OSRS Melee Armour Progression Guide for 2025

Old School RuneScape (OSRS) melee combat is a cornerstone of the game, and choosing the right armour can make or break your experience. Whether you’re a new player or a seasoned adventurer, understanding melee armour progression is key to optimizing your combat efficiency. This guide dives into the best melee armour sets, from beginner-friendly gear to endgame powerhouses, ensuring you know what to equip at every stage of your journey.

Melee armour in OSRS is designed to boost your Attack, Strength, and Defence skills, typically crafted from metals like bronze, iron, or dragon. Each piece offers unique defensive bonuses, with higher-tier gear providing better protection and sometimes offensive boosts. Progression isn’t just about stats—it’s about balancing cost, availability, and combat goals, whether you’re slaying monsters, tackling bosses, or diving into PvP.

Key Factors in Choosing Melee Armour

Defence Bonuses: Higher-tier armour reduces damage taken from melee, ranged, and magic attacks.
Strength Bonuses: Some sets, like Bandos, boost your max hit, increasing damage output.
Cost vs. Benefit: Budget players can opt for affordable gear, while endgame players invest in premium sets.
Requirements: Most armour requires specific Defence levels, with some needing quest completions.

Early-Game Melee Armour (Levels 1–40)

Old School RuneScape OSRS Melee Gear Progression Guide Gamer Empire

Starting your OSRS journey, you’ll focus on affordable, accessible armour that offers decent protection without breaking the bank. Early-game gear is perfect for training combat skills and tackling low-level quests like Dragon Slayer.

Bronze and Iron Armour (Levels 1–10)

Bronze armour is the weakest melee gear, requiring no Defence level and costing pennies on the Grand Exchange. Iron armour, needing just 1 Defence, is a slight upgrade. Both are ideal for fresh accounts training on goblins or cows.

Where to Get: Buy from Horvik’s Armour Shop in Varrock or smelt bars using Smithing.
Cost: ~100–500 GP for a full set.

Steel and Black Armour (Levels 5–20)

Steel armour, requiring 5 Defence, offers better protection for players tackling tougher foes like hill giants. Black armour, also at 10 Defence, has a sleek look but no significant edge over steel unless you’re after aesthetics.

Where to Get: Steel from Varrock’s armour shops; Black as drops from NPCs like Black Knights.
Cost: ~2,000–10,000 GP.

Mithril and Adamant Armour (Levels 20–40)

Mithril (20 Defence) and Adamant (30 Defence) armour are staples for mid-tier training. They’re lightweight, affordable, and provide solid defence for quests like The Fremennik Trials or early Slayer tasks.

Where to Get: Grand Exchange or smith from bars (requires 30–50 Smithing).
Cost: Mithril ~10,000 GP; Adamant ~30,000 GP.

Mid-Game Melee Armour (Levels 40–70)

Old School RuneScape OSRS Melee Gear Progression Guide Gamer Empire

Once you hit 40 Defence, the game opens up with iconic armour sets that balance defence and utility. This stage is where you’ll start seeing untradeable gear and quest rewards that define your combat style.

Rune Armour (Level 40)

Rune armour is a mid-game classic, offering excellent defensive stats for its price. It’s the go-to for players training Slayer, grinding crabs, or attempting early bosses like the King Black Dragon.

Stats: High melee defence, no strength bonus.
Where to Get: Grand Exchange or Oziach’s shop post-Dragon Slayer.
Cost: ~100,000 GP for a full set.

Granite Armour (Level 50)

Granite armour requires 50 Defence and Strength, offering superior defence compared to rune but with a weight penalty. It’s niche but useful for tanking in PvM scenarios like the Fight Caves.

Where to Get: Drops from gargoyles or purchased on the Grand Exchange.
Cost: ~150,000–200,000 GP.

Fighter Torso and Dragon Armour (Level 60)

The Fighter Torso, obtained from Barbarian Assault, is a game-changer with a +4 Strength bonus—free and untradeable. Pair it with Dragon armour (60 Defence), which includes pieces like the Dragon Platelegs or Chainbody, for a solid setup.

Fighter Torso: Earned via Barbarian Assault (hours of minigame grinding).
Dragon Armour: Drops from monsters or Grand Exchange (~1–2M GP).

Late-Game Melee Armour (Levels 70–80)

Reaching 70 Defence unlocks high-tier gear that prepares you for endgame content like God Wars Dungeon or Chambers of Xeric. These sets offer a mix of defence, strength, and utility.

Barrows Armour (Level 70)

Barrows sets like Dharok’s, Torag’s, and Verac’s are iconic for their defensive stats and unique effects. Dharok’s hits harder at low HP, Verac’s ignores enemy defence occasionally, and Torag’s is a tanky choice.

Set	Key Bonus	Cost (GP)
Dharok’s	Strength at low HP	~2–3M
Verac’s	Defence ignore chance	~1.5–2M
Torag’s	High defence	~1M

Where to Get: Barrows minigame in Morytania.

Bandos Armour (Level 65)

Bandos Armour, requiring 65 Defence, is a favorite for its +4 Strength bonus per piece (chestplate and tassets). It’s ideal for Slayer and bossing due to its offensive edge over Barrows.

Where to Get: Drops from General Graardor in God Wars Dungeon.
Cost: Chestplate ~20–25M; Tassets ~15–20M.

Obsidian Armour (Level 60)

Obsidian Armour, while requiring only 60 Defence, shines in Nightmare Zone with a set bonus that boosts damage when paired with a Berserker Necklace. It’s a budget-friendly alternative for training.

Cost: ~1–2M for the set.
Where to Get: TzHaar shops in Mor Ul Rek.

Endgame Melee Armour (Level 80+)

Endgame melee armour is reserved for the elite, offering unmatched stats for raids, high-level bosses, and PvP. These sets are expensive but worth the investment for dedicated players.

Torva Armour (Level 80)

Torva Armour is the pinnacle of melee gear, boasting massive defensive stats and a +6 Strength bonus on the platebody. It’s a status symbol for those tackling Inferno or Theatre of Blood.

Where to Get: Drops from Nex in God Wars Dungeon.
Cost: ~500M–1B for the full set.
Tip: Prioritize the platebody for its strength bonus if budget-limited.

Justiciar Armour (Level 75)

Justiciar Armour is the ultimate tank set, with unparalleled melee and ranged defence. Its set effect reduces incoming damage, making it perfect for tanking in raids or PvP scenarios.

Where to Get: Theatre of Blood drops.
Cost: ~50–100M per piece.
Best For: Corporeal Beast, raids, or Wilderness tanking.

Inquisitor’s Armour (Level 70)

Inquisitor’s Armour, requiring 70 Defence and 30 Strength, excels in crush-based combat with a set bonus that boosts crush accuracy and strength. It’s niche but powerful for specific bosses like the Nightmare.

Cost: ~100–150M for the set.
Where to Get: Nightmare of Ashihama drops.

Tips for Efficient Melee Armour Progression

Progressing through melee armour in OSRS requires strategy. Here’s how to make the most of your journey without wasting time or gold.

Prioritize Strength Bonuses

Armour like Bandos and Torva offers strength bonuses that increase your damage output, speeding up kills and XP gains. Focus on these over pure defence unless tanking is your goal.

Leverage Untradeables

Items like the Fighter Torso, Dragon Defender, and Fire Cape are free or earned through effort, not gold. Grind these early to save millions while boosting your stats.

Balance Cost and Goals

Can’t afford Torva? Barrows or Bandos are excellent mid-tier options that last until endgame. Check the Grand Exchange for price trends before buying.

Quest for Gear Access

Quests like Dragon Slayer, Monkey Madness, and Wanted! unlock key gear like Rune Platebody and White Armour. Prioritize these for early boosts.

Final Thoughts: Melee armour progression in OSRS is a journey of balancing stats, cost, and goals. From humble bronze to the mighty Torva, each tier builds your combat prowess. Use this guide to plan your upgrades, and you’ll be ready to slay dragons, conquer raids, and dominate the Wilderness in no time. Happy scaping!