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Choosing between Masori BP and BowFa

Last updated 2025-07-29

Quick links for content:

Tombs of Amascut

Chambers of Xeric

Theatre of Blood

Non-raid content

The GearScape comparison calculator was used for the screenshot displaying setup costs. You can access it here.

The OSRS Wiki DPS calculator was used to compare the setups. You can find it here.

Always use a DPS calculator when in doubt.

Ironmen

BowFa is often favoured by Ironman players due to its convenience and low upkeep compared to other weapons that require scales, good quality darts, or bolts.

Even when better weapons become available, many irons stick with BowFa to avoid the grind for maintaining those alternatives. The weapon’s strength and the resources gained while grinding for it make it a key part of early-to-mid-game progression, offering GP and various useful supplies.

You can refer to information on what’s more helpful for you with the following links:

Corrupting the BowFa

While the cost of Dragon darts may be a concern for some, BowFa is actually not that much cheaper to use. You have the option to corrupt the bow for an additional 30.5M in shards. However, assuming a charge cost of 152 GP per shot (achieved through enhanced crystal teleport seed trade-ins), you would need to use it for about 201K shots to make it worthwhile. You will certainly make enough money to start a megarare rebuild by the time you get to that point, even taking into account core items you may not want to sell. Instead, you could be doing raids faster with the Toxic blowpipe and Dragon darts, so you will make more GP per hour.

For this reason, it is almost always a GP loss for non-iron accounts to corrupt the BowFa. Iron accounts can also corrupt the bow if they have no other use for the shards.

If you do end up corrupting the bow as a main, it's best to keep it until you have enough GP to start a megarare rebuild or you acquire an infernal cape (whichever comes first).

After an update concerning charges QoL, there is even less of a reason to corrupt a BowFa as a main account because used charges now contribute to the corruption process.

If you are still concerned about cost, you are not serving yourself well to be too worried about ammo and degradation costs. You will also be dragging other people down if you play this way in team-based content. If you are doing endgame content, you will always make money.

Two options for ranged loadouts

This document is written assuming that you have neither a Tumeken's Shadow nor a Twisted Bow. If you do have a Tumeken's Shadow, the only reason to have a BowFa is if you still do not have an Infernal Cape, but you cannot afford a Twisted Bow.

For mains, BowFa is an expensive choice for ranged unless you are actively using the setup to get the infernal cape.

This document assumes you have max stats. After all, stats are far more important than gear in general.

We can compare a Masori BP setup + Dragon crossbow + Twisted buckler to a BowFa setup:

The Dragon crossbow + Twisted buckler is not pictured above, but it adds ~17M to the cost of the left setup. Note that the left setup therefore costs ~58M less.

In most scenarios, the Masori BP setup is both cheaper and better. BowFa is useful for a few situations, however, and what you buy will depend on the content you do most as well as your willingness to do Inferno and Colosseum in particular.

Tombs of Amascut (ToA)

BowFa is generally a bit better at higher (450+) invocation levels especially after the Summer Sweep-up Update. Remember to use a DPS calculator for your specific situation. It is better to run higher invocation levels with a BowFa setup than it is to run lower levels with a Masori BP + crossbow setup.

  • BP beats BowFa @ Path of Apmeken because of its attack speed alone
  • BowFa is generally better than Masori BP + CB @ Akkha
  • Masori BP always beats BowFa @ Akkha’s Shadows at any level (0-600) if in a group
  • BowFa is better @ Akkha’s Shadows if butterflying
  • BowFa slightly beats Masori DCB @ Zebak, but loses to BP in specific situations even at level 400
  • Masori BP beats BowFa @ P1 Obelisk and P3 Wardens with sufficient defence drains even at level 400
  • BowFa beats Masori BP or crossbow @ P2 Wardens

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Path of Apmeken

By virtue of the Toxic blowpipe’s 2-tick attack speed, you can use it to efficiently one-shot the Baboon mages and quickly deal with Baboon shamans, Cursed baboons, and Thralls.

No other Ranged weapon (BowFa included) should be used as a main method for clearing this room due to the slower attack speed.

BowFa should only be used for clearing out shamans, Baboon mages, or Cursed baboons if you have somehow allowed the cursed baboons to spread too much venom. If this is the case, then gear is not your main problem in this room.

Akkha

Akkha’s defence cannot be reliably lowered.

Level 400:

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=RewardScrapeyOthanian

After the updates to ToA, the situation has changed with BowFa. 4-tick butterflying is now actually a viable strategy, and BowFa is the best weapon to do this with.

Another issue is that the DPS calculator accounts for ruby bolts, but if your ruby effect procs at a bad moment, a lot of DPS is wasted.

Akkha’s Shadows

Level 500:

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=FiremakingRamrodVery

If you are in a team and camping in a spot that is out of the way of the butterfly path, you should use BP instead of BowFa.

Also, unless you are running a significantly higher invocation or you are running in a team, Akkha’s shadows lose HP pretty quickly, so ruby bolts activating at a bad time will cause a DPS loss.

Zebak


Level 400 (no defence drains):

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=LizardkickerDisasterCage

As it turns out, the Dragon crossbow + buckler is actually competitive with the BowFa when factoring in ruby bolt specs. The difference between the two setups here is similar even with no defence drain.

If you are running anything above level 400, then you should use a BowFa for this. It also helps with making rock and water jug solves easier as BowFa has the max distance range of 10 tiles.

Wardens - P1 Obelisk

Level 450 (+40 BGS):

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=SilvthrillBarleyDagannoth

The expected value of a BGS special attack on the obelisk (with Neitiznot helm, Fighter torso, Blood moon tassets, etc.) is closer to 26.

Since running higher invocation levels is much easier after the Summer Sweep-up, BowFa is likely the best weapon that isn’t a Shadow in most cases.

Blowpipe starts beating out BowFa at the P1 Obelisk in invocation level 400 when you BGS at least a 19. However, the maximum defence level drain on the Obelisk is actually 40, and the Toxic blowpipe does win here, but running lower invocations means you are missing out on a higher Shadow chance (which is 90% of the reason you’re at ToA in the first place).

While you are likely not averaging a 40 BGS in a solo due to needing to save your spec bar for P2, this is still quite reliable in a team, and you can still go for one BGS with a Lightbearer ring in a solo without early use of the adrenaline potion.

Wardens - P2

The exact damage formulas of this phase is unknown as of the time of writing this. However, it is generally accepted that BowFa beats both the crossbow and the Toxic blowpipe here.

Crossbows hit lower than the BowFa on this phase while also having slower attack speed, and the Toxic blowpipe can be awkward to use here particularly in some very rude situations with the falling bombs.

If you are in the unique position where you wake up Tumeken’s Warden on P2 (so it starts with Ranged first) and then face Elidinis’ Warden on P3 (so you deal with Akkha and Kephri instead of Zebak and Ba-Ba), this difference becomes more pronounced if you are running a 3-down on the core instead of a 2-down.

If you do have a Shadow setup, then bringing just a blowpipe for your Ranged attacks is fine. At that point, you only use it in the Path of Apmeken room, on Baba boulders, while swarming at Kephri, and P2 wardens.

Wardens - P3

Level 450 (+30 BGS):

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=MenacingSegmentEvil

While it is true that Blowpipe wins even at invocation level 400, again - running higher invocation levels is the best play after the Summer Sweep-up. Even if you are not comfortable not losing ticks with the 2-tick attack speed of the Toxic blowpipe, the DCB setup is not far behind at all.

BowFa wins at 450+ although not by much. It’s still a consideration, though.

The enrage phase has similar numbers, although you can reduce the defence by a maximum of 60 levels which would put you at the same values as the above screenshots.

ToA Summary

After the Summer Sweep-Up, BowFa has been made to be a more viable weapon than before. It used to be the case that anyone without a shadow was mathematically awful at Akkha, but now the BowFa has a definite use case there for players who do not own a Shadow.

If you do end up using a BowFa setup, there are some places you should be using a Toxic blowpipe even with the crystal armour:

  • Ba-Ba’s boulders
  • Kephri’s scarab swarms
  • Akkha’s shadows

If you plan on running consistent BowFa 500 solos, this video is excellent, and the setup it uses will definitely get you there.

Chambers of Xeric (CoX)

  • BowFa wins vs. Masori DCB @ Shamans
  • Masori BP wins vs. BowFa @ Magic Vanguard
  • BowFa wins vs. Masori DCB @ Vespula, but is more difficult to sustain a BowFa rapid 4-tick cycle
  • Masori BP wins vs. BowFa @ Tightrope Mages and Rangers 
  • Both Masori BP and DCB win vs. BowFa @ Vasa
  • BowFa slightly wins vs. Masori DCB @ Mystics
  • Masori BP wins vs. BowFa @ both Small and Large Muttadiles
  • BowFa wins vs. Masori DCB @ Olm Head, but loses to DHCB (common CoX upgrade)

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Lizardman shamans

Trio regular:

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=InsectDaffodilsMeat

DCB + Buckler is a bit behind BowFa, but it’s not by that much. This does however assume that you are overloaded. If you are using a ranging potion, the difference actually becomes more narrow:

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=OsmumtensBarbExquisite

The gap actually narrows even further if for some reason you get hit by poison (sit noob) and are not potted because you brewed up and lowered your stats:

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=NarnodesWarrantFlowers

While Toxic blowpipe walking is not commonly utilised at shamans (99% of people reading this will die trying it), you can get more DPS at shamans if you decide to do this. It may be difficult to not troll your team if they aren’t on the same page as you though, and this is most likely not a realistic option in general. With that said, the option is still there.

If you want to go with the safer option of using a crossbow or a BowFa, the BowFa does win here. It is actually easier to dodge the poison with a BowFa as well if you are only being attacked by one at a time due to the shaman’s 4-tick cycle.

Vanguard (Magic)

Trio regular (overloaded):

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=TrimmedMortPear

Blowpipe beats BowFa nicely here. Unlike at shamans, it is easy to get the full value of Toxic blowpipe’s attack speed as well.

This continues to hold true even if you are not boosted at all:

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=NutsInquisitorsRedirector

Abyssal Portal (Vespula)

Trio regular (overloaded):

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=LeafEagleMuphin

BowFa does win here if playing optimally. However, learners in particular will likely have issues maintaining a 4-tick BowFa rapid cycle at Vespula while the 6-tick DCB longrange cycle is significantly easier to sustain. If you lose too many ticks with the BowFa on rapid, DCB actually wins.

Again, you also have an extra 58M you are likely using elsewhere in your setup.

Tightrope (Mages)

Trio regular (ranging potion):

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=TreasureThammaronsPart

It is not close at all. The same holds true if overloaded:

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=RampageCofferTonic

Tightrope (Rangers)

Trio regular (ranging potion):

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=AllianceFieldAttractor

These numbers are actually identical to the mages, and your DPS across the two would only change using a twisted bow on both (you shouldn’t), but that’s beside the point.

Vasa Nistirio

Trio regular (ranging potion):

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=SeasonedTreatMushrooms

Blowpipe walking is a rather underutilised but viable method at Vasa if you are willing to take the plunge. However, the main issue with this is that it can be difficult to not lose ticks while transitioning between attacking Vasa and the Glowing crystals.

It is even better if overloaded:

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=AmethystMortAlliance

If you are uncomfortable with Toxic blowpipe walking at Vasa, then the DCB + Buckler still beats the BowFa while additionally allowing yourself one extra tick to switch weapons and prayer transitioning between NPCs.

Skeletal Mystics

Trio regular (overloaded):

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=BrumaButchBologano

BowFa is the clear winner here, beating even the Twisted bow in most normal mode circumstances (and only losing to it in CMs or against the Tumeken’s shadow). This room is essentially tailored for BowFa.

Even though the DCB and BowFa appear close on paper, the mobs have low HP here, meaning ruby bolts are already weakened to start with, and they quickly become very poor compared to the BowFa.

This will always hold true regardless of potion usage.

Small Muttadile

Trio regular (overloaded):

https://dps.osrs.wiki/?id=BabySaturatedBunch

Many people tend to ignore the Toxic blowpipe here which is quite unfortunate.

Values if only using a ranging potion:

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=GorillaBeekeepersQuintons

Large Muttadile

Trio regular (overloaded):

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=TorchWrenchBarbarians

Blowpipe is an underused option for the large Muttadile. It works quite well for both Muttadiles which is nice. If you are concerned about the low range of the Toxic blowpipe, the DCB + Buckler performs nearly identically as well, overloaded or not.

If you are safespotting the large Muttadile in the corner tile near the lake (possible on some layouts), or the boss is frozen, Toxic blowpipe is certainly the better option regardless.

The Great Olm (Head)

Trio regular:

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=CommonFingernailsHorns

If you are able to use the Toxic blowpipe on the head as a runner without losing ticks, then that performs best.

However, the DCB performs similarly to the BowFa here, and this is what most people will be using.

CoX Summary

Blowpipe, DCB, and buckler being better or equal to BowFa in most rooms is notable indeed. You also have an extra 58M which means you are close to or can cobble together the money for a Dragon hunter lance, a very significant upgrade at CoX in general.

BowFa is severely overrated in regular CoX for its price. The only thing it has going for it is its 10-tile range, but even then many of the range issues the other weapons have can be nullified by simply playing better.

Many teams will scale to 7 or 15, but nothing changes between unscaled trios, 3+2s, 3+4s, or 3+12s.

A note about CMs: The Toxic blowpipe falls off quite a bit in CMs compared to regular CoX due to the higher defences of the mobs in general. Only if you plan on rushing CMs does the BowFa become a real option. However, bear in mind that the vast majority of time in CMs is lost due to poor procedure rather than gear, and if you are doing CMs then it is assumed you have better gear than what most people accept as a minimum for regular CoX raids.

Theatre of Blood (ToB)

There are few specifics to explain here. Both Masori and Crystal armour are not good at ToB, but having the Masori setup means you also have an extra 58M to spend on more useful items for this raid.

BowFa is essentially a dead item in this raid. In places where you can Toxic blowpipe (Maiden, Nylocas, and Xarpus), you are applying significant defence drains to the point where Toxic blowpipe + Elite void armour becomes particularly strong. BowFa is designed to excel at the exact opposite of this (high defence mobs).

There is exactly one (very niche) possible use case for BowFa at Nylocas (and even then it’s pretty suspect), but if you have to ask what it is, then it is already not worthwhile to bring.

The best-in-slot ranged setup for ToB includes a Toxic blowpipe and Elite void gear which is incredibly cheap.

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Maiden

Trio regular:

https://dps.osrs.wiki/?id=OffspringGriffinTrouver

In fact, the Elite void + Toxic blowpipe setup is strong enough that you are trolling if you use best-in-slot melee on the maiden without a scythe.

BowFa is simply out of the picture here.

Nylocas Vasilias

https://dps.osrs.wiki/?id=DiningZebakTithe

Note that the defence level of the boss in this situation is 20, but if you reduce it to 0 (as is often the case) then Toxic blowpipe would win by even more.

You also use the Toxic blowpipe as a way to tick-fix in order to further optimise DPS.

Xarpus

https://dps.osrs.wiki/?id=HastilyCrawsChef

If you lack a scythe, the next best option by far is clearly the Elite void + Toxic blowpipe setup with Dragon darts. You would have a ranged pot dose for this.

Once again, the blowpipe is so good that using melee without a scythe is trolling. The soulreaper axe calculation also assumes you 5t instead of 5.3t and that you immediately start with 5 stacks, so for more effort optimizing Xarpus walking with absolute max melee and a soul reaper axe, it still gets beaten by a simple Elite void Toxic blowpipe setup.

Non-raid content

BowFa wins

Crossbow or BP wins

The Inferno

Nex

Fortis Colosseum

Dagannoth Prime

General Graardor

Zulrah

Commander Zilyana

The Leviathan

Kree’arra

Phantom Muspah

Even if you solely do other content where the BowFa performs worse than a crossbow or BP, getting a BowFa is ideal if you plan on going for an infernal cape and/or quiver without obtaining a megarare first. These are highlighted in gold since they are of particular importance.

Once you have acquired one or both of the infernal cape and quiver, it is best to exchange your BowFa and crystal set for the aforementioned Masori + blowpipe + crossbow setup unless you plan on camping any of the activities on the left (or Tombs of Amascut without a shadow) to an exceptional degree.

If you want to get both the infernal cape and quiver, consider doing the Colosseum first. It is becoming increasingly common for players to obtain a quiver first, and it helps you learn critical skills much faster through 25-40 minute attempts instead of 90-120 minute slogs at the Inferno. However, if you are capable of completing one of Inferno or Colosseum, you can also complete the other.

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The Inferno

The Inferno alone is the strongest justification for owning a BowFa if you do not have a Twisted bow.

Crystal armor has solid Ranged defence, and the Inferno just happens to be one of the very few places in the game where defence actually matters.

The 10-tile range of the BowFa is particularly useful for the Inferno because:

  • With any crossbow, you have to either set it on longrange or intentionally scuff the shield for Zuk, both of which add needless complexity to a first cape run
  • Without exposing yourself to south spawns, far west spawns (particularly magers) can also be lured just barely close enough that you can use the BowFa on rapid at max distance while still remaining behind the north pillar. The ACB on longrange can pull this off too - but again, that is only adding nonsense to first cape runs
  • The magers, rangers, and meleers in the Inferno also run on a 4-tick cycle, which is the same as the BowFa’s rapid attack speed

Fortis Colosseum

Similarly to the Inferno, the BowFa is a good budget option for safer first quiver runs at the Colosseum for the following reasons:

  • Myopia is considered an easy learner invocation
  • With a BowFa and Myopia III at the northwest pillar, you can lure south spawns without exposing yourself to east spawns, then use the BowFa behind the safety of the northwest pillar
  • A crossbow’s range is insufficient to perform the above without needing to run to another side of the pillar
  • Some of the Colosseum mobs have surprisingly high defence

Zulrah

Serpentine (Ranging potion, no magic-boosting potions): https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=WildBonesackRack

Tanzanite (Ranging potion): https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=UngaelDriedCream

Magma (Ranging potion, no magic-boosting potions): https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=DisposalPrizeShot

Bringing Ranged + Magic switches would make the Toxic blowpipe better overall. If the defence is a concern on the Tanzanite phase (because we all know and love those iconic 41s), you can swap to more defensive Ranged armour while still having the same DPS of the Toxic blowpipe with Crystal armour. Said DPS is not far behind the BowFa anyway.

A hybrid setup with blowpipe and swamp trident becomes even better if you have a means of boosting your Magic level.

K’ril Tsutsaroth

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=HealingHardcoreSprite

You can afford a scorching bow setup with the extra money you have if you buy the Masori setup instead of the BowFa setup, and it trivializes K’ril (and most of his Combat Achievements).

General Graardor

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=SnapeFeldipGuardian

BowFa is the best DPS choice here. There are also several methods using it on Graardor without taking any direct hits.

Commander Zilyana

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=BirdDhideJewellery

Graardor and Zilyana have similar weapon use cases. BowFa still wins here.

Kree’arra

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=ModeSitoArctic

If you are prayer flicking, the extra damage taken from using regular Masori is noticeable. For those who are using a crossbow setup, you should use armor with better defences than unfortified Masori.

Nex

Nex herself: https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=MortarLogavanoWise

Mages: https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=AnimationArdougneChapel

BowFa is horrible at Nex. A crossbow (typically Zaryte, but Dragon if on a budget) and an Osmumten’s fang constitute the most common setup used.

The Leviathan

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=SinisterWimpyHolos

There is more to this boss than meets the eye concerning DPS calculations.

The DCB + Buckler setup is better on paper when Leviathan has higher HP, but the ruby bolts fall off and BowFa otherwise wins once Leviathan’s HP falls. However, if you have a webweaver bow (something you could buy with the extra money from not having a BowFa), then the ruby bolt DPS loss does not matter anyway since you will probably just be speccing down the last bit of HP in a few ticks.

If you do not have a webweaver bow, blowpipe is still a solid option especially for the enrage phase.

Additionally, the difference in DPS begins to compound when you are milking the boss and not stunning it until its auto attacks become incredibly fast. The lightning spec in particular will cause a severe DPS loss, an issue that is magnified due to being more likely to see it with BowFa’s lower DPS.

Technically, both setups are viable, although if you have a ZCB instead of a DCB, the ZCB ends up being significantly better (the gap is much wider than DPS calculators would otherwise make it appear), and the DCB is still better anyway.

Phantom Muspah

Ranged (and post-shield) form: https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=SnareHalberdPolar

Melee form: https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=DarkCyrisussRunescroll

Using the Masori DCB + Buckler setup makes using Dragon sapphire bolts (e) more effective during the shielded phase.

As Muspah is on a 5-tick cycle, it is also much easier to do the following with a DCB:

  • Flick Smite during the Prayer phase - even if you have a BowFa, you should be bringing a dragon crossbow with dragon sapphire bolts (e) for this phase anyway
  • Execute the stepback method whenever Muspah is in its melee form

Dagannoth Prime

https://dps.osrs.wiki?id=CabinetEnhanceRoots

The toxic blowpipe setup does higher DPS than BowFa to Dagannoth Prime, although it will be harder if you are trying to only attack Prime and avoid getting the attention of the other NPCs until Prime dies.

Credits

  • Ba lover (loops) for writing the original version of this document
  • Chip Dump for helping me significantly with writing and presentation
  • The following users for helping me proofread and otherwise participating in various discussions in the creation of this document:
  • 1Shard1Bond
  • andr ea
  • Coronne
  • DreamingNote
  • D R O P P A
  • FroggyThresh
  • Fujino Ayumu
  • Gijsro
  • Help Me RNG
  • Hung Cowboys
  • Neon Trek
  • Ollie 01
  • Pariahh
  • sfrz egirl
  • ShiinaNoriko
  • VladG123
  • Wes J

Ever since releasing the first version of this specific document, I’ve seen it make its way around many places, including We Do Raids, several clans, and r/2007scape. I’m surprised this has circulated as much as it has, but I’m glad that this is being taken into consideration by many players.

This is not meant to be a “this item sucks etc.” document. Getting people to think about their own situation more critically rather than simply pushing them towards a certain setup is my main goal here.