Progression or best in slot
The three combat style guides are progression guides. They start at the gear a mid-level account can afford and step up in tiers, so you always know the next upgrade and roughly what it does for you. The best in slot guide answers a different question: what the strongest item is for each slot in each style, whatever it costs.
- Melee: from dragon weapons and Barrows up to the top weapons and Torva.
- Ranged: from the blowpipe and d'hide to Masori and the twisted bow.
- Magic: from Mystic and the trident to Ancestral and the Eye of Ayak.
- Best in slot: the top pick per slot for each style.
Rules for spending well
Weapon first. Your weapon sets your attack speed and most of your damage, so it is almost always the best first upgrade in any style.
Untradeables are free damage. The fire cape from the Fight Caves, Barrows gloves from Recipe for Disaster and the defenders from the Warriors' Guild cost time rather than coins and beat many expensive tradeable items.
Match the style to the monster. Gear that is perfect for one boss can be wrong for the next. Check what a monster is weak to before you buy a new set.
Price moves. Every item in the guides shows its current Grand Exchange price, so tiers that looked expensive last month may be within reach now.
Test before you buy
Upgrades are rarely worth the same to everyone. Put your stats and current gear into the DPS calculator, swap in the item you are eyeing and compare the two loadouts side by side. For a quick melee check, the max hit calculator shows how much strength bonus you need for the next max hit. When you are ready to fight, the boss guides list recommended gear for each encounter.