Ranged Guide in OSRS

Ranged is one of the three combat classes in Old School RuneScape. It involves using bows, crossbows, and thrown weapons to damage opponents from a distance. Ranged armor is primarily crafted using animal hides. Players specializing in this skill are known as rangers or archers.  Rangers have the ability to achieve the highest accuracy of any combat style, with a maximum of +271 in Ranged attack. This surpasses both Magic, with a maximum of +182, and Melee, with a maximum of +214 for Crush. For this reason, rangers are often used against monsters with very high Defense.

According to the combat triangle, rangers are strong against mages but weak against melee fighters.

The advantage of attacking from a distance is that a player can attack a melee monster while remaining safely out of reach. However, it's important to note that some melee monsters have high ranged defense, which may require a high Ranged level to overcome. Crossbows are particularly useful against monsters with high Defense, as they are highly accurate.  Players have the option to toggle whether ammunition on the ground is automatically equipped or remains in the inventory when picked up by speaking to the Ranged combat tutor.

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Efficient Methods

Levels 1-45: Dwarf Cannon Usage: Using the Dwarf Cannon is the fastest way to gain experience until reaching level 45. Players must have completed the "Dwarf Cannon" quest to use it, but there are no level requirements to use it. The cannon deals significant damage compared to other options at low levels, as it has a maximum hit of 30 with cannonballs (35 with granite cannonballs), regardless of your Ranged level. However, keep in mind that using the cannon can be costly due to the average price of cannonballs. Once you reach level 45, chinning becomes a faster and usually more cost-effective training method.

a. Rock Crab Cannoning: A fast and easy way for members to level from 1 to 45 is by using the cannon on Rock Crabs. Rock Crabs are found north of Rellekka. Rock Crabs have 50 hitpoints and grant 200 experience each. They are in a multi-combat zone, making the cannon perfect for this task. You can position yourself where two or more Rock Crabs spawn, and the cannon will continue attacking them. You can also use throwing knives along with the cannon for additional experience. This method can be done north of Rellekka. Simply locate Rellekka on your map and head north.

b. Caged Ogre Cannoning: Ogres can be cannoned in the Combat Training Camp after completing the "Biohazard" quest. Using a cannon in this location offers significant experience and can quickly level you up in the early levels. This is an excellent option for low levels as there are no level requirements to use the cannon here.

c. Ice Troll Cannoning: Cannoning ice trolls is a slower but much more affordable option. If you have completed "The Fremennik Trials" quest, you can set up a cannon south of the coal rocks, just west of the mining icon on the Fremennik Isles. This allows you to position the ice trolls behind the rocks and reload your cannon without any issues. Depending on your Ranged level and how many cannonballs you bring (which limits trips to the bank), you can achieve between 60,000 and 100,000 experience per hour while recouping most, if not all, of your money and even making a profit in some cases. It is recommended to have access to the Telegrab spell to avoid having to pick up drops directly and to utilize alchemy on items. If using low-level alchemy, it is best to save the rune items, granite shields, valuable seeds/herbs, raw sharks, and wool for selling on the Grand Exchange while alchemizing the rest of the items. Not much food is needed, but it's better to have a small amount for safety. Lower-level players should be cautious as without "Protect from Melee," ice trolls can deal up to 20 damage while running to the safe spot. The most effective strategy is to bring enough cannonballs to allow you to acquire a full inventory of items without using alchemy before making trips to the bank or teleporting to the Grand Exchange with a Ring of Wealth. With a Prayer level of 70 and a Dragonbone necklace, a Bonecrusher, and a Neitiznot shield (to protect against female ice trolls), you will be able to sustain an infinite supply of Prayer points while using "Protect from Melee."

Levels 45-99: Chinning at Maniacal Monkeys

One of the fastest ways to train Ranged is by using chinchompas (commonly known as "chinning") on Maniacal Monkeys. These monkeys are found in Kruk's Dungeon on Ape Atoll, but to access them, you must have started Chapter II of the Monkey Madness II quest. While chinning is extremely fast in terms of gaining experience, it can also be costly. It is recommended to use equipment that maximizes the player's Ranged damage and prayer bonuses. Due to the low defense of the Maniacal Monkeys, the Void Knight equipment set is highly superior to Dragonhide or Armadyl armors, thanks to the set effect that increases damage. Additionally, Maniacal Monkeys often drop 1-dose prayer potions, which helps offset the cost of using Protect from Melee and damage-boosting prayers. If you have completed the hard tasks in the Morytania Diary and have a Prayer level of 70, you can also opt to use a bonecrusher necklace to restore your prayer points. Keep in mind that chinning on Maniacal Monkeys can be an expensive strategy, but it is extremely efficient in terms of experience gain. Make sure you are financially prepared before embarking on this training method.

Other Methods

Levels 1-45/70: Crabs

Killing crabs is an affordable and relatively cheap way to train Ranged at lower levels. There are four types of crabs you can train on, all of which have a significant amount of hitpoints, very low defense, and deal minimal damage. They become aggressive when walked under and remain aggressive for 10 minutes. After this time, you will need to reset their aggression by running far enough, usually the length of a minimap. It's important to choose a spot where two or three crabs become aggressive at the same time. If you're waiting for them to respawn, consider switching to a higher density or higher hitpoint crab. If you're taking too much damage from multiple crabs, consider switching to smaller or lower hitpoint crabs. It is recommended to have at least level 30 Defense before starting Ranged training on these monsters to mitigate the damage received.

Some recommended crab-killing spots include:

1. Ammonite crabs on Fossil Island: They have 100 hitpoints, making them the best option for mid-to-high levels. Additionally, they drop unidentified fossils, which can be turned into experience lamps at the Varrock Museum after cleaning. However, these spots are often crowded.

2. Swamp crabs on the southeast coast of Port Phasmatys: They have 75 hitpoints, are weak to Ranged, and are in a multi-combat zone.

3. Sand crabs in Hosidius: They have 60 hitpoints and have no quest requirements, although they are also often crowded.

4. Rock crabs in Rellekka: They have no quest requirements and are generally less crowded than sand crabs and ammonite crabs, but they only have 50 hitpoints.

Levels 70-99: Nightmare Zone

Nightmare Zone is a popular option for semi-AFK Ranged training. By using the regular customizable rumble setup in Nightmare Zone, players can train without needing to interact with the client for 20 minutes. After that time, they will stop attacking the monsters. With a magic shortbow (i) and rune or amethyst arrows, along with super ranging and absorption potions, you can achieve an experience rate of around 60,000 to 70,000 per hour with minimal cost and attention. Using a toxic blowpipe can achieve higher rates, but this significantly increases the cost.

The Ven'tatious bow is also a moderately cost-effective option for training in Nightmare Zone. There are almost always at least 2 monsters available to attack, allowing you to take full advantage of the bow's potential. However, it's recommended to avoid facing bosses that occupy a 3x3 or larger space, as the attacks won't bounce, reducing experience per hour. It's important to stand with your back against the wall to prevent 2x2 monsters from interrupting the bounces. From level 80 onwards, you can expect to gain around 120,000 experience per hour with super ranging potions and rune arrows.

Levels 75-99:Cannoning Dagannoths under the lighthouse

Cannoning Dagannoths under the lighthouse after completing the "Horror from the Deep" quest is a fast but costly method of Ranged training. Using a blowpipe and mithril darts with the cannon can achieve experience rates of 160,000 to 175,000 per hour. World hopping may be necessary due to other players doing Slayer tasks. Using protection from Melee with the blowpipe's special attack reduces the need for carrying food. Dagannoths drop Snapdragon and Torstol seeds, which help offset the cost of prayer potions and cannonballs. Having higher Defense levels helps reduce the damage received from ranged-attacking Dagannoths, although their attacks are already quite inaccurate.

Levels 75-99: Ranged Training with Slayer want to vary their training and not focus on melee or magic combat experience. The advantage of training Ranged during Slayer tasks is that it offers decent ranged experience per hour and also results in slightly higher Slayer experience rates, as the blowpipe provides higher damage compared to most melee weapons. Training Ranged during a task also allows you to use a Slayer helmet (i) for a 15% boost in accuracy and damage for Ranged, taking advantage of the accuracy bonuses from Dragonhide or Armadyl armor. However, using the blowpipe can be costly, although some of the monster drops can help offset that cost. The use of other weapons is not recommended, as their damage output is lower compared to melee combat.

Tips for Ranged Training:

- Rapid attack style: Using the rapid attack style with medium fuse chinchompas will provide the highest damage output per second and is also the best in terms of experience rates. However, the long-range attack style should only be used for training Defense while chinchompaing. It's always advisable to use the best attack style to maximize your efficiency.

- Ava's devices: At level 30, it is highly recommended to complete the "Animal Magnetism" quest to access Ava's devices. These devices will retrieve your ammunition as long as you're not wearing a metal body, such as a chainbody. This will save you a lot of money and time as you won't have to buy as many bolts or pick them up as frequently. Additionally, starting from level 50, you can purchase the Ava's assembler, which significantly reduces the amount of lost arrows. Make sure to speak to the Ranged combat tutor to set up the option of automatically equipping ammunition in the corresponding slot.

- Armor choice: The Void Knight equipment with the Void ranger helm is ideal against monsters with low defense due to its set effect that increases damage. On the other hand, Crystal armor or Armadyl armor is much better against monsters with higher defense. Obtaining the full Void Knight set may not be necessary in terms of time unless you're training all the way to level 99 using the fastest possible methods. However, this set is highly useful in boss encounters like Vorkath, Zulrah, and Theatre of Blood. Additionally, it is required to complete an elite task in the Western Provinces Diary. Completing the diary on its hard level will unlock the elite upgrade for the Void Knight robe and top, granting you an additional 400 Pest Control points.

- Slayer: Training Slayer provides players with passive ranged experience when using the dwarf multicannon. It's always worth using the cannon whenever possible, as the cost of using it is justified by the time saved compared to not using it. A melee Slayer task can take nearly twice as long if the cannon is not used. For example, in multi-combat areas such as during Dagannoth and Kalphite tasks, the cannon will deal most of the damage, while the player will receive nearly the same melee combat experience as if the cannon weren't used. If the player cannot afford to use the cannon, it's better to profit with cannonballs instead of training Slayer without the cannon.

The amount of ranged experience gained through Slayer depends on the player's task list. Players can expect to gain at least around 5 million ranged experience from level 99 Slayer. This combined Ranged and Slayer training can be very efficient and rewarding in terms of experience and earnings. Make sure to make the most of your Slayer tasks to enhance your Ranged training.

Recommended weapons:

- Highest-level throwing knives available up to rune (194 coins). They have the highest damage output but are significantly more expensive than other options.

- Magic shortbow (i) (or maple shortbow below level 50) with rune arrows (109 coins). This option provides slightly lower damage output compared to using rune knives but is much more cost-effective. Amethyst arrows (256 coins) can be used with a magic shortbow (i) to deal additional damage, although they are notably more expensive than rune arrows.

- Highest-level darts available up to mithril (4 coins) or adamant (28 coins). They are economical, deal decent damage, and are easy to purchase on the Grand Exchange. Adamant darts have a damage output comparable to using a magic shortbow with rune arrows, so players should choose the more cost-effective option.

- Dorgeshuun crossbow with bone bolts. This option provides the lowest damage output compared to the others but is usually the most cost-effective. However, steel or mithril darts are often comparable in terms of cost and offer much higher damage output.

The use of other crossbows is not recommended due to their slower attack speed, which makes them less efficient in terms of damage output compared to darts or the magic shortbow (i) with rune arrows. Since crabs have very low defense, having the highest possible accuracy bonuses is not overly important, as accuracy has minimal effect on damage output. However, it's a good idea to upgrade at least the head and leg equipment as you level up since they provide the highest accuracy and defense bonuses in those slots. Start with a leather cowl, leather body, leather gloves, and leather chaps. Other optional but useful items include an amulet of glory and combat bracelet.

Equipment

 Here are some lists from best to worst equipment that can be used for leveling Ranged:

Sets:

1. Morrigan's

2. Armadyl

3. Crystal

4. Blessed dragonhide

5. Karil's

6. Black d'hide, Red d'hide, Blue d'hide

7. Green d'hide

8. Snakeskin armour

9. Leather armour

Shields:

1. Twisted buckler

2. Dragonfire ward

3. Odium ward

4. Book of law

5. Unholy book

6. Blessed spirit shield

7. Black d'hide shield

8. Red d'hide shield

9. Blue d'hide shield

10. Green d'hide shield

11. Snakeskin shield

12. Hard leather shield

Gloves:

1. Zaryte vambraces

2. Barrows gloves

3. Blessed vambraces

4. Black d'hide vambraces

5. Green d'hide vambraces

6. Combat bracelet

Boots:

1. Pegasian boots

2. Ranger boots

3. Blessed boots

4. Boots of brimstone

5. Snakeskin boots

6. Frog-leather boots

Necklaces:

1. Necklace of anguish

2. Amulet of fury

3. Amulet of glory

4. Amulet of power

Rings:

1. Archers ring (i)

2. Brimstone ring

3. Archers ring

Please note that this list is based on the effectiveness of the equipment and may vary depending on the player's level and budget. It's important to assess your own needs and resources before choosing the appropriate equipment for your Ranged training. Good luck in your adventures in Old School RuneScape!

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