How to Kill Brutus on a Defence Pure
Brutus is a brand new F2P boss in Old School RuneScape, designed specifically for lower-level and early-game accounts. Even very low combat builds can take him down with good movement, making him one of the most accessible bosses in the game right now.
He’s clearly intended as a stepping stone into bossing, a way for newer players to learn basic mechanics, positioning, and reaction without being overwhelmed. As bosses get harder in OSRS, mechanics become more punishing and more complex. Brutus keeps things simple, giving players a safe entry point to build confidence before moving into more demanding PvM content.
On top of that, he offers double combat XP during the fight, strong early-game loot, and a unique defender off-hand called the Mooleta. There’s even a strength-boosting food drop that can help you reach your next max hit breakpoint.
In this guide, I’ll break down Brutus’ mechanics, how to stop his charge attack, recommended stats, and how to farm him efficiently, including specialised methods for Defence Pures.
Killing Brutus on a Defence Pure? Make sure your build is optimised first. Check out our full OSRS Defence Pure Builds guide for PvM and PvP setups.
Step 1 – Unlocking Brutus
To fight Brutus, you’ll need to complete The Ides of Milk quest.
It’s a short, F2P quest aimed at lower-level players, so you won’t need high stats or expensive gear to get started.
Head to Lumbridge and speak to Cassius by the lake north-west of town. Finish the quest and you’ll unlock repeat kills after the initial quest encounter.
Once that’s done, you can return anytime to farm Brutus for XP and loot.
How to Kill Brutus (Mechanics Explained)
Brutus is intentionally simple. He only has two real damage mechanics, and once you understand them, the fight becomes very manageable, even at low combat levels.
You can attempt to safespot him, which may benefit Magic or Ranged users early on. However, he will eventually move and reposition, meaning it won’t stay a true safespot for long.
The most consistent method is straightforward melee with movement. As long as you leave enough space around him to step behind or to the side, you can avoid all of his special damage.
He has two key attacks:
*SNORTS*
When Brutus snorts:
- Immediately run behind him
- He repeats the stomp attack three times in a row
- Run behind him all three times
- After the third attack, you get a long breathing window
If you stay in front of him, this will hurt.
If you move properly, you take zero damage.
*GROWLS*
When Brutus growls:
- He charges in a line toward where you were standing
- As soon as you see the growl animation, be ready to move
- Step to the side
- Or walk through him to the opposite tile
If you reposition correctly, you avoid all damage.
This mechanic can also be completely prevented (see below).
Brutus Easy Strategy
Stop the Charge Attack
If you’d rather not deal with the Growls mechanic at all, there’s a simple way to remove it from the fight entirely.
By positioning Brutus against the fence correctly, you can prevent him from ever performing the charge attack.
Here’s how it works:
- Pull him close to the fence with one tile behind you.
- Make sure he’s facing you directly and positioned straight toward the fence.
- Turn on auto-retaliate if needed so you stop shifting diagonally while attacking.
- After he uses Snorts, return to the fence area.
- Let him reposition.
- Step one tile to angle him properly so he’s facing you straight on again.
If lined up correctly, he won’t have space to perform the Growls charge attack.
Why Fight Brutus?
Double Combat XP
Brutus grants double XP during the fight, making him one of the best early-game combat training options for F2P and low-level builds.
Expect roughly:
- 8–10k XP per hour for defence pures
- Higher rates with optimised and higher combat levelled builds
Very Low Entry Barrier
- F2P accessible
- Low stat requirements
- Simple mechanics
- Designed as an entry-level boss
The Mooleta (F2P Defender Off-Hand)
The Mooleta is huge for Defence Pures and F2P accounts:
- +1 Strength
- +5 Stab
- +7 Slash
- +7 Crush
Before this, meaningful shield upgrades required 60 Defence and membership. Now you can access early strength bonus and accuracy entirely in F2P.
Other possible drops:
- Cow Slippers (cosmetic)
- Bottomless Milk Bucket
- Pet Beef (Members only and very rare)
Strength-Boosting Food (T-Bone Steak)
When cooked and eaten, it:
- Heals
- Provides a temporary Strength boost
That makes it extremely strong for:
- Reaching your next max hit
- Maintaining consistent 2s
- Speeding up kill times without expensive gear
Recommended Stats
Brutus is designed for lower-level accounts, but having a small stat cushion makes the fight far more comfortable.
For most players, around 30+ Hitpoints is enough to survive a mistake, and 40 Defence will reduce his basic attacks to very small hits. At that point, the only real danger comes from failing mechanics.
The most important breakpoint isn’t Defence though, it’s your max hit. No matter whether you’re using melee, Magic, or Ranged, you’ll want enough damage bonus to consistently hit 2s or higher. For many lower-level setups, that means reaching roughly the equivalent of a 43+ Strength bonus (or the Magic/Ranged equivalent through gear and boosts).
Accuracy matters just as much. Brutus has -7 Defence to stab, slash, and crush, so stacking attack bonus increases your hit consistency significantly. In most cases, improving accuracy will speed up kills more than adding extra defensive stats.
Defence Pure Optimisation
For Defence Pures specifically, the focus should be:
- Reaching that 43+ Strength bonus threshold using gear, food, and potions.
- Then stacking as much attack bonus as possible for consistency.
T-bone steak and basic Strength potions can push you into the next max hit breakpoint, which makes a noticeable difference in kill speed.
Brutus is also not immune to poison, venom, or burn, which opens up faster farming methods. Items like the Serpentine Helm and Dragonfire Shield special attack can significantly reduce kill times if you’re high enough level to use them.
That said, none of this is required. The boss is completely manageable on a basic setup, optimisation simply turns a steady kill into a fast one.
Common Mistakes
Most deaths at Brutus happen for simple reasons:
- Standing in front of Snorts instead of moving behind him
- Not reacting quickly to Growls
- Fighting him in tight spaces where you can’t reposition
- Ignoring your max hit breakpoint and under-gearing for damage
If you focus on movement and positioning, the fight becomes extremely consistent.
Brutus Farming Builds for Defence Pures
All three setups below follow the same core idea:
hit consistent 2s (or higher), apply poison early, then stack Strength and accuracy to finish the kill faster.
The better your gear, the faster Brutus falls, but even a basic F2P setup is viable.
| Slot | Set | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Rune full helm | |
| Cape | Any | |
| Amulet | Amulet of power | +6 STR +6 Crush |
| Weapon | Ham joint | (Crush DMG) 1-handed, 3-tick speed |
| Body | Rune platebody | |
| Shield | Mooleta | +1 STR +5 Crush |
| Legs | Rune platelegs | |
| Hands | Leather gloves | |
| Feet | Decorative boots (gold) | +1 STR |
| Ring | – | – |
| Food | T-bone steak | +2 STR |
| Slot | Set | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Serpentine helm → Obsidian helmet | +5 STR Inflicts venom on enemies → +3 STR |
| Cape | Ardougne cloak | +2 Stab |
| Amulet | Amulet of fury | +8 STR +10 Stab/Slash |
| Weapon | Bone dagger(p) → Red topaz machete | (Stab DMG) +4 STR + 5 Stab → (Slash DMG) +10 STR +16 Slash 4 ATT Speed |
| Body | Obsidian platebody | +3 STR |
| Shield | Mooleta | +1 STR +5 Stab +7 Slash |
| Legs | Obsidian platelegs | +1 STR |
| Hands | Combat bracelet | +6 STR +7 Stab/Slash |
| Feet | Dragon boots | +4 STR |
| Ring | Brimstone ring | +4 STR +4 Stab/Slash |
| Food | T-bone steak | +2 STR |
| Potions | Strength Potion + Attack Potion | +STR +Attack |
Serp + Bone Dagger = +41 STR +36 Attack/Stab
Obs Helm + Topaz Machete = +45 STR +44 Attack/Slash
| Slot | Set | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Serpentine helm | +5 STR, Inflicts venom on enemies |
| Cape | Ardougne cloak | +2 Stab |
| Amulet | Amulet of rancour | +12 Strength, +25 Stab |
| Weapon | Swift blade | (Stab DMG) 1-handed, 3-tick speed |
| Body | Torva platebody | +6 Strength |
| Shield | Dragonfire shield | +7 Strength, Dragonfire special attack |
| Legs | Torva platelegs | +4 Strength |
| Hands | Regen bracelet | +7 Strength, +8 Stab, 2x HP regen |
| Feet | Dragon boots | +4 STR |
| Ring | Treasonous ring (i) | +8 Stab |
| Food | T-bone steak | +3 STR |
| Potions | Divine super combat potion | +Strength & Attack |
Strength = 51+ (max hit 3s)
Attack = 43+
F2P Defence Pure Build
This is the entry-level option.
It focuses on:
- Stacking best F2P Strength gear
- Gaining the highest possible attack
- Using T-bone steak
Kills will be slower (around 3–6 minutes or more), but the fight is completely manageable. This setup is about accessibility, not speed.
Mid-Level Farming Build (Poison Swap Method)
This is where farming becomes efficient.
Start the fight with:
- Bone dagger (p)
- Serpentine Helm
Once poison is applied, swap to:
- Red topaz machete
- Obsidian helmet (or your best Strength helm)
This saves Serp charges while increasing Strength and accuracy for the remainder of the kill.
Expect kills around 1–2 minutes depending on stats.
This build requires some investment but dramatically improves XP and kill consistency.
Endgame Member Build (Fastest Kills)
This is the fully optimised method.
- Activate venom via Serpentine Helm
- Use Dragonfire Shield special attack for additional burn damage
- Stack best-in-slot Strength and accuracy gear
With potions, you can reach consistent 3s, making this the fastest way to farm Brutus.
This setup is expensive but maximises XP per hour and kill speed.
Is Brutus Worth Farming in OSRS?
For newer players and F2P accounts, Brutus is one of the best early bossing options available. The mechanics are simple, the entry requirements are low, and the double combat XP makes him a strong training method while learning basic PvM movement.
For Defence Pures, he’s even more valuable. The Mooleta alone reshapes early-game gearing in F2P by adding both Strength and accuracy in the shield slot. Combined with strength-boosting T-bone steak and the ability to poison or venom the boss, Brutus becomes one of the most efficient early PvM training methods available.
For higher-level members, Brutus won’t compete with endgame money-makers, but as a fast, low-effort farming boss, he’s consistent and accessible.
If you’re running a fresh Defence Pure or starting a F2P account, Brutus is absolutely worth prioritising early.
What to Read Next
- OSRS Defence Pure Builds – Complete build setups for different Defence Pure styles and goals
- OSRS Defence Pure Gear Guide – Best weapons, armour and upgrades for every stage of your account
- Ultimate OSRS Defence Pure Guide – Training, account rules, and how a Defence Pure works
- Join The Tank Club Discord – Ask questions, share progress and connect with other Defence Pure players
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