OSRS Ranged Guide

One of the best things about OSRS is that it gives you more than one way to deal with your foes. If you love dealing damage up close, level up your Strength and Attack Skill. If you want to be a spell-slinging pro, then you need to level up your Magic skill. But if you want to be a powerful archer who snipes out enemies from afar, then you should start training your Ranged Skill.

As one of the core combat skills in OSRS, Ranged is a vital Skill for dealing with certain enemies or if you simply want to kill enemies while staying out of harm's way. While easy to learn, mastering the Range skill to level 99 is not as easy as it sounds.

What Is OSRS Ranged?

In OSRS, the Ranged Skill determines the damage you can deal when using bows, crossbows, and thrown weapons. It also affects the Ranged armor you can equip. Players that have a high Ranged level and rely on this specifically are called as rangers or archers.

Based on the game's combat mechanics, rangers are strong against foes dealing Magic damage. However, they are weak against foes that deal melee damage. Despite this disadvantage, trusting in your Ranged Skill is still worth it as it allows you to safespot melee monsters.

In OSRS, safe spotting refers to attacking enemies from behind cover or a huge gap that prevents them from getting close to you to deal damage. Safespotting results in a lot of easy ways to deal with adversaries and in some cases, lets you safely farm for Range XP as well.

Of course, keep in mind that some Ranged monsters have high defense against Ranged Damage too so keep that in mind whenever you're going up against a mob. While powerful from a distance, Rangers can be very vulnerable once the gap is closed between them and their enemies.

Attack Styles of Ranged Skill

The method of using Ranged attacks is pretty straightforward enough. However, there are three different attack styles to choose from which will help you further diversify your experience as a ranger. Those three attack styles are:

1. Accurate - This gives you an invisible +3 Ranged level boost. It also increases your accuracy at certain combinations depending on your Ranged Skill level, as well as the arrow type you're using. It increases your max hit by 1.
2. Rapid - This attack style increases your attack speed by 1 tick. Attacks will come out around 0.6 seconds faster, thus making it great when fighting dense groups of enemies with low HP.
3. Longrange - This attack style gives you an invisible +3 to Defense level boost. It also increases your attack range by 2 squares for a maximum of 10. Ranged XP that would be gained is then split into Ranged and Defence. Not really a good attack style to choose when training Ranged but it's great for safespotting and farming materials.

Although Ranged is a Skill available to all players of OSRS, there are certainly a few significant advantages to using it on a paid account. First up, let's talk about how you can level this Skill on a free-to-play account.

OSRS Ranged Free-To-Play Guide From Level 1 to 99

Getting to level 99 Ranged on a F2P OSRS account is slow but very possible. It's also fun too as it exposes you to many enemies from the world of OSRS. From levels 1-30, it's best to use the accurate attack style as you want to get the most out of your max hit bonus.

Once you hit level 30 Ranged, it's time to switch to using the rapid attack style as it deals more damage per second compared to accuracy. The longrange attack style isn't going to be recommended for training as it splits the XP you get with Defense so skip that for now.

For this part of the guide, we'll walk you through the types of enemies you'll have to face for each phase of your journey to level 99.

Level 1-20

For Ranged levels 1-20, targeting seagulls, cows, goblins, and chickens is your best bet for optimal experience. These critters boast an incredibly low Defense level of 1 and unfavorable Ranged Defence stats, making them prime targets. To maximize your experience gains, prioritize engaging level 3 seagulls, followed by level 2 seagulls, cows, level 2 goblins, and chickens.

Level 3 seagulls stand out as the speed demons in experience, thanks to their impressive -42 Ranged Defense and a generous 10 Hitpoints pool. Plus, they rarely manage to inflict any damage on you. Spot them around Port Sarim or Corsair Cove for efficient training. On the flip side, level 2 seagulls share the same appealing low Defence stats, although they only have 6 Hitpoints.

The other creatures—cows, goblins, and chickens—are scattered in the vicinity of Lumbridge Castle to the east and north. Cows offer an additional advantage; you can safespot them from behind the enclosing fences, making your training sessions completely safe and hassle-free.

Alternatively, you can also fight Monks. They have higher Defense but they're HP is on the lower side too. They deal low damage so the risk is minimal. You can find monks at the Edgeville Monastery, which is northwest of the Barbarian Village.

Level 21-25

For Ranged levels 21-25, Barbarian Village hosts a suitable middle-ground foe, bridging the gap between seagulls and giant frogs. The level 10 barbarians present a Hitpoints level of 18, slightly less than the giant frogs' 23, but they compensate with a lower Defense of 3. While their Defence matches that of monks, their higher Hitpoints make for a swiffer leveling experience. However, it's worth noting that they pose a slightly greater threat and won't extend any free healing favors.

Opting to engage these barbarians strategically by utilizing the rocks and torch near the western village exit allows for safe combat. Additionally, within the village's long hall at the northern tip, you'll encounter level 15 and 17 barbarians, and a distinctive character named Gunthor the Brave. A food spawn on the table is an added advantage. Although these barbarians can be safespotted over the table, their elevated Defense means they don't offer as efficient an experience as giant frogs. This holds particularly true for Gunthor, whose Defence closely mirrors that of a moss giant.

Level 26-56

For Ranged levels 26-56, giant frogs emerge as the go-to choice for optimal experience, boasting a robust 23 Hitpoints and a mere 6 Defense. Venture to the Lumbridge Swamp, just south of Lumbridge Castle, to find these formidable foes. Their drops consist primarily of big bones, ideal for burying and gaining Prayer experience. It's advisable to prioritize Prayer gains over banking the bones, as wizards offer a more lucrative source of income.

For those wielding a Ranged level of 20 or higher, the duo of dark wizards near the Draynor Village bank amid the willow trees provide an excellent Ranged training opportunity. Their magic attacks are often thwarted by studded armor, making for efficient training. Not far off lies the Wizards' Tower, housing a multitude of level 9 wizards. These wizards offer a sweet spot of both loot and experience for Ranged levels ranging from 9 to 69.

Once your combat level exceeds 41 and your Ranged skill hits 30, consider challenging wizards at Delrith's circle south of Varrock. These wizards drop an abundance of runes and hold a high chance of yielding beginner clue scrolls, making them a lucrative target. Moreover, their numbers reduce the risk of overcrowding during training sessions.

Wizards' signature drops include a surplus of runes, which can be lucratively sold to other players or magic shops. These runes hold particular value, especially the esteemed nature runes and other high-level runes.

It's vital for aspiring Ranged practitioners to equip themselves with ample sustenance when facing off against wizards. The level 7 wizards can land a maximum hit of 4, while the more formidable level 20 dark wizards can strike with a maximum of 6, doing so quite frequently.

A notable advantage of training Ranged on wizards lies in their usage of magic attacks, which allows them to remain stationary while attacking. This stationary behavior ensures that all collected arrows are conveniently centralized in one spot, simplifying retrieval. On the contrary, melee targets attempt to close in on the player, causing arrows to scatter and making retrieval less efficient.

Level 57-99

For Ranged enthusiasts scaling levels 57-99, moss giants reign supreme, offering the pinnacle of experience. Their robust defenses surpass those of giant frogs and Flesh Crawlers, coupled with an impressive 60 Hitpoints, a notable feat within the realm of free-to-play. Post approximately level 57 Ranged, your accuracy skyrockets, allowing you to exploit their substantial health pool for optimal experience rates. Moreover, moss giants yield worthwhile drops, notably big bones and the coveted mossy key, granting access to Bryophyta.

In the free-to-play domain, moss giants can be encountered in the innermost recesses of Varrock Sewers, as well as in Crandor and the Wilderness. Within Varrock Sewers, two distinct groups of giants await at the sewer's conclusion, both conveniently safespottable. Crandor, on the other hand, hosts several moss giants spawning on the island's southern fringe, offering ample safe spot opportunities. Opting for Crandor is often advisable due to the multitude of spawns, even though both locations tend to be bustling with fellow combatants engaged in melee and ranged training. However, Crandor presents a silver lining—it's a single combat area, ensuring fair competition where no one can out damage you on a monster and snatch your hard-earned drops. The Wilderness proves fruitful for moss giant hunting, primarily for those seeking mossy keys, given the heightened drop probability. Alas, safespots are nonexistent here.

For novice rangers venturing into moss giant training, Varrock Sewers is a suitable starting point. Equip yourself with a slashing weapon or knife to cut through the web for entry, stash a set of runes for a hasty Varrock Teleport escape, and fill your inventory with budget-friendly food like jugs of wine. The multicombat nature of the area demands caution, especially in the initial 10 minutes when lower Defense levels render you susceptible to swift damage, particularly during drop collection. Thus, a supply of food is strongly recommended.

Empirical observations of experience rates at Ranged level 72 hover around 35,000-37,000 xp per hour, assuming optimal gear featuring adamant arrows, and disregarding collection of drops or arrows. Happy moss giant hunting!

Alternatives To Get To Level 99

While moss giant hunting is the best and most efficient way of getting to level 99, there are still a few other monsters you should try hunting. There are a few benefits to switching things up as well.

Hill Giants

Hill giants, boasting defenses comparable to moss giants. On the other hand, they have lower Hitpoints, making them at least faster to kill. Hill giants compensate for this drawback with their superior drops.

They generously release big bones, along with additional goodies such as limpwurt roots, nature runes, and body talismans. A true gem is their unique drop: the giant key, the exclusive gateway to confront Obor, a thrilling prospect for intrepid explorers.

You'll find hill giants within the depths of the Edgeville Dungeon, conveniently close to the Grand Exchange, where a safespot strategy can be employed for strategic combat. Alternatively, venture to the Giants' Plateau near Al Kharid, though be mindful, as there are no safespots here, requiring a more direct approach.

Lesser Demons

When your Ranged reaches level 65 and beyond, lesser demons in Karamja and Crandor present a viable alternative to moss giants. However, be prepared for a slower-paced experience due to their elevated Defense, rendering them more resilient targets.

Their drops aren't as enticing, featuring primarily rune med helms and fire runes. A consistent consolation is their guaranteed vile ashes drop, valuable for both Prayer training and profitable resale on the Grand Exchange.

To access and safespot lesser demons in Karamja volcano, any level of combat skill is sufficient, provided you can endure a brief sprint past them to reach a safespot. Load up your inventory with cost-effective food to sustain you during the initial dash to the safespot, and to recover any damage sustained during the first 10 minutes while collecting drops. After this initial period, training remains secure at the same safespot, as the lesser demons become tolerant, allowing you to retrieve drops without incurring damage.

Given their substantial hitpoints (around 80) and robust defense, lesser demons transform into a popular choice for semi-afk Ranged training.

OSRS Ranged Pay-To-Play Guide From Level 1 to 99

There are certainly more leveling options to choose from on a paid account. While there are more options, the process remains the same - slay monsters until you become a powerful ranger. The journey for P2P Ranged leveling is different though as you can do quests to get a huge jump in leveling.

Level 1-32

For the start of your P2P OSRS Ranged training, you're going to want to do a few quests first. While you can still opt to fight monsters to get to level 32, questing is still a great alternative especially if you're hoping to get the Quest Point cape. Of course, questing is far less boring compared to monster slaying. Here are the quests that you need to do.

1. Shadow of the Storm
2. Death to the Dorgeshuun
3. Horror from the Deep

Level 32-45

Utilizing the dwarf multicannon stands as the swiftest method for gaining experience up to level 45 in Ranged. Completion of the Dwarf Cannon quest is a prerequisite to wield this potent tool. Remarkably, there are no level requisites for its usage. The cannon's unparalleled damage output at lower levels sets it apart, boasting a maximum hit of 30 with standard cannonballs (or 35 with granite cannonballs), an attribute unaffected by the player's Ranged level. However, it's worth noting that employing the cannon can be rather costly due to the average price of cannonballs.

On the other hand, cannoning ice trolls offers a more budget-friendly albeit slower option. If you've successfully completed The Fremennik Trials quest, situating a cannon a few paces south of the coal rocks west of the eastern mining icon in the Fremennik Isles allows for a safespot behind the rocks while refilling your cannon with minimal hassle. Depending on your Ranged level and the quantity of cannonballs you carry (which limits trips to the bank), you can achieve an experience rate of 60,000-100,000 per hour. This approach not only helps recover most, if not all, of your expenses but can even lead to profits in some cases.

It's advisable to possess telegrab abilities to retrieve drops without taking damage, as well as the capability to perform low or high alchemy. Opt for low alchemy on rune items, granite shields, valuable seeds/herbs, noted raw sharks, and balls of wool to sell on the Grand Exchange. Meanwhile, high alchemy can be employed for the rest. Although not a necessity, a small quantity of food should be carried for added safety. Lower-level players should exercise caution, for without Protect from Melee, ice trolls can deal hefty damage as you make your way to the safespot.

For an optimized strategy, ensure you bring enough cannonballs to fill your inventory with non-alched items before heading to the bank or teleporting to the Grand Exchange using a ring of wealth. If you possess level 70 Prayer, a dragonbone necklace, bonecrusher, and Neitiznot shield, you can maintain infinite prayer points while utilizing Protect from Melee—an immensely effective approach against ice troll encounters.

Level 45-99

Chinning, or employing chinchompas, is widely acknowledged as the swiftest approach to Ranged training. This entails directing your chinchompas towards maniacal monkeys, creatures inhabiting Kruk's Dungeon on Ape Atoll. However, gaining entry to this locale necessitates commencing chapter II of the Monkey Madness II quest. While undoubtedly the fastest training method for Ranged, it's worth noting that chinning does come with a monetary cost.

To optimize your chinning strategy, prioritize gear that amplifies your Ranged damage and Prayer bonuses. Given the maniacal monkeys' low defense, the Void Knight equipment outshines dragonhide or Armadyl armor due to its damage-boosting set effect. Additionally, maniacal monkeys frequently drop 1-dose prayer potions, mitigating the cost of employing Protect from Melee and other damage-boosting prayers. Players who have completed the hard tasks in the Morytania Diary and have attained level 70 Prayer can alternatively utilize a bonecrusher necklace to replenish Prayer points.

Alternative To Get To Level 99 Ranged

Skeletal monkeys present a viable option for Ranged training if you haven't embarked on Monkey Madness II, especially for pure accounts unable to access the maniacal monkey area. However, it's important to note that skeletal monkeys are notably inferior to maniacal monkeys in terms of experience gains, making them a secondary choice.

When engaging in chinning at skeletal monkeys on Ape Atoll, make optimal use of ranged Void armor acquired through the Pest Control minigame. Enhancing your damage output is crucial, and thus, the salve amulet (ei) is highly recommended. Combining the boosts from Void armor and the salve amulet (ei) yields a substantial 30% boost to both damage and accuracy. This is particularly effective as the salve amulet's bonuses affect the primary target, thereby reducing chinchompa misses on all targets if they happen to miss the main one. If you opt for hawk eye or eagle eye, the overall boost increases to 40% or even 45%. However, be mindful that eagle eye depletes prayer points at double the rate of hawk eye, potentially necessitating more frequent trips for prayer potions and potentially counteracting its benefits. Lastly, ensure you have a one-click teleport or a greegree (though the latter can't be equipped during combat) for a quick exit strategy.

Level 70-99 In The Nightmare Zone

Utilizing the normal customisable rumble setup in Nightmare Zone stands as a highly viable and largely AFK training method for honing your Ranged skills. This approach allows you to stay relatively hands-off from the client for a duration of 20 minutes, at which point your character will cease attacking the monsters. Employing a magic shortbow (i) coupled with amethyst or rune arrows, along with Super ranging and Absorption potions, can yield an experience rate ranging from 60,000 to 70,000 per hour. The beauty of this method lies in its minimal cost and the negligible attention it demands. However, it's important to note that higher rates can be achieved by utilizing the toxic blowpipe, although this comes at a significantly higher cost, making it less recommended.

An alternate and cost-effective option for training within the Nightmare Zone is the Venator bow. This bow proves to be a proficient choice, usually having at least 2 monsters available for attack, thus enabling the bow's full potential. At current Ancient essence prices, utilizing the Venator bow will incur a cost of approximately 25,500 gp per hour. However, it's essential to focus on 1x1 and 2x2 bosses, as bosses occupying a 3x3 space or larger may disrupt attacks from ricocheting, significantly reducing your experience gain. To optimize your training, position yourself against a wall and be cautious of having a 2x2 monster on either side, as it can also interrupt a ricochet. Starting at level 80, you can expect to achieve around 120,000 experience per hour when utilizing Super ranging potions and rune arrows.

Ranged Equipment

Of course, getting to level 99 with your Ranged Skill isn't enough. Having the right gear and equipment also goes a long way when it comes to making you a more effective ranger in the game. For this section, we're going to talk about the equipment you should be getting for this Skill.

OSRS Ranged Weapons

You have access to a wide range of weapons under the Range Skill tree. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages so take your pick.

OSRS Ranged Crossbow Bolts

With a high enough Magic Skill, you can also enchant crossbolts to give them added effects. These bonuses help maximize the damage and utility of the crossbow, making them essential for any Ranged practitioner.

Beneficial Items For Ranged Players

Last but not least, we have some beneficial items for all Ranged fighters. These give you special bonuses and stat boosts, to make fighting or Skilling a lot easier.

Dangerous From A Distance

Rangers in OSRS are feared in their capacity to take out foes without closing in the distance. If you want to safespot enemies for their precious materials, then increasing your Ranged Skill to level 99 is undoubtedly one of the best ways to do it. With this guide, it will only be a matter of time before you reach the upper echelons of Gielinor's master snipers.