How to Get Shayzien Armour in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) - Complete Guide

If you’re diving into the world of Old School RuneScape (OSRS) and exploring the vast Kingdom of Great Kourend, chances are you’ve heard of Shayzien Armour. This unique set of gear, tied to the militaristic Shayzien House, isn’t just a stylish addition to your wardrobe—it’s a game-changer for tackling specific challenges like Lizardman Shamans. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a curious newcomer, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to get Shayzien Armour in OSRS, step-by-step. Let’s gear up and get started!

Shayzien Armour is a set of defensive gear exclusive to the Shayzien region in Great Kourend. Available in five tiers, it requires 20 Defence to wear and offers progressively better protection against the acidic attacks of Lizardman Shamans—a key perk that makes it invaluable for certain combat tasks. Each tier builds on the last, culminating in the coveted Tier 5 set, which provides full immunity to the Shamans’ green acidic attack.

Why You Need Shayzien Armour

The primary draw of Shayzien Armour is its ability to mitigate damage from Lizardman Shamans, whose acidic attacks can hit hard (up to 25-30 damage) and poison you if you’re unprepared. With the full Tier 5 set, you reduce that damage to zero, making Slayer tasks or loot runs far more manageable. Plus, it’s a low-risk option for Wilderness activities, given its minimal value if lost.

Tiers of Shayzien Armour

Tier 1: Requires 60% Shayzien favour; basic protection.
Tier 2: Requires 70% favour and Tier 1 set; slightly better stats.
Tier 3: Requires 80% favour and Tier 2 set; moderate protection.
Tier 4: Requires 90% favour and Tier 3 set; strong defence.
Tier 5: Requires 100% favour and Tier 4 set; full immunity to acidic attacks.

How to Start Earning Shayzien Favour

Before you can even think about wielding Shayzien Armour, you’ll need to earn favour with the Shayzien House. Favour is no longer a core mechanic as of an update in January 2024, but historically, it was the gateway to unlocking this armour. For context—and because some players still reference the old system—here’s how favour ties into the process.

Healing Wounded Soldiers (0-40% Favour)

Start by heading to the Shayzien Encampment, located in the southwestern part of Great Kourend. Look for the easternmost tent, where you’ll find wounded soldiers. Grab some Shayzien Medpacks from the nearby boxes and use them to heal the soldiers. Each healing action grants 0.2% favour. With a few Stamina Potions to keep your run energy up, you can hit 40% favour in about 20-30 minutes.

Tackling Organised Crime (40-100% Favour)

Once you reach 40% favour, visit Captain Ginea in the tent east of the Combat Ring. She’ll tip you off about organised crime events—gang meetings that rotate locations every 30 minutes. Equip melee gear, food, and Prayer Potions, then hop worlds to find an active event. Defeating the gang boss and members yields 2% favour per event. Stick with this method, and you’ll hit 100% in roughly an hour.

Tips for Faster Favour

Use Stamina Potions: Keeps you moving between soldiers or crime locations.
Bring Decent Gear: A melee weapon (no Magic or Ranged allowed in the Combat Ring later) and some food will suffice.
Check Wiki for Gang Locations: The OSRS Wiki lists all possible organised crime spots—save time by referencing it.

Obtaining Shayzien Armour: Step-by-Step Process

With 100% favour in your pocket (or simply understanding it’s no longer required post-2024), you’re ready to claim your Shayzien Armour. The process involves battling soldiers in the Shayzien Combat Ring, located centrally in the Shayzien Encampment. Here’s how it works.

Requirements to Begin

You’ll need:

20 Defence to wear the armour.
A melee weapon (Magic and Ranged are banned in the Combat Ring).
Optional: Prayer Potions, Super Combat Potion, and food for tougher fights.

Fighting Through the Tiers

The Combat Ring pits you against soldiers of increasing difficulty, each dropping pieces of their respective armour tier. You must defeat each soldier five times to collect a full set (helm, platebody, greaves, gloves, boots). The catch? You need the full set of the previous tier to challenge the next one.

Tier 1 Soldier: Start here with 60% favour (or no favour requirement post-2024). Easy fight, drops Tier 1 pieces.
Tier 2 Soldier: Requires full Tier 1 set and 70% favour. Slightly tougher.
Tier 3 Soldier: Needs Tier 2 set and 80% favour.
Tier 4 Soldier: Needs Tier 3 set and 90% favour.
Tier 5 Soldier: Requires Tier 4 set and 100% favour. The final challenge for the best set.

Alternative Method: Smithing Shayzien Armour

If combat isn’t your style, you can smith Tier 5 Shayzien Armour using lovakite bars. You’ll need 93 Smithing and 11 lovakite bars per full set. Lovakite ore is mined in the Lovakengj mine, smelted with 2 coal in the lovakite furnace. This method skips the Combat Ring entirely but demands high Smithing levels.

Method	Requirements	Time Estimate
Combat Ring	20 Defence, Melee Gear	1-2 Hours
Smithing	93 Smithing, 11 Lovakite Bars	Varies (Mining + Smithing Time)

Using Shayzien Armour Effectively

Once you’ve got your hands on the Tier 5 Shayzien Armour, it’s time to put it to work. Its primary use is against Lizardman Shamans, but it has other niche applications too.

Fighting Lizardman Shamans

Found in the Lizardman Settlement or Shayzien Crypts, these foes drop valuable loot like the Dragon Warhammer. The Tier 5 set nullifies their acidic attack, letting you focus on DPS. Pair it with a Slayer Helmet (after completing the Hard Kourend & Kebos Diary) for bonus Slayer XP and damage—talk to Captain Cleive to enable this combo.

Wilderness Utility

With stats between steel and black armour, Tier 5 Shayzien is a cheap, disposable option for Wilderness PvM or clue scroll hunting. If you die, replacing it is just a few Combat Ring fights away.

Tips and Tricks for Shayzien Armour in OSRS

Maximize your Shayzien Armour experience with these pro tips:

Storage and Management

Don’t toss your Tier 1-4 sets after getting Tier 5—store them in a Mahogany Armour Case in your Player-Owned House (POH) for collection purposes. If you lose a Tier 5 piece, you’ll need the Tier 4 set to refight the Tier 5 soldier, so keep it handy.

Optimizing Combat Ring Fights

Prayer Flick: Use Protect from Melee to minimize damage from higher-tier soldiers.
Super Combat Potions: Boost your stats for faster kills.
Bank Nearby: The Shayzien bank is just north of the Combat Ring—restock quickly.

Post-2024 Favour Changes

Since the January 2024 update removed the favour grind, you can jump straight into the Combat Ring without preamble. However, older guides might still mention favour thresholds—ignore those and focus on the combat or smithing paths outlined here.

Final Thoughts

Getting Shayzien Armour in OSRS is a rewarding journey, whether you choose the thrill of the Combat Ring or the grind of the smithing furnace. It’s not just about the gear—it’s about mastering a piece of Great Kourend’s lore and preparing yourself for some of the game’s toughest challenges. So, grab your weapon, head to Shayzien, and claim your set today. Happy ‘scaping!