Weapon

Weapons are items a player can use to inflict damage in combat.

Information
Players can use a variety of weapons in combat, including swords, longswords, and battleaxes. Almost all weapons can be smithed, except for pickaxes, halberds, or anything black and dragon.

Weapons are made of different metals, some stronger and more expensive than others. Higher attack levels allow wielding weapons of better metals. For example, a player needs an attack level of 10 to wield a black dagger, whereas the player would need level 20 to wield a mithril dagger.

The table below shows what level is needed to wield a certain metal.

Weapon types
Most weapons have a primary attack in all three combat styles, and a secondary attack in the agressive or controlled style, that is normally weaker, but may be more appropriate to your target.

Chainmail armour is weaker against stabbing, platemail is weaker against crushing, while the slash attack is highly effective against cloth, leather or unarmoured targets. Against monster hide, that's one you have to work out. The only absolute defence against a particular attack is a "protect from" prayer, or the occasional NPC that requires something special to kill them, so you will still hit with the "wrong" attack and weapon, just not as often and with less damage.

Weapon Detail
There is not supposed to be a single "best" weapon, though some do stand out more than others.

Fast weapons
Timed at approximately 2.4 seconds per hit.

Dagger
A fast and weak stabbing weapon, with a poor secondary slash attack. In the hands of members, it can be poisoned, for greater effect.

It's the first weapon you can smith in any metal, and the cheapest weapon, but there is nothing in favour of a non-poisoned dagger, other than low cost.

Sword
Stronger and more accurate than the dagger, but no slower, makes this the stabbing weapon of choice. The secondary slash attack is also much better than the dagger.

Scimitar
Another fast weapon, with a slash attack of greater accuracy and power, but a weak secondary stab in the controlled style.

This is a much favoured training weapon against unarmoured opponents, as what it lacks in absolute power, it makes up for in speed. The balance favours your strength being higher than your attack.

Medium weapons
Timed at approximately 3 seconds per hit.

Axe
Better kept for woodcutting, as it is surpassed by most other weapons in combat. The primary attack is slash, though less effective than the secondary slash of a sword, while the secondary attack is crush.

Mace
Most commonly used in conjunction with high prayer due to its prayer bonus, but it's the first real crushing weapon, with a secondary stab in the controlled style.

Long Sword
Slower than the Scimitar, and only slightly more powerful in the primary slash attack, the Scimitar is superior in slashing attacks. The reverse is true in the secondary stabbing attack, also in the controlled style.

Slow weapons
Varying speed, but all slower than 3 seconds per hit.

War Hammer
Timed at 3.5 seconds per hit.

This is a punishingly accurate crushing weapon, with no alternative attack. The strength is not that great though, only of a similar order to the scimitar.

On the right targets, the crushing attack delivers a real punch - scorpions seem to go down well will this, as would anything in plate armour. The drawback is the low speed.

Battle Axe
Timed at 3.75 seconds per hit.

If you can live with the slow speed, this is a powerful weapon, with a strength second to the two-hander, a good slash attack and a reasonable secondary crush attack.

This is a good weapon if you neglect your strength relative to your attack, but gives your target too much time to recover, especially if you miss with a strike or two.

Two handed Sword
Timed at 4 seconds per hit.

The drawbacks are obvious, a very slow weapon, and you cannot use a shield, though those with low defence may be happier to forgo the iron shield, than those who can wield better.

Devastating in both slash and crush, you would choose the primary slash against most opponents, and the secondary crush against platemail. It used to be the first choice of the PKer, but the low speed gives too much time to think, eat or run.

Overall, the best weapon is:
The whole idea is that one weapon type should not be all-conquering, or there would be not much point having the others. The Rune Longsword is seen more often than the Scimitar, as it is available in free-to-play at the Champions Guild, while the Scimitar is not available there or at the Scimitar shop.
 * Stab: Sword or dragon dagger
 * Slash: Scimitar, though the Longsword, Battleaxe and Two hander are worth considering
 * Crush: Warhammer, though the Battleaxe, Two hander or even the Mace (especially for prayer beasts) are worth considering

Other Weapons

 * Abyssal Whip