The Fastest AFK Way to Max Combat in Old School RuneScape
Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a game that demands dedication, skill, and time, especially when it comes to achieving the coveted "max combat" status. Maxing combat stats - Attack, Strength, Defence, Hitpoints, Ranged, Prayer, Magic, and Slayer - is a monumental achievement, requiring players to put in hundreds, if not thousands, of hours. For those who prefer a more laid-back, AFK (away from keyboard) approach to training, there are several methods and strategies that can help speed up the process while minimizing the need for constant attention, At the same time, you can also earn more OSRS gold rewards.
This article will explore the fastest AFK ways to max combat in OSRS, focusing on effective methods to train each combat stat while allowing you to play passively and maximize efficiency.
1. Training Attack, Strength, and Defence
The primary combat stats that most players look to level up first are Attack, Strength, and Defence. These three skills are traditionally trained together, since they all contribute to your melee combat effectiveness.
Best AFK Methods for Attack, Strength, and Defence:
Nightmare Zone (NMZ)
One of the best AFK methods for training Attack, Strength, and Defence in OSRS is the Nightmare Zone (NMZ). This minigame allows players to fight waves of bosses they have previously defeated in quests, and it can be an extremely efficient way to train combat stats without much attention.
How it Works: In NMZ, you can use a set of absorptions (usually made from the Overload Potion and Absorption Potions) to absorb damage while you focus solely on attacking. As you kill bosses, you gain experience in Attack, Strength, and Defence.
Why it's AFK-Friendly: NMZ has an auto-attack feature that lets your character continuously attack the monsters. With effective gear like Brutal Dragonslayer or T80 gear, you can hit and deal damage without needing to click constantly. It also has a recovery system, meaning you don't need to keep an eye on your health too often.
Experience Rates: Depending on your gear, setup, and potion usage, you can expect to gain around 100k to 200k experience per hour in Attack, Strength, and Defence at the Nightmare Zone.
Gear Recommendations: Equip high DPS gear, such as Barrows or Zuriel's set, and make sure you have plenty of Overload and Absorption potions. Consider using a dwarf multicannon for additional damage in the background.
AFK Melee Training Locations
While NMZ is the go-to AFK method, there are other melee training locations that allow for passive training:
Sand Crabs: These low-level creatures offer AFK training for beginners and can be left to attack with minimal intervention. Although the experience rates are slower, they are a great place for lower-level players to train their Attack, Strength, and Defence passively.
Ammonite Crabs: Found on Fossil Island, Ammonite Crabs offer an even better AFK experience, especially for mid to high-level players. With a high defence and the ability to hit them repeatedly, they provide a low-effort, relatively efficient method for training melee stats.
2. Training Hitpoints
Since Hitpoints is a combat stat that grows with damage dealt, training it often occurs naturally as you train your Attack, Strength, and Defence. However, there are ways to speed up Hitpoints training while remaining AFK.
Best AFK Method for Hitpoints:
Nightmare Zone (NMZ) for Hitpoints
Using Nightmare Zone to train Hitpoints is an optimal method since you're constantly taking damage and dealing damage at the same time. It's directly linked to your combat training for Attack, Strength, and Defence, so you gain Hitpoints experience passively.
Using Ammonite Crabs or Sand Crabs
When training melee combat stats at Ammonite Crabs or Sand Crabs, your Hitpoints will naturally level up as you take damage and heal over time. This is a slow but steady AFK method for leveling Hitpoints.
3. Training Ranged
Ranged is another combat skill that requires a different approach but can still be trained AFK.
Best AFK Method for Ranged:
Chinning in the Monkey Madness II Caves (MM2 Caves)
The MM2 Caves are an excellent location for training Ranged in an AFK manner. While this method is not as passive as Nightmare Zone, it offers a high experience per hour rate with minimal input.
How it Works: You use chin chompers (the Red chinchompa or Black chinchompa) to deal area-of-effect damage to groups of monsters. The cave creatures will constantly be hit by your chins, and you can AFK in-between drops and attacks.
Why it's AFK-Friendly: You can afk chinning while sitting in a safe spot and occasionally check in to re-stock supplies. The monsters in the caves spawn in groups, making it ideal for multi-target Ranged attacks with chinchompas.
Experience Rates: At higher levels, you can expect to gain upwards of 300k+ experience per hour with this method, making it one of the best AFK methods for Ranged.
4. Training Magic
Magic training can be both fun and efficient while still being fairly AFK. There are a few standout options for training Magic AFK.
Best AFK Method for Magic:
Splashing on Low-Level Monsters
Splashing is a method in which you intentionally miss your Magic attacks so that you don't kill the monsters too quickly but still gain Magic experience.
How it Works: You equip low-level offensive spells such as Water Strike or Fire Strike, then wear armor that reduces your accuracy to the point where your attacks miss. This means that your character will continue casting but never kill the monster, allowing you to rack up Magic experience.
Why it's AFK-Friendly: The biggest benefit is that splashing allows you to train Magic for extended periods without needing to actively interact with the game. You can set it up to cast indefinitely while you perform other tasks.
Experience Rates: While splashing isn't the fastest method for Magic training, it can give you around 40k to 60k Magic experience per hour, depending on your setup.
Monster/Slayer Tasks for Magic Experience
Training Magic passively during Slayer tasks is another great method. Certain monsters, especially those that require ranged or magic-based damage, can be killed efficiently using Magic spells, and you can set up your character to attack without constant input.
Cannoning and use of multi-target spells will allow you to gain experience while completing your Slayer tasks, combining the benefits of both methods.
5. Training Prayer
Prayer can be one of the most difficult skills to level up passively, but there are ways to make it much easier.
Best AFK Method for Prayer:
Gilded Altar with Offerings
The Gilded Altar is an iconic method for training Prayer in OSRS. While this method does require you to be physically present to offer bones on the altar, it can be quite AFK when done with an automatic bone grinder in a house.
How it Works: Using the Gilded Altar at your house allows you to train Prayer by offering bones. The bone crusher or grinder can be set up to automatically crush bones, allowing you to click once and continue training with minimal interaction.
Conclusion
Maxing combat stats in Old School RuneScape can be a daunting task, but with the right strategies and a focus on AFK training, you can significantly reduce the time required for each skill. Using Nightmare Zone for melee combat, splashing for Magic, and chinning for Ranged are some of the best methods for AFK training that can still offer decent XP rates. Make good use of purchasing cheap RuneScape gold to help yourself quickly become stronger, thus making AFK training more effective.
For those looking to enjoy OSRS without dedicating constant hours to active gameplay, these methods allow for efficient combat training while still letting you focus on other tasks in real life. With patience and consistency, you can reach the coveted max combat stats in no time!