Maximum melee hit

Maximum melee hit is the maximum damage a player can deal in a melee combat. It is affected by player's strength, equipment and other bonuses such as prayer or potions. The current maximum hit is 1,374 (using Keris on Kalphites), OR 1,060 (using Balmung on Dagannoths; in theory it is possible to hit up to 1,700).

If you just wish to calculate your maximum hit, and do not care for the inner workings of the formula or wish to calculate it manually, use the melee max hit calculator. Otherwise, continue.

Calculating your maximum melee hit
Notes: The trunc (truncate) function is used throughout the formula - this simply means ignore any decimal places of the number being truncated.

The floor function is also used throughout the formulas - this means to round down to the next whole number.

Step one: Calculate the effective strength
$$Effective\ Strength=8 + trunc((Strength\ Level+PotionBonus)\times Prayer\ Bonus)+Style\ Bonus$$

See the following table for the various bonuses values:

Remember that if you use the Dragon battleaxe special attack you cannot use another special attack right after, unless the recover special potion is used or a person casts Energy Transfer upon you.

If you're not currently using any of the prayers listed above, your Prayer Bonus is 1.

In the prayer interface check the percentage shown for strength. Find the difference between the value shown and 23%, then add that number to the Effective Strength value from above. Do not use this value in the multiplication part, use 1.23 - this is the way that Turmoil appears to work.
 * Turmoil

Example: Turmoil is active and the bonus shown is 32% (maximum), so 9 is added to Effective Strength.

If you are using void melee armour (i.e. a Void melee helm, and three of: Void knight top, Void knight robe void knight gloves, Void knight deflector), multiply Effective Strength by 1.1 and then truncate.
 * Void armour

Step two: Calculate the base damage
The following Strength Bonus refers to the total of strength bonuses from weapons and equipment, as seen in the Equipment Stats interface.

$$Base\ Damage = 5 + Effective\ Strength\times(1 + \frac{Strength\ Bonus}{64})$$

If you are not using a special attack or effect:

$$Max\ Hit=trunc(Base\ Damage)$$

Otherwise, continue to step three.

Step three: Calculate the bonus damage
$$Max\ Hit=floor(Base\ Damage\times Special\ Bonus\times Other\ Bonus)$$

The following special attack/effect bonuses apply:

Dharok's set effect - multiply by $$2 - \frac{Current\ lifepoints}{Maximum\ lifepoints}$$. This means the maximum possible bonus is at 1/990 lifepoints, giving a multiplier of 1.998989... (negligibly different from 2).
 * Special cases

The Keris's maximum hits (against kalphites or scarabites) is as follows:

$$Max\ Hit_{Keris,\ normal}=floor(Base\ Damage\times 1.25)$$

$$Max\ Hit_{Keris,\ critical}=floor(Base\ Damage)\times 3$$

This results in the maximum documented hit (outside of certain parts of quests) of 1,350 using Keris. A player with 99 strength can hit up to 1,320 on assigned Kalphites, using the best strength equipment, the Piety prayer, a black mask or a slayer helmet, and drinking an extreme strength potion.

The Saradomin sword's special attack hit up to an extra 150 magic-based damage:

$$Max\ Hit_{Saradomin\ sword}=floor(Base\ Damage)+150$$

Dragon claws' special attack, in the best case scenario, will deal $$Max\ hit*2 \pm 1$$ damage - via four hits of $$Max\ hit, Max hit/2, Max\ hit/4, Max\ hit/4 \pm 1$$.

Balmung, In theory, it is able to hit up to 5,000 when used with extreme potions, the Turmoil Curse and slayer helm with Dagannoths as a task. As of 20/12/09, the highest hit seen with Balmung is 1,060 (before the Constitution update, and taking into account Constitution's effect).

Only one of the salve amulet ((e)) or black mask (or related helms) are active at one time - the highest.

During quests/activities
In the Dungeon of Tolna during A Soul's Bane quest, players could hit up to 2,000 on monsters in the rage room, however that damage is simply a player's normal damage times twenty, and doesn't give any experience.

When touching the Stone of Jas, all the combat stats excluding prayer will be boosted to 255. In this case, the max hit is currently unknown. Theoretically it is 2,300+ using the Dharoks special, however, since touching the stone also makes your life points always stay at 2,550, it would not work.

In the Barbarian Assault activity you can hit a possible of your max hit +50 if your attacker level is 5 on the penance rangers and fighters.

During the 2009 Thanksgiving event, you could hit up to 199 hit points (before update) with anything on the turkeys. During the 2010 Thanksgiving event, you could hit up to 1990 LP.

The highest possible hit against another player is in the safe activity Castle Wars. Using the prayer Turmoil, and the potions Extreme attack and Extreme strength. With the equipment: Vesta's chainbody, Vesta's plateskirt, Dragon Boots, Amulet of strength, Berserker ring (i), Castlewar brace and an Armadyl Godsword, the special attack can hit 1066 (impossible to survive unless the player is using one of various boosts to increase their maximum Life Points) on a player holding a flag. Under the same conditions, it is also possible to hit a 560-560 using a dragon dagger. Also, even higher hits have been recorded in Castle Wars; with the use of the Armadyl Godsword, Profound Platebody and legs, Barrows RFD Gloves, Dragon boots, Berserker ring (i), and an Amulet of Strength, hits up to 1169 (and higher)have been recorded against players wearing Pernix body and chaps (Note that Virtus and Torva soak melee damage.)