OSRS Melee Guide 1-99 Ultimate Training Roadmap

OSRS Melee Guide 1-99 Ultimate Training Roadmap

Training melee skills in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a core part of becoming a formidable adventurer in Gielinor. Melee combat consists of three skills—Attack, Strength, and Defence—each requiring dedication to reach level 99. This comprehensive guide provides efficient strategies, gear progression, and training methods for both free-to-play (F2P) and pay-to-play (P2P) players, ensuring you maximize experience rates while enjoying the journey. Whether you’re a beginner or a veteran, this roadmap will help you achieve 99 Attack, Strength, and Defence.

Melee combat in OSRS revolves around close-quarters fighting, utilizing weapons like swords, daggers, and maces. Each melee skill impacts your performance differently:

  • Attack: Increases accuracy, allowing you to hit more often and wield higher-tier weapons.
  • Strength: Boosts your maximum hit, dealing more damage per attack.
  • Defence: Reduces the likelihood of being hit, enabling you to wear better armor.

Training all three skills is essential for most players, except for specialized builds like pures. High melee stats unlock quests, bosses, and PvP opportunities, making them a priority for many accounts.

Why Train Melee?

Melee skills are crucial for accessing a wide range of content:

  • Quests: 12 quests, such as Lunar Diplomacy and King’s Ransom, require melee stats.
  • Bossing: Melee is essential for raids and bosses like General Graardor.
  • PvP: High Strength enables powerful special attacks with weapons like the Armadyl Godsword.
  • Slayer: Melee speeds up tasks, boosting overall efficiency.

Early Levels 1-40 Questing and Low-Level Training

Old School RuneScape OSRS Level 199 Melee Guide Gamer Empire

The early levels of melee training are tedious due to low damage output and slow experience rates. Questing is the fastest way to skip this grind, offering substantial experience with minimal effort.

Recommended Quests for Melee XP

Completing these quests can boost your melee stats significantly, taking you to around level 40 in Attack and Strength without manual training:

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

Completing these quests grants approximately 55,750 Attack XP and 27,537.5 Strength XP, pushing you to level 44 Attack and level 37 Strength.

Low-Level Training (F2P and P2P)

If questing isn’t your style, train on low-level monsters. Use the best scimitar available (e.g., Iron Scimitar at level 10 Attack) for optimal damage per second.

  • F2P: Train on cows or goblins near Lumbridge until level 20, then move to Flesh Crawlers in the Stronghold of Security (986 kills for level 40 in all stats using controlled style).

  • P2P: Rock Crabs (north of Rellekka) or Sand Crabs (Zeah) offer 50-60 HP and low aggression, ideal for AFK training to level 40.

Gear and Weapon Progression

Upgrading your gear as you level up is critical for maximizing experience rates. Scimitars are recommended for their speed, but other weapons like the Dragon Dagger or Granite Hammer become viable at higher levels.

Weapon Progression

Follow this weapon progression to ensure optimal damage output:

  • Level 1-20: Iron Scimitar (F2P) or Steel Scimitar (P2P).
  • Level 20-40: Mithril Scimitar (F2P) or Adamant Scimitar (P2P).
  • Level 40-60: Rune Scimitar (F2P/P2P) or Brine Sabre (P2P, +2 Strength bonus).
  • Level 60+: Dragon Scimitar (P2P, requires Monkey Madness I) or Granite Hammer (P2P, level 50 Attack/Strength).
  • Level 70+: Abyssal Whip or Saradomin Sword for Strength training.
  • Level 82+: Osmumten’s Fang (best-in-slot for high-defence monsters).

Armor Progression

Armor provides defensive bonuses and, in some cases, Strength boosts. Upgrade as follows:

  • Level 1-20: Iron or Steel Armor (F2P/P2P).
  • Level 20-40: Mithril or Adamant Armor (F2P/P2P).
  • Level 40-60: Rune Armor (F2P/P2P) or Granite Armor (P2P, level 50 Defence).
  • Level 55+: Helm of Neitiznot (P2P, requires Fremennik Isles).
  • Level 60+: Obsidian Armor (P2P, 10% melee accuracy boost when worn as a set).
  • Level 80+: Torva Armor (P2P, highest Strength bonus).

Accessories: Use the Amulet of Strength (F2P) or Amulet of Glory (P2P) until you can afford the Amulet of Torture (P2P, level 75 Hitpoints). For off-hand, transition from a shield to a Defender (P2P, requires Warriors’ Guild access) at level 60 Attack/Strength for better attack bonuses.

Mid to High Levels 40-70 Efficient Training

At this stage, you’ll transition to more efficient training methods, focusing on high-HP monsters or minigames like the Nightmare Zone (NMZ).

F2P Training

Continue in the Stronghold of Security:

  • Flesh Crawlers or Hill Giants: Kill 7,005 Flesh Crawlers or 5,003 Hill Giants per skill to reach level 70. Expect 25,000-30,000 XP/hour.

P2P Training

P2P players have access to better methods:

  • Sand/Ammonite Crabs: Continue training here for AFK-friendly sessions with 30,000-40,000 XP/hour.
  • Nightmare Zone (NMZ): Unlocked after completing 5 boss-related quests (e.g., Fight Arena, Vampyre Slayer). Use absorption potions and Dharok’s armor (low HP increases damage) for 60,000-80,000 XP/hour.

  • Yaks (Neitiznot): Alternative to NMZ, offering similar XP rates with less setup.

Endgame Training 70-99 Fastest Methods

Reaching level 99 requires consistency and high XP rates. P2P methods dominate here, but F2P players can still achieve 99 with dedication.

F2P Endgame Training

Train on Giant Spiders in the Stronghold of Security’s Pit of Pestilence. They have 50 HP and are aggressive, yielding 60,000-70,000 XP/hour at higher levels. Bring food to sustain long sessions, as they can hit up to 7.

P2P Endgame Training

P2P players should focus on these methods:

  • Nightmare Zone (Absorption Method): With high-Strength gear (e.g., Ghrazi Rapier, Obsidian Armor), achieve up to 200,000 XP/hour solo or 400,000 XP/hour with alt accounts. Use overloads for stat boosts.

  • Pest Control: At level 90+ melee stats, gain 150,000-200,000 XP/hour by spending points on Attack/Strength/Defence XP. Requires active gameplay but offers variety.

  • Slayer: Train melee alongside Slayer for 100,000-150,000 XP/hour. Use a Slayer Helmet for accuracy/damage boosts. Recommended at 80+ combat for efficiency.

  • Catacombs of Kourend: Fight Abyssal Demons or Dark Beasts for 80,000-120,000 XP/hour plus valuable loot like Dark Totem pieces.

Tips for Efficiency

Maximize your training with these tips:

  • Prayer: Train to 43 Prayer for Protect from Melee, reducing damage during training.
  • Controlled Mode: Use controlled attack style to train all three stats simultaneously, ideal for Slayer or Catacombs.

  • Imbued Rings: Imbue Berserker or Brimstone Rings at NMZ for stat boosts.

  • AFK Training: For NMZ or crabs, use absorption potions to extend sessions with minimal input.

Final Thoughts: Achieving 99 Attack, Strength, and Defence in OSRS is a rewarding grind. Start with quests to breeze through early levels, upgrade gear consistently, and use NMZ or Slayer for endgame efficiency. F2P players can rely on the Stronghold of Security, while P2P players benefit from diverse methods like Pest Control and Catacombs. Stay patient, equip the best gear, and you’ll conquer Gielinor’s toughest challenges. Happy scaping!