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How to Train Combat in OSRS – Ultimate Guide for 2025
Training combat in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a core part of the game, whether you’re aiming to slay bosses, dominate in PvP, or simply enjoy the grind. Combat skills—Attack, Strength, Defence, Hitpoints, Ranged, Magic, and Prayer—shape your character’s power and versatility. This guide dives into the best methods, gear, and strategies to level up your combat skills efficiently in 2025, optimized for both new players and seasoned adventurers.
Before jumping into training, it’s crucial to understand the combat skills and how they interact. Each skill contributes to your combat level, which determines who you can fight and what content you can tackle.
Melee Skills: Attack, Strength, Defence
Melee skills form the backbone of close-quarters combat. Attack improves accuracy, Strength boosts damage, and Defence reduces damage taken. These skills are often trained together for a balanced melee build.
Ranged and Magic: Distance and Power
Ranged lets you attack from afar with bows, crossbows, or thrown weapons, while Magic offers offensive spells, teleports, and utility. Both are essential for specific bosses and PvP scenarios.
Hitpoints and Prayer: Survivability
Hitpoints determine your health pool, leveling naturally as you deal or take damage. Prayer provides buffs like increased accuracy or protection from damage but requires prayer points, managed via potions or altars.
Best Training Methods for Combat
OSRS offers various ways to train combat, from slayer tasks to minigames. Below are the most effective methods for 2025, balancing XP rates, cost, and fun.
Slayer Training
Slayer combines combat training with unique monster assignments, offering decent XP and loot. Use a Black Mask or Slayer Helmet for a 16.67% boost to melee damage and accuracy on-task.
- Pros: Profitable, diverse, unlocks high-level content.
- Cons: Requires Slayer level, slower XP than some methods.
Focus on tasks like Dust Devils or Nechryaels for good XP and drops. Use the OSRS Slayer Wiki to plan tasks.
Nightmare Zone (NMZ)
NMZ is a minigame where you fight previous quest bosses in a dream state. It’s AFK-friendly and offers high XP rates (up to 100k XP/hr for melee).
- Setup: Use Dharok’s gear for high Strength or Obsidian armor for cost-efficiency.
- Strategy: Overload and Absorption potions maximize XP by keeping your HP low for Dharok’s effect.
Check the NMZ Wiki for optimal boss setups.
Sand Crabs and Rock Crabs
For low to mid-level players, Sand Crabs (on Zeah) and Rock Crabs (in Rellekka) are ideal. They have high HP, low Defence, and don’t fight back, making them perfect for AFK training.
| Location | Level Range | XP/Hour | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Crabs | 20-70 | 30k-60k | Access to Zeah |
| Rock Crabs | 1-40 | 20k-40k | Waterbirth Island access |
Tip: Reset aggro every 10 minutes by running a short distance away.
Optimal Gear and Inventory Setup
Your gear and inventory can make or break your training efficiency. Here’s how to optimize for different combat styles.
Melee Gear Progression
Melee gear scales with your budget and level. Below is a progression guide:
- Levels 1-20: Iron or Steel armor, Black Scimitar.
- Levels 20-40: Mithril/Adamant armor, Rune Scimitar.
- Levels 60+: Dragon armor, Abyssal Whip, or Obsidian gear.
- Endgame: Bandos Armor, Ghrazi Rapier, or Inquisitor’s Mace.
Budget Tip: Use a Defender (e.g., Dragon Defender) for a cheap accuracy and strength boost.
Ranged Gear Setup
Ranged gear emphasizes accuracy and speed. Key items include:
- Low Level: Leather armor, Shortbow, or Crossbow.
- Mid Level: Black D’hide, Magic Shortbow, or Rune Crossbow.
- High Level: Armadyl Armor, Toxic Blowpipe, or Twisted Bow.
Use Ava’s Accumulator to save ammo and boost ranged XP.
Magic Gear and Spells
Magic training often involves combat spells or splashing for low cost. Recommended setups: