We’ve all stood there once—a newcomer in Lumbridge, watching in awe as a veteran warrior strode past in their formidable Slayer helmet, an Abyssal whip coiled at their hip. That silent promise whispers to every adventurer: “Someday, that will be me.” The path of the Slayer is more than a skill; it’s a pilgrimage through the most dangerous corners of Gielinor, a journey that forges casual adventurers into seasoned monster hunters. It transforms aimless combat into purposeful conquest, each assigned task another step toward joining the legends of this world.
This OSRS (Old School RuneScape) guide is designed to walk you through the best task and build from early to end game for slayer.
The Slayer Masters
The relationship between a Slayer and their Master is one of mutual respect. These seasoned veterans have stood where you stand now, and they know exactly which assignments will test your limits and which will forge you into something greater. Choosing your Master wisely is the first strategic decision on this journey.
The golden rule is simple: always use the highest-level Slayer Master your combat level allows . These masters assign tougher monsters in greater quantities, but the experience and point rewards justify the challenge.
Your journey will see you progressing through these masters. Start with Vannaka at 40 Combat, move to Chaeldar at 70, then Nieve at 85, making Duradel your ultimate home once you meet his requirements . The proximity of Nieve to a bank and teleport makes her exceptionally convenient, while Duradel’s task list is meticulously crafted for maximum Slayer experience per hour .
The Slayer Build
Walking into a cave of Aberrant Spectres without a Nose Peg, or facing Dust Devils without a Facemask, is a lesson you only learn once. The path demands preparation, and the right gear separates the veterans from the victims.
Essential Slayer Equipment Progression
Your gear should evolve alongside your prowess. Here’s how to equip yourself for the journey:
The Slayer-Specific Toolkit
Beyond standard combat gear, certain items are non-negotiable:
- Slayer Helmet (i): Your single most important upgrade. This helmet combines the effects of all Slayer headgear and the Black Mask, providing that crucial 16.67% damage and accuracy boost while protecting you from specific monster effects . Upgrade from a Black Mask as soon as you can afford the 400 point unlock .
- Dwarven Multicannon: The ultimate experience accelerator. While expensive to operate, it dramatically increases experience rates on cannonable tasks like Dagannoths, Kalphites, and Suqahs . Unlocked via the Dwarf Cannon quest .
- Bracelet of Slaughter & Expeditious Bracelet: These enchanted bracelets are tactical tools. Use the Bracelet of Slaughter to extend high-experience tasks (like Dust Devils or Nechryaels), and the Expeditious Bracelet to quickly finish undesirable assignments .
- Transportation Network: Fairy Rings (from Fairytale II), Slayer Rings (crafted after a 300-point unlock), and a well-stocked Player-Owned House with teleports are indispensable for minimizing downtime between kills .
Spending Slayer Points
Slayer points are your lifeblood, the currency of convenience and efficiency. How you spend them can shorten your journey to 99 by dozens of hours. The recent 2025 updates have made early progression smoother by increasing point rewards from lower-level masters and reducing unlock costs .
Follow this priority list for your hard-earned points:
- Bigger and Badder (50 Points): Your absolute first purchase. This unlock gives a chance for Superior monsters to spawn, which offer massive experience drops and a chance at valuable unique items like the Imbued Heart .
- Slayer Helmet (400 Points): While costly, this is a mandatory upgrade for any serious Slayer. The convenience and power boost are immeasurable .
- Block Tasks: Use your block slots strategically on common, slow, and undesirable tasks. Each Master now has their own block list, allowing for precise customization .
- Slayer Rings (150 Points): The cost for this unlock was recently halved. These rings provide incredibly useful teleports to key locations .
- Extend High-XP Tasks: Once your core setup is complete, invest in extending your best tasks—particularly those you can burst or cannon, like Dust Devils, Nechryaels, and Smoke Devils .
Sample Block List for Duradel/Nieve
- Suqah (High weight, mediocre XP)
- Drakes & Wyrms (Generally slow kills)
- Spiritual Creatures (Crowded, often not worth the time)
- Black Demons (Slow without specific methods; good for bossing later)
- Gargoyles (Profit task, but slow experience)
- Trolls (Often low experience rates)
Best Slyer Tasks for Experience
The rhythm of Slayer becomes a meditation—the familiar travel routes, the setup, the methodical execution. Here are the tasks that will form the backbone of your journey to 99.
Maximum Experience Rates
- Smoke Devils: When barraged in their cave with a cannon, you can achieve rates exceeding 150,000 Slayer XP per hour . This is the task you dream of, requiring 93 Slayer.
- Dust Devils: Accessible at 65 Slayer, Bursting them in the Catacombs of Kourend can yield around 100,000 XP per hour while often being profitable . Always extend this task.
- Nechryaels: Unlocked at 80 Slayer, these are another fantastic bursting task in the Catacombs, also offering approximately 100,000 XP per hour . Their superiors are particularly lucrative.
- Mutated Bloodvelds: Found in the Catacombs or Meiyerditch Labs, these are excellent cannon tasks yielding 80,000-100,000 XP/hour . Their high hitpoints and low defense make them ideal for rapid experience.
Good Experience with Benefits
- Abyssal Demons (85 Slayer): A rite of passage. While not the fastest experience, the chance at an Abyssal Whip drop makes them perpetually engaging and profitable .
- Gargoyles (75 Slayer): Requiring a Rock Hammer or Rock Thrownhammer to finish, they offer decent experience and consistent profit from their alchable drops .
- Kraken (87 Slayer): The ultimate AFK task. With virtually no risk and the coveted Trident of the Seas drop, this is a relaxing and profitable assignment, though not fast for experience .
Final Thoghts
The journey to 99 Slayer is a marathon, not a sprint. It will test your patience, your resources, and your willpower. But it is also one of the most rewarding journeys in all of Gielinor.
You’ll know you’ve transformed when the once-daunting caves become familiar territory, when you instinctively know which potions to pack for a Hellhound task, and when the teleport routes to the Catacombs of Kourend are as familiar as the path from Lumbridge to Varrock.