OSRS: 7 Beginner tips to get into PvM

PvM (Player Versus Monster), often called PvE in OSRS, is the art of taking on high-level bosses to gain rare loot such as Chromium Ingots. If you've reached a high enough level and/or acquired good gear, you must be itching for a fight, which at times may not go according to plan.

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to ensure your first few fights will go better than expected or at least keep you alive. That said, here are seven useful tips you can use as a budding monster slayer.

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Here are 7 beginner tips to get into PvM in OSRS

Know your enemy - their maximum attack and patterns

Know the maximum attack damage to avoid death (Image via Jagex || YouTube/@NoLeather)

One of the things that every monster hunter/slayer should know in OSRS is the maximum attack damage that the enemy can deal. Knowing the damage threshold will allow you to deal with any situation calmly.

For instance, if the enemy can deal 40 damage maximum, and if you have 50 HP, you can take a risk and move about or attack without having to heal immediately.

Another key thing to remember is attack patterns. Before charging into the fight, try to get a basic understanding of attack patterns. This will take some time to grasp, but it will make your fight more palatable in the long run and help you conserve food and other consumables.

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Flinching and Step Under techniques will save you HP

Stepping under monsters is cheesing, but it works wonders (Image via Jagex || YouTube/@NoLeather)

Instead of dealing with an enemy head-on in OSRS, you can lead them into pathways and cause them to get stuck on obstacles. This is called "Flinching." Once the enemy is stuck behind an obstacle, their HP bar will disappear. You can again agro them for a free hit without worrying about being attacked immediately.

Another technique called "Step Under" can also be used to confuse the enemy. Instead of using natural obstacles, you can step under the enemy to stop them from attacking you. This has its risks, but when executed correctly, it will allow you to avoid being attacked for at least one round.

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Learn when to swap out gear

Gear will make a lot of difference (Image via Jagex || YouTube/@NoLeather)

One of the unique features of OSRS is the ability to swap out gear mid-fight. You can avoid doing this if you prefer one set of gear, but knowing when to switch gear can help you min-max your damage or defense against certain monsters. The hardest part about it will be figuring out how to place items in your inventory to allow you to switch gears effortlessly. This is a personal preference.

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Level up skills to the max

Level up skills that make an impact in combat (Image via Jagex || YouTube/@NoLeather)

While you may be a little impatient to get on with PvM in OSRS, you may want to take a bit of time training before diving into combat. To get every edge, you won't just need gear and food, but high levels. Consider training Attack, Strength, Defence, Mage/Range, and Prayer to better the odds of survival. These will improve aspects of your character, such as accuracy, hits, and dodge.

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Pick a world that has low/minimal lag and latency

Look for low ping to avoid lagging (Image via Jagex || YouTube/@NoLeather)

When it comes to PvM in OSRS, one of the most important things you want to take into account is the world/server you're playing on. Based on your ping, your PvM experience can go from incredibly productive to you dying without even realizing it. Hence, to optimize things, look for a world that gives you the best ping.

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Use Prayers to get an advantage

Prayers can be a life-saver at certain times (Image via Jagex || YouTube/@NoLeather)

There are numerous Prayers you can use, and it is one of the most overlooked skills in OSRS. What makes Prayers great is that there is one for every occasion. During PvM, certain Prayers can mitigate attacks, allowing you to power through the encounter without having to heal.

To make use of Prayers efficiently, you will have to memorize what each one does to rapidly flick them on/off in the heat of battle. It's best to practice this on bosses without using any gear, to learn without the fear of dying and having to come back to claim items.

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Learn from dying

Death is not the end (Image via Jagex || YouTube/@NoLeather)

While this may seem like a counterproductive beginner's tip for PvM in OSRS, it is an essential part of the process. To truly become a monster slayer, you must embrace death. No matter how good you are, you will inevitably die at least once, and that is to put things lightly. Rather than looking at death as failure, you can use it to understand what went wrong and what you can do better next time around.

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