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These are the Best Melee Weapons in RuneScape: Dragonwilds

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On May 13, 2025

Don’t get me wrong, ranged and

magic weapons are good
, but in RuneScape: Dragonwilds, nothing beats the satisfaction of getting up close and smashing through your enemies with a solid melee weapon. There’s just something timeless about steel meeting flesh, timing that last combo swing, and walking away with barely a scratch.

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RuneScape: Dragonwilds throws a lot of blades, clubs and hammers your way, and figuring out what’s actually worth swinging can be overwhelming. Some weapons are flashy but unreliable. Others look basic but wreck when used right. And then there are the ones that feel perfect, with good reach, solid damage and just enough defense to keep you standing when things get rough.

10

Bone Club

Decent Early Game Weapon

Holding a Bone Club in RuneScape: Dragonwilds

This thing hits for 26 to 46 damage per swing, so while it’s not your top-tier heavy-hitter, it holds its own early on. When it comes to attack flow, the Bone Club hits in sets of five. That means you’ve got a combo of five swings before the animation resets. It’s not a lightning-fast chain, but it’s tight enough to let you get into a rhythm. If you’re the kind of player who likes to dodge in and out while keeping pressure on the enemy, this combo length works well.

To make Bone Club, you’ll need eight Animal Bones, six Ash Logs, plus four units each of two types of leather: one from scraps, the other from hides. Once you’ve got the parts, head over to any crafting station and slap it all together.

9

Iron Sword

Modest Damage But Dependable for Early-Game Encounters

The Iron Sword is not a powerhouse, but it’s consistent enough to keep you moving through early fights without feeling like you’re poking enemies with a twig. If you’re just getting your footing in Dragonwilds or you like weapons that don’t overcomplicate things, Iron Sword is worth considering.

The Iron Sword gives you help defensively, but it’s clearly not built with tanking in mind. Crafting this sword doesn’t ask for much. You’ll need some hard leather, iron bars and wool thread.

8

Swingslash

Impressive Damage, But Not Very Durable

With the Swingslash, your hits will sometimes feel light, but at its peak, it can do decent work. This is particularly true in early-game skirmishes where enemies don’t have much armor. With the Swingslash, you’re not going to zip through enemies like a dual-wielder, but it won’t leave you hanging either. It gives you enough speed to maintain momentum without losing control, so fights feel steady instead of frantic or sluggish.

Crafting the Swingslash isn’t complicated. First, you need to find a special drop called the Vestige: A Cruel Goblin Blade. That comes from goblin enemies like archers, warriors, bruisers and runts in Bramblemead Valley all have a chance of dropping it. Once you’ve got that, you can unlock the recipe. To build the Swingslash, you’ll need three ingredients: Ash Logs, Animal Bones and two pieces of Leather From Hide.

7

Dragonbone Dagger

For Non-Stop Attack and Blocking

Dragonbone Dagger RuneScape: Dragonwilds

The Dragonbone Dagger is a tier 4 one-handed weapon that deals solid damage. It’s a weapon that can land both weaker pokes and more meaningful hits, depending on how often you’re connecting and how well you time your strikes.

The Dragonbone Dagger is one of the few one-handed melee weapons that allows you to chain up to seven moves together without much delay. This way you can keep the pressure on an enemy or quickly react to an opening. As for blocking, the Dragonbone Dagger comes with a block value of 23. That’s the highest figure you will get from any one-handed melee weapon. It won’t turn you into a wall, but it gives you some breathing room if you need to defend during a fight.

6

Iron Greatsword

Heavy Sword with Wide Swings and Good Blocking Power

Holding an Iron Greatsword in RuneScape: Dragonwilds

You’ll need just about the same materials as the Iron Sword to make the Iron Greatsword, but the difference between both couldn’t be bigger. At its weakest, the Iron Greatsword is still more damaging than the Iron Sword. That said, you won’t be slicing through enemies instantly, but each hit does real work. It’s consistent enough to count on but heavy enough that you’ll feel it land.

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On the defensive side, the Iron Greatsword is almost as good as it gets. It’s helpful when you’re in the middle of a fight and can’t roll or reposition in time. You’re not relying on it like a shield, but it buys you just enough breathing room to make it count.

5

Iron Warhammer

Solid Weapon for Taking on Mid-Game Mobs

Holding an Iron Warhammer in RuneScape: Dragonwilds

If you’re taking on enemies with high defense or armor, the Iron Warhammer should be able to get the job done. The Iron Warhammer executes four strikes in a row, which is its standard attack combo. While it might not feel as fluid as weapons that throw out more hits in less time, it does get the job done.

The Iron Warhammer helps cushion some of the blows you will receive, especially when you’re dealing with stronger mid-game mobs. But it’s not invincible. Crafting the Iron Warhammer is difficult because one of the recipes you need is Vault Shards, which are not easy to come by.

4

Skullsplitter

One-handed Mace for Steady Hits and Light Blocking

If you have moved past the basics but aren’t ready for top-tier weapons yet, the Skullsplitter will feel at home in your hands. When it comes to damage, the Skullsplitter hits within the range you’d expect from something that’s carved out of bronze bar, antler and hard leather.

Defensively, the Skullsplitter is not the best one-handed weapon for blocking, but it’s also not the worst either. While I wouldn’t advise you to rely on its blocking power alone, it might be enough to keep you standing just a bit longer.

3

Iron Greataxe

Hits Hard, But Somewhat Slow

The Iron Greataxe hits hard. In fact even your lightest hit will still do more damage than what most early-game weapons can manage. But then this is a two-handed weapon, so right away, you know it’s going to be on the slower side. That means you need to think more about when to swing, because you won’t be chaining hits rapidly. But when it does connect, it leaves a mark.

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For blocking, the Iron Greataxe actually holds up well with a block stat of 40, which gives you a decent chunk of damage reduction when you need to guard. Again this isn’t a weapon for players who like to zip around the battlefield. It’s for when you’re okay with slower swings as long as those swings land like a truck.

2

Thane’s Authority

One of the Best Defensive Two-Handed Weapons

Thane's Authority RuneScape: Dragonwilds

With the Thane’s Authority greataxe you shouldn’t have a problem getting through the defenses of most enemies. Because of its heft, it’s more of a weapon for those who want a bit more punch behind each attack, though you’ll need to be strategic about when you swing since it’s not as quick as some other weapons.

When it comes to blocking, the Thane’s Authority can absorb more hits than many other two-handed weapons. So it gives you an edge when you’re up close and personal with enemies. Crafting the Thane’s Authority is not that difficult, if you don’t take into account the four Vault Shards it requires.

1

Abyssal Whip

For Those Who Prefer Offense to Defense

Using the Abyssal Whip in Runescape DragonWilds

The Abyssal Whip doesn’t hit like a truck, but it does land strikes that matter over time. You’ll get a consistent rhythm out of it, which is helped by its five-hit combo pattern. When it comes to blocking, this whip isn’t going to save you.

With a block of 5, it offers little protection. It’s best used by players who prefer staying on the offensive and dodging, not standing still and soaking damage. If you’re looking to forge the Abyssal Whip for yourself, you’ll need to hunt down an Abyssal Spine, which drops from Abyssal Demons. You’ll find these creatures in places like the Bloodblight Swamp.