OSRS: How to Do More Damage With Cannons (Sailing Combat Guide)

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If you’re sailing in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), using cannons effectively can significantly boost your combat power and help you deal more damage.

When you’re at sea, cannons are your primary way to inflict damage. While other weapons can help, cannons are the core of any naval battle!

In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to optimize your Sailing combat damage.

How to Do More Damage With Cannons | OSRS: Sailing Combat Guide

To get the most out of naval combat, you’ll first want to reach level 50. We offer a leveling guide to help you do that if you need assistance.

Reaching Level 50 lets you buy a Sloop from any Shipwright. This ship is special because it can equip two cannons – one on each side – giving you more firepower!

Once you acquire a sloop, your next priority should be adding a second cannon to your ship. You can do this through the ship upgrade and customization menu at any Shipwright.

Don’t forget to upgrade your cannons as much as you can! Higher-level cannons do more damage. Try to get your Rune Cannons to Level 80, and upgrade your Dragon Cannons soon after you reach Level 92.

Crew Management

The sloop offers more than just an extra cannon! You can also have a crew of up to 5 NPCs, which is an increase from the 2 NPCs allowed on a skiff. This is helpful because you’ll want at least two crew members dedicated to operating the cannons.

When choosing crew members, prioritize those with the highest Privateering skill. This lets them operate more powerful cannons. Two characters stand out as excellent choices for this:

  • Oarswoman Olga – Found at Burgh de Rott. You can recruit her at Sailing Level 65 after completing the “In Aid of the Myreque” quest.
  • Jittery Jim – Found at Port Khazard. Can be recruited at Sailing Level 70 without any other prerequisites.

These two characters are experts at privateering – they have the maximum possible skill level. This means they can operate both Rune and Dragon tier cannons!

Letting your non-player characters (NPCs) operate the cannons has a great advantage: it frees you up to do other things. For instance, you can use ranged weapons to add even more damage during naval battles. This way, you’re not limited to just cannon fire – you can combine different attack methods for a stronger overall effect.

In addition to privateering, having a crew member skilled in deckhand duties is beneficial. These crewmates can use Repair Kits to fix your ship during battles. You can also repair your ship yourself using Repair Kits if you prefer.

Other Tips

In addition to your cannons and crew, you can increase your cannons’ damage by placing a Keg on your ship. Kegs are considered Facilities, meaning you can position them on your sloop just like cannons.

Pouring Perildance Bitter ale into this keg will boost your cannons’ maximum damage by +1. You can obtain this ale from Chartin’ Charles McAtless, who can be found in Pandemonium Cave.

Okay, so getting this is going to take some serious sailing! I need to explore 8 different seas in the Western Ocean and then another 5 in the Shrouded Ocean. Sounds like a fun challenge, though – I’m ready to set sail and discover everything these oceans have to offer!

During battle, there’s a technique you can use to fire both of your cannons at the same target. As demonstrated in the video, gently rock your boat back and forth. This allows each cannon to fire alternately, increasing your overall firepower.

We suggest you don’t always use the most powerful cannonballs. While Rune and Dragon cannonballs deal the most damage, as shown in the chart, they aren’t always the best choice.

While powerful, these cannonballs are quite pricey and usually don’t offer enough benefit to justify the expense. We suggest using the more affordable options, even if it means slightly less damage, as it’s a better value in the long run.

That wraps up our guide to combat sailing in Old School RuneScape! Now you’re equipped to maximize your cannon damage and conquer the seas – no sea creature will be able to stop you!

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2025-11-29 10:07