Skeleton

Skeletons are undead monsters found in various locations in RuneScape. Being an undead monster, it is highly vulnerable to the Crumble Undead spell. It is also weak against crush attacks. A Salve amulet (e) provides considerable boosts to Strength and accuracy against the undead Skeletons. Most follow the god Zamorak, but not all. Giant skeletons are found in at least two locations. Level 80 giant skeletons are found in the Shadow Dungeon, which is accessible with a Ring of visibility during and after the Desert Treasure quest. Level 100 giant skeletons are found in the Lair of Tarn Razorlor (dungeon), which is accessible during and after The Lair of Tarn Razorlor miniquest. The examine text for the level 100 asks the question whether this creature is a 'giant skeleton' or a 'skeleton of a giant', suggesting this undead creature may originate from human or giant remains. (However, the size of creature suggests 'giant skeleton' is the case, as it is smaller than any known giant.)

Skeletons can be an appealing alternative to Chaos druids, as the skeletons are far less populated than the druids, and drop grimy herbs quite frequently.

Level 22 Skeleton guards are guards players can purchase for the Dungeon in their Player-owned house.

While doing The Restless Ghost quest, a level 13 Skeleton warlock will appear when the player picks up the ghost's skull. It has 180 life points and a max hit of 20. Also, a mysterious skeleton is said to have been spotted around RuneScape before the 2008 Hallowe'en event.

Note: Just like most monsters in the Wilderness, all skeletons throughout the Wilderness are aggressive to all players, regardless of level.

Slayer alternatives
When skeletons are given as a slayer task, besides skeletons and giant skeletons, most creatures with 'skeleton' or 'skeletal' in their names can be slain for the assignment. These include:
 * Skeleton mages.
 * Skeletal miners.
 * Skeletal hands.
 * Skeleton Fremenniks.
 * Skeleton warlords.

Skeleton guards in the dungeons of player-owned houses, however, cannot be included in a skeleton slayer task.

Habitats



 * Lumbridge Catacombs Dungeon - Level 11. Need to complete The Blood Pact.

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 * Wizard's Tower, basement (Only During Restless Ghost). - Level 13
 * Edgeville Dungeon - Level 21, 22, 25, 45
 * Digsite Dungeon - Level 22
 * Draynor Sewers - Level 25
 * Karamja Volcano - Level 22, 25, 45
 * Ogre Enclave - Level 22
 * Steel Mine - Level 25
 * Stronghold of Security - Level 60, 68, 85
 * Taverley Dungeon - Level 22
 * Temple of Ikov - Level 45
 * Varrock Sewers - Level 21, 25
 * Waterfall Dungeon - Level 45
 * Level 1-6 Wilderness - Level 22
 * Low-level Wilderness Dungeon - Level 45
 * Wilderness Agility Course - Level 25
 * Barrows - Level 77
 * Chaos Tunnels - Level 77
 * Ruins of Ullek, east of the Agility Pyramid - Level 94-140
 * Melzar's Maze - Level 22
 * Bounty Hunter crater - Level 85
 * Ape Atoll - Level 142. These skeletons are found in the dungeon on the way to Zooknock. They are aggressive to all players who are not wielding a greegree.
 * Senntisten Temple (Location of Zaros Altar)

Location by combat level

 * Note: This table may be incomplete, as skeletons appear in very many places. Some locations are in members' areas, require quests to enter, require the ability to enter a guild, etc., so consider checking the location's description before going there to hunt skeletons.

Many skeleton locations are far from banks. For players wishing to slay skeletons and bank their drops, consider the following:
 * Low-level skeletons - The Draynor Sewers are moderately close to the Draynor Village bank.
 * Medium/high-level skeletons
 * The Lair of Tarn Razorlor (dungeon) has a banker. However, using this dungeon requires the Haunted Mine quest, The Lair of Tarn Razorlor miniquest, and a 100 coin payment to the banker for each access to the bank.
 * The skeleton cave in the Chaos Tunnels is easily accessed from entrance #1 to tunnels and is thus moderately close to the Edgeville bank. However, care should be taken in that entrance #1 is in low-level Wilderness and also enters the cave with rather dangerous Gargoyles. Also, the tunnels are a multiway combat area, and aggressive Zombies in the cave with the skeletons may interfere with skeleton hunting.

Also, player looking for good drops from skeletons should instead consider slaying Skeletal Hands in the Meiyerditch Dungeon.

Champions' Challenge
Skeletons are one of the 'races' who have lesser champions in the Champions' Challenge minigame. To fight the Skeleton Champion, the player must kill skeletons until one drops a Champion scroll, which is a very rare drop.

Drops

 * Note: Items marked with an asterisk (*) are members-only.

100% drops

 * Bones
 * Big Bones(Giant Skeleton only)

Other drops

 * 1-65 coins (very common)
 * Bucket
 * Grain
 * Iron ore
 * Bronze bar
 * Fire talisman
 * Skeleton champion scroll* (extremely rare) - used in the Champion's Challenge minigame.
 * Half of a key* (very rare)
 * Level 2 Clue scroll* (rare) - dropped by level 45 skeletons and level 80 giant skeletons
 * Chaos talisman*
 * Yellow key (always dropped by the skeleton with round shield) - dropped by level 22 skeletons - (Melzar's Maze only)

Herbs

 * Grimy Guam
 * Grimy Marrentill
 * Grimy Tarromin
 * Grimy Harralander
 * Grimy Ranarr
 * Grimy Irit
 * Grimy Lantadyme (rare)
 * Grimy Avantoe
 * Grimy Kwuarm
 * Grimy Cadantine
 * Grimy Dwarf Weed

Equipment

 * 2-5 Bronze arrows
 * 12-15 Iron arrows
 * Steel arrow
 * Iron dagger
 * Iron mace
 * Iron sword
 * Iron scimitar
 * Iron medium helm
 * Iron hatchet
 * 5 Rune javelins*
 * Rune spear*
 * Shield Left Half* (Extremely rare)
 * Adamant kiteshield

Runes

 * 12-15 Air runes
 * 2-9 Water runes
 * 1-3 Earth runes
 * 2 Fire runes
 * 1-25 Mind runes
 * 2 Cosmic runes
 * 1-3 Nature runes
 * 3-5 Chaos runes
 * 2 Law runes

Gems

 * Uncut sapphire (rare)
 * Uncut emerald (rare)
 * Uncut ruby (rare)
 * Uncut diamond (rare)

Charms (members only)

 * 1 Blue Charm (rare)
 * 1 Crimson Charm (rare)
 * 1 Gold charm (rare)
 * 1 Green charm (rare)

Drops

 * (From the skeletons in the Chaos Tunnels)

Equipment

 * Bronze platebody
 * Steel warhammer
 * Steel platebody
 * Bronze battleaxe
 * Black longsword
 * Leather body
 * Staff of air
 * Steel platelegs
 * Mithril platelegs
 * leather vambraces
 * Steel sq shield
 * Iron spear

Runes and ammunition

 * Mud rune
 * Adamant arrow
 * Iron dart(p)
 * Iron arrow
 * Mithril arrow
 * Iron bolt

Other drops

 * Pot of flour
 * Yew longbow (u)
 * Cannonball
 * Antipoison(3)
 * Attack potion(3)
 * Arrow shaft
 * Game necklace(2)
 * Silver bar
 * Bowl of water
 * Fishing potion(1)
 * Amulet mould
 * Arrow shaft
 * Clue scroll level 2
 * Agility potion(2)
 * 1 oak plank (unnoted)
 * steel nails
 * Uncut Emerald

Trivia

 * The level 25 skeletons have 170 LP, 120 less than the level 22 skeletons with 290 LP.
 * As of 9 November 2009, various skeletons' combat animations and sounds have been reworked.
 * The level 45 skeletons in the Crandor and Karamja Dungeon seem taller than the other skeletons.
 * The skeletons in the Barrows used to not drop the champion scroll for several years, this bug has been fixed (searching for another source than a Forum Mod post I have just read)