Ceekur

Good work Dark Dude! \ Really climbing high on the tip.it ladder. I'm sure you'll do a great job as admin.

I thought the quest was quite good, considering I went and did it on the first day, which is unusual for me. :lol: While it may not have been an earth-shattering quest, I liked seeing the conclusion of this storyline. I felt the parts where you sat down with Zanik, combined with the music that was specifically composed for certain scenes or areas were a great touch. They should have more quests where you connect with the NPCs or the story, since I definitely got into this quest more than I usually do with others. There were also a good number of new music tracks unlocked in this quest, which was a nice surprise. The new agility course is pretty decent. Since you are mostly jumping around, run energy isn't really an issue here. When you do need to run, your energy should have recharged. You can also have a follower with you this time, and could potentially use a bunyip for healing (stays on the ground) and no worry about energy or food. I still failed notable times at 83 Agility (usually at the large statue), while a friend of mine failed only a few times in 12K exp with 70 Agility. I am wondering how much player carry weight has to do with failing though. I like the new throne room. It actually serves two purposes in the same place, so you would see people training while others are running around doing agility. It's nice to see two seemingly unrelated skills possible to be trained in the same area for once (and I don't mean leveling in a bank booth). A mini-quest would have been interesting, but I was glad with what the room does offer already. It was a good quest; hopefully future ones will be given the same care. The cut-scene and NPC interaction was greater, and the music tracks weren't handled lazily, even in spite of the fewer areas traveled.

I was referring to the general accuracy of the godswords in general, not just specials. It is interesting to know that the mask's bonuses have no effect during specials though. While I have noticed less-than-expected hits before, I have never read about it anywhere. For example, that explains stabbing 43 with a DDS, but never hitting above 41 on a special, when it's stated to do even more damage.

Even in Slayer, with a +15% attack bonus with the mask/helm, godswords still have the potential to outright miss. Pietying as you swing helps a lot, if you consider toggling like that fair (and given you don't have the extra defense bonus while it's off, wouldn't it?). It just depends on what you're doing. Naturally, SGS is very effective for Slayer, although a BGS works well if defense/health aren't much of an issue. In PVP, AGS or even a BGS can work well, one for KOing and one to try and turn the tide in your favor. If you use a BGS for Slayer, I personally wouldn't count on the special being all that useful, as even if it hits high, it is only 10% extra damage on one hit for the whole bar. Also since you'll hopefully be killing the monster soon (we are talking about speed and efficiency here), the strike to defense doesn't help for long. Just use a DDS or claws to special once or twice, then switch to the GS for the rest of the monster. On those two rounds alone, you can combo well with this.

A few days ago I finally finished one of the longest goals I have ever embarked on - 99 Summoning and Slayer. I was around 93 Slayer when the Slayer update was released. At the time, I loved Slayer, but the occasional series of bad tasks followed by tedious switching was off-setting and ruined the pacing for me. Stopping to do several quick and simple tasks was keeping me from spending all of my Slaying time and energy focusing on actually doing lengthy tasks like I had wanted. I had spent the time in between the Summoning release and Slayer update to get my range up while getting some charms (if anyone remembers the 99 Range topic I posted). When the update came out, I knew I had to go back to Slayer one more time to experience the new point system, check out the new equipment, and see the faster, consistent, pace at which one can train this skill. Months later I can definitely say training these two skills definitely goes hand in hand, what with me starting at high 80s Summoning and 93 Slayer, and then both of them arriving at almost-98 and almost-99 respectively at the end. During my training, I was thinking about how interesting it would be to at least try and get them at the same instant. I thought this over for some time, as I was getting closer. I needed to have a multi-combat area with a low enough level Slayer task that was easy enough for people to get to. Eventually I settled on using the most accurate familiar special I could hope to find on a level 35 wolf at White Wolf Mountain. In the end, I missed using the scroll by about one second. I could have done it better; by using something other than a Spirit Dagannoth and taking a chance with its Ferocious ability. I also could have planned the day better and ensured I lowered my strength to 1 just before the event, gotten the wolf's health down to 5 or so, then summoned the dagg, then used its scroll. Sure, I missed, but it still felt amazing to finally get there. I can always try again with another pair some other time. [hide=99 Slayer - 1280 x 720][/hide] [hide=99 Summoning - 1280 x 720][/hide] [hide=Congrats Scrolls][/hide] A friend of mine also took even higher quality pictures of the capes themselves. I was going to crop and post them here, but it was suggested that I just use the same link that he sent to me. Link has been checked and verified as safe by a moderator. http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MU7P4HUS

I really recommend prayer on them. Your prayer is a little low to make full use of prayer pots though, so even if you have a solid prayer bonus (as in using god book and stole over fury and defender), you can probably expect to bank at least once. Take 2 or 3 beasts of burden with you to last a while. I take alching runes with me since that can help with space. I heard one rumor that they are weaker to stab attacks than slash, but I haven't had a chance to test that out yet. How many have you been assigned?

It's something that doesn't help the community image anyway. But it's generally how it is with much of anything in regards to player vs player - anything from RuneScape to FPS's. Combine anonymity with direct, fast-paced, and typically aggressive competition for basically anything and this is what you get in some people. :|

In regards to Zaff's battlestaves, it's a good idea to buy them anyway, as they sell for at least 1K more on the GE. Enchanting orbs and finishing the staves is even better. Even if you buy the powered orbs from the GE and the staves from Zaff, you can still earn a good profit as well as crafting and magic exp.

I think an important factor some people on both sides of the debate miss is fun. If you find playing RuneScape fun, and training a particular way to match your goals as fun, then what others say shouldn't weigh much on your mind. Why would anyone train other skills when they can train combat stats and go to GWD? Or if they want a more consistant method, just focus on getting 91 RC? It's because the goals of each and every player differs between them. If someone asked me a good way to train combat, I would reply Slayer. This is because Slayer is my definition of decent combat training. If they wanted more melee exp than slayer usually gives, I can try to suggest another area, if they want. I'm content with losing some potential exp from monkey camping and money off boss fighting in place of exp in both melee and slayer. As I see skill total as just fun, I want slayer levels to help that total. I get a good amount of charms through slayer. While I actively acknowledge that I can try my luck as GWD and spend that money on bursting lobsters, I'm not interested in doing that. I like it when I can use one skill to help level another. People can make level 3 skillers and just work on non-combat skills. Are they potentially making less money than they could on their main? Maybe. Does it ultimately matter more that they are using the best training method over what they want to do (within rules)? I don't think so. If you want to train melee *only*, then monkeys could work better for you. If you want more variety in monsters and drops, then try Slayer. If you want to train range, GWD for money and spend it on chins, cannon daggs, or just train it during slayer. It's up to the player.

The above range methods would be effective. If you want to melee, you could also bring prayer gear (initiate top, legs) and a few prayer potions (shouldn't need very many). Instead of having to hold food for emergencies, you'll end up with more room for bones and other drops. If you do flash prayer, some food would be helpful in case you miss (and the dragon doesn't). Remember you can bring a beast of burden to hold more bones for you too. :thumbsup:

2M to go Dark! Hope you get a large before then.

Congrats on 99 Strength :thumbsup: Favorite Melee skill. \

It's all down to personal experience and preference and the levels of the wielder. I did some recent testing on a variety of monsters while slaying. With max melee stats, these are my thoughts on using the obby split-sword: - Gargoyles: It can hit, but not often enough, as they are already more resistant to slash attacks over crush. The obby mace was too slow and still too inaccurate to be worth over using a whip, ss, or godsword. + Greater Demons: As they have no armor and moderate natural defense, the sword can work well on them. It can tear through them in a few hits even if you are not using a defender with or without piety. - Sugahs: I recall I missed a fairly greater amount than with usual monsters, with both the sword and a whip. You can hit, but probably want to stick to a whip or godsword on these. + Fire Giants: Just like greater demons, the sword worked quite nicely on them. They seem a bit weak to stab attacks as well. Personally my favorite task to use this sword on. + Hellhounds: Despite their level, they have no armor and moderate natural defense. I found the sword surprisingly decent on them. Due to their high accuracy even when using normal gear and a shield, I would suggest praying on these if you use the sword. - Metal Dragons: Not going to work well, even with the mace. A whip with piety is nice though. + Dagannoth: It's good. I tend to piety on these guys, but I don't recall ever missing more than my whip did even without. - Nechyrael: Being under constant attack from spawns means you're going to need to be able to put up with attacks more, so the necklace's defense lowering may be too much this time. Take a fury and a whip, and the obby combo and see which works better for you. + Dust Devils: It works well on these. + Spiritual Mages: I noticed they may be weaker to stab a bit. I don't remember missing more often than a whip using the sword. Basically it's all how it works for you. Even with a DFS instead of a defender on most of these, I still hit decently. I seemed to reach a max hit on some tasks more often than I otherwise would with a whip. If you are willing to sacrifice a little prayer bonus and the possibility of someone wondering what in the world you are doing (until you poke a 50), and the defense loss is not a worry, then it's definitely a valid method for strength exp.