Defence

Defence is a

Defence

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Combat

skill. It is one of three skills (along with

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Hitpoints

and

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Prayer

) that is used when determining a player or monster's Combat Level, regardless of what combat style they are strongest with. A higher Defence level increases the player's evasion ratings in combat, which lowers a monster's chance to hit. Defence does not affect the damage dealt by a successful attack, which is mostly a factor of Damage Reduction. As it results in fewer hits against the player, however, a higher Defence level can help reduce food usage in combat. Defence has no effect in

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Thieving

.

Most Melee-focused armour requires a certain Defence level to be equipped.

Mechanics

The Defence skill increases the player's melee, ranged, and magic evasion ratings. For details on how Evasion Rating is calculated, refer to the Evasion Rating section on the

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Combat

page.

Gaining Defence XP

Defence XP can be earned in combat with any of the three combat styles by selecting the appropriate attack style:

While using
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Melee, choose the "Block" attack style
While using
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Ranged, choose the "Longrange" attack style
While using
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Magic, choose the "Defensive" attack style

Defence XP gained is based on damage dealt to an enemy, not damage taken by the player. When using the Block attack style, 0.4 Defence XP is awarded per point of damage done. When using the Longrange or Defensive attack styles, 0.2 Defence XP is awarded per point of damage done, with another 0.2 XP per point of damage going to Ranged or Magic, respectively.

Skill Level Unlocks

Increasing the Defence skill allows the player to equip more powerful Melee-focused armour. The player's accuracy rating when using the

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Block

attack style scales with Defence level, as does the player's evasion rating against all attack styles.

Error creating thumbnail: File missing Level	Unlocks
1	Wear Bronze Armour Wear Iron Armour Wear Mirror Shield Wear (B) Bronze Helmet Wear (B) Bronze Platebody Wear (B) Bronze Platelegs Wear (B) Iron Helmet Wear (B) Iron Platebody Wear (B) Iron Platelegs
5	Wear Steel Armour Wear Barrier Touch Shield Heavy Boots Wear (B) Steel Helmet Wear (B) Steel Platebody Wear (B) Steel Platelegs
10	Wear Black Armour Wear (B) Black Helmet Wear (B) Black Platebody Wear (B) Black Platelegs Build Error creating thumbnail: File missing Pipe Climb in Obstacle 3 (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 10)
20	Wear (G) Crystal Boots Wear (G) Crystal Helmet Wear (G) Crystal Platebody Wear (G) Crystal Platelegs Wear (G) Crystal Shield Wear (S) Crystal Boots Wear (S) Crystal Helmet Wear (S) Crystal Platebody Wear (S) Crystal Platelegs Wear (S) Crystal Shield Wear Mithril Armour Wear Crystal Boots Wear Crystal Defender Wear Crystal Gloves Wear Crystal Helmet Wear Crystal Platebody Wear Crystal Platelegs Wear Crystal Shield Aranite Platebody Aranite Shield Wear (B) Mithril Helmet Wear (B) Mithril Platebody Wear (B) Mithril Platelegs Wear (C) Mithril Helmet Wear (C) Mithril Platebody Wear (C) Mithril Platelegs
30	Wear Adamant Armour Wear Melee Slayer Gear (Strong) (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 30) Wear (B) Adamant Helmet Wear (B) Adamant Platebody Wear (B) Adamant Platelegs Wear (C) Adamant Helmet Wear (C) Adamant Platebody Wear (C) Adamant Platelegs
35	Wear Earth Wall Shield
40	Wear Rune Armour Wear Barrier Sapping Shield Wear Ice Armor (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 40) Wear Miolite Armour (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 40) Wear Unholy Platebody (m) (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 40) Wear (B) Rune Helmet Wear (B) Rune Platebody Wear (B) Rune Platelegs Wear (C) Rune Helmet Wear (C) Rune Platebody Wear (C) Rune Platelegs
45	Elusive Boots (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 45)
60	Wear (G) Pure Crystal Boots Wear (G) Pure Crystal Helmet Wear (G) Pure Crystal Platebody Wear (G) Pure Crystal Platelegs Wear (G) Pure Crystal Shield Wear Dragon Armour Wear (S) Pure Crystal Boots Wear (S) Pure Crystal Helmet Wear (S) Pure Crystal Platebody Wear (S) Pure Crystal Platelegs Wear (S) Pure Crystal Shield Wear Pure Crystal Boots Wear Pure Crystal Defender Wear Pure Crystal Gloves Wear Pure Crystal Helmet Wear Pure Crystal Platebody Wear Pure Crystal Platelegs Wear Pure Crystal Shield Wear Recoil Shield Wear Sand Treaders Wear Melee Slayer Gear (Elite) (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 60) Consuming Shield (m) (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 48) Wear (B) Dragon Helmet Wear (B) Dragon Platebody Wear (B) Dragon Platelegs Wear (C) Dragon Helmet Wear (C) Dragon Platebody Wear (C) Dragon Platelegs
65	Wear Cursed Platebody (m) (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 65)
70	Wear Ancient Armour Wear Barrier Burn Shield Wear Dragonfire Shield Wear (B) Ancient Helmet Wear (B) Ancient Platebody Wear (B) Ancient Platelegs Wear (C) Ancient Helmet Wear (C) Ancient Platebody Wear (C) Ancient Platelegs Build Error creating thumbnail: File missing Spike Jump in Obstacle 8 (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 70)
80	Wear Melee Slayer Gear (Master) (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 80) Darksteel Shield
85	Wear Devouring Barrier Shield Wear Earth Layered Shield Wear Ragnar God Armour Wear Ragnar God Boots (B) Wear Ragnar God Boots (C) Wear Ragnar God Helmet (B) Wear Ragnar God Helmet (C) Wear Ragnar God Platebody (B) Wear Ragnar God Platebody (C) Wear Ragnar God Platelegs (B) Wear Ragnar God Platelegs (C) Wear Relentless Fury Gloves Wear Spiked Shell Gloves Wear Terran God Armour Wear Terran God Boots (B) Wear Terran God Boots (C) Wear Terran God Helmet (B) Wear Terran God Helmet (C) Wear Terran God Platebody (B) Wear Terran God Platebody (C) Wear Terran God Platelegs (B) Wear Terran God Platelegs (C)
90	Golden Trowel (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 118)
95	Relic Shield Build Error creating thumbnail: File missing Dragon Fight in Obstacle 10 (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 95, Error creating thumbnail: File missing 95, Error creating thumbnail: File missing 95)
99	Wear Defence Skillcape Wear Maximum Skillcape (requires level 99 in all skills) Wear Shield of Melee Power
100	Wear Corundum Armour (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wear Melee Slayer Gear (Legendary) (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 100, Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wield Dark Blade Defender (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 100, Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wield Heated Fury 2H Hammer (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 100, Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Build Error creating thumbnail: File missing Pipe Maze in Obstacle 11 (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 100, Error creating thumbnail: File missing 100)
105	Wear Augite Armour (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared)
108	Wear Meteorite Armour (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared)
110	Wear Divine Armour (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wear Burning Protection Platelegs (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wear Freezing Touch Body (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wear Frostspark Boots (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 110, Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wear Leviathan Shield (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wear Lightning Boots (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wear Melee Slayer Gear (Mythical) (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 110, Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wear Ward of Flame Platebody (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Build Error creating thumbnail: File missing Freezing Climb in Obstacle 14 (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 110, Error creating thumbnail: File missing 110)
112	Wear Blazing Helmet (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared) Wear Mask of Madness (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared)
115	Wield Ethereal Greataxe (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 115, Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared)
120	Wear Superior Defence Skillcape Wear Superior Max Skillcape (requires level 120 in all skills) Wear Vorloran Protector Armour (requires Error creating thumbnail: File missing 120, Error creating thumbnail: File missing 120, Error creating thumbnail: File missing cleared)

Skillcapes

Regular Skillcape

The Defence Skillcape is the skillcape for the Defence skill. It can be purchased for 1,000,000 from the Shop once the player reaches

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Level 99

in the Defence skill. The Defence Skillcape offers the following benefits when worn:

+80 All Defence Bonuses

Superior Skillcape

The Superior Defence Skillcape is the superior skillcape for the Defence skill. It can be purchased for 10,000,000 from the Shop once the player reaches

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Level 120

in the Defence skill.

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Level 120

can only be reached if the player owns the Throne of the Herald expansion. Likewise, the superior skillcape can only be purchased if the player owns this expansion. The superior skillcape offers the following benefits when worn:

+5% Reflect Damage

Pet

This skill's pet can be unlocked by performing any action that provides Defence XP.

Pet	Name	DLC	Effect
Error creating thumbnail: File missing	Leonardo		+1% Damage Reduction