Having the best mage gear in OSRS is absolutely key to being the most powerful spellcaster in the game.
There are, however, a bunch of mage sets in Old School RuneScape, making the decision as to which one is the top selection for your character a bit of a minefield.
What do you do if you don’t know your wizards from your mystics or what or who an Ahrim is?
We’ll be providing you with what we think are the absolute top selections around, and hopefully removing some of the hard work.
There’ll be sets to fit most budgets, and even one for those still on a free to play account, so you should be able to find at least one that suits.
Table of Contents
1. Ancestral Set
The results are in, the mages have spoken, and you’ve made it to the creme de la creme of the best mage gear in OSRS – the Ancestral set!
If you thought the 3rd Mage set was expensive then hold onto your Wizard hats because this set blows that out of the water.
It’ll set you back approximately 380m gold which is a figure not many have, certainly suggesting that this is the end of the end game equipment.
The stat boosts are nothing short of stellar though with a huge +69 to magic attack and +53 to magic defense.
You’ll receive gains in other defense stats too with a +81 in stab defense, +66 in slash defense, and +94 in crush defense
While these are great, what sets it apart from the rest is the +6% to magic damage, enhancing your hit pretty significantly.
They look amazing too, with a subtle but still magical look. You can change the colors if you have a Twisted ancestral colour kit which is a nice touch for those wanting to feel a little unique.
2. Ahrim’s Set
Running the Barrows minigame has been a go-to for those who are looking for a solid challenge while also getting the chance to pick up some pretty impressive equipment.
This is exactly where you would need to go to secure Ahrim’s set, if you don’t want to pay for it that is.
There are three pieces of armor that make up the set – Hood, Robetop, and Skirt, as well as a Staff if you want to utilize it to its full potential.
Equipping it all will net you +73 in both magic attack and defense as well as a +5% magic damage bonus, pretty insane considering the total cost.
You will need 70 attack, defense, and magic in order to use the set though so keep that in mind.
The main issue with the Ahrim’s set is that it does degrade over time essentially putting a lifespan on the gear until you need to repair it, meaning extra cost.
This is pretty annoying but it does take quite a while for it to hit zero so don’t be put off too much!
3. 3rd Age Mage Set
The 3rd Age Mage set is one of the most expensive sets and provides some of that real end-game goodness for those who are really putting work into their magic skill.
This one has three core components – the Hat, Robe Top, and Robe which when equipped offer up a +51 to both magic attack and magic defense.
This is a huge number that far exceeds that of most earlier gear.
You can bolster this even further by picking up the two final parts of the set – the Amulet and Wand.
Doing so will add another +35 to magic attack and +30 to magic defense which is pretty incredible but it does come at a serious cost implication.
Essentially, if you’ve got gold aplenty, the 3rd Age Mage set might be the absolute perfect choice but if you’re a little cash strapped, stay well away.
4. Lunar Set
The Lunar Set is the largest set in the entire game with a total of 9 pieces making up the complete package.
The core armor is made up of the Helm, Torso, Legs, Gloves, and Boots, with the additions of the Cape, Amulet, Ring, and Staff bringing it all together.
If you do get it all equipped, you’ll benefit from a +42 in magic attack and +43 in magic defense.
This places it in a similar realm to that of the Mystic set but the difference lies in the other huge pluses to stab, slash, and crush defense. You’ll gain 15 melee strength too which almost makes it a hybrid set.
You can only get this set by completing the Lunar Diplomacy quest so it does make things a little more difficult if you simply want some gear that you can simply pick up from the Grand Exchange.
5. Swampbark Set
The Swampbark set, contrary to the gear that we’ve already detailed, is armour that you don’t see extremely often.
This is due to the fact that it is a variant of the more well known Splitbark set that you’ll need to complete some extra steps for in order to get your hands on it involving both Nature Runes and level 48 runecrafting.
If you do choose to ‘upgrade’ your Splitbark armour, you’ll gain improvements to its stats bringing magic attack to +35 and magic defense to +49.
If you’re a little disheartened by the fact that the magic attack isn’t more than that of the Mystic set for example don’t be.
It has that increased overall magic defense coupled with a bunch of other boosts to stab, slash, and crush defense, really protecting you against any physical attackers.
It looks cooler than the original Splitbark armour too; you’ve always got to think about the fashion.
6. Infinity Set
The Infinity set is certainly the most vibrant set on this best mage gear in ORSR roundup but it also boasts some nice advantages.
There are four pieces to the set – Hat, Top, Bottoms, Gloves, and Boots, with the Top and Bottoms providing the most benefits.
You’ll receive a huge +55 to both magic attack and defense which is perfect for those solely focusing on spells. You don’t gain any other bonuses though so something to think about.
It is quite an ordeal to get these organically but you can simply purchase them from the Grand Exchange if you have around 7m gold.
Overall, this is some solid gear that gets the job done, even if it does cost far more than something like the Mystic set.
7. Mystic Set
If you’ve been playing OSRS for a bit now, you’ll undoubtedly know of the Mystic set since it is so iconic.
When compared to the aforementioned Wizard set, you’re going to be seeing some serious improvements, but you will have to do some leveling in order to equip the lot.
The requirements here are a magic level of 40 as well as a defense level of 20 which does mean you’ll have to grind, but it’s definitely worth the time you need to put in.
There’s a whopping +45 to both magic attack and defense for wearing the full set which compared to the cost is a solid investment.
If you do choose to don the Mystic set, you’ll not only reap the magic benefits, but you’ll also be looking pretty majestic, fitting right into any enchanted world.
8. Wizard Set
The Wizard Set consists of the Wizard Hat and Wizard Robe Top paired with just a standard Skirt to keep your fashion game strong, and is most commonly found in blue.
You can also get these in Black as well as either Trimmed or Gold if you want to get a little fancy with it.
Looking at the magic bonuses you’ll receive from this set, they are minimal, but they’re there nonetheless.
Wearing both the Hat and Robe Top will net you a +5 to magic attack and defense, which is nice in the early game if you’re training on low level monsters.
Even though you’re not going to be getting huge stat improvements with the Wizard set, it’s not only the cheapest and most obtainable mage gear, but you can also pick it up even if you’re on a free to play account.
If you’re trying to get some ranged action going too, then take a look at our guide on what Ranged gear to look out for in OSRS!
