OSRS Toxic Blowpipe Max Hit Guide

The Toxic Blowpipe is one of the most iconic ranged weapons in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), known for its lightning-fast attack speed and high damage output. Whether you’re battling bosses like Vorkath or grinding Slayer tasks, understanding the Blowpipe’s max hit is crucial for optimizing your damage per second (DPS). This guide dives deep into how the Blowpipe’s max hit works, factors affecting it, and strategies to maximize its potential. Let’s explore how to make this venomous weapon sing!

The Toxic Blowpipe is a two-handed ranged weapon requiring 75 Ranged to wield. Crafted by using a chisel on a Tanzanite Fang (dropped by Zulrah) with 53 Fletching, it’s charged with Zulrah’s scales and uses darts as ammunition. Its rapid attack speed, venom-inflicting passive, and powerful special attack make it a staple for PvM and PvP scenarios.

Key Features of the Blowpipe

Attack Speed: 2 ticks on rapid style (fastest in the game), 3 ticks on accurate.
Venom Chance: 25% chance to inflict venom per hit; 100% with Serpentine Helm against NPCs.
Special Attack (Toxic Siphon): 100% accuracy, 50% damage boost, heals for half damage dealt.
Ammo: Supports various darts, from bronze to dragon, affecting max hit and cost.

Factors Affecting Blowpipe Max Hit

The max hit of the Toxic Blowpipe depends on several variables, including your Ranged level, equipment, potions, prayers, and the type of darts used. Let’s break down the core components that determine how hard your Blowpipe hits.

Ranged Strength and Attack Bonuses

The Blowpipe’s base stats provide +60 Ranged Attack and +40 Ranged Strength when charged. These stack with the bonuses from darts. For example, dragon darts add +18 Ranged Attack and +20 Ranged Strength, significantly boosting your damage potential. Higher Ranged Strength increases max hit, while Ranged Attack improves accuracy.

Dart Types and Their Impact

The type of dart you use directly affects your max hit and cost-efficiency. Here’s a table comparing common darts:

Dart Type	Ranged Strength Bonus	Ranged Attack Bonus	Approx. Cost (GP)	Max Hit (at 99 Ranged, Max Gear)
Mithril	+11	+9	15	~24
Adamant	+14	+12	50	~26
Rune	+17	+15	200	~27
Amethyst	+19	+17	450	~28
Dragon	+20	+18	1,500	~29-30

Tip: For low-defense monsters, adamant or amethyst darts offer a cost-effective balance. Reserve dragon darts for high-defense bosses like those in raids.

Equipment and Gear Bonuses

Your gear plays a massive role in boosting your Blowpipe’s max hit. Top-tier setups include:

Necklace of Anguish: +15 Ranged Attack, +5 Ranged Strength.
Ava’s Assembler: +8 Ranged Attack, +2 Ranged Strength, recovers 80% of darts.
Masori Armour: High Ranged Attack and Strength bonuses.
Ranger Boots: +8 Ranged Attack.

Elite Void Ranged is a budget-friendly alternative, offering a 10% damage boost but lower accuracy compared to Masori.

Potions and Prayers

Potions like Ranging Potions (+4 to +13 Ranged) or Overloads (in raids) boost your Ranged level, increasing max hit. Prayers like Rigour (+20% Ranged Strength, +25% Ranged Attack) are essential for maximizing damage. Eagle Eye is a cheaper alternative but less effective.

Calculating Blowpipe Max Hit

To estimate your Blowpipe’s max hit, you can use the following simplified formula for ranged max hit in OSRS:

Max Hit = floor((Effective Ranged Strength (Gear Ranged Strength + 64)) / 640)

Where:

Effective Ranged Strength = floor(Ranged Level Prayer Bonus Potion Bonus) + Style Bonus.

Gear Ranged Strength = Blowpipe Ranged Strength (+40) + Dart Ranged Strength + Other Gear Bonuses.

Style Bonus = +3 for Accurate, +0 for Rapid/Longrange.

Example Calculation

Let’s calculate for a player with 99 Ranged, using dragon darts, Rigour, a Ranging Potion (+13), and max gear (e.g., Necklace of Anguish, Ava’s Assembler):

Effective Ranged Strength: floor(99 1.20 1.13) + 3 (Accurate) = floor(134.442) + 3 = 137.

Gear Ranged Strength: 40 (Blowpipe) + 20 (Dragon Darts) + 5 (Necklace) + 2 (Assembler) + ~10 (Masori) = 77.

Max Hit: floor((137 (77 + 64)) / 640) = floor(19337 / 640) = ~30.

This aligns with practical max hits of ~29-30 with dragon darts in optimal conditions. Tools like the OldSchool.tools Ranged Max Hit Calculator can automate this process.

Maximizing Blowpipe Damage Output

While max hit is important, DPS depends on accuracy, attack speed, and enemy defense. Here are strategies to get the most out of your Blowpipe:

Choosing the Right Attack Style

The Blowpipe offers three attack styles, each with trade-offs:

Accurate: Higher max hit and accuracy, slower (3 ticks). Best for high-defense targets.
Rapid: Fastest (2 ticks), slightly lower accuracy. Ideal for low-defense monsters.
Longrange: +2 range tiles, slower speed. Use for safe-spotting.

Pro Tip: Rapid is usually the best for DPS due to its speed, especially against low-defense enemies.

Special Attack Usage

The Toxic Siphon special attack boosts damage by 50% and heals for half the damage dealt. With 100% accuracy, it’s great for clutch healing or bursting down bosses. Use it sparingly, as it consumes 50% special attack energy. Reserve for moments like Vorkath’s acid phase or ToB’s Nylo waves.

Cost Management

Charging the Blowpipe is expensive. A fully charged Blowpipe holds 16,383 scales and darts, costing ~3.4M GP. At ~2,000 scales per hour on rapid, it costs ~240k GP/hour (excluding darts). Use Ava’s Assembler to recover 80% of darts, and consider cheaper darts like adamant for Slayer tasks to save GP.

Enemy Defense Considerations

The Blowpipe excels against low-defense targets due to its fast attack speed, minimizing overkill. For high-defense bosses, pair it with defense-lowering specials (e.g., Bandos Godsword) to boost accuracy and DPS. For example, at ToB, lowering Maiden’s defense to near 0 makes the Blowpipe outshine even the Bowfa.

Practical Applications and Limitations

The Blowpipe is a versatile weapon, but it’s not always the best choice. Let’s explore where it shines and where it falls short.

Where the Blowpipe Excels

Slayer Tasks: High DPS against low-defense monsters like Kurasks or Nechryaels.
Raids (ToB, ToA): Dominant at Nylo waves and Xarpus in ToB due to low defense.
Fight Caves/Inferno: Fast attack speed makes it ideal for healers and Zuk phases.
Zulrah: Its speed and venom synergize well with Zulrah’s mechanics.

Limitations and Alternatives

The Blowpipe struggles against high-defense, high-magic-level targets where the Twisted Bow reigns supreme. For Vorkath, the Dragonhunter Crossbow may outperform if defense isn’t lowered. The Bowfa is a strong alternative for mid-to-high defense targets, especially for Ironmen avoiding scale costs. Additionally, the Blowpipe’s short range (5 tiles on rapid) can be a drawback in some encounters.

Nerf History and Current State

In 2021, Jagex proposed nerfing the Blowpipe’s Ranged Attack by 30 and Ranged Strength by 15, but community backlash led to a compromise. The special attack gained 100% accuracy, but dart bonuses were slightly reduced (e.g., dragon darts from +60 to +53 total strength). As of 2025, the Blowpipe remains a top-tier weapon, though its dominance has been tempered by new gear like Masori and the Venator Bow.

By understanding the Toxic Blowpipe’s max hit mechanics and optimizing your setup, you can unleash its full potential in OSRS. Whether you’re a Slayer grinder or a raid enthusiast, this guide equips you to make informed decisions and dominate your foes. Happy piping!