Best Way to Level Melee in OSRS: Your Ultimate Guide to 99 Attack, Strength, and Defence

Best Way to Level Melee in OSRS: Your Ultimate Guide to 99 Attack, Strength, and Defence


If you’re diving into Old School RuneScape (OSRS) and want to master melee combat, you’re in the right place. Melee skills—Attack, Strength, and Defence—are the backbone of many activities in Gielinor, from slaying bosses to dominating PvP. But leveling them to 99 can feel like a grind without the right strategy. In this guide, we’ll break down the best ways to level melee in OSRS, offering efficient, beginner-friendly, and even AFK methods to get you to max stats fast. Whether you’re a free-to-play (F2P) adventurer or a pay-to-play (P2P) veteran, we’ve got you covered with tips, locations, and gear recommendations.

Melee isn’t just about swinging a sword—it’s a gateway to unlocking OSRS’s richest content. High melee stats open doors to iconic quests like Monkey Madness, lucrative bosses like Vorkath, and even the prestigious Fire Cape from Jad. Plus, melee is versatile: Attack boosts accuracy, Strength amps up damage, and Defence keeps you alive longer. Mastering these skills isn’t just a flex—it’s a practical step to thriving in Gielinor.

Benefits of High Melee Stats

  • Quest Access: Quests like Lunar Diplomacy (50 Attack) and Recipe for Disaster (70 Defence) require solid melee levels.
  • Bossing: High Strength and Attack let you tackle profitable bosses like the Nightmare or Corporeal Beast.
  • PvP Power: Melee dominates in player-versus-player combat with weapons like the Abyssal Whip or Dragon Claws.

Which Melee Skill to Train First?

Start with Strength—it increases your max hit, speeding up kills and thus boosting XP rates across all melee skills. Next, prioritize Attack to wield better weapons and improve accuracy. Finally, level Defence to wear stronger armor and survive tougher fights. A balanced approach (e.g., keeping them within 10 levels of each other) works too, but prioritizing Strength early pays off.

Best Early-Level Melee Training (1-40)

OSRS Strength Training Guide 2022 Easiest Methods To Level 99 Rune

The early grind can be tedious, but with the right spots and quests, you’ll breeze through levels 1-40. Focus on low-risk, high-hitpoint enemies and knock out some XP-boosting quests to skip the slog.

Top Training Spots for Levels 1-20

  • Chickens (Lumbridge): At 3 HP each, they’re perfect for fresh accounts. Find them east of Lumbridge Castle. Bring an Iron Scimitar for quick kills.
  • Cows (Lumbridge): With 8 HP and no threat, cows north of Lumbridge offer decent XP and leather drops for early cash.
  • Goblins (Lumbridge): Across the bridge from Lumbridge Castle, these level 2 foes are easy and plentiful.

Questing for Fast XP

Quests are a game-changer for early melee levels. Here’s a shortlist to jumpstart your stats:

Quest XP Reward Requirements
Waterfall Quest 13,750 Attack & Strength None
Vampyre Slayer 4,825 Attack None (F2P)
Fight Arena 12,175 Attack Fire Strike spell

Waterfall Quest alone can rocket you to level 30 in Attack and Strength from level 1—don’t skip it!

Gear Recommendations

  • Weapons: Iron Scimitar (level 5 Attack) or Steel Scimitar (level 10 Attack).
  • Armor: Full Iron Armor (F2P) or Steel Armor if you can afford it.
  • Amulet: Amulet of Strength for a small max hit boost.

AFK Melee Training: Mid-Level Power-Up (40-70)

Once you hit level 40, it’s time to lean into AFK methods. These spots let you train with minimal clicks, perfect for multitasking or casual play.

Sand Crabs (Hosidius, Zeah)

Location: South coast of Hosidius in Great Kourend.
Why? Sand Crabs have 60 HP, low Defence, and stay aggressive for 10 minutes. Stand near a three-spawn spot, and they’ll attack you nonstop. Reset aggression by running 30 tiles away and back.
XP Rates: Up to 40K XP/hour with decent gear.

Ammonite Crabs (Fossil Island)

Location: Northern Fossil Island beach (requires Bone Voyage quest).
Why? At 100 HP, these crabs outclass Sand Crabs for longevity and XP. They’re less crowded too.
XP Rates: Around 50K XP/hour with a Rune Scimitar.

Gear Upgrade

  • Weapons: Rune Scimitar (level 40 Attack)—best F2P DPS option.
  • Armor: Rune Armor (level 40 Defence) or Mithril if you’re still F2P.
  • Amulet: Amulet of Power for balanced bonuses.

Fastest Melee Training: Nightmare Zone (70-99)

For the fastest path to 99, nothing beats Nightmare Zone (NMZ). This P2P minigame offers insane XP rates and flexibility, making it the meta for melee training.

How Nightmare Zone Works

Location: North of Yanille.
Requirements: Complete 5+ quests with bosses (e.g., The Grand Tree, Witch’s House).
Method: Enter a “Rumble” dream, fighting past quest bosses. Use Absorption Potions (bought with NMZ points) to tank damage and a Dwarven Rock Cake to drop to 1 HP. Pair this with Dharok’s Armor—its damage scales inversely with HP, maxing out at 1 HP for colossal hits.
XP Rates: Up to 140K XP/hour for Attack/Strength, plus Hitpoints XP.

Optimizing NMZ

  • Bosses: Pick easy ones like Tree Spirit, King Roald, and Bouncer for consistent XP.
  • Potions: Overloads (from NMZ points) boost stats beyond your base level.
  • Gear: Full Dharok’s (70 Attack/Defence) or Obsidian Armor with Berserker Necklace for a budget option.

Why NMZ Shines

It’s safe (no item loss on death), offers high XP, and earns you points for rewards like Herb Boxes—profit and levels in one go. For P2P players, this is the gold standard.

Alternative Methods: Slayer and Bossing

If NMZ isn’t your style or you want variety, Slayer and bossing offer rewarding alternatives. They’re slower for pure XP but bring profit and excitement.

Slayer Training

Why? Train melee while leveling Slayer, earning drops like herbs and gear.
Method: Take tasks from Slayer Masters (e.g., Vannaka in Edgeville). Use a Black Mask or Slayer Helm for a 12.5% Attack/Strength boost on-task.
XP Rates: 40K-80K XP/hour depending on task and gear.
Tip: Start at level 50+ combat for better tasks; aim for 70 Slayer for profit.

Bossing for Melee XP

Top Bosses:

Gear: Dragon Scimitar (60 Attack) or Abyssal Whip (70 Attack), Bandos Armor (65 Defence).

Pros and Cons

  • Pros: Profit, variety, and Slayer XP.
  • Cons: Slower XP than NMZ, higher risk, and more effort.

F2P Melee Training: Budget Path to 99

For F2P players, options are limited but effective. You won’t hit NMZ speeds, but you can still reach 99 with patience.

Best F2P Spots

  • Giant Frogs (Lumbridge Swamp): 25 HP, decent XP past level 20. Drops big bones for Prayer XP.

    • tenere Hill Giants (Edgeville Dungeon): 35 HP, good for 40-70. Bring a brass key for access.

  • Lesser Demons (Karamja Volcano): 82 HP, ideal for 70-99. Use Protect from Melee prayer.

F2P Gear

  • Weapon: Rune Scimitar (40 Attack)—highest DPS in F2P.
  • Armor: Full Rune (40 Defence).
  • Amulet: Amulet of Strength or Power.

XP Rates

Expect 20K-40K XP/hour. It’s slower than P2P, but free and steady. Hill Giants are a sweet spot for mid-levels.

Final Thoughts: The best way to level melee in OSRS depends on your goals. For speed, NMZ is king. For profit and fun, Slayer or bossing shines. F2P? Stick to crabs or giants. Grab your scimitar, stack some food, and start swinging—99 is closer than you think!