OSRS Ironman Ranged Guide 1-99: Crabs to Chinchompas
Quests + crabs to 40, then Ammonite Crabs (1-70) for AFK training. Early Slayer with Ava's Accumulator at 30 Ranged. Mid-game (70-85) use chinchompas if speed matters, or just mix Slayer + PvM. After 85, let it come passively through Slayer and raiding-you'll naturally get tons of Ranged XP. Imbued Slayer Helm makes Slayer viable for training.
Ranged training on an ironman is straightforward if you embrace the reality: you don’t need to grind to 99. Most of your late-game Ranged XP comes passively from Slayer and raiding.
The path is simple: Get to 40 via quests, grind to 70 via Ammonite Crabs (AFK), then decide if you want speed (chinchompas) or patience (passive progression). By 85, you’re set-and raiding will naturally push you toward 95+.
Early Game (1-40): Foundation via Quests & Crabs
Quest-Based Early Levels
| Quest | XP | Level After |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow of the Storm | 10,000 combat | 20 |
| Death to the Dorgeshuun + Horror from the Deep | 6,663 Ranged | 32 |
These quests get you to ~32 Ranged before active training.
Dorgeshuun Crossbow (28-40)
Why: Extremely cheap, self-sufficient ammunition
- Weapon: Dorgeshuun crossbow (obtainable after The Lost Tribe quest)
- Ammunition: Bone bolts (essentially free via slayer drops or cheap purchase)
- Location: Ammonite Crabs or low-level Slayer tasks
- Duration: ~10-15 hours to reach 40
Mid Game (40-70): Ammonite Crabs (The AFK Phase)
This is the sweet spot for ironman Ranged training. Ammonite Crabs are the most relaxed training method in the game.
Why Ammonite Crabs?
- XP Rate: 50-100k XP/hour depending on level
- Cost: Near-zero (ava’s accumulator recovers most ammo)
- AFK Duration: 10 minutes before aggression resets
- Effort: Minimal attention required
Setup
| Slot | Item | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Toxic Blowpipe (if you have it) OR Magic Shortbow (i) OR Rune Crossbow | Speed varies; blowpipe best if available, but not required |
| Offhand | Blowpipe / Crossbow bolts | Depends on main weapon |
| Ammo | Amethyst Arrows / Broad Bolts / Blowpipe Darts | Whatever you’ve stockpiled |
| Armor | Anything with Ranged bonus | Void Knight is ideal mid-game (from Pest Control) |
| Gloves | None required | Slot better used for utility |
Location Tips
- Fossil Island: Safe-spottable, consistent crabs
- Aggression reset: 10 minutes of inactivity before they stop attacking
- Banks: Nearby for supplies
Result: 40-70 Ranged in roughly 15-25 hours of mostly AFK training.
Critical Unlock: Ava’s Accumulator (30 Ranged)
Quest: Animal Magnetism
Why it matters:
- Recovers 60-80% of ammunition automatically
- Saves millions in ammunition costs over your account lifespan
- Makes all subsequent Ranged training dramatically cheaper
- Unlock at 30 Ranged (you’ll hit this naturally during early training)
Do this quest before you push past 30 Ranged.
Late Game (70-85): Choose Your Path
At 70 Ranged, you have two realistic options.
Option A: Chinchompas for Speed (15-20 hours)
If you want to rush 85:
- Location: Kruk’s Dungeon (Maniacal Monkeys)
- XP Rates: 500k-800k XP/hour (medium-high intensity)
- Cost: 5-10M GP in chinchompas (self-hunted via Hunter)
- Requirements: 40+ Hunter, Song of the Elves quest
Reality Check:
- Hunter training takes 10+ hours if you don’t have it
- Chinchompas are tedious to hunt on popular worlds
- By the time you factor in prereq training, you’re looking at 30+ hours total
Option B: Slayer + Passive (30-50 hours)
If you’re patient (recommended):
- Train Slayer with imbued Slayer Helm (makes Ranged viable)
- Do PvM content you enjoy (Vorkath, GWD, etc.)
- Let Ranged XP accumulate passively
- No time pressure, more enjoyable
Imbued Slayer Helm (THE Game-Changer): At 70 Defence, you can imbue the Slayer Helm with the helm shard from Nightmare/Phosani’s Nightmare.
- Effect: +20% damage when on-task
- Impact: Makes Slayer tasks with Ranged genuinely viable for training
- This is the key unlock that makes Slayer-based Ranged training actually reasonable
Why Option B is Better:
- Gain Slayer XP simultaneously (essential for mid-game progression)
- No tedious Hunter grind
- Enjoy Slayer tasks while training
- 85 Ranged comes naturally without feeling like a grind
The Honest Truth: 85+ Comes Passively
Here’s the thing most guides don’t tell you: After 85 Ranged, you don’t need to grind anymore.
Why?
- Raiding: ToA, CoX, Tombs-all give massive Ranged XP
- High-level Slayer: Tasks give consistent Ranged gains
- Bossing: Vorkath, DKs, Cerberus-tons of ranged XP naturally
- Timeline: Most ironmen reach 95-99 Ranged passively within 100-150 hours of raiding
The Natural Progression
By the time you’ve:
- Done 50 ToA KC
- Done some high-level Slayer
- Done some boss grinding for uniques
…you’ll be 95+ Ranged without dedicated training.
Don’t push 99 as a goal. Get to 85, then let raiding handle the rest.
Slayer Integration: The Imbued Helm Strategy
Most guides say “Slayer is bad for Ranged training.” That’s true without imbuing. With an imbued Slayer Helm, it becomes reasonable.
Slayer Helm Imbuing
Requirements:
- 70 Defence
- Slayer Helm shard (from Nightmare/Phosani’s Nightmare)
- 250k GP
Effect:
- +20% accuracy on-task
- +15% damage on-task
- Makes Ranged tasks actually viable
Which Slayer Tasks Are Ranged-Viable?
With Imbued Helm:
- Dragons (Dragonhunter Crossbow for +25% bonus)
- Basilisks (low Ranged defence, safespottable)
- Aviansies (Ranged weakness, weak to arrows)
- Wyverns (Ranged weakness, profitable)
XP Rates: 40-80k Ranged XP/hour (suboptimal vs dedicated training, but acceptable alongside Slayer)
Verdict: Mix imbued Helm Ranged tasks with your regular Slayer grind. You’ll get decent Ranged XP while building your account naturally.
Gear Progression Milestones
| Level | Priority | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Ava’s Accumulator | Saves millions in ammo |
| 40 | Void Knight (Pest Control) | Best mid-game Ranged gear |
| 70 | Blowpipe (if doing Slayer) | Best for task efficiency |
| 75 | Bow of Faerdhinen (optional) | End-game alternative to blowpipe |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Skipping Ava’s Accumulator Problem: Wastes ammunition, increases costs dramatically Solution: Get it at 30 Ranged. Non-negotiable.
2. Trying to Train Ranged Through Slayer (Without Imbuing) Problem: Melee is 2-3x faster for Slayer; Ranged without imbue is suboptimal Solution: Imbue the Slayer Helm first, or train Ranged separately.
3. Forcing the Chinchompa Grind Problem: Tedious Hunter training, world competition, time-intensive Solution: Unless speed is critical, skip it. Let 85+ come passively.
4. Grinding 99 Ranged Early Problem: Wastes time that could go to Slayer, quests, PvM progression Solution: Stop at 85, let raiding push you to 95+ naturally.
5. Ignoring Void Knight Problem: Missing out on one of the best mid-game gear upgrades Solution: Get Void Knight early via Pest Control (30-50 hours, worth it).
Optimal Path (Realistic)
| Stage | Levels | Duration | Focus | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early | 1-40 | 1-2 days | Quests + crabs | Unlock Ava’s at 30 |
| Mid | 40-70 | 2-3 weeks | Ammonite Crabs | Pure AFK, no rush |
| Decision | 70-85 | Flexible | Chinning OR Slayer | Choose your path |
| Late | 85+ | Natural | Raiding + Slayer | Passive progression |
| Endgame | 85-99 | 100+ hours | Raids/Bosses | Don’t force it |
When You’re Ready to Move On
You’ve trained Ranged enough when:
- ✅ You’re 85+ (set for most content)
- ✅ You can handle Slayer tasks efficiently (imbued Helm or Blowpipe)
- ✅ You’re comfortable with boss mechanics (Vorkath, GWD, raids)
- ✅ You stop worrying about the number and let raiding handle the rest
Stop treating Ranged as a goal. Treat it as a side effect of doing fun content.
Related Guides
- OSRS Ironman Slayer Guide - Efficient Slayer with Ranged training
- OSRS Ironman Magic Training Guide - Combat stat comparison
- Fletching Guide - Make your own arrows, bolts, and bows
- Mid-Game Ironman Goals - Where Ranged fits in progression
- Ironman Prayer Training Guide - Complementary combat stats
- Early Ironman Money Making - Fund your Void Knight grind