How to Switch to Ancients in OSRS

Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a game that offers a plethora of combat methods, each with its own unique strengths and strategies. One of the most powerful forms of magic is Ancient Magicks, a spellbook introduced with the Desert Treasure quest. Switching to the Ancients spellbook can provide a range of powerful spells that offer great advantages in PvP, PvE, and bossing scenarios.

Switching to Ancients in OSRS is a strategic decision that can dramatically alter your gameplay, particularly when it comes to high-damage spells, area-of-effect abilities, and special effects that are not available in the standard spellbook. However, before you make the switch, there are important requirements, preparation, and considerations. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to switch to Ancients, what it entails, and why you might want to do so.

What is the Ancient Magicks Spellbook?

The Ancient Magicks spellbook is a secondary spellbook in OSRS gold that focuses on powerful combat spells that deal high damage, inflict debuffs, and affect large areas of enemies. Unlike the standard spellbook, which offers utility and elemental spells, Ancients is designed to be more aggressive, dealing substantial damage or controlling the battlefield.

The spellbook offers various offensive spells, some of which include:

Ice Barrage: A powerful freezing spell that can hit multiple enemies at once, dealing significant damage and freezing them in place.

Blood Barrage: A spell that not only deals damage but also heals the caster for a portion of the damage dealt.

Smoke Barrage: Deals damage and can poison the target.

Shadow Barrage: Deals significant damage with a chance to drain the target's stats.

Teleportation Spells: Ancients also provides access to teleportation spells that are more useful for specific areas in the game, such as Ancient Magicks Teleport for accessing the Ancient Pyramid, or teleports to regions like Kharyrll, Taverley, and The Wilderness.

How to Switch to Ancients in OSRS

Switching to the Ancient Magicks spellbook is not an automatic process. To switch, you must first complete a series of tasks, with the primary requirement being the completion of the Desert Treasure quest. Let's break down the steps you'll need to follow to switch to Ancients.

1. Completing the Desert Treasure Quest

The most important and foundational step to gaining access to the Ancient Magicks spellbook is completing the Desert Treasure quest. This is one of the most iconic and challenging quests in OSRS, and it's required for unlocking the Ancient Magicks. To begin the quest, you'll need to meet the following prerequisites:

Quest Requirements:

Level 53 Thieving: You need this level to progress through the quest's traps and puzzles.

Level 50 Magic: Required to wield the magic used in the quest, including some combat spells.

Level 43 Prayer: The ability to pray and use the protection prayers, as the quest has dangerous combat sections.

Level 10 Slayer: Some of the monsters you'll encounter require a low level of Slayer to defeat.

Items Needed for Desert Treasure:

1,000 Coins: For various tasks during the quest.

Spade: You'll need this for digging during the quest.

Ring of Visibility: Worn during one section of the quest, to help reveal invisible entities.

Amulet of Glory: For teleporting and other useful travel purposes.

Various combat items: You'll face multiple bosses, so bringing high-healing food, potions, and gear is essential for survival.

The quest itself is a relatively long and challenging journey, as it involves puzzle-solving, combat against powerful bosses, and traversing through dangerous areas like the Ruins of Uzer. Once you complete Desert Treasure, you'll have unlocked the Ancient Magicks spellbook, which can now be accessed.

2. Accessing the Ancient Magicks Spellbook

After completing Desert Treasure, switching to the Ancient Magicks spellbook is easy. Here's what you need to do:

Open the Spellbook: Simply open your magic interface (by pressing 'L' by default) and you'll notice a new option, "Ancient Magicks," which will be available for use.

Switching Between Spellbooks: To switch between the standard spellbook and Ancient Magicks, click the 'Spellbook' option in the magic interface and select 'Ancient Magicks'. If you want to switch back to the standard spellbook, simply choose that option again. Keep in mind that you can only be in one spellbook at a time.

It's important to note that you cannot switch between spellbooks freely while in combat, so plan ahead when switching to Ancients, especially when engaging in PvP or PvE content.

3. Unlocking the Specific Spells in Ancients

The Ancient Magicks spellbook includes several powerful combat spells that can significantly improve your effectiveness in battle. However, some of these spells may not be available immediately after completing the Desert Treasure quest.

Ice Barrage and Blood Barrage are popular spellsused in PvP and PvE content, but they require a higher level of Magic and can be expensive to cast due to the high rune costs.

To cast certain spells from the Ancient Magicks spellbook, you'll need to have the appropriate runes and have the required Magic level. The general rune requirements are:

Ice Barrage: Requires 2 Blood Runes, 4 Death Runes, and 2 Water Runes.

Blood Barrage: Requires 4 Blood Runes, 1 Death Rune, and 1 Water Rune.

By completing the Desert Treasure quest, you unlock all the basic spells, but you still need the necessary Magic levels and runes to make the most of them.

4. Using the Ancient Magicks for Combat

One of the primary reasons to switch to Ancient Magicks is for combat effectiveness. The spells in this spellbook are highly useful for PvP, Slayer, and high-level bossing content. Here are some of the benefits:

High Damage Spells: The spells available in Ancients, such as Ice Barrage, Blood Barrage, and Smoke Barrage, deal higher damage than standard spells like Fire Blast or Wind Wave. These are particularly useful in PvP for their ability to deal substantial damage while also providing a debilitating effect (like freezing or poisoning enemies).

Area-of-Effect (AoE) Damage: Spells like Ice Barrage and Smoke Barrage deal damage to multiple enemies at once. This makes them excellent for clearing out mobs or dealing with large groups of enemies in Slayer tasks or PvP.

Stat-Boosting Spells: Some spells, like Blood Barrage, also heal you for a portion of the damage dealt, which can be useful in longer fights or PvP scenarios.

Teleportation: The Ancient Magicks spellbook offers some valuable teleports to unique locations that are not found in the standard spellbook, such as Kharyll, Taverley, and The Wilderness. These are useful for getting around faster, especially in combat-heavy scenarios.

Conclusion

Switching to the Ancient Magicks spellbook in buy RuneScape gold can be a game-changer for your character, providing access to powerful combat spells that are ideal for high-damage PvP and PvE content. To unlock Ancients, the first step is completing the Desert Treasure quest, after which you can easily switch between the standard spellbook and Ancient Magicks.

Once you've completed the quest and gained access to Ancients, you'll be able to cast powerful spells like Ice Barrage, Blood Barrage, and Smoke Barrage, which can help you in combat, whether you're taking on Slayer tasks, bossing, or engaging in PvP.

Make sure you have the necessary runes and Magic levels to make the most of your new spellbook. The power and versatility of Ancient Magicks will enhance your OSRS experience, so if you're looking to boost your combat efficiency, it's definitely worth the effort to switch to Ancients.