OSRS Magic Gear Progression Guide for 2025
Mastering magic in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) requires more than just leveling up your skills—it’s about equipping the right gear to maximize your spellcasting potential. Whether you’re a free-to-play (F2P) beginner or a pay-to-play (P2P) veteran aiming for endgame content, this guide walks you through the optimal magic gear progression for 2025. From humble wizard robes to the coveted Ancestral set, we’ll cover what to wear at every stage, balancing cost, effectiveness, and accessibility.
Magic gear in OSRS primarily boosts your magic accuracy (chance to hit) and magic damage (spell strength). Unlike melee or ranged, magic relies heavily on gear to enhance spell performance, especially against high-defense enemies like bosses. Choosing the right equipment at each level ensures efficient training, better PvM performance, and cost-effective upgrades. This guide focuses on progression for both F2P and P2P players, with practical tips for every budget.
Key Stats to Understand
- Magic Attack Bonus: Increases your spell accuracy, crucial for hitting targets with high magic defense.
- Magic Damage Bonus: Boosts spell damage by a percentage, vital for maximizing DPS in PvM.
- Defense Requirements: Many high-tier magic items require defense levels, so plan your training accordingly.
Free-to-Play Magic Gear Progression
For F2P players, magic gear options are limited but sufficient for early training and basic combat. The focus here is affordability and accessibility, as most items are available from NPC shops or low-level drops.
Levels 1–20: Starting with Wizard Robes
At the beginning of your OSRS journey, you’ll rely on basic gear to cast low-level spells like Wind Strike or Fire Strike. The go-to choice is the Wizard Robes set, available from shops like the Wizards’ Guild or dropped by low-level enemies.
- Wizard Hat: +2 magic attack.
- Wizard Robe Top: +3 magic attack.
- Zamorak Monk Bottom: +2 magic attack (better than skirts, dropped by Zamorak monks).
- Amulet of Magic: +10 magic attack, craftable or purchasable for under 1K gold.
- Elemental Staff: Staff of Air, Water, Fire, or Earth saves runes and adds +10 magic attack.
Cost: ~7K gold total.
Tip: Train on crabs or low-level monsters like goblins to level up quickly while splashing for AFK experience.
Levels 20–40: Upgrading to Better Accessories
Once you hit level 20 Magic, you can start incorporating slightly better gear while staying budget-friendly. The goal is to improve accuracy for casting Bolt spells.
- Wizard Robes (Trimmed): Slightly better stats if obtained from Treasure Trails, but regular robes suffice.
- Blue/Black Skirt: Cosmetic upgrade for bottoms, no stat boost unless using Zamorak Monk Bottoms.
- Leather Boots: Minor defense, available from shops.
- Amulet of Magic: Still the best neck slot for F2P.
Cost: ~10K–15K gold.
Tip: Focus on quests like Witch’s Potion for quick XP to reach higher spell tiers.
Early Pay-to-Play Magic Gear (Levels 1–50)
Moving to P2P opens up a world of options, with gear that offers better bonuses and utility. Early P2P gear is affordable and perfect for training or Slayer tasks.
Levels 1–20: Xerician Robes
For P2P beginners, Xerician Robes are a step up from Wizard Robes, requiring 20 Magic and 10 Defense. Crafted from Xerician fabric (dropped by lizardmen), they’re cheap and effective.
| Item | Magic Attack | Magic Defense | Cost (GP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xerician Hat | +3 | +3 | ~5K |
| Xerician Top | +12 | +12 | ~20K |
| Xerician Bottom | +9 | +9 | ~15K |
Other Gear:
- Elemental Staff: Same as F2P, saves rune costs.
- Combat Bracelet: +7 magic attack, requires Recipe for Disaster progress.
- God Cape (Basic): +10 magic attack, obtained from Mage Arena I.
Total Cost: ~50K–100K gold.
Levels 20–50: Mystic Robes
At 40 Magic and 20 Defense, Mystic Robes become the gold standard for mid-level mages. Dropped by Slayer monsters or bought on the Grand Exchange, they offer solid bonuses for the price.
- Mystic Hat, Top, Bottom: +20 magic attack total for the set.
- Mystic Gloves/Boots: +3 each, affordable upgrades.
- Iban’s Staff (Upgraded): +10 magic attack, requires Underground Pass quest, great for Iban’s Blast.
- Amulet of Glory: +10 magic attack, multi-purpose for teleports.
Cost: ~500K–1M gold.
Tip: Use Mystic Robes for Slayer tasks or early PvM like Barrows to farm gold for upgrades.
Mid-Level Magic Gear (Levels 50–75)
Mid-level gear bridges the gap between budget setups and high-end equipment. This tier is ideal for tackling tougher Slayer tasks, early bosses, and PvP scenarios.
Levels 50–60: Bloodbark and Swampbark
Bloodbark and Swampbark armors, requiring 60 Magic/Defense and 50 Magic/Defense respectively, are niche but powerful for specific scenarios. Crafted using Splitbark armor and runes, they offer unique effects.
- Bloodbark Armor: +10% healing for blood spells, great for sustain in raids.
- Swampbark Armor: Extends binding spell duration (e.g., Entangle), useful for PvP.
- Stats: Comparable to Mystic Robes for magic attack, better melee defense.
Cost: ~2M–3M gold per set.
Levels 60–75: Ahrim’s Robes
Ahrim’s Robes, requiring 70 Magic and Defense, are a staple for mid-to-high-level mages. Obtained from the Barrows minigame, they provide excellent bonuses and a set effect that lowers enemy stats.
- Full Set: +58 magic attack, +48 magic defense.
- Occult Necklace: +12 magic attack, +10% magic damage, requires 70 Magic.
- Trident of the Seas: Built-in spell, 75 Magic required, perfect for Slayer and PvM.
- Mage’s Book: +15 magic attack, affordable off-hand.
Cost: ~5M–10M gold (varies with Barrows RNG).
Tip: Farm Barrows for Ahrim’s while earning gold for other upgrades.
Endgame Magic Gear (Levels 75+)
Endgame gear is where mages shine, offering unmatched damage and accuracy for raids, bosses, and PvP. These items are expensive but transformative.
Levels 75–85: Trident and Tormented Bracelet
At 75 Magic, you unlock key upgrades that boost DPS significantly.
- Trident of the Swamp: Upgraded Trident, inflicts venom, ~3M gold.
- Tormented Bracelet: +10 magic attack, +5% magic damage, ~20M gold.
- Imbued God Cape: +15 magic attack, +2% damage, requires Mage Arena II.
- Eternal Boots: +8 magic attack/defense, +1% damage, requires 75 Magic/Defense.
Cost: ~30M–50M gold.
Tip: Prioritize the Occult Necklace and Tormented Bracelet for their damage bonuses, as they’re relatively cheap for the impact.
Levels 85+: Ancestral and Sanguinesti Staff
The pinnacle of magic gear, reserved for wealthy players tackling endgame content like Chambers of Xeric or Theatre of Blood.
| Item | Magic Attack | Magic Damage | Cost (GP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ancestral Hat | +8 | +2% | ~30M |
| Ancestral Top | +35 | +2% | ~100M |
| Ancestral Bottom | +26 | +2% | ~100M |
| Sanguinesti Staff | +25 | – | ~90M |
Other Gear:
- Kodai Wand: +28 magic attack, +15% damage, unlimited water runes, ~100M gold.
- Tumeken’s Shadow: Triples accuracy/damage, ~1B+ gold, best-in-slot weapon.
- Arcane Spirit Shield: +30 magic defense, +20 magic attack, ~200M gold.
Total Cost: ~500M–1.5B+ gold.
Tip: Start with the Ancestral Hat for its cost-effective damage boost before investing in the full set.
Tips for Efficient Gear Progression
Upgrading your magic gear can be daunting, especially with the high costs of endgame items. Here are some strategies to progress smoothly:
- Prioritize Damage Bonuses: Items like the Occult Necklace and Ancestral Robes offer percentage-based damage boosts, which scale better than raw accuracy.
- Farm Gold via PvM: Barrows, Slayer, and early raids like Chambers of Xeric are great for earning gold to afford upgrades.
- Complete Key Quests: Quests like Desert Treasure (Ancient Magicks) and Lunar Diplomacy (utility spells) unlock spells that pair well with mid-tier gear.
- Balance Stats: Train Defense alongside Magic to wear better armor like Ahrim’s or Ancestral without delays.
- Check Market Prices: Grand Exchange prices fluctuate, so buy when items dip to save millions.
By following this progression, you’ll go from casting basic strikes to dominating raids with powerful spells. Whether you’re splashing on crabs or barraging bosses, the right gear makes all the difference.