The Wilderness is RuneScape’s answer to World PvP. Other than dangerous AI enemies, PvPers lurk in its harsh environment. Dying in the Wild costs your inventory and traveling through it is incredibly risky. However, it contains many features that players would love to take advantage of. It has many skilling opportunities that aren’t available elsewhere, and some RS3 gold farming methods require visiting the Wild.
Yet not all players enjoy the danger nor the fact that they can die and lose their RS3 items even when trying not to engage in PvP. They just want a clear path to their destination without getting harassed by PvPers. As a result, Jagex overhauled the Wilderness to accommodate those who didn’t like PvP.
RuneScape Wilderness Gameplay Updates
The developers are shifting the focus from PvP to PvM while retaining its sense of danger and dread. NPC monsters may be easier to deal with than player killers, but it wouldn’t do to underestimate the former. Jagex has made enemies tougher to beat and put roaming demons that can ambush you. The latter are remnants of Zamorak’s invasion. As their Lord was banished, they remained to torment Gielinor’s inhabitants.
More than that, the Wilderness Volcano has started spewing projectiles that home in on you! If you let your guard down, these can take huge chunks of your HP. Then, there are ambushes to watch out for. It’s a random event, and the enemies will spawn right where you are, so you can’t AFK, or you might return to your corpse.
As if those weren’t bad enough, the Threat System makes everything more dangerous. In the simplest terms, staying in the Wilderness makes your Threat Level rise. The higher the level, the more vicious the environment becomes in the following ways:
- You start to take more damage but also deal more damage with your attacks
- The Volcano will target you more often with stronger projectiles
- Ambushes will become likelier to happen, with stronger enemies and more members
Resetting your Threat Level is easy. Just teleport away or hop over the Wilderness Wall… but do you really want to do that?
Wilderness Slayer Changes
Threat Levels actually increase the rewards you can get, especially when training Slayer in the Wild. When you complete Slayer Tasks in the Wilderness, you get 15 Slayer Points + a bonus from your Threat Level at completion. On your 10th task completed, you get a 5x multiplier. Continue doing Slayer Tasks; on your 50th task, there will be a 10x multiplier. Combine that with the Threat Level bonus, and you can quickly gather points!
Of course, that’s easier said than done. You’ll have to keep your Threat Level up, meaning you have to deal with the Volcano, ambushes, and increased damage taken alongside your Slayer Task. That really ups the ante on the risk vs. reward focus of the area. Fortunately, Slayer targets have increased spawn locations and rates, so you don’t have to worry about finding your target.
Another benefit of completing tasks in the Wild is access to the Wilderness Drop Table through Wilderness Slayer Chests. One will be awarded to you after every Slayer Task. You can also stack them up so you can open many at once. It contains various Runescape items from Threat reductions to Slayer Bounty weapons.
Then lastly, you can get Reaper Points. You’ll earn one every time you complete a Slayer task without dying, skipping, or killing outside the Wilderness. This is unique to the Wilderness.
What Happened to PvP?
It has become an optional thing in the Wilderness. You can talk to Vala at the border to enable or disable it. Players who opt-in for the activity will be marked with the iconic PvP Skull and will be able to attack other Skulled players.
Note that the other dangers of the Wilderness (Volcano projectiles, ambushes, Threat Levels) are still in effect when Skulled. You’re asking for even more punishment when opting in, adding other players into the mix. Then again, that is the thrill of the challenge, isn’t it?
Runescape Wilderness Graphical Update
Along with the gameplay changes, the Wilderness also got a graphical overhaul. The artists kept the area’s overall ominous and threatening atmosphere while improving the detailing and effects. Generally, they’ve kept the routes to locations intact, but they’ve been enhanced in terrain and lighting.
The Volcano and Crater have been scaled to make them tower or loom over the Wilderness. Lastly, rain, ash, and other atmospheric effects have been improved with a new particle system.
Additional Details
Here are other minor changes done in the Wilderness:
- Mandrith has been moved deeper into the area. His old location is now where you can find the Deathmatch Rewards Shop.
- Wandering Demons and ambushes don’t count for Slayer Tasks, nor drop anything.
- Demonic Skulls and Brawlers work as usual, but Demonic Skulls will opt you in for PvP.
- Movement abilities are now allowed.
- Slayer Bounty Rewards Shop items have been moved to the Wilderness Slayer Drop Table.
- Dungeons and Skilling Locations are still where they are, and nothing has changed about their mechanics. Volcano projectiles, etc., are still a threat even while skilling.
- Warbands also have no changes, but if you gather resources from them, you’ll be Skulled and opted-in for PvP.
- Divination Cursed Wisps will now Skull you.
Enjoy the New Wilderness!
There’s also a new quest in the Wilderness. It heralds the beginning of the new storyline in the Legacy of Zamorak. Players will explore the reborn Wild to investigate the rumors of a Zamorakian Civil War. It also will reward players with buffs such as 10% damage reduction and 5% increased damage against monsters in the Wilds. The only requirements are 40 Archaeology and 40 Divination, so there’s no reason to skip this quest!
As the storyline unfolds, more updates to the area will be added. Let’s all look forward to the growth of this new Wilderness. Hopefully, with these updates, players have more chances to survive and keep their RS gold and items. Have fun playing RuneScape 3!
