Distractions and Diversions


 * For the location guide for Distractions and Diversions, see Distractions and Diversions Locations.

Distractions and Diversions is a game feature released by Jagex on 2 September 2008. This game feature is unlike normal activities, as the locations of some of these games move around RuneScape. Many of the distractions and diversions also have a limit on how often they can be played. All eleven parts of the Distractions and Diversions are members-only. On 3 March 2010 Tears of Guthix, Champion's Challenge, and Treasure Trails became Distractions and Diversions.

Balthazar Beauregard's Big Top Bonanza


Circus barkers are found in each town mentioning the whereabouts of the circus. To enter the circus, players have to travel to the town (mentioned above) and find the Ticket vendor. The Ticket vendor will provide a Circus ticket, and players are transported into the circus. To leave the circus, they simply have to tear their Circus ticket. The destroy option also has the same effect. Note that the circus moves to a different city every Wednesday, and the Ticket vendor can be found within the city area.

Whilst in the circus, players may test their skills and perform tricks in each of the areas: Agility, Ranged and Magic. The audience are key to earning maximum points, as they occasionally shout out tricks to perform. Players cannot do more than one performance in each area per week. This means that players, who have completed the Agility, Ranged and Magic performances, have to wait for the following week in order to do it again. Circus barkers, who can be found in major cities, inform players where the circus currently is.

Champions' Challenge
While fighting creatures of one of 13 'races', one may drop a challenge scroll, which challenges the player to a formal duel by the race's champion. Challenge scrolls are extremely rare drops, making it quite difficult to duel all the champions. The duels take place in the Champion's Challenge arena. They have certain rules, such as limiting the player's armour, disallowing some items, and prohibiting some forms of combat. Defeating the champion will grant the player with equal amounts of Constitution and Slayer experience, as well as the possibility of duels with the champions of champions in the future. Larxus in the Champions' Guild Basement will instruct players about the Distraction and Diversion and will set up a match with a champion when the player gives him a challenge scroll. (The player must use the scroll on Larxus, as just talking to him will not start the duel.) Until the match is started, the player can back out and decide to take the challenge another time. After winning 10 challenges, the player will be challenged by the human champion of champions, Leon d'Cour. After winning 13 challenges, the player will be challenged by the gnome champion of champions, Glophren. While several other champion of champions are present, watching the arena, only the human and gnome champions will challenge the player. (Given that the 2009 update added lower champions for three additional races from the original ten and enabled a second champion of champion to issues challenges, many players expect future updates will expand the Distraction and Diversion, until all the champions of champions can issues challenges.)

Evil tree


The Evil Tree can be done twice a day, and helps players train their Woodcutting, Firemaking, and Farming skills. Waves of trees appear every two hours; between waves, no trees will appear. To check if an evil tree is currently growing, a Spirit tree can be asked. He will also teleport you to it.

Player will see roots shoot out from the ground, giving a sign that the Evil Tree is sprouting and/or is nearby.

You do not need to bring anything with you, as the leprechaun near the tree will supply you with a bronze hatchet and a tinderbox when the tree exhibits its evil tendencies. So if you see an evil tree and are miles away from a bank, there will be no need to go back.

The locations of the trees are different for every world.

Those who live in North America, if they time it right, can chop down 4 trees at a time, as midnight UTC is between 4PM and 7PM, depending on location. Note that the counter will reset at 0:00 UTC. This also applies to Stars.

Penguin Hide and Seek


In order to start, players must first talk to Larry at the Ardougne Zoo and receive a Spy notebook. With this notebook, all of the penguins that have been spotted will be recorded, as well as how many Penguin Spotting Points the player currently has. However, the notebook does not need to be carried in the inventory in order to earn Penguin points.

Clues as to the whereabouts of each penguin may be obtained from Larry by talking to him, or contacting him through the Lunar spell NPC Contact. Upon finding a penguin, the 'Spy on' option can be used to log the details into the notebook. Return to Larry for the rewards.

The regions of the penguins are the same for all worlds, but will change every week (and the specific location of a penguin varies from world to world).

After completing the quest Hunt for Red Raktuber, a polar bear, Chuck, replaces Larry as the source of clues and where to turn in penguin points. With the completion of the quest, players also have the option to spy a stationary polar bear hiding in a well for an extra point. The bear changes its location once per week on the same time-frame as penguins.

Phoenix Lair


The Phoenix is an ancient, practically immortal creature capable of endlessly renewing herself under the correct conditions. The last phoenix known to still exist is determined to live a very long life, and asks whichever adventurer has saved her to return regularly for battle, so that she may repeat her death and rebirth cycle.

Of course, the phoenix must be sure that its opponent is worthy, and so its reborn guardians will do their very best to hinder anyone they come across.

Players will have to complete In Pyre Need in order to do this. To kill the Phoenix, they will also need 51 Slayer.

Familiarisation


Familiarisation is based on Summoning. Players will be summoned as a random familiar and will have to hunt around for raw shards. After that is done, return to RuneScape and claim a reward from Pikkenmix or Pikkupstix. They will offer a blessing which will triple charm drops for a set time, or to receive some ingredients to use in infusing summoning pouches in the means of a box.

To start Familiarisation, the player has to talk to Pikkupstix in Taverley, who can teach players the art of Summoning. There are no requirements, not even the Wolf Whistle quest.

Shattered Heart
While training your non-combat skills, you may occasionally receive a strange rock. Visit Varrock Museum to have the stones appraised and you will discover that these are parts of the statue of Dahmaroc; a mage who was turned to stone during a duel and whose cursed remains have been scattered across the world. Initially, you will only be able to obtain 2 rocks from any particular skill. When you have received the first rock for a skill, the drop chance for the second will be reduced by half. Once you have received two rocks from practicing a skill you will receive no more from that skill until the statue is rebuilt entirely. Actions that can yield a rock include those in the main article. It's a good idea to mix up your training; perhaps try out a new skill in which you've yet to dabble.

Shooting Star


Every 2 hours, a shooting star falls into a random area within Gielinor. Players have to mine through the star, collecting up to 200 stardust a day to exchange with the star sprite inside for coins, cosmic runes, astral runes, gold ore, and a chance to mine an additional ore while mining. Level 10 Mining is required to mine through the smallest shooting star, while level 90 Mining is required to mine through the biggest.

Players may figure out where the next shooting star is going to land by looking through a telescope in a study inside a Player-owned house.

Tears of Guthix


Tears of Guthix is a short game that players may use to gain experience in their lowest levelled skill without having to train that particular skill. To participate in the Distraction and Diversion, players must have completed the Tears of Guthix quest. In addition, players may only play this Distraction and Diversion at most once every seven days and must have gained at least 100,000 total experience or one quest point since the last time they participated in it. To access the Distraction and Diversion, a player must travel through the Lumbridge Swamp Caves to the Tears of Guthix cavern and tell a story to Juna, the serpent guardian of Guthix's tears. Each time a story is told to Juna, players recount a story based upon a quest that they have completed. Since the Swamp Caves are dark, players require a lightsource in order to play. Additionally, both hands must be free in order to wield the stone bowl that is used to collect the Tears of Guthix.

Treasure Trails


Treasure Trails (also abbreviated "tt") is one of the Distractions and Diversions available to members in which a player follows a series of clues to get a reward. The value of rewards can range from about 100 coins to over 140,000,000 coins but more commonly is between 10,000 and 3,000,000 coins. Level 1 clue scroll rewards range from as few as 100 coins to 2 million coins. Level 2 clue scroll rewards range between 2000 coins to 18 million coins. Some players chose to do treasure trails to make money, due to the chance of getting an extremely valuable item. A treasure trail is started by finding a Clue scroll. Clue scrolls are dropped by various monsters and give the player their first clue to follow. For a list of clue-dropping monsters, please see List of clue scroll dropping monsters. You will only receive a new clue scroll if you do not already have one in your inventory or bank (or in your Kingdom Management resources). Clues can involve following maps, solving puzzles, finding coordinates, talking to various NPCs and fighting monsters. After you have done the treasure trail you will receive a reward, example: if you finished a level one clue scroll you might get black (t) armour and some nature runes. Most unique rewards (with some notable exceptions) can be placed in the treasure chest in the costume room of a player's house. Level 1 trails can be between 1 and 5 clues long with little to none quest requirements. Level 2 trails can also be between 1 and 5 clues long with some quest requirements. Level 3 trails can be between 4 and 8 clues long, with multiple enemies to defeat and can have high-levelled quest requirements.

Fish Flingers
Main article: Fish Flingers

This Distraction and Diversion features the Fishing skill. Located in Isla Anglerine, it involves participating in competitions and finding the best combination of bait, hooks, and weights to most efficiently catch the fish there. There are no requirements or items needed, but players receive more experience if they have a higher Fishing level. Players can start by talking to a Fisherman, who will appear at Catherby's beach or in the Fishing Guild every 90 minutes. Rewards include raw fish, Fishing experience, and tackle boxes.

Court cases
According to a recent development diary, Jagex is working on releasing a new Distractions and Diversions known as 'Court Cases.' It takes place in the Seers' Village courthouse, and players will investigate and have to either defend or prosecute the NPC chosen. It is unknown when this will be released.