F2p high level melee training (September 2006) (AoW)

If you're level 50 or up kill ice giants.

That's it, please rate 1/10.

Just kidding. Here's the real guide.

Why ice giants?

Well, first of all, they are very good combat xp. They have very low defence, and I almost always hit and hit high. The giants don't use much food, and 20 salmon usually lasts me 2-3 hours. Additionally, they drop big bones, which are very good for prayer. Their other drops are quite good too, including lots and lots of nats and addy arrows.

Recommended Stats

To use this guide, you MUST have 43 prayer and 37 magic. And of course more is always better.

Additionally, I highly recommend at least 60 attack, 60 strength, and 60 defence. It can be done with less, but then you're not training very efficiently. And once again, higher stats are better. There is NO maximum recommended level here, as even at 120 combat there are no better places to train on f2p.

After this, you have to choose your location. Location A is in the ice caves, and while safe is often crowded and the warriors are annoying. Location B is in level 48 wilderness, so you can be p'ked. However, the odds of being p'ked are small, and its never crowded, and has 5 giants and no warriors. The wilderness giants also have a cosmic rune respawn, and I generally collect about 300-400 cosmics a trip there. I personally recommend the wilderness giants, but its up to you.

Location A - The Ice Caves

If you want to train at the wilderness giants, read this too. However, much of the information you should read is in section B.

1. Recommended Equipment

I highly recommend using a rune scimitar. It is fast and decently strong. Yes, a rune battle axe may hit higher, but its much slower, and you end up getting less xp.

Full rune is a must

Stronghold of security boots and any cape and ring, doesn't matter which of each

Green dragonhide vambrances give best defense, so wear them

Amulet depends on attack level. Beyond 70 attack, you almost never miss, so a strength amulet would be more beneficial. With under 70 attack, use a power amulet.

Food

Essentially, anything works. I generally use salmon because its cheap and heals decently. Lobster is great, but not neccesary. Anything below trout really isn't worth taking, so trout and up.

What I've found works best, even better than lobster, is kebabs. No, don't laugh. I can buy a full load in Al-Kharid in under 2 minutes, far less time than it takes to fish a load of food. I've found that about half of all kebabs heal 9, a sixth heal 7, a sixth heal 14, and the last sixth is split between 2 damage and healing 22, boosting attack strength and defense by two.

And they're only 1 gp each.

However, that is only my preference. What food you take is totally up to you, although I highly recommend only trout and up.

Note: You may want to leave one or two inventory spaces open for drops. (Thanks Superway26)

Note: If you have no food banked, go to Port Sarim and buy fish from the shop there, and cook on the range just north of the shop. (Thanks goodcountry)

If you don't have/can't afford strength potions, don't use them. They help, and speed up training, but aren't required.

Other

Fire staff

Natures

Air runes

Water runes

Law runes

3 strength potions (4)

The other 20 spots should be food of your choice

And a picture:

2. Getting there

1. Teleport to Falador

2. Follow this path

Be sure to bank at Falador East Bank and make sure you're all set.

3. Be sure to recharge your prayer at the alter

4. Go through the ice caves to the giants

5. Find a world that either is empty or only has one other person - with more than that there aren't enough giants

3. Killing them

Well, there's not much to say. Drink strength potions when needed, bury their big bones, and that's mostly it. Ice warriors will attack you (unless you're 115+ combat), but stop after 20 minutes. Then, just attack the giants. They have 70 hp, and a max hit of 7. I collect all runes and alch all drops black and up, leaving everything else. And remember, wine and bananas are gifts, free hp. Same with kebabs from the drunken dwarf and sandwiches from the lady.

After about 2 hours, most of your strength pots are gone, and you're out of food. Don't panic, don't teleport. I recommend staying until the very end. Once I hit about 8 hp (1 over their max hit), I turn on protect from melee. During that time I usually get a food drop, and can turn off prayer. That last section, when out of food, is actually much longer than you'd think. For me, its usually about 20-30 minutes from when I run out of food to when I teleport.

When you do finally teleport, teleport to Falador. Sell any items you didn't alch to the general store, then run to Falador east bank. Rebank, and run back out.

4. Rewards

I average about 30k xp any hour here, and gain prayer at a decent rate too. I have gone from straight 60s to straight 80s here, and this place rocks.

There are also great material rewards, in cash, nats, laws, minds, body, and addy arrows.

If you want chaos and death, don't expect too many of those. I get maybe 6 death and 18 chaos per run.

All is loot except water, air, strength pot, and fire staff. That's all from one run to ices.

Location B - Level 48 wilderness

1. Recommended Equipment

Much the same as for the ice caves. Full rune, rune scimitar, green dragonhide vambrances, stronghold boots, and strength amulet. However, DO NOT bring any treasure trail armor here, as you're just asking to lose it. Also, if you are scared of losing a rune full helm, you can substitute it for something cheap like an addy full helm (purchasable for about 4k in the barbarian village).

Since this is much farther from a bank, you'll want better food. I recommend lobster or up, but if you really follow this guide you don't need to worry much about food. You'll be using the best food, kebabs (explained later).

2. Getting there

1. Teleport to falador and bank

2. Walk north along the west edge of the wilderness to the giants

3. Once you're done training, retrace your steps to level 20 wilderness. You may want to recharge your prayer at the chaos alter as you leave.

4. Cast Lumbridge Home Port (0 magic, 0 runes)

5. Run to Al-kharid bank and deposit loot, take out runes for falador teleport

6.Run just north and buy about 20 kebabs.

7. Repeat from step 1

3. Killing them

Um, you click "Attack ice giant (level 53)". Simple enough. Collect the drops you want, and alch the black and mithril drops. Bury all big bones for prayer xp.

There are only two major differences between here and the ice caves. Difference number one is the cosmic rune respawn. Always collect the runes when they spawn, and you'll leave with literally hundreds of cosmics each trip. The second difference is that because you're in the wilderness, you do NOT want to try leaving at 5 hp. I recommend that once you reach about 40 hp and no food you use prayer, but leave a little unless you need to protect item. Once you're down to your reserve prayer, leave. See section 2 for more details.

4. Rewards

The rewards are largely the same as in the ice caves, but you also get hundreds of cosmic runes each trip.

All is from one trip to the wildy giants.

5. Escaping from player killers

Well, these are extremely rare. If you do happen to be attacked by one, I have two main strategies.

1. Turn off autoretaliate. Yep, that's right. Turn off autoretaliate, and let the giants attack him. It's single combat, so he'll be unable to attack you. Wait about 10 seconds like this, then log out. If the giants don't attack him, run south to the warriors.

2. Run for your life. Just retrace the path you took up here back out of the wildy. Its all single combat, so you should be fine. See the map in getting here for the exact route.

Between the two, I recommend strategy 1. It will always work unless there's a pking team, which is almost unheard of in single combat. If there're multiple people, there may not be enough giants/warriors to engage them all. If this is the case, take option 2.

Overall

Common questions/comments

There's a great mage and range safespot for giants in there too. You can range while low on health until you heal."

While this is true, this is a MELEE guide, not a guide to the ice caves. Doing those would slow down meleeing experience, even though you might last slightly longer per trip.

You should use a power amulet instead of a strength amulet."

Well, lets think about all the bonuses of a power amulet.

It gives +6 to all attack. I recommend only switching to a strength amulet at about 70 attack, after which you hit about 95% of the time. Because you almost always hit, the attack bonus will make you hit about 96% of the time. In other words, it will have a very small effect.

The +6 to defense does help, but that only slightly extends your trips. Remember, the goal is not trips as long as possible but the fastest xp possible. Yes, by banking every 125 minutes instead of 120 you don't waste as much time, but once again, its a very minimal difference.

Also, the +3 prayer might get you one more giant, which is also quite minimal.

However, hitting 1 higher on every single hit is a huge advantage. It has a much larger effect than any bonuses of the power amulet.

You should replace those strength potions with more food to last longer.

The point is NOT to stay there as long as possible. Strength potions mean higher hits which means faster xp. Hitting 2 higher on almost every hit definitely speeds up training more than 2 or 3 foods. However, if strength potions are too expensive you can replace them with food.

I don't plan to make any additions for a while.

I did some expiriments with other monsters, and found out some interesting things. If you're after just fast melee xp (no loot, no fun, no prayer), the best place to train is at the flesh crawlers in the stronghold of security. I got the exact same xp at flesh crawlers and spiders, but spiders use way more food. Anyway, the final statistics (with my stats and equipment):

Ice giants: 32k melee xp per hour, good drops, and big bones - very good prayer xp

Flesh crawlers: 40k melee xp per hour, no drops worth grabbing, no prayer xp

For general combat training, I would recommend ice giants. But if you ONLY want melee xp, not prayer or loot, then use flesh crawlers. I plan to soon include a section in this guide on flesh crawlers.

This is my first guide, so please don't flame. However, I would appreciate suggestions on how to improve this. Please criticize with (reasonable) ideas on how to improve. I want feedback, not "say u r k1dd1ng ab0t tr0ut, pl0x". If you give an idea that I incorporate into the guide, you will be given credit.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and good luck training.

Credit to:

Goodcountry

Superway26

Ice giants for letting me kill them

Jagex for making the game

ME for making it

I love training at ice giants too and I agree its the best f2p spot. I prefer the wildy spot though. It's basically impossible to die up there with 43+ prayer if a pker comes (and they almost never do). If you're training in the wildy you need lobs though because of the extra time getting up there.

You can bring extra food instead of a water rune at either spot, especially wildy. Most likely you will get some as a drop, or if your at the wildy theres a spot right next to them.

A few suggestions about the inventory

more food would be more useful than the str pots for training

also a power ammy's always better than a str ammy for training, the extra accuracy's more important when training than just +1 more damage, also the defense is a nice extra.

Sorry if it sounds like im insulting you, im just giving you some suggetions for improving your guide.

Im training at wildy spot right now.

I love training at ice giants too and I agree its the best f2p spot. I prefer the wildy spot though. It's basically impossible to die up there with 43+ prayer if a pker comes (and they almost bever do). If you're training in the wildy you need lobs though because of the extra time getting up there.

 

 

 

You can bring extra food instead of a water rune at either spot, especially wildy. Most likely you will get some as a drop, or if your at the wildy theres a spot right next to them.

Very interesting. I never though of using the wilderness spot. But, I'm not going to put this in the guide because of the dangers of the wilderness. But I might try it myself sometime.

I don't always get a water drop (maybe 1 out of 2 runs), and I really hate walking. But, if there's a spawn by the wilderness giants...

I'll have to give those a try sometime.

Ive never been pked there and its been almost all my melee training from around 60 60 60

and if you decide to train in the wildy don't bring any trimmed rune armor

theres some nice extras at the wildy spot, but i dont want everyone on tip.it to know about them, pm me if you want some advice about wildy spot

and maybe you should have 1 spot be 1 coin so you have space for drops at the beginning

overall very nice guide

Thank you very much. I have alway heard about the Ice Giants, but I have never really gone there, mainly due to a lack of information. I also applaud you for not having a generic peice of advice like "Kill Lessers from 50 Combat" which is something which I have seen a lot on these forums, and it really ticks me off.

Very nice guide anyway, I am off to check it out now...

-Edit-

I just went down there, and I love it, tyvm for this guide. Oh and if anyone needed proof that this training spot pwns then here it is. I just saw Iron Duke500 down there, he is ranked 21st in the Top F2Pers at 123 Combat and he told me that he has been training down there for quite a while...

When i quite p2p, i stopped training combat in hopes of becoming p2p. but i guess i'll stay f2p for a long time so might as well. anyways i didn't know wut to train on and this helped me alot, thanks alot. i'm not gonna bring str pots but u could have mroe food spots. and wouldn't it be better to sue cakes instad of salmon? anyways thanks again and good luck everybody, this helped alot. btw currently 70/67/60, i want all 70 hopefully i'll get it. bye

Very nice guide =D>

As a suggestion for staying there even longer, I like to bring either ranging or mage equipment. After the ice warriors stop being aggressive and 10 inventory spots have opened from food being eaten (spots are needed to remove rune armor and collect drops), there's a nice safespot in the southeast corner that the giants are too big to fit into :lol: . When you find yourself running low on hp, just go there and range or mage the giants until you recover.

Very nice guide

I personally train at the lvl 50 spiders in the sucureity stronghold

They hardly hit me

And they auto attack

The only downside is that they dont drop anything.

Congratulations on the guide Lord Grommit :

Personally I've never trained properly at any Ice Giant spot because of my refusal to wear boring Full Rune armour like 90% of players above level 80, so I get hit about a bit too much in just Wizard (g) Robes

Also I've always been content with training at Crandor's Moss Giants because if there's no one else there then it gives better Xp than Ice Giants (Moss have a much lower Defense level.)

The only suggestion to make this guide perfect is to add a section on the Ice Giants in the Wilderness like others have suggested, even if it's dangerous players should still be informed about all the possible options. :

Great guide. I personally train at the wilderness spot too. And also, they have very (and i mean VERY) low defence. I hit almost 90% of the time with ranged on them.

Thanks for the feedback.

I will eventually add a section on wilderness giants, but I need to try them first. :P

Good guide, but just so you know, there os a safe spot that you can range/mage from. I go there on my pure.

Good guide, but just so you know, there os a safe spot that you can range/mage from. I go there on my pure.

Beat me to it :P

BTW, Kebabs can do nothing at all as well.

EDIT: Kebab just did 4 damage and lowered stats.

Other than that, nice guide.

Thanks for the feedback, keep it up.

I've added some of it into the guide.

And another thing which is wrong with your guide. It's impossible to hit 95% of the time, even with 99 attack. If you are saying you hit 95% of time, that means every 100 shots you only miss 5.

I agree, power ammy is much better for training. There's only a one max hit difference, and you you more accuracy,defense, and a little prayer.

And another thing which is wrong with your guide. It's impossible to hit 95% of the time, even with 99 attack. If you are saying you hit 95% of time, that means every 100 shots you only miss 5.

I can tell you've never killed ice giants. :P

I usually kill an ice giant in 7 hits. I generally miss one hit every three giants. That's an average of hitting 20 out of 21, which is actually slightly over 95%.

And I only have 82 attack.

And like I said, if you hit 95% of the time, +6 extra attack means you miss about 13% less, which means you hit about 95.6% instead of 95%. In short, you'll hit about 0.6% more with the power amulet. Or you could hit 1 higher with every hit.

Your choice.

I believe that the strength amulet is a much better choice, for reasons stated above. But, if you want the power amulet, use it.

i used to train there n got alotta xp and cash

nice guide :D

Very nice guide =D>

 

 

 

As a suggestion for staying there even longer, I like to bring either ranging or mage equipment. After the ice warriors stop being aggressive and 10 inventory spots have opened from food being eaten (spots are needed to remove rune armor and collect drops), there's a nice safespot in the southeast corner that the giants are too big to fit into :lol: . When you find yourself running low on hp, just go there and range or mage the giants until you recover.

Did you see the title, it says melee training. OK im done.

Not bad, true best spot for f2p and you did leave some room for a little change in inventory and equipment. You really should get a rune plate (g) to match the rest of your set. And for the new interface change, but save that pic for historical reasons.

as a once high level f2p meleer (left for members @ 97 combat) i feel i have something to add to this.

instead of the kebabs (which are actually a great idea, why didnt i think of that?) you can stop by the fish shop in port sarim and buy the lobsters/swordfish that are usually in stock there.

that was where i got the majority of my cooking xp.

until the stronghold of security came out, ice giants were absolutely the best f2p melee exp in the game.

as a once high level f2p meleer (left for members @ 97 combat) i feel i have something to add to this.

 

 

 

instead of the kebabs (which are actually a great idea, why didnt i think of that?) you can stop by the fish shop in port sarim and buy the lobsters/swordfish that are usually in stock there.

 

 

 

that was where i got the majority of my cooking xp.

 

 

 

 

 

until the stronghold of security came out, ice giants were absolutely the best f2p melee exp in the game.

Thanks, I'll add that tip. And I think that ice giants still pwn stronghold of security.

as a once high level f2p meleer (left for members @ 97 combat) i feel i have something to add to this.

 

 

 

instead of the kebabs (which are actually a great idea, why didnt i think of that?) you can stop by the fish shop in port sarim and buy the lobsters/swordfish that are usually in stock there.

 

 

 

that was where i got the majority of my cooking xp.

 

 

 

 

 

until the stronghold of security came out, ice giants were absolutely the best f2p melee exp in the game.

 

 

 

Thanks, I'll add that tip. And I think that ice giants still pwn stronghold of security.

for money/xp possibly, but for sheer xp the stronghold is the place to be.

as a once high level f2p meleer (left for members @ 97 combat) i feel i have something to add to this.

 

 

 

instead of the kebabs (which are actually a great idea, why didnt i think of that?) you can stop by the fish shop in port sarim and buy the lobsters/swordfish that are usually in stock there.

 

 

 

that was where i got the majority of my cooking xp.

 

 

 

 

 

until the stronghold of security came out, ice giants were absolutely the best f2p melee exp in the game.

 

 

 

Thanks, I'll add that tip. And I think that ice giants still pwn stronghold of security.

 

 

 

for money/xp possibly, but for sheer xp the stronghold is the place to be.

No prayer xp at stronghold, and I go through a TON of food there.

Good idea... but I'd rather stick to my hobgoblins (level-28)

 

 

 

No prayer xp at stronghold, and I go through a TON of food there.

fighting the wrong things ;) and by the way, my RSN is goodcountry, not greencounty