Boss
A boss is a powerful, usually unique monster that is fought to accomplish an objective, be it the advancement of a completion of a quest or minigame, or as part of a team player versus monster event. Many quests feature boss fights at their climaxes; such bosses are often the main antagonists of the quests or quest series, or are somehow related to the main antagonist(s). Some monsters that are commonly referred to as bosses are very powerful monsters that reside in multicombat areas; these monsters are commonly fought by teams of players in search of highly valuable drops. Many bosses have extremely high combat levels, and most of the strongest monsters in the game are bosses.
Dwarf multicannons often cannot be set up in the areas of many bosses. Others may have different restrictions; for example, only black equipment may be used to fight the tormented wraith, and Prayer cannot be used during the fights with the final bosses of Recipe for Disaster.
Common PvM bosses
The monsters included in this section are often killed by clans or otherwise organised teams of players for PvM (player vs monster) events. Each is found in a multicombat area, allowing many players to engage them simultaneously, and are often killed for valuable and/or unique items that they drop. Most are extremely powerful, and some may require specific strategies to fight effectively.
- The tormented wraith is the level 129 spirit of a being who was tortured and killed by the Black Knights. It roams the Dark Warriors' Fortress in the Spirit Realm, eternally seeking revenge on the Black Knights who tortured it. Because of its extreme animosity towards the Black Knights, only black equipment may be used to fight it. The tormented wraith is one of the two monsters (the other being the Corporeal Beast) to drop holy elixirs, which are used to create blessed spirit shields.
- The Giant Mole is, true to its name, an enormous mole, level 230, that lives in its lair under Falador Park. A light source is required to fight it. During combat the Giant Mole attacks with melee and burrows around its rather large lair. Its chief drops, mole skin and mole claws, may be given to Wyson the gardener in exchange for bird's nests.
- The King Black Dragon is an enormous, level 276, three-headed black dragon that resides in its own lair beneath the Lava Maze. It has the ability to drain stats, freeze players, and poison with different forms of its dragon breath, all of which are unique among dragons to the King Black Dragon. Aside from its own heads, which can be mounted in a player-owned house, the King Black Dragon has two unique drops, dragonrider boots and gloves. It also drops valuable items, such as the draconic visage.
- Three level 303 Dagannoth Kings lair deep under Waterbirth Island. Each uses a different combat style: Dagannoth Supreme attacks with Ranged, Dagannoth Rex attacks with melee, and Dagannoth Prime attacks with Magic. Altogether the Kings drop several unique items, such as Seercull, dragon hatchets, berserker rings and mud battlestaves. They also drop a variety of Fremennik-related arms and armour, such as archer helms and skeletal armour.
- The Chaos Elemental is a level 305 creature of pure chaos that resides in deep Wilderness, near the Rogue's Castle. In addition to attacking with all three combat styles, it can teleport players around it and unequip their items. It drops the dragon two-handed sword, and various pieces of Ancient Warriors' Equipment.
- The Kalphite Queen is the ruler of the kalphites; she can be found at the bottom of the Kalphite Hive in the Kharidian Desert. Unlike many other bosses, she has two forms, both of which are level 333, and she uses protection prayers to block different attack styles. Her attacks are extremely accurate and very deadly for players who are unprepared for them. She drops the dragon chainbody and dragon two-handed sword; she also drops her head, which can be mounted in a player-owned house.
- Tormented demons prowl the Ancient Guthix Temple, one of the former resting places of the Stone of Jas; they may be fought after completion of While Guthix Sleeps. They are level 450 and are the only monsters to drop dragon claws and the pieces of the dragon platebody; however, because they hit hard with all three attack styles, they are rather dangerous. In contrast to most boss monsters, which are unique, there are six tormented demons in the game, all within the same multicombat area. This increases the danger of fighting tormented demons, as multiple demons may attack a given player at once.
- Glacors are demons of ice summoned by Lucien. They reside in the Glacor Cave and may be fought after completion of Ritual of the Mahjarrat. Glacors attack with all three combat styles, though they will only use Ranged and Magic on players who are out of melee range. They have a special icicle attack that can cut a player's remaining life points in half. When damaged to half of their health, glacors will summon three glacytes, each with different properties, to aid them in battle. Glacors are weak to Magic attacks, and fire spells are extremely potent against them; Fire Surge is capable of hitting over 900 damage on glacors. They are the only monsters to drop shards of Armadyl, which can be crafted into Armadyl runes or combined into an Armadyl battlestaff; they also drop the valuable steadfast boots, glaiven boots, and ragefire boots.
- The Corporeal Beast is an extremely powerful monster that may be fought after completion of Summer's End. With a combat level of 785, it is the fourth strongest monster in the game, behind the Queen Black Dragon, Har-Aken, and Nex. Although it is extremely dangerous to fight, players often team up to defeat the Corporeal Beast, as it is the only monster that drops sigils for spirit shields, which are among the most valuable items in the game.
- The Queen Black Dragon is the highest level monster to be on Gilenor, with a combat level of 2100. The QBD is a monster which can only be soloed by members, often for its rare Dragon kiteshield drop, Dragonbone Upgrade Kit, and pieces of the Royal crossbow. She is fought in four stages; at the end of each the player must activate an artefact. Once the fourth artefact is activated the fight is over and the player may enter the rewards room and open the chest. Though the Queen Black Dragon cannot be killed; the fight ends by putting her back to sleep.
God Wars Dungeon generals
For each warring deity in the God Wars Dungeon, there is a very powerful leader commonly referred to as a 'general'. Each general also has three bodyguards, one of which uses each style of combat: Melee, Magic and Ranged. In addition to the 60 Strength or 60 Agility required to enter the God Wars Dungeon, each general's encampment has further requirements to enter.
- Commander Zilyana is the level 596 Icyene general of Saradomin, attacking rapidly and accurately with both melee and Magic. Her bodyguards are Starlight, Growler and Bree. She drops the Saradomin hilt, and she and her bodyguards drop the Saradomin sword. 70 Agility is required to enter the Saradomin encampment.
- K'ril Tsutsaroth is the level 650 demonic general of Zamorak. He is extremely poisonous and can hit through protection prayers with his powerful melee and Magic attacks. His bodyguards are the demons Tstanon Karlak, Zakl'n Gritch and Balfrug Kreeyath. He drops the Zamorak hilt, and he and his bodyguards also drop the Zamorakian spear. Entering the Zamorakian encampment requires 700 life points, which implies but does not strictly require 70 Constitution (boosts such as rocktails can be used).
- General Graardor is one of the last known living ourgs, although he may very well be the only ourg in existence. He is the level 624 general of Bandos and is the most popular God Wars Dungeon general to kill, despite his devastating melee and Ranged attacks. His bodyguards are Sergeant Strongstack, Sergeant Grimspike and Sergeant Steelwill. Along with the Bandos hilt, General Graardor and his bodyguards drop pieces of Bandos armour. 70 Strength and a hammer are required to enter the Bandos encampment.
- Kree'arra the Aviansie is the level 580 general of Armadyl. Being a guardian and leader of the avainse, he cannot be attacked with melee weapons, though he uses all three styles himself. His bodyguards are Flight Kilisa, Flockleader Geerin and Wingman Skree. Kree'arra himself drops the highly valuable Armadyl hilt, and he and his bodyguards drops pieces of Armadyl armour. Enter Armadyl's encampment requires 70 Ranged and a mithril grapple.
- Nex is the leader of the Zarosian army trapped within the God Wars Dungeon by the forces of Saradomin, Zamorak, Bandos and Armadyl. She is level 1001, the first monster to have a combat level of over 1000, and she was the strongest monster in the game (not counting the unattackable Ferret of Doom found in the Fremennik saga, Thok it to 'Em), until the release of the Queen Black Dragon. She has a number of immensely powerful attacks in her arsenal, some of which can hit up to 700 damage. Rather than following the trend of other God Wars Dungeon bosses and having three bodyguards, Nex is assisted by four mages, each of which represents one of the main "elements" of the Ancient Magicks. Reaching her requires assembling a key to bypass the frozen door, the four pieces of which may be dropped within the monsters of the Saradominist, Zamorakian, Bandosian and Armadylian encampments. Thusly, Nex effectively has all of the requirements of the other God Wars Dungeon bosses to reach. Among other valuable drops, Nex drops many unique items: Torva armour, pernix armour, virtus armour, and the zaryte bow. Her minions in the Zarosian encampment drop ancient ceremonial robes.
Minigame bosses
These bosses are fought as parts of minigames or Distractions and Diversions.
- Bork is a level 267 ork who resides in the Chaos Tunnels, and is loyal to the Dagon'hai faction of Zamorakians. Bork is fought at the conclusion of the miniquest Chaos Tunnels: The Hunt for Surok, and can be killed once per day thereafter. He gives 5,000 Slayer experience the first time he is killed, and 250 experience every time he is defeated afterwards. In addition to his powerful melee attacks, Bork can summon several Ork legions to assist him, which use melee and Ranged. Additionally, Surok Magis (or an anonymous but functionally equivalent Dagon'hai Elite mage after the miniquest) will attack any players who challenge Bork with very powerful Magic attacks. Bork is often slain daily for his Slayer experience and his guaranteed drop of various charms and gems.
- The Phoenix is a level 235 avian of fire that may be fought, once per day, after completion of the In Pyre Need quest. She uses powerful Magic attacks in combat, and once defeated, she must be set aflame on the pyre in her lair; she will rise from the ashes as a hatchling, and will have fully regrown by the next day. The first time she is defeated, she gives 5,000 Slayer experience, 7,500 Firemaking experience, and 3,000 Fletching experience; for each kill thereafter the Slayer experience is reduced to 500, but the other experience rewards do not change. Additionally, she will reward players with 5 phoenix quills each time she is defeated.
- TzTok-Jad is the final boss of the TzHaar Fight Cave minigame. It is level 702 and is extremely dangerous as all of its attacks, which hit from every side of the combat triangle, can each deal up to 980 damage. Additionally, TzTok-Jad summons Yt-HurKot to rapidly heal it once it reaches half health. The reward for defeating TzTok-Jad is 16,064 tokkul and the much-coveted fire cape. Kuradal the Slayer master will sometimes assign the entirety of the TzHaar Fight Cave minigame as a Slayer assignment; under these circumstances, another reward for defeating TzTok-Jad is 25,000 Slayer experience.
- Har-Aken is the final boss of the Fight Kiln minigame. It is the strongest of all lava creatures (TzHaars and TokHaars). It uses tentacles using magic and ranged attacks with those. It will pop up its head, which is the only point where it can be killed, every 72 seconds, staying up for only 27 seconds before disappearing again.
- The seven Barrows brothers can be thought of as bosses, as each is quite powerful and together they are fought during the Barrows minigame. The brothers and their combat styles and levels are Ahrim the Blighted (Magic, 130), Dharok the Wretched (melee, 196), Guthan the Infested (melee, 147), Karil the Tainted (Ranged, 121), Torag the Corrupted (melee, 146), Verac the Defiled (melee, 146) and Akrisae the Doomed (melee, 115). The Ritual of the Mahjarrat is required in order to fight Akrisae. Each is an undead spirit and wears a certain set of equipment that gives a certain set effect; this equipment, known as Barrows equipment, can be obtained from the activity, and is highly popular as the sets are among the most powerful combat equipment in the game.
- In the Soul Wars minigame are two colossal avatars, the Avatar of Creation and Avatar of Destruction. Both are level 525. Each avatar is on one team's side, and the ultimate objective of Soul Wars is for each team to defeat its opposing team's avatar. Each avatar has a certain Slayer level required to fight it; the level can be lowered by team members using soul fragments on soul obelisk , or rose by players burying bones on their grave. Chances to raise avatar's level by burying bones is 50%.
- The Penance Queen is the level 209 boss of the Barbarian Assault minigame; she is fought during the tenth and final wave. She uses rapid melee and Ranged attacks and can only be damaged with omega eggs fired from the egg launcher. Defeating her earns players 80 honour points in their chosen roles, and 5 points in the other roles.
- The skeletal horror is a level 320 amalgamation of bones gathered from various monsters across RuneScape at the behest of the Odd Old Man. It may be fought once per week, giving 10,000 Slayer experience and 7,000 Prayer experience the first time it is defeated, and 1,250 Slayer experience and 1,000 Prayer experience each time thereafter. The skeletal horror uses melee and Magic attacks, and as the battle progresses, its limbs fall off.
- The Champions' Challenge Distraction and Diversion features combat against sixteen champions of different races found throughout RuneScape.
- Cliff is a mighty troll encountered during the final wave of the Troll Invasion minigame. He attacks with all three combat styles, hits very hard, and can teleport players around. He may be fought once a month for an experience reward, or unlimited times for fun.
Quest bosses
A large number of quests involve and/or conclude with a battle against a powerful monster, which often is or is related to the quest's main antagonist. Except where otherwise noted, these bosses cannot be fought once their respective quests have been completed. However, many of them could be fought after in the Dominion Tower, after some other requirements have been met.
A sub-boss is a powerful or semi-powerful monster fought as a prelude to the actual boss fight.
- Agrith Naar, a demon summoned to Gielinor by a group of Zamorakians, is fought at the end of Shadow of the Storm.
- The Arzinian Avatar is the boss of Between a Rock....
- Arrg is the strongest mountain troll in the game, and is the boss monster of Troll Romance.
- The Balance Elemental is a Guthixian avatar that guards the Stone of Jas. It is one of the final boss monsters of the Grandmaster quest While Guthix Sleeps.
- The Bandos Avatar is the final boss of The Chosen Commander. He is the Goblin High Priest under the control of the god Bandos.
- The Banshee Mistress is the boss of Smoking Kills.
- Barrelchest, a hulking artificial construct controlled by Mi-Gor, is the boss of The Great Brain Robbery.
- Barrelchest Mk II, an improved version of the original Barrelchest, is fought at the beginning of A Clockwork Syringe.
- A Black Demon controlled by Glough is the final challenge in The Grand Tree.
- The Black Knight Titan is the scourge of the Fisher Realm and is fought during Holy Grail.
- Bouncer is a powerful hellhound, the pet of General Khazard, and is fought during Fight Arena.
- Its ghost is fought during the Shadow Sword miniquest.
- Char is a powerful Auspah fought at the end of the Master quest, The Firemaker's Curse
- Chronozon is a demon who is the boss of Family Crest.
- Count Draynor is a notorious vampyre who is the boss of Vampyre Slayer. He is one of the few free-to-play bosses.
- The Culinaromancer is a powerful sorcerer who draws his power from food. He is the main antagonist of the Recipe for Disaster quest series, and is the final boss of its conclusion, Defeating the Culinaromancer.
- Dad is a mountain troll who is fought during Troll Stronghold.
- There are a few Dagannoth bosses:
- The original Dagannoth Mother is the boss of Horror From The Deep.
- Her offspring grows up to be the second Dagannoth Mother, which is the final boss of Blood Runs Deep.
- Two Dagannoth Sentinels are fought near the end of Blood Runs Deep. They guard the lair of the new Dagannoth Mother.
- The decaying avatar, a failing Soul Wars avatar, is the sub-boss of the Grandmaster quest Nomad's Requiem.
- Delrith is an ancient demon who was summoned to destroy Varrock; he is the boss of Demon Slayer. He is one of the few free-to-play bosses.
- The Dramen Tree Spirit guards the dramen tree within Entrana Dungeon, and is the boss of Lost City. Because of the restrictions on Entrana, no weapons or armour may be used to fight the tree spirit.
- Draugen is a spirit fought as part of The Fremennik Trials.
- Elvarg is a green dragon who has decimated the island of Crandor, where she roosts. She is the final boss of Dragon Slayer, and is one of the few free-to-play bosses.
- An Evil Spirit is the boss monster of Rum Deal.
- The Fairy Godfather, along with his army of orks, is the final boss of Fairy Tale III - Orks Rift.
- Gadderanks is a human supporter of the vampyric regime in Morytania. He is fought during In Aid of the Myreque.
- General Khazard can be optionally fought during Fight Arena.
- The Giant Roc is a large avian fought atop Trollheim during My Arm's Big Adventure. He has the uncommon ability to knock players around the area with his massive wings.
- A giant scarab is fought at the end of Contact!. Another, weaker scarab is fought close to the end of Dealing with Scabaras.
- The Giant Sea Snake is the boss of Royal Trouble.
- Glod is an enormous giant who resides in the cloud world above the magic beanstalk that players plant during Grim Tales; he is the quest's boss. He can disable prayers and force players towards or away from him.
- The ice demon prowls the halls of the fortress at Ghorrock and is the boss of The Temple at Senntisten.
- The Ice Troll King, leader of the ice trolls, is the boss of The Fremennik Isles.
- The Jungle demon is a powerful demon who serves as the final boss of Monkey Madness.
- A Khazard Ogre is one of the bosses of Fight Arena.
- Koschei the Deathless is a Fremennik warrior who cannot be truly killed. He must be defeated in battle three times in a row as part of The Fremennik Trials.
- While Lucien is present at the final battle during The Ritual of the Mahjarrat, players do not directly defeat him. Rather, he summons two enhanced ice titans and two ice demons that players battle.
- Me, who takes the form of players who fight him or her, is fought at the end of Lunar Diplomacy.
- Melzar the Mad is the keeper of Melzar's Maze. He is a sub-boss of Dragon Slayer.
- A powerful Moss giant must be fought, without weapons, armour, or Prayer, to obtain the Consecration seed in Roving Elves.
- Nezikchened is a black demon who is fought three times during Legends' Quest, including at the quest's climax.
- Nial Swiftfling is a Fremennik warrior who was cursed and turned into a yeti. He is fought during Glorious Memories.
- Nomad, the mysterious warden of the Soul Wars activity, is also the final boss of the Grandmaster quest Nomad's Requiem. He is extremely powerful and is widely regarded as one of the most difficult quest bosses to defeat in the game.
- The Pest Queen is the mother of all pests, the scourges of the Void Knights. She is the final boss of the Grandmaster quest The Void Stares Back.
- The Possessed Priest is the boss of Icthlarin's Little Helper.
- The Sea Troll Queen, ruler of the sea trolls, is the final boss of Swan Song.
- Sigmund is a supporter of H.A.M. who is fought in three quests: Death to the Dorgeshuun, Another Slice of H.A.M., and The Chosen Commander.
- Sir Leye is a Temple Knight who cannot be defeated by any man alive. Thusly, he must be fought as a woman during Recruitment Drive.
- Sir Mordred is the leader of the Renegade Knights and is fought during Merlin's Crystal.
- Slagilith is an animated golem of rock who is fought during One Small Favour. It can be fought after the quest is complete.
- Slash Bash is a strong zogre who is the boss of Zogre Flesh Eaters.
- The Spirit Beast is the terror of the Spirit Realm. It cannot be fought by conventional means, but nonetheless serves as the bosses for Spirit of Summer and Summer's End. During Summer's End, the Spirit Beast has a combat level of 752; it is technically the strongest quest monster in the game.
- Tarn Razorlor is a necromancer and is the boss of the miniquest The Lair of Tarn Razorlor.
- Tolna is a young boy who succumbed to the evils of what later became known as the Dungeon of Tolna. He is the boss of A Soul's Bane, taking the form of a three-headed monster.
- Treus Dayth, now a ghost, was a follower of Drakan who was sealed within the Abandoned Mine. He is the boss of Haunted Mine.
- Ulfric is an undead Fremennik who is the boss of Olaf's Quest.
- Vanstrom Klause, an elite vampyre, is the boss of The Branches of Darkmeyer.
Quests with multiple bosses
Some quests have several boss monsters that must be defeated, usually one after the other.
- Do No Evil features three powerful bosses: Leeuni, Ayuni and Eruni. Each uses different combat styles and have unique powers.
- Spirits of the Elid has three bosses: The black golem, grey golem and white golem.
- Desert Treasure has four Zamorakian warriors as bosses: Dessous, Kamil, Fareed and Damis.
- During Land of the Goblins, five undead goblin priests must be defeated: Snothead, Snailfeet, Mosschin, Redeyes and Strongbones.
- The Recipe for Disaster quest series culminates in the final subquest, Defeating the Culinaromancer. Six bosses must be defeated: Agrith Na-Na, Flambeed, Karamel, Dessourt, Gelatinnoth Mother and the Culinaromancer himself. Each of these bosses except for the Culinaromancer is a play on another boss of one of the quests required to finish Recipe for Disaster.
- During Dream Mentor, four boss monsters are fought, in order: The Inadequacy, The Everlasting, The Untouchable and The Illusive.
- There is a miniquest, titled the Desert Slayer Dungeon miniquest, that is available after completing Smoking Kills. Four boss versions of Slayer monsters are fought: The monstrous cave crawler, the basilisk boss, the mightiest turoth and the kurask overlord.
- During Ritual of the Mahjarrat, General Khazard must be first defeated, and then the player battles two Enhanced ice titans together and then two ice demons at once.
- During The Elder Kiln, a very large number of monsters must be defeated, though not all at once: Odischamp, LolthenKILL, FightpitPKer, Firecapezorz, NoRemorse77, two TzHaar-Ket (Hardened), two TzHaar-Xil (Hardened), TzHaar-Ket-Yit'tal, twelve lava monsters, three TokTz-Ket-Dill, two Ket-Zek, Yt-MejKot, TokHaar-Hur, TokHaar-Xil, TokHaar-Ket, TokHaar-Mej and the TokHaar-Ket Champion.
Dominion Tower
On 1 November 2011, Jagex released the Dominion Tower, a minigame that allows players to fight bosses from quests they have completed. Players can fight up to 60 unique boss monsters from previous quests, including Nomad, the Pest Queen, Zenevivia, the Balance Elemental, and many others.
Dungeoneering bosses
At the end of each floor of Daemonheim is a powerful boss monster that must be defeated in order to complete the dungeon. The levels and strengths of these bosses vary according to a combination of factors, including the dungeon's size and complexity rating, but otherwise they will always have the same qualities.
External links
- Boss (video games) - Wikipedia