The Best Melee Gear in OSRS for Free-to-Play (F2P) Players in 2025

The Best Melee Gear in OSRS for Free-to-Play (F2P) Players in 2025


Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers a thrilling experience for free-to-play (F2P) players, especially those who love diving into melee combat. Whether you’re slashing through foes in the Wilderness or training on hill giants, having the right gear can make all the difference. In this guide, we’ll explore the best melee gear available in OSRS for F2P players, focusing on weapons, armor, and accessories that maximize your damage and survivability—all without spending a dime on membership. Let’s gear up and get ready to dominate Gielinor!

Melee combat is the backbone of F2P gameplay in OSRS. With limited access to ranged and magic options, most players rely on strength, attack, and defense to take down enemies. The right gear boosts your damage output, increases your accuracy, and keeps you alive longer by enhancing your defensive stats. For F2P players, the challenge lies in finding powerful equipment within the constraints of the free game world—luckily, there’s plenty to work with if you know where to look.

Understanding Melee Stats

Before diving into the gear, let’s break down the key melee stats:

  • Attack: Determines your accuracy and unlocks better weapons.
  • Strength: Boosts your maximum hit, making each strike more powerful.
  • Defense: Reduces damage taken, essential for surviving tough fights.

The best F2P melee gear balances these stats to suit your combat goals, whether you’re training, PKing, or tackling bosses like Obor.

Top Melee Weapons for F2P Players

Weapons are the heart of any melee setup. In F2P, your options range from basic bronze to the coveted rune tier. Here’s a rundown of the best melee weapons available.

Rune Scimitar: The King of F2P Melee

The Rune Scimitar is hands-down the best melee weapon in F2P OSRS. With a requirement of 40 Attack, it offers:

  • +45 Slash Attack
  • +44 Strength Bonus
  • Fast attack speed (2.4 seconds per hit)

Its speed and high strength bonus make it ideal for training and PvP. You can grab one by smithing it (90 Smithing required) or buying it from the Grand Exchange for around 15,000-20,000 GP. For Ironmen, it’s a grind, but worth it.

Rune Sword: A Stab Alternative

If you’re facing enemies weak to stab attacks, the Rune Sword is a solid choice:

  • +38 Stab Attack
  • +42 Strength Bonus
  • Same speed as the scimitar

It’s slightly less popular than the scimitar but shines in specific scenarios like fighting armored foes. It’s also cheaper, often under 10,000 GP.

Rune 2H Sword: The Knockout King

For PvP or finishing off opponents, the Rune 2H Sword delivers massive hits:

  • +69 Slash Attack
  • +70 Strength Bonus
  • Slower speed (3.6 seconds per hit)

Requiring 40 Attack, this two-hander sacrifices speed for raw power. It’s a favorite for PKers aiming for one-shot kills, costing around 37,000 GP.

Best Melee Armor in OSRS F2P

Armor keeps you alive while you dish out damage. In F2P, the progression is straightforward, with rune armor reigning supreme. Here’s the best you can wear.

Rune Armor Set: The Ultimate F2P Defense

The Rune Armor Set is the pinnacle of F2究P melee armor, requiring 40 Defense to equip. It includes:

Item Stab Defense Slash Defense Crush Defense Strength Bonus
Rune Full Helm +30 +32 +27 0
Rune Platebody +82 +80 +72 0
Rune Platelegs +51 +49 +47 0
Rune Kiteshield +44 +48 +46 0

This set offers unmatched defensive bonuses, making it perfect for tanking hits from giants, demons, or other players. The Rune Platebody requires completing the Dragon Slayer I quest, a rite of passage for F2P warriors. Prices vary, but expect to spend 80,000-100,000 GP for the full set.

Gilded Armor: Fashion Meets Function

For those with cash to burn, Gilded Armor matches rune stats but adds a flashy gold trim. It’s a rare drop from hard clue scrolls, with identical bonuses to rune gear plus a +4 Prayer bonus when wearing the full set (Guthix, Saradomin, or Zamorak variants). It’s pricey—millions of GP—but offers no practical advantage beyond style.

Adamant Armor: Mid-Tier Might

For players not yet at 40 Defense, Adamant Armor (30 Defense required) is a great stepping stone:

It’s affordable (around 20,000-30,000 GP total) and widely available, bridging the gap to rune.

Essential Accessories for F2P Melee Builds

Accessories might seem minor, but they can tip the scales in combat. Here’s what to equip in F2P.

Amulet of Strength: Power Boost

The Amulet of Strength is the go-to neck slot item for melee DPS:

  • +10 Strength Bonus
  • No requirements

It directly increases your max hit, making it essential for training and PvP. Craft it with 50 Crafting (gold bar + ruby) or buy it for 2,000-3,000 GP.

Amulet of Power: Balanced Option

For a mix of offense and defense, the Amulet of Power offers:

  • +6 Strength Bonus
  • +6 Attack Bonus (all styles)
  • +6 Defense Bonus (all styles)

It’s less DPS-focused but great for survivability. Costs around 2,500 GP or craftable at 70 Crafting.

Fancy Boots or Fighting Boots: Footwear Upgrade

From the Stronghold of Security, Fancy Boots or Fighting Boots provide:

  • +1 Stab, Slash, Crush Defense
  • No requirements

They’re free after completing the dungeon and beat out leather boots for melee defense.

How to Get the Best Melee Gear in F2P

Acquiring top-tier gear in F2P takes effort. Here’s how to snag the best items.

Training and Grinding

Level up your combat skills by fighting monsters like hill giants, giant spiders, or moss giants. These drop decent loot and give you the stats needed to wield rune gear. Aim for 40 Attack and Defense as your baseline.

Questing for Gear

Quests unlock key items:

These are must-dos for any F2P melee player.

Grand Exchange and Drops

Most rune gear is available on the Grand Exchange, but prices fluctuate. For Ironmen or budget players, try:

  • Obor: Drops Rune Kiteshield and Full Helm.
  • Ogress Warriors: Chance at rune armor drops.

Clue scrolls can also yield Gilded Armor if you’re lucky.

Optimal F2P Melee Setup for 2025

Here’s the ultimate F2P melee loadout based on availability and power:

  • Weapon: Rune Scimitar
  • Head: Rune Full Helm
  • Body: Rune Platebody
  • Legs: Rune Platelegs
  • Shield: Rune Kiteshield
  • Neck: Amulet of Strength
  • Feet: Fancy Boots
  • Cape: Any colored cape (negligible bonuses)

This setup maximizes damage and defense, costing around 100,000 GP total. Swap the scimitar for a Rune 2H Sword in PvP for bigger hits.

Tips for Using Your Gear

To get the most out of this setup:

  • Train Strength First: Higher max hits speed up XP rates.
  • Use Food: Swordfish or lobsters keep you in the fight.
  • PvP Switch: Carry a Rune 2H for surprise knockouts.

With this gear, you’re ready to take on anything F2P throws at you in 2025—whether it’s grinding to 99 Strength or battling in the Wilderness. Get out there, sharpen your scimitar, and make your mark in OSRS!