Monster killing

Monster killing, also called Player versus Monster or PvM is the aspect of killing monsters as opposed to Player killing. Players engaging in Combat against Monsters (also known as NPC's) usually find themselves either at less imposed risk, or greater risk, depending on the monster itself, ranging from the weakly Chicken to the fearsome King Black Dragon!



Incentives to monster-killing
Players fight monsters mainly to gain XP, coins, complete quests, or just for the fun of it all. Players who fight monsters for XP usually leave auto retaliate on in order to, more efficiently, deal with monsters that immediately respawn. Bandits, a popular camping ground for member PvMers, are able to attack a player more than once with fellow bandits, so players can gain XP extremely quick by employing a continuous method of attacking, killing, respawning, and repeating. In non-member worlds, the same steps apply, but in a different places.

Some types of monsters require using more, or only one, type of fighting method, whether it be Magic, Ranged, or Melee. In RuneScape, many of the skills present are only achievable through fighting off monsters or using them to your advantage, such was the case in the release of the Summoning skill addition, where you control a command group of monsters at your arsenal.



How to effectively PvM
Different monsters usually present different approaches on how to face them. Some monsters, such as those found in Slayer monsters, require an array of equipment in order to effectively and properly combat them, as per the case of black masks or earmuffs.

When fighting monsters, it's best to have either a high Attack, Strength, or Defence level, depending on which and what type of monster you're fighting. It's also highly recommended to wear the best armour you have, and to wield the best weapon.

Before you decide to tackle a monster, first learn what it's weakest/strongest against and/or to, and what Combat type is it, and which Combat-type you should use against it. Apply the Combat triangle if you aren't certain, so as to minimise damages or losses.

Food, potions, and other items are also a necessity in certain types of situations; take, for example, dragon-slaying. To effectively fight off dragons you must possess either one of the following items:


 * Anti-dragon shield/Dragonfire shield
 * Antifire potion

Having the correct items above will nullify any dragonfire breath for a 6-minute period. Then, players will be notified in a 15-second interval before the Antifire potion effect will wear off.



PvM events
Some minigames, such as Barbarian Assault or Pest Control, provide an incentive in which players are organised to hold off or defeat subsidiary monsters. The goal of these minigames is to promote unity and cooperation among players, while still maintaining a fair sense of fun and achievement. There is often great reward, and great risk, to be found while participating in such minigames.

Many players often choose to battle multi-combat bosses, which occurs in large-scale events, such as the God Wars PvM battles, in which multiples of players team up to conquer a single boss, often using the Combat triangle to provide effective killing. If you wish to be able to participate/organise such large PvM events, please visit this section of the forums.





Characteristics of monsters
Most, if not all, monsters drop something once they die, lest it be bones or coins or another precursor. When fighting monsters, you may also experience a random event, a event (in which the majority have been discontinued already) that is incurred in order to prevent macroing/autoing.

Some monsters, particularly a majority of the higher-levelled ones, are aggressive, meaning they attack upon sight of a player, as is the case, for example, with deadly red spiders. In the Wilderness, a similar case happens when non-revenant monsters can attack anyone, regardless of their combat level.