Summoning



Summoning is a members-only skill that focuses on calling familiars from the Spirit Plane by creating and using summoning pouches. Wolf Whistle acts as an introduction to the skill, even though it is not required to start the skill. Each familiar has a unique ability that requires a Summoning scroll, made from a corresponding pouch, to use. Familiars have a wide variety of uses, from fighting in combat to carrying items to providing invisible boosts to other skills.

Summoning operates similarly to Prayer, requiring points to summon familiars and utilise their abilities. Summoning points do not automatically recharge, but they can be recharged by interacting with a large or Small Obelisk, or by drinking a summoning or Super restore potion.

Getting started
A good option is to start by doing the Wolf Whistle quest since you will reach a summoning level of 4 after it. However, you can start training summoning without completing the quest.

It has been revealed by Pikkupstix, when you reach Level 99 Summoning, that the place where your Familiars hail from has never been part of Gielinor, yet is nevertheless part of our lives every day. Familiarisation allows you to access this realm, known, as the Spirit Plane, for limited amounts of time, where you and a Familiar can hunt for raw shards. Other races than the druids, ogres, and now the humans, appear to possess some knowledge of Summoning; for instance, the Elf Warrior drops charms, hinting that the art is known to the Elven race as well.

Familiars


Familiars are creatures that players may summon in order 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 potions or Super restore potions.

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 understood at level 11) with some exceptions, such as minotaurs. Because the level cap at 99 and various other reasons, some familiars cannot be understood. (all summoning familars requiring level 90+ summoning)

The Chocatrice that could be commanded during the 2008 Easter event is one of the only three creatures that could be controlled by non-member players.

Eek! the spider, which could be obtained by doing the 2009 Halloween event, can also be controlled by a non-member.

Non-members can also summon a squirrel using the squirrel ears obtained during the 2010 Easter event.

The Spirit Wolf is considered the signature familiar as it is the icon for the Summoning skill.

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, right clicking a familiar for another option, or simply summoning them.


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

!Abilities !Description
 * Fighter
 * These familiars will fight alongside 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.
 * 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 their level; they simply help the player in increasing the efficiency of their activity at their 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 or BoB 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, but they will carry untradeable potions and flasks.
 * Healer
 * These familiars can heal a player's life points at a given rate. For example, the Bunyip heals a player 2% of their Life Point 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.
 * Teleporter
 * These enable the summoner to teleport to a specific place when talked to. Examples are Spirit Kyatt and Arctic Bear.
 * }
 * These familiars can heal a player's life points at a given rate. For example, the Bunyip heals a player 2% of their Life Point 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.
 * Teleporter
 * These enable the summoner to teleport to a specific place when talked to. Examples are Spirit Kyatt and Arctic Bear.
 * }
 * These enable the summoner to teleport to a specific place when talked to. Examples are Spirit Kyatt and Arctic Bear.
 * }

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


 * Falador Party Room.
 * The Runespan.
 * Tears of Guthix (Distraction and Diversion)
 * Familiars can't be summoned at a big Summoning Obelisk, although those that are already summoned can be brought to one.
 * Familiars can't be summoned at the Nature Grotto in Mort Myre Swamp, although those that are already summoned can be brought here.
 * You cannot bring a familiar into a Player Owned House in building mode.
 * Many locations related to quests.
 * Entrana - The monks will not allow your familiar or scrolls on Entrana.
 * Keldagrim and Dorgesh-Kaan stations.
 * The Elemental Workshop.
 * Some minigames:
 * The Barrows minigame area.
 * The Mage Training Arena.
 * Pest Control - Familiars cannot enter the Void Knight boats.
 * Barbarian Assault - Whilst playing, familiars are not allowed.
 * Stealing Creation - Can summon Clay beings inside the minigame.
 * The TzHaar Fight Caves.
 * The Pit
 * The Sawmill Training Area - Cannot bring in Beaver for the +2 Woodcutting level boost.
 * Under Daemonheim - You can summon special familiars from the Gorajo tribes.
 * For most transportation methods, familiars will automatically follow you. Familiars, however, cannot be taken on some types of transportation, including:
 * The Broomstick teleporting you to the Sorceress's Garden.
 * The Dorgesh-Kaan - Keldagrim Train System.
 * The Ancient Cavern pier entrance. You cannot jump off the pier if a familiar is summoned. Familiars are allowed inside the cavern itself, and players can summon them there or bring them with them when using the fairy ring network or teleporting to Kuradal using a Ferocious ring.
 * Golrie's Strongroom.
 * The Brimhaven Agility Dungeon.
 * The Lumbridge Crater

Some areas are not actually forbidden, but the familiar 'returns to the spirit plane' while the player is there. When the player leaves the area, the familiar returns. These areas include:


 * The Grand Exchange.
 * Every spa at Oo'glog.
 * The Varrock Museum.
 * The Guthixian Caches
 * Fish Flingers

Pouches
Summoning pouches are used to summon familiars. The creation of a pouch is relatively simple: it is created by infusing the appropriate items in your backpack at a Summoning Obelisk which can then be summoned using the pouch. A pouch is used up when a familiar is summoned, and it is not restored when the familiar is dismissed.

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. Using a scroll does not use any summoning points. Instead, it uses special move energy. You must have enough energy on the special energy bar to perform the action.

Scrolls are created by converting charged familiar pouches into scrolls at a Summoning obelisk. One pouch can be converted into 10 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 for decorative/entertainment purposes - with the exception of the broav, which plays a part in While Guthix Sleeps, the Saradomin owl and the Zamorak hawk, which both provide protection from respective factions in the God Wars Dungeon, and the platypus, which can be used to obtain caskets. They are very similar to pet cats, which can be obtained from the Gertrude's Cat quest. The differences are that you have to continue feeding your summoning pets after 100% growth, and pet cats require stroking to keep them from running away, whereas summoning pets do not.

Headdresses

 * Enchanted headgear are head slot items that can store Summoning 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 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 number of stored scrolls may be checked, by clicking on the "Commune" function of the headdress.
 * By clicking "Uncharge" the scrolls will be taken out.
 * 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.
 * People may use the scroll-storing ability to limit the amount of bank space used for having scrolls.

Summoning shops
There are Summoning shops in Taverley, Gu'Tanoth, the Amlodd district of Prifddinas, 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, but only certain pets (as you get a cat from Gertrude in Varrock after completing Gertrude's Cat).

Summoning obelisk

 * Summoning obelisks (as opposed to mini 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.


 * Mini 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 or even, if the player has the required Construction level and materials, in a player's POH. For a complete list, please go to the main article.

Acquiring charms
There are 5 types of charms:
 * s (Requires 1 Summoning to use. This is the only charm available in free-to-play)
 * s (Requires 18 Summoning to use)
 * s (Requires 19 Summoning to use)
 * s (Requires 23 Summoning to use)
 * s (Requires 81 Summoning to use)

Note: Obsidian, abyssal, talon beast, and all void charms are not regular summoning charms as they are for specific summoning pouches and still require a charm plus the tertiary charm to make.

Thieving

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

Soul Wars

 * Soul Wars rewards

General combat
See charm gathering for a list of monsters with high charm drop rates. Common monsters to kill for charms include glacors, rock lobsters, waterfiends, and cockroach soldiers. Additionally, most slayer assignments have favorable charm drops rates.

Hunter

 * Spirit Impling (requires level 54 hunter)
 * Charm sprite (requires level 72 hunter)

Firemaking

 * When making a bonfire, a fire spirit may emerge and reward you for releasing it with charms, runes, ore, and other items.

Treasure Hunter
Winning Summoning crates in Treasure Hunter supplies you with some charms.

Temporary boosts
Temporary boosts for Summoning work differently than for most other skills. Creating and summoning familiars is tied to the absolute skill level, rather than the current skill level, so a boost will not enable a player to create a pouch or summon a familiar at a higher level. For instance, if a player has level 76 Summoning and eats a pork pie (+5 boost), that player will not be able to create Fire Titan pouches (Level 79) or summon Fire Titan familiars. These boosts can be used to restore summoning points if the player is far from an obelisk, and they can be used to meet effigy requirements, but otherwise serve little purpose. In addition, a Summoning boost will remain until the excess Summoning points are drained.
 * The Powerup (skill) tile in the Clan Citadel battlefield can be configured to boost Summoning anywhere from -10 to +10, or -10% and +10%. Like other Summoning boosts, this cannot be used to summon familiars that have requirements above the player's current level, and only affects Summoning points. As this is up to a +10 boost, this can be very useful for effigies. This boost disappears when the player leaves the Clan Battlefield.
 * Pigswill boosts Summoning (and Farming) by 3 levels.
 * Pork pies boost Summoning (and Farming) by 5 levels.
 * Using the 'Boost' option on a Summoning cape boosts the wearers Summoning level by 1.
 * It is also possible to obtain a Summoning boost during Ritual of the Mahjarrat when touching the Stone of Jas. Since Summoning points, like Prayer points, do not regenerate or wear off with time, this boost lasts even after finishing the quest until a familiar is summoned and points drain below one's Summoning level or until one's character dies.

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. Because Summoning takes many other combat skills to raise, untrimmed capes are very rare. Before the Bonus Experience Weekend, very few players had obtained an untrimmed Summoning cape, however several players managed to obtain the untrimmed cape during the event.

Trivia

 * In 2007, a player exploited a bug that made it ​​possible to walk out of the templates map and get to the summoning cage area.
 * The Run energy update on 9 June 2009 changed the summoning icon located near the mini-map to [[File:OldSummoning.gif]], but the next day it was changed to [[File:Summon icon.png]].
 * 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.
 * During A Void Dance, if you talk to Jessika about what she studies, she will reveal that there are two types of summoning; Arcane and Druidic summoning. Druidic summoning is the skill players can learn, while arcane summoning is likely the branch of magic that Wizard Grayzag and Evil Dave study.
 * Before the update on 31 January 2012, the Wolf Whistle quest had to be completed before Summoning could be trained.
 * Before the graphical updates, there was a Summoning icon and what level you are even if you are F2P. This is no longer valid.
 * Until 7 February 2012, Beasts of Burden were unable to carry any untradeable item, but this was changed on that date to allow them to carry untradeable potions and potion flasks.
 * The Summoning skill was significantly revamped on 3 December 2013, with the addition of Uncharged Summoning pouches, which must first be created before imbuing a pouch, and a buff to the stats of all combat familiars. 2 weeks later, the change was reverted in response to player feedback.
 * When a familiar is sent away temporarily (such as in highly populated locations like the Grand Exchange), they are transported to a cage near the candlelight random event.