Adventurers in Ashenfall have three different ways to approach combat: get up close with Melee, keep your distance with Ranged, or harness powerful runes with Magic. Each playstyle has its own weapons, armor, skills, and combat rhythm, giving players plenty of room to build a character to their specific combat preferences. Thanks to RuneScape: Dragonwilds reaching its 1.0 launch, there are now powerful new endgame options for all three combat styles. This RuneScape: Dragonwilds guide will tell you everything you need to know about the best possible Melee, Ranged, and Magic builds as of the 1.0 update.

RuneScape: Dragonwilds Best Builds Overview (1.0 Update)

Fortunately, RuneScape: Dragonwilds doesn't permanently lock you into a class. Instead, your combat style develops through the weapons you use and the corresponding skill you level. Players will want to switch between styles throughout their adventures to handle different situations and maximize combat options and overall prowess. Here's a breakdown of what each school of combat is best at:

• Melee: Close-range combat built around blocking, parrying, and weapon combos.
• Ranged: Distance-focused combat built around bows, crossbows, precision, and specialized ammunition.
• Magic: Rune-powered combat featuring elemental damage, mobility, healing, and crowd control.

The three builds we've assembled below are designed to give you the most bang for your buck based on your choice. Of course, the best builds in the game will take some time to reach. As you progress through Ashenfall, take the time to try out each fighting style and determine which one best suits your playstyle in any given situation.

Best Melee Build in RuneScape: Dragonwilds 1.0

As one can guess, melee in RuneScape: Dragonwilds is all about controlling the fight from close range, and it focuses on the Attack skill (unlike RuneScape, melee is not divided into Strength and Attack in RuneScape: Dragonwilds; only Attack). In melee, one-handed weapons such as swords, maces, and daggers can be paired with shields for additional defense, while parries create opportunities to counterattack. Or, you can use warhammers, greatswords, and greataxes for an even more powerful two-handed option. You'll lose a bit of defensive power, but you'll pack one hell of a wallop.

Best Melee Skills

As you continue to engage in melee combat, you'll upgrade your Attack skill. Here are some of the best abilities you can learn and add to your melee build as you increase this skill.

• Parry (Attack Level 5): A well-timed parry interrupts an enemy and creates an opening for a counterattack. Successful parries also restore stamina and enable a Visceral Attack follow-up.
• Tempest Shield (Attack Level 11): Creates an Air Magic barrier that prevents incoming damage before releasing a damaging burst.
• Weapon Expertise (Attack Level 16): Adds another attack to melee weapon combos, increasing sustained damage.
• Enchant Weapon - Fire (Attack Level 20): Adds Fire damage to your weapon and can apply Burning with critical hits.

Best Melee Weapons

• Early Game - Skullsplitter: A strong early-game weapon that provides a reliable introduction to the Melee playstyle.
• Midgame - Thane's Authority: A two-handed great axe that can deal some serious damage and stagger. A great testing-ground weapon to get you familiar with the two-handed playstyle if you're after raw damage.
• Late Game - Adamant Mace: A powerful late-game one-handed weapon that pairs well with a shield and provides a strong balance between offense and defense. Take advantage of the Adamant tier as you prepare for the Rune gear added in 1.0.
• Endgame - Rune Greataxe: The primary 1.0 endgame target for players who want to maximize conventional two-handed Melee damage.

The Rune Greataxe is the weapon to work toward for a damage-focused Melee build. Its high-tier stats make it a natural winner for an endgame setup. Meanwhile, the Adamant Mace combined with a Rune Shield remains an excellent alternative for players who want added protection. As an extra tip, keep a bow and some arrows in your inventory. Even if you're going all-in on melee, a secondary Ranged weapon gives you a way to tackle pesky enemies that can hover just out of reach. Rune Greataxe Stats

• Power Level: 8
• Damage Type: Slash
• Base Damage: 196-343
• Block: 72
• Attack Combo: 4
• Special Action: Decimate
• Durability: 1900

Best Melee Armor

During the early game, craft the strongest melee armor available at your current Power Level. Once you've progressed a bit more, Grim Black Armor provides a strong mid-game option, while Adamant Armor offers another major upgrade as you approach the endgame. The 1.0 update added Rune Armor as a higher-tier melee progression. If you're after the best possible melee armor in the game, Rune Armor is what you'll want. Rune Armor Set Bonus

• 1/3: -33% Block Stamina Cost
• 2/3: +50% Crit Chance after Blocking
• 3/3: +25% Damage to Staggered Targets

Melee Build Progression

Early Game: Focus on upgrading your melee weapon and armor while working toward Attack Level 11 for Tempest Shield. Midgame: Upgrade into Iron and higher-tier equipment, then reach Attack Level 16 and 20 for Weapon Expertise and Enchant Weapon. Late Game: Continue leveling up your Attack skill and working to upgrade your weapon and armor across the Adamant tier. Start deciding whether or not you prefer one- or two-handed weaponry, and prepare yourself for the Rune equipment that awaits! Endgame: Work toward Power Level 8 (Rune) equipment, pairing powerful Rune armor with your weapon of choice. Use a Rune shield and one-hander for a defensive endgame setup before transitioning to the Rune Greataxe for a damage-focused build if you prefer it.

Best Ranged Build in RuneScape: Dragonwilds 1.0

Ranged combat lets you decide where an encounter happens. Shortbows, longbows, and crossbows can damage enemies before they reach you, and with some specialized ammunition you can inflict poison, bleeding, or burning. This makes Ranged a natural fit for players who enjoy precision attacks and taking a more strategic approach with positioning.

Best Ranged Skills

As you attack more enemies with ranged weaponry, you'll increase your Ranged skill. Here are the best skills to unlock and add to your build to become the best archer in Ashenfall.

• Quick Action (Ranged Level 3): Provides an additional attack option when enemies get too close for a full draw.
• Trick Shot (Ranged Level 8): Rewards well-timed follow-up shots after a fully drawn arrow with increased damage.
• Snare (Ranged Level 12): Roots an enemy temporarily, giving you time to reposition.
• Toxic Behavior (Ranged Level 15): Unlocks poison crafting for weapons and ammunition.
• Make 'Em Bleed (Ranged Level 22): Unlocks barbs and barbed ammunition for additional damage-over-time effects.
• Fire Starter (Ranged Level 45): Unlocks Fire Arrows and Fire Oil, adding Burning damage to ranged attacks.

Best Ranged Weapons

• Early Game - Oak Longbow: An excellent early-game choice that establishes the long-range playstyle without requiring advanced materials.
• Midgame - Dorgeshuun Crossbow: One of the best crossbows in the game. It offers increased draw speed and can only fire bone bolts. This doesn't diminish its damage, but it does limit flexibility. Bone bolts are also considerably cheaper and more efficient to make.
• Late Game - Yew Longbow: A powerful late-game bow that provides a major upgrade in conventional ranged damage and serves as the natural stepping stone toward the Magic Longbow.
• Endgame - Magic Longbow: The primary endgame target for a dedicated bow build, providing the high damage needed for the toughest 1.0 encounters.

The Magic Longbow is the best possible weapon for a Ranged build. Once you've progressed through the earlier bow tiers, this is the weapon to pursue for a straightforward, high-damage ranged build. Of course, for the best damage, you'll also want to combine it with Rune Arrows. Players who prefer a different weapon style can instead build around a high-tier crossbow, but the Magic Longbow stands out thanks to its high damage multiplier and maximum range. Keep in mind that you shouldn't use the same ammunition for every enemy. Poison, bleed, and fire ammunition give Ranged combat plenty of options for the various foes you'll meet throughout Ashenfall. Magic Longbow Stats

• Power Level: 8
• Durability: 1900

Best Ranged Armor

The thing you'll want to focus on the most armor-wise as a Ranged user is set bonuses. To that end, Hard Leather Armor provides the first dedicated ranged armor buff in the early game. Wild Archer Armor continues that Ranged-focus through the midgame, while Shadow Armor provides a powerful late-game option. For the 1.0 endgame, Black Dragonhide Armor is the best possible ranged armor choice. Black Dragonhide Armor Set Bonus

• 1/3: +40% Stealth Speed
• 2/3: -33% Ranged Attack Stamina Cost
• 3/3: +25% Weakpoint Damage

Ranged Build Progression

Early Game: Build a Fletching Bench and work toward the Oak Longbow. Reach Ranged Level 8 for Trick Shot. Midgame: Start maintaining supplies of poison, barbed, and elemental ammunition. Snare becomes particularly useful for maintaining distance. Late Game: Upgrade to the Yew Longbow and improve your armor while building a stockpile of specialized ammunition for different situations. Endgame: Work toward the Magic Longbow and Black Dragonhide Armor. The Magic Longbow should be the primary weapon for a damage-focused bow build.

Best Magic Build in RuneScape: Dragonwilds 1.0

Magic turns combat into a combination of elemental attacks, mobility, utility, and crowd control. True, it relies on being farther from your foes, like Ranged combat, but instead of arrows, mages manage Rune Essence and crafted runes. Update 1.0 also introduced Wands, giving Magic players a more mobile alternative to traditional, long-casting battlestaves.

Best Magic Skills

Naturally, the more you use magic in combat, the more you'll upgrade your Magic Skill. This unlocks a whole lot of useful spells that will become your bread and butter for spell-slinging. These are the ones that we think the best Magic builds ought to prioritize.

• Air Magic (Magic Level 1): Provides strong single-target damage and can knock enemies down.
• Water Magic (Magic Level 7): Deals damage, slows enemies, and can restore health through life leech and Water orbs.
• Surge (Magic Level 11): Makes dodges travel farther and last longer, providing an important mobility tool for spellcasters.
• Runic Refund (Magic Level 20): Gives magic attacks a chance to preserve the runes they consume.
• Fire Magic (Magic Level 21): Adds area-of-effect Fire damage, making it useful against groups.
• Magic Focus (Magic Level 39): Unlocks Magical Focus, which can be used to increase staff damage.
• Confuse / Greater Confuse (Magic Levels 30 / 44): Adds increasingly powerful crowd-control options, including the ability to temporarily turn an enemy into an ally with Greater Confuse.

Best Magic Weapons

• Early Game - Ash Battlestaff: A reliable early-game weapon for establishing a dedicated Magic build.
• Midgame - Necromancer Staff: Offers huge amounts of baseline damage that can be further improved upon through upgrades.
• Late Game - Toktz-Mej-Tal: A powerful late-game staff and an excellent stepping stone toward the strongest 1.0 equipment.
• Endgame - Ancestral Staff: The primary endgame target for a traditional staff-focused Magic build, offering the highest conventional staff damage in the 1.0 progression.

The Ancestral Staff is the ultimate weapon for the best Magic build. Once you've reached the Scorned Wilderness and can begin pursuing the highest-tier equipment, this is the tool that will give you maximum spell damage. Meanwhile, players who prefer mobility over raw damage can opt for the Ancestral Wand. Its damage output is powerful in its own right, and it can be paired with a shield. However, the Ancestral Staff does much more raw damage. Remember that you'll be the most effective as a mage if you maintain several rune types instead of relying exclusively on one element. Different enemies and situations reward different spell usage. Ancestral Staff Stats

• Power Level: 8
• Rune Damage: 9.8
• Attack Combo: 4
• Durability: 1900

Best Magic Armor

Wizard Armor provides the first major magic-focused set, with bonuses such as increased Magic Attack Speed and Critical Chance. Mystic Armor provides a strong mid-game upgrade while retaining its magic-focused bonuses. Additionally, the Lunar Garou Armor offers a high-tier option for late-game adventurers. However, 1.0 endgame introduces the Dragonkin Mage set. This is the gear that will give you the best defense and the most potent magic-casting buffs. Dragonkin Mage Set Bonus

• 1/3: -50% Stamina Regen Delay
• 2/3: +17.5% Magic Attack Speed
• 3/3: +15% Magical Crit Chance

Magic Build Progression

Early Game: Establish a Rune Altar and stock Air Runes. Air Magic provides the foundation for the early build. Midgame: Reach Magic Level 20 for Runic Refund and begin incorporating Fire Magic into your combat rotation. Late Game: Work toward the Toktz-Mej-Tal before entering the Scorned Wilderness, continue leveling your Magic skill, and upgrade your armor along the way. Try out wands to see if you prefer this style. Endgame: Pursue the Ancestral Staff for the strongest conventional staff-focused build. If you prefer the greater mobility of wands, work toward the Ancestral Wand and pair it with a shield.