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Ranging Guide
By: Loggy/Data & Dxgr8ter, additions by Mysticallity
(Note: Text coloured red indicates Members-Only items, locations or features)
Ranging Basics
Bows and Arrows
Other Ranging Equipment
The Dwarven Multi-Cannon
Karil The Tainted's Barrows Set
Extra Ranging Info
Ranging EXP Quest Rewards
Ranged is a very useful and powerful skill in Runescape, that can greatly assist you in combat. You can deal great damage and have crushing effects on your enemies from a safe distance. Read on to find out more!
Ranging Basics
Ranging is essentially just fighting from a distance. Basically, a ranger will choose a weapon and fight an enemy. You will gain experience depending on how much damage you deal each hit. There are all kinds of ranging weapons: bows and arrows, throwing knives, cannons, crossbows, some kind of weird lizards, and more! However, we will not get into those just yet.
Every ranged weapon has three attack styles: accurate, rapid and long range. Each style has its own properties and its own advantages and disadvantages. Some high level range weapons also have what is known as 'special attacks' which can be used to gain an edge in training or player killing. See the special attacks section of the Combat Guide for more info. The table below has more info on the attack styles.
Style | Increases | Info |
Accurate | Accuracy | You will hit more often with this style; useful when fighting monsters with high ranged defence; 4 exp per unit damage to Ranging, 1.33 exp per unit damage to HP |
Rapid | Speed | You will hit faster with this style; useful when training and playerkilling; can do most damage in short amounts of time; 4 exp per unit damage to Ranging, 1.33 exp per unit damage to HP |
Long Range | Range | You can shoot from further away with this style; useful when your opponent is far away; 2 exp per unit damage to both Ranging & Defence, 1.33 exp per unit damage to HP |
As a general rule, you should never train your ranging on any monster whose hitpoints are less than your maximum hit. You want your opponent to be alive for a while so you can keep damaging him and getting experience. Monsters with higher hitpoints will generally be better experience, provided you can hit regularly. The key is to find a balance between getting faster experience and better drops, depending on which one is more important to you.
Bows and Arrows
Bows and arrows are the bread and butter to the Runescape ranger. You will most likely begin your ranging by firing arrows from a bow, so they are covered on this page. Each bow - and every kind of ranging equipment for that matter - has its own range bonuses, allowing your shots to be more accurate.
There are two main bows: the longbow and the shortbow. Both the shortbow and the longbow have the same accuracy and strength bonuses. The longbow has the advantage of having greater range allowing you to shoot further, while the shortbow sacrifices range for a faster fire rate. Some people mistakenly believe that the longbow does more damage than the shortbow - this is incorrect. The shortbow is usually the weapon of choice for most rangers as its faster fire rate allows an increased amount of damage in a shorter time. There are many various bows in Runescape made from different materials that give different bonuses and require an increasing range level to be able to wield. Bows can be bought from shops or players or can be made using the Fletching Skill.
Image | Bow | Ranged Level Required | Ranged Bonus |
 | Shortbow | 1 | +8 |
 | Longbow | 1 | +8 |
 | Oak Shortbow | 5 | +14 |
 | Oak Longbow | 5 | +14 |
 | Willow Shortbow | 20 | +20 |
 | Willow Longbow | 20 | +20 |
 | Willow Composite Bow | 20 | +22 |
 | Maple Shortbow | 30 | +29 |
 | Maple Longbow | 30 | +29 |
 | Ogre Bow | 30 | +38 |
 | Ogre Composite Bow | 30 | +38 |
| Yew Shortbow | 40 | +47 |
 | Yew Longbow | 40 | +47 |
 | Yew Composite Bow | 40 | 49 |
 | Magic Shortbow | 50 | +69 |
 | Magic Longbow | 50 | +69 |
 | Magic Composite Bow | 50 | +71 |
 | Seercull * | 50 | +69 |
 | Dark Bow ** | 60 | +95 |
 | Crystal Bow | 70 | +100 |
* - The Seercull is obtained as a drop by the Dagannoth Supreme on Waterbirth Isle.
** - The Darkbow is obtained as a drop by the Dark Beast.
Arrows shot from bows are the most common ranged weapon used in Runescape. They are easy to obtain and are the preferred way to gain ranged experience due to the substantial range bonus that is given by bows. They range from the most basic bronze arrow to the more expensive and powerful dragon arrow. Arrows made from better materials will do more damage but do not have any effect on the accuracy of your shots. They will also require better bows to be able to fire from. Arrows can either be purchased from Lowe in the archery store in Varrock; Hickton in Catherby; or from the bow and arrow salesman inside the Ranging Guild. Arrows may also be made by players with the Fletching Skill, and thus traded. Members may also poison their arrows, making them even more dangerous.
Image | Arrow | Minimum Bow Required |
 | Bronze Arrows | Any |
 | Iron Arrows | Any |
 | Steel Arrows | Oak + |
 | Mithril Arrows | Willow + |
 | Adamantite Arrows | Maple + |
 | Runite Arrows | Yew + |
 | Brutal Arrows * | Ogre/Composite Ogre only |
 | Dragon Arrows | Dark Bow only |
* - Brutal Arrows range from Bronze Brutal to Rune Brutal. See the Fletching Guide for more information on Ogre Bows & Arrows.
Crystal Bow
The Crystal Bow is a special weapon that can be acquired as a reward for completing or purchased after completing the Roving Elves Quest. It requires no arrows, but will lose accuracy and power every 250 shots and convert to an unusable crystal seed after 2500 shots. A crystal seed may be recharged back into a full powered bow for an increasingly cheaper amount of gold pieces.
Fully charged, the crystal bow is the most accurate and powerful player-held ranged weapon in the game. It has a shooting speed in between that of a normal short and long bow. At full power (10/10), it gives +100 range bonus, then -4 bonus at each charge thereafter.
Charge | Range Bonus |
10/10 | +100 |
9/10 | +96 |
8/10 | +92 |
7/10 | +88 |
6/10 | +84 |
5/10 | +80 |
4/10 | +76 |
3/10 | +72 |
2/10 | +68 |
1/10 | +64 |
The Crystal bow is also a very expensive range weapon at first. There is another elf in Isafdar named Ilfeen who can re-charge your crystal seeds. The first time she charges a seed for you, it will cost 900,000 coins. After that is 720,000 coins, then 540,000 coins, then 360,000 coins, and then the price evens out at a steady 180,000 coins for the rest of your charges.
Other Ranging Equipment
Besides the well known and simple bow and arrow, there are many other types of armour, weapons, and equipment available to Runescape's many rangers. The table below will link you to various pages containing information on ranging equipment.
Equipment | Basic Info |
Contains info on all of the types of armour for rangers | |
Contains info on all of the types of alternate Ranging Weapons | |
Contains info on making and using crossbows | |
Contains information on the various types of god equipment | |
Contains information on the equipment of the Fremennik Province |
The Dwarven Multi-Cannon
A very powerful ranged weapon (such that it needs to be on its own on this page) may be purchased after the completion of the Dwarf Cannon quest: the Dwarven Multi-Cannon. The cannon consists of 4 parts: the cannon base; the cannon stand; the cannon barrel and the cannon furnace. Each of these parts may be purchased from the dwarven engineer, Nulodin (outside the Dwarven Mines) for either 200k each or 750k for all parts.
The cannon is carried around disassembled and must be reassembled before use. It shoots cannonballs, which must be made by smelting steel bars, and require level 30 Smithing to make. Each steel bar will create 4 cannonballs and players must have a cannonball mould when making the balls. There is also a good market for cannonballs, and they can be bought or sold to other players.
Cannons can inflict up to an impressive 30 damage on foes. For each unit of damage inflicted by the cannon the owner will recieve 2 exp in the Ranging Skill. Having a higher range level will not increase the damage of the cannon, though it does affect the accuracy of the shots. Cannons used in multi-combat areas will shoot every enemy in sight and can cause a incredible amount of damage within a short period of time. Cannons cannot be used against players in the wilderness nor against the King Black Dragon or the Kalphite Queen in their special lairs. The cannon may also not be used in the Duel Arena or in the Slayer Towers.
Karil the Tainted's Barrows Set
A special, powerful set of ranged equipment can be obtained from the Barrows Mini-Game - known as Karil the Tainted's Barrows Set - containing only a coif, body, skirt, and crossbow. The coif, body, and skirt are all very powerful and extremely effective while ranging. Karil's crossbow is a double handed weapon which, rather than firing normal bolts, uses bolt-racks as ammunition. These bolt racks can be obtained from playing the mini-game itself or can be purchased in Port Phasmatys.
The crossbow has the speed of a regular shortbow and the bolt racks deal damage equal to rune arrows. When used together there is a random chance to lower your opponents agility level with every shot - the reduction is around the vicinity of 20% of the players total agility. Needless to say, the Karil Barrows Equipment is extremely powerful. For further information and stats on Karil's and other types of Barrow's equipment, see the Barrow's Equipment Page.
Extra Ranging Info
There are some other, extra things that you should know about while raising ranged:
The Ranging Guild
The Ranging Guild is located directly east of the Fishing Guild in Hermenster. To enter players must have a range level of 40 or higher. Inside there are shops which sell ranging equipment such as bows, arrows, arrow tips, arrow shafts, armour, javelins and throwing axes. The two main areas of interest however are the Achery Competition and the Ranging Tower. See the Ranging Guild Guide for more info.
Cape of Accomplishment
The ultimate reward for getting level 99 Ranged is not only the great ability you will have in the skill, but the Cape of Accomplishment that you will have the oppurtunity to purchase. For more information on Capes of Accomplishment, see the Skill Capes page.
Related Links
The following links may help you with your Ranging.
Ranged EXP Rewards in Quests:
Quest | Exp |
2000 exp | |
735 exp | |
1500 exp | |
2000 exp | |
2075 exp | |
4662.5 exp | |
10500 exp |
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