The Codex

RuneScape 3 has four combat styles, and picking one to focus on is one of the most important early decisions you'll make. They aren't just cosmetic — each has its own skills, gear, abilities, feel, and cost. This guide breaks down what makes each one tick so you can choose the right main.

The combat triangle (and the style that ignores it)

Three of the four styles form the classic combat triangle, where each is strong against one and weak against another:

• Melee beats Ranged
• Ranged beats Magic
• Magic beats Melee

Fighting with the style you're strong against means more accuracy and damage; fighting into your weakness means less. This matters against monsters (which have their own styles and weaknesses) far more than it does elsewhere.

Necromancy sits outside the triangle. It has no triangle strength or weakness, which is part of what makes it so approachable — you never have to worry about being "off-style" against a boss.

Melee

• Skills: Attack, Strength, Defence (plus Constitution).
• Range: close — you stand next to what you're hitting.
• Character: the most straightforward damage. Heavy armour makes it durable, and there's no ammo or runes to buy. Some fights punish you for being in melee range, so it's not always the safest pick.
• Good for: players who want a simple, tanky, low-upkeep style.

Ranged

• Skills: Ranged (plus Constitution and Defence for armour).
• Range: attacks from a distance with bows, crossbows, or thrown weapons.
• Character: strong single-target and safe-spotting potential, but you spend ammunition, which is an ongoing cost (some high-end ammo is expensive). Excellent against Magic-based enemies.
• Good for: players who like keeping their distance and don't mind managing ammo.

Magic

• Skills: Magic (plus Constitution and Defence for armour).
• Range: casts spells from a distance.
• Character: flexible and utility-rich (it brings a lot of useful non-damage abilities), and strong against Melee enemies. Historically the most switch-heavy style at the top end, so it asks the most of your bank and your fingers.
• Good for: players who enjoy a busy, high-skill-ceiling style with lots of tools.

Necromancy

• Skills: its own standalone skill, Necromancy (levels 1–120), released in
• Range: mid-range, using its own weapons (like the Death Guard) and off-hand, plus conjures and incantations rather than a normal spellbook or ammo.
• Character: designed to be accessible — far fewer gear switches than the other styles, simple and strong rotations, and no combat-triangle weakness. It's very widely recommended as a first (or catch-up) style, and it's fully capable at the highest-level PvM.
• Good for: new and returning players, and anyone who wants big results without a wall of gear swaps.

Switching: the hidden difficulty dial

At high-level PvM, a lot of a style's difficulty comes from switches — swapping weapons, armour pieces, and auras mid-fight for burst damage. Magic and Ranged tend to demand the most switches; Melee somewhat fewer; Necromancy the fewest by far. If switch-heavy play sounds exhausting, that alone is a strong reason to start with Necromancy.

Gear tiers: higher tier, more power

All styles use tiered weapons and armour (tier 70, 80, 90, and up). Higher tiers hit harder and are more accurate but cost more. The upgrade that matters most is usually your weapon — buy the best single weapon you can afford before completing a full armour set.

How to choose

• Want the easiest path to strong PvM? Necromancy.
• Want cheap and simple? Melee.
• Like distance and safe-spotting? Ranged.
• Enjoy complexity and utility? Magic.

You don't have to pick forever — most veterans train all four eventually — but learn one at a time. Spreading gear and attention across all four at once is the slowest way to progress.

Get the specifics (they change)

Exact ability rotations, best-in-slot gear, and per-boss setups shift with every update, so use the maintained sources:

• PvME — rotations and gear progression for all four styles.
• RuneScape Wiki — Combat and the Necromancy page.

Once you've picked a style, the PvM guide walks you through your first bosses. Track your combat levels and drops by searching your name on The Codex. Combat references here are courtesy of the RuneScape Wiki and PvME.