Prayer is a skill that allows players to use prayers from the gods to their advantage in combat. It is considered on of the slowests skill to raise on the free world, alothough some may argue with Runecrafting (unless you use Runespan), but it can be valuable in combat. 12 combat levels can also be achieved from raising Prayer.
History[]
Prayer was called Necromancy in the extremely early stages of RuneScape and was the last of the original skills in which players were able to reach the maximum skill level of 99. Prayer is also unique in that it was the first skill in which experience could be gained long before any use of the skill was released. Before any of the Prayers were made available, players could gain Prayer levels through burying bones and completing The Restless Ghost.
Overview[]
Increasing a player's prayer level is done through various uses of bones, with Non-members limited to burying them.
Similar to magic, prayer has its own "spells." To use a prayer spell, players can click on the prayer menu, to the right of the equipment menu. Prayer spells available for use are highlighted, while prayers unavailable are dark. When a player clicks on a spell, a circle will appear around it, indicating that they are using it. For some prayers, such as Protect from melee, the prayer is indicated by a small icon above the players head.
Using a prayer spell drains the player's prayer points; use of prayers is therefore temporary. To increase the time, players simply have to increase their prayer level (or equip items that add prayer bonuses, which reduces the drain rate of all prayers). Once the player's prayer points reach zero, all prayers will deactivate and they will not be able to use another prayer until they recharge their prayer points. To recharge, players must pray at an altar.
Prayers are excellent in combat because they give players certain advantages. For example, some prayers improve a player's combat skills, while others can protect them from damage, and others can damage opponents.
Players with level 70 or greater Prayer may also bless the gravestones of others, sacrificing prayer points to increase the stones' lifespans.
Prayer bonus[]
To the right of the inventory menu is the equipment menu. Here, players can see their bonuses. These bonuses give players advantages and disadvantages in combat.
Players have a prayer bonus. The higher the prayer bonus is, the longer a player can use a prayer spell.
Each point of prayer bonus adds 0.33333% (or 1/3%) seconds to the drain rate. For example, with a +15 prayer bonus, Protect from Melee, with a drain rate of 1 point every 3 seconds, will instead drain 1 point every 5 seconds, as a +15 prayer bonus will slow the drain rate by 50%. This means that a prayer bonus of +30 will effectively halve the drain rate of every prayer.
To have a prayer bonus, players have to wear certain types of armour, clothing, weapons, and jewellery. See the Equipment section for more information.
Prayers[]
Non-members are limited to only 21 prayer spells. Players can use some prayers at the same time with others, though doing so will drain their prayer faster.
Image | Name | Level | Effect | Drain rate | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thick Skin | 1 | Increases a player's Defence by 5% | 1 point per 12 seconds | + | |
Burst of Strength | 4 | Increases a player's Strength by 5% | 1 point per 12 seconds | + | |
Clarity of Thought | 7 | Increases a player's Attack by 5% | 1 point per 12 seconds | + | |
Sharp Eye | 8 | Increases a player's Ranged by 5% | 1 point per 12 seconds | + | |
Mystic Will | 9 | Increases a player's Magic by 5% | 1 point per 12 seconds | + | |
Rock Skin | 10 | Increases a player's Defence by 10% | 1 point per 6 seconds | + | |
Superhuman Strength | 13 | Increases a player's Strength by 10% | 1 point per 6 seconds | + | |
Improved Reflexes | 16 | Increases a player's Attack by 10% | 1 point per 6 seconds | + | |
Rapid Restore | 19 | 2x restore rate for all skills except Hitpoints and Prayer | 1 point per 26 seconds | # | |
Rapid Heal | 22 | 2x restore rate for Hitpoints | 1 point per 18 seconds | # | |
Protect Items | 25 | Players keep 1 extra item when they die | 1 point per 18 seconds | # | |
Hawk Eye | 26 | Increases a player's Ranged by 10% | 1 point per 6 seconds | + | |
Mystic Lore | 27 | Increases a player's Magic by 10% | 1 point per 6 seconds | + | |
Steel Skin | 28 | Increases a player's Defence by 15% | 1 point per 3 seconds | + | |
Ultimate Strength | 31 | Increases a player's Strength by 15% | 1 point per 3 seconds | + | |
Incredible Reflexes | 34 | Increases a player's Attack by 15% | 1 point per 3 seconds | + | |
Protect from Magic | 37 | Protection from Magic attacks - 100% monsters, 40% other players. 50% Time reduction from other players holding spells | 1 point per 3 seconds | * ~ | |
Protection from Missiles | Protect from Missiles | 40 | Protection from Ranged attacks - 100% monsters, 40% other players | 1 point per 3 seconds | * |
Protect from Melee | 43 | Protection from Melee attacks - 100% monsters, 40% other players | 1 point per 3 seconds | * | |
Eagle Eye | 44 | Increases a player's Ranged by 15% | 1 point per 3 seconds | + | |
Mystic Might | 45 | Increases a player's Magic by 15% | 1 point per 3 seconds | + |
Notes:
- + These Prayers will not stack with other versions of themselves (e.g. no Rock Skin + Steel Skin)
- These Prayers cannot be used at the same time as each other.
- These prayers have no restrictions, can be used with any others.
Earning experience[]
The only way free players can gain experience is by burying bones. To bury bones, players simply have to click on them or right-click the bury bones option. Impious ashes offer 4 xp points.
Image | Name | Xp | Obtained/Dropped By | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bones | 4.5 | Almost every monster | A very common type of bone to see. | |
Burnt bones | 4.5 |
dropped by demons |
Respawn in the Wilderness in the northeast around Greater demons. They are not rare and give no more experience than regular bones. | |
Monkey bones | 5 | Monkeys | Monkeys can be found running around on Karamja. | |
Big bones | 15 | All giants | Big bones are the best bones non-members can bury. |
Equipment[]
Clothing[]
Image | Item | Prayer bonus |
---|---|---|
Priest robe top | +3 | |
Priest robe bottom | +3 | |
Shade robe (top) | +5 | |
Shade robe (bottom) | +4 | |
Monk's robe (top) | +6 | |
Monk's robe (bottom) | +5 |
Maces[]
All maces give a small prayer bonus. Therefore, it is ideal for players wearing monk robes who wish to arm themselves with something a little more damaging than fists.
Image | Name | Prayer bonus |
---|---|---|
Bronze mace | +1 | |
Iron mace | +1 | |
Steel mace | +2 | |
Black mace | +2 | |
Mithril mace | +3 | |
Adamant mace | +3 | |
Rune mace | +4 |
Neckwear[]
Some of the more powerful amulets, as well as religious symbols, give prayer bonuses.
Image | Item | Prayer Bonus | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Amulet of Power | +1 | Enchanted diamond amulet. | |
Holy symbol | +8 | Craft in silver, then bless at the Monastery. |
Twisted bird skull necklace: 9+ Prayer bonus. While worn, this necklace will give a prayer point boost whenever you bury certain types of bones. Need 30 Prayer and 30 Dungeoneering.
Rings[]
Currently only one ring gives a prayer bonus.
Image | Item | Prayer Bonus | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Explorer's ring | +1 | Complete Lumbridge and Draynor Diary |
Random events[]
Burying bones can result in several types of random events.
- A zombie may appear and attack the player.
- A shade may also appear and attack the player. This monster is noted for its potential (though not guaranteed) drop of shade robes.
Shade robes no longer are dropped by shades due to a recent update. They have been moved to the bottom of the stronghold of security, and drop non-tradeable shade robes Note that the combat levels of both of these monsters vary according to the player's level, and both of these monsters are highly susceptible to Crumble Undead.
- Burying bones is the only way to trigger the Gravedigger random event.
Training[]
The most common method of training is to bury bones, fight in wilderness, or play minigames and miniquests.
Free-to-play: There are a number of bone respawn locations :
- Wilderness chaos altar (level 10-11): 10-13 normal bones respawn
- Wilderness Graveyard of Shadows/Forgotten Cemetery (level 16-21): ~10 normal bones respawn
- Edgeville dungeon: 7 normal bones respawn
- Wilderness Chaos Temple (Level 13) 10-13 normal bone respawn
- Once you reach about Level 37, Leveling up by using normal bones would become difficult. Consider Big bones.
If all the bones used to raise Prayer are bought, a player will likely spend 200 - 400 million coins to buy them all.
Prayer flashing[]
Commonly used to extend trips at monsters that require numerous kills, Prayer Flashing is the concept of a player turning a protection prayer on just before a monster is about to attack, and then turning the prayer back off instantly after the monster attacks. This technique requires excellent skill and timing, and if executed correctly, can preserve prayer and hit points, extend training trips by hundreds, or even thousands of kills, and ultimately avoid banking or ever having to use food while training.
This method ( in f2p ) is most commonly used by players with 1 defense and high prayer.
Trivia[]
- In the Prayer menu, prayers that have a level requirement less than 10 appear as 01, 03, 07, and so on.
- Many F2P players consider Prayer the hardest skill to train due to lack of bone variety/spawning places and insufficient funding.
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