Guardian boots are upgraded Bandos boots that need 75 Defence to wear, made by combining Bandos boots with a black tourmaline core dropped by the Grotesque Guardians. They are the predominantly defensive counterpart to primordial boots, offering +32 melee defence across the board and a standout +24 ranged defence with a small +3 strength and +2 prayer bonus. The wiki notes they are tied with Echo boots for the best melee and ranged defence of any footwear. As a melee tank boot they typically trade for around 2.1M on the GE.
Equipment bonuses
Guardian boots are built for survivability, not damage. They give +32 stab, slash and crush defence plus a class-leading +24 ranged defence, with a modest +3 strength and +2 prayer bonus on the side. The only real downsides are minor: -3 magic defence and small negatives to magic and ranged attack.
Attack bonuses
Defence bonuses
Other bonuses
That +24 ranged defence is the defining number here — it is what makes Guardian boots more desirable than plain Bandos boots for stacking defensive bonuses, and it ties them with Echo boots as the toughest footwear in the game.
Grand Exchange price history
How to get Guardian boots
Guardian boots are not a drop — you make them. Combine a pair of Bandos boots with a black tourmaline core, which is dropped by the Grotesque Guardians, the Slayer boss on the Slayer Tower rooftop. This process is irreversible: once the core is absorbed into the boots, you cannot split them back apart.
Because they are tradeable, you can also just buy a finished pair on the Grand Exchange for around 2.1M rather than sourcing the core yourself. See the live GE price above for the current figure. If you want to chase the core directly, the boss source sits under the boss gear finder.
Are Guardian boots worth it?
For tank and defensive setups, yes. Guardian boots keep the full +32 melee defence of Bandos boots but add +24 ranged defence and soften the magic/ranged attack penalties that plain Bandos boots carry, which is why high-defence Bandos loadouts favour them. They are the defensive answer to primordial boots — where primordials chase strength, Guardians chase survivability.
Two things to keep in mind. First, they are a defensive boot, not a damage one: with only +3 strength they lose to primordial and avernic boots on pure DPS, so for max-hit setups consider avernic treads instead. Second, like Bandos and Echo boots they weigh a hefty 7 kg — several times heavier than any other boots — which makes them a poor choice for run-heavy content like Pyramid Plunder or ZMI. If you later get an echo crystal, Guardian boots upgrade into echo boots for +2 more prayer and a passive effect. Browse the rest of your melee gear to see where they fit.
Guardian boots FAQ
What level do you need for Guardian boots?
You need 75 Defence to equip Guardian boots. They are members-only.
How do you make Guardian boots?
Combine a pair of Bandos boots with a black tourmaline core. The core drops from the Grotesque Guardians boss. The combination is irreversible — you cannot separate them afterwards.
Are Guardian boots better than Bandos boots?
For defence, yes. They keep the same +32 melee defence as Bandos boots but add +24 ranged defence and reduce the magic and ranged attack penalties, making them more desirable for defensive loadouts.
Are Guardian boots the best defensive boots?
They are tied with Echo boots for the best melee and ranged defence of any footwear in the game. Echo boots are the direct upgrade and add prayer plus a passive effect, but on raw defence the two match.
How much are Guardian boots worth?
They trade for around 2.1M on the Grand Exchange. Check the live price tracker above for the current figure, since the price moves with demand.
Why are Guardian boots so heavy?
Like the Bandos boots they are built from, Guardian boots weigh 7 kg — several times more than any other boots. This makes them a bad pick for run-heavy activities such as Pyramid Plunder or ZMI, where low weight matters.
Update history
Source: OSRS Wiki — Guardian boots (Changes).
