Old School RuneScape (OSRS) has been a staple in the MMORPG world since its release in 2013. With its nostalgic feel and grind-heavy gameplay, it's no surprise that the game has maintained a dedicated player base. One of the core aspects of OSRS gold is combat, and while players can choose from multiple combat styles, Melee combat stands out for its versatility, damage potential, and role in both PvM and PvP scenarios.

Melee is a combat style that uses weapons like swords, axes, maces, and spears to deal damage. Players will need to train their Attack, Strength, and Defence skills to achieve higher combat levels and unlock stronger equipment. This guide will walk you through a complete 1-99 guide for Melee combat, covering everything from low-level training methods to endgame strategies.

1. Understanding Melee Combat

Melee combat in OSRS focuses on close-range combat, where the player physically attacks enemies using various weapons. The effectiveness of Melee combat is determined by the following stats:

Attack: Determines your ability to hit an opponent. Higher attack levels mean you can use better weapons and have higher accuracy.

Strength: Affects your maximum damage. Higher strength means you hit harder, especially with certain weapons.

Defence: Increases your ability to defend against attacks from other players or monsters, reducing the damage you take.

While these are the primary stats involved in Melee combat, your Hitpoints and Prayer also play a crucial role in survival, particularly in higher-level content.

2. Key Stats to Train: Attack, Strength, and Defence

Attack:

Attack is the first skill you should focus on when training Melee. As you progress through levels, your ability to wield stronger and more accurate weapons increases. You'll start with basic weapons like the bronze scimitar and later progress to more powerful weapons such as the Abyssal whip or Chaotic rapier.

Strength:

Strength directly influences how hard you hit. In Melee combat, the higher your Strength level, the more damage you can inflict with each hit. Many players prioritize training Strength to maximize their DPS (damage per second) when training or bossing.

Defence:

Defence is important for tanking damage in PvM content. While some players may choose to neglect Defence training for faster experience gains in Attack and Strength, it's essential to invest in Defence at certain points in the game to survive tougher challenges, such as high-level bosses or raids.

3. Training Melee Skills (1-99)

Training Melee skills in OSRS involves a combination of questing, killing monsters, and efficient use of weapons and combat gear. Below is a breakdown of how to efficiently train each skill from 1-99.

Levels 1-50: Early Training

At these lower levels, you'll be focusing on building up your base stats, while using inexpensive equipment to gain experience. The following methods are optimal for training in this range.

1-15 Attack:

Recommended method: Killing Chickens in Lumbridge, or Cows in the nearby field.

Chickens drop feathers and raw chicken, which you can use for crafting and cooking, respectively, making them a solid choice for beginning players. Equip a basic Bronze scimitar or Iron scimitar to start your journey.

15-30 Attack:

Recommended method: Killing Cows in Lumbridge or Sand Crabs on Hosidius Island.

Sand Crabs are great for AFK training since they have high hitpoints and low defense. You can use these until level 30 Attack and then move on to stronger targets.

30-50 Attack:

Recommended method: Al Kharid Warriors or Stronghold of Security monsters (level 20).

Al Kharid Warriors are easy to kill and give good experience. You can also try fighting monsters in the Stronghold of Security, like the Minotaur, which is great for training early on.

Levels 50-70: Intermediate Training

At this stage, you'll begin to cheap RuneScape gold see noticeable progress in your combat abilities, and the weapons you'll wield will become much stronger. Now is also the time to begin training with more efficient monsters.

50-70 Attack and Strength:

Recommended method: Taverley Dungeon (Kalphites), Experiments (for low-level training), or Sand Crabs if you prefer AFK methods.

The Experiments in the Slayer Dungeon (Fremennik Slayer Dungeon) are fantastic for training. They have a decent amount of hitpoints and do not deal a lot of damage. If you prefer a more aggressive approach, Kalphites in the Taverley Dungeon offer high experience per kill.

50-70 Defence:

Recommended method: Training on monsters that deal low damage, such as Rock Crabs or Experiments.

Rock Crabs have relatively low offensive stats but decent health, making them an ideal choice for training Defence passively.

Levels 70-99: Advanced Training

Once you hit level 70 in Attack, Strength, and Defence, you'll have access to more powerful weapons and more lucrative training methods. This is where training can become highly efficient, albeit more expensive.

70-99 Attack and Strength:

Recommended method: Abyssal Demons (requires level 85 Slayer), Chaos Druids, Ankous, Nightmare Zone (NMZ), or ZGS (ZGS with freeze).

The Nightmare Zone (NMZ) is one of the most cost-effective ways to train Melee in OSRS. Here, you can use Overloads and Absorption potions to train for hours without needing to bank or restock on food.

70-99 Defence:

Recommended method: High-level slayer tasks (Ankous, Skeletal Wyverns).

Skeletal Wyverns and Ankous are excellent for defensive training, particularly in combination with prayer flicking for super-efficient kills.