OSRS F2P Combat Guide Free to Play Mastery
Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers an engaging free-to-play (F2P) experience, and mastering combat is key to thriving in Gielinor’s dangerous world. This comprehensive guide focuses on training melee combat skills—Attack, Strength, Defence, and Hitpoints—in F2P worlds. Whether you’re a new player or a veteran creating a pure account, this guide provides strategies, monster progressions, equipment tips, and quest recommendations to level up efficiently. Let’s dive into the best ways to become a combat master without spending a dime!
Combat in OSRS F2P revolves around three melee skills: Attack, which improves accuracy and unlocks better weapons; Strength, which boosts maximum hit damage; and Defence, which reduces the chance of taking damage and unlocks stronger armor. Hitpoints increase naturally as you deal or take damage, so it levels alongside other skills. Your goal is to balance these skills or prioritize based on your account type (e.g., pure or main).
Combat Level and Skill Prioritization
Your combat level is calculated using Attack, Strength, Defence, Hitpoints, and Prayer. For efficiency, many players prioritize Strength to maximize damage output, followed by Attack to wield better weapons, and Defence last for survivability. For combat pures, keeping Defence at 1 is common to dominate low-level PvP.
Choosing the Right Attack Style
Each weapon offers different attack styles, accessible via the combat interface:
- Accurate: Trains Attack, improving accuracy.
- Aggressive: Trains Strength, boosting damage.
- Defensive: Trains Defence, increasing protection.
- Controlled: Distributes XP evenly across Attack, Strength, and Defence (slower for maxing one skill).
Switch styles based on your training goals. For example, use Aggressive to rush Strength levels.
Best Equipment for F2P Combat
Upgrading gear is crucial for faster training. F2P equipment progresses from bronze to rune, with scimitars being the best melee weapons due to their high damage per second (DPS).
Weapon Progression
Always wield the highest-tier scimitar your Attack level allows:
| Weapon | Attack Level | Where to Get |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze Scimitar | 1 | Grand Exchange or Al Kharid Scimitar Shop |
| Iron Scimitar | 5 | Grand Exchange or Smithing (Level 20) |
| Steel Scimitar | 5 | Grand Exchange or Smithing (Level 35) |
| Black Scimitar | 10 | Grand Exchange |
| Mithril Scimitar | 20 | Grand Exchange or Smithing (Level 55) |
| Adamant Scimitar | 30 | Grand Exchange or Smithing (Level 75) |
| Rune Scimitar | 40 | Grand Exchange or Smithing (Level 90) |
For ironmen, the Barronite Mace (from Below Ice Mountain) is a solid alternative until you can smith a rune scimitar.
Armor and Accessories
Wear the best armor your Defence level permits. Full plate armor sets (helm, platebody, platelegs, kiteshield) offer the best protection. Upgrade through bronze, iron, steel, black, mithril, adamant, and rune (requires 40 Defence). Complete the Stronghold of Security for Fighting Boots, the best F2P footwear. For accessories, choose between:
- Amulet of Strength: +10 Strength bonus for higher max hits.
- Amulet of Power: +6 Strength, +6 Attack, +6 Defence for balanced stats.
Use the Amulet of Strength if it increases your max hit; otherwise, the Amulet of Power is better for accuracy and defence.
Questing for Quick Combat XP
Quests are a fast way to skip early grinding. They grant significant XP and unlock key items. Here are the best F2P quests for combat XP:
Recommended Quests
- Vampyre Slayer: 4,825 Attack XP (requires 15 coins, garlic, stake, hammer).
- The Grand Tree: 18,400 Attack XP (requires 25 Agility; technically F2P accessible but harder).
- Dragon Slayer: 18,650 Strength XP, 18,650 Defence XP (requires 32 Quest Points, unlocks rune platebody).
Start with Vampyre Slayer for a quick Attack boost, then tackle Dragon Slayer for massive XP and armor upgrades. These quests can take you from level 1 to 30+ in Attack, Strength, or Defence in under a few hours.
Monster Progression for Training
Choosing the right monsters ensures efficient XP gains. Focus on enemies with high Hitpoints and low Defence for maximum XP per hour. Below is a level-based progression for F2P melee training.
Levels 1–20: Chickens and Cows
Location: Lumbridge farms (northeast of Lumbridge Castle).
Pros: Low Defence, easy to kill, drop feathers (chickens) or cowhides (cows) for profit.
Cons: Crowded, low Hitpoints (3 for chickens, 8 for cows).
Start with chickens for quick kills, then move to cows for slightly better XP and loot. Cook raw chicken or beef to train Cooking and heal during fights.
Levels 20–40: Giant Frogs
Location: Lumbridge Swamp.
Pros: High Hitpoints (20), low Defence, minimal damage output.
Cons: Slightly further from a bank.
Giant frogs are ideal for reaching 40 Attack to wield a rune scimitar. Bring food like trout or salmon (fished in Barbarian Village) for longer sessions.
Levels 40–70: Flesh Crawlers
Location: Stronghold of Security, Level 2 (Barbarian Village).
Pros: High XP rates, can be AFK’d, decent drops (runes, herbs).
Cons: Requires food at lower Defence levels.
Flesh crawlers are perfect for mid-level training. Enable Auto Retaliate and bring swordfish or anchovy pizza for healing. At 70 Defence, you can AFK them with minimal food.
Levels 70+: Giant Spiders or Ogress Warriors
Giant Spiders:
– Location: Stronghold of Security, Level 3.
– Pros: Highest AFK XP in F2P, 10-minute aggression period.
– Cons: Need to reset aggression by leaving and returning.
Ogress Warriors:
– Location: Corsair Cove Dungeon.
– Pros: Profitable drops (runes, gems), good XP.
– Cons: Requires Corsair Curse quest, risk of PKers in multi-combat areas.
Giant spiders are the go-to for AFK training, while ogress warriors suit players seeking profit alongside XP.
Advanced F2P Combat Tips
Once you’ve mastered the basics, these strategies can boost your efficiency and make training more enjoyable.
AFK Training with Absorption Potions
In the Stronghold of Security, monsters like flesh crawlers and giant spiders allow AFK training due to their aggression. Stock up on food (swordfish or anchovy pizza) and use Auto Retaliate. For 1 Defence pures, high Hitpoints (80+) and jugs of wine enable fast XP in the Free-For-All Clan Wars portal by attacking low-Defence accounts.
PvP Combat Pure Training
Combat pures focus on offensive skills (Attack and Strength) while keeping Defence at 1. Train on giant spiders or use Clan Wars for high XP. At 30 Defence, equip Golden Decorative Boots (from Castle Wars) for a +1 Strength bonus, maximizing damage with a rune scimitar.
Maximizing Profit While Training
Monsters like hill giants (Edgeville Dungeon) and ogress warriors drop valuable items:
- Hill Giants: Big bones (262 GP each), giant keys.
- Ogress Warriors: Runes, gems, mithril armor.
Bank these drops or sell at the Grand Exchange to fund better gear and food.
Potions and Buffs
Use Attack, Strength, and Defence potions to boost stats temporarily, increasing XP rates and trip duration. Buy them from the Grand Exchange or make them via Herblore (requires membership). For PvP, Castle Wars Brew and Castle Wars Bracelet enhance max hits.
Final Tips: Always carry an emergency teleport (e.g., Explorer’s Ring) for dangerous areas. Train in less crowded F2P worlds to secure spots. Complete Dragon Slayer to wear a rune platebody, boosting Defence significantly. With dedication, you’ll hit 99 in Attack, Strength, and Defence, ready to dominate Gielinor’s F2P battlefields!