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"Ability book" redirects here. For the items that unlock abilities, see codex.

Abilities are a set of combat commands for Attack, Strength, Defence, Constitution, Ranged, and Magic. Abilities form the basis of combat following the Evolution of Combat, and cannot be used in Legacy Mode combat.

Each skill has a menu of abilities, found in the Powers menu, which can be dragged outside as part of an interface setup.

Abilities come in a wide variety of types; some allow players to deal extra damage, heal themselves, stun their opponents, or many other things. When an ability is used, it cannot be used again for a specific amount of time (its cooldown), and other abilities cannot be used for 3 ticks (1.8 seconds; the global cooldown). Constantly using abilities seamlessly is generally the most effective form of combat.

A player can use abilities directly from their interface, or place them onto their action bar for quick access and the ability to use them with a keybind. Basic abilities placed in the first 9 slots of the primary action bar are used automatically when Revolution is enabled.

Abilities are laid out by combat skill, out of Attack, Strength, Ranged, Magic, Constitution and Defence. Most abilities have a skill level requirement to be used, and most have an equipment requirement - for example, Slice requires a main-hand melee weapon, and Bash requires a shield.

Unlike auto-attacks, abilities do not normally consume ammo or runes. However, they will be consumed if a passive effect is triggered, such as the secondary effects of enchanted bolts or Ancient Magicks.

Adrenaline[]

There are three classes of abilities: Basic, Threshold, and Ultimate. There are also auto-attacks, which occur when not using an ability, and Special attacks, which are defined by specific weapons. Abilities generate and consume adrenaline during the flow of combat.

  • Auto-attacks simply do the damage of the weapon with no special effects. They generate 1-2% adrenaline each.
  • Basic abilities gain 8% adrenaline each, and usually have increased damage, a special effect, or both
  • Threshold abilities require 50% adrenaline and will drain 15% on use, generally dealing more damage than basic abilities or having stronger effects
  • Ultimate abilities require 100% adrenaline and drain the whole bar, dealing a large amount of damage or providing a very powerful effect.
  • Special attacks can only be used when using a specific weapon, and the attack itself differs with each relevant weapon. To use a special attack, an amount of adrenaline is required and it will use all of that adrenaline when used. Special attacks have no cooldown. Their damage and effects vary greatly with the weapon, but generally fit between threshold abilities and ultimate abilities. See Special attacks for more details.

The damage done by abilities is usually a percentage of a player's ability damage, which is determined by weapon/spell damage, skill level, and weapon speed.

Nearly all passive effects will work with both auto-attacks and abilities, the most notable exception being Barrows equipment set effects.

Ability persistence[]

When an ability is used, it may remain active for some time either on the player or on the target. Abilities can remain active on the player in two ways:

  • Combo attacks, such as Concentrated Blast, Destroy, and Unload, take more than the global cooldown to fully use. While an ability of this type is active, the use of another ability will cancel it.
  • Abilities that leave a passive, positive effect on the player, for a period of time, such as Meteor Strike, Metamorphosis, and Anticipation, are often called buff abilities. Using another ability while this buff is active will not remove the buff.

Abilities that remain on the target and provide a negative effect to that target are often called debuffs. Abilities such as Combust, Debilitate, and Sever remain active on the target for several seconds. The use of further abilities will not cancel these.

Abilities active on the target are displayed in the target's status bar. Abilities active on the player (including abilities used on the player by the target) are displayed in a then Buffs/Debuffs window, which can be moved around on the screen as desired (in edit mode with the RS3 interface); in the legacy interface right-click the Zero weakness icon icon in the combat settings tab to enable timers beneath the minimap.

Cooldown[]

All abilities have a cooldown timer. The cooldown activates when the ability is used, and stays active for a period of time specific to the ability. While it is active, the ability cannot be used. Some abilities share a cooldown: this means that using one of those abilities will activate the cooldown timer for all of them. Often these groups of abilities have something in common, like stunning the target (Kick, Binding Shot, and Impact), or moving the player several squares (Escape and Surge).

After using an ability, you cannot use another ability (or auto-attack) for 3 ticks (1.8 seconds). This is the global cooldown. (This triggers from the moment of use, so after a combo attack, you can immediately use another ability.)

Unlocking abilities[]

The vast majority of abilities are automatically unlocked once you reach the skill level required to use them. These level requirements can be seen in the Ability menus section below.

However, there are a number of additional abilities that must be unlocked by other means:

Ability Level requirement Method to unlock
Blood Tendrils 75 Attack Read the Codex ultimatus, which is obtained by speaking to the archaeological expert at the Exam Centre, after completion of The Dig Site quest (with the requirement for at least one of the abilities)
Shadow Tendrils 75 Ranged
Smoke Tendrils 75 Magic
Ice Asylum 91 Constitution
Balanced Strike 85 Attack Obtained on completion of the quest The World Wakes
Death's Swiftness 85 Ranged
Sunshine 85 Magic
Natural Instinct 85 Defence
Guthix's Blessing 85 Constitution
Tuska's Wrath 50 Constitution Purchased from the Anima Islands minigame reward shop
Devotion 1 Defence Obtained as a rare drop from General Graardor, Kree'arra, aviansie or purchased from the Anima Islands reward shop
Sacrifice 10 Constitution
Transfigure 10 Constitution
Storm Shards 70 Constitution Read either the Storm Shards and Shatter Ability Codex or the Mazcab ability codex (both abilities unlocked together)
Shatter
Onslaught 90 Constitution Read either the Onslaught Ability Codex or the Mazcab ability codex
Corruption Shot 70 Ranged Read either the Corruption Shot Ability Codex or the Mazcab ability codex
Corruption Blast 70 Magic Read either the Corruption Blast Ability Codex or the Mazcab ability codex
Reprisal 85 Constitution Read the Reprisal Ability Codex
Mutated Dazing Shot 8 Ranged Purchased with 63,000,000 Shattered anima from Shattered Worlds; unlocks alongside Salt the Wound. This will permanently upgrade Dazing Shot while on a members' world.
Salt the Wound 60 Ranged Purchased with 63,000,000 Shattered anima from Shattered Worlds; unlocks alongside Mutated Dazing Shot
Bladed Dive 65 Attack Purchased with 63,000,000 Shattered anima from Shattered Worlds
Shock 10 Magic Read Scare Tactics
Horror 15 Magic
Demoralise 10 Ranged
Rout 15 Ranged
Mutated Barge 30 Attack Read the Mutated Barge ability codex. This will permanently upgrade Barge while on a member's world.
Mutated Flurry 37 Attack Read the Mutated Flurry ability codex. This will permanently upgrade Flurry while on a member's world.
Mutated Fury 24 Strength Read the Mutated Fury ability codex. This will permanently upgrade Fury while on a member's world.

Ability menus[]

The different abilities can be found in the following four menus. In game, the combat skills Attack and Strength share a tab but are further divided into their own sub-tabs. This is also true of Defence and Constitution. Ranged and Magic each have their own tab. However, the Magic tab is further sub-divided into a sub-tabs for: magic abilities, Combat spells, Teleport spells, and Skilling spells.

Attack[]

Ability Members Level Type Cooldown Equipment Description
Barge Barge No 30 Basic 20 Any
Havoc Havoc No 5 Basic 10 Dual
Meteor Strike Meteor Strike No 81 Ultimate 60 Two-handed
Sever Sever No 45 Basic 15 Any
Smash Smash No 20 Basic 10 Two-handed
Blood Tendrils Blood Tendrils Yes 75 Threshold 45 Any
Forceful Backhand Forceful Backhand No 15 Threshold 15 Any
Mutated Barge Mutated Barge Yes 30 Basic 20 Any
Bladed Dive Bladed Dive Yes 65 Basic 20 Dual wield
Mutated Flurry Mutated Flurry Yes 37 Threshold 20 Dual
Flurry Flurry No 37 Threshold 20 Dual
Hurricane Hurricane No 55 Threshold 20 Two-handed
Massacre Massacre No 66 Ultimate 60 Dual
Slice Slice No 0 Basic 3 Any
Balanced Strike Balanced Strike Yes 85 Ultimate 120 Any
Slaughter Slaughter No 1 Threshold 30 Any
Backhand Backhand No 10 Basic 15 Any
Overpower Overpower No 2 Ultimate 30 Any

Strength[]

Ability Members Level Type Cooldown Equipment Description
Assault Assault No 55 Threshold 30 Any
Berserk Berserk Yes 42 Ultimate 60 Melee weapon
Cleave Cleave No 48 Basic 7 Two-handed
Decimate Decimate No 67 Basic 7 Dual
Destroy Destroy (ability) No 37 Threshold 20 Dual
Dismember Dismember No 14 Basic 15 Any
Frenzy Frenzy No 86 Ultimate 60 Dual
Fury Fury No 24 Basic 5 Any
Punish Punish No 8 Basic 3 Any
Quake Quake No 37 Threshold 20 Two-handed
Pulverise Pulverise No 81 Ultimate 60 Two-handed
Stomp (ability) Stomp (ability) No 3 Threshold 15 Any
Mutated Fury Mutated Fury Yes 24 Basic 5 Any
Kick Kick No 3 Basic 15 Any

Magic[]

Ability Members Level Type Cooldown Equipment Description
Asphyxiate Asphyxiate No 2 Threshold 20 Any
Chain Chain No 45 Basic 10 Any
Combust Combust No 20 Basic 15 Any
Concentrated Blast Concentrated Blast No 12 Basic 5 Dual-wielded
Detonate Detonate No 37 Threshold 30 Any
Dragon Breath Dragon Breath No 5 Basic 10 Any
Impact Impact No 10 Basic 15 Any
Metamorphosis Metamorphosis Yes 66 Ultimate 60 Any
Omnipower Omnipower No 2 Ultimate 30 Any
Sonic Wave Sonic Wave No 8 Basic 5 Two-handed
Surge Surge No 30 Basic 20 Any
Tsunami Tsunami No 81 Ultimate 60 Any
Wild Magic Wild Magic No 55 Threshold 20 Any
Wrack Wrack No 1 Basic 3 Any
Smoke Tendrils Smoke Tendrils Yes 75 Threshold 45 Any
Deep Impact Deep Impact No 15 Threshold 15 Any
Shock Shock No 10 Basic 15 Any
Corruption Blast Corruption Blast Yes 70 Basic 15 Magic
Sunshine Sunshine Yes 85 Ultimate 60 Any
Horror Horror No 15 Threshold 15 Any

Ranged[]

Ability Members Level Type Cooldown Equipment Description
Binding Shot Binding Shot No 10 Basic 15 Any
Dazing Shot Dazing Shot No 8 Basic 5 Two-handed ranged
Deadshot Deadshot No 2 Ultimate 30 Any
Death's Swiftness Death's Swiftness Yes 85 Ultimate 60 Any
Escape Escape No 30 Basic 20 Any
Fragmentation Shot Fragmentation Shot No 20 Basic 15 Any
Incendiary Shot Incendiary Shot No 66 Ultimate 60 Two-handed
Needle Strike Needle Strike No 12 Basic 5 Dual ranged
Piercing Shot Piercing Shot No 1 Basic 3 Any
Ricochet Ricochet No 45 Basic 10 Any
Snap Shot Snap Shot No 0 Threshold 20 Any
Snipe Snipe No 5 Basic 10 Any ranged weapon
Unload Unload No 81 Ultimate 60 Dual ranged
Shadow Tendrils Shadow Tendrils Yes 75 Threshold 45 Any
Rout Rout No 15 Threshold 15 Any
Demoralise Demoralise No 10 Basic 15 Any
Corruption Shot Corruption Shot Yes 70 Basic 15 Ranged
Mutated Dazing Shot Mutated Dazing Shot Yes 8 Basic 5 Two-handed ranged
Rapid Fire Rapid Fire No 37 Threshold 20 Any
Tight Bindings Tight Bindings No 15 Threshold 15 Any
Salt the Wound Salt the Wound Yes 60 Threshold 15 None
Bombardment Bombardment No 55 Threshold 30 Any

Defence[]

Ability Members Level Type Cooldown Equipment Description
Anticipation Anticipation No 3 Basic 24 Any
Barricade Barricade No 81 Ultimate 60 Shield
Bash Bash No 8 Basic 15 Shield
Debilitate Debilitate No 55 Threshold 30 Any
Freedom Freedom No 34 Basic 30 Any
Immortality Immortality No 29 Ultimate 120 Shield
Natural Instinct Natural Instinct Yes 85 Ultimate 120 Any
Preparation Preparation No 67 Basic 20 Shield
Provoke Provoke No 24 Basic 10 Any
Reflect Reflect No 37 Threshold 30 Shield
Rejuvenate Rejuvenate No 52 Ultimate 300 Shield
Resonance Resonance No 48 Basic 30 Shield
Revenge Revenge No 15 Threshold 45 Shield
Devotion Devotion No 1 Threshold 60 None

Constitution[]

Ability Members Level Type Cooldown Equipment Description
Defensive Stance Defensive Stance Yes 10 Basic 0 Any
Guthix's Blessing Guthix's Blessing Yes 85 Ultimate 300 None
Incite Incite No 24 Basic 0 Any
Reckless Stance Reckless Stance Yes 10 Basic 0 Any
Regenerate Regenerate (ability) No 10 Basic 0 Any
Single-Way Wilderness Single-Way Wilderness No 25 Basic 10 None
Transfigure Transfigure No 10 Ultimate 180 None
Siphon Siphon No 20 Basic 60 Any
Shout - Green Egg Shout - Green Egg Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Shout - Blue Egg Shout - Blue Egg Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Shout - Red Egg Shout - Red Egg Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Demoralise (Open Beta) Demoralise (Open Beta) 37 Threshold 15 None
Storm Shards Storm Shards Yes 70 Basic 30 Any weapon
Shatter Shatter Yes 70 Threshold 120 Any
Shout - Poisoned Meat Shout - Poisoned Meat Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Shout - Poisoned Worms Shout - Poisoned Worms Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Shout - Poisoned Tofu Shout - Poisoned Tofu Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Shout - Defensive Stance Shout - Defensive Stance Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Shout - Balanced Stance Shout - Balanced Stance Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Shout - Aggressive Stance Shout - Aggressive Stance Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Shout - Worms Shout - Worms Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Shout - Tofu Shout - Tofu Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Shout - Crackers Shout - Crackers Yes 1 Basic 0 Any
Reprisal Reprisal Yes 85 Threshold 60 None
Sacrifice Sacrifice No 10 Basic 30 None
Tuska's Wrath Tuska's Wrath Yes 50 Basic 120 or 15 None
Onslaught Onslaught Yes 90 Ultimate 120 Any weapon
Weapon Special attack Weapon Special attack Yes 10 Special 0 Special attacks
Ice Asylum Ice Asylum Yes 91 Ultimate 300 None
Balanced Stance Balanced Stance Yes 10 Basic 0 Any
Aggressive Stance Aggressive Stance Yes 10 Basic 0 Any

Gallery[]

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