Last Updated: Sep 27, 2026
By 60
The Dwarf Multicannon is one of the most useful items you'll ever buy in Old School RuneScape. Whether you're looking to power through Slayer, train Ranged at incredible speeds, or grind out those frustrating Champion Scrolls, a cannon can save you hundreds of hours over the lifetime of your account.
That said, it's also one of the most misunderstood items in the game. I regularly see players spending millions of GP firing cannonballs at monsters where the cannon barely helps, or with gear that isn’t really helping them maximize their dps. I’m going to keep this a ‘no fluff’ guide on the things I wish I’d have been told when I first started training with a cannon.
There are many ways to train ranged in OSRS - and even many different ways to utilize a cannon. If you're here, you have probably decided the Dwarf Multicannon is the route you want to take, let's jump into everything you need to know before getting started!
One of the best things about the Dwarf Multicannon is that there are very few requirements to start using it. Once you've completed the short Dwarf Cannon quest and picked up a cannon, you're ready to start blasting through Slayer tasks and training your Ranged much faster than normal.
To get started, you'll need:
Complete Dwarf Cannon quest
A Dwarf Multicannon
Plenty of cannonballs
A suitable spot to train with your cannon (we’ll talk about this in a moment)
If you don't already own one, you can either buy a complete cannon from the Grand Exchange or purchase one directly from Nulodion after completing the quest. Buying the full set through his dialogue is cheaper than purchasing the individual parts separately.
Gamer tip: if you’re a restricted account that plans on using your cannon regularly to train (like 10HP builds), it's well worth completing your Medium/Hard/Elite Combat Achievements ASAP. Each tier increases your cannon's capacity to 35/45/60 respectively, allowing you to load more cannonballs before needing to reload, making your training much more AFK in the long run.
Before we jump into cannon spots and training methods, it's important to understand how the Dwarf Multicannon actually works. A lot of players assume the cannon simply uses their Ranged gear and hits harder with better equipment, but that's not quite how it works.
The cannon has its own unique mechanics that are different from normal Ranged weapons.
The biggest thing to understand is that your gear does not increase the cannon's max hit. Your cannons max hit will be 30 no matter what (or 35 with granite cannonballs if you have done some Grotesque Guardians and have some spare granite dust). Whether you're wearing full Masori or basic Ranged gear, the cannon will still hit within the same damage range.
Instead, your gear mainly affects the cannon's accuracy.
In simple terms: The cannon makes an accuracy roll against the monster's Heavy-defence bonus with the attack bonus of your wielded weapons attack style, meaning increasing your attack bonuses/level in your chosen style is all that matters for your cannon DPS.
If you’re in a range setup, you want your range attack bonus to be as high as possible. If you’re using a whip to train slayer with a cannon, you want your slash bonus to be as high as possible, etc.
3. How much does it cost to use a cannon in OSRS? The biggest downside of using a Dwarf Multicannon is also the reason many players avoid it: the cost of cannonballs adds up extremely quickly.
A cannon can fire up to 6,000 cannonballs per hour if it is constantly attacking (one shot per tick in game), meaning your hourly cost depends entirely on how efficiently your cannon is being used.
Cannonballs | ~240 GP each |
Cannonballs per hour | Up to ~6,000 |
Maximum hourly cost | ~1.45M GP/h |
Obviously, most real training spots will use fewer cannonballs than the absolute maximum. Your actual cost depends on how many monsters your cannon is hitting, how often you need to reload, and whether you're actively managing your cannon.
Gamer note: While the cost of cannon usage might seem quite high, it is very good for zero time additional ranged EXP. If you need some more gold to upkeep your cannonball needs, you can buy osrs gold here.
One of the biggest questions I see from restricted accounts is: "Where can I use my cannon if I don't have Prayer?"
The answer is actually pretty simple — you want locations where your cannon can hit multiple monsters while you either take minimal damage or can safely avoid being attacked.
Here are the spots I would recommend.
Quickest route to get there:
Alternatively if you’re a pure, you can simply teleport to Camelot and run north from Catherby!
Pros:
No requirements
Very safe
Good for low-level accounts
Cons:
Lower XP rates compared to stronger cannon spots
Requires more attention because monsters die quickly and need to be re-aggro’d
This is a great option if you're a newer account that just unlocked the cannon and wants a simple place to train.
The quickest routes to get there are one of the two shown below:
Pros:
Good early-game XP
Chance at Giant Keys/Giant champion scroll
Low Defence monsters
Easy to access
Cons:
Not completely AFK
Will take some damage without prayer
This is one of my favourite recommendations for newer accounts because you get something extra while training instead of simply burning cannonballs.
The fastest way to get here is with the necklace of passage to the outpost location, shown below:
Requirements:
Biohazard quest completed
Pros:
Completely safe
No food required
Great for pures
Very AFK
Cons:
Can be more difficult to find an open world
Lower XP than some more active methods
If you're building a 1 Defence pure and want a stress-free way to train Ranged, this is one of the classic options.
The quickest way to get to the Chasm of fire is via fairy ring DJR:
Pros:
Good Ranged & Slayer XP (if on task)
Comfortable with & without prayer
Cons:
Can be slow to return to without fairy rings
Can be slower EXP compared to alternatives
Greater Demons are another popular cannon task, especially after unlocking the Chasm of Fire.
The area allows you to safely use a cannon while safespotting, making it a very comfortable training spot. You can also do this off task, and because you’re fully safespotting the greater demons with 0% chance of damage (similar to the above method), it is a very reclined way to train your range.
The quickest way to get there is with the fairy ring ALP:
The alternative is to go via a Games Necklace to Barbarian Assault, as shown below:
Requirements:
Horror from the Deep started/completed access
Pros:
Excellent XP rates
Great cannonball efficiency
Multi-combat area
Cons:
Monsters can hit hard without Prayer
Requires some preparation
More annoying to reach than beginner spots
Gamer note: This spot is extremely quick EXP/h, but comes at the cost of much higher intensity. You will take a lot of damage without overhead prayers, so will constantly have to use the method above shown to un-note food/potions to continue training.
My recommendation:
If you're a brand-new account:
Hill Giants → Dagannoths
is a very natural progression.
If you're a pure or low Defence/HP restricted account:
Hill Giants → King Lathas Training Ground
is usually the route I'd take.
The biggest thing to remember is that the "best" cannon spot isn't always the one with the highest XP rate. Depending on your playstyle & account type, there are many different options of where to train.
Having access to Prayer completely changes how you use a Dwarf Multicannon. Instead of looking for safe spots where monsters cannot hit you, you can start focusing purely on how many monsters your cannon can hit and how quickly you can clear them.
This is where the cannon really starts to shine.
Here are the locations I would recommend.
The quickest way to get there is via the fairy ring ALP:
The alternative is to go via a Games Necklace to Barbarian Assault, as shown below:
Requirements:
Horror from the Deep completed
Pros:
Excellent Ranged experience
Great Slayer experience if on task
Very AFK with Prayer
Good cannonball efficiency
Easy to reach with fairy rings
Cons:
Can be crowded
Cannonballs are used quickly
If you're looking for the classic cannon spot, Lighthouse Dagannoths are probably the first place that comes to mind.
This location is popular for a reason. Dagannoths have decent Hitpoints, low Defence, and spawn in a multi-combat area where your cannon can constantly hit multiple targets. This gives excellent value for every cannonball you use.
This spot becomes even better when you receive a Dagannoth Slayer task, as your Slayer helmet bonus increases your damage while your cannon does the majority of the work.
Gamer note: If you only remember one cannon spot from this guide, make it Dagannoths. This is one of the first places I would recommend using a cannon once your account is strong enough.
If you’re reading this guide, I’m going to assume you don’t have access to the Elite Desert Amulet, so the best way to get to the on-task Kalphite cave is via the Amulet of Glory teleport to Al Kharid:
Note: You will need a Shantay Pass or 5gp to buy one to get through the gate!
Pros:
Great Slayer XP rates (if on task)
Monsters stack nicely around the cannon because 2x2
Good for lower and mid-level accounts
Cons:
No real GP regained from loot
Uses cannonballs quickly
This is an honorary mention for anyone doing slayer as a method of training. The on-task kalphite cave is one of the quickest EXP/h for using a cannon. Never skip this task if you’re looking for a combination of range/slayer exp!
Although this isn’t a cannon spot usable all the time, it’s a reminder to always do this task whenever you get it, because it has some of the highest xp/h in range for all cannon spots in the game.
Note: Always step 1 tile directly north-east of the cannon tile (like shown in this picture) for all 2x2 monsters. It will mean a double hit on some enemies!
These are located in the north-east corner of the Wilderness slayer caves. The quickest way to get here is actually by going through the north entrance of the caves from the Wilderness Crab teleport:
Pros:
2nd fastest XP available with zero damage
Easy to return to
Great for slayer training on task
Cons:
Dangerous because in PVP location
Can become busy
This is a great cannon location for players who rush prayer levels early at low combat and want extremely quick early EXP (being safer at low combat levels). They have slightly higher defence than some other monsters listed, so the EXP/h will jump up dramatically as you get higher accuracy bonus from your gear!
The best way to get here is the Ferox Enclave teleport on the dueling ring (or LMS mini-game teleport works too):
Pros:
Easy cannon setup
Extremely good EXP/h
Prayer potion upkeep from potion drops
If using Ring of Wealth (i) you gain passive 5-6 medium clues per hour
Cons:
Also dangerous because in wilderness (although much lower level wild)
Close by to Ferox Enclave for potentially being spotted
This is my secret spot. Although it is in the wilderness, at lower combats you will very rarely get attacked here (because it is only level 10 wilderness). In my experience of using 80k cannonballs here, I got attacked only twice.
These have extremely low defence and are multi combat, making them the only option that competes directly with dagannoths for EXP/h, with the additional bonus of medium clues gained & no damage taken.
If you have Prayer and want the best general progression, I would personally prioritize:
Kalphites → Dagannoths/Mammoths → Begin Slayer training (if interested in Slayer levels)
Gamer note: If you're cannoning somewhere dangerous, especially in the Wilderness, always remember that your cannon is replaceable. DO NOT PICK UP YOUR CANNON IF BEING ATTACKED. Just leave it set-up or place it down so that you have 4 less items to worry about protecting/losing.
There are two main plugins I would strongly suggest using alongside your cannon training, if you’re using Runelite!
I’ll keep this short and to the point.
The first plugin I’d recommend using is the base ‘Cannon’ plugin on runelite. It will show some popular cannon spots, but more importantly, it will show you the number of cannonballs remaining in your cannon (and when it reaches zero).
The second plugin is the ‘Timers & Buffs’ plugin. This will give a timer on screen for your cannon, showing you how long until you need to click to repair it. If you hover over the timer, it will also show you which world you left your cannon setup in (in case you hopped in the wilderness).
7. FAQ's about Dwarf Cannons OSRS Yes, your Ranged level affects your cannon's accuracy.
The cannon uses your Ranged level and Ranged attack bonuses when calculating whether it hits the monster. However, your Ranged level does not increase the cannon's max hit.
No.
Your Ranged strength bonuses and damage bonuses do not increase the cannon's max hit. The cannon has its own fixed damage calculations.
No, the Dwarf Multicannon does not give Hitpoints experience.
This makes it extremely popular for pure accounts and low Defence builds because you can train Ranged without gaining unwanted combat experience.
The cannon only provides Ranged experience when it successfully deals damage.
A cannon can use up to around 6,000 cannonballs per hour if it is constantly firing.
Most players will use much less than the absolute maximum unless they are in a very efficient multi-combat area and efficiently reload constantly.
For most players, no.
Making cannonballs is extremely slow compared to most money-making methods. Unless you're an Ironman or specifically want to AFK while doing something else, buying cannonballs is usually the better option.
Your time is generally worth more than the small amount of GP saved.
The cannon actually gives 2 ranged exp per damage dealt, instead of the usual 4 exp. With it being able to hit up to 30 damage every game tick though, I can see why they wouldn’t want it to give full EXP!
After 25 minutes of use, the cannon will break - you will then have 10 minutes to repair it or it will disappear. If you do lose it, don't fear, you can reclaim it!
You will go back to the dwarf named ‘Nulodion’ from the quest, directly south-west of the Edgeville Monastery. There are many ways to get there, the quickest two are by using the Lassar teleport (or tablet) if you have completed Desert Treasure, or the Monastery teleport on the Combat Bracelet. See the screenshot below showing the routes for both of those:
Once there, simply talk to Nulodion and tell him you have lost your cannon. He will then replace it for free! Remember: this only works if you left your cannon setup for too long and it despawned, not if you die and lose it.
That should cover everything you need to know about the Dwarf Multicannon! Whether you're using it to speed up Slayer, train Ranged, hunt Champion Scrolls, or complete annoying collection log grinds, the cannon is one of those items that becomes more valuable the longer you play.
Just remember: cannonballs are expensive, so use them where they actually save you time. A well-placed cannon can save hundreds of hours throughout your account, while a poorly used cannon can simply burn through your GP.
Happy cannoning, and don't forget to pick up your cannon before it disappears!
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