Old School RuneScape’s Ironman mode is loved for one simple reason: every achievement feels earned. No Grand Exchange shortcuts, no handouts—just pure self-sufficiency. But that same purity turns certain PvM grinds into absolute nightmares. While mains complain about drop rates, Ironmen live and die by them. One unlucky streak can mean hundreds of extra hours locked behind content you must complete to progress.

Here are some of the worst PvM grinds Ironmen face in OSRS, combining brutal RNG, high supply costs, and mandatory progression items that make these bosses infamous.

1. Dragon Warhammer – Lizardman Shamans

If there’s one grind that defines Ironman suffering, it’s the Dragon Warhammer (DWH). With a drop rate of 1/5,000, this single item is practically required for high-level PvM like Chambers of Xeric, Theatre of Blood, and late-game bosses.

The issue isn’t just the rate—it’s everything surrounding it:

Shamans hit hard and use unavoidable damage

Constant prayer drain

Heavy supply usage (prayer pots, food, antidotes)

Repetitive and mentally exhausting gameplay

Many Ironmen go 10,000+ kills dry, turning what should be a milestone upgrade into a months-long prison sentence.

2. Zulrah – Blowpipe & Serpentine Visage

Zulrah is manageable on a main. On an Ironman? It’s a different story.

Ironmen are effectively forced to grind Zulrah for:

Toxic Blowpipe

Serpentine Visage

Magic Fang

Before recent nerfs, the Blowpipe was mandatory for nearly all PvM. Even now, it’s still incredibly valuable. The problem is Zulrah’s supply drain—constant deaths while learning, high food usage, scales upkeep, and the need for solid gear before you even begin.

Going dry here delays Slayer bosses, raids, and even basic efficiency upgrades.

3. God Wars Dungeon – General Graardor & Kree’arra

God Wars Dungeon is iconic—but for Ironmen, it’s brutal.

Bandos (General Graardor) is especially painful:

You need Bandos Chestplate and Tassets

Each kill requires killcount or ecu keys

Heavy damage means high supply burn

Solo methods are slow and punishing

Kree’arra (Armadyl) isn’t much better. ACB (Armadyl Crossbow) is rare, kills are slow, and the boss hits like a truck. Long kill times combined with low drop rates make GWD one of the most mentally draining Ironman experiences in the game.

4. Corporeal Beast – Spirit Shields

Corp is a grind that feels outdated—but Ironmen still suffer through it.

The Elysian Spirit Shield sits at a terrifying 1/4096 from sigils, and that’s after the lengthy setup required per kill. Even the more common Arcane and Spectral sigils take hundreds of hours.

Corp kills are slow, boring, and require awkward mechanics like stat-draining. For Ironmen chasing endgame tank gear, this grind can last literal years.

5. Chambers of Xeric – Twisted Bow

Raids are supposed to be exciting, but Chambers of Xeric becomes soul-crushing when your entire endgame revolves around one item: the Twisted Bow.

With an effective drop rate around 1/1000 raids, Ironmen can complete hundreds—sometimes thousands—of raids without seeing one. And unlike mains, you can’t just buy it and move on.

No T-Bow means:

Slower Hydra

Slower Inferno attempts

Slower raids themselves

It’s a vicious cycle that turns CoX into one of the longest Ironman commitments in OSRS.

6. Theatre of Blood – Scythe of Vitur

Theatre of Blood is mechanically demanding even for experienced players. For Ironmen, it’s a double punishment: high difficulty and brutal RNG.

The Scythe of Vitur is essential for efficient ToB, Nightmare, and certain Slayer bosses. But learning ToB without top-tier gear is punishing, and wipes are common early on.

Combine:

Team dependency

Expensive death costs

Extremely rare uniques

…and you get one of the most stressful grinds Ironmen can attempt.

7. Nightmare – Inquisitor & Harmonised Orb

Nightmare is infamous across all account types, but Ironmen feel it the worst.

Kills are long, tedious, and mechanically repetitive. Drop rates are atrocious, with some items sitting at 1/1000+. Worse still, Nightmare gear is niche—meaning you can spend hundreds of hours for upgrades that barely feel impactful.

Many Ironmen abandon this grind entirely, which says everything about how bad it is.

Why These Grinds Hurt Ironmen the Most

What makes these PvM grinds unbearable isn’t just bad RNG—it’s mandatory progression. Ironmen can’t skip upgrades. If you go dry, your entire account slows down.

You’re forced to:

Use suboptimal gear

Burn irreplaceable supplies

Repeat the same content endlessly

Yet, that’s also why Ironman mode is so respected. Anyone can buy a Twisted Bow. An Ironman who earns one has survived OSRS at its most unforgiving.

Final Thoughts

Ironman PvM grinds in OSRS are not designed to be fair—they’re designed to test patience, resilience, and dedication. From the Dragon Warhammer to the Twisted Bow, these grinds define the Ironman journey.

They’re miserable, exhausting, and often borderline unreasonable—but when that drop finally hits, there’s nothing else in RuneScape that compares.