Summoning





Summoning is a members-only skill which was released on 15 January 2008 and greatly updated on 31 March 2008. The skill is available after completing the Wolf Whistle quest. This acts as an introduction to the skill: it allows players to infuse the essence of a variety of creatures into Summoning pouches, then summon these creatures, called familiars. Each familiar has a unique ability that requires a Summoning scroll, made from a corresponding pouch, to use. Summoning familiars and creating scrolls gives very little experience, so players must create pouches in order to gain experience effectively, and, even then, it is a slow skill to raise.

The Summoning skill is similar to Prayer in the way that Summoning points are drained when a familiar is summoned. (See the Familiars section or Summoning points for more details). Like prayer points, summoning points do not automatically recharge, so they must be recharged at a Summoning Obelisk or Small Obelisk, or by drinking a Summoning potion.

In addition to the ability to summon familiars, Summoning affects a player's combat level. Previously, the maximum combat level a player could reach was 126. When Summoning was added to the game, the maximum combat level was raised to 138. Players who have a familiar with them, or a pouch in their inventory, have their combat level shown as the following: (combat level without Summoning) + (combat levels gained from Summoning). It is also shown in this way in and around Bounty Hunter. The reason for this is so that player-killers are not discouraged from training Summoning.

Getting Started
To be able to begin Summoning, you must complete Wolf Whistle, which will give 275 gold charms and bring your Summoning level to 4.

Familiars


Familiars are creatures that players may summon to help them with various tasks. The familiars have many different abilities, from boosting skills to aiding you in combat. All familiars have a special move which can be activated with Summoning scrolls. Only one familiar can be summoned at a time, and must be dismissed before another can be summoned.

In order to summon a familiar, players must use the "Summon" option on a Summoning pouch. Summoning familiars costs summoning points (similar again to Prayer points). While a familiar is out, summoning points will be slowly drained until they reach 0, again similar to prayer. The familiar does not disappear when the points reach 0, but any right-click abilities will be unavailable until the summoning points are recharged. Summoning points must be recharged at a Summoning Obelisk or by using Summoning potion(s).

Players can talk to their familiars if they have at least 10 or more summoning levels above the required level to summon that familiar, (e.g. a spirit wolf can be talked to at level 11) with some exceptions, such as minotaurs. Because the level cap at 99 and various other reasons, some familiars cannot be talked to.

The chocatrice that could be commanded during the 2008 Easter event was the only creature that could be controlled by non-member players.

Special abilities
Each familiar has a different special ability that they are able to use. Some are accessed by talking, using the familiar's special button or right clicking a familiar for another option.


 * {|class="wikitable" width="90%"

!Abilities !Description
 * Fighter
 * These familiar will fight with a player, and have combat levels similar to regular creatures. Until a recent update, a player had to be actively fighting and taking damage for his or her familiar to fight; but now it is possible to safespot with Ranged or Magic, and still have your familiar fight. Familiars will only fight in multi-combat areas.
 * Light enhancer
 * Some familiars can see well in the dark and will make any light source a player carries brighter.
 * Skill booster
 * These familiars can either temporarily raise your level in a given skill, or provide an 'invisible' boost that is always active. If that stat has already been raised by a potion the skill boost will not work. Note that invisible skills boosts do not allow the player to perform an activity above his level; they simply help the player in increasing the efficiency of his activity at his current level.
 * Remote view
 * These familiars can fly into the air and allow the player to see through their eyes, giving the player the ability to see things much further away.
 * Beast of Burden
 * A beast of burden can carry a varying number of items. Certain familiars can only carry specific items, and only abyssal familiars can carry rune essence and pure essence. Beasts of burden will not carry items that have an individual value over 50k.
 * Healer
 * These familiars can heal a player's hitpoints at a given rate. For example, the Bunyip heals a player two hitpoints every 15 seconds.
 * Forager
 * A forager will find certain items from time to time, and can carry up to 30 of a specific type of item. Players are only able to withdraw items from these familiars, not deposit items in them.
 * }
 * Healer
 * These familiars can heal a player's hitpoints at a given rate. For example, the Bunyip heals a player two hitpoints every 15 seconds.
 * Forager
 * A forager will find certain items from time to time, and can carry up to 30 of a specific type of item. Players are only able to withdraw items from these familiars, not deposit items in them.
 * }
 * A forager will find certain items from time to time, and can carry up to 30 of a specific type of item. Players are only able to withdraw items from these familiars, not deposit items in them.
 * }

It is possible for a Summoning pure/skiller to use summoned creatures to attack others without the risk of raising Hitpoints experience. For example, if the player had a Desert Wyrm summoned, he could use the Electric Lash scroll to deal damage without having to worry about gaining experience in Hitpoints.

Forbidden areas for familiars
There are certain places where you can not summon familiars or bring them into:


 * Grand Exchange.
 * The basement under Varrock west bank.
 * Players cannot summon a familiar at a Summoning Obelisk, but familiars that are already summoned can be brought to an Obelisk.
 * You cannot bring a familiar into your house in construction mode.
 * Many locations related to quests.
 * Some minigames and other locations:
 * Barrows minigame area;
 * Mage Training Arena;
 * Pest Control - Familiars cannot enter the Void Knight boats;
 * Barbarian Assault - Whilst playing familiars are not allowed;
 * Entrana - The monks will not allow your familiar or scrolls on Entrana;
 * Tzhaar Fight Caves;
 * Sawmill Training Area - Can not bring in Beaver (33) for the +2 WC level boost.
 * Oo'glog spas;
 * Puro-Puro;
 * Stealing Creation - You can summon Clay beings inside the minigame, however;
 * Keldagrim and Dorgesh-kaan stations;
 * Elemental Workshop.
 * If the player tries to enter one of these areas with a familiar out or tries to summon one, he will get a message. If the player has a familiar out, then he will not be allowed to enter the area until it is dismissed.


 * For most transportation methods, familiars will automatically follow you.
 * Familiars, however, cannot be taken on some types of transportation, including:
 * Canoes on the River Lum;
 * The Balloon transport system;
 * Magic carpets;
 * Broomsticks;
 * Dwarven Mine Carts;
 * The Dorgesh-Kaan - Keldagrim Train System.
 * Ancient Cavern - While familiars are allowed inside the caves, players are not allowed to jump off the pier if they have already been summoned
 * Golrie's Strongroom

Pouches


Summoning pouches are used to summon familiars. The creation of a pouch is relatively simple: the pouch is infused with the essence of a creature, or familiar, at a Summoning Obelisk which can then be summoned using the pouch. Infusing pouches yields experience in summoning. A pouch is used up when a familiar is summoned, and it is not restored when the familiar is dismissed.

Since 28 April 2009, Familiars are now able to be renewed without being dismissed.

Note that certain types of noted pouches (bloated leech, bronze minotaur, and other high shard pouches) can be sold to the ogre bogrog to get up to 1 shard per 20 gold coins of pouch value. This makes shards cost 80% less compared to buying them in summoning shop or the Grand Exchange. After making a pouch you can always sell it to the Grand Exchange or use Alchemy on it if the ogre won't give you enough shards for it (hint: low shard count pouches are not worth walking to the ogre, even if the other ingredient is expensive). This cuts costs considerably if you have a high number of ogre-worthy pouches to trade, as you will do very few ogre trips.

Scrolls
Summoning scrolls are required to perform a familiar's special move. The special moves the scrolls can perform vary widely and are tied to the familiar. You must have the familiar summoned that the scrolls are tied to in order to use them. You must also have enough energy on the special energy bar to perform the action. They are created from converting familiar pouches into scrolls at a Summoning obelisk. 1 familiar pouch can be converted into 10 Summoning scrolls that are tied to the familiar the pouch was fused with.

Pets
Pets are animals that follow you all around RuneScape and are purely decorative/entertainment, except for the broav which plays a part in While Guthix Sleeps, the Saradomin owl and the Zamorak hawk which provide protection from respective factions in the God Wars Dungeon and the platypus which can be used to obtain caskets. They are very similar if not the same as pet cats obtained from the Gertrude's Cat quest.

Headdresses

 * These items can only store scrolls that are used to attack.
 * Combat scrolls stored in headdresses will automatically be used at random intervals when you attack with no cost to Special move points while in a multi-combat zone with your familiar summoned and when you are wearing the headdress.
 * The scrolls stored in the headdress must match the familiar you have currently summoned for them to be used.
 * The non-specific Summoning items (e.g. Adamant full helm) can be enchanted by Pikkupstix, for free, to store Summoning scrolls if you meet requirements to do so.

The enchantable helms thus far:

To have the item disenchanted, speak to Pikkupstix and he will remove the enchantment for free.
 * The specific Summoning items (e.g. Antlers, Lizard skull, and Feather headdress) are the only items that require the summoning level to wear.
 * Some armour provides Summoning defence bonuses.

Summoning shops
There are Summoning shops in Taverley, Gu'Tanoth, and the Nature Grotto wishing well.

Pet shops
Pet shops exist in Yanille and Taverley. Players can buy pets and pet food at these stores.

Summoning obelisk

 * Summoning obelisks (as opposed to small obelisks) are fully charged with summoning energy and can be used to recharge summoning points. They can also be used to infuse pouches and scrolls. See summoning points and infuse pouches and scrolls the main article for a list of their locations.


 * Small obelisks are partially-charged with summoning energy and may be used to recharge summoning points, but not to infuse pouches or scrolls. They have many locations, such as Edgeville. For a complete list, please go to the main article.

Acquiring Charms
There are 4 types of charms: Notice: Click on the charm for a full list of monsters with that charm as loot.
 * Crimson charms
 * Blue charms
 * Green charms
 * Gold charms

The Chaos Tunnels are one of the best areas to obtain charms. Players should be warned that the area is multicombat: see the main article for details.

Thieving

 * Dorgesh-Kaan Average Chest (requires level 52 Thieving)
 * Dorgesh-Kaan Rich Chest (requires level 78 Thieving)

Soul Wars

 * Soul War rewards

Slayer Assignments
More information found on the Slayer page.

General Combat
See Charm gathering for a list of monsters with high charm drop rates.

Travelling
See Summoning obelisk trips for a guide on fast trips to and from Summoning Obelisks.

Cape of Accomplishment
Once a player has mastered the skill and reached level 99, Pikkupstix (in Taverley) will sell them a Summoning cape. Refer to the Capes guide for more details.

Future Updates
With the release of Portuguese RuneScape, the Portuguese Knowledge Base contained an image leaking a future summoning update. This was made widely known on a forum topic in the RuneScape Official Forums. The image was removed from the website, but can be seen here to the left showing a new icon to the right of the familiars face. The new icon was included with the Summoning Update in August. The right icon is the attack button.

History


From the Update on 'Summoning Wallpaper #4' on the 27 March 2008, the picture alongside the article on the RuneScape homepage, when saved to your hard drive, has the name 'abyssal_titan.gif' showing yet another summoning familiar. This links with the Update description of 'It is element-ary that we would release a new wallpaper for something as titan-ic as Summoning 2.

Trivia

 * Before the second Summoning update on 31 March 2008, players were able to renew their familiars timer by clicking a "renew timer" button in the summoning interface if the player had the correct number of summoning points left.
 * Until the update on 28 April 2009 each familiar stayed out for a set amount of time, no matter how many summoning points the player had left. Once the timer ran out, the familiar disappeared. Since this caused issues with Beasts of Burden, Jagex added the current timer renewal system.
 * The Run energy update on 9 June 2009 also changed the summoning icon located near the mini-map from [[File:Summoning.gif]] to [[File:OldSummoning.gif]], but the next day it was changed to [[File:Summon_icon.png]], however the skill icon and the summoning tab icon remained unchanged.
 * Along with Mobilising Armies, the update on 8 July 2009 moved all the functions of the Summoning tab to the Summoning icon near the mini-map. Jagex cited the fact that it was only accessible some of the time as the reason for the change.
 * There are only 3,336 people with 99 Summoning. (As of 23rd October, 2009)
 * Previously, when your combat level increases due to leveling up in Summoning, you did not get the congratulations message for leveling up combat. This bug has been fixed.
 * A glitch seems to happen when you dismiss a familiar, sometimes as you dismiss it, it produces an item, then the system thinks you have an item inside an "Invisible Familiar". It is shown here: Click as it was later proved his ibis had an item.
 * In Postbag 7, Postie Pete asked if tortoise shells and proboscises would have a future use, referring to being tertiary ingredients in the War tortoise and spirit mosquito.
 * As of 2nd October, 2009, no one has reached 200 million in experience.
 * Familiars that restore run energy seem to increase more in the vicinity of a musician.