Broken Blade Altar Locations & Excalibur Buffs

Broken Blade altars are fixed points on the map where you can repair the broken sword into Excalibur, and the stat buffs it grants are +5 Attack, +5 Strength, +5 Defence, +5 Ranged, and +5 Magic while the sword is equipped. You can find these altars in three specific locations: the Entrana Dungeon, the Chaos Temple (level 44 Wilderness), and the Lighthouse basement. This article explains exactly where each altar is, how the repair process works, what the full stat buffs are, and how Excalibur compares to other mid-level weapons.

Formula

The combat level formula for standard accounts (not PvP or special modes) is:

Combat Level = floor( (Attack + Strength + Defence + 1.3 × max(Attack, Strength, Defence)) / 4 )

Where:

• Attack – your Attack level (1–99)
• Strength – your Strength level (1–99)
• Defence – your Defence level (1–99)
• max() – the highest of the three melee stats
• floor() – round down to the nearest whole number

This formula is the standard one used in Old School RuneScape for determining combat level from melee stats alone. It does not include Hitpoints, Prayer, or Ranged/Magic, which are added in the full game formula. This simplified version is useful for quickly estimating how Excalibur’s +5 Strength and +5 Attack buffs might affect your combat level if you are training those stats.

Worked Example

Using the default values from the calculator above (Attack 70, Strength 70, Defence 70):

1. Find the highest stat: max(70, 70, 70) = 70
2. Multiply by 1.3: 70 × 1.3 = 91
3. Add all stats: 70 + 70 + 70 + 91 = 301
4. Divide by 4: 301 ÷ 4 = 75.25
5. Round down: floor(75.25) = 75

The calculator returns 75 as the combat level. If you were to gain +5 to Attack and Strength from Excalibur’s buff (temporarily), the numbers become 75, 75, 70, and the highest is 75, giving (75+75+70+97.5)/4 = 79.375, floored to 79. That is a noticeable temporary boost for questing or PvM.

What Is the Broken Blade and Excalibur?

In Old School RuneScape, the Broken Blade is a quest item obtained during the Merlin’s Crystal quest. It is a damaged sword that must be repaired at a special altar to become Excalibur, a legendary sword associated with King Arthur. The repair process is simple: you take the broken blade to one of the altars and use it on the altar. The altar magically restores the blade, and you receive a fully functional Excalibur.

Excalibur itself is a one-handed sword with moderate stats: +20 Attack and +15 Strength bonuses. It also has a special attack called “Holy Blade� that boosts your Defence by +8 for a short time (about 30 seconds). The special attack requires 25% of your special attack energy. While the stat buffs from the sword are not the highest in the game, the special attack makes it useful for bossing and slayer tasks where a temporary Defence boost helps you survive.

All Broken Blade Altar Locations

There are exactly three altars where you can repair the broken blade. Each is in a different part of the game world, and some are more dangerous to reach than others. Here is every location:

• Entrana Dungeon – The easiest and safest altar. Head to Entrana (take a boat from Port Sarim), then enter the dungeon near the church. The altar is in the eastern part of the dungeon, guarded by a few monks and zombies. This is the location most players use because it is low-level and close to a bank.
• Chaos Temple (level 44 Wilderness) – The most dangerous altar. Located in the deep Wilderness, north of the Graveyard of Shadows. You will need to survive player killers and aggressive monsters. The altar is inside the temple, behind the Chaos Fanatic. This location is rarely used except for ironmen or players who happen to be in the area.
• Lighthouse Basement – The second safest option. The Lighthouse is on the northern coast of Misthalin, east of Barbarian Outpost. Enter the basement via the trapdoor, and the altar is in the southern room. You may need to fight a few level 20-ish monsters, but it is far safer than the Wilderness.

Once you repair the blade at any one altar, you cannot repair it again – the broken blade is consumed and you receive Excalibur. If you lose Excalibur, you can buy another from the Legendary Guild shop (after starting the appropriate quest) or reclaim it from a specific NPC, but you do not need to revisit an altar.

How to Repair the Blade: Step-by-Step

1. Complete the Merlin’s Crystal quest up to the point where you obtain the broken blade. You get it during the quest, not after.
2. Travel to any of the three altar locations. Bring food and armour if going to the Wilderness.
3. Use the broken blade on the altar. You will see a message like “The altar repairs the blade.�
4. You now have Excalibur in your inventory. Equip it to gain the stat buffs.

If you are an ironman, the Wilderness altar is often avoided because of the risk of losing items. The Entrana dungeon is the recommended route for all players, as it has no aggressive monsters above level 10 and is close to a bank deposit box.

Excalibur Stat Buffs Explained

Excalibur’s passive stat buffs are applied only while the sword is equipped. They are not permanent – they are part of the weapon’s stats. The buffs are:

• +5 Attack – increases your accuracy with melee attacks
• +5 Strength – increases your max hit
• +5 Defence – increases your defensive bonuses
• +5 Ranged – increases your ranged accuracy (though you cannot use ranged with a melee weapon equipped, this helps if you switch weapons quickly)
• +5 Magic – increases your magic accuracy (same as above)

These are the same bonuses you see in the equipment screen. They are not temporary boosts like the special attack; they are always active as long as Excalibur is worn. This makes Excalibur a solid all-round weapon for mid-level players (around 40-60 Attack) who want a slight boost to all combat styles without switching gear.

How to Choose Between Altars

Choosing which altar to use depends on your risk tolerance and quest progress:

• Entrana Dungeon – best for everyone, no risk, low combat requirements. You only need to complete Merlin’s Crystal to access the dungeon.
• Lighthouse Basement – also safe, but requires the Horror from the Deep quest to access the basement? Actually, the basement is accessible without that quest, but the monsters are slightly higher level. Good if you are already in the area.
• Chaos Temple (Wilderness) – only for players who are comfortable with PvP risk. There is no benefit to using this altar over the others, so it is purely a novelty or for ironmen who want a challenge.

In practice, almost every player uses the Entrana dungeon. It is close to a bank (via the Entrana boat), has no aggressive monsters, and is safe from player killers. The other two are rarely used except for achievement diaries or if you happen to be in the area.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One common mistake is thinking you need to repair the blade at a specific altar to get a better sword. All three altars give the exact same Excalibur. Another misconception is that Excalibur’s +5 buffs stack with the special attack – they do not. The special attack gives a temporary +8 Defence boost that is separate from the passive +5 Defence. They do stack, actually, so you can have +13 Defence for a short time, but the special attack is not affected by the passive buff.

Another issue players run into is losing the broken blade before repairing it. If you drop it or die with it, you can retrieve it from the quest start NPC (the Lady of the Lake) only if you have not completed the quest. If you have completed the quest and lost Excalibur, you can buy another from the Legendary Guild shop for a small fee, but you cannot get another broken blade – the altar is only used once per account.

Excalibur vs. Other Mid-Level Swords

Excalibur is often compared to the Rune Scimitar and the Dragon Longsword. The rune scimitar has +45 slash attack and +44 strength, making it far better for pure melee DPS. The dragon longsword has +58 slash and +50 strength, even better. Excalibur’s +20 attack and +15 strength are much lower, but the +5 to all stats makes it a jack-of-all-trades weapon for questing or hybrid training.

For players who want to train multiple combat styles without switching weapons, Excalibur is decent. But for pure melee damage, any rune or dragon weapon outclasses it. The special attack is the main reason to keep Excalibur in your inventory – the +8 Defence boost is useful for tanking bosses like the Giant Mole or during slayer tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I repair the broken blade at any altar after the quest?

No. The broken blade is a quest item that only exists during and immediately after the Merlin’s Crystal quest. If you complete the quest without repairing it, the blade disappears and you cannot get another one. You must repair it before finishing the quest or you will have to restart the quest (which is not possible in OSRS). So always repair it as soon as you get it.

Do the +5 stat buffs apply to all combat styles?

Yes, the passive buffs show up in your equipment stats for Attack, Strength, Defence, Ranged, and Magic. However, you can only have one weapon equipped at a time, so the Ranged and Magic buffs only apply when you are not using a bow or staff. In practice, they are useless unless you are using a melee weapon that also casts spells (like a staff) or you are hybridding and switch weapons quickly.

Is Excalibur worth using over a dragon scimitar?

No, the dragon scimitar has much higher slash attack and strength bonuses. Excalibur is only better if you need the Defence special attack or the all-round stat boosts for a quest that requires multiple combat styles. For general training, dragon weapons are superior.

Can I use Excalibur’s special attack infinitely?

No, the special attack consumes 25% of your special attack energy. You start with 100% and it regenerates at a rate of 10% per minute (or faster with certain items). You can use the special attack four times in a row before needing to wait.

What happens if I lose Excalibur after repairing it?

You can buy another Excalibur from the Legendary Guild shop for 1,000 coins after you have completed the Merlin’s Crystal quest. You do not need to visit an altar again. The shop is located in the Legendary Guild, which requires level 50 in any skill to enter? Actually, the guild requires level 50 in a skill, but the shop is accessible to anyone who has started the quest.

Are the altars in the Wilderness worth the risk?

No, there is no unique reward for using the Wilderness altar. The Entrana dungeon altar is identical in function and completely safe. The only reason to go to the Wilderness altar is for a clue scroll step or a personal challenge.

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in t | Attack level | - | 70 | 1 | 99
in s | Strength level | - | 70 | 1 | 99
in d | Defence level | - | 70 | 1 | 99
out cb | Combat level | - | floor((t + s + d + 1.3 * max(t, s, d)) / 4) | 0