Free-to-play account builds

This article lists the major account builds followed by players restricted to the free-to-play game mode.

Main accounts

Combat skills of a maxed main account

Main account
	99		99
	99		99
	99		99
	99		126

Main articles: Main account and Main account (free-to-play)

Main accounts (or mains) are the primary accounts with no skill or quest restrictions. They are typically trained in all free-to-play skills, which allows them to reach the highest combat and total levels among all build types. Mains can achieve up to 126 combat level, which matches the maximum combat level of accounts with membership, as well as 1,485 total level in all free-to-play skills.

Ironmen

Main article: Ironman Mode

See also: Free-to-play Ironman guide

Ironmen use the in-game ironman mode which restricts them from trading other players. This makes obtaining certain items such as the rune scimitar or rune axe extremely difficult without members-only worlds access. They do not have access to certain best-in-slot items such as the god armours or the gilded dragonhide armour. Additionally, ultimate ironmen cannot use banks, and hardcore ironmen lose their status after the first non-safe death. Aside from the trading restrictions and the lack of access to selected items, ironmen can follow most account builds.

It is worth noting that ironmen do not receive combat experience when attacking other players, except for basic magic experience gained from casting spells. Additional magic and hitpoints experience from dealing damage with combat spells is not received. The lack of experience gains allows them to create optimised combat pure accounts that never level up through player-versus-player activities. In particular, it is possible to create low hitpoints ironman builds that optimise damage output within given combat level range. Although ironmen cannot pick up loot, they can collect and destroy or transfer loot keys.

Combat pures

Main article: Free-to-play combat pure guide

Combat pures are accounts optimised for player-versus-player combat and related activities. They typically restrict certain combat skills such as defence, prayer or attack to maximise their damage output in their respective combat level brackets. While their combat skills can negatively impact their efficiency in PvM activities, in general they are more effective in PvP activities than regular accounts at comparable levels.

Note that accounts with a low defence level can finish the majority of free-to-play quests with the exception of Dragon Slayer I that grants defence experience, and complete all free-to-play Combat Achievements as long as they have access to the protection prayers.

1-vs-1 combat

An example of a melee combat pure build commonly used in 1-vs-1 combat

Melee pure
	40		99
	99		1
	40		31
	85		73

Players participating in arranged 1-vs-1 player-versus-player combat often adhere to the following unofficial rules:

• Protection prayers (or "overheads") are not used.
• Snare and Tele Block spells are not used.
• Both opponents are expected to skull up or risk similar amount of money in gear or coins.
• Fights are voluntary and players typically ask for permission before initiating duels.
• Interrupting fights between players and attacking players that are currently looting is frowned upon.
• Players can run away from the fights when out of food, energy or other supplies.
• Players keep their hitpoints relatively low, so that the opponent could take them out with a well-timed combo. "Safing", or healing too much in the fights, is frowned upon.

The majority of free-to-play duels between combat pures take place north of Edgeville and around Ferox Enclave on the 308 world, as well as in Varrock and Lumbridge on the PvP worlds.

Some low combat level builds suitable for 1-vs-1 combat include:

• Strength pures.
• Magic pures.

Examples of medium combat level builds include:

• Ranged-melee pures.
• Melee pures.
• Strength tanks.

High combat level builds include:

• Rune pures.
• Adamant pures.

No honour combat

A maxed combat pure with 1 defence level

1 defence pure
	50		99
	99		1
	99		45
	99		78

Dangerous areas other than the 1-vs-1 hotspots typically do not follow the same unofficial rules for arranged duels. Instead, players participate in combat where anything goes: protection prayers can be used, Snare and Tele Block casting is common and players fight to the death. Such fights often take place in single-way combat areas within deep wilderness or outside of towns in the PvP worlds. Although typical duels also take place there, many players around Ferox Enclave also engage in no honour fights due to the fact that the town cannot be entered under the effect of the Tele Block spell.

Players that engage in no honour fights typically train prayer high enough to access protection prayers and use multiple combat styles. In particular, without magic spells such as Snare and Tele Block it might be difficult to chase down and kill opponents that are running away.

Some viable accounts for no honour 1-vs-1 combat include:

• 1 defence pures.
• Rune pures.
• Adamant pures.

Multicombat

Maxed rune pures are very effective in multicombat areas

Rune pure
	50		99
	99		40
	99		45
	99		88

Multicombat areas allow multiple players to target the same opponent. This is leveraged both by teams that hunt players in the wilderness, as well as clans that participate in arranged wars. Common wilderness multicombat locations include north of Varrock, nature runes spawn south of Demonic Ruins, runite mine north of Lava Maze, Bandit Camp, Chaos Temple, and areas east of the Ferox Enclave. Additionally, fights may take place in Falador and west of Varrock (including the Barbarian Village) on PvP worlds.

Builds that are successful in small scale multicombat fights are usually viable for clanning as well, and vice versa. Most of these accounts will also be viable for 1-vs-1 combat to a varying degree. The main difference lies between the equipment chosen for each combat type.

When it comes to arranged clan wars, many clans restrict the combat levels or the defence levels of the clan members participating in combat. Pure clans might prohibit their members from training defence, or have a defence level limit such as 5 or 25. Players optimise damage output with various combat styles within the given restrictions. For example, 1 defence pures with low combat levels will often use magic and ranged in combat, while pures with higher levels tend to use ranged and melee to deal most of the damage.

Some viable accounts with 1 defence include:

• Ranged-magic pures.
• 1 defence pures.

Other viable accounts include:

• Clan pures.
• Adamant pures.
• Rune pures.
• Tanks.

Support

A magic pure with access to the Tele Block spell on a low combat level

Teleblocker
	1		10
	1		1
	1		1
	85		44

Some accounts are built specifically to provide support for their teams. This might include casting utility spells such as Snare or Tele Block, as well as activities such as scouting, luring, tanking or carrying supplies.

Examples of such builds include:

• Magic pures with extremely low hitpoints levels that can cast Snare or Tele Block on low combat levels.
• Magic tanks.
• Defence pures and tanks.

Tank

A maxed defence tank with a relatively low combat level

Tank
	40		88
	40		99
	50		43
	50		78

Accounts that choose to train defence over offensive combat skills are often called tanks. While their damage output is typically low for their respective combat level bracket, they can still participate in player-versus-player combat and support their teams. In single-way combat areas, tanks can "lock" opponents to protect their teammates. They can also scout, perform world hopping, carry supplies, and lure opponents into dangerous multicombat areas.

Examples of such accounts include:

• Defence pures.
• Magic tanks.
• Tanks.

Skillers

Skillers tend not to train any combat skills

Skiller
	1		10
	1		1
	1		1
	1		3

Main article: Skill pure

Skillers train only non-combat free-to-play skills including runecraft, crafting, mining, smithing, fishing, cooking, firemaking and woodcutting. They cannot finish quests such as Imp Catcher, Witch's Potion, Vampyre Slayer, Restless Ghost or Dragon Slayer I due to experience rewards, and might also find it difficult to do Demon Slayer and The Corsair Curse without members-only items such as the ring of recoil. Although they cannot engage in typical player-versus-player combat, they can still participate in the Last Man Standing and Castle Wars minigames. Skillers can achieve up to 808 total level in free-to-play skills.

Prayer pure

A skiller with a maxed prayer level

Prayer pure
	1		10
	1		1
	1		99
	1		15

Some skillers choose to train prayer additionally to non-combat skills. Since there are no offensive prayers such as the Retribution on free-to-play worlds, these pures are not typically used in combat or PvP. In contrary to classic skillers, they can finish the Restless Ghost quest. They typically do not need to train for as long as classic skillers to enter total-restricted worlds thanks to an additional skill. The access to the protection prayers also allows them to train in areas with aggressive NPCs. Prayer pures can achieve up to 15 combat level and 906 total level in free-to-play skills.

Builds listing

The following table contains variants of free-to-play account builds in various combat level ranges with example combat skills.

See also

• Account builds
• Free-to-play combat pure guide
• Free-to-play Ironman guide