Best Weapon for Gargoyles in OSRS A Comprehensive Guide

Gargoyles in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) are a popular Slayer monster, known for their profitable drops and relatively straightforward mechanics. Found in the Slayer Tower, these level 111 creatures require a Slayer level of 75 to harm and a rock hammer (or equivalent) to finish them off when their health drops below 10. With their weakness to crush attacks, choosing the right weapon is crucial for maximizing efficiency and profits. In this guide, we’ll explore the best weapons for tackling gargoyles, optimal gear setups, and strategies to make your Slayer tasks or money-making sessions as smooth as possible.

Gargoyles are a favorite among OSRS players due to their consistent loot, which includes rune items, coins, and high-value drops like the granite maul and dark mystic robe top. They’re also ideal for AFK (away-from-keyboard) training, especially with the right setup. Whether you’re on a Slayer task or grinding off-task on the Slayer Tower’s top floor, selecting the best weapon can significantly boost your kills per hour and overall profits, estimated at 200,000 to 600,000 GP per hour depending on your setup and luck.

Key Requirements for Killing Gargoyles

• Slayer Level 75: Required to deal damage to gargoyles.
• Priest in Peril Quest: Unlocks access to the Slayer Tower.
• Rock Hammer or Equivalent: Needed to smash gargoyles when their HP is 9 or lower. Alternatives include rock thrownhammer or granite hammer.
• Gargoyle Smasher Perk (Optional): Costs 120 Slayer points and automatically smashes gargoyles if you have a hammer in your inventory.

Best Weapons for Gargoyles

Gargoyles are particularly weak to crush attacks, making crush-based weapons the go-to choice for most players. Below, we rank the top weapons based on damage per second (DPS), accessibility, and cost, ensuring options for players at different wealth and combat levels.

Top Choice Abyssal Bludgeon

The Abyssal Bludgeon is widely regarded as the best weapon for gargoyles due to its high crush bonus and strength. Requiring 70 Attack and Strength, this two-handed weapon boasts a +102 crush attack bonus and +85 strength bonus, making it a powerhouse against gargoyles’ low crush defense. Its unique passive effect increases damage based on remaining Prayer points, which synergizes well with Prayer-heavy setups like Piety.

• Pros: High DPS, excellent for Slayer tasks, trains Strength efficiently.
• Cons: Expensive (around 30M GP), requires killing Abyssal Sires to obtain components.
• Best For: Mid-to-high wealth players with maxed melee stats.

Budget-Friendly Sarachnis Cudgel

For players who can’t afford the Abyssal Bludgeon, the Sarachnis Cudgel is an excellent alternative. Dropped by Sarachnis, this weapon requires 65 Attack and offers a +95 crush attack bonus and +70 strength bonus. It’s significantly cheaper (often under 5M GP) and performs well against gargoyles, especially when paired with a dragon defender.

• Pros: Affordable, decent DPS, accessible for mid-level players.
• Cons: Lower damage output compared to the Bludgeon.
• Best For: Mid-level players or those on a budget.

Granite Hammer for Auto-Smashing

The Granite Hammer, requiring 50 Attack and Strength, is a unique option because it automatically smashes gargoyles when equipped, eliminating the need for the Gargoyle Smasher perk. With a +57 crush attack bonus and +56 strength bonus, it’s not as strong as the Bludgeon or Cudgel but is a great choice for low-to-mid-level players or those prioritizing convenience.

• Pros: Auto-smashes gargoyles, relatively cheap (around 200K GP).
• Cons: Lower DPS, less effective for high-combat players.
• Best For: Low-level players or those without the Smasher perk.

Guthan’s Warspear for AFK

The Guthan’s Warspear, part of Guthan’s Barrows set, is the best choice for AFK-focused players. Requiring 70 Attack and full Guthan’s armor, this weapon has a +75 crush attack bonus and triggers a lifesteal effect (25% chance to heal for damage dealt) when worn with the set. This allows players to stay at gargoyles for extended periods without food, making it ideal for passive money-making.

• Pros: Enables AFK training, heals without food, decent crush bonus.
• Cons: Requires 70 Defence, degrades over time, suboptimal DPS.
• Best For: Players prioritizing AFK sessions over speed.

Other Notable Weapons

If the above options aren’t available, consider these alternatives:

• Zamorakian Hasta: Requires 70 Attack, offers +85 crush attack bonus, and is faster than most two-handed weapons. Great for players with high stats.
• Dragon Mace: Affordable, with a +60 crush attack bonus and a special attack that boosts Prayer, suitable for low-budget setups.
• Granite Maul: Dropped by gargoyles, requires 50 Attack/Strength, and has a +81 crush attack bonus. Useful for ironmen or as a temporary weapon.

While weapons like the Abyssal Whip or Dragon Scimitar can work due to gargoyles’ low defense, they’re less efficient because they use slash attacks, which gargoyles resist more than crush.

Optimal Gear Setup for Gargoyles

Your gear setup is just as important as your weapon when fighting gargoyles. Here’s a recommended setup for melee-focused players, balancing DPS, defense, and Prayer bonuses.

Slot	Best-in-Slot	Budget Alternative
Head	Slayer Helmet (on-task)	Dwarven Helmet (crush bonus)
Neck	Amulet of Torture	Amulet of Glory
Cape	Fire Cape	Obsidian Cape
Body	Proselyte Hauberk	Initiate Hauberk
Legs	Proselyte Cuisse	Initiate Cuisse
Weapon	Abyssal Bludgeon	Sarachnis Cudgel
Shield	Dragon Defender	Rune Defender
Hands	Barrows Gloves	Combat Bracelet
Feet	Dragon Boots	Rune Boots
Ring	Berserker Ring	Tyrannical Ring (crush bonus)

Tips for Gear

• Slayer Helmet: Provides a 16.67% melee damage boost on-task, making it essential for faster kills.
• Proselyte Armor: Boosts Prayer, allowing you to sustain Protect from Melee longer and save on potions.
• Ring of Wealth: Automatically picks up coin drops, reducing inventory clutter.

Combat Strategies and Tips

To maximize efficiency when killing gargoyles, follow these strategies:

Positioning and Safespotting

Gargoyles can be safespotted in the Slayer Tower’s top floor (south-west doorway) or basement (north-east corner behind a bucket). Safespotting is less practical for melee but can be used with ranged or magic if you prefer. For melee, stand in an open area and use Protect from Melee to negate all damage from regular gargoyles.

Handling Marble Gargoyles

If you have the Bigger and Badder perk unlocked, you may encounter marble gargoyles, a level 349 superior variant. These use both melee and ranged attacks, including a special white-red orb attack that deals heavy damage if not dodged. Pray Protect from Melee, stay alert, and move one square to avoid the orb’s 1×1 AoE.

Inventory Management

Gargoyles drop many alchable items (e.g., rune full helms, granite mauls). Bring nature and fire runes for High Alchemy to save inventory space. A gem bag is also useful for their frequent gem drops. Suggested inventory:

• Rock hammer (if not using Granite Hammer or Smasher perk)
• Super combat potion (4 doses)
• 6-8 Prayer potions
• 10-14 Sharks
• Rune pouch with High Alchemy runes
• Slayer ring for teleportation

Should You Fight Grotesque Guardians?

Gargoyles have a boss variant, the Grotesque Guardians (Dusk and Dawn), accessible with a Brittle Key dropped during a gargoyle Slayer task. While they offer unique drops like granite dust and a pet, they’re less efficient than regular gargoyles. The Guardians require both melee and ranged, higher stats, and more supplies, with an average kill worth around 55,124 GP. For most players, sticking to regular gargoyles is better for consistent profits and faster kills.

Key Differences

• Regular Gargoyles: Faster kills, lower requirements, better for AFK and money-making.
• Grotesque Guardians: Slower, more complex mechanics, better for collection log or pet hunters.

Choosing the best weapon for gargoyles in OSRS depends on your budget, combat stats, and playstyle. The Abyssal Bludgeon reigns supreme for DPS, while the Sarachnis Cudgel and Granite Hammer offer affordable alternatives. For AFK enthusiasts, Guthan’s Warspear is unmatched. Pair your weapon with a solid gear setup, use Protect from Melee, and manage your inventory wisely to maximize profits. Whether you’re slaying for XP or gold, gargoyles are a rewarding target with the right approach.