There is no doubt that in its more than 8 years of existence, Oldschool Runescape is one of the most complex games today. Its great amount of options when using a character makes the game a different experience for each player. Among all the equipment possibilities that the game presents us with, ranged weapons are among the most popular.
When using these weapons, one not only has to think about them but also about the ammunition to be used. From this arises, what are the best bolts in OSRS? In this list, we will answer which are the best bolts in Oldschool Runescape.
Table of Contents
Onyx Bolts
If we talk about what is objectively the most powerful bolts in the game, there is no doubt that Onyx Bolts prize. These extremely powerful bolts have a Life Leech enchantment. It does 20% additional damage and heals the bearer for an impressive 25% of the damage done. To make it even more unbalanced, this enchantment has a 10% chance of being activated in PvP, a very high percentage indeed.
So, one might think that if they are that powerful, why don’t we close the list immediately? The answer is very simple; these bolts are the most expensive ones in the game. They are so expensive that the value of all the others together is still smaller than the value of the Onyx Bolts. Their Grand Exchange Price is an impressive 7918 and their ranged bonus is 120, although they can also be obtained as a drop from The Corporeal Beast.
Dragon Bolts
For players who are looking for more consistent and powerful bolts, Dragon Bolts are usually the first (and best) choice. With a ranged bonus of 122, these bolts do the most damage in the entire game. And, to the surprise of many (especially compared to the Onyx), the Exchange Price is only 975.
This makes them very affordable to buy consistently. And, it is a great option for those who are not happy depending on the luck of the Onyx enchantment activating. Also, since the only factor of these bolts is pure damage, they are useful in all types of situations regardless of the enemy you are facing. These bolts can be used at level 60 with a Dark Bow.
Dragonstone Bolts
A combination of the strengths of the other two, Dragonstone bolts has a great 117 power along with an enchantment that can be very useful, albeit somewhat situational. These bolts have a good drop rate if you farm Revenants. But, they can also be obtained by enchanting Adamant Bolts starting at level 68.
In addition to their high damage, these bolts have the ability to activate “Dragon’s Breath” and thus cast Dragonfire on enemies. Depending on the situation, this can be very good or a bit redundant, since the damage generated varies according to the defense of the enemy, so against enemies with low defense, the damage can be catastrophic. But, against other enemies with high defense, the bonus damage does not justify its price of 1777.
Diamond Bolts
Diamond bolts are Adamant bolts with a special addition. This time it’s an enchanted diamond and gives an enchantment that grants additional armor piercing. Specifically, using these bolts will give you a chance to activate Armor Piercing, increasing your damage by 15% as well as ignoring the defense of your opponent. So, they tend to be used with relatively strong enemies or with a lot of defense. Unfortunately, it comes with the price of reduced accuracy.
The chances of this activating are 5% in PvP and 10% in PvE. It is an acceptable percentage, in PvP, but cannot be relied upon consistently in all fights. Its cost is relatively low, as the price is only 299 and its damage is 105. These bolts can be obtained from Adamant Bolts when the magic level is 57.
Ruby Bolts
Ruby bolts are very similar to the Diamond Bolts, but with a few differences that completely change the situations in which they can be used. Like the Diamond, they are simply Adamant Bolts with a different tip, in this case, ruby. If a target is hit by a ruby bolt, there is a chance of triggering “Blood Forfeit”. This effect will use 10% HP in order to deal 20% of the current HP of your opponent, but only up to 100.
In PvP, the chances of this happening are 11%. But, in PvE it’s only 6%, making this weapon good for bosses, especially those with high HP. On the other hand, these effects are not best used with other enemies. So, like the previous ones, although they are some of the best bolts in those situations, they are still too situational to use consistently.
Even so, for such powerful bolts against bosses, their cost is very low. They only cost 238 and come with a damage of 103. These bolts can be obtained by enchanting Adamant Bolts, starting at level 49.
Runite Bolts
Runite bolts can only be fired from the Armadyl or the rune crossbow. And, a range level of 61 is needed to be able to use these. But due to their high power of 115, they are worth it. Because Runite bolts are quite expensive (their price is 1014) they are used most often in crucial situations such as Boss fights or in PvP.
A smiting level 88 allows you to craft the 10 unfinished rune bolts from a single runite bar. Then you’ll need to up your fletching level to 60 to add feathers before you can use them in battle.
Likewise, there are several powerful bolts that were left out of the list, such as the Adamant or the Amethysts bolts, since despite being the most powerful in the game; they are left behind by other better ones. Despite this, they are the favorites of many players. So, you should really choose the ones that best fit your style.
What do you think? Do you agree with the list? Leave us in the comments which are your favorites!
