Old School RuneScape Guide: How to Efficiently Kill Lava Strikeworms

Lava Strikeworms are one of the most rewarding Slayer monsters you can encounter on a worm task in Old School RuneScape. Requiring 62 Slayer and 60 Sailing, these fiery creatures are simple to fight, highly aggressive, and drop some extremely valuable loot-making them a top-tier target whether you’re after GP, supplies, or XP. They’re especially appealing for players who prefer earning their wealth through gameplay rather than choosing to buy OSRS gold. This guide covers everything you need to know: combat strategy, recommended gear, navigation, and in-game tactics to make your task smooth and profitable.

1. Lava Strikeworm Basics

Lava Strikeworms attack with melee and ranged, but they will never use their ranged attack if you stand within melee distance. Because of this, the best strategy is straightforward:

· Fight them up close.

· Use Protect from Melee.

· Bring a strong melee stab weapon.

Staying next to the worm drastically reduces incoming damage, allowing you to essentially face-tank the task with minimal food.

If you have Superior Slayer creatures unlocked, watch out for the Magma Strikeworm. After seven basic attacks, the superior burrows underground and explodes a few tiles away. Stepping back early prevents up to 30 damage-not lethal, but easily avoidable.

Lava Strikeworms are found in the Charred Dungeon, where 12 spawns sit in a single-combat area. They can’t be cannoned, and their safe spot shifts depending on the worm’s position. Still, they remain one of the most efficient worm types to kill, especially because they are aggressive and boast a strong drop table. Their standout drop, the Dragon Metal Sheet, commonly sells for several million GP, and Ironmen benefit from a huge supply of herbs, runes, and crafted materials.

2. Combat Stats & Weaknesses

Despite solid offensive stats, Lava Strikeworms have:

· Low Defense

· High vulnerability to stab attacks

· 50% accuracy and damage weakness to water spells

This makes both melee and magic viable, though melee is usually faster due to reduced downtime between kills.

3. Recommended Gear & Setups

Melee Setups (Recommended)

The following gear tiers perform best:

· Best-in-slot:

 o Dragon Hunter Lance (20% accuracy + damage boost)

 o High-end melee gear

· Mid-tier:

 o Standard stab weaponry

 o Barrows or Bandos gear

· Budget build:

 o Basic stab weapons

 o Proselyte or other prayer-boosting armor

With 80 combat stats, expect a task to last 50–90 minutes, depending on your setup. Players with 70 Construction can build a nearby island bank to restock faster between trips.

Magic Setups (Alternative)

Water spells gain a massive 50% DPS boost, and with maxed magic gear, this method can rival melee. However, on mid- or low-tier accounts, the loss of attack speed and increased kill downtime make melee more consistent.

If using magic:

· Prioritize the Dragon Hunter Wand.

· Bring 1,000–2,000 casts depending on your gear.

· Safe-spotting requires tile-based movement (explained later).

4. Getting to the Charred Dungeon

The fastest method:

· Pest Control teleport (scroll or minigame teleport) to the Void Knight Outpost

· Sail south to Charred Island

Alternative route:

· Start at Corsair Cove and sail along the purple path southward.

Once you arrive, pick up the rope spawn and use it to access the dungeon (only required once). Inside, turn on Protect from Melee and wear an anti-dragon shield when running past the dragons in multi-combat.

The Lava Strikeworms are deeper in the cave, with a reliable safe spot on the left side of the chamber. Melee users will prefer the northern room since the worms cluster tightly there.

5. Inventory, Prayers & In-Game Execution

For melee:

· Required items:

Stab weapon, prayer potions, anti-dragon shield, rope (first time), food

· Optional items:

High-alchs (recommended), spec weapon, teleport

Activate Protect from Melee, use your stab attack style, turn on auto-retaliate, then drink your boosts. You’ll take minimal chip damage-just heal when necessary and high-alch valuable drops.

Magic users should position carefully; Strikeworms tend to get stuck on four common tiles. You must stand on one of four corresponding safe tiles, shifting based on the worm’s location. Once you learn the rhythm, kills are consistent and damage-free.

6. Aggression Reset & Looting Tips

Strikeworms stop auto-attacking after 10 minutes. The NPC Aggression Timer plugin shows the boundary and countdown, letting you safely run in to loot. During the timer, the Telegrab spell helps retrieve valuable items from a distance.

Lava Strikeworms offer strong loot, simple mechanics, and excellent Slayer XP. With the right gear, proper positioning, and efficient travel methods, they become one of the most profitable mid-level tasks in OSRS-especially appealing for players looking to stack valuable drops rather than relying on cheap RS gold to fund their progression. Enjoy the profits, good luck on your Dragon Metal Sheets, and happy slaying!