Nex/Strategies


 * The following lists several strategies and methods for fighting Nex and her minions. For the monster, see Nex.

Nex is the second strongeNex/Strategies st boss in all of RuneScape  being tied with the Queen Black Dragon  and only surpassed by the Kalphite King. If you want to defeat her, it's important that you're properly prepared. This article will explain the strategies players usually use when fighting her.

Note: It is strongly recommended that you fight Nex with a team. You can find a team at the official RuneScape Foums, in the Teamwork section. Without taking advantage of unintended game mechanics, using drygore weapons, or some mpractical tactics it is considered impossible to solo Nex.

Getting there
Nex resides in the Ancient Prison. See the main article for information on how to get there. After the main room of the Zaros stronghold (where you can kill monsters to increase your killcount), but before Nex, there is a safe room with a bank. This bank is accessed via the nature spirit Ashuelot Reis. This room functions like a safe area where players can't be attacked and can refill on supplies before fighting Nex. There is no altar within the boss chamber, and the only way out of that chamber is to teleport or be slain. Unlike the other God Wars Generals where if you die, the grave at Nex will be at the spot you died at.

Equipment
You won't last long against Nex if you don't have the right equipment. This is a list of recommended equipment.

Melee Solo/Duo/Trio teams

 * Head: Superior tetsu helm / Torva full helm > Tetsu helm > Ganodermic visor > Bandos helm > Barrows Helm
 * Amulet: Saradomin's whisper > Amulet of fury
 * Ring: Onyx ring (i) > Sixth-age circuit and Ring of Wealth (If FFA)
 * Cape: Completionist cape > Max cape > TokHaar-Kal > Skill cape
 * Body: Superior tetsu body / Torva platebody > Tetsu body > Bandos chestplate > Barrows platebody
 * Legs: Superior tetsu legs / Torva platelegs > Tetsu legs > Bandos tassets > Barrows platelegs / skirt
 * Gloves: Pneumatic gloves / Torva gloves > Goliath Gloves > Barrows gloves
 * Boots: Steadfast boots / Torva boots > Ganodermic boots > Bandos boots > Dragon boots
 * Melee weapon: Drygore mace / rapier / longsword > Chaotic maul > Chaotic rapier/longsword
 * Offhand Melee weapon: Offhand drygore mace / rapier / longsword > Offhand chaotic rapier / longsword
 * Shield Switch: Divine spirit shield / Elysian spirit shield / Arcane spirit shield > Chaotic kite shield > Farseer kiteshield
 * Scrimshaw: Vampyrism
 * Aura: Penance > Vampyrism > Reverance

Virtus/Gano Teams

 * Head:Torva Helm > Void Melee Helm
 * Amulet: Amulet of Fury / Saradomin's whisper > Amulet of Glory
 * Ring: Onyx ring (i) and Ring of wealth (if FFA, Switch at end of kill) / warrior (i) / TokKul-Zo (Charged) / Berserker Ring
 * Cape: Completionist Cape / Skill Cape (t) / Tokhaar Kal
 * Body: Torva platebody / Elite void top
 * Legs: Torva platelegs / Void robe bottom
 * Gloves: Torva gloves / Void gloves
 * Boots: Torva boots / Steadfast boots > Ganodermic boots > Bandos boots
 * Melee wepon: Drygore mace / Chaotic rapier (s) / Chaotic longswords (s)
 * Offhand melee weapon: Offhand drygore mace / rapier / longsword
 * Ranged Weapon: Royal Crossbow / Dual Chaotic Crossbow / Zaryte Bow > Hand cannon > Black salamander / Crystal Bow
 * Shield switch (not neccesary): Divine spirit shield / arcane spirit shield / Chaotic kiteshield
 * Aura: Vampyrism / Penance / Reverence

Void Teams

 * Head: Void Mage Helm and Void Range Helm and Void Melee Helm
 * Amulet: Amulet of Fury > Amulet of glory
 * Ring: Ring of wealth (if FFA) / Onyx ring (i) / Berserker Ring
 * Cape: Completionist Cape / Soul Wars Cape / Skill Cape (t) / Mage Arena Cape
 * Body: Elite Void Knight Top / Void Knight Top
 * Legs: Elite void knight robe / Void knight robe
 * Boots: Ragefire Boots > Virtus Boots > Ganodermic Boots
 * Gloves: Void knight gloves
 * Ranged Weapon:Dual Ascension crossbow >  Royal Crossbow / Dual Chaotic Crossbow / Zaryte Bow > Hand cannon > Black salamander / Crystal Bow
 * Ammo slot: Royal Bolts (If using Royal or Chaotic Crossbow) > Hand cannon shot (if using Hand cannon)
 * Shield: Arcane Spirit Shield  / Farseer Kiteshield > Spectral Spirit Shield
 * Aura: Vampyrism / Penance > Reverence

For both teams

 * Summoning: Pack Yak + Unicorn Stallion / War tortoise + Unicorn stallion
 * Anti-poison potion, such as the Sanfew serum or the Antipoison++
 * 2 Overload flasks
 * Teleport to house, Ring of Wealth in FFA, or any one click teleport item
 * Rocktails or Rocktail Soup
 * Super restore flasks
 * Super prayer flasks

Minimum (Recommended) Levels

85+ Magic and 90+ Defence

67+ Summoning

70+ Prayer

High Levels

80+ Attack and Strength (if meleeing)

75+ Ranging (if ranging)

99+ Magic

60+ Defence

96+ Herblore for Overloads (91 with boosts)

96 Summoning (Yak and Unicorn)

Battle overview
The battle against Nex is fought in a circular room that resembles the symbol of Zaros. Nex moves very quickly; she can jump across the room in 2 ticks, as well as being able to leap across the holes. The battle has five phases: Smoke, Shadow, Blood, Ice and a final (Zaros) phase. There are 4 level 165 mages in the four corners of the room. These mages are Fumus, Umbra, Cruor, and Glacies, and they represent the four elements of the Ancient Magicks spellbook used in the first four phases. They are weak against bolts. As their represented spell users, each one also has special benefits for themselves

During the fight, Nex uses Ancient Magicks rush spells of the same type as the mage of that phase. Nex also has regular melee attacks that hit up to around 1500. These melee attacks are area of effect melee attacks. Players behind Nex will be spared from the melee attacks, and the players next to the targeted player will also take the damage, but the damage will not be shared between players. After 1/5th of Nex's health is gone, she will say "[Mage name], don't fail me!" Kill the mage that she has said and after a while she will begin the next phase.

The phases
This section lists all the different attacks Nex will use. See below for what players should do in the different phases.

Smoke phase: During this phase, she will use Smoke spells in the forum of chaotic clouds. These have a moderate range and are also capable of poisoning the player. Her special abilities in this phase are: ​After she reaches 4/5th of her life points and her mage Fumus is killed, she will go to the next phase.
 * "Let the virus flow through you!" - Damages, lowers combat stats, drains prayer points (2 per second), and spreads between adjacent players.
 * "There is... NO ESCAPE!" - Nex will teleport and fly through one of the paths of the central symbol, damaging players who stand in her way for up to 3000 and disabling their protection prayers.
 * Dragging a player - Draws a player to Nex, deactivating thir prayers and stunning them.

Shadow phase: During this phase, she will use Shadow spells, which are in fact ranged attacks that rpresents a shadowed vampyre. This is the only phase here she uses ranged-based attacks. Her special abilities in this phase are: ​After she reaches 3/5th of her life points and her mage Umbra is killed, she will go to the next phase.
 * "Fear the shadow!" - hadow traps will appear under every player in the area. After 3 ticks, any plyer still standing on them will be hit for up to 4000 damage.
 * "Embrace darkness!" - The room will be darkened drastically. The closer you are to Nex, the darker the room will be. If you stand next to Nex, you will take constant damage.

Blood phase: During this phase, she will use Blood spells which will heal her. Her special abilities in this phase are: ​After she reaches 2/5th of her life points and her mage Cruor is killed, she will go to the next phase. If she sacrifices the Blood reavers before she calls Cruor's name out, the health must be depleted again. If she calls Cruor's name out, she will not heal from the reavers.
 * "A siphon will solve this!" - Nex will summon up to three blood reavers and kneel down for about 8 ticks. During this, all damage she receives instead heals her, shown by purple hit splats. Any blood reavers from the previous siphon will instantly die, and Nex will be healed by however many lifepoints they had remaining.
 * "I demand a blood sacrifice!" - Nex will target a player, who will glow red. If the play does not move away from Nex in time, she will deal around 1000 damage to the player and heal herself significantly. It is advised to run if targeted.
 * Healing - This ability is active from the start of the blood phase and ends until this phase ends. If Nex is attacked with a sucessful bleed over time ability, such as Combust, Fragmentation Shot, Deadshot, Dismember or Slaughter, the hits will instead heal Nex instead of doing damage.

Ice phase: During this phase, she will use Ice spells which will target all players, freeze them and lower prayer points. Her special attacks in this phase are: ​After she reaches 1/5th of her life points and her mage Glacies is killed, she will go to the last phase.
 * "Die now, in a prison of ice!" - Nex freezes a targeted player using an ice stalagmite attack. When the ice recedes, the trapped player will be hit for 5000+ damage. However, it is possible to use the ability freedom and eat or break the icicles and for other players to destroy the icicles that make up the prison, allowing the trapped player to avoid damage.
 * "Contain this!" - Nex creates a barrier of ice (3 by 3 squares) around her, and small icicle rushes head upwards of six squares. If the player is hit by the rushes, they will be dealt up to 2000 damage, deactivated prayer and stunned.

Final phase: During this phase, she will only use her normal magic and melee attacks. However, they will become far more accurate and powerful, hitting massive (2000) damage even through prayer. She will cycle between using Soul Split, Deflect Melee and no overhead prayer.
 * "NOW, THE POWER OF ZAROS!" - At the start of this phase, Nex will heal to 2/5th of her life points (she heals 40,000 turning it to 80,000) and activate Turmoil, giving her greater Attack, Strength, and Defence and lowering those stats from all players.
 * "Taste my wrath!" - Upon death, Nex will activate Wrath, dealing damage to all nearby players. Her version of Wrath has a larger radius than that of players, but it has a longer activation time.

​Killing tactics
Note: '''Nex will spawn in the middle of the chamber. If you are too close to the middle she will notice you, however if you are near the mages she won't notice you until she manages to spot you.'''

Smoke phase: Before Nex spawns, stand behind the north west pillar; if you are the tank stand in the entrance to the west pathway to the center. When Nex has finished spawning minions, the tank should attack her and take the cough, then run south to pull Nex out of the middle and into the outer ring in front of the entrance. The remaining members of the team should now attack, using freedom when they are pulled.
 * "Let the virus flow through you." - If you get the virus, don't run as this can spread the cough to other team members.
 * "There is... NO ESCAPE!" - This attack can be completely avoided if you don't stand in her path. If the tactics are performed properly she will only move during this attack, and then fly back into the original spot. Using any movement based bleeds are helpful, as because Nex will end up on another side this will cause her to move from her spot and deal three times the base damage.

When Nex says "Fumus, don't fail me!", run over to kill Fumus with your range weapon in the north west corner. DD (everyone on the team stands on the same square) exactly 2 spaces south-east of Fumus's spawn spot. It's possible Nex will fly towards you and then back to the middle of the room again, delaying her attacks significantly. If you do this fast enough Nex will not use Smoke Barrage again. Once Fumus is dead, you can step away from your team-mates to let the virus dissipate.

After an unknown update (GWD Instances or Patch notes), it is now impossible to build up adrenaline from attacking any of the mages.

Shadow phase: The damage from her shadow attacks (excluding the shadow traps from "Fear the shadow!") is based upon whether you have ranged pray active or not (300 or 1500 maximum) Therefore, it is recommended to pray range at all times. Spread out around Nex to prevent constant heavy damage.
 * "Fear the shadow!" - When a trap appears under you, take a few steps away from where you're standing. Don't wildly run away; shadow traps from other players will harm you if you step on them. The traps are normally laid after every 4 of Nex's shadow attacks. However, the "Embrace darkness!" attack is always accompanied by shadow traps.
 * "Embrace darkness!" - You'll only take constant damage if you're in Nex's melee range. Don't stand too close to her, and hit then run back to avoid the damage and her shadow traps.

Once the phase is finished and Nex says "Umbra, don't fail me!", the player Nex is targeting should lure her over to the boss chamber entrance. Switch to your range action bar and weapon and kill Umbra. When Umbra is dead, the player should hit her once (known as tagging, people in the friends chat will say "Tag" or "T") when she is near the entrance.

Blood phase: Turn Protect from Magic back on. If you haven't done so yet, lure Nex over to the entrance to the chamber. This will cause fewer reavers to spawn, and they will spawn closer to the players. You should switch to your chaotic maul or two handed staff to increase your damage on this phase or you will find it almost impossible to pass. Using Melee or a two handed staff is extremely important, everyone even the tank should be doing this. Do not use damage over time abilities such as dismember, combust, and Massacre, as all damage over time abilities cause Nex to heal on this phase. During this phase, in small teams or soloers the use of Berserk and drygore weaponry is an absolute must to override the healing effects from the reavers, otherwise the phase will basically start over again.
 * "A siphon will solve this!" - Stop attacking Nex; Tag (hit once) the reavers. Nex uses her siphon after every 5th attack after she calls a blood sacrifice. It's easy to recognise this attack; she will stop attacking and say "A siphon will solve this!", you'll see purple hitsplats on her. Nex usually spawns 1 or 2 blood reavers (if you're on the west side of the chamber, she might on rare occasions not spawn any reavers) when siphoning. During each siphon, attack the reavers 1-2 times (referred to as tagging reavers). It is essential to at least damage the reavers greatly as all their remaining health will be conferred to Nex during her next siphon. Leaving all reavers alive with full hitpoints results in the same phase with health equal or greater then the start of this phase.
 * "I demand a blood sacrifice!" - Run if you are targeted (targeted player becomes RED). Failure to run will result in Nex healing lifepoints and make the blood phase significantly longer. It is advised to use the Escape ability (with adequate space behind the player) to effectively avoid this attack if targeted.

After the barrier is down, kill Cruor with your ranged weapon and action bar in the south-east corner. Make sure you spread out from other players now to minimize the amount Nex will heal.

After the 5 September 2012 update, the time inbetween siphons has been drastically dec

'''reased, and Nex heals more from reavers. It is not recommended to go to Nex with less than a 4 man team. Tagging reavers is an absolute must.'''

Ice phase: In this stage, Nex's Ice Rush attacks drain the prayer points of everyone hit by 1/4 of the damage dealt (similar to Smite). While attacking her, keep Protect from Magic on at all times, otherwise you will be likely to get frozen for a long period of time.
 * "Contain this!" - Step back if you're close to Nex. This attack causes instant damage and removes protection prayers from players in melee distance, players out of melee distance should run from Nex if they see little icicles moving across the floor from Nex towards them to avoid a prayer drop and heavy damage. Reactivate prayer ASAP and resume attacking Nex.
 * ​"Die now, in a prison of ice!" - A single player will be trapped in an icicle cage - they can be easily identified by their prayer deactivating. If a team-mate is trapped, break the icicles. If you're trapped perform this in order, use freedom, heal yourself to above 7000 health, attempt to break yourself out, and turn your prayer back on. Alternatively, you can use a shield with the use of Freedom, Resonance or Barricade to avoid or heal from her melee attack. The icicles are unblockable, and her melee attack deals heavy damage, which resonance can use to counter the icicles.

Once the barrier is gone, kill Glacies with range in the southwest corner. Watch out for Glacies freezing you; he can do this through Protect from Magic and leave you open to be hit by "Contain This!".

'''NOTE: If you should die on any of these phases, your grave will just appear on the spot you died. Keep your Ancient ceremonial and Frozen key in the bank. Nex will also despawn if there is no one else in the chamber.'''