Jagex, the company that owns RuneScape, introduced Membership as a way to cover the vast majority of the costs of RuneScape, such as in-game updates, extra staffing, server hosting, etc. As a benefit, members have many more privileges and usable features in the game and on the RuneScape website.
Many people's critiques of the game are due solely to the limitations of a non-member in the game, specifically at a higher level as content and areas becomes repetitive and dull. However, a large proportion of the community do not see this as an issue, arguing that free players aren't entitled to the same benefits as paying customers.
In order to become a member and access the pay-to-play version of RuneScape, players must first have a subscription. When players subscribe, they receive members credit which allows them to access the pay-to-play version of RuneScape. When you start a subscription by credit card, it will be paid monthly. Subscriptions through different payment methods may have varying lengths, although there is a minimum length of one month. Jagex is affiliated with several payment providers, each providing different subscription payment methods and prices. Different payment methods require different information to be given during a secure payment process.
Extra features
A player using the magic carpet transportation method.
Membership unlocks many features of RuneScape that are not available to free players: almost all recent updates to RuneScape have been for members, with the exception of a few major updates in the past months. There are very few quests available to free players, while new quests available to members are added at a rate of one or two a month. This is a condensed list of features unlocked with membership below:
More accessible servers. (members can access free-to-play worlds and pay-to-play worlds, although they cannot access most members only features in free-to-play worlds)
A few more emotes such as air guitar (requires 500 unlocked songs), Faint (requires the completion of the mime Court Case) and Taskmaster (requires all tasks to be completed in the Task system).
Ability to post on the RuneScape Official Forums regardless of their character's level/experience. (The only non-members who can post on the forums are those with at least 2.5 million XP total or have an overall skill total exceeding or equal to 350)
More efficient ways to make money.
The ability to access fullscreen mode on the main screen.
The ability to take a photo using the Photo Booth feature for use on the forums as an avatar.
The ability to fight many high level bosses like the King Black Dragon and more.
The ability to fight a wide variety of other monsters, ranging from Yaks, which are good training, to Dragons, which drop items such as Dragon bones that sell for a lot on the Grand Exchange.
These benefits will only be available if the member logs onto a members server. If a members-only item is on a non-members server it will not be usable. The name of the items is replaced with "Members object" and the examine will be changed to "Login to a members server to use this." until you've gone back to a Members' server (however, if you go to a free server whilst wearing members-only armour, it will not be unequipped).
Although if you go onto a free server while membership is activated, the bank space will still be increased beyond the normal free limit, and you may still place things in even if there isn't one already in there.
Fullscreen mode is also available on free servers while membership is activated.
Members-only skills
Currently there are 9 skills in RuneScape that are only available to members out of a total of 25 skills. The members-only skills are listed in alphabetical order below:
There are many benefits upon unlocking these skills. Many members quests have members skill requirements. Agility allows run energy to recharge faster, allows players to run for longer amounts of time, and allows entry to certain areas and use of many shortcuts. With Construction, players can build their own player-owned house. Farming allows players to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs, and trees that only they will be able to cut. Herblore lets players make potions to aid them in combat and the training of other skills. Hunter is a great money maker, and items from it help train several other skills. Thieving allows entry into certain areas as well as being an easy money source. Slayer unlocks new monsters and items, as well as the Magic Dart spell, Broad-tipped bolts, and Broad arrows. Summoning allows members to summon helpful beasts that can aid the player by holding items, boosting stats, helping in combat, among other abilities. It also allows members to achieve a maximum combat level of 138.
Members-only areas
Free players have very limited access to the world of RuneScape. Free players can only access the kingdoms of Asgarnia and Misthalin, the north-eastern most point of Karamja, and most of the Wilderness. Instant Demo players can only access the kingdom of Misthalin which has extremely limited access. Membership allows full access to the entire world.
Here is a list of some, but not all of the lands reserved for members:
Most of the activities in RuneScape are members only. Activities are interactive competitions between players and usually require or involve cooperation and communication. However, some activities are just for players to play on their own. Activities can also be good methods to gain experience in combat or non-combat skills, or to just invoke fun competition. Activities are arguably one of the most enjoyable aspects of RuneScape, and a common reason that impel many to become Members as most of them are restricted to members. Random events can also be considered a form of a activity, however, as given by their name, they are completely random and so the player cannot choose when to "play".
Here is an alphabetical list of the currently available members-only activities, along with a short explanation:
Agility Pyramid - An excellent way for players to quickly train Agility, as well as a decent source of money.
Barbarian Assault - A fun team combat activity which unlocks new armour.
Barrows - An enjoyable, challenging single player combat activity which has valuable rewards, including the desirable Barrows equipment!
Blast Furnace - An efficient way to smelt bars of metal, as well as a good source of experience in several different skills.
Castle Wars - An extremely popular competitive game of combat Capture the Flag, in which two teams infiltrate each the enemy castle and fight to score. Tickets rewarded to the winners can be exchanged for decorative Castle Wars armour and capes. Complicated strategy and tactics have been developed as well!
Champion Challenge - Engage the titans of eight different races of monsters in special rules battles! If you defeat them all, you can face the gnome champion!
Conquest - A turn-based strategy game where two players command a squad of Void Knights and try to eliminate their opponent.
Duel Tournaments - Members can head under the Duel Arena to compete for millions of coins in tournaments.
Fishing Trawler - An interesting fishing activity in which players sail along the sea trying to keep a leaking ship afloat while they fix their net and catch some fish! Rewards are fish up to your fishing level, so the higher the better!
Gnome Ball - A challenging Agility activity where players try to pass and charge with a small ball towards a hoop to score a goal, while defending gnomes attempt to tackle them before they can throw it. Players earn both Agility and Ranging experience if they're successful!
Gnome Restaurant - Players try their hand at delivering food to hungry customers in record speed! A variety of unique items and other rewards are available.
Mage Arena - Learn the legendary God Spells and earn your God Cape and God Staff! These spells are powerful additions to any magic user's arsenal.
Mage Training Arena - One of the fastest ways to earn Magic experience; the Arena offers four different activities each involving a different type of magic. If you are successful in these games, you can earn Pizzazz points to exchange for runes or the valued Infinity Robes!
Pest Control - This immensely popular team combat activity involves protecting the vulnerable Void Knight while you fight incoming monsters. Commendation Points which can be exchanged for experience in any combat skill as well as a selection of items are rewarded to successful teams.
Pyramid Plunder - A source of extremely fast Thieving experience. Combat is interestingly integrated into the game.
Rat Pits - Players can train their cats to be a fierce hellcat or a clever Wily cat in these arenas of battle between cat and mouse, then show off their fully trained cats to their friends!
Rogue's Den - Players show their deft abilities as they navigate this tricky maze filled with traps and obstacles. Fail and be teleported out! Depending on success, players earn fair amounts of Agility and Thieving experience as well as Rogue Armour displaying their skill.
Shades of Mort'ton - Build up a temple and defend it from attacking evil spirits! One of the best ways to train Crafting, a good source of Firemaking experience, or a good way for players to test their prowess in combat and see how long they can last against the shades while they train up their combat skills! Shades of Mort'ton quest must be completed before you can play this activity.
Sorceress's Garden - Players attempt to sneak around watchful elementals guarding their gardens to get the a Sq'irk Tree to pick Sq'irk fruits. If caught, they are teleported out! Excellent Thieving experience.
Soul Wars - A challenging activity where you kill avatars with your team. Rewards combat experience and pets.
Tears of Guthix - Collect the tears of the God of Balance in a sacred cave guarded by his faithful snake servant Juna. The tears give the best reward of all - experience in the players' worst skill.
Temple Trekking - Escort citizens through the dangerous Mort Myre Swamp in Morytania to a temple on the River Salve. If successful, players earn tokens exchangeable for a random reward, including resources such as herbs or ores, or tomes exchangeable for experience in specific skills!
Trouble Brewing - Two teams compete as each try to brew the most bottles of rum! Experience in a variety of skills can be earned for performing the many complicated tasks needed in the process of rum production.
TzHaar Fight Cave - Players fight alone against an army of Tzhaar monsters! If they can withstand the masses, and defeat the dreaded TzTok-Jad, the third most powerful monster in the game, they can earn the coveted Fire cape! Winners as well as less fortunate participants earn varied amounts of the Tzhaar currency of Tokkul.
TzHaar Fight Pit - Players are thrown into pits where they fight an every-man-for-himself battle to the death! Deadly alliances and betrayals are all a part of the game. Tokkul is rewarded to the winner of each round
It's highly recommended that if a Member were to ever be bored or not happy with the current Membership, they should at least try out various activities just for the fun of it.
Unlockable capabilities in skills
Free players are limited in their access to the skills available in Runescape. Since areas and training methods are also limited, it can be difficult for free players to obtain high levels in much of the free-to-play skills. Free players cannot use members items for combat and cannot use some of the abilities or items reached at higher levels in the free skills. Many guilds are also located in members only areas. Membership brings full access to not only several members skills, but also the free skills. It also gives special attacks to specific weaponry.
Here is a list of some capabilities in free skills available to only members:
Damage from poison and disease is members only, though you will receive damage anyway if you log back onto a free world (note that you cannot use antipoison potions on free worlds)
80 Constitution for the use of Pernix, Torva, and Virtus armour.
Ability to enchant onyx and dragonstone jewellery, as well as enchanting different types of emerald, sapphire and ruby jewellery (such as an emerald bracelet into a castlewars bracelet).
access to Wave and Surge spells, along with high level curse spells
Use of more teleportation spells such as Trollheim Teleport, and the use of medium and high level binds. (snare and entangle)
The vast majority of quests in RuneScape are restricted to members. These quests unlock many important features, new areas, various transportation systems, and many new skills. There are currently 19 free-to-play quests, 140 members-only quests and 1 tutorial quest. A complete list of members quests is found here.
Some quests granting useful abilities are listed below:
These quests are highly recommended to finish, as this allows access to a larger variety of weaponry and armour and just as important, faster and easier transportation.
When you become a member, some of the first things you should do are the "Easy" parts of the Task System. The rewards are listed below:
Varrock: Easy - Possibility to mine 2 ores and smith 2 bars instead of one, access to the EdgevilleFurnace, and the ability to buy 16 Battlestaves from Zaff.
Morytania: Easy - Double fungi when casting Bloom, 5% extra Temple Trekking rewards, 50% chance of a Ghast ignoring you rather than attacking you.
Extra servers
Members can access and log into servers reserved for the pay-to-play version of RuneScape. If members wish to, they may also log into free-to-play worlds, although on these servers they can't use any in-game features that are accessible only in pay-to-play worlds. There are 86 members-only worlds out of a total of 171 worlds.
Additional website features
Players who opt for pay-to-play are given access to a few sections of the RuneScape website that are unavailable to free players. :
The forums - Free players may use the official forums if they have more than 2.5 million xp or a skill total of 350+. This makes it more difficult to use a valuable method of communication, which can limit contact with other players in the Marketplace, Game, RS-Classic, and Community forum sections for trading, clan recruitment, clan discussion, game discussion, or other reasons, as well as removing the only easy way to contact Jagex: the Support section of the forums, which allows for suggestion of updates, rants, complaints and feedback.
The Hiscores (Previously members and free players could use this.)
Membership strategy
In order to save money, some players will pay for a few months of membership and then cancel or end payments. Before becoming a member, they will prepare for the new features by obtaining items that will allow them to quickly train members only skills and do members only quests. After they have completed their desired goals, they will cancel their membership and begin preparation again. While most members do not choose to switch like this, it is a good idea to obtain items that new members will need in large amounts before beginning membership.
Soon-to-be member checklist:
Regular, oak, and willow logs to quickly train Fletching.
Food such as cakes or lobsters to train Agility quickly.
Enough coins to pay for all the equipment and skill items that you plan to buy once you are a member.
Items to utilise new capabilities in free skills that come with membership.
Items required to do basic member quests you plan to complete.
Moderately high levels, as this removes possible time wasted while training F2P skills in Members when you could be questing.
Recommended members quests
If you plan to do members quests, it is a good idea to get any Free Player levels before you become a member, so you can spend more time doing members-only quests or skills without wasting membership credit for something you could do in free player worlds.
Immediate Quests (these quests open the members world to you):
Fight Arena - Short quest which rewards a quick 12,175 Attack XP.
Contact! - A new bank deep in the desert, and a powerful dagger.
Desert Treasure - One of the hardest quests in the game, gives access to the Ancient Magicks.
While Guthix Sleeps - Unlocks new monsters, and equipment. You can only start after completing most of the other quests (requirement of 270 quest points).
Love Story - Gives the ability to chip House Teleport Tablets to teleport you to any house portal, not just your own.
Preparing for an ending membership
When going from Pay-to-play to Free-to-play, there are many things you want to consider before your membership ends. Along with being restricted by the smaller free world area and limited to the free skills, bank space is an important aspect to consider. Non-members are limited to 78 bank spaces (88 if you validate your e-mail address) whereas Members have 468 extra bank spaces (for a total of 556 bank spaces).
Even if you are planning on becoming a member again you will have to sell most of the items. If you still have more than 78 (88) non-member items in the bank after your membership ends, the extra items will still be in the bank, but you cannot deposit anymore items unless duplicate of the item is already there. To see how many extra F2P items you have in your bank move your mouse cursor over the number that indicates how many members items you hold in your bank.
Member items are not usable and equipable in the Free-to-play servers, but you may keep them in the bank. You may consider selling every valuable P2P items if you are not willing to become a member again. Less expensive ones like Magic Shortbow and some quest-related items are more worthy to be kept, and more importantly, don't take up F2P inventory space. These cheaper items may quicken your process if you subscribe again.
Using bank tagging is useful for sorting out the items, you may also see some convenient tools like Pot, which is barely useful inside F2P playing. Disposal of these cheap items would lead to efficient bank sorting.
When the membership ends and you still have members armour equipped, you will still be wielding the armour, weapons, shields, etc., but they will have the special abilities & stats disabled. You cannot train Dungeoneering if you wish to keep these items equipped. Once unequipped you cannot reequip them until you log into a members world. For skillcape wearers, dropping and selling all other capes will lessen the hazard of accidentally unequipping the cape. A questing cape is not recommended as it will unequip when the next quest is released.
Keeping useful Free-to-play items and armour might be an acceptable idea. Some of these items/armour include, but are not limited to: Rune/Green d'hide equipment, cooked/raw Swordfish (eventually as rewards from the Managing Miscellania activity), strength potions (from training herblore), etc.
Players can only initate a trading request on top-left and top-middle slots in Grand Exchange inside free worlds. However, transactions can be completed in all slots even if a player has terminated subscription. It is wise to sell members items on the other 4 slots near the end of an subscription, which can free up exchange slots for future free world playing.
If you train combat and you are wielding a members' item on a free to play world in the weapon slot, you will fight with your fist/foot as if you were unarmed. When the free version of RuneScape Classic existed, members' weapons would automatically become unequipped when the player logs in to a free world.
In the God letters, members were referred to as 'nobility' while F2P were peasants. It was also said that they paid taxes to the counsel.
There are currently ~1,052,000 members and rising, as seen in the hiscores. This number is inflated however, due to the recent addition of the 14 day members free trial, which is evident as over 150,000 of these members have never gained a single level.
