OSRS Ironman Range Gear Progression Guide

Training Ranged as an Ironman in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a rewarding yet challenging journey due to the mode’s self-sufficient nature. Unlike regular accounts, Ironmen can’t rely on the Grand Exchange or player trading, making gear progression a meticulous grind. This guide covers the best Ranged gear progression for Ironman accounts, from early to end-game, with practical tips to optimize your setup. Whether you’re safespotting crabs or tackling high-level bosses, we’ll help you navigate the gear grind efficiently.

Ranged is a cornerstone combat style in OSRS, offering high damage output, safespotting capabilities, and versatility against bosses like Zulrah and Vorkath. For Ironmen, acquiring Ranged gear is tougher due to restrictions: no trading, no Grand Exchange (except for bonds), and no loot from monsters attacked by others. This makes strategic gear choices critical to maximize damage per second (DPS) and XP rates. Prioritizing DPS-focused items, followed by Prayer and Defence bonuses, is key, as shorter kill times reduce damage taken and save resources.

Key Challenges in Gear Progression

• Self-Sufficiency: All gear must be obtained through drops, quests, or skilling.
• Limited Ammo: Affordable and obtainable ammunition, like bone bolts, is crucial early on.
• Inventory Management: Ultimate Ironmen face additional constraints due to limited bank space.

Early-Game Ranged Gear (Levels 1–40)

The early game focuses on accessible gear with low requirements, ideal for training on low-level monsters like crabs or goblins. The goal is to build a foundation for mid-game grinds like Slayer or Pest Control.

Best Early-Game Weapons

The Dorgeshuun crossbow is a standout choice after completing The Lost Tribe quest. It has low requirements (28 Ranged) and uses bone bolts, which are cheap and purchasable from Nardok’s Bone Weapons in Dorgesh-Kaan. Alternatively, a shortbow with bronze or iron arrows works for free-to-play Ironmen or those without quest access.

Recommended Armour and Accessories

Slot	Item	How to Obtain	Ranged Bonus
Head	Leather coif	Craft (11 Crafting) or NPC shops	+2
Body	Leather body	Craft (14 Crafting) or NPC shops	+8
Legs	Leather chaps	Craft (18 Crafting) or NPC shops	+4
Ammo	Bone bolts	Buy from Nardok (Dorgesh-Kaan)	+0

Tip: Train Crafting to 38 for green dragonhide armour, which offers better bonuses (+15 body, +8 legs). Complete Dragon Slayer I for the green d’hide body (40 Ranged, 40 Defence).

Training Tips

• Ammonite crabs on Fossil Island are ideal for AFK training, offering decent XP and fossil drops for Prayer.
• Pest Control unlocks Void Knight equipment, a versatile set for early-game tribridding. Aim for 42 in all combat stats and 22 Prayer.

Mid-Game Ranged Gear (Levels 40–70)

The mid-game is a grind-heavy phase where Ironmen tackle Slayer, quests, and early bossing. Gear upgrades focus on improving Ranged attack and strength bonuses to boost DPS.

Upgrading Weapons

At 50 Ranged, the rune crossbow becomes viable, obtainable as a rare drop from crazy archaeologists or through Barrows (for bolts). For faster training, hunt grey chinchompas in the Feldip Hills (45 Hunter) and use them at skeletal monkeys in the Monkey Madness I tunnels. This method yields up to 250k XP/hour at low levels.

Eclipse atlatl (55 Ranged) is a unique option from Moons of Peril, with a max hit based on Strength and Ranged bonuses. Pair it with high-strength gear like Barrows gloves for low-defence targets.

Mid-Game Armour and Accessories

• Black d’hide armour: Requires 70 Ranged for the body, craftable at 84 Crafting or from hard clue scrolls.
• Ava’s accumulator: Obtained via Animal Magnetism (50 Ranged), it collects ammo, saving resources.
• Necklace of anguish: Craft at 90 Crafting (boostable from 85) with zenyte from The Gauntlet. Offers +15 Ranged attack and +5 strength.

Pro Tip: Grind The Corrupted Gauntlet for crystal armour seeds, which provide decent Ranged bonuses and are a stepping stone to end-game gear.

Training and Grinding Strategies

• Swamp crabs in Morytania are great for training due to negative Ranged Defence.
• Nightmare Zone allows AFK training on low-defence bosses, earning points for imbues like the Berserker ring (i).
• Slayer: Use Ranged for tasks like lizardman shamans or demonic gorillas, which drop valuable gear.

Late-Game Ranged Gear (Levels 70–99)

The late game is where Ironmen shine, tackling end-game bosses and raids. Gear focuses on maximizing Ranged strength and accuracy for high DPS against tough enemies.

Top-Tier Weapons

The Bow of Faerdhinen (Bowfa) (80 Ranged) is a game-changer, offering +128 Ranged attack. Obtain it from The Corrupted Gauntlet, a challenging but resource-free grind. For multi-target scenarios, black chinchompas (hunted at 73 Hunter) in Monkey Madness II’s Kruk’s Dungeon can push XP rates above 1M/hour.

The Toxic blowpipe (75 Ranged) is another powerhouse, dropped by Zulrah. It’s ideal for bossing but requires scales and darts, so prioritize Slayer for resources.

End-Game Armour and Accessories

Slot	Item	How to Obtain	Ranged Bonus
Head	Masori mask (f)	Tombs of Amascut	+12
Body	Masori body (f)	Tombs of Amascut	+43
Legs	Masori chaps (f)	Tombs of Amascut	+27
Cape	Ava’s assembler	Dragon Slayer II	+8
Ammo	Dragon arrows	Fletching or Chambers of Xeric	+60

Armadyl armour (70 Ranged, 70 Defence) from God Wars Dungeon is a strong alternative, dropped by Kree’arra. Pair it with an Ultor ring (Barrows) for a DPS boost against low-defence targets.

Late-Game Grinding Tips

• Chinning: Use black chinchompas at maniacal monkeys for the fastest Ranged XP (1M+/hour).
• Bossing: Farm Vorkath with a rune crossbow or Bowfa for dragonhide and gold.
• Raids: Chambers of Xeric and Tombs of Amascut drop elite gear like Masori armour, but require high combat stats and practice.

Specialized Gear for Specific Content

Certain activities demand tailored setups. Here’s how to optimize your Ranged gear for key Ironman grinds.

Slayer

Use a Slayer helmet (i) (55 Crafting, 400 Slayer points) for a 16.67% Ranged boost on tasks. Pair with black d’hide or crystal armour for budget setups, or Masori for end-game tasks like Alchemical Hydra.

Bossing

For bosses like Zulrah, the toxic blowpipe with dragon darts excels. Against Kree’arra, the Bowfa with Armadyl armour maximizes DPS. Always bring an Ardougne cloak (from diaries) for Prayer bonuses.

Clue Scrolls

Hard and elite clue scrolls can yield blessed d’hide or ranger boots, saving you from grinding specific monsters. Use a lightweight setup (e.g., Void Knight gear) to save inventory space.

Tips for Efficient Gear Acquisition

Maximizing efficiency is crucial for Ironmen. Here are strategies to streamline your Ranged gear grind:

• Prioritize Quests: Complete Animal Magnetism, Monkey Madness I/II, and Dragon Slayer II for access to key items like Ava’s devices and chinchompa training spots.
• Train Slayer: Drops like the abyssal whip (for gold) and herb seeds support gear upgrades.
• Clue Scrolls: Regularly complete clues for a chance at rare Ranged gear.
• Skilling Synergy: Boost Crafting (for d’hide) and Hunter (for chinchompas) alongside Ranged training.
• Manage Resources: Use Ava’s devices to conserve ammo and prioritize alchables from Slayer for gold.

By following this progression, you’ll build a robust Ranged setup tailored to the Ironman grind. Focus on accessible gear early, grind key activities like Slayer and Gauntlet in the mid-game, and aim for elite items like the Bowfa and Masori in the late game. Enjoy the journey, and stand alone together!