient against some armour, but better against chainmail. It is in the controlled style and yields equal experience to Attack, Strength, and Defence. The Dragon scimitar is one of the most popular weapons for PKing along with the Abyssal whip and Dragon dagger (p++), and it's considered one of the most versatile combat weapons in the game although it doesn't have a very good Strength bonus. Nonetheless, the Rune scimitar is considered to be one of the best training weapons for Melee in a free world, and the Dragon scimitar is one of the best training weapons for members whereas the whip lacks a way to train Strength; the store is located in Al Kharid. |
Longsword | Medium/Strong | Slash/Stab [1] | A longsword is slower than a scimitar, shortsword, and dagger, but it has higher Strength and Attack bonuses, especially in terms of its controlled stab attack. Considered to be worse than the scimitar due to its lower speed, it has a considerably higher Strength bonus and higher slash and stab bonuses. It is described as the "warrior's best friend" on the RuneScape website. It was once considered the best weapon type before the scimitar's popularity outbreak although many high-levelled players still use the Dragon longsword due to its better stats than the Dragon scimitar and its substantially better special attack; the store is located in South Varrock. |
Warhammer | Slow/Strong | Crush | It is an uncommon crushing-only weapon with no specialist store open to non-members. It's right in the middle of the Smithing scale for any metal. This weapon is good to dent other warriors' platemail. Warhammers are not commonly used because of their low speed and mediocre Strength bonuses. They offer the same damage as their slashing cousins, the battleaxes; the store is located in Rellekka. |
Battleaxe | Slow/Stronger | Slash/Crush [1] | It provides a better Strength bonus than the warhammer but not as effective in the secondary crush attack. Battleaxes are stronger than longswords yet slower. A battleaxe is considered to be a rather effective PKing weapon, but a quicker weapon, such as a Dragon scimitar or Abyssal whip, fares better; the store is located in Port Sarim. |
Two-handed sword | Slowest/Second Strongest | Slash/Crush | A 2h sword is the most powerful of the basic weapons, but it is also the slowest. Furthermore, as its name suggests, the two-handed sword cannot be used with a shield. It may be a good secondary weapon for the Ranged fighter as his/her bow cannot be used with a shield anyway. This weapon has no specialist store open to non-members; the store is located in Taverley. |
Halberd | Slowest/Third Strongest | Stab/Slash | A halberd is equally about as slow as the two-handed sword and slightly less powerful, and a shield cannot be equipped with it. However, it can reach over small obstacles (such as tables, fences, other safespots, etc.), which is known as "hallying". |
Spear | Medium/Medium | Stab/Slash/Crush [1] | The stabbing equivalent of a two-handed sword, this two-handed members-only weapon is one of only two classes in the game that can use all three attack styles. The spear has an average attack speed, features controlled style for each attack style, and all spears, excluding the Zamorakian spear, can be poisoned. Its bonuses are not as high as other weapons', and the only way to train Attack or Strength with it is to use one of the controlled styles; the store is located in Tai Bwo Wannai. |
Hasta | Medium/Medium | Stab/Slash/Crush [1] | This weapon is identical to the spear in every way except that it is a one-handed weapon compared to the two-handed spear and that it has negative Defence bonuses although this can be countered by wearing a shield. This weapon may also be poisoned except the Zamorakian hasta. |
Claws | Fast/Medium | Slash/Stab | A members-only weapon that is similar to the shortsword, except that it is two-handed and is primarily a slashing weapon. It cannot be poisoned. |
Maul | Slow(est)/Strongest | Crush | Does not follow the standard metal scale (Bronze-Dragon). It is also is two-handed. You usually get them either in granite or obsidian. |
Abyssal Whip | Fast/Strong | Slash | Does not follow the standard metal scale (Bronze-Dragon). The Abyssal Whip has a high experience rate in training Attack and Defence but the only way to train Strength is to use the controlled style. They can be used with a shield. It's often used with a Rune defender or Dragonfire shield. |
Weapon requirements
The table above shows what level is needed to wield a certain metal and some specific weapons. The foot notes indicate additional skills and/or requirements as followed:
- ↑ Lost City (for Dragon dagger/longsword)
- ↑ Heroes Quest (for Dragon mace/battleaxe)
- ↑ Monkey Madness (for Dragon scimitar)
- ↑ Regicide (for Dragon halberd)
- ↑ The Tzhaar-ket-om only requires 60 Strength and can be wielded at 1 Attack.
Weapons are made of different metals, some stronger and more expensive than others. Higher Attack levels allow wielding weapons of better metals. For example, a player needs an Attack level of 10 to wield a black weapon, whereas the player would need level 20 to wield a mithril weapon. Almost all metal weapons can be smithed, except for halberds, and any Black, White, Dragon, or Barrows weapons.
Weapons table
Bronze | Iron | Steel | Black | White | Mithril | Adamant | Rune | Dragon | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dagger | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sword | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Scimitar | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Mace | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Longsword | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Axe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Battleaxe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Warhammer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Two-handed sword | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Pickaxe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Spear | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Hasta | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Claws | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Halberd | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Other melee weapon types
TzHaar
- Toktz-xil-ak (Obsidian sword)
- Tzhaar-ket-em (Obsidian mace)
- Tzhaar-ket-om (Obsidian maul)
- Toktz-xil-ek (Obsidian dagger)
Barrows
Miscellaneous
- Granite maul
- Bone dagger
- Bone spear
- Void Knight mace
- Barrelchest anchor
- Ancient mace
- Wooden sword
- Training sword
- Mjolnir
- Decorative sword (Castle Wars sword)
- Silver sickle
- Silver sickle (b)
- Fremennik blade
- Machete
- Red topaz machete
- Brine sabre
Quest weapons, fun weapons, and blackjacks
Quest weapons
- Shadow sword
- Silverlight
- Darklight
- Wolfbane dagger
- Dark dagger
- Glowing dagger
- Blurite sword
- Bone dagger
- Bone crossbow
- Gadderhammer
- Excalibur
- Keris
- Brine sabre
- Barrelchest anchor
- Ancient mace
- Rapier
- Lucky cutlass
- Harry's cutlass
Blackjacks
- Oak blackjack (o)
- Willow blackjack (o)
- Maple blackjack (o)
- Oak blackjack (d)
- Willow blackjack (d)
- Maple blackjack (d)
- Oak blackjack
- Willow blackjack
- Maple blackjack
Fun weapons
Kitchen weaponry
Kitchen weaponry are members only weapons that can be bought from the Culinaromancer's chest. To buy and wield more advanced kitchen weapons the player must complete the Recipe for Disaster subquests.
The weapons:
- Wooden spoon
- Egg whisk
- Spork
- Spatula
- Frying pan
- Skewer
- Rolling pin
- Kitchen knife
- Meat tenderiser
- Cleaver
Magic weapons
The weapons listed below are Magic weapons. While they can be used in Melee, they are more powerful when used to cast spells in Combat.
Weapon requirements
Level | Type |
---|---|
1 | Staff, Magic staff, Elemental staves (air, fire, earth, water), Skull sceptre, Rod of ivandis (15 Magic required due to quest requirement, boostable), Dramen staff |
30 | Battlestaves (with 30 Attack), Pharaoh's sceptre (with 30 Attack) |
40 | Mystic staves (with 40 Attack) |
42 | Void knight mace (with 42 Attack, Strength, Defence, Hitpoints, Ranged, and 22 Prayer) |
45 | Beginner wand |
50 | Slayer's staff (with 55 Slayer), Apprentice wand, Ancient staff (after Desert Treasure with 50 Attack), Iban's staff (after Underground Pass) |
55 | Teacher wand |
60 | Toktz-mej-tal (Obsidian staff), Master wand, God staves |
65 | Lunar staff, 3rd age wand |
70 | Ahrim's staff (with 70 Attack) |
75 | Staff of the dead (with 75 Attack), Trident of the seas |
Weapon groups
Battlestaves
- Battlestaff
- Air battlestaff
- Earth battlestaff
- Fire battlestaff
- Water battlestaff
- Mud battlestaff
- Lava battlestaff
- Steam battlestaff
Mystic staves
- Mystic air staff
- Mystic earth staff
- Mystic fire staff
- Mystic water staff
- Mystic mud staff
- Mystic lava staff
- Mystic steam staff
God staves
Wands
Other
Ranged weapons
Ranged weapons are used for Ranged attacks.
Weapon requirements
Weapon groups
Shortbow
Longbows
Crossbows
- Crossbow
- Phoenix crossbow
- Bronze crossbow
- Iron crossbow
- Dorgeshuun crossbow
- Steel crossbow
- Mithril crossbow
- Adamant crossbow
- Rune crossbow
- Karil's crossbow
- Armadyl crossbow
Composite bows
All composite bows (excluding the composite ogre bow) have a speed in-between a longbow and a shortbow, an attack range equal to a longbow, and slightly higher accuracy compared to a shortbow or longbow of the same materials.
Thrown weapons
Darts
Darts can be forged from Bronze, Iron, Steel, Mithril, Adamantite, Rune and Dragon. Each metal bar can make ten Dart Tips. Darts can be poisoned and are stackable. Black and Dragon Darts are available but cannot be smithed by players. Darts can only be made after completing the Tourist Trap quest.
Throwing knives
Throwing knives are poisonable, and can be forged by players from Bronze, Iron, Steel, Mithril, Adamantite, and Rune. Each metal bar yields five Throwing Knives. Black Throwing Knives are only dropped by Shadow Warriors, Imperial Guard members, ankous, and cyclopes in the warrior's guild.
Thrownaxes
Thrownaxes come in Bronze, Iron, Steel, Black, Mithril, Adamantite, and Rune. They can only be bought from a shop in the Ranging Guild. The rune thrownaxe has a special attack ("Chain Hit") that, when activated in a multicombat zone with multiple enemies nearby, will bounce from enemy to enemy up to 10 times(10% special bar used per enemy hit).
Javelins
Javelins are stackable and made out of Bronze, Iron, Steel, Black, Mithril, Adamantite, and Rune. Javelins can be found as drops from defeated monsters and can also be purchased inside the Ranging Guild. Javelins are notoriously slow and are generally considered to be the most unpopular out of the one-handed Ranging weapons.
Chinchompas
Miscellaneous
Other
Ammunition
Arrows are used as ammunition for bows, and bolts are used as ammunition for crossbows. The better the arrow/bolt, the higher damage a player can deal. However, players require certain bows to use certain arrows. All arrows except for Training Arrows can be made using the Fletching skill.
Image | Arrow | Bow required | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Training arrows | Training bow | Given for free by the Ranged tutor in Lumbridge. | |
Bronze arrows | Any | Can be bought from Lowe's Archery Store in Varrock. | |
Iron arrows | Any | Can be bought from Lowe's Archery Store in Varrock. | |
Steel arrows | Oak | Can be bought from Lowe's Archery Store in Varrock or from Brian's Archery Supplies in Rimmington. | |
Mithril arrows | Willow | Can be bought from Lowe's Archery Store in Varrock or from Brian's Archery Supplies in Rimmington. | |
Adamant arrows | Maple | Can be bought from Lowe's Archery Store in Varrock or from Brian's Archery Supplies in Rimmington. | |
Ice arrows | Yew | Can be obtained in various amounts in the chests of the ice part of the Temple of Ikov. They are used to defeat the Fire Warrior of Lesarkus. | |
Rune arrows | Yew | Can be bought from the Ranging Guild, can be bought from other players or can be fletched. | |
Broad arrows | Magic | Can be bought from any Slayer Master, used to kill Turoths and Kurask, and cannot be traded. | |
Dragon arrows | Dark bow | Can be fletched by materials dropped by Dragon implings. |
Salamanders
Can be used as Ranged, Magic or Melee weapons*. They are obtained using the Hunter skill.
*It has been reported that while doing the Knight's Training ground miniquest (unlocked upon completion of the "King's Ransom" quest), the salamanders are not registered as a melee weapon, even while on the melee setting (This is relevant because you are permitted only to use melee weapons while in the training ground).