The Zombie Axe ranks among the strongest one-handed melee weapons in RuneScape Dragonwilds, competing with famous weapons such as the abyssal whip. Its unique ability to deal both crush and slash damage on every hit makes it a flexible choice for most combat scenarios. This guide introduces the Dragonwilds Zombie Axe with core features, combat stats, ascension path, crafting recipe, and the method and process to get it.
RuneScape Dragonwilds Zombie Axe Guide
The Zombie Axe is a Power Level 5 one-handed mace-style melee weapon built to look like ancient axes carried by undead zombies. Its standout trait is that each attack applies both crush and slash damage at the same time. The game separately calculates monster weaknesses and resistances for these two damage types, which changes how effective this axe performs against different enemies.
This weapon uses the mace attack moveset, which is slower than swords, scimitars, or the abyssal whip. It has strong base damage, but its performance shifts depending on your target’s defensive values. The item also comes with its own lore tied to Captain Artorius Flamhanger. He fought endlessly against undead hordes inside Fell Hollow and held his defensive line long after other defences crumbled, leaving nothing but ruin and despair in his wake. The item description hints that there is more hidden power behind this axe beyond its raw combat numbers.
RuneScape Dragonwilds Zombie Axe Stats
Below are the base combat stats for the Power Level 5 Zombie Axe:
Power Level: T5
Damage Type: Crush + Slash
Base Damage: 79 – 140
Block Value: 52
Durability: 1300
Weight: 15.0
Attack Style: Mace
Attack Combo: 5
Special Action: Block Breaker (33 cost)
Repair Cost: 1 Steel Bar
Crafting XP: 300 XP
Damage Performance Notes
The dual damage effect uses additive resistance and weakness calculations instead of multiplicative modifiers.
Best targets: Vault guardians, putrid rats, garou thanes, skeletal marauders and skeletal necromancers. These enemies are weak to crush and do not resist slash damage, so the Zombie Axe performs very well here.
Less effective targets: Skeletal hoplites, zogres, black knight guardians, black knight warriors and the black knight titan. These foes resist slash damage. Slash resistance reduces damage by 33%, while crush weakness only adds 25% damage, creating a net loss in total damage.
Weapon alternatives: When fighting enemies weak to slash but not resistant to crush (abyssal demons, lost souls, zombies, Zamorakian acolytes, mages of Zamorak), options like the black sword, Imaru's talon or abyssal whip usually work better. Skullsplitter can also outperform the Zombie Axe against slash-resistant enemies because of its +15% critical strike bonus.
RuneScape Dragonwilds Zombie Axe Upgrades
Players can ascend the Zombie Axe at the Mystic Forge using Ascension Cores to raise its power level, base damage and block rating. Each upgrade tier requires one Ascension Core, except for Power Level 9, which cannot be crafted within the live game at present.
T5 (Base): 79 – 140 damage, 52 block, base crafted weapon
T6: 98 – 173 damage, 59 block, Ascension Core (T6) ×1
T7: 118 – 209 damage, 66 block, Ascension Core (T7) ×1
T8: 138 – 245 damage, 72 block, Ascension Core (T8) ×1
T9: 158 – 281 damage, 79 block
Ascending the weapon preserves its dual crush and slash special effect. Upgrades only boost raw damage output and block capability.
RuneScape Dragonwilds Zombie Axe Recipes & Crafting
The Zombie Axe blueprint unlocks once you complete Doric's Quest. After unlocking the plan, craft the weapon at either the Blacksmith's Bench or Smithing Anvil. Crafting requires Artisan level 100, and you gain 300 crafting XP upon finishing the craft.
Required Crafting Materials
Steel Bar ×6
Willow Logs ×6
Necrotic Bonemeal ×3
Fine Cloth ×2
Vault Shard ×6
Do not mix up this recipe with the three earlier weapon recipes you need to craft and submit during Doric's quest chain: Undead Ranger's Bow, Necromancer's Staff, and Shadow Sword. Those three items are quest requirements, not ingredients to build the final Zombie Axe.
Where and How to Get RuneScape Dragonwilds Zombie Axe?
You earn the Zombie Axe blueprint as a reward after finishing Doric's Quest. This quest chain takes place in the Fellhollow region. You must progress the main story far enough to unlock Fellhollow and remove the protective shield around its town before starting this quest.
Step 1: Start the Seeking Salvation quest
Locate Doric inside a large open cavern on the right side of the Lake of Lost Souls. Speak to him to start the mission called Seeking Salvation. Your first task is to activate four Dragon King effigies to open the vault next to him.
First effigy: Behind Doric’s tent, break the cracked brick wall with Rock Explosion or a pickaxe, then interact with the effigy inside the small room.
Second effigy: Across from his tent near the large pillar.
Third effigy: Use Windstep to climb to the highest platform and cross gaps to reach this statue.
Fourth effigy: Exit the cave entrance and use Windstep to avoid heavy fall damage; the final marker sits on the right outside the cave.
Once all four effigies are activated, return to Doric. Enter the vault, climb the central staircase and use Windstep to reach the upper platform. Grab the book on the left side and interact with another Dragon King effigy. Head back to Doric, and he will give you the Salve Amulet.
Step 2: Complete three sub-objectives for Doric’s quest chain
Doric will now ask you to craft and hand over three weapons one after another. You keep all crafted items after handing them in; he only inspects them to advance quest progress.
Undead Ranger's Bow: Return to the vault. Watch carefully for traps and vault guardians. Bring food, water and keep an eye on your carry weight. Break the marked wall, go down and move to the right. Crawl through a low gap to find the recipe beside a Dragon King effigy. Return to your base, craft the bow and bring it back to Doric.
Necromancer's Staff: Travel to Lake of Lost Souls. Cross the islands and locate a pool of water fed by a red waterfall. Bring torches or light magic, as this area stays extremely dark. Enter the vault and stand in corruption to gain the withered state. Move to the spectral gate at the top. Find the Dragon King effigy in the centre of the instance; you may skip fighting the tough enemy here. Learn the recipe, craft the staff at your Mystic Forge and return to Doric.
Shadow Sword: This part relies on random loot drops. Farm Zogres for a rare item called Shard of Smoky Glass. Never discard or disassemble the shard. Study it to unlock the Shadow Sword recipe. Good Zogre spawn locations include Witchwillow Range cave, Ulgo the zogre at Coalridge Pass in Fellhollow, Hope’s Fall, plus two extra spawns in Dowdun Reach. Fire magic works well against Zogres. Once you obtain the shard, craft the Shadow Sword and return it to Doric.
Step 3: Craft your Zombie Axe
After handing in all three weapons, Doric rewards you with the Zombie Axe blueprint. Go to your Blacksmith's Bench or Smithing Anvil, gather all required materials and craft the weapon.
Extra Tips for Using the Zombie Axe
Prepare before vault runs: Always pack food, water, torches and check your carry capacity before entering vaults. Many vault zones contain traps and powerful vault guardians.
Wind Step is critical: You will rely on Wind Step repeatedly to climb platforms and cross gaps during Doric's quest. Falling from high positions can deal massive damage.
Zogre farming requires patience: The Shard of Smoky Glass is a rare drop. You may need to defeat many Zogres before you get it.
Play to its strengths: Equip this axe against crush-weak enemies without slash resistance. Swap to other weapons when fighting foes with high slash resistance for better damage output.
Weapon repair: When durability drops, repair the Zombie Axe with 1 Steel Bar.