Runescape equipment

ArmourIs the term for items that can be equipped to provide defensive bonuses during combat. Most armour sets require a certain Defence level to equip; the higher level an item requires, the greater bonuses it will provide. All armour is classed under a combat style (Melee, Magic, or Ranged), with the exception of Hybrid gear. The strengths and weaknesses of each class's armour play a primary role in defining the combat triangle.

A player's choice of armour can come from more than defence. Some armour sets will strengthen a player's hits, and others can offer equal defence and easy switching of combat styles.

Armour and the combat triangle

The combat triangle is a figure that demonstrates how each combat style relates to another.

The combat triangle

• Melee fighters overcome rangers because their weapons can cut through leather armour with ease. Melee armour is also effective at protecting against Ranged attacks, as their projectiles have difficulty piercing the thick, metal armour.
• Ranged fighters overcome mages because their projectiles easily penetrate their robes. Ranged armour is usually crafted from tough animal hides with poor energy conductivity, which is highly resistant to Magic attacks.
• Magic users overcome warriors because their spells conduct in their metal armour, effectively cooking them. Effective mages can also bind warriors while attacking from afar, and their magical robes resist Melee attacks.

As can be seen above, armour plays a defining role in the combat triangle. Depending on an enemy's attacks, an item's Armour stat is used in varying amounts: 110% against the style it is strong against (eg. Melee > Ranged), 100% against the same style (eg. Melee = Melee), and 90% against the style it is weak to (eg. Melee < Magic). To simplify, the mystic robe top and blue d'hide body have equal bonuses, but the former is class Magic and the latter class Ranged, and both armours will defend appropriately.

Also, not every item has a class. Some armour is class Hybrid (or class All on particular items), and can be used by any combat style without penalty. Details on Hybrid armour can be found here.

Wearing an item of the wrong class in any slot except the cape will penalise your accuracy. A percentage of the item's Armour bonus is subtracted from your Accuracy stat: 150% if it is strong against your class's weakness, 80% if not.

Melee armour

• Melee armour is usually made from metal and is typically the heaviest gear.
• Melee armour defends best against Ranged attacks and is weak to Magic attacks.

Ranged armour

• Ranged armour is usually crafted from animal skins, commonly dragonhide.
• Ranged armour defends well against Magic attacks and is weak to Melee attacks.
• In dragonhide ranged sets, boots are nonexistent.

Magic armour

• Magic armour is not armour as commonly envisioned, but instead robes and similar garments.
• Magic armour defends well against Melee attacks and is vulnerable to Ranged attacks.
• Some Magic armour may be produced with the Crafting skill, or Runecrafting for higher-end sets.

Armour types

There are five types of armour one may find, most with different stats and purposes.

Power

Power armour gives less Armour bonus than Tank armour, but it has a damage bonus similar to jewellery. The damage bonus increases with the required level of the armour.

PvP

PvP armour is especially good in PvP circumstances, or even in PvE. It offers the Armour bonus of Tank armour and the damage bonus of Power armour. It also reduces as much damage in PvP as Tank armour.
PvP armour was an armour type in the Combat Improvements Beta meant for use against players, but it was not included in the final update. The affected armour sets retain unique bonuses, however, so the term persists.

Hybrid

True to its word, Hybrid armour can be used by all combat styles without accuracy penalty. Hybrid armour carries lower defence than the above armours, but it defends equally well against all combat styles. It is useful when frequently changing attack style, or if fighting a monster that uses multiple attack styles. The following armour sets are Hybrid:

• Hybrid armour (level 85) (Only in certain PvP minigames: Castle Wars, Soul Wars, Fist of Guthix, TzHaar Fight Pit)

All

This armour works identically to Hybrid armour. The following armour sets or items are classed as All:

Power, Hybrid and All armour have lower defensive bonuses than Tank or PvP gear of the same required level. Using Tank as a base, their bonuses are derived as follows:

To demonstrate, here are the bonuses of level 60 torso armour for each type:

Damage bonus

The damage bonus from Power armour exists as Strength Bonus, Ranged Bonus, and Magic Bonus — the same bonuses as on jewellery. They are added to the player's main-hand damage bonus if they match the class of the wielded weapon. For example, if one wields an abyssal whip, the Strength Bonus from Bandos armour would affect their damage and the Ranged Bonus from Armadyl armour would not.

Should an off-hand be wielded, 50% of any damage bonus will also be added to the off-hand slot. If a two-handed weapon is wielded, the main-hand slot receives this 50% bonus.

The damage bonuses from Power armour rise with the required level of the armour. A full set provides an approximate 13% increase to a weapon's damage, assuming the armour and weapon are of equal level. Should a Fast or Average speed weapon be wielded, any damage bonuses will be multiplied to compensate for the player's larger damage stat.

The total damage bonus from a set of Power armour is distributed as follows:

Damage reduction

Damage reduction is available on all armour types in PvP, and only on Tank armour in PvM. It comes as two percentages that may be observed on the Loadout screen.

Gloves, boots and shields of all armour types do not reduce damage in PvP.

The damage reduction from an item is determined by its required level, slot, and armour type, and functions as a percentage.

Attributes

There are three attributes an armour piece may have: Armour, Life and Damage.

• Armour raises the chance to block attacks from a creature or player.
• Life raises the player's maximum life points. It is found on head, body, and leg Tank armour of levels 80 and above, shields of levels 70 and above, and on Nex armour.
• Damage raises the strength of your hits. It is seen as Strength Bonus, Ranged Bonus, and Magic Bonus. Armour-wise, only capes, Power armour and PvP armour have this attribute.

The bonuses on armour are set via formula, and thus it is possible to determine or approximate the stats of non-existent gear. All armour sets of the same level and type will have identical bonuses.

As mentioned previously, some armour may also have a Prayer bonus. A Prayer bonus does not help defensively, but lowers the drain rate of active prayers.