Perk builds

Perk builds combine equipped perks for a combat style or activity. Start with a small core, then add damage, healing or utility as you earn points. You have six active slots; a set bonus does not use another slot.

Set up a build

1. Return to home and open Sarim Perks.
2. Unlock the perks you want, then press Equip on each one. Owned perks do nothing until equipped.
3. Check the set panel to see which bonuses your equipped perks activate.
4. Choose + Save loadout and give the build a short name. Click that saved name to use it later at home.

You can save five loadouts. They use each perk's current level, so upgrading a perk also improves saved builds that include it.

First perk and early points

Outside Gridmaster, your free first unlock gives one perk at level 5. Choose it for the style or skill you plan to use most:

Goal	Free choice	Get next
Melee against monsters	Speedy Strikes	Weaponmaster for Warpath; 7 points to unlock.
Ranged against monsters	Deadeye	Overdrive for Killshot if you use a damaging ranged special; 8 points to unlock.
Magic against monsters	Arcane Dominion	Spellweaver for Arcane Resonance; 9 points to unlock.
Gathering	Lumberjack, Master Angler or Prospector for the skill you use	The other two to activate Polymath; 6 points each to unlock.

Later purchases start at level 1. A set only needs its required perks equipped, so you can use the core before upgrading everything to level 5. Earn more points from Sarim Achievements, Combat Achievements and new collection-log uniques. All six slots are available from the start.

Combat cores

These combinations work against monsters. Choose the style that fits your weapon and the fight.

Style	Equip first	How to use it
Melee	Weaponmaster + Speedy Strikes	Activates Warpath. Keep attacking the same target with the same melee style to build damage stacks. Switching target or style clears them.
Ranged	Deadeye + Overdrive	Activates Killshot. Land a damaging ranged special, then use a normal ranged attack on the same target within 10 seconds. The normal attack consumes the mark even if it misses.
Magic	Arcane Dominion + Spellweaver	Activates Arcane Resonance. Spellweaver echoes build Magic damage stacks on the same target. Keep attacking to benefit before they expire.

For the ranged core, bring a weapon with a ranged special attack. If you do not use one, Deadeye still helps ranged attacks, but Killshot will not activate during the fight.

Fill the remaining slots

A combat core uses two slots. The following four perks make a useful general monster-fighting setup:

• Bloodbound can heal you from damaging attacks.
• Aftershock can add extra hits. Together with Bloodbound it activates Crimson Pact for bleed damage.
• Juggernaut reduces and reflects damage from monster attacks.
• Devotion reduces Prayer drain. Together with Bloodbound it activates Sanguine Devotion for chances to restore Prayer.

For example, a melee loadout is Weaponmaster, Speedy Strikes, Bloodbound, Aftershock, Juggernaut and Devotion. For ranged or Magic, replace the first two with that style's core. These are starting examples; swap a perk when the activity needs something else.

Keep food, Prayer supplies and the correct protection prayers. Perk healing and Prayer restoration depend on triggers and do not replace supplies.

Activity swaps

Activity	Consider equipping	Why
Slayer	Executioner	More accuracy, damage and Slayer XP on task, plus healing from eligible kills.
Raids	Raider	More damage and damage reduction in raids, with improved unique reward chances.
Wilderness monsters	Wildstalker	More accuracy, damage and damage reduction against Wilderness NPCs. It does not help against other players.

Replace one of the four supporting perks to keep your two-perk combat core. If you remove Aftershock or Devotion, you also lose the set bonus that needs it.

Gathering build

Equip Lumberjack, Master Angler and Prospector to activate Polymath. Each perk applies to its own skill; Polymath strengthens eligible skilling bonuses.

• Lumberjack can bank logs and keep trees from depleting. Use ::lumberjack fletch, ::lumberjack burn or ::lumberjack off to choose processing. You still need the relevant Fletching or Firemaking level.
• Master Angler can cook and bank catches. Normal Cooking levels and burn chances apply. This automatic cooking and banking does not work for Ultimate Ironmen.
• Prospector can bank ordinary ore and keep rocks from depleting. Gem rocks and rocky outcrops are excluded from auto-banking.

Three different eligible Profession perks activate Polymath, so you can replace gathering perks for another training session. Taking It On The Chin does not count towards that set.

Upgrading and changing builds

Upgrade the perk that helps the activity you are doing. Use How it works in the menu, or the full perk tables, to compare levels and point costs.

Heavy Hitter increases damage but adds two ticks to attacks. Check attack speed before combining it with a speed perk.

Save separate combat and skilling loadouts so you can change quickly at home. Item perks on equipment use a separate system and do not take player-perk slots.

See also

• Perks Menu
• First day
• Collection log
• Item Workbench