OSRS 99 Melee Guide Ultimate Roadmap to Max Combat Stats

OSRS 99 Melee Guide Ultimate Roadmap to Max Combat Stats

Reaching level 99 in melee combat skills—Attack, Strength, and Defence—is a monumental achievement in Old School RuneScape (OSRS). This comprehensive guide provides a step-by-step roadmap to efficiently train your melee stats from 1 to 99, whether you’re a free-to-play (F2P) adventurer, a pay-to-play (P2P) veteran, or an Ironman. With strategic questing, optimal gear progression, and efficient training methods, you’ll conquer Gielinor’s toughest challenges. Let’s dive into the ultimate OSRS 99 melee guide to become a melee master!

Melee combat in OSRS revolves around three core skills: Attack, Strength, and Defence. Each skill plays a unique role in shaping your combat prowess:

  • Attack: Increases accuracy, allowing you to land hits more consistently and wield higher-tier weapons.
  • Strength: Boosts your maximum hit, increasing the damage you deal per attack.
  • Defence: Reduces the likelihood of taking damage, enabling you to wear better armor and survive longer in battles.

Unlike Magic or Ranged, melee requires grinding three separate skills to maximize your combat level, making it a time-intensive but rewarding journey. This guide focuses on efficient methods to balance these skills for optimal experience rates.

Why Train Melee to 99?

Achieving 99 in Attack, Strength, and Defence unlocks a wealth of content in OSRS:

  • Access to high-level quests like Lunar Diplomacy and King’s Ransom.
  • Ability to tackle endgame bosses like General Graardor or Nex.
  • Competitive edge in PvP with powerful weapons like the Armadyl Godsword.
  • Faster Slayer training with higher damage output and survivability.

Early Game Questing for Fast XP

OSRS 199 Melee Guide NovaMMO

Starting your melee journey with quests is the most efficient way to skip the slow early levels. Quests provide substantial experience rewards, propelling you to mid-levels without grinding low-level monsters.

Recommended Early Quests

Complete these quests as soon as possible to boost your melee stats:

Quest XP Reward Skills Boosted Requirements
Waterfall Quest 13,750 Attack, Strength None
Vampire Slayer 4,825 Attack None
Tree Gnome Village 11,450 Attack None
Fight Arena 12,175 Attack None
The Grand Tree 18,400 Attack 25 Agility

Completing these quests can take you to approximately level 45 Attack, level 37 Strength, and level 31 Defence without any manual training. Waterfall Quest is particularly crucial, instantly boosting a level 1 account to level 30 in Attack and Strength.

Tips for Questing

  • Prioritize Waterfall Quest: It has no requirements and offers massive XP.
  • Prepare for Combat: Bring food and basic gear (e.g., iron armor) for quest fights.
  • Unlock Teleports: Quests like Tree Gnome Village unlock spirit trees for faster travel.

Training Methods for Levels 1-70

After questing, you’ll need to grind monsters to progress toward higher levels. The following methods are ideal for early to mid-level training, balancing XP rates and accessibility.

Levels 1-40: Stronghold of Security

The Stronghold of Security in Barbarian Village is a fantastic F2P and P2P training spot for low levels. Focus on the following monsters:

  • Flesh Crawlers (Levels 28, 35, 41): Found in the Catacomb of Famine, they deal low damage (1 HP) and are ideal for F2P players. Expect 20,000–30,000 XP/hour.
  • Minotaurs (Levels 12, 27): Located in the first level, they drop iron arrows and bones, useful for early Prayer training.

Gear Tip: Use the best F2P weapons available, like the Rune Scimitar (requires 40 Attack), and wear Rune armor for decent defence.

Levels 40-70: Sand Crabs or Ammonite Crabs

For P2P players, Sand Crabs (Zeah) or Ammonite Crabs (Fossil Island) are excellent AFK training spots:

  • High Hitpoints: Both have 100 HP, providing consistent XP (40,000–60,000 XP/hour).
  • Non-Aggressive: They only attack if you stand still, making them perfect for AFK training.
  • Access: Sand Crabs require no quests; Ammonite Crabs need Bone Voyage.

Gear Progression: Upgrade to a Dragon Scimitar at 60 Attack and consider Obsidian armor for a 10% melee accuracy boost.

Advanced Training for Levels 70-99

Once you reach level 70, you unlock faster and more engaging training methods. The Nightmare Zone (NMZ) and Slayer are the go-to options for high XP rates and additional benefits.

Nightmare Zone (NMZ)

NMZ is the fastest way to train melee in P2P, offering up to 100,000 XP/hour with optimal setups. Here’s how to maximize efficiency:

Tip: Imbue a Berserker Ring at NMZ for a Strength boost without level requirements.

Slayer Training

Training melee through Slayer is slower but offers variety and profit. It’s ideal for players aiming to level Slayer alongside melee (recommended at 80+ combat).

  • Slayer Helmet: Provides a 16.67% boost to melee accuracy and damage on task.

  • Best Monsters: Train on Abyssal Demons, Dark Beasts, or Demonic Gorillas in the Catacombs of Kourend for 60,000–80,000 XP/hour and valuable loot.

  • Controlled Mode: Use controlled attack style to train all three melee stats simultaneously.

AFK Bandits (Level 70+)

For a semi-AFK option, train at Bandits in the Kharidian Desert with a Saradomin or Zamorak item equipped. Expect 50,000–70,000 XP/hour with minimal input. Use Protect from Melee and full Torag’s armor for up to 10-minute AFK sessions.

Gear and Weapon Progression

Upgrading your gear as you level up is critical for maximizing XP rates and survivability. Below is a progression guide for melee gear from early to endgame.

Early Game Gear (Levels 1-40)

  • Weapons: Iron Scimitar (Level 1), Mithril Scimitar (Level 20), Rune Scimitar (Level 40).
  • Armor: Rune armor (Level 40 Defence) for F2P; consider Granite armor for P2P at 50 Defence.
  • Accessories: Amulet of Strength for a small Strength boost.

Mid-Game Gear (Levels 40-70)

Endgame Gear (Levels 70-99)

  • Weapons: Ghrazi Rapier, Abyssal Tentacle, or Blade of Saeldor for maximum DPS.
  • Armor: Torva armor (Level 80 Defence) or Bandos armor for Strength bonuses.
  • Accessories: Amulet of Torture, Ferocious Gloves, and Infernal Cape for top-tier offensive stats.

Pro Tip: If budget is a concern, Void Knight armor (Level 42 Attack, Strength, Defence) offers a 10% damage and accuracy boost, making it a cost-effective option.

Gear Progression Table

Level Range Weapon Armor Accessories
1-40 Rune Scimitar Rune Armor Amulet of Strength
40-70 Dragon Scimitar Helm of Neitiznot, Fighter Torso Amulet of Glory, Dragon Defender
70-99 Ghrazi Rapier Torva/Bandos Armor Amulet of Torture, Ferocious Gloves

Tips for Efficient Melee Training

To streamline your journey to 99, follow these expert tips:

  • Balance Stats Early: Keep Attack, Strength, and Defence within 10 levels of each other until you unlock best-in-slot gear (e.g., Dragon Scimitar at 60 Attack). Then prioritize Strength for faster XP.

  • Use Potions: Super Attack, Strength, and Combat potions boost your stats for higher DPS.
  • Leverage Slayer: Combine melee training with Slayer for profit and variety.
  • AFK Strategically: Use Ammonite Crabs or Bandits for low-effort training during busy schedules.
  • Invest in Upgrades: Spend gold on gear like the Fighter Torso or Barrows Gloves for long-term benefits.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Neglecting Defence: Low Defence makes you vulnerable in high-level content.
  • Using Heavy Weapons: Slow weapons like 2H swords are less efficient for training.

  • Skipping Quests: Quest XP saves hours of grinding early levels.

Mastering melee combat in OSRS is a rewarding journey that opens doors to epic quests, formidable bosses, and thrilling PvP. By following this OSRS 99 melee guide, you’ll efficiently reach level 99 in Attack, Strength, and Defence. Start with quests, progress through crabs and NMZ, and invest in top-tier gear to become a true warrior of Gielinor. Happy scaping!