How to Calculate Combat Level in Old School RuneScape

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), your combat level is a key indicator of your character’s strength and ability to take on challenges, from battling monsters to dueling other players. Whether you’re a new player starting at combat level 3 or aiming for the maximum level of 126, understanding how to calculate your combat level is essential for planning your training and optimizing your build. This guide breaks down the combat level formula, explains the skills involved, and provides step-by-step instructions to help you determine your level accurately.

Your combat level reflects the combined strength of your combat-related skills, influencing how NPCs and other players perceive your power. It determines which monsters you can attack with a simple left-click, affects Slayer task requirements, and plays a role in Wilderness PvP interactions. Knowing the calculation helps you strategize skill training to achieve your desired combat level efficiently.

What Is Combat Level?

A combat level is a numerical value calculated from your Attack, Strength, Defence, Hitpoints, Prayer, Ranged, and Magic skills. It ranges from 3 for new players to 126 for those with maxed combat stats. Unlike RuneScape 3, OSRS does not include Summoning or Necromancy, keeping the formula simpler but still nuanced.

Why Calculate Your Combat Level?

Calculating your combat level allows you to:

• Plan Your Build: Decide whether to focus on melee, ranged, or magic to optimize your level.
• Meet Requirements: Ensure you qualify for specific Slayer tasks or quests.
• PvP Strategy: Understand your standing in player-versus-player combat, especially in the Wilderness.
• Track Progress: Monitor how close you are to your next combat level milestone.

The Combat Level Formula

The OSRS combat level is calculated using a formula that weighs your skills differently based on your combat style (melee, ranged, or magic). The formula prioritizes your highest combat style, ensuring your level reflects your strongest abilities.

Base Combat Level Calculation

The foundation of the combat level is the base level, which includes Defence, Hitpoints, and Prayer. Here’s how to calculate it:

1. Take your Prayer level, divide it by 2, and round down (e.g., Prayer 43 ÷ 2 = 21.5, rounded down to 21).
2. Add your Hitpoints and Defence levels to this number.
3. Divide the total by 4 to get your base combat level (e.g., Hitpoints 60 + Defence 70 + Prayer 21 = 151 ÷ 4 = 37.75).

Formula: Base = 0.25 × (Defence + Hitpoints + floor(Prayer/2))

Melee Combat Level

If your Attack and Strength levels are your dominant stats, you calculate your melee combat level as follows:

1. Add your Attack and Strength levels together.
2. Multiply the sum by 0.325.
3. Add this result to your base combat level (e.g., Attack 80 + Strength 85 = 165 × 0.325 = 53.625 + 37.75 = 91.375).

Formula: Melee Combat Level = Base + (0.325 × (Attack + Strength))

Ranged or Magic Combat Level

If your Ranged or Magic level is significantly higher than your Attack + Strength, use this calculation instead:

1. Divide your <
2. Take your Ranged or Magic level, divide by 2, and round down (e.g., Magic 83 ÷ 2 = 41.5, rounded down to 41).
3. Add your Ranged or Magic level to this number (e.g., 41 + 83 = 124).
4. Multiply the result by 0.325.
5. Add this to your base combat level (e.g., 124 × 0.325 = 40.3 + 37.75 = 78.05).

Formula: Ranged/Magic Combat Level = Base + (0.325 × (floor(Ranged or Magic/2) + Ranged or Magic))

Determining Your Final Combat Level

Your final combat level is the highest of the melee, ranged, or magic calculations. For example, if your melee combat level is 91.375 and your magic combat level is 78.05, your combat level is 91, as the game rounds down to the nearest whole number.

Factors Affecting Combat Level

Several factors influence how your combat level changes as you train skills. Understanding these can help you control your level, especially for specialized builds like pures.

Skill Weighting

Not all skills contribute equally:

• Attack, Strength, Defence, Hitpoints: Each level contributes approximately 0.25 to your combat level.
• Ranged, Magic: If dominant, each level contributes about 0.4875 to your combat level.
• Prayer: Each level contributes about 0.125 (since it’s halved in the formula).

Specialized Builds

Players often create accounts with specific combat levels for PvP or questing, such as:

• 1 Defence Pures: Keep Defence at 1 to minimize combat level while maximizing Attack, Strength, or Ranged.
• Ranged Tanks: Focus on Ranged and Defence for high combat levels with strong defensive capabilities.
• Zerker Pures: Cap Defence at 45 for access to Berserker Helm while keeping combat level low.

Examples of Combat Level Calculations

Let’s apply the formula to some example skill sets to illustrate how it works.

Example 1: Balanced Melee Build

Stats: Attack 70, Strength 75, Defence 65, Hitpoints 70, Prayer 52, Ranged 40, Magic 50

Step	Calculation	Result
Base	(65 + 70 + floor(52/2)) ÷ 4	37.25
Melee	37.25 + (0.325 × (70 + 75))	84.375 (84)
Ranged	37.25 + (0.325 × (floor(40/2) + 40))	57.25
Magic	37.25 + (0.325 × (floor(50/2) + 50))	61.75

Combat Level: 84 (melee is highest).

Example 2: Ranged Pure

Stats: Attack 40, Strength 50, Defence 1, Hitpoints 60, Prayer 31, Ranged 99, Magic 20

Step	Calculation	Result
Base	(1 + 60 + floor(31/2)) ÷ 4	19
Melee	19 + (0.325 × (40 + 50))	48.25
Ranged	19 + (0.325 × (floor(99/2) + 99))	67.925 (67)
Magic	19 + (0.325 × (floor(20/2) + 20))	32.5

Combat Level: 67 (ranged is highest).

Tips for Managing Your Combat Level

To control your combat level for specific goals, consider these strategies:

Minimize Unwanted Levels

For pures, avoid training Defence or other skills that increase your combat level unnecessarily. Use low-experience methods like questing for Prayer or safe-spotting for Ranged.

Use Calculators

Online tools like the OldSchool.tools Combat Level Calculator can automate the process. Input your stats to see your current level and experiment with future levels.

Plan Training Around Quests

Some quests grant combat experience, so complete them early if you want to keep certain skills low. For example, Waterfall Quest boosts Attack and Strength significantly.

Balance for PvP

In the Wilderness, your combat level affects who you can attack. Train skills strategically to stay within your desired combat bracket for PvP encounters.

Calculating your combat level in OSRS is straightforward once you understand the formula and how each skill contributes. Whether you’re building a pure, aiming for max level, or just curious, this guide equips you to track and plan your progress. Use the formulas, test with examples, and leverage calculators to stay on top of your combat game!