A beginner’s guide to RuneScape
Over 260 million RuneScape accounts have been created since it was released in 2001. That’s a lot of players adventuring inside this fantasy MMORPG, which can make it intimidating if you’re just getting started. Unless, that is, you have a guide to help you through.
Before you can dive into Gielinor you’ll have to sign up. Here you can make a RuneScape account – all you need is a valid email address, date of birth, and a display name. From there, you can download and log into the game client, create a character, and play through the tutorial – which sets you up with the basics you’ll need to play Jagex’s MMO.
But what about after you’ve completed the tutorial? RuneScape is set within a vast virtual world and it’s teeming with things to do – are you the sort of person who wants the thrill of combat? Or would you like to solve puzzles and save defenceless NPCs in quests full of danger? Maybe you would prefer to simply sit by a river and spend a few hours fishing while chatting to your clan mates.
Given that there are so many things that you could do, we’ve put together this handy guide to lead you through those first few hours of RuneScape. You’ll have found your particular corner of Gielinor in no time at all.
Follow the path
Completing the tutorial will transport you to Gielinor where you’ll find yourself put on the Path System. It’s highly recommended that both new and returning players follow the Path System as it’ll walk you through a number of game features. This includes the Daily Challenges and setting a bank PIN. You’ll also be given three quests to complete, which serve as a proper introduction to the different modes of combat – melee, magic, and range.
The Path System also supplies you with a starter set of equipment and experience lamps that give your combat skills an early boost. Completing the route will allow you to explore freely or, if you choose, pick a new Path. There are Paths that teach you more about the skills or ones that encourage you to further explore the game world.
If you want to explore Gielinor freely, however, you can turn off the Path System. You do this by opening the Adventure Tab, choosing the Path option, and then clicking ‘Switch Off Path’. Do note that while you’ll lose progress on the current task you have been set, you won’t lose any quest progress overall.
Set off on an adventure
Off the beaten paths and out of the tutorials, your search for adventure can truly begin. Quests are the best way to find it, and you can see all the available adventures in the Quest List tab – you can delve into the details by clicking on the journal entries in equipment and skill experience. In here, you’ll find info on where to start the quest, its difficulty level, what its requirements are, any recommended items, and, most importantly, its rewards. Rather handy, really.
Don’t worry, there are many quests available for free-to-play RuneScape players. A good place to start if you want a furry companion is to head to west Varrock and talk to Gertrude.
Completing her quest will reward you with a kitten and some cooking experience (don’t worry, the two aren’t combined). Meanwhile the One Piercing Note quest, found outside the Abbey of St. Elspeth Citharede, east of Al Kharid, offers up a murder mystery to solve as you investigate a death in the abbey.
RuneScape offers a huge range of quests – over 220 of the the blighters at last count – some of which will keep you occupied for an hour or two. They’re often rather funny, too, playing up to the game’s smart, self-referential style. Oh, and while you’re questing, make sure to activate the lodestones you discover on your travels – they offer a free mode of transportation.
Build up your character
As you would expect, levelling up your skills is an important part of RuneScape as it unlocks new abilities, equipment, and quests. There are 27 skills in total – 17 of which are available to free-to-play players. Even then, you can still dip your toes into member-only skills like Divination, but they are capped with a level 5 limit – normally, skills can be trained all the way up to level 99.
There are even some that go up to 120.
While you might be tempted to focus on training in one skill, we’d recommend that newcomers try to spread their training across all of your skills so that you have a well-rounded character. The whole experience is pretty relaxed, though, and you can choose how much you want to lean into the skilling process. It’s also worth noting that there are no classes to worry about, so you can try your hand at anything you like.
Fishing is a great skill to begin with, because you can also train cooking alongside it by cooking the fish you catch. You can then either sell your haul or keep them for lengthy battles (no, not as weapons – you can eat them to regain health).
If you want to focus on combat first, however, then Lumbridge Catacombs is the perfect dungeon for beginners – though bear in mind that you’ll need to complete the Blood Pact quest (speak to Xenia in Lumbridge Cemetery to kick this one off) before you can access it. While you’re tackling the catacombs, you can collect the statues hidden among the tombs and then sell them for profit, too.
While you’re doing all of this, set yourself a level or XP target by right clicking on your chosen skill in the Skill tab.
Get a handle on combat
Back in 2012, Jagex released an update called Evolution of Combat (EoC for short), which radically changed how you fought in the MMO. It added dual-wielding, ranged weapons, and magical abilities. Players who preferred the old style of combat can still opt to fight with Legacy Mode, which simplifies combat to auto attacks and special attacks.
When creating your character you’ll be asked if you have played RuneScape before. If you choose ‘Never played’ then you’ll be defaulted to Legacy Mode, but it’s worth switching to EoC combat as soon as you’re comfortable. Head to Lumbridge Catacombs for a safe place to practice and get brave.
Joining a Clan
Don’t forget to embrace the social aspect of RuneScape by joining a clan. The best way to do this is to head over to the RuneScape forums where there are a number of boards dedicated to clans.
There is a board where you can post a thread about yourself and what kind of clan you’re looking to join. If you wish to do the searching yourself there are five separate boards for the different kinds of clans available – those for players with combat levels under 100, clans for players over level 100 combat, skilling clans, social clans, and clans that specialise in questing and minigames. Take your time to find the right clan for you and you’ll soon be building new friendships.
If you become stuck on a quest or skill head over to the RuneScape Wiki, which contains all the RuneScape knowledge you should ever need. Consider upgrading to a membership (you can take this for a test drive with the RuneScape Twitch Prime bundle) so that you have access to the full range of skills and quests. Good luck on your adventure!
End-of-Year Eleven: The best value MMOs going into 2023
Every year when I do this post, I muse about what “value” actually means for MMOs because it’s actually a tricky proposition and that fascinates me.
And every year Bree asks me to please just write the column instead of wasting a whole lot of words musing on the definition there because it isn’t that complicated, and I say it is that complicated, and we go absolutely nowhere. Fun times! Or so I assume, anyway. I’ve done no research.
By contrast, I have actually done a fair bit of research here on value and what you’re getting for your money, even if a lot of that is unlikely to appear in a peer-reviewed journal at any point. (But if someone wants to quote me in a proper scientific journal, go for it, I’d get a kick out of it.) So let’s take a look at the best value online titles as we wrap up 2022 and move in to 2023, and you can bet that no company that increased its subscription price while offering the same product shows up here.
1. Guild Wars 2
Not only did this year see Guild Wars 2 get a solid run round the bases with End of Dragons, it also corrected one of the big things that has bothered me for years regarding the whole Living World model by saying, “Sure, all right, now you can have all of that content we excised for no good reason.
” This is a positive thing! The game has been consistently good value before then, and it’s good value now. New things get added, they’re usually fun, and you can play an actual plant.
It’s probably the best value ever if you like buy-to-play fantasy and playing as a literal plant, come to think of it. I’m not here to judge you if your value metrics are odd.
2. Lord of the Rings Online
In a year of rising subscription prices, Lord of the Rings Online spent the year actually giving players more stuff for the price of a subscription while also keeping up its legacy as, well… LOTRO. I mean, by this point you’re either on board with this game’s vision of Tolkien as an MMORPG or you aren’t, and if you aren’t, I feel like you really need to accept that’s more of a you thing than the game. The fact of the matter is that you get a lot for a little with this game, and it’s a highly polished and well-made game.
And the sharp among you will recall that I am one of those odd people who states reliably that the game is not for me.
But I still recognize its value and appreciate it.
3. Final Fantasy XIV
Let’s not mince words: If you’re a fan of Final Fantasy XIV, this was not the game’s most content-filled year (nothing was delayed or came out late; it just shook out that way), and a lot of it was spent coasting along on the high from Endwalker. But that’s one heck of a high, and considering the sheer amount of communication, reliable update schedule, and just reliable stuff in the game… yeah. This is all right. If you like pure subscription games, you don’t have many options anyway, but FFXIV shows you how to manage that.
4. No Man’s Sky
There are parts of No Man’s Sky that could stand to be a lot stronger, but it’s hard to be all that torn up over its weaknesses when you consider just how much you get in this game without more than your initial purchase. It’s gone from promising the world and delivering very little at launch to promising very little and delivering the world.
Worlds, in fact. A lot of them, all over, all waiting for you to explore.
If you’re upset that all of that doesn’t include bedsheet deformation, I’m sorry, but you need to accept that’s a you problem.
5. Warframe
There is a lot to like in Warframe. There are, unfortunately, also a fair number of problems and a general lack of proper explanation for many of its more esoteric systems. And it’s grindy. But then, can you really be upset at having to grind to unlock things when that’s the whole game? Yes. A little. But it’s still a good game and it offers a good value even for free players.
6. Star Trek Online
I’ve been sharply critical of Star Trek Online over its business model in the past, and it’s criticism the game deserves. It always seems like a game right on the bubble of tipping over into just being predatory and not deserving of a nod for value. But every time I get the urge to remove it, something happens like it increasing the value for subscriptions or players who already bought lifetime subscriptions, and I have to just kind of sigh.
As much as I don’t like some of the ways the management chooses to monetize this game, there is a lot of good game here just the same.
7. EverQuest 2
So we usually don’t actually have EverQuest 2 on this particular list, for various reasons. But this year? Well, it didn’t substantially change its model or do anything unusually good – it’s the same old subscribe-or-cash shop with an expansion that’s probably overpriced and a whole lot of straightforward purchases on the cash shop. However, it also isn’t gross monetization, hasn’t gotten worse in any way, and has an insane amount of content if you get into the game and enjoy it. So the game gets a nod by virtue of keeping on with what it does well and having, as mentioned, a huge amount of content to back it up.
8. Path of Exile
In the past, I’ve noted that it feels like this game’s business model is almost perfunctory, but this year… has been a little harder in that department.
It doesn’t feel like Path of Exile was quite firing on all cylinders this year; it seems to have been focused a little too much on the wrong things. That having been said, it’s still an impressive game with a lot to offer right out of the gate, so it’s going to take more than one year to really tarnish that reputation to the point of getting knocked off.
9. Trove
Gosh, remember when this game wasn’t handled by Gamigo? Those were nice times. It made a full endorsement of Trove somewhat easier to hand out. But the game still makes your money go far and it’s still a fun romp with a lot to recommend it. If you’re wondering where you can go to get the MMO equivalent of dumping all of your action figures on the ground and making them fight, here you are! You’re welcome.
10. The Elder Scrolls Online
I don’t think The Elder Scrolls Online has a business model problem or a value problem; I feel like it has an enthusiasm problem.
It’s not as if the game failed to deliver new content this year on a reliable schedule? It just didn’t light anyone on fire. (Figuratively, not literally.) Still, the game offers a lot for its box price. It just needs to have more content that makes people sit up and say that it’s amazing.
11. World of Warcraft
There’s some space to debate if this should be on here, and since that we’re talking about a massively successful game that has major corporate backing and nearly two decades of content to draw upon, that’s pathetic. It’s hovering around the bottom of the top right now, but it’s not like good management couldn’t send World of Warcraft rocketing back to a higher place with a better and more appreciable value moving forward. Here’s hoping that’s what we get in 2023.
Everyone likes a good list, and we are no different! Perfect Ten usually takes an MMO topic and divides it up into 10 delicious, entertaining, and often informative segments for your snacking pleasure.
And per tradition, we’re cranking this column up to eleven with our annual special features in the End-of-Year Eleven!
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Elyon
Canceled07.12.2022
MMORPG
PC
MMO
💰 One-time purchase
World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade Classic
Release06/02/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO
💰Subscribe
New World
Release 09/28/2021
MMORPG | Sandbox | Action
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
💰 One-time purchase
Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis
Release06/09/2021
MMORPG | Action
PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
MMO
Free
Crowfall
Release 07/28/2021
MMORPG | Sandbox
PC
MMO
💰 One-time purchase
Swords of Legends Online
Release03.
03.2022
MMORPG
PC
MMO
💰Subscribe
Lineage 2M
Release02.12.2021
MMORPG
PC, Mobile
MMO
Free
Odin: Valhalla Rising
Release 06/29/2021
MMORPG
PC, Mobile
MMO
Shadowbane
Released 02/05/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO
💰 One-time purchase
Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds
Released 05/25/2022
MMORPG | Action
Mobile
MMO
Trickster M
Release20.05.2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
The Legend of Neverland
Release08.
09.2022
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
Chimeraland
Released 07/14/2022
MMORPG
PC, Mobile
MMO
Free
Gran Saga
Release 01/26/2021
MMORPG
PC, Mobile
MMO
Legends of Gondwana
Release ~ .2021
MMORPG | Action
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
💰 One-time purchase
DK Mobile: The Return of Heroes
Release 03/29/2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
Dekaron G
Release 10/18/2022
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
Fallen Earth Classic
Release 10/28/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Digimon Super Rumble
OBT (Open Beta) 11/25/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO
Free
Mu Archangel 2
Release09.
09.2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
NEO 2045: Adventure MMO Game
Release06/09/2021
MMORPG | RPG | Arcade | Sandbox | Action
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Ys Online: The Ark of Napishtim
Release 08/30/2022
MMORPG | Action
Mobile
MMO
Free
Dark Genesis
Release 03/18/2021
MMORPG
Browser
MMO
Free
Perfect World: Revolution
Release 07/21/2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
EOS Red
Release02.
06.2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
Bless Unleashed
Released 08/06/2021
MMORPG | Action
PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Revelation Mobile
Release07.10.2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
Fantasy Life Online
Release07.12.2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
Dragon Contract
OBT (Open Beta) 12/29/2021
MMORPG
Browser
MMO
Free
Fairy Awaken
Release01.01.
2021
MMORPG | Action
Browser, Mobile
MMO
Free
Simkea
Release01.12.2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
命运边际
Released 12/31/2021
Card | MMORPG
PC
Multiplayer, MMO
Free
The Lands of Eldyn
Release01.10.2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
荣耀斗罗
Released 11/12/2021
Action | MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Kingdoms Conquer / 攻城天下
Released 11/16/2021
Strategy | MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
契灵之约
Released 08/11/2021
Action | MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
魔灵起源
Released 07.
11.2021
Action | MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Kakele Online — MMORPG
Released 04/15/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
大秦帝国
Released 05/17/2021
Strategy | MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
World Nations Game
Released 12/23/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Toram Online
Release 12/19/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
黎明之战DAWN OF WAR
Release02.
12.2021
MMORPG | Action
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
nine0003
Soulworker
Released 05/12/2021
Action | MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Release09/06/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Eternal Quest — 2D MMORPG
Release 08/26/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
nine0003
斗罗大陆-王国印记
Released 08.05.
Action | MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Element Quest Online : 2D MMORPG
Released 11/24/2021
MMORPG | Action
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
英雄道
Released 09/30/2021
MMORPG | Action
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
nine0003
MIR4
Released 08/26/2021
MMORPG
Mobile, PC
MMO
Free
铁血攻沙
Released 06/04/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Atlantica Europe
Released 05/20/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Release date 07/16/2021
nine0003
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Dragon And Home
Released 08/19/2021
MMORPG | Sandbox
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
The Looking Stone
Release06.
09.2021
MMORPG | Action
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Ceres
Released 01/22/2021
nine0003
Strategy | MMORPG
PC
Singleplayer, Multiplayer
Free
The Elder Scrolls Online — Blackwood
Release01.06.2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
💰 One-time purchase
Spiritwish
Release 03/31/2021
MMORPG | Action
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
新魔剑（New Magic Sword）
Released 04/18/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
God Sword
Release 04/29/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
💰 One-time purchase
Astellia Royal
Canceled 10/18/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO
Free
Sprite Fantasia
Release 10/19/2021
nine0003
MMORPG | Action
PC, Mobile
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Bless Mobile
Release 01/26/2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
猎魔
Released 01/08/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Rappelz M
Release 10/28/2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
幻剑风云
Released 01/26/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Seven Knights 2
Released 11/10/2021
MMORPG
PC, Mobile
MMO
Free
Warhaos
Release01.
07.2021
MMORPG | Action
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
极限求生
Released 02/10/2021
MMORPG | Survival | Action
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Blade & Soul 2
Release 08/26/2021
MMORPG
PC, Mobile
MMO
Free
nine0003
Sphere III: Ira Del Devastador — Latino America
Released02.02.2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
斗魂大陆
Release01.03.2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Moonlight Sculptor
Release 05/25/2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
nine0003
云巅
Released 03/11/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Spirit Land
Release ~ 05.
2021
Action | MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Jade Dynasty: New Fantasy
Release 06/25/2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
Broken Ranks
Released 01/25/2022
MMORPG
PC, Mobile, Browser
MMO
Free
Bless Global
Released 08/10/2022
MMORPG
Mobile, PC
MMO
Free
Ragnarok Origin
Released 11/10/2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
Ragnarok X: Next Generation
Release01.10.2020
nine0003
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
三千大世界（Three Thousand Worlds）
Released 07/30/2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
Free
Mu Archangel
Release 05/27/2020
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
LoveAndBetrayal
Release ~ 12.
2021
Action | MMORPG
PC
MMO, Multiplayer
💰 One-time purchase
Sword Art Online Black Swordsman: Ace
Release06/09/2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
SoulWorker Academia
Release 02/01/2021
MMORPG | Action
Mobile
MMO
Free
Dragon Raja Origin
Release 06/16/2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Free
Bellatores
Release ~ .2021
MMORPG
PC
MMO
Immortal-Paradise
Released 09/23/2021
Action | MMORPG
PC
Single
💰 One-time purchase
Icarus Eternal
Release 03/18/2021
MMORPG
Mobile
MMO
Yummy
Released 05.
