RuneScape News

Can you believe it's our last This Week In RuneScape of the year? And what a year it's been! From War's Retreat to Raksha, with a quick detour through Archaeology, we've had loads of great updates - with many more to come in 2021. But first, let's take a look at what's happening this week, shall we?



It's Chriiiiiiistmaaaaaas! The snow is falling, the lights are twinkling, and we've got a few suitably festive updates for you! Read on to see how you can rejoin Violet in the Land of Snow, search Diango's storage on mobile, and get started on a wintery new Yak Track.

[h2]Violet is Blue Too[/h2]

Last time you met Violet, you helped her find the way to Yeti Town and make some new friends. Now everyone's favourite ragamuffin is back, and she needs your help once again!

It's almost Christmas, and Yeti Town should be festooned with tinsel, lights, and baubles - but the whole place has remained dismally undecorated! It's up to you to help Violet get to the bottom of this merry mystery and save the day.

And if you're too busy delivering presents and scoffing mince pies this holiday season, no worries - like the first quest in the series, Violet is Blue Too will be available to play all year, every year from now on.

[h3]How to Start[/h3]

To start Violet is Blue Too, you’ll need to have completed Violet is Blue. There are no other requirements.

Speak to Postie Pete outside the portal on White Wolf Mountain to begin the quest.

[h2]Yak Track: The Knight Before Christmas[/h2]

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring... apart from those bloody great yaks tracking all over the place!

Yes, there's a new Yak Track for the festive season, and it's running from December 14th to January 24th. New here? No worries: to get yak tracking, head to Burthorpe and have a word with Robin, the Reindeer Yak. He'll set you up with a list of tasks to complete, which range from the silly to the skilful. There are two tasks to choose from at each tier, so you choose whichever suits your playstyle best. For each task you check off the list you'll receive a festive reward!



Speaking of rewards, for completing your very first task you'll get the Permafrost Knight outfit, a super-cool suit of armour that'll let you give Gielinor's toughest baddies a frosty reception. Carry on along the track and you'll get weapons to match, along with Robin the Reindeer Yak in pet form, a Chimney Teleport and much more.



Treat yourself to a Premier Pass for just 2 Bonds and you'll unlock even more cosmetics, boosts, pets and animations: including the Tundral Stalker outfit and Snowflake, the winter fairy pet at Tier 50.

Don't forget - if you've joined the Premier Club, you'll have free access to the Premium Track, and you'll get a cheeky bonus Task Skip for any that aren't to your liking.

This time around, you'll be asked to complete a special holiday task: the present hunt! It seems that yaks aren't very good sleigh animals, and somehow Robin's lost some of the presents he was supposed to deliver. Thankfully, he's got a set of Magical Jingle Bells that will help you detect the presents he's lost - just give them a shake and they'll let you know how close you are to the nearest lost present. Easy peasy!

Lastly, our developer elves have received your wishlists and have been busy making a whole bunch of Quality of Life changes to the Yak Track. For more information, have a look at the Patch Notes!

[h2]Ninja Strike 16: Diango[/h2]

You can find Diango in Draynor Market, tirelessly handing out rewards from holiday events past - but this year, he's the one getting the gifts! The Ninja Team has paid him a visit and spruced up his UI. Plus, while they were in the area, they paid a little visit to Death's Office and arranged for him to award a new title...

[h3]Diango Improvements[/h3]

First off, Diango's messaging has been improved in order to clear up any confusion players may have had about the whereabouts of items they already own. In addition, his UI has been given a bit of polish on both mobile and desktop, with bigger icons and a more accessible Search Bar.

Speaking of Search Bars, the one in the Bank will now display items you've got stored with Diango, provided you can withdraw them to your Backpack. There's also a new keybind which will activate the search while in Diango's interface; the key is 'S' in English and German, 'B' in Portuguese and 'R' in French.

[h3]Golden Reaper[/h3]

The Ninjas teamed up with Mods Ryan and Iago, and Death is now ready to award boss loot collectors who go the extra mile with a shiny new title. Completing all boss collection logs will now earn you a prestigious golden variant of 'the Reaper' title. Nice!

[h3]Quality of Life Changes[/h3]

In addition, the Ninjas have swept through the following small updates:

• A new log in message tells players when their Invention machines have completed processing inputs or run out of charges.
  
• Auto Disassembler machines will now display the correct processing time when disassembling batches of items.
  
• The 'Deposit all' options for the Deep Sea Fishing Hub and the Menaphos VIP and Port Banks and Deposit Boxes have been consolidated into a single option.

[h2]RS@20[/h2]

Upon logging in after this update, you'll receive a mysterious invitation. An invitation to what, you ask? Why, to RuneScape's 20th Anniversary Party!

That's right, we've had this show on the road for 20 whole years. From the good old days of baking cakes for the Duke of Lumbridge, to facing the Elder Gods themselves, you've stuck with us through thick and thin - and since we couldn't do any of this without the support of our wonderful community, it's only fair that we invite you along to our Grand Party!

Once the event begins, you can use your invitation to teleport straight to the party. Show your invitation to the host and you'll get a special reward - and of course, if you've lost your invite between now and then, they'll be able to give you a spare, too.

So don't be alarmed by that unusual envelope in your Backpack - just hold onto it, and look forward to some official party business in the new year!

[h2]Prime Gaming[/h2]

From tomorrow, December 15th, you can claim new goodies from our friends at Prime Gaming! This time, we're offering two Umbral Chests and a Yak Track Care Package, which contains an assortment of useful items that'll help you along the Yak Track.

To get your rewards, all you need to do is link your RuneScape and Prime Gaming accounts. You can find full instructions right here.

[h2]Premier Club[/h2]

If you're part of the Premier Club, you can look forward to a new monthly drop on January 1st! This time, you'll get:

• A Variety Pack filled with useful stuff
  
• Two Pulse Cores
  
• 1,000 Oddments

Feeling jealous? There's still time for you to pick up a Premier Club package and get access to monthly drops like this one for the duration - and don't forget, you'll save a bundle on membership at the same time.

Find out more here.

[h2]New Year's Sales[/h2]

Here in the United Kingdom we take our January sales very seriously, so of course we're bringing the thrill of finding those elusive savings to Solomon's General Store!

There are discounts on all kinds of cosmetics, pets, packs and animations - including Rory the Reindeer, the Pegasus Teleport and the Assassin Pack.

The sale goes live on January 1st - but don't worry, we'll remind you closer to the time.



Hmm, what's this under the tree? Oh! It's a big ol' pile of Patch Notes, and they're addressed to all of you! Go on, have a read...

[h2]Ninja Strike Notes[/h2]
[h3]Diango and Costume Room[/h3]

• Using the Search function in the Bank will now also display any results from Diango's storage, as long as the items in question can be withdrawn to the Backpack.
  
• Fixed some inconsistent tooltip styling between Bank and Diango items.
  
• Increased the size of icons in Diango's storage on mobile.
  
• Fixed a live bug where Diango's interface would sometimes prevent players from seeing all search results.
  
• Moved Diango's Search Bar to the top of the interface on mobile for ease of use.
  
• Replaced the word 'Inventory' with 'Backpack' in Diango's messaging.
  
• The 'Cancel Search' button is no longer present on Diango's Search Bar when there is no active search.
  
• Improved messaging when trying to withdraw items from Diango that are already owned and stored elsewhere.
  
• A new keybind has been added to activate Search from within Diango's interface:
  
  • In English and German, the key is 'S'
    
  • In French, the key is 'R'
    
  • In Portuguese, the key is 'B'
• A new right-click/long press option has been added to the item slots in the Costume Room interface, which allows you to deposit or withdraw all items in a set at the same time.

[h3]Golden Reaper[/h3]

• Completing all boss collection logs will now award the 'Golden Reaper' title.
  
  • This is a hidden title with an accompanying achievement.
    
  • Those who achieve this feat will receive a global broadcast.
    
  • You are not required to complete the 'Insane Fallen Angel' Achievement, which involves obtaining all Intricate Chests from Nex: Angel of Death, to acquire the title.

[h3]General Quality of Life[/h3]

• Players will now receive log in and update messages whenever their Invention machines have finished processing their inputs, run out of secondary inputs, or run out of charges.
  
  • These messages can be toggled in the Login Messages or Notification Messages option menus.
• Auto Disassembler machines will now display the correct processing time for items disassembled in batches, such as ammunition.
  
  • The charge used to process such items will now be correctly calculated and consumed.
• The Mechanised Siphon interface has been updated to have more space and better readability.
  
  • The 'Add/Remove all' right-click/long press options are now their own buttons.
    
  • Players can now select an input box to enter how many of each Siphon they'd like to store.
    
  • Replaced the word 'Inventory' with 'Backpack' in various messaging.
    
  • Reduced message spam when adding or removing Siphons.
• To account for the 'Bait and Switch' Relic's effect, the separate 'Deposit all' options for different fish have been consolidated to one option in the Deep Sea Fishing Hub and the Menaphos VIP and Port Banks and Deposit Boxes.
  
  • The Fishing Hub now also has these options on the Bank boat and rowboat, as well as the magical nets.
• The NPC who combines your jellyfish at the Deep Sea Fishing Hub has been given a name, a backstory, and a minimap icon. It's still gross, though.

[h2]Raksha[/h2]
[h3]Improvements[/h3]

• Decreased Raksha’s base damage values for attacks that scale with shadow energy.
  
• To compensate, we've changed Raksha’s shadow infused power buff, which now scales from 0.5% to 1% per shadow energy, resulting in 100% increased damage at 100% energy, up from 50%.
  
  • The maximum damage remains unchanged; this simply means that the minimum damage is now less punishing.
• Decreased Raksha’s rockfall damage.energy, resulting in 100% increased damage at 100% energy, up from 50%.

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• Raksha's tail chain no longer blocks player movement.
  
• Fixed an issue where a black screen appeared if the player died while transitioning to Phase 4 of a Raksha encounter.
  
• Enhanced Fleeting, Laceration and Blast Diffusion Boots will no longer repair into their non-upgraded forms.
  
• Raksha will no longer get stuck in an animation cycle if you die with Immortality active during the shadow bombard attack cycle.
  
• Mutated barge bleeds are no longer incorrectly halved after the first hit.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused players to get stuck under Raksha both during and after the final phase of the encounter.
  
• Increased the base hit chance (affinity) from 45 to 55 when using Melee against Raksha.
  
• Raksha will no longer override his Melee attack animation with a walk animation if the player moves out of Melee range.
  
• Raksha will no longer change target randomly in duo mode, and will instead focus one target until provoked.

[h2]Yak Track Improvements[/h2]

We're always paying close attention to your feedback to determine how we can make our content better, and Yak Track is no exception! Here's a few of the changes and fixes we've made this time:
[h3]Task Scaling Adjustments[/h3]

• Agility tasks will now allow players to complete any Agility course they meet the level requirement to use, instead of being scaled to the player's level.
  
• Similarly, Dungeoneering tasks now allow you to complete any floor you have the level requirement for.
  
• The quantity of items required for Herblore and Crafting tasks no longer scale based on your level - all players must now carry out the same number of actions.
  
• Quantities required for Herblore tasks have been significantly reduced, bringing down the cost of completing them.
  
• Summoning tasks are now less restrictive and allow you to create a wider range of pouches.

[h3]Gain XP Tasks[/h3]

• Construction tasks have been replaced with a 'Gain Construction XP' task, allowing players to progress as they choose.
  
• Archaeology restoration tasks have been replaced with a generic 'Gain Archaeology XP' task.
  
• Smithing tasks have been replaced by a 'Gain Smithing XP' task, allowing players to smith efficiently while making progress.

[h3]New Tasks[/h3]

Present Hunt (This Track Only)

A new kind of task where you're asked to track down presents all over Gielinor using a set of Magical Jingle Bells.

Earn Marks of War

A new type of combat task that'll see you killing bosses and collecting Marks of War.
[h3]Miscellaneous Task Improvements[/h3]

• Batch Overload recipes now advance Herblore tasks by 5 instead of 1 - because you're making 5 potions!
  
• The Divine Conversion Relic now correctly advances Divination tasks.
  
• One progress point is now awarded per segment of the Anachronia Agility Course, since it's so massive compared to the others.
  
• Two new courses have been added to Agility tasks:
  
  • Ape Atoll
    
  • Agility Pyramid
• Corrupted magic logs now count towards Firemaking tasks.
  
• Wobbegongs now count towards Fishing tasks.
  
• Wobbegong oil now counts towards Cooking tasks.
  
• The Cremation ability now counts towards Prayer tasks.
  
• Great White Shark now count for both Fishing and Cooking tasks.

[h3]Known Issue[/h3]

There is a known issue with the Snuffles pet unlock that will cause his animation to appear deformed. We're working on a fix that requires an engine update, currently targeted for January. We'll share more news as soon as we can.

[h2]Other[/h2]
[h3]Improvements[/h3]

• The Desert Pantheon aura can now be reused once a Double XP event has concluded.

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• Players can once again choose the colour of their beards and hairstyles in the Appearance interface.

We're feeling particularly merry in the Community Tab this week, with a Festive Bumper Stream, an epic LootScape weekend event, and more goodies than we can possibly fit in our stockings - so here they are in newspost form, instead.

[h2]Livestreams[/h2]
[h3]J-Mod Livestreams[/h3]

Tuesday December 15th | 17:00 Game Time | Christmas Special

Welcome one and all to this absolutely massive end of year livestream! Our J-Mods will be playing through Violet is Blue Too, making Christmas cards, and getting up to all kinds of holiday shenanigans. Don't miss out!

Catch our final livestream of the year on our Twitch channel, here.

[h3]LootScape Weekend Event[/h3]

It's a LootScape extravaganza this weekend as content creators from all over the stratosphere join forces to bring you three whole days of streaming fun!

This'll be your last chance to join a LootScape stream for some time, as we're working with Twitch to improve LootScape in the new year.

From Friday 18th through to Sunday 20th, you'll be able to claim loot from the following streams. You'll get one piece of loot for every stream you watch - so be sure to tune in as often as you can!

Friday December 18th

Ravlar | 10:00 Game Time

Wazzy | 14:00 Game Time

Sarahdominist | 15:00 Game Time

Scardyginge | 16:00 Game Time

OhItsDylan | 16:00 Game Time

Zilandraa | 19:00 Game Time

Tusoroxo | 22:00 Game Time

Saturday December 19th

Dakota | 02:00 Game Time

Tea_Resa | 08:00 Game Time

Hanannie | 10:00 Game Time

Spidermash | 11:00 Game Time

MarMar182 | 11:00 Game Time

Maikeru | 19:00 Game Time

VaselineFairy | 20:00 Game Time

Tuck_Shop | 22:00 Game Time

Sunday December 20th

brillymister | 11:00 Game Time

Proficy | 17:00 Game Time

Agita & Plum | 19:30 Game Time

[h2]Creative Corner[/h2]
[h3]Steam Screenshots[/h3]



by Thainá Bloodwell



By LesYeuxPlusGrosQueLeMonde



By Freerider-Dave

[h3]Awesome Art[/h3]



Yikes! We're having a nightmare before Christmas thanks to Nina_Ray and this terrifying piece of artwork, titled 'Monster of Draynor Village'. Brr... it'll take more than a few eggnogs to get over this one. Keep up the good work!

[h3]RuneScape Reads[/h3]

In our reading corner this week we're really into Spirited Away, a fanfic where you choose the ending! Chaos_Elemental and fennfics have really outdone themselves with this one! We'd love to tell you how great the endings are - but we keep getting bested in a highly inadvisable duel. Still worth a read!

[h3]#RSCosplay Competition[/h3]

Thanks to everyone who took part in the in-game cosplay competition we launched two weeks ago - and thanks to the mysterious 'Mage Simpson' who inspired us to make it TV and movie themed!

There's been some truly fantastic entries, but here are some of our favourites: can you name the characters they're dressed as?



By @RS_Zorander



By @rs_drfloof



By @SaiyanGamez

[h2]Community[/h2]
[h3]SupportScape[/h3]

The holiday season isn't always easy - and this year, we know that for some of us it will be tougher than ever. If you need some help, or just someone to chat to, why not reach out to the SupportScape community?

Founded in 2019, SupportScape is a Discord server dedicated to mental health support for 'Scapers everywhere. They offer support, advice, and a friendly face to those who need it. There's even a channel specifically for venting.

Whether you've got general worries or are struggling with more complex problems, SupportScape can be there for you. Their volunteers are available 24/7 - and they're here to help.

You can join the community via this link.

[h3]Clan Quest: Advent Calendar[/h3]

We love when a community pulls together for an event, and we're thrilled to see Clan Quest's Advent Calendar. Each day there's new fun titbits and activities to be unlocked - and what's more, it's for a good cause! They're raising money for Direct Relief, an international charity that helps people in all kinds of situations.

Find out more here, on the Clan Quest wiki.

[h3]Pink Skirts Events[/h3]

You know what, since it's the holidays, we'll show off two Pink Skirts events this week!

First up, we've got free-to-play Fist of Guthix... Christmas Edition! Join Doctor Brian on World 81 this Sunday December 20th from 18:00 - 19:00 Game Time to join in the festivities.

Alternatively, Doctor Brian's also leading the charge in Happy New Year Barrows, for the first Bossing Sunday of the new year. Join the fun in World 10 at the Barrows Graveyard on Sunday, January 3rd from 18:00 - 19:00 Game Time.

As always, you can see the full Pink Skirts calendar right here on their website - and don't forget, their 12 Days of Christmas event is still ongoing!

The RuneScape Team

Next week's update is absolutely massive - but there's one feature so colossal that it just didn't fit. Find out more about that in the Game News tab, peruse the Patch Notes for some funky fixes and changes, or slide on over to the Community tab to find out how you can peel back the wrapping on next week's holiday update.

Right, grab your best gear - we're going in!




The star of this week's show is Raksha, the Shadow Colossus of Orthen. He's a big mean monster absolutely oozing with shadow anima - so to help you prepare, here's everything you need to know.

[h2]New Boss: Raksha, the Shadow Colossus of Orthen[/h2]

You already know some of the history of Orthen. The creation of the varanusaurs, the downfall of the dragonkin race, the secret of shadow anima... now it's time to put it all together, and awaken the ancient terror lurking deep in the ruins.

Adventurers who reckon they're able to contain Raksha's immense power will find themselves rolling in rewards, but beware - our latest solo and duo boss sits somewhere between Araxxor and Telos in terms of difficulty, so you'll need to come prepared.

[h3]Getting Started[/h3]

How to Start

• Speak to Laniakea in the ruins to the south-east to set out on a miniquest that'll lead you right to Raksha's lair.
  

Requirements

• Access to Anachronia
  
• RuneScape membership
  
• We also recommend a Combat level of 120, and at least tier 80 gear
  

[h3]Rewards[/h3]

If you're tough enough to take on the shadow colossus and survive, you'll find numerous rewards waiting for you - including tier 80 boots for all combat styles and a mini Raksha to call your own.

Raksha also has the chance to drop three abilities, two of which are upgrades to existing actions.

Greater Chain

Greater Chain is an upgrade for the Chain ability. It'll hit the primary target and two secondary targets within a six square radius for 20-100% ability damage. Plus, 50% of the next Magic hit against the primary target within six seconds will also be dealt to both secondary targets.

One last thing - Greater Chain also stacks with the Caroming perk, so if you're a skilled Inventor you'll basically be an unstoppable killing machine. Enjoy!

Greater Ricochet

Greater Ricochet is an upgrade for the Ricochet ability. Just like Greater Chain, it'll hit your primary target and two nearby secondary targets for 20-100% ability damage, and it stacks with the Caroming perk.

Here's the big difference: for each secondary target the ability doesn't find, your primary target will take an additional hit for 10-50% ability damage. So if you're taking on a tough beastie on its lonesome, this is the ability you'll want to bring along.

Divert

Divert is a brand-new ability that requires 48 Defence and an equipped shield to use. When active, the next attack dealt to you within six seconds will convert the damage you would have taken to adrenaline, letting you wind up your next move that much faster.

Divert has a 30 second cooldown which it shares with Resonance.

Even if you don't luck out right away, Raksha has loads of great basic drops - so he's well worth taking on, if you've got the skill.

[h2]Title Diversity[/h2]

Titles that had a unique option based on your character's gender can now be used regardless of which character model you're currently using.

To change your title to one of these new, exciting options, head to the Title screen under the Customisations interface.

[h2]RuneScape Merch[/h2]

Still stuck for ideas this Christmas? We've got some new additions in the store for you to think about, with free shipping as well as free mystery keyring offers!

First up there's a kickass Dragon Mail tee. It's subtle, but undeniably RuneScapey - so it's perfect for sneaking into Christmas card photos.



Don't forget - these three super-luxe deskmat designs are still in stock and on sale! They'll not only make your desk look stylish, they'll also neatly cover up all the crumbs from the mince pies you've been munching.

Spend over £30/$50 and get a free mystery keyring, spend over £80/$100 and get free shipping.



See all these wondrous gifts, along with loads of other RuneScape goodies, in the Official Merch Store. See you there!

[h2]Prime Gaming[/h2]

Time's running out to get 7 Days of Membership free from our friends at Prime Gaming! The current offer ends on December 15th, so head here and link your accounts today.

For more information, check out the Prime Gaming FAQ.




[h2]Quests[/h2]

[h3]Improvements[/h3]

• The instructions given in the Lord of Vampyrium Quest Journal upon retrieving the pendant from the Icyene Graveyard have been clarified.

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• Sera no longer vanishes after entering the cave during The Firemaker's Curse.
  
• The fade out transition that plays while viewing Xenia's memory during Nomad's Elegy no longer loops infinitely after pressing 'Continue'.
  
• The music track 'On the Wings of Air' will no longer be erroneously unlocked when completing an Agility course during Stolen Hearts.

[h2]Other[/h2]

[h3]Improvements[/h3]

• The Halloween event icon has been removed from the World Map.
  
• Menaphite Gift rewards from Pyramid Plunder are now stackable.

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• The deed for the large dinosaur pen now has the correct description in the Farmers' Market.
  
• The Advent Calendar will no longer appear during the tutorial.
  
• The Advent Calendar banner in Treasure Hunter now correctly links to the Advent Calendar interface.
  
• The Tireless Blood Essence can no longer be used to gain extra adrenaline while an Adrenaline Potion cooldown is active.
  
• Premier Club Outfits are now correctly recoloured after being reapplied.
  
• The Armour of Trials message displayed when dying to the wyrd on the Paterdomus Bridge during River of Blood has been corrected.
  
• The timer will now show the correct time remaining when crafting multiple headless arrows while Dungeoneering.
  
• Fixed a bug where only 10 bolas could be fletched at one time, instead of 60.
  
• Pikkenmix no longer asks you to participate in Familiarisation after completing it.
  
• Fixed a bug where certain items couldn't be used in some areas of Liberation of Mazcab.
  
• Removed an incorrect voice line used in dialogue with Boric during Boric's Task III.
  
• The Augmented Crystal Hatchet's sheathed straps have been removed to keep it in line with other hatchet models.
  
• Infinity Set items (excluding tops) will now require at least 55 Defence and 50 Magic to equip.
  
• Having the Headbutt Mining animation equipped no longer increases the time required to mine rocky debris in Dungeoneering skill rooms.
  
• Players may no longer attempt to start the locked Sagas via the Saga UI.

[h2]Hotfixes[/h2]

• Players can no longer kill Death. Nice try.
  

We're gearing up for the festive season here at Jagex - and it seems that our wonderful community are doing the same! Read on for wintry scenes, chilled-out livestreams, and a Pink Skirts event you won't want to miss!

[h2]Livestreams[/h2]

[h3]J-Mod Livestreams[/h3]

Tuesday December 8th | 17:00 Game Time | Leads Q&A

It's the last Q&A stream of the year, so bring your very best questions, and our leads will do their level best to answer them!

Wednesday December 9th | 17:00 Game Time | Raksha Boss and Christmas Preview

We're taking on Raksha, the Shadow Colossus of Orthen, in a no-holds-barred battle - and streaming the whole lot! Hopefully we survive, or this is going to look very embarrassing in hindsight.

Plus, if you're one of those people who opens their advent calendars early and eats the lot, then you'll be pleased to hear that this livestream contains a sneak peek at next week's holiday update! Any guesses as to who might be making an appearance?

[h2]Creative Corner[/h2]

[h3]Steam Screenshots[/h3]



By MrZiiGGY👽



by Thainá Bloodwell



By LesYeuxPlusGrosQueLeMonde

[h3]Cracking Content[/h3]



We love this moody piece from Legend Arts, entitled 'Fremennik'. What kind of legendary beast do you think this grizzled warrior is about to face down?



Glacyte's taken the amazing technicolour Courier Outfit to its natural conclusion with this fabulous set of jackets in every colour of the rainbow. Which holiday jacket is your favourite? We're rather partial to Halloween.

[h2]Community[/h2]

[h3]Pink Skirts: 12 Days of Christmas[/h3]

The jolly folks at the Pink Skirts are continuing their annual Christmas events tradition for RuneScape, except this year is already shaping up to be BIGGER and BETTER than ever before!

This year they're not the only ones donning their santa hats - they've teamed up with the Minigames community to bring you 12 Days of Christmas fun!

There are a whopping 54 different events to attend between December 12th and December 24th, and there may be even more yet to come!

Much like last year, you may be lucky enough to receive an Event Card, which you can exchange for in-game rewards like stars and lamps. But that's not all - the J-Mods will be joining in the fun too, along with some well-known community members.

Sharpen your swords, prepare your Thaler pouch, and keep a close eye on the in-game calendar to find out what's in store!

[h3]Pink Skirts Event[/h3]

This week you can join the Pink Skirts for a few games of Barbarian Assault! If you're still working towards the 'Master of Assault' Achievement, then this might just be the push you need!

To join in the fun, meet Frostcaping and Clan Quest this Saturday, December 12th from 21:00 to 22:00 Game Time on World 66 at the Barbarian Assault lobby.

For more information, add Frostcaping to your Friends' List, or check out the Pink Skirts page.

By the by, Clan Quest hosts twice-weekly minigame events - so if you've got a favourite, be sure to check their page and see when it's in the spotlight!


The RuneScape Team

It's been a November to remember, huh? As we round off this month and move on to the next, you'll get to learn more about Raksha, the Shadow Colossus of Orthen, open the first windows on your Advent Calendar and watch your favourite content creators get their nerd on with a RuneScape-themed Dungeons and Dragons adventure!

Did you get all that? Then let's go!



In this week's news, Raksha's on a rampage, the first of our Premier Club 2021 drops arrives, and the RuneScape Advent Calendar makes a triumphant return!

[h2]Raksha, The Shadow Colossus of Orthen: Coming Soon![/h2]

In case you missed the memo, here's a recap: a new solo and duo boss is coming to Orthen on December 7th!

Raksha will be one of the biggest challenges RuneScape has to offer, fitting squarely between Araxxor and Telos in terms of difficulty. You'll want to bring your best gear and your strongest strategies, 'cause this beastie means business!

Eager to learn more? Our bravest content creators will be a playing a special RuneScape-themed game of D&D this Wednesday, December 2nd, and they just might turn up some nuggets of information on their adventure. See all the details in the Community Tab!

[h2]RuneScape Advent Calendar[/h2]

Can you believe it's this time of year again already? The RuneScape Advent Calendar is back, and it's chock-full of goodies!

For those of you who are new here, the RuneScape Advent Calendar is a time-honoured tradition. Open one door each day until Christmas and reveal the presents within!

Every time you open a door on the same day as the number written on it, you'll get a free Treasure Hunter key, as well as progress towards the grand prize: an adorable Sir Coalington Embers plushie! Much less dangerous to snuggle than the real thing.

There's also a different Treasure Hunter promotion every day of the Advent Calendar – so it's the perfect opportunity to catch up on any rare prizes you missed throughout the year.

[h2]Steam Awards: Vote for us![/h2]

Now that RuneScape's on Steam, we're eligible for the Steam Awards, which kick off in December. Personally, we think we fit nicely into the 'Sit Back and Relax' category, but you can nominate us for whichever category you think suits us best.

To cast your vote, just go to our Steam page and click the 'vote' button. Thanks a million!

Premier Club: December Drops

It's not even 2021 yet, but the Premier Club monthly drops are already kicking off! If you're a Premier Club member, then you'll receive the following freebies for December:

• 1,000 oddments
  
• A large mystery box
  
• A Yak Track task skip

For more information about Premier Club, check this page.



We've been all over the place for this week's Patch Notes, from the Wushanko Isles to the lava fields of Freneskae. Take a look!

[h2]Mobile[/h2]

[h3]Improvements[/h3]

• Visually improved the sheep painting section of Mourning's End Part 1 to increase playability.
  
• Mobile users now have the option to turn on one-tap gameplay. This option can be found in the Gameplay Settings menu, under Game Interaction.

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• The shoulder orbs on the Radiant Dawn armour are now positioned properly and will animate correctly.

[h2]Graphics & Interface[/h2]

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• You can now see Hopespear without having the Ring of Visibility equipped or held in the Backpack.
  
• The yellow stripes on the Muspah imprisoned in a block of ice in The Tale of the Muspah will now appear correctly.
  
• The UI will no longer become unavailable when using the Enchanted Lamb Egg and attempting to teleport.
  
• The Shard of the Needle is now displayed correctly on the 'Quest Complete' screen for The Needle Skips.
  
• Death Lotus assassin barrels no longer clip through normal barrels.
  
• The rope used in the Karamja crossing shortcut no longer wiggles upwards while in use.
  
• The Appearance tab will no longer allow you to look inside your character's skull.
  
• The Baby Goebie's chat head will no longer clip in specific spots during dialogue.
  
• Your character will now swim instead of walk during specific portions of the quest Rocking Out.
  
• Wushanko fishing bait no longer displays a misleading Chimes value despite being an untradable item.
  
• Fixed an issue that was preventing the 'Corruption' debuff from the Sophanem Slayer Dungeon appearing on the Debuff Bar between log ins.

[h2]Double XP[/h2]

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• You will now consume feathers as normal while luring or baiting near Barbarian Village during Double XP events.
  
• Fixed a bug where the player could activate the Desert Pantheon aura while the Double XP timer was paused.
  
• The Double XP overlay is no longer active on Tutorial Island.

[h2]Other[/h2]

[h3]Improvements[/h3]

• The animation for the 'kick' ability now displays properly.
  
• The voiceover for Primrose's note to Gail in The Needle Skips now matches the text.
  
• Ironmen may now participate in challenge gem competitions.
  
• The camera will now reset to the default view after completing the lava fall sequence in Children of Mah.
  
• The Super Guthix Rest and Brew Flask now have a 30 second cooldown, down from 45.
  
• The Emerald Aurora stack timer will now be refreshed after recasting the spell.
  
• Returning players will no longer log in to find themselves trapped inside a cliff face north of Rimmington and will instead be placed somewhere safe.

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• Fixed an issue where the Supreme Growth Potions in the Farmer's Market were unable to be purchased if the player had a full Backpack.
  
• Corrected the capitalisation of 'Anachronia' in the description for 'Bean There, Done That, Got the Postcard'.
  
• Creating hidey-holes will now correctly prioritise planks in the Plank Box.
  
• Various fixes have been made to cosmetic package content descriptions.
  
• Using a Special Attack from the Action Bar without a weapon equipped will no longer cause players to disconnect.
  
• Attempting to view more information about a Clan while interacting with the Clan Flag will no longer force a log out.
  
• Fixed a bug where the 'Kitty Litter' Achievement erroneously required Ratcatchers to be completed.
  
• Reading the signpost in Canifis will now correctly begin Creature of Fenkenstrain.
  
• You will no longer be disqualified from the 'TokHaar-Mok' Achievement if you attack TokHaar-Hok with a degraded Obsidian Kiteshield equipped.
  
• Pickpocketing a volunteer will now count towards a pickpocketing Daily Challenge.
  
• Fixed pathing for familiars.
  
• Certain unreachable spots near the Elf Camp are now reachable.
  
• It has been made clearer that you do not need to downgrade your Dwarf Multicannon to acquire either the Royale Dwarf Multicannon or the Restocking Cannon upgrade.
  
  • To clarify: you need a Gold Dwarf Multicannon to upgrade to a Royale version, and you need the Royale Dwarf Multicannon to get the Restocking Cannon upgrade.

We must have rolled a 20 for this week's Community Tab, because we've got some truly amazing things in store! Read on to hear about our Dungeons and Dragons livestream, a super-cosy Mega Make and an in-game cosplay competition!

[h2]Livestreams[/h2]

[h3]Official J-Mod Livestreams[/h3]

Wednesday December 2nd | 17:00 Game Time | Dungeons & Dragons RuneScape

Join some of your favourite content creators for a D&D 5E oneshot like no other! They'll be playing through a custom, RuneScape-inspired game that has some close ties to our upcoming boss, Raksha, The Shadow Colossus of Orthen.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll learn new secrets – and most importantly, you'll probably have a lot of fun! So grab your shiniest dice and set up camp at our official Twitch channel.

[h2]Creative Corner[/h2]

[h3]Steam Screenshots[/h3]



by Baron nashor



By Vanwa



By Thainá Bloodwell

[h3]Mega Makes[/h3]



Okay, Reddit user Zeck683 is about to be the comfiest player in Gielinor, because their friend has knitted them this amazing Ranged Skill Cape beanie!

Say, is that friend taking orders?

[h2]Community[/h2]

[h3]In-Game Cosplay Competition[/h3]

Inspired by the mysterious player known only as 'Mage Simpson' (as discovered by Discord user Rooh) we're hosting an in-game cosplay competition!



To enter, tweet us @RuneScape with #RSCosplay or use #RSCosplay on Instagram with a picture of your character dressed as a character from any TV Show.

Our favourite entries will win bonds!

[h3]Pink Skirts Event[/h3]

This week's featured Pink Skirts Event is another Town Square Q&A, this time hosted by Princess Rae. Bring your burning questions to the Varrock West Bank on World 3 this Saturday, December 5th from 23:00 to 23:59. Be there or be (town) square!

For more info, see the Pink Skirts Page.


The RuneScape Team

Calling all ‘Scapers!

Awards season has officially started and it all kicks off with the Steam Awards 2020, voted for by you!

When we looked at the categories this year, there were so many we felt RuneScape could apply for, but one stood out in particular - Sit Back And Relax. This category is all about being the ultimate chill out game, one that you fire up to unwind and detach after a long day.

Throughout 2020, we’ve heard time and again that RuneScape has for so many of you been an escape and release from a year filled with tough challenges (to say the least). Whether you've been running RuneScape as a second-screen experience, skilling and chilling with friends on The Beach, or delving into Archaeological dig sites surrounded by members of the community, we hope that's been the case for you too.

If RuneScape has been your place to chill in 2020 and you want to drop us a vote, you can do so with a simple click of the button above!

Thank you for all your support in 2020... and thanks for your vote!

The RuneScape Team

This week's update is inspired by something the RuneScape community has been concerned about for some time - Combat Tooltips!

Read on to learn more…

[h2]Ninja Strike 15: Combat Tooltips[/h2]

Hey, remember the Ninja PAG? That daring group of players who helped us out a few months back? Well, while they didn't request this week's update, the Ninjas were so inspired by their comments and their commitment to tackling in-game gribblies that they decided to go ahead and do it anyway!

What is this delectable update, you ask? It's Combat Tooltips! Read on to learn more...

[h3]Combat Tooltips[/h3]

The Ninjas have really hit the books these last few weeks (our local library is pretty mad about it, actually) in order to update every single Combat Ability Tooltip in the game. Whether you're attacking, defending, or buffing, you'll find that the information provided in tooltips is clearer and more readable than ever.

How'd they do it? By cutting down the information provided into precise, bullet pointed chunks, and ensuring that terminology is consistent across every tooltip. For example, 'weapon damage' and 'activate spell damage' is now always referred to as 'ability damage'. You'll also notice that key words and terms have been highlighted so you can spot them at a glance. No more agonising over cryptic messages in the heat of battle!

In addition, all Combat abilities now have an icon which denotes whether the ability is single-target, multi-target, self-target, or area of effect.

Lastly, the existing timer icon has been updated. Snazzy!

[h3]Combat Quality of Life[/h3]

In addition, the Ninjas have made a few Quality of Life changes under the general Combat umbrella. Here's a selection:

• The Asylum Surgeon's Ring's cooldown now appears on the Debuff Bar.
  
• The 'Relentless' Invention perk's cooldown now also appears on the Debuff Bar.
  
• A new Primal Extract recipe has been added which allows you to turn Enhanced Replenishment Potions into Adrenaline Renewal Potions.
  
• God Books, Illuminated God Books, and Erethdor's Grimoire now toggle 'off' upon death while you have a Ring of Death equipped.

But that's not all! Be sure to have a peek at the Patch Notes tab for all the other details of this week's Ninja Strike.

[h2]Essence of Finality Recolours[/h2]

The Essence of Finality amulet and its ornate counterpart can now be dyed seven new colours using simple dyes, opening up a world of possibilities for presets, keybinds and Inventory management.

[h2]Solomon’s General Store: Black Friday Discounts![/h2]

From November 27th to December 4th, the Solomon’s General Store is hosting a Black Friday Sale!

You can get discounts on all kinds of cosmetics, pets, hairstyles and animations – including the Dwarven Warsuit Pack, the Privateer Pack, and the Vorago Shard.

So go grab yourself a deal!

[h2]Merch Store: Black Friday Discounts![/h2]

Is it ‘officially winter’ yet? No? Well no matter, you can still treat yourself to a few RuneScapey goodies – and there’s no better time to do so, ‘cause it’s Black Friday!

You’ll want to keep an eye out for a restock on some of our more popular designs, including the Spirit Shield Pin Set and the Protection Prayer Pins – which now feature a godlike glow-in-the-dark effect.

Plus, we’ve got two awesome deals: spend over £30 (that’s $50 for those of you who do not deal in the Queen’s very own sterling) and you’ll get a free special edition Black Friday variant of the Armadyl Godsword Keyring, while stocks last. Spend over £80 (or $100) and you’ll also get tracked shipping free. Dang!

So whether you’re sneaking in some early Christmas shopping or just treating yourself, head on over to the Merch Store and see what bargains you could grab!

[h2]Golden Gnome Awards: The Winners, Revealed![/h2]

Did you miss our all-singing, all-dancing, all-digital awards ceremony last Friday? No worries! We've got you covered with a big list of all the winners.

Thank you to everyone who nominated and voted for their favourite creators - and congratulations to all our winners!




In this week's Patch Notes you'll get to swot up on everything the Ninjas have been doing this week, along with a few extra changes and fixes that snuck into the update.

[h2]Ninja Strike 15: Combat Tooltips[/h2]

[h3]Combat Tooltips[/h3]

• All combat abilities have been rewritten for clarity and readability, and all of them now follow a bullet pointed template including the following information (where applicable):
  
  • Flavour text which describes the ability and mentions whether it has a bleed or burn effect.
    
  • The primary damage range of the ability, including minimum and maximum damage.
    
  • Secondary or conditional damage figures.
    
  • Whether the ability is channelled or inflicts damage over time.
    
  • Whether the ability behaves differently in PvP situations.
• Made various consistency changes.
  
• The terms 'weapon damage' and 'activate spell damage' are now consistently referred to as 'ability damage'.
  
• Key words such as effects and values are highlighted in white text.
  
• Ability durations are now shown in exact seconds to account for game ticks.
  
• All combat abilities now have an icon showing whether they are single-target, multi-target, self-target or area of effect.
  
• The existing timer icon has been updated.
  
• The above changes do not yet affect specific weapons' special attacks, or Essence of Finality ability descriptions.

[h3]Combat Quality of Life[/h3]

• The Asylum Surgeon's Ring's cooldown now appears on the Debuff Bar.
  
• The 'Relentless' Invention perk's cooldown now also appears on the Debuff Bar.
  
• A new Primal Extract recipe has been added which allows you to turn Enhanced Replenishment Potions into Adrenaline Renewal Potions.
  
  • This recipe is similar to the existing Adrenaline Renewal Potion but replaces the Super Adrenaline Potion with an Enhanced Replenishment Potion.
• Fixed various inconsistencies between the Herblore Skill Guide and the Make-x interface regarding the Adrenaline Renewal Potion.
  
• God Books, Illuminated God Books, and Erethdor's Grimoire now toggle 'off' upon death while you have a Ring of Death equipped. This behaviour is in-line with scrimshaws and intended to prevent charges from being wasted while preparing for combat.
  
• Special attacks that require no target can now be activated using the Constitution special attack ability from both the Ability Book and the Action Bar.
  
• The Zaros Godsword and the Eldritch Crossbow have been added to the list of weapons that can be activated without a target. The full list is as follows:
  
  • Staff of Light
    
  • Staff of Darkness
    
  • Dragon Battleaxe
    
  • Zaros Godsword
    
  • Eldritch Crossbow

[h2]Other[/h2]

[h3]Improvements[/h3]

• Hide and Seek penguins have been updated with their Christmas models, which will appear in-game from December 2nd.
  
• Stackable items can now be crafted even if there's no empty spaces in your Backpack.
  
• The Essence of Finality amulets can now be dyed different colours.
  
• The skill prerequisite for the 'Ever So Clever' Achievement has been reduced to 17 Farming and 20 Construction, with a note that 81 Farming and 40 Construction are not required if trading rather than breeding, Trevor.

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• The pop-up notification indicating lower damage when equipping the Tirannwn Quiver now appears correctly and will not appear again for five minutes.
  
• The large dragonkin statue north of the Anachronia Base Camp now counts towards the 'Stone Cold Observers' Achievement.
  
• Iron accounts are no longer able to receive the medium protean box from Premier Club.
  
• Fixed an issue where Egil could be spawned multiple times without being removed.
  
• A tile along the Falador Wall will no longer force players to walk away from it.
  
• Players will no longer be able to walk through the Mining and Smithing noticeboard near the Artisans' Workshop.
  
• You can now enter the Mage Training Arena from the basement with a pet or familiar that you have already summoned.
  
• When completing a contract for Father Aerek using all mahogany planks, you will now receive 5 Contract Credits, as intended.
  
• Fixed a typo in the Construction Contracts UI that only became visible after completing a contract.

[h2]Livestreams[/h2]

[h3]J-Mod Livestreams[/h3]

Tuesday November 24th | 17:00 Game Time | J-Mod Tea Break with Mod Ryan and Mod Jack

Join us as we sit down with Mod Ryan and Mod Jack to talk about the designs behind your favourite bosses. Who knows, you might even get a glimpse of Raksha, the Shadow Colossus of Orthen...

Wednesday November 25th | 17:00 Game Time | Raksha - The Lore So Far

Eager to learn more about Raksha, the upcoming boss? Check in with the Lore Council as they reveal everything we know so far…

[h3]Featured Streamer[/h3]

Our featured streamer this week is CarefulTam, who'll be on day 16 of a new Hardcore Ironman account! He's getting to high level super-fast, so tune in before you miss it!

You can catch the high-speed action from 09:00 Game Time on Tuesday November 24th, right here on CarefulTam's Twitch channel.

[h2]Creative Corner[/h2]

[h3]RuneScape Reads[/h3]

Remember when we shared Chaos Elemental's 'A Hard Fall' a few months back? Well Chapter 72 just went live, and it's a real belter!

Go on, head to Ao3 and give it a read - it's a Golden Gnome nominee, after all!

[h2]Community[/h2]

[h3]Pink Skirts Event[/h3]

This week's Pink Skirts event is a Town Square Q&A, hosted by Steve20058, LynxLynx and Saphhirra! If you've got questions, like "How can I get involved with the Pink Skirts?" or "What happened to the first 20,057 Steves?" then this is your chance to ask them!

Head to Varrock West Bank on World 3 tonight, November 23rd between 21:15 and 22:15 to see what's up.

The RuneScape Team