Summoning





Summoning is a members-only skill which was released on 15 January 2008 and greatly updated on 31 March 2008. The skill is available after completing the Wolf Whistle quest. This acts as an introduction to the skill, it allows players to infuse the essence of a variety of creatures into Summoning pouches, then summon these creatures, called familiars. Each familiar has a unique ability that requires a Summoning scroll, made from a corresponding pouch, to use. Summoning familiars and creating scrolls gives very little experience, so players must create pouches in order to gain experience effectively, and even then it is a slow skill to raise.

The summoning skill is similar to Prayer in the way that Summoning points are drained when a familiar is summoned. (See the Familiars section or Summoning points for more details.) Like prayer points, summoning points do not automatically recharge, so must be recharged at a Summoning Obelisk or Small Obelisk, or by drinking a Summoning potion.

In addition to the ability to summon familiars, Summoning affects a player's combat level. Previously, the maximum combat level a player could reach was 126. When Summoning was added to the game, the maximum combat level was raised to 138. If you have a familiar with you or a pouch in your inventory then your combat level is shown as (Your combat level without summoning) + (the combat levels you have gained from summoning.) It is also shown in this way in and around Bounty Hunter. The reason for this is so that Player-killers are not discouraged from training Summoning.

The current minimum requirement to be ranked (at approximately rank 436,708) on the hiscores for summoning is level 30.

History


From the Update on 'Summoning Wallpaper #4' on the 27 March 2008, the picture alongside the article on the RuneScape homepage, when saved to your hard drive, has the name 'abyssal_titan.gif' showing yet another summoning familiar. This links with the Update description of 'It is element-ary that we would release a new wallpaper for something as titan-ic as Summoning 2.

Familiars


Familiars are creatures that players may summon to help them with many 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 potion(s).

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 talked to at level 11) with some exceptions, such as minotaurs. Because the level cap at 99 and various other reasons, some familiars cannot be talked to.

The chocatrice that could be commanded during the 2008 Easter event was the only creature that could be controlled by non-member players.

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 or right clicking a familiar for another option.


 * {|width="70%" class="wikitable"

!Abilities !Description
 * Fighter
 * These familiar will fight with a player, and have combat levels similar to regular creatures. A player must be actively fighting and taking damage for his or her familiar to fight; safespotting with Ranged or Magic will not cause the familiar to fight. Familiars will only fight in multi-combat areas.
 * 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 his level; they simply help the player in increasing the efficiency of his activity at his 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 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.
 * Healer
 * These familiars can heal a player's hitpoints at a given rate. For example, the Bunyip heals a player two hitpoints 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.
 * }
 * Healer
 * These familiars can heal a player's hitpoints at a given rate. For example, the Bunyip heals a player two hitpoints 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.
 * }
 * 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.
 * }

It is possible for a Summoning pure/skiller to use summoned creatures to attack others the without risk of raising Hitpoints experience. For example, if the player had a Desert Wyrm summoned, he could use the Electric Lash scroll to deal damage without having to worry about gaining experience in Hitpoints.

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


 * The Grand Exchange.
 * The basement under Varrock west bank.
 * Players cannot summon a familiar at a Summoning Obelisk, but familiars that are already summoned can be brought to an Obelisk.
 * You cannot bring a familiar into your house in construction mode.
 * Many locations related to quests.
 * Some minigames and other locations:
 * 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;
 * Entrana - The monks will not allow your familiar or scrolls on Entrana;
 * The Tzhaar Fight Caves;
 * The Oo'glog spas;
 * Puro-Puro;
 * Stealing Creation - You can summon Clay beings inside the minigame, however;
 * Keldagrim and Dorgesh-kaan stations;
 * If the player tries to enter one of these areas with a familiar out or tries to summon one, he will get a message. If the player has a familiar out, then he will not be allowed to enter the area until it is dismissed.


 * For most transportation methods, familiars will automatically follow you.
 * Familiars, however, cannot be taken on some types of transportation, including:
 * Canoes on the River Lum;
 * The Balloon transport system;
 * Magic carpets;
 * Broomsticks;
 * Dwarven Mine Carts;
 * The Dorgesh-Kaan - Keldagrim Train System.
 * Ancient Cavern - While familiars are allowed inside the caves, players are not allowed to jump off the pier if they have already been summoned.

Pouches


Summoning pouches are used to summon familiars. The creation of a pouch is relatively simple: the pouch is infused with the essence of a creature, or familiar, at a Summoning Obelisk which can then be summoned using the pouch. Infusing pouches yields experience in summoning. A pouch is used up when a familiar is summoned, and it is not restored when the familiar is dismissed.

Since 28 April 2009, Familiars are now able to be renewed without being 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. You must also have enough energy on the special energy bar to perform the action. They are created from converting familiar pouches into scrolls at a Summoning obelisk. 1 familiar pouch can be converted into 10 Summoning 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 decorative/entertainment. They are very similar if not the same as pet cats obtained from the Gertrude's Cat quest.

Headdresses

 * These items can only store scrolls that are used to attack.
 * Combat scrolls stored in headdresses will be automatically used while in a multicombat zone 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 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.
 * Some armour provides Summoning defence bonuses.

Summoning shops
There are Summoning shops in Taverley, Gu'Tanoth, 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.

Summoning obelisk

 * Summoning obelisks (as opposed to small obelisks) are fully charged with summoning energy and can be used to recharge summoning points. They can also be used to infuse pouchs and scrolls. See summoning points and infuse pouchs and scrolls the main article for a list of their locations.


 * Small 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, which you can see on their main article.

Minimise shards
Based upon minimising the cost due to the number of spirit shards used:

Table below shows minimum cost assuming players buy all the components (pouches, shards, tertiary ingredients).
 * {|width="70%" class="wikitable"

!Level !Shards !Tertiary !Method !Cost !Notes
 * 1 - 4
 * 14
 * Wolf bones
 * Starting point
 * align="right"| -
 * At completion of Wolf Whistle quest
 * 4 - 10
 * 760
 * Raw chicken
 * 95 Dreadfowl pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses gold charms from quest
 * 10 - 16
 * 1,008
 * Spider carcass
 * 126 spider pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses gold charms from quest
 * 16 - 18
 * 378
 * Iron ore
 * 54 Granite crab pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses up the remaining gold charms from quest
 * 18 - 40
 * 10,927
 * Iron ore
 * 1,561 Granite crab pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses gold charms
 * 40 - 52
 * 17,930
 * Marigolds
 * 1,630 Bull ant pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses gold charms
 * 52 - 66
 * 65,364
 * Raw bird meat
 * 5,447 Spirit terrorbird pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses gold charms
 * 66 - 67
 * 6,545
 * Swamp toad
 * 595 Barker toad pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses gold charms
 * colspan="6"|From this point up, the rarity and cost of the tertiary component may be your primary constraint.
 * 67 - 82
 * 31,964
 * Tortoise shell
 * 31,964 War tortoise pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses gold charms
 * 83 - 86
 * 3,226
 * Dagannoth hide
 * 3,226 Spirit dagannoth pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses crimson charms
 * 86 - 99
 * 12,469
 * Runite bar
 * 12,469 Rune minotaur pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses blue charms
 * colspan="6"|Costs are based on current exchange prices plus the cost of shards and pouches. And without taking into consideration later alching/use/trading of made pouches.
 * }
 * 3,226 Spirit dagannoth pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses crimson charms
 * 86 - 99
 * 12,469
 * Runite bar
 * 12,469 Rune minotaur pouches
 * align="right"|0 coins
 * Uses blue charms
 * colspan="6"|Costs are based on current exchange prices plus the cost of shards and pouches. And without taking into consideration later alching/use/trading of made pouches.
 * }
 * colspan="6"|Costs are based on current exchange prices plus the cost of shards and pouches. And without taking into consideration later alching/use/trading of made pouches.
 * }

Note that you can sell certain types of noted pouches from the Grand Exchange (bloated leech, bronze minotaur, high shard pouches you could have made yourself a few level ago) to the ogre bogrog instead to get up to 1 shard per 20 gold coins of pouch value. This makes shards cost 80% less compared to buying them in summoning shop or the Grand Exchange. After making a pouch you can always sell it to the Grand Exchange or use Alchemy on it if the ogre won't give you enough shards for it (hint: low shard count pouches are not worth walking to the ogre, even if the other ingredient is expensive). This cuts costs considerably if you have a high number of ogre-worthy pouches to trade, as you will do very few ogre trips.

Alternatives to making low level pouches are: Penguin Hide and Seek, Tears of Guthix minigame, reward from certain random events, and certain quest lamps (usually require you to reach level 30 first to get summoning exp). Doing this means some no-cost experience, but also making your charms be worth more exp when certain levels are reached!

Minimise time
See Summoning Training for details on Gathering Charms in the shortest time needed.

Chaos Tunnels
The Chaos Tunnels were made into one of the best areas to obtain charms. Players should be warned that the area is multicombat: see the main article for details.

Castle Wars to Taverley
Use the Balloon from the quest Enlightened Journey from Castle Wars to Taverley at the cost of one normal log, use Ring of Duelling to return to Castle Wars. Level 50 Fire making required to access Castle Wars balloon. 40kg weight limit applies, boots of lightness and spottier cape help.

Travelling to Brimhaven
One of the fastest ways to reach the obelisk on Brimhaven is to use the Fisher Realm, accessable after completing the Holy Grail quest, and Fairy Rings, accessable after starting A Fairy Tale Part 2. Players must start in the Zanaris bank, withdraw their supplies, then go to the Fairy Ring located in Zanaris. The combinatioin B-J-R will take them to the Fisher Realm. Around the island, there are Magic whistles, which players must pick up and blow. This will take them out of the Fisher Realm and into Brimhaven, underneath a tower close to the obelisk. Players must then return to the Fisher Realm by blowing the whistle while standing under the tower, then return to the fairy ring. Note that players may also use an Amulet of Glory to reach Edgeville and bank faster, however players wishing to do this must use the Fairy Ring North-East of Edgeville to reach the main fairy ring before they can travel to the Fisher Realm.

Travelling between Falador and Taverley
Travelling between the bank in Falador and the Summoning obelisk in Taverley is an easy route, and is available to all members who have completed Wolf Whistle. However, a player may put their house in Taverley and travel using a duelling ring and teleporting to their house.

Travelling between Yanille and Gu'Tanoth


Travelling between Yanille and Gu'Tanoth is an easy way to infuse pouches and swap shards. The route is much shorter if the player brings a mithril grapple and a suitable crossbow so they can grapple across the wall. Energy potions may be required if the player wishes to run all the way.

Travelling between Piscatoris Fishing Colony and the nearby Summoning Obelisk
Travelling between Piscatoris Fishing Colony and the nearby Summoning Obelisk is another easy way to infuse pouches, but without a store and the shard swapping service. There is a bank nearby, but players will need to have completed the quest Swan Song before gaining access to the fishing colony.

One of the fastest ways to create pouch/scroll can be performed in the obelisk south of Piscatoris, will not require the completion of Swan Song, but will require level 57 Summoning. All that's needed is some rings of duelling and a Spirit Kyatt, using it's teleport will send you VERY close of the obelisk entrance, and then using a Ring of Duelling to teleport to Castle Wars or Fist of Guthix for quick banking.

If both Swan Song and level 57 Summoning were achieved, the Piscatoris Fishing Colony bank can be used by walking from the obelisk and then using the Spirit Kyatt teleport back to the obelisk (removing the use of Rings of Duelling), however, this way is slower than the one with rings of duelling.

Finally, if you have a player-owned house with a portal room, you may move it to Taverley and teleport to your house then run to the quest start area and use the obelisk there. Once you make your pouches you may either teleport back to your house and use portal to bank or you may save a few law by walking back to your house and then using portals to bank. After banking you teleport back to house and continue to make pouches.

Piscatoris Obelisk and Fairy Rings
If you have access to the Fairy Rings, you can use the code AKQ to teleport to the Piscatoris Hunter Area. Walk to the northeast and climb down the trapdoor. To bank, head back to the Fairy Ring and bank in Zanaris. Weight-reduction gear would be useful here.

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.

Future Updates
On 16 July 2009, a Developer's Blog was release named Pack 1. There was a screenshot of a summoning interface where, in addition to a new claw shaped icon next to the familiar image, a new icon can be seen where the summoning icon used to be. The icon shown bears a strong resemblance to a sign of some sort. This was made widely known on a forum topic in the RuneScape Official Forums. The image was removed from the website, but can be seen here to the left.

Trivia

 * Before the second Summoning update on 31 March 2008, players were able to renew their familiars timer by clicking a "renew timer" button in the summoning interface if the player had the correct number of summoning points left.
 * Until the update on 28 April 2009 each familiar stayed out for a set amount of time, no matter how many summoning points the player had left. Once the timer ran out, the familiar disappeared. Since this caused issues with Beasts of Burden, Jagex added the current timer renewal system.
 * The Run energy update on 9 June 2009 also changed the summoning icon located near the mini-map from [[Image:Summoning.gif]] to [[File:OldSummoning.gif]], but the next day it was changed to [[Image:Summon_icon.png]], however the skill icon and the summoning tab icon remained unchanged.
 * 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.
 * There are only 2,476 people with 99 Summoning. (As of July 31, 2009)
 * Previously, when your combat level increases due to levelling up in Summoning, you did not get the congratulations message for levelling up combat. This bug has since been fixed.
 * A glitch seems to happen when you dismiss a familliar, sometimes as you dismiss it, it produces a item, then the system thinks you have an item insid a "Invisible Familiar" the proof is proved here: Click as it was later proved his ibis had an item.