Zulrah has long been one of the most notorious bosses in Old School RuneScape (OSRS). With its complex phase rotations, poison clouds, and constant shifting between ranged and magic attacks, Zulrah has been historically a boss best tackled with either ranged or magic setups. For years, players have relied on weapons like the Twisted Bow (TBow), the blowpipe, and Tumeken’s Shadow for the best results. However, recent updates have shaken things up, and what was once considered a niche or meme tactic—meleeing Zulrah—has now emerged as a viable, meta-defining strategy. In this article, we'll break down why meleeing Zulrah with the Noxious Scythe (or "Chalie") is the new best way to defeat this iconic boss.

Why Meleeing Zulrah Now Works

Historically, Zulrah has been largely resistant to melee for a few key reasons. Its phase rotations, particularly the frequent transitions between venom clouds and attacking from a distance, made melee a poor choice. Additionally, the boss would often sit far away from the player, requiring players to constantly switch between ranged and mage gear.

However, recent updates to Zulrah's mechanics have leveled the playing field for melee players. Specifically, Zulrah’s hitboxes were adjusted, allowing halberd-style weapons, such as the Noxious Scythe, to effectively hit the boss even when standing at a distance. This change has fundamentally altered how players approach Zulrah.

More importantly, Zulrah has zero melee defense. Yes, zero. The lack of any significant defense against melee attacks means that melee weapons can hit with full power, making them an incredibly effective choice when combined with the right setup.

The Power of the Noxious Scythe (Chalie)

At the heart of this new melee strategy is the Noxious Scythe, often affectionately referred to as “Chalie” or “Nali.” This weapon has become the cornerstone of the new Zulrah melee meta, and for good reason.

The Noxious Scythe boasts the highest damage potential of any melee weapon in this context, capable of hitting well over 100 damage with proper setup and optimal timing. Its special attack is particularly effective when used during Zulrah’s underwater phase, where it can deal full damage without losing a tick—crucial for fast kills.

What sets the Noxious Scythe apart from other melee weapons is its consistent damage output, unaffected by Zulrah’s phase transitions or rotation. Unlike magic and ranged setups, which rely heavily on managing rotations, the Noxious Scythe can be wielded continuously throughout the fight, making it ideal for maximizing kill speed and efficiency.

Gear Setup for Melee Zulrah

One of the most appealing aspects of this new melee strategy is that it doesn’t require maxed gear to be effective. Players can use mid-tier gear and still achieve efficient kill times. Below is a gear setup that works well for those who want to try out this method:

Recommended Gear Setup

Headgear:

Serpentine Helm: Provides immunity to venom, which is crucial for surviving Zulrah’s poison phases. If you're using Antivenom+, you could swap this for a Faceguard for increased strength bonuses.

Body:

Bandos Chestplate: This armor offers a good balance between strength and defense, particularly helpful when tanking Zulrah’s magic and ranged attacks.

Legs:

Bandos Tassets: Like the chestplate, Bandos tassets provide strength bonuses and decent defensive stats to help mitigate damage during various phases.

Boots:

Dragon Boots or Primordial Boots: Primordial Boots offer a slight DPS boost due to their higher strength bonus, but Dragon Boots can work as a cheaper alternative.

Gloves:

Barrows Gloves or Ferocious Gloves: Barrows Gloves are a great all-around option, while Ferocious Gloves are specifically tailored for strength and DPS.

Cape:

Fire Cape or Infernal Cape: Both provide strength bonuses and defense, and they’re crucial for the added survivability during the fight.

Amulet:

Amulet of Suffering: This amulet provides damage reduction and recoil, which helps when dealing with Zulrah’s snakelings or any excess damage you might take. For raw damage, Berserker Ring can be swapped for DPS boosts during normal phases.

Weapon:

Noxious Scythe: The centerpiece of the strategy, this weapon deals huge damage, especially when used with its special attack.

Ring:

Berserker Ring (imbued): This ring is optimal for boosting your DPS. When Zulrah summons snakelings, switch to the Amulet of Suffering to deal recoil damage.

Inventory Setup

Divine Super Combat Potion: Boosts your combat stats for maximum damage output.

Super Restores (2-3): These will be used for prayer and special attack energy restoration.

Antivenom+: Only necessary if you're not using Serpentine Helm.

Teleport Out: Always bring this for emergencies or when you've had enough kills.

Food Items: Rarely needed, but bring a couple just in case.

Death Charge Runes: These are essential for restoring your special attack energy during the kill.

Strategy and Rotation Tips

While this melee method is highly effective, it still requires some strategic thinking to optimize damage and efficiency. Here are some key tips:

Start Each Kill with an Atlatl Dart: At the start of each kill, use an Atlatl dart to get a free hit. This provides an early opportunity to land a big hit with the Noxious Scythe’s special attack when Zulrah goes underwater.

Time Your Special Attacks with Phase Transitions: The Noxious Scythe’s special attack should be timed precisely when Zulrah goes underwater. This allows you to hit with maximum damage without losing any ticks.

Use Death Charge Smartly: Cast Death Charge to restore special attack energy via recoil damage from snakelings. This allows you to get extra special attacks off mid-kill, improving your overall DPS.

Switch to the Amulet of Suffering for Snakelings: When snakelings appear, immediately switch to the Amulet of Suffering to deal recoil damage while tanking their hits. Afterward, switch back to the Berserker Ring to maximize your DPS.

Adapt to Poison Cloud Phases: During the venom cloud phases, you may need to back off temporarily and use Atlatl darts to maintain damage without standing in the poison.

Max Gear Players: Should You Switch?

If you're already equipped with high-end gear like Torva, a Twisted Bow, Tumeken's Shadow, or Harmonized Staff, you might be wondering if it's worth switching to the melee setup. The answer depends on your goals.

If you're aiming for speed and optimized kills, especially for pet hunting or fast kills, a hybrid ranged-magic setup may still outperform the melee method. However, if you’re looking for a laid-back and fun approach, the Noxious Scythe provides a relatively easy, low-maintenance alternative. In fact, with the Noxious Scythe, max-gear players can still achieve kill times between 1:20–1:40, which is efficient enough for casual farming and pet hunting.

Final Verdict: Is Melee Zulrah Worth It?

In conclusion, the new melee Zulrah strategy is a highly viable and surprisingly efficient method of tackling this boss. The combination of Zulrah's lack of melee defense and the Noxious Scythe’s consistent damage output makes melee a compelling choice for both mid-game and maxed players alike.

For players seeking a low-maintenance, effective way to farm Zulrah, this method is a game-changer. It offers a unique and fun way to engage with one of OSRS's most iconic bosses, with minimal gear requirements, consistent kill times, and a refreshing break from the traditional ranged and magic setups.

Whether you’re looking to get your hands on Zulrah’s pet, farm for cash,OSRS Gold or simply try something new, now is the perfect time to dust off your halberd and take on Zulrah with melee.