In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), melee remains one of the most iconic and powerful combat styles-but also one of the most complex when it comes to gearing. With dozens of armor sets, niche weapons, and special attack options, knowing which upgrade to prioritize can be overwhelming. Whether you're slaying your first hill giants or tackling the Inferno, your melee setup will evolve dramatically as you climb the tiers of wealth and experience.

This guide breaks down a general, budget-based melee gear progression-from humble free-to-play beginnings to endgame perfection. While specific gear choices can vary depending on the content you focus on (Slayer, bossing, PvP, etc.), the upgrades here provide a strong and well-rounded path that will serve nearly every player.

Starting Strong: From Free-to-Play to Early Members Gear

Every melee journey starts with the basics. If you've followed the optimal quest guide, you'll quickly find yourself at a solid foundation of 40+ Attack and Strength with Rune weaponry. 

Once you transition into members' content, your first few upgrades set the tone for efficiency and flexibility.

Key Upgrades:

 Amulet of Glory: A classic early upgrade that provides accuracy, +3 Prayer bonus, and useful teleports. It's inexpensive and offers fantastic utility.

 Combat Bracelet: For just around 12,000 GP, this bracelet adds solid Strength and accuracy bonuses early on.

 Blessing (e.g. Rada's Blessing): Fills your ammo slot while giving a small Prayer bonus. Easily obtainable via Kourend Diaries or the Grand Exchange.

 Explorer's Ring: It's free, gives +1 Prayer, and adds helpful teleports.

 Rune Boots or Climbing Boots: Rune Boots give +2 Strength with 40 Defense; Climbing Boots are a free alternative if you're underleveled.

Once you hit 50 Attack, Sulphur Blades become your next DPS powerhouse. They shred through lower-defense monsters and are particularly effective against Sulphur Naguas due to unique armor mechanics. Pair this with questing progress toward The Fremennik Isles, unlocking the Helm of Neitiznot, which provides Strength, Prayer, and defensive bonuses-a staple helm for years.

Finish this tier with Monkey Madness I for the Dragon Scimitar, a versatile, powerful training weapon, and start working toward your Dragon Defender from the Warriors' Guild. The defender's boost to Strength and accuracy makes it one of the single best melee upgrades in the game.

Mid-Tier Power: The Million GP Setup

Around the 1M GP mark, your gear begins to look truly respectable. You'll have completed key quests and mini-games that unlock powerful untradeables.

Essential Gear:

 Barrows Gloves: Earned through Recipe for Disaster, these gloves offer massive accuracy and Strength bonuses across all combat styles.

 Fire Cape: RuneScape's rite of passage. Provides +4 Strength, strong accuracy, and solid defensive bonuses.

 Fighter Torso: From the Barbarian Assault mini-game-hated by some, loved by others. For a few hours of teamwork, you gain a Strength bonus rivaling much pricier gear.

 Dragon Boots: +4 Strength and decent defenses; not groundbreaking but reliable.

 Verac's Skirt or Torag's Legs: For Defense-heavy options under 250k GP, Verac's skirt offers a useful Prayer bonus as well.

 Special Attack Weapons: Pick up a Dragon Dagger (p++) or Arclight for burst DPS and niche utility. Both are affordable and situationally powerful.

At this stage, your melee kit is versatile, affordable, and capable of tackling bosses like Barrows or mid-tier Slayer tasks.

The 10M GP Setup: Power and Precision

Once your cash stack reaches around 10 million GP, the focus shifts to maximizing DPS through weapon and jewelry upgrades.

Priority Order: Weapon → Jewelry → Armor

1.Abyssal Whip (70 Attack): A major accuracy and Strength boost with rapid attack speed-a true melee staple.

2.Amulet of Fury: Replaces the Glory, adding +2 Strength and better defense and Prayer.

3.Berserker Ring (Imbued): Imbue this ring via the Emir's Arena or Nightmare Zone for +8 Strength. It's a top-tier melee accessory for most of the game.

4.Obsidian Platelegs: Slightly less defensive than Verac's but provide +1 Strength, making them an offensive upgrade.

With this setup, you'll feel your melee efficiency jump significantly. You'll hit more often, harder, and last longer in sustained fights.20M–50M Setup: Slayer, Specs, and Specialized Strength

Now that you're rich enough to buy meaningful upgrades, it's time to boost your Slayer efficiency and unlock specialized gear.

 Slayer Helmet (Imbued): A 16–17% damage boost against Slayer monsters. It's one of the best value items in the game.

 Osmumten's Fang: A devastatingly accurate weapon that re-rolls missed hits, ideal for bosses with high defense.

 Dragon Warhammer: Reduces enemy defense by 30% on spec hit-essential for raids and bossing.

 Blood Moon Tassets: Provide +1 Strength and synergize with the Blood Moon set for niche damage boosts.

At this point, you're ready for nearly all PvM content up to mid-level bosses like Cerberus, the Kraken, or the God Wars Dungeon generals.

High-End Setup: Late-Game Perfection (100M–500M Range)

Welcome to the big leagues. You're now optimizing raw stats, Prayer management, and special attack cycling.

Key Late-Game Upgrades:

 Lightbearer Ring: Doubles special attack regeneration, allowing more frequent specs with your Warhammer or Claws.

 Amulet of Torture: Trades defense for pure Strength and accuracy-perfect for DPS-focused setups.

 Primordial Boots: Small stat bumps (+3 Strength, +2 accuracy) but every bonus counts at this level.

 Crystal Halberd: Niche, but perfect for finishing high-HP monsters.

 Burning Claws: Top-tier DPS special weapon that hits like a truck.

For defensive play, Bandos Chestplate and Tassets provide huge Strength and defense bonuses, while Ferocious Gloves become your permanent BiS handwear.

Endgame Mastery: Inferno, Raids, and Beyond

If you've reached 500M+ GP, you're no longer chasing stats-you're chasing prestige.

 Infernal Cape: Doubles the Fire Cape's Strength bonus and is one of the hardest-earned items in OSRS.

 Neitiznot Faceguard: A tankier upgrade to the standard helm with doubled Strength bonus.

 Bandos Armor Set: Excellent balance of offense and defense.

 Tentacle Whip + Osmumten's Fang Combo: Ideal for The Theatre of Blood and high-defense bosses.

 Voidwaker: A guaranteed-hit spec weapon that shines in PvP and against tanky bosses.

 Amulet of Rancour: +25 accuracy, +10 more than Torture-an endgame must-have.

 Avernic Defender: The best defender in the game. Huge accuracy and Strength, but note: it's non-tradeable once attached.

 Dragon Claws & Noxious Halberd: High-tier special attack weapons for burst and range flexibility.

 Dragon Hunter Lance: Mandatory for dragon bosses and Chambers of Xeric due to its +20% accuracy and damage.

1B+ GP Setup: The True Endgame

At this stage, you've completed everything else. You're now chasing the final, elite-tier upgrades that define OSRS' most accomplished melee players.

 Full Oathplate: Excellent slash accuracy (38 slash bonus)-perfect for Theatre of Blood and slash-heavy encounters.

 Ultor Ring: Replaces the Berserker Ring with +12 Strength-a 50% increase.

 Soulreaper Axe: Gains stacks that boost Strength up to +30%, at the cost of health. Second-best slash weapon overall.

 Scythe of Vitur: The ultimate melee weapon. Hits up to three times per swing, dominating multi-tile bosses.

 Avernic Shreds: Consolidates all combat-style boots into one powerful, inventory-efficient pair.

 Elder Maul: An upgraded Dragon Warhammer that lowers defense by 35% per spec.

 Torva Armor Set: Huge Strength bonuses, unmatched defensive power. Ideal for ToB and endgame raids.

 Elysian Spirit Shield: The symbol of wealth and mastery-offering unmatched damage reduction, even if niche in use.

Final Thoughts

The melee meta in Old School RuneScape continues to evolve, with more specialized gear and nuanced mechanics each year. No longer can one setup truly cover all activities-the best melee players adapt to every encounter with gear switches and style mastery.

Still, the general progression remains consistent:

Upgrade your weapon first, then jewelry, then armor.

Each tier boosts your DPS and efficiency, letting you take on harder challenges and earn more GP-feeding the endless cycle of RuneScape progression.

So, whether you're still grinding for your Fire Cape or flexing a Torva set at the Grand Exchange, remember: every upgrade tells the story of your journey from a Rune-wielding beginner to a true master of melee.