DPS per GP: Which OSRS Gear Upgrades Give the Best Returns?

This guide breaks down the best cost-efficient gear upgrades in 2025 across melee, ranged, and magic, with examples, tables, and upgrade paths.In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), upgrading gear is often about balance: you want the biggest damage per second (DPS) boost without draining your entire gold stack. That’s where the concept of DPS per GP comes in. By looking at how much extra DPS an item gives compared to how much gold it costs, you can figure out which upgrades are truly worth it.

How to Calculate DPS per GP

The formula is simple: DPS per GP=DPS GainItem Cost in GP\text{DPS per GP} = \frac{\text{DPS Gain}}{\text{Item Cost in GP}}

• DPS Gain = Difference in DPS between new gear and current gear.
• GP Cost = Market price difference between the two items.

For example, if upgrading from a Dragon Scimitar to Osmumten’s Fang increases your DPS by 0.8 at a cost of 20M GP, then your return is 0.04 DPS per million GP.

You can test your own setups with interactive tools like the OSRS DPS Calculator for Slayer Tasks or the OSRS Wiki DPS Calc. For accuracy-based upgrades, the OSRS Hit Chance Calculator is also helpful.

Best Value Gear Upgrades by Budget Tier

Budget Tier 1: Under 5M GP

These upgrades give the highest DPS for the lowest GP cost, perfect for mid-game accounts.

• Berserker Ring (i) – A staple melee upgrade; huge strength bonus for a small investment.
• Occult Necklace – Affordable magic DPS boost.
• Toxic Blowpipe with Amethyst Darts – Extremely strong ranged DPS per GP.

Item	Approx. Cost	DPS Gain	DPS/GP Value
Berserker Ring (i)	3.5M	+0.5 DPS	High
Occult Necklace	500k	+2% Magic DPS	Very High
Blowpipe (Amethyst darts)	4M	+1.2 DPS	High

Budget Tier 2: 5M–50M GP

When you have more GP to spend, these upgrades become efficient without reaching into endgame costs.

• Blood Moon Armor – Comparable melee strength to Bandos, at a fraction of the price.
• Necklace of Anguish – Big ranged accuracy and strength boost.
• Osmumten’s Fang – Fantastic PvM weapon with strong accuracy and DPS scaling.

For testing how much value these give in Slayer or PvM, the OSRS Boss DPS Calculator is ideal.

Budget Tier 3: 50M+ GP (Late Game)

At this point, DPS per GP begins to diminish, but upgrades are still valuable if you want to min-max.

• Bow of Faerdhinen – Expensive but scales extremely well for ranged DPS.
• Primordial Boots – +1 strength bonus over Dragon Boots, but at a high GP cost.
• Tormented Bracelet – Strong late-game magic DPS investment.

Efficiency by Combat Style

Melee

• Berserker Ring (i) and Osmumten’s Fang deliver the most value.
• Bandos armor offers good bonuses, but alternatives like Blood Moon provide better DPS/GP early.
• For precise melee upgrades, use the OSRS Melee DPS Calculator.

Ranged

• Blowpipe with amethyst darts dominates mid-game DPS/GP efficiency.
• Necklace of Anguish offers excellent long-term returns.
• Late-game ranged: Bow of Faerdhinen is best-in-slot but costly. You can check gains with the OSRS Ranged DPS Calculator.

Magic

• Occult Necklace and Imbued God Cape are unbeatable for value.
• Tormented Bracelet is worth considering for high-end players. For setups, the OSRS Magic DPS Calculator is handy.

Case Studies: Real Examples

1. Dragon Boots → Primordial Boots
   • Cost: ~30M GP
   • DPS Gain: +1 Strength bonus
   • Low DPS/GP efficiency — not worth it until very late.
2. Berserker Ring → Berserker Ring (i)
   • Cost: ~3.5M GP
   • DPS Gain: ~+0.5 DPS
   • Very High DPS/GP efficiency — one of the best early-mid upgrades.

Tips for Maximizing DPS per GP

• Always check stat bonuses per cost before buying.
• Upgrade rings, amulets, and necklaces first — these give high returns.
• Use calculators to compare your exact setup.
• Save expensive upgrades like Primordial Boots or Faerdhinen Bow until late-game.

FAQs

1. What does DPS per GP mean in OSRS?
It measures how much damage per second you gain for each gold piece spent on an upgrade.

2. How do I calculate DPS per GP?
Subtract your old DPS from your new DPS, then divide by the upgrade cost.

3. What are the best melee DPS per GP upgrades?
Berserker Ring (i), Osmumten’s Fang, and Blood Moon armor.

4. Which ranged gear gives the best DPS per GP?
Blowpipe (with amethyst darts) and Necklace of Anguish.

5. Are expensive items like Primordial Boots worth it?
Not for efficiency. They offer small DPS gains at huge costs, best saved for late-game min-maxing.