Proper cannon usage becomes available at Level 28 Sailing, when you unlock the ability to build a bronze cannon. Cannons must be physically built onto RuneScape gold your raft or skiff, and you'll need a steady supply of cannonballs to use them. Cannonballs can be carried in your inventory or stored in your ship's cargo hold, where they conveniently stack.

Once you've met the requirements, combat at sea becomes a matter of lining up shots and managing your ship's position during the fight.

Cannon Targeting and Positioning

To fire your cannon, the target sea monster must be positioned correctly relative to your ship. Cannons can only fire within a 180-degree forward-facing arc and have a maximum range of 15 tiles. If a monster drifts outside this arc or slips behind your cannon, you won't be able to attack until you reposition your ship.

This makes positioning one of the most important skills in ship combat. Sea monsters often move unpredictably, and once struck, they will begin advancing toward your ship. You'll need to adjust your heading continuously to keep the cannon facing the enemy while avoiding unnecessary damage.

Because prayers provide no benefits in ship combat, maintaining good angles and distance becomes your primary form of defense.

Damage, Experience, and Looting

When a cannonball successfully hits a sea monster, combat fully engages. Each hit rewards you with Sailing experience equal to the damage dealt, making combat an effective way to train the skill. Additionally, every cannon shot also grants Ranged experience, even though the cannon replaces traditional ranged weapons.

Once a sea monster is defeated, it leaves behind a corpse floating in the water. Looting works differently than on land. You can either:

Throw a net to haul the corpse onto your ship, or

Pick it up directly if it drifts close enough to your vessel

Loot varies by monster and tier but generally includes resources, Sailing-related items, and valuable trade goods.

Ship Damage and Repairs

Every fight at sea comes with risk, as your ship can take damage during combat. Ship health functions similarly to player health, but repairs require specific tools. To restore durability, you'll need repair kits, which act much like food does during standard combat-used mid-fight to recover lost health.

If your raft or skiff reaches zero health, the consequences are severe. You and any crew members will be sent back to your chosen respawn dock point, and all cargo stored on the ship is lost. On top of that, the ship becomes broken and cannot be used again until it's repaired by a shipwright.

Because of this, keeping repair kits on hand and retreating when necessary is a critical part of surviving higher-tier ocean encounters.

Setting Your Respawn Point

Respawn points are handled differently while sailing. Instead of defaulting to a land-based respawn, you can choose where you'll return if your ship is destroyed.

To do this, interact with a buoy at your selected pier and choose the Dock option. This sets that location as your respawn point for ship combat. Choosing a dock close to your current activities can save significant time if something goes wrong.

Cannon Requirements for Ocean Combat

Before you can engage any sea monsters in Sailing, your ship must meet several requirements. These apply regardless of the enemy's tier:

A built cannon is installed on your raft or skiff

A supply of cannonballs, either in your inventory or cargo hold

A crew member with a Privateering level that meets or exceeds the cannon's requirement

It's also important to note that Ava's devices do not retrieve cannonballs fired from ship cannons. Every shot consumes ammunition permanently, so managing your supply is essential during longer voyages.

Final Tips for Sailing Combat

Ship combat rewards preparation and awareness more than raw stats. Keep your cannon lined up, manage distance carefully, and always monitor your ship's health during encounters. As you face stronger ocean enemies, mistakes become more costly, and recovery options grow limited. A large amount of RuneScape gold can also be very helpful.

Mastering these fundamentals will prepare you for all tiers of sea monsters and make Sailing one of the most rewarding-and profitable-skills to train in OSRS.ny of the newest training methods currently available in OSRS, covering combat, skilling, and gathering. While exact experience rates will vary depending on gear and levels, these methods provide fresh alternatives to long-standing metas and give players more freedom to train the way they enjoy most.

Combat and Slayer: Griffins and Frost Dragons

One of the standout combat additions comes from regular griffins, a lesser variant of the Shellbane Griffin. Unlike their larger counterpart, these griffins don't require a Tortugan Shield, but players must maintain at least 30 equipped weight to avoid being pushed back. They are fragile enemies, especially when attacked with stab weapons or air spells.

With solid gear and stats, players can defeat over 300 griffins per hour, resulting in approximately 35,000 Slayer XP per hour, making them a solid mid-to-high-level Slayer option.

Another major highlight is Frost Dragons, which offer a relaxed but rewarding training experience. Despite having no Slayer level requirement, they can be assigned by Neive or Duradel once the relevant quests are completed. Their 100% weakness to fire spells makes them ideal for magic training, especially when using a Dragon Hunter Wand and Tome of Fire.

At peak efficiency, Frost Dragons can provide around 125,000 Magic XP per hour, along with 37,000 Slayer XP per hour on-task. Their drops remain in high demand, making them a great blend of profit and experience.

Prayer Training: New Bones, Same Rules

The introduction of buy OSRS gold Strikeworm Bones and Frosted Dragon Bones added new Prayer training options, but cost-efficiency remains a concern. While Strikeworm Bones can offer around 210,000 XP per hour at a gilded altar, they are currently less efficient than standard dragon bones.