Defense Classes
Your Defense Class can be viewed by clicking on the body icon, which is to the right of the backpack icon. Once you are viewing the body menu, click the bottom button labeled “Show Equipment Stats”. A screen will pop up, contain an enlarged picture of your character, the equipment you are currently wearing, and your stats.
The different classes are Stab, Slash, Crush, Magic and Ranged. The more you have in a Defense class, the better your defense against that type of attack is. The better the armor, the more Defense you will have. Different armors give different bonuses.
Stab - This protects you from stabbing attacks, such as daggers, spears.
Slash - This protects you from slashing attacks such as claws and swords.
Crush - This protects you from mauling attacks, such as maces and punches.
Magic - Protects you from Magical attacks and increases chances of magic missing on you, or Dragon Breath.
Range - Protects from ranged attacks, such as arrows and darts.
Prayer - This determines how slowly your prayer drains.
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Armor Classes
There are different kinds of armor for each kind of combat, including Melee, Ranged and Magic.
Archer or Ranged Armor
Ranger armor is generally lightweight, allowing maximum mobility for Ranged attacks. It has strong defense against Magic. It is a good all-around type of armor. This armor drains low stamina while running.
Note: For advanced Ranger armor, although the body armor needs a certain Defense, the Vambraces and Legs require no specific Defense level. More about stat bonuses of ranged items can be found in the Ranging Guide.
Warrior or Melee Armor
Most of the time this armor weighs quite a bit, and therefore it typically drains a lot of energy while running. It's used for close-range fighting, generally Melee, and it is weak against Magic. This is the most commonly used type.
Mage (Robes) Armor
Most of the time this is the lightest armor, and allows magical conjurors to cast spells more effectively. Most have weak defense for Ranged and Melee attacks, but some types offer the extra protection. This armor drains low or medium stamina while running. More about magical armor stat bonuses can be found in the Magic Guide.
Slayer Equipment
Not really used to fight other types of monsters, these protect you from massive damage that you can take if you are not properly equipped for fighting certain Slayer monsters. Slayer gear can be found in the Slayer Guide.
Trimmed Armor
Some may believe that Trimmed armor gives extra Defense bonuses, but they do not have any differences in any way in matter of defensive stats. This includes the God armors.
Black Equivalent : Black (T) and (G)
Addy Equivalent : Addy (T) and (G)
Rune Equivalent : God Armors, Rune (T) and (G), Gilded Armor
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Armor Types
Each combat class has it's own type of armor that it benefits from the most. Of course, as long as you meet any requirements for a piece of armor, you can wear it.
Armor For Everyone
Basic Robes
Not really considered armor, this category contains a lot of RuneScape clothing including Blue Wizard Robes, Priest Gowns, Black Wizard Robes, Zamorak & Monk Robes, HAM & Fremennik Robes, Dwarven & Gnome clothings, Mime & Shades Clothing, and more.
Rogue Armor
This armor is a weak, all-around armor. It is very light-weighted, but it is not good for combat. They are untradeable and obtained at the Rogue's Den.
Fremennik Helmets
Not really considered an armor type, the FremennikHelms offer more Defense than a Rune Full. There are different types, which specialize in each class of combat. They're double in price though. You can buy these after FremennikTrials Quest.
Armor For Warriors
Bronze
Bronze is the basic armor for warriors, and most new players use this as it is cheap and easy to obtain. It doesn't offer much protection.
Iron
Iron is the armor that comes after Bronze. There are no requirements, offer a bit more Defense, but are slightly more expensive and harder to obtain.
Khazard
Armor of the dark army, this armor is a bit different in appearance and shades compared to normal iron armor, but it is equivalent to iron nonetheless.
Steel - Requires 5 Defense
Steel is a quite common armor, which offers much more protection than iron and bronze, but it's still heavy. Since it's generally inexpensive and it is commonly used in PKing.
Red Decorative Armor - Requires 5 Defense
This armor is obtained at a low ticket cost at Castle Wars, and it is equivalent to Steel. Not very useful, but colorful.
Black - Requires 10 Defense
Black armor is considered uncommon, as it cannot be smithed. It is a quite simple and elegant type of armor, but most people wear it for showing off, not much for combat as some pieces are difficult to find and sometimes expensive.
Mithril - Requires 20 Defense
A semi-Common armor that is not too expensive and offers good Defense Many players use this for combat or PKing.
White Decorative Armor - Requires 20 Defense
This armor is obtained at a Semi-High ticket cost at Castle Wars, and it is equivalent to Mithril. Not used much as combat, because it is hard to obtain, but it is really elegant.
Temple Initiate Armor - Requires 20 Defense
Known as the white armor, this armor offers a bit less protection than Mithril, but offers a considerable prayer bonus. It is obtained after the Recruitment Drive Quest.
Adamant - Requires 30 Defense
"As hard as adamant"
A semi-common armor, used largely by warriors, offers good Defense Not really used in PVP activities.
Yellow Decorative Armor - Requires 30 Defense
This armor is obtained at a Very-High ticket cost at Castle Wars, and it is equivalent to Adamant. No one wants to lose this in combat, as it is extremely hard to obtain. This armor is more for bragging rights.
Rune - Requires 40 Defense
Common and expensive, and it offers great Defense! It's the armor that nearly everyone uses in combat, sometimes expensive to replace, but the high Defense bonuses compensate for that. Some people PK with this, but always generally bring teleport runes.
Granite - Requires 50 Defense and Strength
Not really considered an armor type, the Granite Shield offers slightly less defense in melee than a Rune Kite, but it has a better magic and ranged defense. It is also very heavy, and can drain your stamina quite fast. They are dropped by Trolls.
Dragon - Requires 60 Defense
Dragon armor is very expensive and rare, and it offers great Defense, but not many people would use this in a risky combat situation. Some kinds of Dragon armor need certain quests to be completed before being able to be worn. This armor is more for bragging rights.
Crystal - Requires 70 Defense and 50 Agility
Obtained after the Roving Elves Quest, and not really considered a big category of armor type, the Crystal Shield is a special kind of shield. Obtained after roving elves, this shield offers the best range Defense at 10/10 Points. However, it degrades itself over uses, and loses bonuses until it is repaired. This is a very expensive option, however.
Barrows - Requires 70 Defense
This type of armor is rare, and it is currently the most powerful armor in the game, offering bonuses as the sets are collected. They can degrade, but unlike Crystal, they're not as expensive to fix and do not lose bonuses as they degrade.
Armor For Mages
Elemental
Not considered an armor type yet, the Elemental Shield has no physical protection but offers moderate magical protection. You have to do the Elemental Workshop Quest to make these.
Splitbark - Requires 40 Magic and Defense
A Special Mage armor that does actually offer melee protection as well as good magical bonuses. It is weak against ranging though.
Mystical Robes - Requires 40 Magic
Robes dedicated solely to Magic, which means it offers very good magic bonuses, but has absolutely no protection against anything physical. They are bought in the Magic Guild or dropped from Slayer monsters.
Ghost Robes - Requires completion of the Desert Treasure Quest
After starting the Ghost Robes Mini-Quest, you'll receive the top of the Ghost Robes outfit. After that, you need to find each of the other ghosts wandering around RuneScape to get the other pieces. Once you have the entire set, you'll be transparent! The full set adds a bonus of 21 to both your Magic Attack and Defense.
Armor For Rangers
Leather
Leather is the weakest armor in the game. It gives a very small Defense bonus.
Hardened Leather
Hardened Leather is slightly better than regular Leather, but it is not a recommended armor.
Studded Leather - Requires 20 Ranged and Defense
Leather armored with small Steel Studs added, which can add additional Defense. This armor is still quite basic though.
Snakeskin Armor - Requires 30 Ranging and Defense
This armor is made from the hides of Bush Snakes while chopping away at the Tai Bwo Wannai Jungle. The hides can be tanned and crafted into Snakeskin Armor, which is slightly less powerful than Green Dragonhide and also heavier.
Green Dragonhide - Requires 40 Ranged and Defense
Green Dragonhide is the basic Dragon hide armor for all rangers. It has much more Defense than leathers, offers good protection against magic and is quite lightweight.
Blue Dragonhide - Requires 50 Ranged and 40 Defense
Blue Dragonhide is better than its green counterpart. It is Members-Only, but offers extra bonuses for Ranging as well as more Defense bonuses.
Red Dragonhide - Requires 60 Ranged and 40 Defense
Red Dragonhide is much better than its blue counterpart. It is Members-Only, but offers even more extra bonuses for Ranging as well as more Defense bonuses.
Black Dragonhide - Requires 70 Ranged and 40 Defense
A very good Ranger armor, which offers possibly the best magic protection and Ranging bonuses.
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