Runite

The RuneScape Wiki also has an article on: rsw:RuneThe Old School RuneScape Wiki also has an article on: osrsw:Runite

Runite (sometimes referred to as rune) is the strongest workable metal in RuneScape Classic and can only be smithed by players with a Smithing level of 85. The ores, bars, and finishing products are all a bright cyan colour. Wearing runite armour, wielding runite weapons and becoming proficient in Mining and Smithing the material are among some of the highest achievements possible in RuneScape Classic.

Smithing Runite

Runite ore can be mined at level 85 Mining and then smelted into a runite bar at level 85 Smithing. Runite bars can then be used with to create rune armour and weapons for players to use in combat. Rune weapons require 40 Attack to wield and rune armour requires 40 Defense to wield. The rune pickaxe requires level 41 Mining to use while a rune axe has no level requirement for use in Woodcutting. It should be noted that the rune axe must be bought from a player or gotten from a drop. The pickaxe may be be bought from Nurmof's Pickaxe Shop.

Use in armour

Rune armour provides the best armour for non-members and the rune plate mail body and rune plate mail legs were also used by members as these pieces have the leading bonuses in members. However some players prefer to sacrifice armour rating to gain weapon power by wearing a rune chain mail body and the gauntlets obtained as a reward for completing the Family Crest quest or Klank's gauntlets. The rune plate mail body requires completion of the Dragon Slayer quest to wear.

History

Rune was eventually outdone as the most powerful armour in the game by the dragon medium helmet, dragon longsword, dragon battleaxe, and the dragon square shield. These member only items offer better bonuses than the large rune helmet, rune 2-handed sword, and rune kiteshield, but come with higher stat and quest point requirements.

Forging runite bars

Runite bars can be used for forging as part of the Smithing skill. By using a runite bar on an anvil with a hammer in the player's inventory, runite armour and weapons can be created. Each runite bar gives 75 Smithing experience when consumed to make an item.

Item		Level	Experience	Bars
	Rune dagger	85	75	1
	Rune Axe	86	75	1
	Rune Mace	87	75	1
	Medium Rune Helmet	88	75	1
	Rune Short Sword	89	75	1
	7 rune dart tips	89	75	1
	10 rune arrow heads	90	75	1
	Rune Scimitar	90	150	2
	Rune Long Sword	91	150	2
	Large Rune Helmet	92	150	2
	2 rune throwing knives	92	75	1
	Rune Square Shield	93	150	2
	Rune battle Axe	95	225	3
	Rune Chain Mail Body	96	225	3
	Rune Kite Shield	97	225	3
	Rune 2-handed Sword	99	225	3
	Rune Plated skirt	99	225	3
	Rune Plate Mail Legs	99	225	3
	Rune Plate Mail Body	99	375	5

Trivia

• When the different types of Party Hat were first introduced into the game, many players preferred to obtain runite armour over the party hat.
• Originally it was believed that rune equipment was going to be purple like the runite rock, but items shown by RuneScape moderators at the time turned out to be violet (#CC99b2). The items were changed to cyan (#00FFFF) in the 26 July 2001 update.

• 

  Andrew showing the violet 2-handed Rune Sword in a trade window

• 

  Paul showing the violet Large Rune Helmet in a trade window.

• 

  Ian showing the violet Large Rune Helmet and (probably) a Rune 2-handed Sword.

• Cache data has revealed that before the colour change there were only 5 types of rune items: Long Rune Sword, 2-handed Rune Sword, Runed battle Axe, Runed Mace, and the Large Rune Helmet.

• 

  Long Rune Sword

• 

  2-handed Rune Sword

• 

  Runed battle Axe

• 

  Runed Mace

• 

  Large Rune Helmet

• The best runite weapons were planned to be rewards from early members' quests such as Lost City and Hero's Quest according to Latest RuneScape News (29 January 2002), however when other Runite equipment was added, this idea was saved for Dragon weapons.
• In RuneScape Classic, runite smithing is the only activity that extends to 99, with the last unlocks being the Rune Plate Mail Body and the Rune 2-handed Sword.