Ranged

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Ranged
Released 4 January 2001 (Update)
Also called Archery
Members No
Type Combat
Statistics
Players with
99
661,215
as of 1 April 2026 - update
Players with
200M XP
2759
as of 2 April 2026 - update

Ranged is one of the three combat classes in Old School RuneScape. It involves using bows, crossbows, blowpipes, and thrown weapons to damage opponents from a distance, and Ranged armour can mostly be made from animal hides. Players who specialise in this skill are known as rangers or archers.

The combat triangle dictates that rangers are strong against mages but weak against melee fighters.

The ability to attack from a distance means that a player can safespot a melee monster while fighting from safety. Keep in mind that some melee monsters have high Ranged Defence, so a high Ranged level may be needed. Crossbows are useful against monsters with high Defence, as they are very accurate.

Players can toggle whether they want ammunition on the ground to automatically be equipped or remain in the inventory when picked up by talking to the Ranged combat tutor.

Ranged level up - normal
The music that plays when levelling up.
Ranged level up - with unlocks
The music that plays when levelling up and unlocking new content.

Equipment

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Stats

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There are three ranged equipment stats, two for attack (Ranged Attack and Ranged Strength) and one for defence (Ranged Defence).

Ranged weapons (and frequently Ranged armour) provide + Ranged Attack for accuracy, + Ranged Strength for max hit, and armour provides + Ranged Defence.

Note: In the case of crossbows and bows, the bows provide the Ranged Attack and the ammo provides Ranged Strength, while with darts, knives, and throwing axes (where the ammo is the weapon), both stats are provided by the weapon. In that case, ammo has no benefit (though blessings still provide a prayer bonus).

Weapons

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Ranged weapons have three combat styles: accurate, rapid, and longrange. The accurate style provides an invisible +3 bonus to the player's Ranged level, increasing their accuracy and possibly increasing their max hit. The rapid style increases the player's attack speed by 1, resulting in the highest damage per second of all the styles in almost all situations. The longrange style increases attack range by 2, provides an invisible +3 bonus to the player's Defence level, and splits earned exp between Ranged and Defence.

Furthermore, ammunitions have specific damage types similar to the melee's styles of Stab, Slash, and Crush, though it only applies to monsters. For example, some monsters have less defence against heavy ammunition than light and standard ones, and would be preferred in such encounters. A list of some monsters with weakened defence against a particular ammunition type can be found on this news post.

Light

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Weapon Information
Darts

Throwing knives
Throwing axes

Darts and throwing knives have the highest attack speed in the game, but low Ranged attack, Ranged strength and attack range stats. Throwing axes have superior damage and accuracy, but a slower attack speed.
Toktz-xil-ul, also known as throwing rings, are as powerful as a magic shortbow with rune arrows.
Blowpipes Blowpipes are fast-attacking ranged weapons that use darts for ammunition. Against monsters, they have the same speed as darts/knives, but against players, they have the same attack speed as shortbows. Additionally, the toxic blowpipe needs to be charged with Zulrah's scales and can inflict targets with venom, which deals increasing damage over time.
A throwing weapon which provides unlimited "ammo". Hits an opponent twice when charged with sunfire splinters, and has a special attack that lowers the target's Defence level.

Standard

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Weapon Information
Shortbows
Longbows
These bows both shoot the same arrows, differing in speed and range, but not in damage or accuracy. Longbows could be used for additional range, but are slower than shortbows on rapid. The magic shortbow has a special attack which hits twice, and the magic longbow has a special attack which boosts accuracy.
These bows are similar to longbows, but have a faster attack speed and slightly higher accuracy. These bows can only be obtained from completing Treasure Trails or by trading with another player. The magic comp bow has the same special attack as the magic longbow.
Ogre bow
Comp ogre bow
The ogre bow uses ogre arrows. It is extremely slow; its only real use is for hunting chompy birds. The composite ogre bow has the same speed as a crossbow, and can use brutal arrows as well as ogre arrows. Rune brutals have the same Ranged Strength bonus as dragon arrows.
The dark bow is the slowest weapon in the game, but it shoots two arrows at once. It can shoot dragon arrows, and it has a devastating special attack which boosts damage by 30% if using arrows that are not dragon, or by 50% if using dragon arrows, with a minimum damage of 5 per non-dragon arrow and 8 per dragon arrow.
The twisted bow is one of the most powerful ranged weapons in the game, being able to hit extremely high on certain monsters. It has a passive ability that increases its accuracy and damage based on the target's Magic level.
A relatively strong composite bow. Its damage and accuracy can be increased by wearing pieces of the Crystal armour. Generates its own ammo, but degrades.
This powerful shortbow has 50% increased damage against monsters in the Wilderness. Generates its own ammo, but needs to be charged with Revenant ether.
A very powerful composite bow. Its damage and accuracy can be increased by wearing pieces of the Crystal armour. Generates its own ammo. When corrupted, it does not degrade.
A throwing weapon that uses atlatl darts. Uniquely, its damage is determined by the player's Strength level and melee strength bonus.

Heavy

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Weapon Information
Chinchompas deal very little damage, but they hit multiple targets, making them excellent for training. Because of this, they are extremely expensive.
Crossbows are very accurate, and crossbow bolts deal significantly more damage than arrows, making crossbows effective for training Ranged. Crossbows are slower than standard bows, but are also one-handed, so a shield or god book can be used for protection.
This is the only crossbow which can shoot the cheap bone bolts. It is also faster than normal crossbows, and has a special attack which lowers the target's Defence level.
Despite being a crossbow, it is more like a shortbow, requiring two hands and having a fast attack speed, along with longer range. Karil's crossbow will only work with bolt racks, which break when shot, making it expensive to use. This weapon should only be used against the TzTok-Jad and players, as everything else can be done more cheaply.
The dwarf multicannon is a supplementary weapon that is set up by the player and attacks enemies on its own. There is no Ranged level requirement to use it. It is fast and powerful (with a max hit of 30), yet expensive to use, and there are a limited number of areas where it can be set up for usage. For example, it cannot be used against bosses except the Corporeal Beast. Nonetheless, it's useful and great to have on board, especially on certain Slayer tasks (e.g. dagannoths).
The light ballista and heavy ballista are two-handed ranged weapons which use javelins as ammunition. They are slow, but capable of dealing high hits.

Armour

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Enchanted crossbow bolts

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Bolts that are tipped with gems can be enchanted for a wide variety of passive effects, each of which has a small chance of activating when an enemy is damaged by the bolt.

Bolt type Fletching Level Magic Level Runes required Effect
11 4 2Air 1Cosmic Lucky Lightning Extra damage.
56 7 1Water 1Cosmic 1Mind Clear Mind Prayer siphon.
26 14 2Earth 1Cosmic Earth's Fury Opponent knockdown.
41 24 2Water 1Cosmic Sea Curse Extra (water-based) damage - effective against monsters assigned the fiery attribute and players with a fire cape or fire elemental stave equipped.
58 27 3Air 1Cosmic 1Nature Magical Poison Greater chance of poison.
48 29 2Fire 1Cosmic Down to Earth Lowers target's Magic (other players only).
63 49 5Fire 1Blood 1Cosmic Blood Forfeit -10% Hitpoints from self, -20% Hitpoints from target.
65 57 10Earth 1Cosmic 2Law Armour Piercing Ignore much of target's Ranged Defence.
71 68 15Earth 1Cosmic 1Soul Dragon's Breath Dragonfire damage - Magical attack, effective against opponents with low Magic Defence. Antifire potions will decrease the hit.
73 87 20Fire 1Cosmic 1Death Life Leech Extra damage, Hitpoints siphon by 1/4 of hit, but not versus undead.

Temporary boosts

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Boost Level
increase
Visibility Other info
1 Visible When the ranging cape is equipped, it grants players the ammo-saving effects of Ava's accumulator.
2 Visible Sailing Sailing 1
Strength Strength 2
Magic Magic -2

When onboard in a keg, it increases the max hit of cannons by one.

4 Visible Hitpoints Hitpoints 11 per bite.
Slayer Slayer 5
4 Visible Strength Strength - floor(CurrentLevel * 0.04) - 2
Magic Magic - floor(CurrentLevel * 0.04) - 2
±0-5 Visible Hitpoints Hitpoints 11
Depending on type of stew, any skill except Hitpoints can be boosted or reduced by 0 to 5 levels randomly.
4-13 Visible Ranged Ranged 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
4-13 Visible Ranged Ranged 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
Hitpoints Hitpoints 2-11
Attack Attack - floor(StaticLevel * 0.10) + 2
Strength Strength - floor(StaticLevel * 0.10) + 2
Defence Defence - floor(StaticLevel * 0.10) + 2
Magic Magic - floor(StaticLevel * 0.10) + 2
4-13 Visible Hitpoints Hitpoints 6 per dose.
Ranged Ranged 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)

Requires Barbarian training.

4-13 Visible Ranged Ranged 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
Stat draining for ranged is disabled for 5 minutes, meaning the player's Ranged level will stay fully boosted.
After the 5 minutes are over, Ranged level will be restored to its base level.
4-13 Visible Defence Defence 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Ranged Ranged 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
Acts as a ranging and super defence potion in one dose.
4-13 Visible Defence Defence 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Ranged Ranged 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
Stat draining for Ranged and Defence is disabled for 5 minutes, meaning the player's Ranged and Defence levels will stay fully boosted.
After the 5 minutes are over, Ranged and Defence levels will be restored to its base level.
4-13 Visible Hitpoints Hitpoints 20
Attack Attack 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Defence Defence 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Strength Strength 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Magic Magic 4
Ranged Ranged 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
4-13 Visible Ranged Ranged 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
Only usable within the Chambers of Xeric.
4-13 Visible Acts as an elder (-), twisted (-), and kodai (-) potion in one dose.
Hitpoints Hitpoints - 50
Attack Attack 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
Defence Defence 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
Strength Strength 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
Ranged Ranged 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
Magic Magic 4 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.1)
The boost is reapplied every 15 seconds for 5 minutes.
(This lost health is refunded after the overload ends).
Only usable within the Chambers of Xeric.
5-17 Visible Ranged Ranged 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.13)
Only usable within the Chambers of Xeric.
5-17 Visible Acts as an elder, twisted, and kodai potion in one dose.
Hitpoints Hitpoints - 50
Attack Attack 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.13)
Defence Defence 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.13)
Strength Strength 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.13)
Ranged Ranged 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.13)
Magic Magic 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.13)
The boost is reapplied every 15 seconds for 5 minutes.
(This lost health is refunded after the overload ends).
Only usable within the Chambers of Xeric.
5-19 Visible Ranged Ranged 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Only usable within the Soul Wars minigame.
5-19 Visible Ranged Ranged 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Only usable within the Nightmare Zone.
5-19 Visible Acts as a super combat, super ranging, and super magic potion in one dose.
Hitpoints Hitpoints - 50
Attack Attack 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Defence Defence 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Strength Strength 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Ranged Ranged 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
Magic Magic 5 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.15)
The boost is reapplied every 15 seconds for 5 minutes.
(This lost health is refunded after the overload ends).
Only usable within the Nightmare Zone.
6-21 Visible Ranged Ranged 6 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
Only usable within the Chambers of Xeric.
6-21 Visible Acts as an elder (+), twisted (+), and kodai (+) potion in one dose.
Hitpoints Hitpoints - 50
Attack Attack 6 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
Defence Defence 6 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
Strength Strength 6 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
Ranged Ranged 6 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
Magic Magic 6 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
The boost is reapplied every 15 seconds for 5 minutes.
(This lost health is refunded after the overload ends).
Only usable within the Chambers of Xeric.
11-26 Visible Attack Attack 11 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
Defence Defence 11 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
Strength Strength 11 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
Ranged Ranged 11 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
Magic Magic 11 + floor(StaticLevel * 0.16)
Restores run energy by 25%.
The boost is reapplied every 15 seconds for 8 minutes.
Only usable within the Tombs of Amascut.
?-14 Visible Attack Attack ?-20
Strength Strength ?-20
Defence Defence ?-20
Magic Magic ?-11
The boost is reapplied continuously for 2 minutes, after which it starts decaying naturally. This stat boost scales at an unknown rate with level and the listed one is the boost received at level 99.

Quests

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Quests requiring Ranged

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Quest Ranged
requirement
Other skill requirements
Underground Pass Ranged 25 -
Animal Magnetism Ranged 30 Slayer 18 , Woodcutting 35
Big Chompy Bird Hunting Ranged 30 Fletching 5 , Cooking 30
Zogre Flesh Eaters Ranged 30 Smithing 4 , Herblore 8
Spirits of the Elid Ranged 37 Thieving 37 , Magic 33 , Mining 37
Temple of Ikov Ranged 40 Thieving 42
Cabin Fever Ranged 40 Smithing 50 , Agility 42 , Crafting 45
The Path of Glouphrie Ranged 47 Strength 60 , Slayer 56 , Thieving 56 , Agility 45
Mourning's End Part I Ranged 60 Thieving 50
The Curse of Arrav Ranged 62 Mining 64 , Thieving 62 , Agility 61 , Strength 58 , Slayer 37

Quests rewarding Ranged experience

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Quest Experience
reward
Ranged
requirement
Other requirements
Big Chompy Bird Hunting 735 Ranged 30 Fletching 5 , Cooking 30
Recipe for Disaster/Freeing Skrach Uglogwee 1,500 Ranged 30 Cooking 41 , Firemaking 20
Death to the Dorgeshuun 2,000 - Thieving 23 , Agility 23
Zogre Flesh Eaters 2,000 Ranged 30 Smithing 4 , Herblore 8
Heroes' Quest 2,075 - Quest points 55 , Cooking 53 , Fishing 53 , Herblore 25 , Mining 50
Horror from the Deep 4,662.5 - Agility 35
Temple of Ikov 10,500 Ranged 40 Thieving 42
Total 23,472.5

Skill choice

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Upon completing any of the following quests, players may choose to allocate experience to Ranged. These rewards usually come in the form of items, such as lamps or books, and are independent of any experience rewards directly received for completing the quest.

QuestExperience
reward
Skills availableSkill requirements
X Marks the Spot300AnyNone
Client of Kourend500 twiceAnyNone
The Ides of Milk1,000Attack Strength Defence Magic Ranged Hitpoints Prayer None
Fairytale II - Cure a Queen2,500Any skill above 30Farming 49 , Herblore 57
A Tail of Two Cats2,500 twiceAny skill above 30None
The Great Brain Robbery5,000Any skill above 30Crafting 16 , Construction 30 , Prayer 50
King's Ransom5,000Any skill above 50Defence 65
Darkness of Hallowvale2,000 three timesAny skill above 30Construction 5 , Mining 20 , Thieving 22 , Crafting 32 , Magic 33 , Strength 40
A Taste of Hope2,500 three timesAny skill above 35Crafting 48 , Herblore 40 , Attack 40 , Agility 45 , Slayer 38
A Kingdom Divided10,000 twiceAny skill above 40Agility 54 , Thieving 52 , Woodcutting 52 , Herblore 50 , Mining 42 ,
Crafting 38 , Magic 35
In Search of Knowledge
(miniquest)
10,000Any skill above 40None
Curse of the Empty Lord
(miniquest)
10,000Any skill above 50Some players will need Prayer 31
Shadow of the Storm10,000Attack Strength Defence Magic Ranged Hitpoints Crafting 30
Contact!7,000 twiceAttack Strength Defence Magic Ranged Hitpoints None
Dream Mentor15,000Strength Defence Magic Ranged Hitpoints Agility 32 , Combat level 85 , Crafting 61 , Defence 40 , Firemaking 49 ,
Herblore 5 , Magic 65 , Mining 60 , Woodcutting 55
A Night at the Theatre20,000 four times[sc 1]Attack Strength Defence Magic Ranged Hitpoints Combat level 90 recommended
One Small Favour10,000 twiceAny skill above 30Agility 36 , Crafting 25 , Herblore 18 , Smithing 30
Recipe for Disaster
(The final battle)
20,000Any skill above 50Quest points 175 , Cooking 70 , Agility 48 , Mining 50 , Fishing 53 ,
Thieving 53 , Herblore 25 , Magic 59 , Smithing 40 , Firemaking 50 ,
Ranged 40 , Crafting 40 , Fletching 10 , Slayer 10 , Woodcutting 36
Sins of the Father15,000 six timesAny skill above 60Woodcutting 62 , Fletching 60 , Crafting 56 , Agility 52 , Slayer 50 , Attack 50 , Magic 49
Dragon Slayer II25,000 four timesAttack Strength Defence Magic Ranged Hitpoints Quest points 200 , Magic 75 , Smithing 70 , Mining 68 , Crafting 62 ,
Agility 60 , Thieving 60 , Construction 50 , Hitpoints 50
Into the Tombs
(miniquest)
50,000Attack Strength Defence Magic Ranged Hitpoints Combat level 95 recommended
The Final Dawn55,000Attack Strength Defence Magic Ranged Hitpoints Prayer Thieving 66 , Runecraft 52 , Fletching 52 , Combat level 85 recommended
Monkey Madness II50,000 twiceAttack Strength Defence Magic Ranged Hitpoints Slayer 69 , Crafting 70 , Hunter 60 , Agility 55 , Thieving 55 , Firemaking 60
Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire100,000 three timesAttack Strength Defence Magic Ranged Hitpoints Prayer Firemaking 75 , Magic 75 , Thieving 70 , Herblore 62 , Runecraft 60 , Construction 60
Total927,300
  1. ^ The chosen skill must be at least level 50

Level up messages

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This article on a skill has an associated transcript page for level up messages.
Click here for the transcript.

Changes

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Date Changes
29 May 2024
(Update)

All monsters had their Ranged defence split into three different categories: Light, Standard, and Heavy.

See also

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