Phoenix Lair



Phoenix Lair is part of Distractions and Diversions and was released on 6 January 2009 along with the quest In Pyre Need. Players must have completed the quest to do Phoenix Lair. Players are able to complete this once per day resetting at 00:00 GMT time, similar to killing Bork in the Chaos Tunnels: The Hunt for Surok. This activity requires 51 Slayer.

In the Phoenix Lair, players must navigate through a series of caverns and fight against massive, magma-filled 'reborn' monstrosities. There are three types of guardians, each covering one side of the combat triangle and have levels ranging up to 128. The cavern is multi-combat and will most likely kill players who are not properly prepared.

In each of the first five caverns, players must use secateurs (Magic secateurs work as well but is less convenient) to cut a twig from the tree in that cavern, which they will cut into ribbons with a knife and are then used to build the phoenix's pyre in the last cavern. Sacred clay armour is handy here as players can use the "operate" feature while it is equipped to switch between Melee and Ranged armour.

In the final cavern, the player uses the ribbons to construct a nest in the pyre area. This will then call the Phoenix to battle.

The Phoenix has Combat level of 235 and her main attack is Magic-based. She also has an unblockable dust attack, which lowers Attack, Ranged, and Magic level by approximately 50 percent for a few seconds, nullifying stat boosting potions.

When the Phoenix has been defeated, she crawls onto the pyre. The player can use a tinderbox to set the pyre alight. The Phoenix is consumed by the flames and is then reborn. Once she reappears, the player can talk to her to receive the reward.

Be warned that the Reborn monsters will "melt", which means teleport, to your location. This is only if they are close to one of their other Reborns being attacked. There will be random amounts of Greater and Lesser Reborn variants in each cavern.

Summoning creatures inside the place can be used. BoBs are very useful, as you can let them carry items that you would want. Combat familiars can also help you fight through the caverns, but be forwarned, some of the blocking monsters you will have to fight yourself (the monsters that teleport around, a combat summon can fight freely). When heading for the next cavern, any damage your familiar took will be completly healed.

Cavern effects
The caverns have some strange effects that seem to hinder some abilities:


 * Some players have reported not being able to teleport out of the caverns. If this happens, a player can right-click a cavern doorway and choose 'Escape cavern'. This option must be chosen from the final cavern if a player is looking for a phoenix eggling.
 * High Level Alchemy cannot be used in the Cavern.

Location
Phoenix Lair is near the Piscatoris Fishing Colony. Players can get to the area by walking or by one of these faster methods:
 * Take the rowboat west of the Tree Gnome Stronghold (costs 50 coins).
 * Use Fairy ring AKQ (requires partial completion of Fairytale II - Cure a Queen). It can take you to a bank very fast.
 * Use the Eagle transport system (requires completion of Eagles' Peak).
 * Teleport to the Piscatoris Hunter area using a Spirit kyatt's ability (requires Summoning level 57 and a Spirit kyatt pouch).
 * Use Phoenix Lair Teleport scroll obtained from any level Clue Scroll. It takes you to the entrence of the lair, and is very cheap.

Maps of the lair
The order of the dungeons are different for each player. However, the order of the trees is the same. An example of the possible maps is shown below:

Preparations
It is highly recommended that players use protection prayers in this area. Since multiple foes using different Attack styles will attack the player at the same time, it is also highly recommended that armour with high Defence stats is used.


 * If players are using melee armour, they should use Protect from Magic.
 * If players are using ranged armour, they should use Protect from Melee.
 * Players can also switch prayer to the appropriate protection, because they will frequently be attacked by only one enemy at a time.

The reborn monsters will not respawn. Higher-levelled players may choose to kill them all on each level for the experience or fun of it. The reborn monsters though, drop high amounts of coins, seeds, and other items, making it fun to get some extra profit.

Lower-levelled players
The recommended minimum stats for going there are:
 * 70 Attack and 70 Strength or 70 Ranged
 * 70 Defence
 * 43 Prayer

The recommended inventory for players with the minimum stats:
 * A tinderbox, a knife and secateurs (all required); the Priest of Guthix no longer has any to give to players.
 * 2-3 Prayer potions
 * 1 Super attack potion, Super defence potion, and Super strength potion (replace Super attack and strength by Ranging potions if ranging)
 * A one-click teleport out (like teletabs) (some players have reported not being able to teleport out, see Cavern effects.)
 * About 15 pieces of high healing food (Monkfish, Tuna potatoes, Sharks, Cavefish, or Rocktails)
 * 5 empty inventory slots (for the branches). Food can be eaten to deal with this, but plan on eating food in these inventory slots even if it is not needed to heal. (see tips about throw-away foods)
 * Summoning pouches for a Beast of Burden. This can let you carry items, they heal themselves everytime you enter a new cavern too! However the Phoenix often likes to attack the familiar. The BoB should be a Spirit Terrorbird or any BoB above it.

Sacred clay armour is useful as players can switch between armour styles while wearing it. Bringing a Ring of life may also be smart, as players can easily die here due to reasons such as lag and not paying attention to Prayer points. The items dropped can be very valuable, and if you are too low enough, a BoB is useful to carry any items. Remember that BoB's cannot carry the twigs/ribbons.

Melee praying rush
It is possible to finish cave in 7-8 min using only about 700 points of prayer and 1500 points of food. Required combat level around 100 with 70 in combat stats, wearing Proselyte armor and wielding abyssal whip with dragon defender.

There is a path on each level where only 1 blocking create has to be killed. Protect from majority of attacks (melee/range) should be used unless there is any amount of mages present. Sometimes however it is necessary change prayer to Protect from Range if there is no more than 100 combined mage levels and more than 200 combined ranger levels present atacking player.

This way it is possible to get to Phoenix spending 300-400 prayer points in 5 minutes, with about the same amount of prayer and 3-4 min required for phoenix itself.

Necessary items include combat and super defense potions (in addition to instrument trio). Prayer potion and additinal food is highly recomended for case when something goes wrong.

Higher-levelled Players
Players who are over level 100 combat have two effective methods of completing the Phoenix Lair: the tanking method, and the Prayer method.

Tanking method
The recommended stats for this method are:
 * 80+ Defence
 * 70+ Attack and Strength or 70+ Ranged
 * 60+ Prayer

The recommended inventory is:
 * A tinderbox, a knife and secateurs (all required)
 * A Falador shield (shield 3 highly recommended, 2 is acceptable)
 * A prayer potion (entering without one has proven fatal if you tank with metal armor)
 * 1 Super strength potion and Super defence potion (replace Super strength with a Ranging potion if ranging)
 * A one-click teleport (in case you run out of food, which shouldn't happen)
 * 5 empty spaces (for the branches)
 * The rest of the inventory should be filled with high-healing food, but if you do this method correctly you will only have to eat 3 or so pieces of food for the whole cave.

Players using the tanking method should wear their best armour to get the highest melee and ranged defence bonuses possible, such as Torags armour and a good shield such as the Dragonfire shield. This way, they will have good protection against the warriors and rangers, and will only have to turn on Protect from Magic for the mages. If players are running out of prayer, they should activate their Falador shield to restore their prayer points, and then drink their prayer potions if necessary. Note that the Falador shield's special effect cannot be used during combat.

Prayer method
The recommended stats for this method are:
 * 80+ Defence
 * 80+ Attack and Strength or 80+ Ranged
 * 70+ Prayer

The recommended inventory is:
 * A tinderbox, a knife and secateurs (all required)
 * A Falador shield 2 or 3 (this should be wielded for maximum prayer bonus)
 * 1 Super strength potion and Super defence potion (replace super strength with a Ranging potion if ranging)
 * A Dragon dagger (for special attacks, if you want; poison doesn't matter as the Phoenix is immune to poison)
 * A one-click teleport (in case you run out of food, which shouldn't happen.)
 * 5 empty spaces (for the branches)
 * The rest of the inventory should be filled with high-healing food.

Players using the Prayer method should wear armour that gives high prayer bonuses but fairly good defence, such as Proselyte armour or Verac's armour. Vestment cloaks, Bandos boots or White boots, and a stole are also good additions.

Players should activate Protect from Magic for the mages; the warriors and rangers should not do too much damage. If they do, there is plenty of food. With the recommended stats, good prayer armour, and a Falador shield 2 or 3, players using this method will not need Prayer potions for the entire cave; their prayer will drain slowly enough so that the Falador shield will provide enough prayer points to even last for the battle with the Phoenix.



Tips

 * Spirit wolves along with Howl scrolls can be used to scare away the guardians if you get cornered or blocked and can't get past them. If your familiar did not follow you to the next cave use its "call" feature. However, this is not recommended because the Spirit Wolf will constantly needed to be renewed, taking out lots of valuable space.
 * Lower healing foods that you are willing to throw-away if need be can be used for the empty spaces in your inventory. The healing potential of these low foods should not be more than expected damage in each of the five caverns for effeciency or you will needlessly waste food. but this will save the higher food (which should be more expensive) for later.
 * Make your combat preparations before you enter the first cavern: drink any potions, turn on prayer, turn on run, etc.
 * Each of the first five caverns has several choke points where the reborn monsters block you. The monster will not leave the choke point, so you must kill it before you can pass through. At a minimum, you will encounter one choke point in each of these caverns.
 * When you reach the phoenix's cavern, you can turn off prayer while you get ready for the final battle. The phoenix will not appear until you prepare the pyre. Drink your potions to top up your combat abilities. It is not efficient to drink super attack potions here, though, as the phoenix's dust attack will lower your attack for a few seconds, which then resets to its normal level.
 * Logging out, using an "Escape", or teleporting before the Phoenix's pyre has been lit will require you to start over, (even if you have already finished the battle and the phoenix is wounded.)
 * These monsters will not be shoved by the Dragon spear or Zamorakian spear specials, as they are "too large to knock back."
 * The shrine in this cavern is not an Altar and so you cannot recharge prayer points here. If you will use prayer against the phoenix, make sure you pot up with a prayer potion if you are low on points.
 * If you forget to talk to the phoenix before exiting the cave, the next time you enter the cave system you will be in her cave and be able to obtain your quills.
 * You can complete this activity once during each 24 hour window starting at 0:00H. You may wish to try doing 2 kills by finishing the lair a few minutes before 0H, and redoing it a few minutes later. Note that it's the EXIT time for the activity that determines if you can go in again, not the ENTRANCE time. For example, if you enter at 23:40 and finish at 23:55, you have plenty of time to recharge and replenish supplies for another entrance at 0:00 (which in Runescape is the next day, but to you it's only 5 minutes later). This will appear on your Adventurer's Log as "two Phoenices".
 * On the release date for the Dwarven Army Axe, shortly after the update, you could not enter the phoenix lair without the axe, this was a glitch and was fixed within an hour of the update.
 * Try to trap the Reborn monsters. Reborn monsters are 2x2 size, so try squishing several into some places. Let them "melt" to your locatation, and they will not attempt to move to attack you.
 * Remember that you can face a variety of Greater Reborn variants, so if there are any Greater reborn mages and you're using melee armor, use Protect from Magic and attack any Greater reborn Rangers or Warriors.
 * It is possible for more than one monster to be attacking you from the same location, right-click with the mouse to make sure what else is there.

Monsters
The reborn can travel via pools of lava that are scattered in each cavern.
 * Greater reborn mage
 * Greater reborn warrior
 * Greater reborn ranger
 * Lesser reborn mage
 * Lesser reborn warrior
 * Lesser reborn ranger
 * Phoenix

Drops
Note that the Phoenix does not drop anything, but she will give 5 Phoenix quills when talked to after the battle.

Other
 * Coins (up to 2,550)
 * Ashes
 * Battlestaff
 * Unpowered orb
 * Starved ancient effigy
 * Elite clue scroll (very rare)

Food
 * Curry
 * Lobster (common)

Ranging Equipment
 * Adamant arrows (10)
 * Adamant bolts
 * Adamantite limbs
 * Bow string (3, noted)
 * Crossbow string (1-3, noted)
 * Maple shortbow (unstrung)
 * Mithril bolts
 * Mithril limbs
 * Rune arrows

Herbs and ingredients
 * Grimy cadantine
 * Grimy guam
 * Grimy ranarr


 * Red spiders' eggs (5, 7 noted)
 * White berries (1)
 * Grimy dwarf weed

Seeds
 * Avantoe seed
 * Cadantine seed
 * Dwarf weed seed
 * Evil turnip seed
 * Irit seed
 * Kwuarm seed
 * Onion seed
 * Potato seed
 * Snapdragon seed
 * Toadflax seed
 * Tomato seed
 * Watermelon seed

Runes and Talismans
 * Chaos runes (10, 15)
 * Death rune (1, 3)
 * Law runes (1, 2)


 * Chaos talisman
 * Fire talisman
 * Nature talisman

Ores and Gems
 * Adamantite ore (2)
 * Gold ore (3, 4 un-noted)
 * Silver ore (4, noted)


 * Uncut emerald
 * Uncut ruby
 * Uncut sapphire (common)

Charms
 * Gold charm
 * Green charm (most common)
 * Crimson charm
 * Blue charm

Potions
 * Ranging potion (1, 2 doses)
 * Super attack potion (1, 2 doses)
 * Super defence potion (1, 2 doses)
 * Super strength potion (1, 2 doses)

Weapons and Armour
 * Adamant mace
 * Adamant sq shield
 * Mithril mace
 * Mithril kiteshield
 * Shield left half

Rewards
Reward for completing the Phoenix's "challenge" each time:
 * 7,500 Firemaking experience
 * 3,000 Fletching experience
 * 1,000 Crafting experience
 * 500 Slayer experience (NOTE: 5,000 Slayer experience is only awarded the first time the Phoenix is defeated.)
 * 5 Phoenix quills
 * A chance to receive a phoenix egg. A Cute phoenix eggling can be hatched by clapping to the egg. A Mean Phoenix Eggling can be hatched by kicking the egg. You can have one of each variation. Level 72 Summoning is required to hatch the egg within the cavern; however, you may obtain the egg without the required Summoning level. (It is possible to get more than one of each, but this is extremely rare.)
 * And, any items you collected from the first five caverns.