The gargoyle drop table in Old School RuneScape is a profitable and iconic loot table, primarily known for dropping Granite mauls, Granite rings, and a large quantity of pure essence. This guide breaks down every drop, the requirements to kill gargoyles, and how to maximize your profit per hour.
Requirements and Location
To fight gargoyles, you need a Slayer level of 75, making them a mid-to-high level Slayer task. They are found in two main locations: the Slayer Tower (floor 2) and the Catacombs of Kourend. The Catacombs are generally preferred due to their proximity to a bank via the Piscarilius house teleport and the chance to receive ancient shards and totem pieces. In the Slayer Tower, you must be on a Slayer task to damage them, but in the Catacombs, they can be killed off-task, though the drop rate for the granite maul is significantly reduced.
How the Drop Table Works
Gargoyles have a unique mechanic: after their health drops below a certain threshold, they turn to stone and must be smashed with a rock hammer or a hammer from your inventory to finish them off. This does not affect the drop table but is a required step. The drop table itself is a standard OSRS table with a main roll and a secondary roll for the rare drop table (RDT). The most valuable unique drops are the Granite maul (1/512) and the Granite ring (1/256), both of which are rolled separately from the common loot.
Common Loot and Value
The bulk of gargoyle profits come from common drops. They consistently drop noted pure essence (up to 500 per kill), gold ore, and various runes. Here is a breakdown of the most frequent and valuable common drops:
- Pure essence (noted) – 250-500 per kill, worth roughly 4,000-8,000 coins.
- Gold ore (noted) – 25-50 per kill, worth around 3,000-6,000 coins.
- Rune items – Rune full helm, rune platelegs, and rune kiteshield drop occasionally.
- Mithril and adamant items – Including battleaxes, warhammers, and platebodies.
- Coins – Up to 5,000 coins per kill.
- Runite and adamantite bars – Noted in small quantities.
On average, each kill yields around 10,000-15,000 coins in loot, but this can spike significantly with a Granite maul or ring drop.
Unique Drops and Their Uses
The two signature drops are the Granite maul and the Granite ring. The Granite maul is a powerful special attack weapon, often used in player-versus-player (PvP) combat for its instant double-hit special attack. Its price fluctuates but typically sits around 300,000-400,000 coins. The Granite ring is a melee ring that provides a +2 strength bonus and a +4 crush attack bonus, making it a budget alternative to the Berserker ring. It is worth roughly 200,000-300,000 coins. Both drops are rare, so they are the primary reason players continue to kill gargoyles beyond their Slayer tasks.
Profit Per Hour and Efficiency
With decent gear (e.g., Proselyte armor for prayer bonus, a Saradomin godsword for healing, or a dragon warhammer for spec), players can kill around 150-200 gargoyles per hour. This translates to an average profit of 1.5 to 2.5 million coins per hour, excluding unique drops. The Catacombs of Kourend offer the added benefit of ancient shards (used to upgrade the Arclight) and totem pieces, which can be sold or used for the Skotizo boss. If you are on a Slayer task, the Slayer Tower is more efficient due to the cannon spot, but the Catacombs are better for off-task farming due to the lack of a task requirement.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
One common mistake is forgetting to bring a rock hammer. Without it, you cannot finish off a gargoyle, and it will regenerate health. Another misconception is that the drop rate for the Granite maul is the same in both locations. In the Catacombs, the maul drop rate is 1/1024, while in the Slayer Tower it is 1/512. This is because the Catacombs allow off-task killing, so the rates are halved. Also, some players believe that using a cannon increases unique drop rates – it does not. The cannon only speeds up kills, not the drop odds.
Gear and Inventory Setup
For optimal kills, you want high Strength and Attack bonuses. A typical setup includes:
- Weapon: Abyssal tentacle or a Ghrazi rapier (if you have it), with a dragon warhammer for special attacks.
- Shield: Dragon defender or a blessed spirit shield.
- Armor: Bandos chestplate and tassets, or Proselyte for prayer bonus if using Protect from Melee.
- Inventory: Rock hammer, super combat potions, prayer potions, and food (sharks or karambwans).
If you are using the Catacombs, bring a Piscarilius house teleport tablet for quick banking. If you are in the Slayer Tower, the nearby bank in Canifis is a short run away.
Alternatives and Comparison
Gargoyles are often compared to other Slayer monsters like Nechryaels or Gargoyles’ superior variant, the Marble Gargoyle. Nechryaels have a higher drop table value but require a higher Slayer level (80) and are more dangerous. The Marble Gargoyle is a superior slayer monster that can spawn while killing gargoyles, and it has a guaranteed drop of a granite maul, but it is much harder to kill. For pure profit, gargoyles are a solid mid-level option, but for high-level players, bossing like Vorkath or Zulrah offers better hourly rates. However, gargoyles remain a favorite for AFK training due to their low aggression and simple mechanics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Slayer task to kill gargoyles?
In the Slayer Tower, yes, you must be on a gargoyle Slayer task to damage them. In the Catacombs of Kourend, you can kill them without a task, but the drop rate for the Granite maul is halved (1/1024 instead of 1/512).
What is the best way to kill gargoyles?
The most efficient method is to use the Catacombs of Kourend with a Ghrazi rapier or Abyssal tentacle, using Protect from Melee to avoid damage. Use a rock hammer to finish them off, and bring a Piscarilius house teleport for banking. For AFK methods, the Slayer Tower with a cannon and prayer gear works well.
How much profit per hour can I expect?
Without unique drops, you can expect 1.5 to 2.5 million coins per hour depending on your gear and kill speed. Unique drops can add an average of 500,000 to 1 million coins per hour over a long session, but they are rare.
Are gargoyles worth killing at level 75 Slayer?
Yes, they are one of the best money-makers available at that Slayer level. They are relatively safe, have low defense, and their common drops are consistently valuable. They are also a good source of pure essence for ironman players.
What is the superior variant of a gargoyle?
The superior variant is the Marble Gargoyle, which has a 1/200 chance to spawn from any gargoyle kill. It has significantly more health and damage, but it always drops a Granite maul and has a chance for other rares like the Imbued heart.
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