F2P Melee Pure Training Guide: No-Quest Weapon Progression to Rune Scimitar

Game screenshots and facts are cited from the Old School RuneScape Wiki (strategy, equipment, drops, and related pages). Writing is original editorial, not a copy of the wiki article.

Free-to-play melee pures are a classic OSRS account build: high Attack and Strength, 1 Defence, and often minimal Prayer. The challenge is staying efficient while avoiding any Defence XP and skipping quests that would ruin the pure. This guide focuses on training without questing, using the best scimitars as they unlock, and moving through the strongest F2P training spots from chickens to giant frogs. We’ll also cover amulet choices, AFK versus efficient methods, and how to decide when buying gold or a training service makes sense for your account.

All information below is based on the official Old School RuneScape Wiki’s Free-to-play Melee training guide. Prices, XP rates, and spawn details change over time, so verify anything you are unsure about before committing to a long grind.

Who This Guide Is For

This guide is written for players who want a classic 1 Defence pure account and are willing to train melee entirely in free-to-play without questing. You may be starting a new account or converting an existing low-level character. The core requirement is simple: keep Defence at level 1 forever. If you have already trained Defence past level 1, the methods still work, but the account is no longer a 1-def pure.

The no-quest restriction means you’ll skip some powerful items and Prayer XP rewards, but the combat training itself is straightforward and mostly safe for low Defence accounts if you choose the right monsters.

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Weapon Upgrades: Bronze to Rune Scimitar

Your weapon choice is the single biggest factor in melee XP per hour. In free-to-play, scimitars are almost always the best option because they combine a fast attack speed with a solid strength bonus. The wiki’s equipment section explicitly recommends using the best scimitar you can equip at all times. As your Attack level rises, you’ll progress through the standard F2P scimitar tiers. Exact Attack requirements are visible in the in-game skill guide, but the typical order is bronze and iron at level 1, steel, black, mithril, adamant, and finally rune at level 40. For pures, the rune scimitar is the endgame weapon — the highest DPS melee option available in F2P.

Weapon tier	Typical unlock	Notes for pures
Iron scimitar	Level 1 Attack	Cheap, easy upgrade from bronze; pick up at start
Steel scimitar	Level 5 Attack (verify)	Small upgrade; many skip buying if training fast
Black scimitar	Level 10 Attack (verify)	Nice for early levels but not always worth the cost
Mithril scimitar	Level 20 Attack (verify)	Good mid-game weapon; affordable
Adamant scimitar	Level 30 Attack (verify)	Strong upgrade one step before rune
Rune scimitar	Level 40 Attack	Best-in-slot F2P melee for pures; main goal

Some players consider the rune sword as an alternative because it has a slightly higher attack bonus, but its slower speed generally gives lower damage per second. The wiki’s Strength levels 1–99 tables compare max hits for the rune scimitar and rune sword under different amulets and attack styles. For pures, the scimitar is the safer default. If you want to optimise at every Strength level, check those tables to see whether a strength amulet adds a max hit over a power amulet.

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Training Methods by Level: Chickens to Giant Frogs

The wiki splits training into level bands and lists several monsters for each range. For a 1 Defence pure, the safest starts are chickens, monks, and seagulls because they hit very low or not at all. As you gain levels, barbarians and frogs offer much faster XP but require a little food or attention. The table below summarises the main options found in the research pack.

Monster	Level range	Attention	Key advantage	Profit / notes
Chicken	1–10	AFK	No food required, feathers stack	Feathers sell for small profit; stop once you start hitting 4s
Monk	1–20	Semi-AFK	Free healing at Edgeville Monastery, excellent for 1 Def	No drops except bones
Seagull	1–20	AFK	Level 3 seagulls cannot hit you; great for no-damage accounts	No drops, long death animation
Giant rat	1–20	Semi-AFK	Raw rat meat can be cooked for food	Low profit, but self-sustaining
Barbarian	20–40	Semi-AFK	High HP, low defence, close to Varrock west bank	Occasional runes/ammo, rare gem table
Big frog	20–40	Semi-AFK	18 HP, low defence, little damage	No valuable drops; beginner clue scroll possible
Giant frog	20–40	Semi-AFK	23 HP, always drops big bones	Big bones can be sold or used for Prayer

Chickens are the classic starting point. They drop stackable feathers in groups of 5–15 and bones frequently, making them decent for early money and optional Prayer. Stop training on chickens once your max hit reaches 4 with your current weapon and Strength level, because their 3 Hitpoints mean you’ll one-shot them and waste attack cycles. Monks at the Edgeville Monastery are arguably the best low-level pure training spot. They have 15 Hitpoints, deal almost no damage, and you can ask the monks to heal you for free, eliminating food entirely. This makes them forgiving for 1 Defence accounts. You can stay on monks all the way to level 20 melee stats.

Seagulls at Port Sarim or Corsair Cove are a unique AFK option. Level 3 seagulls cannot hit you at all, which is perfect if you’re doing something else or building a no-damage account. The downside is a long death animation and no drops besides bones. To train on seagulls at Corsair Cove you need to start The Corsair Curse quest, but Port Sarim requires nothing. Giant rats in Lumbridge Swamp drop raw rat meat every kill, which can be cooked for a small 3 HP heal, making them self-sufficient. Bring a small fishing net, tinderbox, and axe if you want to fish shrimps nearby and cook on dead trees.

At 20 Attack and Strength, barbarians in Barbarian Village become a solid option. Their combat levels range from 9 to 17, with 18–24 Hitpoints and low defence. They are close to the Grand Exchange and Varrock west bank for quick banking, and occasionally drop runes and ammunition. Big frogs and giant frogs in Lumbridge Swamp are alternatives. Big frogs have 18 HP and deal little damage; giant frogs have 23 HP and always drop big bones, which can be sold or buried for Prayer XP. Both frog types have low accuracy, so a 1 Defence pure can survive easily with a little food.

The wiki also lists Brutus as a training option from levels 20 to 99. This appears to be a single monster spot suited for long AFK sessions, but the research pack does not include its location, stats, or requirements. Check the Free-to-play Melee training page directly for details if you want to try Brutus.

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AFK vs Efficient: Choosing Your Pace

Training a 1 Defence pure in F2P gives you a spectrum of attention levels. AFK methods like chickens and seagulls let you click once every few minutes because the monsters die slowly and don’t threaten you. Semi-AFK methods like monks and barbarians require a click every 30–60 seconds to start a new kill or eat. Efficient training means actively choosing the highest XP per hour spots, usually barbarians or frogs, and minimising downtime.

For pures, the biggest risk with AFK methods is accidentally leaving the account standing in a dangerous area, but the monsters listed here are all non-aggressive or low-damage. Efficient training will get you to 40 Attack and rune scimitar faster, but if you’re also working or watching videos, AFK methods can add up over a day without much effort.

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Amulets and Max Hits: When Strength Beats Power

The amulet of strength gives +10 Melee Strength, while the amulet of power gives +6 Melee Strength plus accuracy and defence bonuses. In free-to-play, your max hit only increases when your effective Strength crosses a threshold, so at many levels the strength amulet and power amulet will produce the same max hit. When that happens, the power amulet is strictly better because it also improves accuracy and defence. Once the strength amulet adds an extra max hit over the power amulet, you should switch to it for faster kills — assuming you’re fighting low-defence monsters where accuracy matters less.

The wiki’s “Strength levels 1 to 99” section includes full max hit tables for the rune scimitar, rune sword, and barronite mace under different amulets and attack styles. These tables are extremely detailed and show exactly when to switch. For a pure focusing on the rune scimitar, the following general advice applies:

• If your Strength level is low and both amulets give the same max hit, use amulet of power for accuracy and defence.
• If the strength amulet gives one extra max hit, use amulet of strength for higher damage per hit.
• The aggressive attack style adds an invisible +3 Strength level boost, so your effective Strength is higher when training Strength. This can change the breakpoint.
• Check the wiki tables before committing to an amulet for long training sessions; a single Strength level can change which amulet is better.

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Common Mistakes for 1-Def Pures

Ruining a pure account is often the result of a single misclick or forgotten quest reward. The mistakes below are the most common and easiest to avoid.

• Using the wrong attack style: Even one kill on Defensive can ruin a pure account. Set your style before attacking.
• Doing quests with Defence XP: Many F2P quests give Defence XP. Check the wiki before starting any quest, or simply avoid quests altogether as this guide does.
• Using a slow weapon: Scimitars almost always beat swords, maces, and battleaxes for training DPS. Stick to the best scimitar you can equip.
• Wearing the wrong armour: Platebodies have lower crush defence than chainbodies. If the monster uses crush attacks, a chainbody is better. Ranged armour is better against magic-using monsters.
• Staying too long at chickens: Once you hit 4s, you one-shot chickens and waste XP. Move to monks or seagulls.
• Buying expensive gear before rune scimitar: Low-level gear upgrades are minor. Save your gold for the rune scimitar and amulets.

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Time and Cost Tradeoffs: The Honest Shortcut

Reaching 40 Attack and Strength on a F2P pure is a meaningful milestone. With efficient training, many players can do it in a focused weekend of play, but that estimate is not a hard number from the wiki — your kill speed, attention, and chosen monster will change the time. Going for 99 Attack, Strength, and Hitpoints in free-to-play takes hundreds of hours even at high efficiency. The wiki does not list exact XP per hour for every monster on the summary page, so you should calculate your own rates based on kills per hour or check more detailed community data.

If you value your real-life time, buying gold can let you skip the early resource grind: you can immediately buy a rune scimitar when you hit 40 Attack, stock up on food and amulets, and never worry about farming feathers or big bones for cash. A leveling service can handle the repetitive clicking while you keep the account’s stats pure — as long as you trust the service to never touch Defence. However, buying gold from third-party sites is against Jagex’s rules and can result in a ban. The legitimate way to get gold is to buy Bonds in-game and sell them on the Grand Exchange. Some players still choose third-party marketplaces for lower prices, but that risk is yours to take. This guide does not encourage rule-breaking, but we acknowledge that a boost or gold purchase is an honest shortcut in the sense that you are trading real money for in-game time.

If you decide to buy gold through a marketplace to speed up gear purchases, view live gold rates and compare before you commit. Always trade in small amounts if you are worried about bans.

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Step-by-Step F2P Pure Route

Putting it all together, here is a simple no-quest route from level 1 to rune scimitar and beyond. Follow this order and you’ll keep Defence at 1 while steadily upgrading your weapon.

1. Start at chickens north-east of Lumbridge. Train Attack and Strength using Accurate and Aggressive styles. Collect feathers and bones. Move on once your max hit is 4+.
2. Move to Edgeville Monastery monks. Ask monks to heal you for free. Train both Attack and Strength to 20 here — or mix in seagulls if you want AFK time.
3. At 20 Attack and Strength, go to Barbarian Village and kill barbarians, or go to Lumbridge Swamp for big/giant frogs. Bring cheap food like jugs of wine.
4. Train to 40 Attack and Strength at barbarians or frogs. Use the best scimitar you can equip at each tier. At 30 Attack, upgrade to adamant scimitar.
5. Equip the rune scimitar at 40 Attack. Buy one from the Grand Exchange if you haven’t saved enough from drops. Choose your amulet based on the max hit tables.
6. Continue training to 60+ or 99 at your preferred spot. The wiki lists Brutus as an option from level 20 to 99, but verify its location and requirements before using it.
7. Never use Defensive or Controlled attack styles. Re-check your style after every weapon change.

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Sources

All facts in this guide are drawn from the following Old School RuneScape Wiki page. Please visit it for full monster stats, exact XP rates, max hit tables, and current community recommendations.

• Free-to-play Melee training — official OSRS Wiki guide covering equipment choice, Strength levels 1–99, and suggested training methods for best experience and profit hybrid.

Always verify in-game prices, attack style bonuses, and spawn locations before starting a long grind. This guide is not endorsed by Jagex and does not recommend breaking game rules.