Pest Control

Pest Control is a co-operative multiplayer combat minigame. Players must defend an NPC, known as the Void Knight, from an onslaught of monsters, while at the same time destroying the portals from which the monsters come. The minigame is played in the name of Guthix, to retain balance in the world which may be disrupted by an influx of monsters. It is run by an order of Guthix known as the Void Knights. It is a "safe" minigame, meaning you won't lose anything if you die. You'll simply be returned to the lander and can rejoin combat immediately. All HP, Special Attack, and run energy will be restored when combat ends.

Skills
The only requirement to participate in a game of Pest Control is a combat level of 40 or above. However, in order to get the reward a player must be able to inflict 50 points of damage before the end of the game. Repairing the barricades or gates in the surrounding area awards the player 5 points, allowing players of a low combat level to achieve 50 points.

Players
A game of Pest Control can only be played by 5 or more players, up to a limit of 25. Multiple games may be played at once by many groups of 25 players. Anyone who wishes to play must board the lander. If the lander fills with 25 players, the game will begin automatically. Otherwise, players must wait 5 minutes for the game to begin.

Location
The Void Knight outpost from which games of Pest Control start can be reached by talking to the Squire at Port Sarim.

The Outpost
The Outpost is an island, on which there is a bank, a general store, an anvil (with a smith who can repair Barrows armour) a ranged shop, and a magic store (which stocks runes up to deaths). Towards the south end of the island there is a ship which you must board to start the game.

Rules
The rules are simple. The Void Knight must be defended until the portals are shut. They can be shut in two ways, either by waiting 20 mins for the Knight to complete the ritual and banish them, or by players destroying them.

Brawlers
Brawlers are the largest and most powerful creatures in the Pest Control minigame, and they defend the portals. They look like gorillas with spikes sprouting from their backs and a pointed snout. Normally they will not attack the fort, though they are still a match for any attempting to destroy the portal. Their combat levels can be 50, 75, 100, 128, or 157 and their colouring is based on these levels.

Defiler
Defilers are fast, agile creatures in the Pest Control minigame. They have the lower half of a snake and a humanoid top half and a cat like face. They can throw barbs over long distances, can inflict a large amount of Range type damage with the barbs and will actively attack the Void Knight. They can even launch their barbs over walls, though if they're in the spaces right in front of one of the three gates, they can't shoot over it, so keeping them closed will block those directly in front of it. Their combat levels range can be 33, 50, 67, 84, or 100 and their colouring is based on these levels.

Ravager
Ravagers are short, humanoid creatures with large claws in the Pest Control minigame. Their appearance is closely related to that of a mole with oversized claws and red eyes. They are capable of tearing down the gates and so must be killed if the gates are to remain intact. However, they are relatively weak when it comes to direct combat. Their combat levels can be 35, 52, 70, 88, or 105 and their colouring is based on these levels.

Shifter
Shifters are creatures that excel in melee combat and can teleport across the island and even past walls. For this reason, they're very dangerous for those on defence since they can teleport right next to the Void Knight and attack him. They have the bottom half of a spider with the scythes of a praying mantis. Their combat levels can be 37, 56, 75, 94, or 113 and their colouring is based on these levels.

Spinner
Spinners are creatures that appear as spinning tops and float above the ground, they are created by using special attacks on a portal. They repair the portals on the island and must be defeated if the portals are to be destroyed. Their combat levels can be 37, 55, 74, 87, or 92 and their colouring is based on these levels.

Splatter
Splatters are creatures that appear like a giant ball with a single eye in the middle and liquid inside them. They will go towards the fort and detonate, causing big damage to all players and objects in the immediate vicinity. This will also happen if they are killed, which is easy since they're often low level and weak defensively. Their combat levels can be 21, 32, 43, 54, or 64 and their colouring is based on these levels.

Torcher
Torchers are creatures that look like winged snakes and will actively attack the Void Knight. They have a long distance magical attack which can harm both players and the Void knight. They can even launch this attack over walls, though if they're in the spaces right in front of one of the three gates, they can't shoot over it, so keeping them closed will block those directly in front of it. Their combat levels can be 33, 50, 67, 83, or 100 and their colouring is based on these levels.

Portal
(Not really a monster, but you attack it. Each one has 200 HP and will spawn monsters until destroyed.)

Tips

 * Keep the gates closed. Contrary to what some believe, there is actually some use to doing this. In the spaces immediately in front of the gates, Defilers and Scorchers can't attack the Void Knight. Instead, they will all line up right in front of the door, waiting patiently for it to be opened or until they're killed. Those far enough back in the line or to either side can still attack, but keeping the gates shut will stop at least a few of them. The east or west gates can be broken and when they are they're unmoveable, but the north can't.
 * If you're attacking the portal, make sure to stand in front of it, one step to either side of the exact center. There's an important reason for this. As enemies spawn, they will cluster around the portal. If you're anywhere but this location, you won't be able to fight your way there to attack any Spinners that appear. Even if you do kill surrounding monsters blocking your way, there will be half a dozen others that have spawned while you were fighting that will swarm into the open space. You'll then just watch helplessly as the Spinner(s) heal the portal and your Void Knight's health gradually deteriorates.
 * If there's more than one Spinner around, try to get them all attacking you. This can be hard if you're the only one on a portal, since they immediately will turn their attention to the portal if it goes down any from full health. So if you attack the portal, they'll heal the portal to full. Then, when you attack them, they'll attack you until you go back to the portal again, at which time they'll start healing again since it's dropping from full.
 * If you want to be on defence, there are four places you should look at. They're set in order of importance.
 * On the platform with the Void Knight. This is a good place for lower level players. You are within easy range of the lander in case you die, and there's always plenty of Shifters attacking the Void Knight.
 * Outside the north gate. From here, you can close the doors after all those people who refuse to close the gate. You can also kill all the Defilers and Scorchers that are firing over the walls. Do not waste your time on those who are stuck in front of the door and can't fire unless there are no others left.
 * The west gate, if it's broken. Stand just at the gate on the north square. You'll block the Defilers and Spinners entering the area. The rest will line up in a polite little line waiting for you to kill them. If you stand in the right place, only the one in the front will be able to attack.
 * The same as previous, but on the east gate.


 * Consider wearing dragonhide armour to the game. It blocks magic, melee, and range in good amounts. This is useful since all three styles of combat are seen in Pest Control.
 * Ancient Magicks are very useful, since you can target multiple enemies with some of the spells.
 * A Dragon Halberd is a useful weapon, as while the monsters are waiting to be the next to be slaughtered, a person with a halberd can stand at the side and target three at a time with the special attack. This is also useful if you need to get the 50 hits, as you could get 40 with one special attack.


 * The towers are rarely used in this game, but the ideal team will have 6 high level mages or rangers in the towers to pick off unreachable spinners or brawlers, also a great thing to do is to get a mage to kill a splatter that is near a monster to kill them both (make sure no players aree around), 3 high level melee players with the void knight, and the rest of players attacking a portal, (attack them all together.)

Rewards
If you successfully complete the game, you will receive a Void Knight commendation point. If you destroy all of the portals, you will receive coins equal to 10 times your combat level as well as a commendation point. Commendation points can be traded in for:
 * Experience in a combat skill equal to your level (in that skill) squared, then divided by 12 for prayer, or by 6 for everything else.
 * Void Knight equipment
 * Herb packs
 * Mineral (ore) packs
 * Seed packs.