OSRS Dragonbane Weapons Explained: Lance, Crossbow & Wand

Facing down the fiery breath and tough scales of Gielinor's dragons? You'll want the right tools for the job! Dragonbane weapons are a special class of equipment designed specifically to make slaying draconic foes significantly easier and faster.

This guide explains what Dragonbane weapons are, covers the three main options – the Dragon Hunter Lance, Dragon Hunter Crossbow, and Dragon Hunter Wand – detailing their stats, effects, and how to obtain them.

What Makes a Weapon Dragonbane?

The defining feature of a Dragonbane weapon is its powerful passive effect:

  • Increased Accuracy & Damage: When used against draconic creatures, these weapons provide a substantial boost to both accuracy and damage.
  • Specificity: This effect only applies to dragons and similar draconic monsters (e.g., Wyverns, Wyrms, Hydras, Great Olm, Skeletal Wyverns, Brutal Dragons, Vorkath, KBD, metal dragons).
  • Exclusions: The bonus does NOT work against Elvarg (from Dragon Slayer I) or Revenant Dragons.
  • Stacking: The damage/accuracy bonus stacks multiplicatively with Void Knight gear and Salve Amulets, but additively with the Slayer Helmet (i).

The Dragonbane Arsenal

1. Dragon Hunter Lance (Melee)

  • Requires: 78 Attack, Completion of Barbarian Training (Fishing, Firemaking, Smithing sections), Tai Bwo Wannai Trio.
  • Obtained: Combine a Hydra Claw (from Alchemical Hydra) with a Zamorakian Hasta. This process is irreversible.
  • Stats: +85 Stab / +65 Slash / +65 Crush Attack, +70 Strength. (4-tick speed).
  • Dragonbane Effect: +20% Accuracy and +20% Damage vs draconic creatures.
  • Use Cases: Best-in-slot melee weapon against nearly all dragons where melee is viable (Vorkath, Rune/Adamant Dragons, Olm melee hand, KBD, Brutal Black Dragons). Its high stab bonus also makes it effective generally. Acts as a Zamorak item in GWD.

2. Dragon Hunter Crossbow (Ranged)

  • Requires: 70 Ranged.
  • Obtained: Rare reward from the Chambers of Xeric raid.
  • Stats: +95 Ranged Attack. (5-tick speed Rapid). Uses crossbow bolts up to Dragon.
  • Dragonbane Effect: +30% Ranged Accuracy and +25% Ranged Damage vs draconic creatures. (Note: Bonuses were adjusted post-release).
  • Use Cases: Best-in-slot ranged weapon against dragons where ranged is effective (Vorkath, Adamant/Rune Dragons, Olm head phase, KBD, Brutal Black Dragons). Significantly outperforms other crossbows in these scenarios. Can be combined with KBD/Vorkath heads (with CA rewards) for cosmetic variants.

3. Dragon Hunter Wand (Magic)

  • Requires: 65 Magic.
  • Obtained: Rare reward from The Hueycoatl group boss in Varlamore.
  • Stats: +16 Magic Attack, +16 Magic Defence, +10% Magic Damage bonus. (5-tick speed autocast). Can autocast Standard spellbook combat spells.
  • Dragonbane Effect: +50% Magic Accuracy and +20% Magic Damage vs draconic creatures.
  • Use Cases: Best-in-slot magic weapon against dragons specifically weak to magic (e.g., Brutal Blue/Green/Red Dragons, potentially useful at Olm depending on setup). Offers a magic-based dragon-slaying option where previously none existed with a specific bonus.

Choosing the Right Weapon

  • Melee Encounters: Dragon Hunter Lance is almost always the best choice if melee is viable and the target is draconic.
  • Ranged Encounters: Dragon Hunter Crossbow is the clear winner for ranged-focused dragon fights.
  • Magic Encounters: Dragon Hunter Wand excels where magic is the preferred style against draconic foes, particularly those with lower magic defence where the accuracy boost shines.

Conclusion

Dragonbane weapons are essential tools for any player frequently engaging with Old School RuneScape's powerful draconic monsters. The significant accuracy and damage boosts provided by the Lance, Crossbow, and Wand drastically improve kill speeds and efficiency against these tough foes. Whether raiding the Chambers of Xeric, battling Vorkath, or facing the fiery Hueycoatl, having the right Dragonbane weapon makes a world of difference.

Looking to obtain these powerful weapons? Prepare for the Chambers of Xeric or the Alchemical Hydra with help from our OSRS PvM Services. Fund your gear upgrades with OSRS Gold and tackle Varlamore's challenges like the Hueycoatl!