Defense is a combat skill on RuneScape Classic. This skill, when raised to higher levels, will decrease the chance of an attack inflicting damage on the player. Defense does NOT decrease the amount of damage a player takes from attacks. To increase pure damage survivability, one should instead raise their Hits level.
Armour
There are eight general armour types in RuneScape Classic, each requiring a specific defense level to equip. As players raise their defense levels, they are able to equip better armour that offer a higher Armour bonus. A higher Armour bonus does NOT reduce the damage taken, rather it reduces the chance of being inflicted damage. Some players, more commonly referred to as Pures, choose to have a lower level in Defense (and often Prayer and Magic) in order to have a much higher Hits level with a far lower combat. Doing this is a way to avoid being killed in three hits, and also to increase their potential to defeat a balanced character.
A player wearing armour.
| Image | Armour | Defense Level |
|---|---|---|
|
Bronze | 1 |
|
Iron | 1 |
|
Steel | 5 |
|
Black | 10 |
|
Mithril | 20 |
|
Adamant | 30 |
|
Rune | 40 |
|
Dragon | 60 |
Training
Defense can be trained in combat with either the Controlled or Defensive buttons on the combat window selected in a fight.
To train defense, choose the defensive option
The amount of defense experience gained while in Defensive stance can be found using this formula:
While in Controlled stance, the experience is divided between the three skills (Attack, Strength, and Defense), so you instead use this formula:
In both cases, H = the amount of Hits experience received from the kill. This is different for each opponent, and unlike in RuneScape 2, is unrelated to the opponents' Hits.
Boosts
| Item/Prayer | Boost/Harm | Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| Super defense Potion | +15% + 5 levels | Visible |
| Steel skin | +15% | Invisible |
| Defense Potion | +10% + 3 levels | Visible |
| Rock skin | +10% | Invisible |
| Thick skin | +5% | Invisible |
| Potion of Zamorak | -12.5% | Visible |
Quest Experience Rewards
The following quest rewards defence experience:
- Hero's Quest - Level x 50 + 75
- The Holy Grail -
- Dragon Slayer - Level x 300 + 1000
Trivia
- Zonghui was the first player to gain achieve 99 Defense in Runescape Classic.
- When a player consumes a Potion of Zamorak it is recommended to take a drink of Stat restoration Potion to compensate the decrease in defense.