Nechryael Melee Guide OSRS – Best Strategies and Gear Setups

Nechryaels are a popular Slayer monster in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), known for their rewarding drops and decent experience rates. Requiring level 80 Slayer to kill, these demonic creatures are found in the Slayer Tower and, in their stronger form (Greater Nechryaels), in the Catacombs of Kourend, Iorwerth Dungeon, and Wilderness Slayer Cave. This guide focuses on melee strategies to efficiently tackle Nechryaels, covering gear, inventory, combat tips, and location-specific advice to maximize your Slayer XP and loot. Whether you’re aiming for rune boots, seeds, or just want to grind Slayer tasks, this Nechryael melee guide for OSRS will set you up for success.

Melee is a fantastic choice for Nechryaels due to their moderate defenses and demonic nature, which makes demonbane weapons like Arclight highly effective. While many players opt for Magic (Ice Burst/Barrage) for Greater Nechryaels, melee offers a cost-effective alternative with excellent XP rates, especially in the Slayer Tower. It’s also more accessible for players with lower Magic levels or those looking to save on rune costs. Melee setups allow you to leverage high Strength bonuses and fast-hitting weapons to clear tasks quickly while benefiting from valuable drops like herbs, seeds, and alchables.

Pros of Melee for Nechryaels

• Cost-effective: No need for expensive runes compared to Magic setups.
• High damage output: Demonbane weapons and high Strength gear shred Nechryaels.
• Simpler mechanics: No need to manage spellcasting or luring for stacks.
• Flexible locations: Viable in both Slayer Tower and Catacombs of Kourend.

Cons to Consider

• Death spawns: These summoned minions can chip away at your health if ignored.
• Lower XP than Magic: Melee is slightly slower than bursting Greater Nechryaels.
• Crowded spots: Popular locations may require world-hopping.

Best Locations for Melee Nechryaels

Nechryaels and Greater Nechryaels are found in different areas, each with unique advantages for melee combat. Your choice depends on your gear, combat stats, and whether you’re prioritizing XP, loot, or convenience.

Slayer Tower (Regular Nechryaels)

Located in Morytania, the Slayer Tower houses regular Nechryaels on the top floor. This is a single-combat area, making it ideal for melee-focused players who want a straightforward fight. The Slayer Tower is accessible after completing Priest in Peril, and with the Morytania Diary, you gain bonus Slayer XP here.

• Pros: Less crowded than Catacombs, good for Ironmen seeking rune boots.
• Cons: Single-combat limits XP rates, fewer alchable drops compared to Greater Nechryaels.

Catacombs of Kourend (Greater Nechryaels)

Greater Nechryaels in the Catacombs of Kourend are in a multi-combat area, offering higher HP (205 vs. 105) and better drops like rune items and mystic air staves. While Magic is popular here, melee is viable with the right setup, especially with demonbane weapons.

• Pros: Higher XP per kill, chance for totem pieces and ancient shards.
• Cons: Crowded, risk of Nechryarch spawns dealing heavy damage.

Iorwerth Dungeon and Wilderness Slayer Cave

The Iorwerth Dungeon (post-Song of the Elves) is less crowded and offers crystal shards as a bonus, while the Wilderness Slayer Cave carries PKer risks but provides unique loot like the dragon pickaxe. Both are multi-combat, suiting aggressive melee playstyles.

• Iorwerth: Quiet, good for focused melee tasks.
• Wilderness: High-risk, high-reward; bring minimal gear and be ready to escape.

Recommended Gear for Melee Nechryaels

Your gear setup is critical for maximizing damage and survivability. Nechryaels are weak to crush attacks and demonic, so prioritize demonbane weapons and Strength-boosting gear. Below is a table of best-in-slot (BiS) and budget setups.

Slot	Best-in-Slot	Budget Alternative
Weapon	Arclight (demonic bonus)	Abyssal whip
Off-hand	Avernic defender	Dragon defender
Helmet	Slayer helmet (i)	Helm of Neitiznot
Chest	Bandos chestplate	Fighter torso
Legs	Bandos tassets	Obsidian platelegs
Boots	Primordial boots	Dragon boots
Amulet	Amulet of torture	Amulet of strength
Cape	Infernal cape	Fire cape
Ring	Berserker ring (i)	Ring of wealth
Gloves	Ferocious gloves	Barrows gloves

Weapon Choice

Arclight is the go-to weapon due to its massive bonus against demons, dealing high damage with low upkeep. If you don’t have Arclight charges, the Abyssal bludgeon or Inquisitor’s mace are excellent crush weapons. For budget players, an Abyssal whip with a crush attack style (controlled) works well.

Inventory Setup

Your inventory should balance combat efficiency with sustainability. A typical melee inventory includes:

• Super combat potion: Boosts Attack and Strength.
• Prayer potions (4-6): Maintain Protect from Melee and Piety.
• Food (sharks or better): Heal from death spawn damage.
• Teleport (house tab or Xeric’s talisman): Quick banking.
• Seed box: Collect frequent seed drops.
• Rune pouch: Optional for alching drops.
• Holy wrench: Extends prayer potion efficiency.

Combat Strategies for Melee Nechryaels

Meleeing Nechryaels requires managing their death spawn summons and maintaining high damage output. Here’s how to optimize your fights.

Dealing with Death Spawns

Nechryaels summon up to two death spawns with a max hit of 2, which can hit through Protect from Melee. Their attacks are semi-inaccurate, so high-level players (90+ Defence) can often ignore them. For lower levels:

• Manual attacks: Auto-retaliate doesn’t work, so click to kill death spawns if they stack up.
• Positioning: Move 7+ tiles away to de-aggro death spawns.
• Food usage: Eat when HP drops below 50% to avoid surprises.

Prayer and Positioning

Always use Protect from Melee to negate Nechryael damage (max hit 11 for regular, 21 for Greater). Activate Piety for boosted melee stats. In multi-combat areas like the Catacombs, avoid luring too many Nechryaels at once unless you’re confident in your gear and stats. In the Slayer Tower, stick to single-target combat and move between kills to minimize downtime.

Safespotting the Nechryarch

The superior variant, Nechryarch, spawns rarely and summons chaotic death spawns that hit harder. If one appears:

• Safespot: Lure it behind a wall or pillar to prevent summons.
• Run away: Move far enough to lose aggression, then return.
• High DPS: Use Arclight with Piety to kill it quickly if safespotting isn’t an option.

Tips for Maximizing Efficiency

To get the most out of your Nechryael Slayer task, follow these tips to boost XP, loot, and trip duration.

Loot Management

Nechryaels drop high-value seeds (e.g., torstol), runes, and alchables. Use a ring of wealth to replace “nothing” drops and increase gem/seed table rolls. Alch rune drops like rune boots or mystic staves on the spot if you bring a rune pouch. For seeds, a seed box saves inventory space.

Task Extensions and Blocks

Extend Nechryael tasks at a Slayer master for more kills per task (requires Slayer points). If you’re bursting Greater Nechryaels, consider blocking tasks that interrupt your grind, like black demons, to focus on high-XP tasks. In the Catacombs, combine tasks with totem piece collection for extra rewards.

Boosting XP Rates

Melee XP rates for Nechryaels typically range from 40-60k Slayer XP/hour, depending on gear and location. To push higher:

• Morytania Diary: Slayer Tower kills grant bonus XP.
• Slayer helmet (i): 15% boost to damage and accuracy on-task.
• High combat stats: 90+ Attack/Strength/Defence improve kill speed.

By combining the right gear, location, and combat strategies, meleeing Nechryaels can be both profitable and efficient. Whether you’re farming rune boots for your Ironman or grinding Slayer levels, this guide equips you to tackle Nechryaels with confidence. Happy Slaying!