OSRS: The 10 Best Mage Helms (Ranked)

What is the best mage helm in OSRS?

If you’re playing as a mage in Old School Runescape, you’re going to need the right equipment to stay alive.

However, if you don’t know what to look for, you may end up passing up some really good items!

Today, we’re taking a look at the best helms for mages so you can easily find the best one for your character. 

OSRS: The 10 Best Mage Helms

In order to create this list, we compared the stats and benefits of all possible mage helms in OSRS.

We then ranked them based on which ones provide the most notable bonuses to mage characters.

So, before you jump back into the game, here’s our list of the 10 best mage helms in OSRS:

10. Elder Chaos Hood

The Elder Chaos hood is part of the Elder Chaos Druid robes set, and it requires level 40 magic to equip.

This hood is a solid option for lower-level mages who need a boost earlier in the game.

While it doesn’t have any exceptional bonuses, it is worth picking up if you’re able to find it.

Stats

The Elder Chaos hood provides a +5 magic attack bonus, which is a fairly solid amount.

It also comes with a +4 magical defence bonus, something that comes in handy when facing other mages.

If equipped with the full set of robes, magic attack can be boosted further to +21 and magic defence to +18.

How To Get It

The Elder Chaos hood is a rare drop that can only be found on Elder Chaos Druids.

However, these enemies can be incredibly dangerous to fight, since they can use some high-level magic.

If you’re not up for fighting, this hood can also be bought on the OSRS Grand Exchange for roughly 300k coins.

9. Mystic Hat

Part of the Mystic robes set, this hat requires 40 magic and 20 defence to equip.

This hat is fairly standard for mages, and it provides a couple of solid bonuses for players.

While not something the highest-level mages wear, many players prefer Mystic Robes and use them for quite a while.

Stats

On its own, this hat provides a +4 magic attack bonus and a +4 magic defensive bonus.

However, when combined with the full set of robes, these are both boosted to +45.

That makes this hat definitely worth grabbing, as it can be very powerful when used with its matching robes.

This is especially true if you pair it with one of the best rings in OSRS, which can provide even more benefits.

How To Get It

The mystic hat can be found by killing Slayer monsters or as a drop from Dragon Implings.

There is also a chance to find the dusk variant of this hat by opening the Brimstone chest.

Additionally, it can be purchased from the Wizards’ Guild store or from another player on the Grand Exchange.

8. Skeletal Helm

Part of the Skeletal Armour set, this helm requires a level 40 defence and magic to equip.

While its ability to boost the wearer’s magical abilities is limited, this helm has many useful defensive bonuses.

These defensive stats are what make it one of the most popular choices for mage’s armour in OSRS.

Stats

The Skeletal Helm provides a +2 magic attack bonus, which can be increased to 16 while wearing the full armor set.

In terms of defence bonuses, it provides +10 stab, +9 slash, +11 crush, and +3 magic.

This makes the skeletal helm better than many simple magic robes, as it can provide more protection overall.

How To Get It

This helm is a Fremennik armour, meaning you will have to complete the Fremennik Trials quest in order to get it.

Once the quest is complete, you can use skeletal pieces dropped by wallasalkis to have the helm crafted by Peer the Seer.

If you don’t have time to spend gathering raw materials, you can also buy the helm from the Grand Exchange for 100k gold.

7. Swampbark Helm

The Swampbark Helm requires 50 magic and defence to equip as part of the Swampbark armour set.

This helm is one you will want to wear with the set, as each piece of armor you wear increases the duration of bind spells.

While you can wear this hat with other magic gear, if you can wear the whole set, it is highly recommended.

Stats

The Swampbark Helm has a magic attack bonus of +4 but a range of defence bonuses.

It offers +13 stab, +11 slash, +14 crush, and +5 magic defense, which makes it a popular medium-level armour.

When worn as a whole set, players can benefit from significantly higher bonuses, something that is beneficial for tough fights.

It may not provide as much protection as the best melee armor in OSRS, but it is certainly a solid option for mages.

How To Get It

Each piece of Swampbark armour can only be made by using the corresponding piece of Splitbark armour on the Nature Altar.

However, to create the helm in particular, players need 250 nature runes and a level 46 runecraft skill.

Of course, if this sounds like too much effort, the Swampbark helm can be bought on the Grand Exchange for 40k coins.

6. Infinity Hat

This part of the Infinity robes set requires a 50 magic and 25 defence skill level to equip.

While this hat comes with no melee protection or ranged protection, it has a solidly high magic attack and defence bonus.

For pure magic users, it is a popular helm to use, though it can be tricky to come by.

Stats

The Infinity Helm boost has a magic attack bonus and defence bonus of +6, which is solidly high overall.

If the full set of Infinity robes is equipped, these are boosted to +55 each as well.

However, because it lacks other defence bonuses, this helm isn’t recommended for combat against melee users.

How To Get It

This helm is one of the rewards from the Mage Training Arena minigame, and it can be acquired from the Rewards Guardian.

However, you will need 350 telekinetic and graveyard pizazz points, as well as 400 alchemist and 3000 enchantment points, to get it.

Due to how many points it takes to earn this helm and armor set, it’s rare to see many mages using it.

That said, if you have 1 million coins, you can purchase it from the Grand Exchange without needing to do the work!

5. Bloodbark Helm

A piece of the Bloodbark magic armour, this OSRS mage helm requires 60 magic and defence to equip.

Like the Swampbark helm, you will want to wear this hat with as many of the matching armor pieces as possible.

This is because each piece that is equipped increases the amount that blood spells heal by 1.5%.

Stats

Along with providing a +5 magic attack bonus, the Bloodbark helm also comes with many defensive bonuses.

This helm can provide +16 stab, +14 slash, +17 crush, and +6 magic defense, and each of these stats increases with additional Bloodbark armor pieces.

Unlike the Infinity robes hat, the defence benefits that this helm provide make it worth wearing in dangerous areas.

It may not offer protection from the best ranged weapons in OSRS, but it will keep you safe from everything else!

How To Get It

In order to get this helm, players will have to use a splitbark helm on the Blood Altar or Kourend’s Blood Altar.

This will also require 250 blood runes and a runecrafting level of 79, which makes it decently difficult to get.

However, the Bloodbark helm is also available on the Grand Exchange if you have 63k coins to spare!

4. Farseer Helm

The Farseer Helm is a type of Fremennik armour, and it requires level 45 defence to equip.

This helm works well when paired with some of the best amulets in OSRS, such as the Amulet of Power.

It provides many solid bonuses that make it extremely useful to mage-type characters.

Stats

Although it lowers all other forms of attack by -5, it raises magic attack by +6, which is overall very high for a helm.

It also provides +8 stab, +10 slash, +14 crush, and +6 magic defense that can help bolster other mage armors.

The high magical attack bonus is what makes this helm the most desirable, and it is definitely something to grab when you can.

How To Get It

To get the Farseer Helm, you will first have to complete the Fremennik Trails, after which it can be purchased from Skulgrimen for 78k coins.

Alternatively, you can also find them dropped from Dagannoth or as a reward from the Barbarian Assault minigame.

Of course, this helm is also available on the Grand Exchange for around 40k coins, making it cheaper than buying from Skulgrimen.

3. Dagon’hai Hat

The Dagin’hai hat is extremely rare, and it requires level 70 magic and 40 defence to equip.

As a piece of the Dagon’hai robe set, this hat is a Zamorak-affiliated item when worn in the God Wars Dungeon.

Although it doesn’t have a superior bonus in terms of melee defense, it can be useful for pure magic characters.

Stats

This hat provides +5 to both magic attack and defence when equipped, though this can be boosted when wearing the full robe set.

If you wear the robe top and bottoms along with the hat, these stats rise to +48 and +40, respectively.

However, this is also one of the few pieces of magic gear that provides a +2 prayer bonus, which can be boosted to +6 while wearing the full outfit.

How To Get It

The Dagon’hai hat can be found as rare loot in Larran’s big chest, west of Pirates’ Hideout.

However, it can also be purchased from the Grand Exchange for 800k gold if you don’t want to try your luck.

If you pair this hat with something like the Malediction ward, one of the best shields in OSRS, it has the potential to be extremely powerful.

2. Healer Hat

The Healer hat is an exceptional mage hat, and it only requires 45 defence to equip.

While it has stats similar to the Farseer helm, it has a slightly higher magical attack bonus, though it has a slightly smaller bonus to melee defence.

Overall, it is one of the best mage helms in OSRS, even if it does look a little strange.

Stats

The Healer hat lowers all attacks by -5, except for magic, which it boosts by +6.

It also provides +6 stab, +8 slash, +10 crush, and +7 magic defense, stats that pair well with other magic gear.

What makes this hat so appealing is its high magic attack stat, which can help players cast deadly accurate spells.

How To Get It

The Healer hat is a possible reward for completing the Barbarian Assault minigame.

If you have killed the Penance Queen and have 275 honour points in all four roles, it can be purchased from Commander Connad.

While it may take a while to be able to afford it, this hat is well worth it for any serious mages in OSRS.

1. Ancestral Hat

Taking our top spot as the best mage helm in OSRS is the Ancestral hat!

This hat requires level 75 magic and 65 defence to equip, but it comes with some seriously powerful benefits.

While it is a high-level piece of mage armor, it is not something you will want to pass up.

Stats

This hat comes with the highest magic attack bonus for headgear in the game, at +8.

If you wear the full robe set, this is increased to +69, which can make any character very strong.

The hat alone also comes with +12 stab, +11 slash, +13 crush, and +5 magic defense, as well as +2 magic damage.

How To Get It

This hat, and by extension, the full robe set, can be found as rare drops in the Chambers of Xeric.

However, as the best in slot for magic attack, they are worth the grind it takes to get them.

While this hat is also available on the Grand Exchange, it costs upward of 30 million coins, which goes to show how powerful it really is!

Summary

If you’re playing as a mage in OSRS, you’re not going to want to pass up any of these helms.

Although some aren’t available until your character is a high enough level, consider them a goal to progress towards. 

You can always work your way up to grabbing the best helm on our list while collecting the rest of them along the way!

Here’s a quick recap of the 10 best mage helms in OSRS:

1. Ancestral Hat
2. Healer Hat
3. Dagon’hai Hat
4. Farseer Helm
5. Bloodbark Helm
6. Infinity Hat
7. Swampbark Helm
8. Skeletal Helm
9. Mystic Hat
10. Elder Chaos Hood

What’s your favorite OSRS mage helm? Leave a comment below.