The Old School RuneScape (OSRS) Leagues have always brought excitement to the game, offering unique challenges, mechanics, and rewards. My previous Leagues experience ended abruptly after obtaining a Twisted Bow (yes, I got one and quit shortly after—go figure). But this time, I’m diving back in with a fresh perspective and renewed enthusiasm. The latest League introduces intriguing mechanics like Combat Masteries and Echo weapons, and my sights are set on one of the most powerful weapons available: the Thunder Copes. Here’s a breakdown of my experience so far.

A New League, A New Start

When this League launched, I wasn’t expecting the rush of nostalgia and excitement to hit as hard as it did. The appeal of Combat Masteries—progression systems tied to completing specific combat-related tasks—adds a strategic layer to character development. And, of course, the Echo weapons are a total game-changer. These special items grant significant power boosts tailored to specific playstyles.

From the outset, I planned my approach carefully. Thunder Copes, which cater to melee builds, became my primary goal. Despite being tempted by a ranged focus (hello, Dragon Blowpipe!), I decided to invest heavily OSRS gold in melee, allocating my Combat Mastery points accordingly. The journey to obtain these weapons wasn’t straightforward, but the grind felt rewarding.

The Early Grind: Relics and Regions

Nobody wants to hear about the repetitive tasks of the League’s first hour, so I’ll skip to the juicy part: unlocking my first region and Relic. My strategy began with selecting Friendly Forger, which solved my Herblore issues early on. Long-term, though, I knew I wanted Dodgy Deals for its unmatched versatility. While Golden God was tempting for its prayer and magic benefits, Dodgy Deals offered more flexibility for my endgame goals, particularly with my Wilderness-focused plans.

Unlocking the Wilderness as my second region may have seemed like a risky choice, but it opened up opportunities for high-value loot, unique tasks, and a chance to farm resources like lava dragon bones. The region has its dangers, but the potential rewards outweigh the risks.

Progressing Through Combat Masteries

Combat Masteries required me to complete specific milestones to earn points. For instance, defeating giants—Hill, Moss, or Fire—earned my first Mastery. With these points, I funneled upgrades into melee, laying the foundation for my Thunder Copes build.

One of my favorite changes in this League is the universal ammunition preservation mechanic. Regardless of your Combat Mastery, you no longer lose arrows, bolts, or runes. This small adjustment is a massive quality-of-life improvement, making tasks smoother and less resource-intensive.

To reach my second Mastery, I had to kill ten monsters with over 100 combat levels. Farming these kills with efficient setups and respawning enemies made this milestone less tedious than expected.

Relic Power: Clue Compass

When it comes to Relics, Clue Compass stands out as one of the most practical choices. It offers teleportation benefits that drastically speed up clue scroll completion. I managed to amass a stack of 162 easy clue scrolls in just 10 minutes using the Relic’s AoE pickpocket ability. Sorting through them was tedious, but I walked away with 94 completed caskets and over 600 points.

Clue hunting during Leagues feels far more rewarding than in the main game. The flood of unique items and rapid task completion made the process enjoyable, even if most of the loot was mediocre.

Tackling the Wilderness

Venturing into the Wilderness was a mix of exhilaration and chaos. Between dodging player-killers and farming valuable resources, I managed to rack up decent progress. A free steel platebody spawn in the lava maze became a lifesaver early on, although competition for the spot was fierce.

Despite connection hiccups—thank you, Jagex servers—I survived long enough to secure crucial milestones, such as crafting diamond jewelry for upgrades. Diamonds enabled me to purchase a Dragon Dagger and Dragon Longsword, pivotal weapons for progressing through mid-tier tasks.

The Wilderness also allowed me to farm lava dragon bones, which catapulted my prayer level to unlock overheads with minimal effort. Completing the Mage Arena for a God Cape was another significant milestone, helping me round out my combat versatility.

The Thunder Copes Grind

With the groundwork laid, my focus shifted entirely to acquiring the Thunder Copes. This melee Echo weapon promises devastating power, but getting there meant grinding through several intermediate goals. I needed to ensure my melee stats were high enough to maximize its potential.

One of the key challenges was farming combat gear. My Rune Crossbow drop came on the final kill count, a nail-biting moment that reaffirmed my luck. From there, I began stockpiling Rune bolts to prepare for tougher tasks and bosses.

Climbing Toward the Endgame

As my stats grew, so did my ambitions. Unlocking a new region became the next priority, with Tirannwn as my target. While not ready to dive into the region immediately, I planned to train my stats and farm Slayer tasks in preparation.

Slayer offered a steady stream of points, resources, and tasks, but I still indulged in clue scrolls for variety. The Relics made teleportation and task completion almost trivial, so I could grind at a pace that didn’t feel overwhelming.

Reflections and Future Goals

This League has been an absolute blast so far. The combination of Combat Masteries, Echo weapons, and Relics has revitalized the OSRS experience for me. While I’ve made significant progress, the journey isn’t over. My next goals include:

1. Securing Thunder Copes: This remains my top priority, and I’m confident I’ll have them soon with my current trajectory.

2. Maxing Combat Stats: Reaching base 60 combat stats is just the beginning. My ultimate aim is 99s in melee to unleash the full potential of Thunder Copes.

3. Slayer Relic: Choosing this Relic may be risky, but I’m eager to push my limits in Slayer tasks for points and rewards.

Conclusion

Leagues bring a unique flavor to OSRS that makes the grind feel fresh and rewarding. From planning my Relics to diving headfirst into the Wilderness, every step of this journey has been packed with excitement. While challenges remain, I’m ready to tackle them head-on.

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