Automaton/Strategies

Automatons are some of the strongest non-boss creatures found on RuneScape. They have some of the best rare drops in game (their level 85 gloves) and all of their drops are noted/stackable (apart from RDT), allowing you to stay there for long periods of time without banking due to no inventory space.

Getting there

 * Using the map above, you can use the Ardougne Lodestone and walk northeast to the excavation entrance.
 * Using the map above, you can use the Seer's Village Lodestone and walk southeast to the excavation entrance.
 * When you have completed all of the required quests, you can grab a Sixth-Age circuit from the Guthixian High Druid and instantly teleport to the monument.
 * Use the Fairy ring code B-L-R, which lands you outside of the Legend's Guild, and walk northwest to the excavation entrance.

Requirements

 * The World Wakes


 * 67 Slayer

Large Chamber
Upon asking the Guthixian High Druid for a teleport (you can also right click him), you will end up in the large chamber of the room. The Automatons are not aggressive despite their high combat level, so do not worry about being instantly killed upon arrival.

There are seven Automaton Guardians in the middle, along with eight Automaton Tracers and Automaton Generators on both sides. You can go deeper from the path in the middle to find two of each Automaton listed above. The elevator also gives a quick way out if you need to leave. You can also leave by the opening that you used to reach Guthix during the quest.

Automatons
Each Automaton has extremely accurate attacks that can hit up to 800. They also have a special attack where they pound the ground, dealing rapid and heavy damage of their combat style which cannot be partially protected by Protection Prayers, Deflect Curses and Anticipation. It can be interrupted by using a stun on them and, as long as it hits, you won't take any damage from the attack for as long as the stun lasts. Debilitate can reduce the damage taken from the special attack.

Automatons have extremely high combat stats, along with high life points for their level.


 * Automaton Guardian: Level 165 Automaton that does extremely accurate melee attacks. They drop Static gloves.
 * Automaton Tracer: Level 165 Automaton that does extremely accurate ranged attacks. They drop Pneumatic gloves.
 * Automaton Generator: Level 165 Automaton that does extremely accurate magic attacks. They drop Tracking gloves.

Equipment
It is recommended that your weapon is at least level 75, as the automatons have very high defence and anything lower will have trouble hitting them.

Melee

 * Helm: Full slayer helm (if on task) > (Superior) tetsu helm > Torva full helm > Bandos helmet > Barrows helm
 * Body: (Superior) tetsu platebody > Torva platebody > Bandos platebody > Barrows platebody
 * Legs: (Superior) tetsu platelegs > Torva platelegs > Bandos tassets > Barrows platelegs
 * Weapon: Drygore mace > Drygore longsword/rapier > Chaotic maul > Chaotic longsword/rapier/claw > Saradomin sword
 * Offhand: Off-hand drygore mace > Off-hand drygore longsword/rapier > Off-hand chaotic longsword/rapier/claw
 * Amulet: Amulet of fury > Amulet of glory
 * Boots: Steadfast boots > Torva boots > Ganodermic boots > Bandos boots
 * Gloves: Pneumatic gloves > Torva gloves > Culinaromancer's gloves 10 > Ganodermic gloves > Bandos gloves
 * Cape: TokHaar-Kal > Fire cape > Skill cape > Obsidian cape

The Amulet of fury's prayer bonus makes it the best choice if Soul Split, Turmoil or Protect prayers/Deflect curses are being used, but you could instead opt to use Saradomin's whisper for the 0.2% higher critical bonus. Torva or Bandos should be worn if you want faster kills, as they provide a damage boost. Verac's armour is the best choice of Barrows armour due to its prayer bonus.

Ranged

 * Helm: Full slayer helm (if on task) > (Superior) death lotus hood > Pernix cowl > Armadyl helmet > Karil's coif
 * Body: (Superior) death lotus chestplate > Pernix body > Armadyl chestplate > Karil's top
 * Legs: (Superior) death lotus chaps > Pernix chaps > Armadyl chainskirt > Karil's skirt
 * Weapon: Zaryte bow > Royal crossbow/Chaotic crossbow > Crystal bow > Karil's crossbow/Karil's pistol crossbow
 * Offhand: Off-hand chaotic crossbow > Karil's off-hand pistol crossbow
 * Amulet: Amulet of fury > Amulet of glory
 * Boots: Glaiven boots > Pernix boots > Ganodermic boots > Armadyl boots
 * Gloves: Tracking gloves > Pernix gloves > Culinaromancer's gloves 10 > Ganodermic gloves > Armadyl gloves
 * Cape: Ava's alerter/accumulator/attractor > Skill cape > Obsidian cape
 * Ammo: Royal bolts > Bolt racks (only with Karil's crossbows)

Saradomin's murmur or an Amulet of ranging can be used instead of an Amulet of fury if you want the slightly higher critical bonus. If you favour fast kills over durability, you should use Pernix or Armadyl armour, as they have a damage boost.

Magic

 * Helm: Full slayer helm (if on task) > Virtus mask > Hood of subjugation
 * Body: Virtus robe top > Garb of subjugation
 * Legs: Virtus robe legs > Gown of subjugation
 * Weapon: Chaotic staff/Virtus wand > Armadyl battlestaff > Staff of light > Ahrim's wand
 * Offhand: Virtus book > Ahrim's book of magic
 * Amulet: Arcane stream necklace > Saradomin's hiss > Amulet of fury > Amulet of glory
 * Boots: Virtus boots > Boots of subjugation > any other magic boots
 * Gloves: Virtus gloves > Gloves of subjugation > any other magic gloves
 * Cape: Saradomin/Guthix/Zamorak cloak > Skill cape > Obsidian cape
 * Spell: Bloodfire Blitz > Fire Surge > Fire Wave

It is generally recommended to focus on wearing damage-boosting equipment (Virtus or subjugation robes) or Void Knight equipment, as automaton guardians are unable to hit you if you utilise safe spots. If you are not killing guardians, you may instead opt for more defensive gear such as Sea singer, Ganodermic or Ahrim's robes.

For auras, it is recommended to use Penance to restore prayer or Vampyrism to restore lifepoints while you kill. It is also recommended to wear a Ring of wealth, as it increases the chance of a rare gloves drop.

Strategy
Prayer potions and Soul Split are recommended if melee or ranged is being used, as this can reduce or negate the need for food entirely, especially if using ranged. Players without access to Soul Split should bring food and/or use Regenerate or Guthix's Blessing. Players with 95+ Prayer should use Turmoil, Anguish or Torment, depending on their combat style, to achieve the fastest kills possible.

Melee
For melee, it is recommended to kill the Tracers, as they are weak to crush. Due to having to go close to their enemies to do damage, melee users will be the most vulnerable to the automatons' special attack. With drygore maces, or any other drygore weapon, it is very easy to kill the automaton before it can perform the special attack. This is also possible with chaotic weapons, with the maul being the most effective, but the kill speed is slower, meaning the risk of being hit by the special attack is significantly higher. To kill them quickly, you should chain together high-hitting threshold abilities such as Assault, Slaughter and Destroy if dual wielding. One way of avoiding the special attack is to use the Escape ability - this will reduce the damage significantly if it is timed correctly, but avoiding the damage completely with this method is very difficult. Damage from it can also be reduced significantly if Debilitate is used. If you do get caught in the special attack, it is possible to interrupt it with a stun and prevent further damage.

A player using drygores is also capable of efficiently killing Guardians, however, it is less likely that they will be killed before they can use their special attack. It is not recommended to fight the Generators with melee, even with drygore weapons, as their melee defence is very high.

Ranged
For rangers, it is recommended to kill Generators. Although they are weak to arrows, Ascension Crossbows are the most effective weapon to use, since they are level 90 compared to the Zaryte bow at level 80. A royal crossbow or dual wielded chaotic crossbows will also provide fast kills, provided that potions are used. Rangers will be able to avoid the automatons' special attack completely as long as they stay at least 3 squares away. Players who want to kill Tracers can also use ranged, as it does decent damage and allows them to keep their distance and avoid the special attack, which they may struggle to do if they use melee. However, this is only advisable with level 80 weaponry. It is also possible to safe-spot the guardians with ranged, but this is not recommended as even with level 80 weapons it is nowhere near as effective as using magic (see below), and has the potential to consume large amounts of ammunition, especially if dual wielding.

Magic
For mages, it is recommended to kill Guardians. They are weak to fire and bloodfire spells. Guardians are only able to use melee and can be safe-spotted, making it possible to kill them indefinitely without food or prayer. A safe spot can be behind a pillar near the chamber entrance, along the wall near the elevator or near the entrances to the rooms where the bosses were fought in the quest. The Impact ability can stun them (providing you are using level 75+ weapons) all the time, and you should be able to kill one before the stun's effect wears off. You can kill the Tracers or Generators with Magic, however killing the two will be slightly longer and ineffective due to their increased magical resistance.