OSRS: New Rat King Boss Guide

AmphitriteApril 15, 2024

The Rat King, a product of player feedback through OSRS’s community polls, embodies the game’s dedication to community-driven content. These polls, integral to OSRS’s development ethos, ensure that new features resonate with the desires and interests of its passionate player community. As an upcoming mid-level boss, the Rat King seeks to challenge players of all types, offering opportunities to earn OSRS GP regardless of skill level.

OSRS Mid-Level Bosses Challenges

In the realm of Old School RuneScape, mid-level bosses provide a rewarding balance of difficulty and accessibility, catering to adventurers who seek greater challenges beyond basic foes but aren’t yet ready to face the game’s most formidable adversaries—perhaps even those still striving for their OSRS fire cape.

Among these mid-level adversaries, the Rat King looms large, offering a distinctive mix of strategy and skill requirements. Nestled in the dark sewers of Varrock, this boss demands not only combat prowess but also cunning planning. Traversing intricate sewer networks, you’ll need to solve puzzles and dispatch lesser minions before confronting the king himself. Known for his erratic movements and varied attacks, including a menacing tail sweep and venomous bite, the Rat King keeps even the most seasoned adventurers on their toes.

Preparation proves paramount; arm yourself with antidotes and equipment that balances defense and agility. Remember, triumph over mid-level challenges like the Rat King yields substantial rewards and prepares you for the greater perils that await in the vast world of OSRS.

Rat Bone Weapon Update

The feedback on Old School RuneScape’s Rat Bone weapons has been crystal clear, especially regarding the ‘ChargeScape’ issue. While many players appreciated the concept of these weapons, they weren’t thrilled about the charging requirement. Initially, the charge mechanism was implemented to maintain the excitement and value of Rat Spine drops. However, in response to community feedback, Jagex decided to eliminate this charging feature from the weapons.

However, the Rat Bone Staff will still necessitate 1,000 Chaos Runes for its built-in spell, equivalent to 1,000 casts. Additional casts can be added using more Chaos Runes. While this does introduce a form of charging, it aligns with how other staves with built-in spells operate.

Now that the charge requirement has been removed, you might be wondering what to do with surplus Rat Spines. Instead of selling them, there’s an option to exchange extra Rat Spines for XP Lamps, which can be used to enhance various combat skills such as Attack, Defence, Hitpoints, Magic, Prayer, Ranged, and Strength. Additionally, the effectiveness of Rat Bone weaponry will extend to all rat-type enemies, not just Scurrius and his cohorts.

Development Decision

The development team deliberated between implementing a 3-tick or 4-tick attack rate. After careful consideration of player feedback and recognizing the limited utility of 3-tick weapons, they opted for a 4-tick rate (equivalent to one attack every 2.4 seconds). This choice aligns with the attack cadence of more commonly utilized weapons in OSRS, such as scimitars or the Abyssal whip, aiding players in adjusting to the game’s combat tempo. While this adjustment represents a change, its impact on your training remains minimal, particularly in encounters with Scurrius, where effective XP gains are still attainable. This update aims to enrich your combat journey and equip you for forthcoming challenges within OSRS.

Scurrius Pet

Initially cautious about introducing a pet to Scurrius over concerns of disrupting loot table equilibrium, Jagex has opted to unveil Scurry, an endearing rat companion who may accompany you on your OSRS escapades, granted fortune smiles upon you. This addition seeks to enrich your gaming journey while upholding the game’s equilibrium and authenticity.

Boss Encounter

This encounter is finely tuned to impart core PvM mechanics and assist newcomers in honing their combat skills. Facing Scurrius and his pack serves as a trial for mastering overhead Prayers, evasive maneuvers, and the art of managing multiple adversaries simultaneously—vital proficiencies for tackling more formidable bosses as you advance through the game. The recommended minimum requirement stands at 43 Prayer for Protect from Melee, with the encounter ideally suited for combat levels ranging from 60 to 90. It places emphasis on skill and adeptness with mechanics rather than sheer statistics.

Players have the option to confront Scurrius solo or join forces with friends, offering an ideal gateway to boss combat for novices or a collaborative learning opportunity for those at a similar skill level. The game features convenient mechanisms for regearing and swiftly rejoining the fray, fostering a learning environment without undue frustration.

For seasoned PvM experts, Scurrius may not pose a substantial challenge, yet the encounter promises its own array of rewards and treasures, rendering it worthwhile to explore irrespective of experience level. This update endeavors to elevate the PvM experience for all players, providing a stepping stone for newcomers while delivering value to seasoned adventurers.

Rewards

The rewards system for confronting Scurrius, The Rat King in Old School RuneScape, takes a refreshing approach. Departing from the typical loot of cash, unique items, and supplies, the primary incentive from Scurrius will be Combat XP. This marks a notable departure from conventional methods of obtaining combat XP, such as passive training during Slayer tasks or at AFK locations. The intention is to provide a more immersive and gratifying combat training experience, particularly beneficial when utilizing the new Rat Bone weaponry.

Given the diverse range of player levels targeted by Scurrius (ranging from levels 60 to 90), the rewards needed to appeal to both beginners and those gearing up for more formidable challenges. The Rat Bone weaponry, acquired from defeating Scurrius, plays a pivotal role in this regard. Players can fashion Rat Bone weapons like the Mace, Bow, or Staff by melding a Rat Spine with a Rune Mace, Yew Shortbow, or a Battlestaff, respectively, along with 1,000 Chaos Runes. These weapons are specially tailored for combating Scurrius and other Rat-type foes, offering augmented damage and, consequently, increased XP gains.

For lower-level players employing these weapons against Scurrius, the XP rewards are anticipated to surpass those of passive methods like Nightmare Zone and Crabs. Higher-level players may find their usual training methods more efficient, but this novel approach presents an enticing alternative. The exact XP rates and weapon balance are still undergoing adjustments, thus specific details remain pending.

In addition to XP, players also have the chance to acquire a pet named Scurry, dropped by Scurrius, adding an extra allure to partake in this unique combat experience. With its distinct utility and crafting prerequisites, the Rat Bone weaponry introduces a fresh and cunning avenue to augment your combat prowess in OSRS.

Furthermore, apart from the thrilling combat XP rewards from engaging with Scurrius in Old School RuneScape, there’s more in the treasure trove for players. Any surplus Rat Spines you accumulate can be exchanged for an Experience Lamp, providing a boost in skills such as Attack, Defence, Hitpoints, Magic, Prayer, Ranged, and Strength. While the Rat Spine isn’t exceedingly rare, its drop isn’t guaranteed either. Thus, if you don’t acquire one immediately, rest assured—other drops from the encounter still furnish a respectable amount of cash, beneficial for gear upgrades and encouraging exploration of other game content.

Additional loot from Scurrius encompasses Rune items, standard supply drops, and ample Magic and Ranged ammunition, all tailored for the target level range of this encounter. It’s a comprehensive reward system designed to cater to a variety of player needs.