Ancient Magicks



Ancient Magicks (sometimes known as Ancients) is a branch of Magic that is unlocked upon completion of the quest Desert Treasure. Unlike the Lunar spellbook, which primarily focuses on non-combat spells, and the regular spellbook, which is a mixture of combat and non-combat spells, Ancient Magicks is made up of very combat-focused spells, and the spellbook contains the most powerful combat spells in the game. Many of the Ancient Magicks spells are very rune-intensive, however, and the best spells require high Magic levels (a minimum of 50 Magic is needed to even access the spellbook). Owing to their power, Ancient Magicks is rather popular in player-versus-player activities.

Switching spellbooks
The spellbook can be changed to Ancient Magicks at the altar inside the Jaldraocht Pyramid (simply "Pyramid" on the World Map) in the Kharidian Desert, west of Pollnivneach and north of Menaphos. There is a rear entrance that allows players who have completed Desert Treasure to enter the throne room directly, where the altar resides, without having to navigate the four floors of the pyramid. At the altar, players can pray to switch to or from the Ancient Magicks spellbook, though this drains all Prayer points to zero. (Players can still switch spellbooks even with 0 Prayer points.)

Those who simply wish to switch from Ancient Magicks to the regular spellbook may find it easier to pray at the Astral Altar on Lunar Isle (provided Lunar Diplomacy has been completed).

Reaching the pyramid
Various methods of teleportation exist for reaching the Jaldraocht Pyramid:
 * Pollnivneach is a short distance west of the Pyramid; it is accessible via the use of a ring of slaying, the magic carpet network (from either Shantay Pass or Sophanem [after Icthlarin's Little Helper]), or Teleport to House for players who have their houses located in Pollnivneach.
 * The Pharaoh's Sceptre, obtained from the Pyramid Plunder minigame, teleports directly on top of the pyramid.
 * A camulet provides a teleport to Enahkra's temple, which is just east of Jaldraocht Pyramid.

Ancient staff
Prior to the autocasting update on 2 September 2009, the ancient staff was the only way to autocast Ancient Magicks combat spells. It can be obtained once from Eblis, who will sell it for 80,000 coins, after the completion of Desert Treasure. (Alternately, the staff can be bought on the Grand Exchange for coins, or obtained as a drop from mummies.) As the staff's original purpose has been rendered obsolete, it now provides a 10% bonus to spell damage while it is equipped.

Combat
The Ancient Magicks combat spells are, as mentioned, the most dangerous combat spells in the game. Not only can they deal a substantial amount of damage, but each of the four classes of combat spells have a different effect:


 * The smoke spells are the only group of spells that can inflict poison damage to other players and NPCs.
 * The shadow spells can be used to lower the target's Attack level.
 * The blood spells will heal the caster 25% of the damage dealt.
 * The ice spells freeze the target in place and prevent it from moving.
 * The miasmic spells halve the attack speed of Melee and Ranged for a limited time. Miasmic spells require Zuriel's staff to be cast. Furthermore, the special effect only works on players, not NPCs.

The specific duration/effectiveness of each of the standard effects (aside from the blood spells, which always heal a flat 25%) depends on the level of the spell cast; Smoke Burst will deal more poison damage than Smoke Rush, for example. In addition, half of the Ancient Magicks combat spells are burst and barrage spells, which will hit the target and any other player or NPC standing in a 3x3 zone around the target in a multicombat area. The other half are rush and blitz spells, which will only hit one target.

While less popular for general training, Ancient Magicks is often used in various player-versus-player activities, such as the TzHaar Fight Pit, Castle Wars, Bounty Hunter, Fist of Guthix and Soul Wars. Ice spells, especially Ice Burst and Ice Barrage, are especially popular, due to their freezing effects and a lower cost when compared to the other combat spells.

Ancient Magicks is not allowed in Barbarian Assault.

Combat spells
The maximum hits listed here are the spells' base maximum hits, without any modifiers. See here for a list of items that increase the maximum hit of magic spells.  * All miasmic spells require Zuriel's staff, which increases magic damage by 10%; therefore, technically, all of the miasmic spells have 10% higher maximum hits than officially stated.

Trivia

 * Mind runes, astral runes, cosmic runes, nature runes and body runes are not used in the Ancient Magicks spellbook. Until the introduction of miasmic spells, earth runes were not used.
 * Of the various combination runes, only smoke runes are useful for Ancient Magicks, as the smoke spells and Paddewwa and Dareeyak Teleports are the only spells to use more than one elemental rune.
 * On the day of release, these spells had a glitch where every spell, along with the original effects, would freeze opponents.
 * On free worlds, Home Teleport will teleport to Lumbridge instead of Edgeville.
 * Each Ancient Magicks spell has a unique sound.
 * Although 50 Magic is required to access the spellbook, it is not possible to use Ancient Magicks at 50 Magic, as completion of Desert Treasure grants enough Magic experience to reach level 51.
 * The Dungeoneering spellbook includes spells from the regular and Lunar spellbooks, but none from the Ancient Magicks spellbook.