Master Defence
Train Defence through melee combat to improve armour access and survivability. Select the defensive attack style in your weapon panel; weapon styles determine which skill receives damage XP.
World 1: 50× normal XP. World 2: 100× normal XP. Reference values below show base XP and the normal world-scaled amount, before any activity-specific modifiers.
Before you begin
- A melee weapon with the correct attack style
- Food, suitable armour and a way back to a bank
- Keep your equipment within your Attack and Defence requirements
Click the skill in your in-game Skills tab to inspect its guide. Check equipment, quests and supplies before leaving the bank.
Your training route
From first steps to masteryThese level bands are recommendations, not extra unlock requirements. Where an option unlocks partway through a band, keep using the earlier method until you reach it.
- Levels1–20
Chickens, ordinary cows and goblins
Begin around Lumbridge. Choose targets you can hit consistently and bank feathers, hides and bones. Avoid Brutus in the cow pen until you are prepared for a boss.
- Levels20–40
Al Kharid warriors or hill giants
Upgrade your weapon as Attack allows. Hill giants provide big bones for Prayer; use food and fight one target at a time while your defensive stats are low.
- Levels40–60
Rock crabs or suitable Slayer tasks
Rock crabs around Rellekka offer sustained combat. Slayer combines your melee training with task progress and useful drops. Prioritise accuracy over fighting an enemy that is too strong.
- Levels60–80
Slayer tasks and longer combat trips
Use your best suitable weapon and armour, bring restoration supplies, and keep your chosen training style selected. Quest-locked equipment still needs its quests.
- Levels80–99
Efficient Slayer and manageable high-health enemies
Choose enemies with low downtime and reliable hits. Bossing is an alternative for loot, but repeated banking and special mechanics can make it less efficient for pure melee XP.
Field notes
- A weapon upgrade can matter more than a higher-level target. Check its style options before buying.
- Controlled melee splits the damage XP between Attack, Strength and Defence; use a dedicated style for a single-skill goal.
- On World 2, travel and training outside protected areas can expose you to PvP. Do not carry your entire bank.
Equipment to consider
These are progression examples, not mandatory purchases. Match your attack style to the skill you are training, and check the item page before committing to an upgrade.
| Item | Skill requirements | Before you equip it |
|---|---|---|
 Iron platebody | No skill requirement in the item definition | Quest and other item-specific conditions may also apply. |
 Steel platebody | Defence 5 | Quest and other item-specific conditions may also apply. |
 Mithril platebody | Defence 20 | Quest and other item-specific conditions may also apply. |
 Adamant platebody | Defence 30 | Quest and other item-specific conditions may also apply. |
 Rune platebody | Defence 40 | Quest and other item-specific conditions may also apply. |
Requirements & XP
1 entriesUse this reference alongside the training route. A level requirement alone does not replace the correct tools, ingredients, location or quest access.
| Level | Method / reward | Base XP | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Defensive melee style | 4 | Base XP per damage before NPC-specific modifiers; controlled splits this between three melee skills. |
No matching methods. Try another search.
XP values checked against Serenity's skill definitions. Success, resource availability and banking time vary; the table does not promise an hourly training rate.
Your next chapter
Level 99 requires 13,034,431 XP. Keep useful supplies for your other skills, track your progress on the highscores and use ::titles to browse mastery titles.