Best Gear Upgrades in Order: Complete Progression Guide OSRS
By Expos.GG Team · 2026-01-29

Know exactly what gear to buy and in what order. Maximize your combat effectiveness at every budget level from 1M to max cash.
Overview
Knowing what gear to upgrade and when is crucial for efficient progression. This guide covers the optimal upgrade path from budget gear to best-in-slot.
Why Order Matters
- Some upgrades are better value than others - Avoid wasting money on minor upgrades - Prioritize weapons over armor - DPS upgrades defensive upgrades
General Principles
1. Weapons first - Attack bonus matters most 2. Strength bonus - More max hits = faster kills 3. Prayer bonus - For extended trips 4. Defense last - Pray flicking tanking
Melee Upgrade Path
Tier 1: Budget (1-5M Total) 1. Dragon scimitar (30k) - Best budget weapon 2. Berserker ring (3M) - 4 Strength bonus 3. Obsidian platelegs (500k) - Cheap Strength bonus 4. Fighter torso (free) - Must get from Barbarian Assault
Tier 2: Mid-Game (5-30M Total) 1. Abyssal whip (3M) - Core melee weapon 2. Dragon defender (free) - Essential offhand 3. Amulet of fury (3M) - Great all-around amulet 4. Berserker ring (i) (NMZ) - Double the stats 5. Fire cape (free) - Fight Caves completion 6. Bandos boots (500k) - Cheap BIS
Tier 3: Late-Mid (30-150M Total) 1. Abyssal tentacle (4M) - Whip upgrade 2. Amulet of torture (15M) - Best melee amulet 3. Bandos chestplate (20M) - BIS chest 4. Bandos tassets (30M) - BIS legs 5. Primordial boots (35M) - BIS boots 6. Ferocious gloves (8M) - BIS gloves
Tier 4: Endgame (150M+) 1. Infernal cape (free) - Inferno completion 2. Avernic defender (80M) - BIS offhand 3. Blade of saeldor (100M) - Slight whip upgrade 4. Neitiznot faceguard (10M) - BIS helm 5. Inquisitor's armor (700M+) - Crush meta
Tier 5: Max (1B+) 1. Scythe of vitur (1B+) - BIS for many bosses 2. Torva armor (500M+) - BIS tank/strength 3. Infernal cape + max cape 4. Tumeken's shadow + harm staff switches
Ranged Upgrade Path
Tier 1: Budget (1-5M Total) 1. Magic shortbow (i) (30k) - With rune arrows 2. Ava's accumulator (free) - Quest reward 3. Blessed d'hide (2M set) - Cheap, effective 4. Archer's ring (4M) - Ranged bonus
Tier 2: Mid-Game (5-40M Total) 1. Toxic blowpipe (5M) - Game-changing weapon 2. Necklace of anguish (20M) - BIS ranged amulet 3. Ava's assembler (free) - DS2 completion 4. Archer's ring (i) (NMZ) - Double stats
Tier 3: Late-Mid (40-200M Total) 1. Armadyl chestplate (40M) - BIS chest 2. Armadyl chainskirt (35M) - BIS legs 3. Pegasian boots (40M) - BIS boots 4. Dragon hunter crossbow (60M) - For dragons 5. Zaryte vambraces (10M) - BIS gloves
Tier 4: Endgame (200M+) 1. Twisted bow (1.2B) - BIS for many bosses 2. Bow of faerdhinen (150M) - Alternative to Tbow 3. Masori armor (400M set) - BIS ranged armor 4. Dragon arrows - For Tbow
Magic Upgrade Path
Tier 1: Budget (1-5M Total) 1. Iban's staff (u) (200k) - Barrows, Zulrah capable 2. God cape (i) (free) - MA2 completion 3. Mystic robes (200k) - Basic magic armor 4. Occult necklace (1M) - Essential damage boost
Tier 2: Mid-Game (5-50M Total) 1. Trident of the swamp (5M) - Core magic weapon 2. Tormented bracelet (15M) - BIS magic gloves 3. Ahrim's robes (5M) - Standard magic armor 4. Seers ring (i) (NMZ) - Magic bonus
Tier 3: Late-Mid (50-300M Total) 1. Sanguinesti staff (100M) - Healing trident 2. Ancestral hat (25M) - BIS hat 3. Ancestral robe top (90M) - BIS chest 4. Ancestral robe bottom (70M) - BIS legs 5. Eternal boots (5M) - BIS magic boots
Tier 4: Endgame (300M+) 1. Tumeken's shadow (1.3B) - BIS everywhere 2. Kodai wand (100M) - For bursting/barraging 3. Magus ring (50M) - BIS magic ring 4. Arcane spirit shield (150M) - BIS offhand
Specific PvM Upgrades
For Raids 1. Dragon warhammer (50M) - Essential spec weapon 2. Bandos godsword (15M) - Budget alternative 3. Void elite (free) - Useful for learning
For Slayer 1. Slayer helm (i) - Must imbue at NMZ 2. Proselyte (free) - For prayer tasks 3. Cannon (free to use) - With cannonballs
For Bossing 1. Spectral spirit shield (40M) - Cerberus 2. Ruby/diamond bolts (e) - Crossbow bosses 3. Toxic trident - Zulrah, Kraken
Budget Priorities by Account Value
| Net Worth | Focus On | |-----------|----------| | 1-10M | Weapons, defenders, fire cape | | 10-50M | Jewelry, whip, torture/anguish | | 50-150M | Bandos, blowpipe, trident | | 150-500M | Armadyl, ancestral, boots | | 500M-1B | DWH, Sang, advanced weapons | | 1B+ | Tbow, Shadow, Scythe |
Tips
1. Don't skip tiers - Each tier has value 2. Imbue rings at NMZ - Double the stats for free 3. Fighter torso is free BIS - Get it early 4. Fire cape is essential - Learn Fight Caves 5. DPS is king - Faster kills = more GP
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