Killing rune dragons
| Requirements |  |
|---|---|
| Skills | |
 90+ ,  ,  ,  recommended 75+ ,  recommended | |
| Items | |
| |
| Quest | |
| Dragon Slayer II | |
| Other | |
| None | |
| Results | |
| Profit | Experience gained |
| 1,368,167 |  65,340 21,780  16,335 |
| Inputs (283,390) | Outputs (1,651,557) |
15 ×  Prayer potion(4) (186,330)5 ×  Divine super combat potion(2) (46,180)5 ×  Extended antifire(1) (225)100 ×  Cooked karambwan (46,200)1 ×  Digsite pendant (1,500)5 ×  Teleport to house (tablet) (2,955) | 45 ×  Runite bar (560,790)45 ×  Dragon bones (109,395)0.0056 ×  Draconic visage (22,083)0.009 ×  Dragon metal lump (2,139)0.056 ×  Dragon limbs (50,896)3.19 ×  Rune platebody (122,536)2.83 ×  Rune longsword (52,826)2.48 ×  Rune mace (20,351)2.48 ×  Rune scimitar (37,339)2.48 ×  Rune warhammer (60,274)2.13 ×  Rune platelegs (80,430)0.35 ×  Dragon platelegs (57,055)0.35 ×  Dragon plateskirt (57,047)0.35 ×  Dragon med helm (20,795)113 ×  Wrath rune (32,428)279 ×  Chaos rune (20,649)186 ×  Death rune (33,670)97.44 ×  Runite bolts (unf) (33,032)88.58 ×  Rune javelin heads (55,807)99.21 ×  Rune arrow (6,151)62.01 ×  Dragon javelin heads (59,280) Only after completion of Monkey Madness II10.63 ×  Dragon bolts (unf) (20,739)0.89 ×  Grimy avantoe (1,498)0.71 ×  Grimy ranarr weed (6,412)0.71 ×  Grimy snapdragon (8,999)0.53 ×  Grimy torstol (4,174)2.48 ×  Dragonstone (28,680)7.44 ×  Runite ore (83,019)0.35 ×  Wrath talisman (227)0.35 ×  Rare drop table (2,835) |
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 1000 |  5000 |
The average rune dragon kill, including its unique drops, is worth 37,205.39. Without the unique drops, the average kill is worth 35,536.00.
This guide assumes 9 kills per trip and 5 trips per hour, for around 45 kills per hour. Your profit per hour may vary depending on your speed. At lower levels and equipment, you might get 33-38 kills per hour, while at maximum efficiency, it is possible to obtain 55-60 kills per hour. The most common strategy used at rune dragons is to pay little to moderate attention using melee, 90+ combat stats, praying piety + protect from magic, and wearing justiciar armour, dragonfire shield and dragon hunter lance for an average of 45 kills/hr.
To get back to the laboratory underneath Lithkren, players can travel using the rowboat from the quest; on the west side of the island or, after completion, taking a digsite pendant and using it on the strange machine north of the rune dragon room, adding a teleport straight to Lithkren on it. Additionally player can use the digsite pendant to create a mounted digsite pendant in the nexus room of their POH. Using the (mounted) digsite pendant makes getting back to the laboratory underneath Lithkren so fast that min-maxing to stay as long as possible is not worth it. Instead players should pick up all loot (including dragon bones) then bank and return.
Rune dragons have multiple attacks, similarly to mithril and adamant dragons. Along with standard dragonfire attacks, they have a standard melee, ranged and magic attack (which resembles water Wave), as well as two special attacks.
- The first special attack is two small electric bolts, which are launched around the player's position and homes in on them. This deals 4-7 damage per tick for a few seconds. If a player is wearing insulated boots this damage is reduced to 1-2 per tick.
- The second special attack is a ranged attack that hits through protect from missiles, and uses the Life Leech effect from enchanted onyx bolts, where the dragon will heal itself for 100% of the damage dealt to the player.
- Even the standard attacks are dangerous, consistently hitting in the 20s and 30s. This makes dying a very real possibility if not paying enough attention so you can either heal up or port out.
Ultimately when killing rune dragons using protect from magic, wearing insulated boots and wearing/consuming equipment/supplies that protect from dragonfire are essential to killing rune dragons effectively.
Using defenders increases gp/hr even with the cost of extended super antifires but most use dragonfire shield + extended antifires because of the higher defensive bonuses (increased block chance). Using bandos armour + helm of neitiznot/neitiznot faceguard is also higher gp/hr but most players use justiciar armour because of its set effect and higher defensive bonuses. Using anglerfish as food is an uncommon strategy. Anglerfish allow the player to heal above their max HP, allowing a player to look away from their screen for longer periods without worrying about dying. Anglerfish require less attention but are more expensive while cooked karambwan are cheaper but need to be eaten more often. Over time using anglerfish can cost millions more GP than just using cooked karambwan.
Kills per hour estimates and methodology
- 35+ kills/hr (1,302,188 gp) with 90+ , , , barrows equipment, amulet of fury, abyssal dagger, dragonfire shield and piety.
- 40+ kills/hr (1,488,215 gp) with max , , , justiciar armour, amulet of fury, zamorakian hasta, dragonfire shield and piety.
- 45+ kills/hr (1,674,242 gp) with max , , , justiciar armour, amulet of fury, dragon hunter lance, dragonfire shield and piety. Best for low intensity money making.
- 50+ kills/hr (1,860,269 gp) with max , , , justiciar armour, amulet of fury, dragon hunter lance, dragon defender/avernic defender and piety.
- 55+ kills/hr (2,046,296 gp) with max , , , bandos armour + neitiznot faceguard, amulet of torture, dragon hunter lance, avernic defender and piety.
- Add 5 kills/hr if on slayer task.
Some tips for lower investments
- Pray preserve and use super combat potion(2)/super strength(2) + super attack(2)/Super potion set instead of divine super combat potion(2)
- If you have a rune pouch you can put law runes + dust runes in it and use it to cast Teleport to House instead of using a house tab
- Use a holy wrench to potentially save a dose of prayer potion/super restore
It is strongly recommended to check the live prices on the Grand Exchange before making large investments in any method.
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