1-99 Melee OSRS Guide

Training melee skills in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a core part of becoming a formidable player, whether you’re slaying bosses, tackling quests, or dominating in PvP. Melee combat involves three skills: Attack, Strength, and Defence, each shaping your ability to hit accurately, deal damage, and withstand attacks. This guide walks you through the journey from level 1 to 99 in melee, offering efficient methods, gear recommendations, and tips to optimize your experience. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, this roadmap will help you achieve 99 melee with minimal grind.

Melee combat in OSRS relies on Attack, Strength, and Defence, each contributing uniquely to your character’s prowess. Training these skills efficiently requires understanding their roles and choosing the right training methods based on your goals, whether it’s fast XP, profitability, or a mix of both.

Attack: Precision in Combat

Attack determines your accuracy when hitting opponents. Higher Attack levels unlock better weapons, such as the Dragon Scimitar or Abyssal Whip, which require 60 and 70 Attack, respectively. Focus on Attack early to access stronger gear, improving your overall training efficiency.

Strength: Maximizing Damage

Strength governs the damage you deal per hit. It’s often prioritized for faster kills, especially when training on monsters like Rock Crabs or Nightmare Zone bosses. Boosting Strength early can speed up your XP rates significantly.

Defence: Surviving the Fight

Defence reduces the likelihood of taking damage and unlocks sturdier armor, like Rune or Dragon. While some players opt for low Defence builds (e.g., pures), training Defence is recommended for most accounts to tackle tougher content.

Early Levels (1-40): Starting Your Melee Journey

The early levels are about building a foundation with accessible gear and low-level monsters. Focus on quests and simple training spots to quickly progress to mid-tier methods.

Key Quests for Melee XP

Quests offer significant XP rewards, reducing the grind for levels 1-40. Here’s a list of beginner-friendly quests with melee rewards:

• Waterfall Quest: Grants 13,750 Attack and Strength XP, boosting you to around level 30 in both.
• Vampire Slayer: Provides 4,825 Attack XP, ideal for early Attack training.
• Tree Gnome Village: Awards 11,450 Attack XP, helping you reach level 20+.
• Fight Arena: Gives 12,175 Attack XP and some Defence XP.
• The Grand Tree: Offers 18,400 Attack XP, pushing you toward level 40.

Complete these quests as soon as possible, as they require minimal combat stats and provide XP equivalent to hours of manual training.

Training Spots for Levels 1-40

If quests aren’t enough or you prefer manual training, these spots are ideal:

• Chickens (Lumbridge): Perfect for levels 1-10. They have low HP, drop feathers for profit, and are safe for new players.
• Cows (Lumbridge): Great for levels 10-20. Cows drop cowhides, which can be sold or crafted for extra gold.
• Rock Crabs (Rellekka): Excellent for levels 20-40. They have high HP (50), low Defence, and respawn quickly, offering fast XP.

Gear Tip: Use the best weapon and armor available, such as an Iron Scimitar (level 5 Attack) or Mithril gear (level 20 Attack/Defence). Train with the Accurate combat style for Attack XP, Aggressive for Strength, or Defensive for Defence.

Mid Levels (40-70): Scaling Up Efficiency

At level 40, you gain access to better weapons and training methods. This range is where you can start using profitable or AFK methods to balance XP and gold.

Best Training Methods

Two standout methods dominate mid-level melee training:

• Rock Crabs: Continue using Rock Crabs up to level 60 for consistent XP (50-70k XP/hr). Their high HP and low Defence make them ideal for AFK training.
• Nightmare Zone (NMZ): Unlocked after completing at least five NMZ quests (e.g., The Grand Tree, Lost City). NMZ offers 60-100k XP/hr in Normal Mode with Absorption Potions and Overloads. It’s semi-AFK and allows you to train all melee skills simultaneously.

Recommended Gear

Upgrade your equipment to maximize efficiency. Here’s a suggested setup for levels 40-70:

Slot	Item	Level Requirement
Weapon	Dragon Scimitar	60 Attack
Helmet	Rune Full Helm	40 Defence
Chest	Rune Platebody	40 Defence
Legs	Rune Platelegs	40 Defence
Amulet	Amulet of Strength	None
Gloves	Combat Bracelet	None

Pro Tip: Complete Monkey Madness I to unlock the Dragon Scimitar, which offers excellent DPS for its level requirement.

High Levels (70-99): Mastering Melee

From level 70, you’re ready for advanced methods that offer top-tier XP rates or profitability. This is where Nightmare Zone and Slayer shine.

Nightmare Zone: The AFK King

NMZ remains the go-to for 70-99 due to its high XP rates (100-200k XP/hr with optimal setups) and AFK nature. Use Hard Mode with bosses like King Roald or Tree Spirit for maximum efficiency. Key tips:

• Use Overloads to boost combat stats every 5 minutes.
• Equip Absorption Potions to minimize damage taken.
• Wear Obsidian Armor or Bandos Armor for high Strength bonuses.

Slayer: XP and Profit

Training melee through Slayer is ideal if you want to earn gold while leveling. Assign tasks from high-level masters like Duradel (requires 100 combat). Slayer offers 80-150k XP/hr and drops like Abyssal Whips or Granite Mauls. Focus on tasks like:

• Abyssal Demons: High XP and valuable drops (requires 85 Slayer).
• Gargoyles: Profitable with Granite Hammers (requires 75 Slayer).
• Nechryaels: Decent XP and loot (requires 80 Slayer).

Endgame Gear

At 70+, invest in high-tier gear to boost XP rates:

Slot	Item	Level Requirement
Weapon	Abyssal Whip	70 Attack
Helmet	Slayer Helmet (i)	Slayer Task
Chest	Bandos Chestplate	65 Defence
Legs	Bandos Tassets	65 Defence
Amulet	Amulet of Fury	None

Note: The Slayer Helmet (i) provides a 16.67% boost to melee accuracy and damage on Slayer tasks, making it a must-have.

Tips for Faster Melee Training

Maximize your efficiency with these strategies to hit 99 faster.

Optimize Combat Styles

Switch between combat styles based on your training goals:

• Accurate: +3 Attack XP per hit.
• Aggressive: +3 Strength XP per hit.
• Defensive: +3 Defence XP per hit.
• Controlled: +1 XP to Attack, Strength, and Defence per hit (slower but balanced).

Use Boosts and Potions

Potions and boosts can significantly increase XP rates:

• Super Combat Potions: Boost Attack, Strength, and Defence by 5-15 levels.
• Prayer (Piety): Increases Attack by 20%, Strength by 23%, and Defence by 25%.
• Slayer Tasks: Use a Slayer Helm or Black Mask for bonus XP on tasks.

AFK vs. Active Training

Balance AFK and active methods based on your playstyle. NMZ is perfect for AFK, while Slayer or bossing (e.g., Zulrah or Vorkath) suits active players chasing profit. Alternate between methods to avoid burnout.

Reaching 99 melee in OSRS is a rewarding milestone. By following this guide, leveraging quests, optimizing gear, and choosing efficient training methods like NMZ or Slayer, you’ll hit your goals faster. Start with Rock Crabs, transition to NMZ, and consider Slayer for a profitable endgame. Equip the best gear you can afford, use boosts, and stay consistent. Your cape awaits!