Games

OSRS: The 10 Best Armors (Ranked)

Published

9 months ago

July 25, 2023

Dan Western

What’s the best armor in Old School RuneScape?

Armor is an indispensable part of any RPG. OSRS is no exception.

While weapons are cooler and infinitely more useful, what a character wears can boost up that weapon’s power even more.

If you think the Saradomin Godsword is great, it can be even better when you wear the right armor.

The Best Armors in OSRS

The following list details not the best armor sets, but some of the best in slot armor items available in Old School RuneScape.

Of course, some of these may cost huge amounts of OSRS gold, so be sure to save up!

Without, further ado, here’s our list of the 10 best armors in OSRS:

10. Elysian Spirit Shield

One of the best shields in the game, bar none. It has good overall defenses, though it works the best against crush damage.

More than that, it has a 70% (frequent enough chance) to cut damage taken by 25%. This passive effect stacks with the Justicar Armor set effect. It’s the best protection to get in the game!

Players who want to get it themselves can do so by combining an Elysian Sigil with the Blessed Spirit Shield. The process requires 90 Prayer and 85 Smithing. Those who don’t have the skill may ask Abbot Langley to do the process for them, for a hefty 1.5M coin fee.

Otherwise, it’s about 821M OSRS GP in the Grand Exchange right now.

9. Dragonfire Shield

Any dragon hunter would love this shield. It’s among the top-tier shields in the game, along with the above-mentioned Elysian Spirit Shield and Dinh’s Bulwark. Aside from the great protection it offers (when charged that is), it provides dragonfire protection as well as ice breath protection from Wyverns.

Players can make it by combining a Draconic Visage and an Anti-Dragon Shield with level 90 Smithing.

As long as it’s uncharged, it can be traded for about 2.5M gold in the GE.

Charging it up requires it to absorb dragonfire while it is equipped. Without charges, it’s only slightly better than a Mithril Sq Shield.

8. Armadyl Chestplate

The Armadyl Chestplate is a Ranger’s best friend. It gives a great bonus to the Ranged style but penalizes Melee styles. It’s better for situations where you don’t need multiple attack styles.

What makes it even better is that it doesn’t degrade, so you can train Ranged all you want.

It’s part of the Armadyl set, which includes a helmet and a chain skirt. Overall, it’s only slightly better than Black D’Hide armor except for Magic Defense.

It can drop in the God Wars Dungeon, from General Kree’arra and his three companions. If buying from the Grand Exchange, it costs about 30M gold.

7. Bandos Tassets

This leg armor gives the best strength bonuses. It also shouldn’t be mistaken for the similar Bandos Plateskirt or Bandos Platelegs. Along with other god armor, it doesn’t degrade.

Due to its superior strength bonuses, it’s the preferred leg armor of those wanting to boost their damage or train Melee or Ranged.

Like any other god item, it comes from the God Wars Dungeon, specifically from General Graador and his guards.

It costs about 24M coins in the GE. Be sure to check whether you’re getting Tassets instead of the other similar armors!

6. Serpentine Helm

It has a unique effect that’s super effective on enemies, at least ones that aren’t immune to it.

That’s to give every hit a chance to poison the target. This effect stacks with the Toxic Blowpipe, Trident of the Swamp, and Toxic Staff of the Dead that it makes the effect proc on every hit.

As long as it’s equipped, the player is also immune to any venom or poison attacks or effects. Does not work on other players.

The Serpentine Helm gives defensive bonuses comparable to the Barrows helmets though without a Prayer bonus. It unfortunately cannot be traded.

To make one, players must use a Chisel on a Serpentine Visage, requiring 52 Crafting. One visage cost’s about 2M gold.

5. Armadyl Helm

Like its chest piece counterpart, the Armadyl Helm also boosts Ranged at the cost of penalizing other styles of combat. It doesn’t degrade and gives great defenses to boot.

These similarities also extend to its unsuitability in battles that need more than one combat style.

It comes from the same location and enemies as the Armadyl Chestplate.

However, it has a small chance of dropping from Elite Clues that spawn Armadylian or Bandosian Guards.

4. Berserker Helm

It’s a popular mid-level helm among OSRS items for sale.

It’s the lowest-leveled helm that offers the same bonuses as some other higher-tier helms. Because of this, it’s preferred by low-leveled combat pures for PvP.

Defense-wise, it’s on par with a Rune Full Helm, with slightly different specialties.

Players can buy it from Skulgrimen’s Battle Gear shop for 78K coins, though it’s cheaper on the Grand Exchange at 44K gold.

It’s also a possible reward from the Barbarian Assault High Gambles minigame.

3. Ava’s Assembler

Ava’s Assembler is the upgraded version of Ava’s Accumulator, which in turn is the upgraded version of Ava’s Attractor.

The backpack retrieves arrows and adds them back to your inventory, conserving ammunition. The Assembler is the most efficient of the three, with the highest chance of returning ammo.

It may be transformed into a cape with the same effects.

After completing Animal Magnetism and reaching the requisite Ranged level, players can add Vorkath’s Head (along with 75 Mithril arrows) to Ava’s Accumulator.

It’s untradeable, so it can’t be found on the GE.

2. Imbued Saradomin Cape

A cape for mages, it’s one of the best-in-slot capes for mages and magic users. Other alternatives are the Imbued Guthix and Zamorak Capes.

Due to being untradeable, it can only be acquired by imbuing a Saradomin Cape with items received during the Mage Arena II quest.

After doing it once, all you need to imbue more Saradomin Capes is the Justiciar’s Hand.

1. Infernal Cape

This is the best cape for Melee combat. It’s the upgraded version of the Fire Cape, and the challenge to get it is a step up from the Fight Cave minigame.

It’s called the Inferno, and you’ll need to bring your A-game to complete it.

Plus it looks cool and you’ll feel like a badass wearing it.

Being untradeable, it’s useless to buy OSRS gold for it.