- Also see the page on free-to-play.
Pay-to-play or Members are players who have paid subscriptions to have access to the full version of RuneScape, and are sometimes referred to as "mems" or "p2p". The pay-to-play version of RuneScape was first announced on 4 October 2001 and launched on 28 February 2002. Most updates to RuneScape only concern members. Members have many more privileges and usable features in the game and on the RuneScape website. Jagex reached the 1 million member count mark on 4 May 2007. [1].
Mga nilalaman
Subscription
See Membership subscription for payment options
In order to become a member and access the pay-to-play version of RuneScape, players must first have a subscription. When players subscribe, they receive members credit which allows them to access the pay-to-play version of RuneScape. When you start a subscription by credit card, it will be paid monthly. Subscriptions through different payment methods may have varying lengths, although there is a minimum length of one month. Jagex is affiliated with several payment providers which each provide different subscription payment methods and prices. Different payment methods require different information to be given during a secure payment process. Subscriptions can also be cancelled and extended.
Extra features
A player using a members-only transportation system (this cut-scene has now been discontinued since the release of Runescape HD).
Membership unlocks many features of RuneScape that are not available to free players. Almost all recent updates to RuneScape are available to members, but not to free players. There are very few quests available to free players, while new quests available to members are added at a rate of 1-2 a month. There is a condensed list of features unlocked with membership below:
- Nine extra skills
- Higher capabilities in other skills
- Use of several transportation systems
- Ten times as much explorable map area
- More random events
- More accessible servers (members can access free-to-play worlds and pay-to-play worlds, although they cannot access most members only features in free-to-play worlds)
- More Minigames
- Better equipment, such as Dragon, Barrows, and Crystal weapons and armour
- More bank space (Non-members have only 68 bank spaces while members have 496)
- More space for Grand Exchange offers (Non-members have only 2 spaces and members have all 6)
- Members can create their own house.
- A huge amount of members' items
- Many more quests
- More music and sound effects
- More space on the Friend list and Ignore list (Members get 200 spaces while non-members get 100)
- Ability to post on the RuneScape Official Forums regardless of their character's level/experience.
- Ability to vote in most polls on the RuneScape website (some available to free players)
- More efficient ways to get money
- The ability to access fullscreen mode on the main screen
It is important to note that these benefits will only be available if the member logs onto a members server. If a members-only item is on a non-members server it will not be usable. The name of the items is replaced with "Members object" and the examine is "Login to a members server to use this."
Although if you go onto a free server while membership is activated, the bank space will still be increased beyond the normal free limit, and you may still place things in even if there isn't one already in there.
Members-only skills
Currently there are nine skills in RuneScape that are only available to members out of a total of 24 skills. The members-only skills are listed in alphabetical order below:
- Agility Talaksan:Agility.gif
- Construction
- Farming
- Fletching
- Herblore
- Hunter
- Slayer
- Summoning
- Thieving Talaksan:Thieving.gif
A player at a Summoning obelisk.
There are many benefits upon unlocking these skills. Many members quests have members skill requirements. Agility allows run energy to recharge faster, and allows entry to certain areas and use of many shortcuts. With Construction, players can build their own player-owned house. Farming allows players to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs, and trees that only they will be able to cut. Herblore lets players make potions to aid them in combat and the training of other skills. Hunter is a great money maker, and items from it help train several other skills. Thieving allows entry into certain areas as well as being an easy money source. Slayer unlocks new monsters and items, as well as the Magic Dart spell.
Because free players do not have access to these nine skills, they cannot be raised. This makes it difficult for free players to be listed on the hiscores, and makes them look less experienced overall. Members-only skills make up over a third of the total number of skills to train in RuneScape.
Summoning
With Summoning, members can achieve a maximum combat level higher than that of free players. With Attack, Strength, Defence, Hitpoints, Prayer, Magic, Ranging and then, Summoning, all at level 99, members can achieve a maximum combat level of 138. As Summoning is members only, free players will still retain the maximum combat level of 126 (Note that a level 138 member who enters a non-member world will appear as a level 126). The Summoning cape can be bought from Pikkupstix in Taverley.
Members-only areas
Free players have very limited access to the world of RuneScape. Free players can only access the kingdoms of Asgarnia and Misthalin, the north-eastern most point of Karamja, and most of the Wilderness. Membership allows full access to the entire world. Remember that these new lands bring with them new quests, people and activities to experience and explore.
Here is a short list of some, but not all of the lands reserved for members (Regions and cities/towns/notable features included):
A player navigating through Meiyerditch.
- Kharidian Desert
- Menaphos (Currently unaccessible)
- Sophanem
- Pollnivneach
- Nardah
- Kalphite Lair
- Bedabin Camp
- Bandit Camp
- Ruins of Uzer
- Quarry
- Kandarin
- Tirannwn
A player using a Spirit tree to teleport to the Grand Tree.
- Lletya
- Isafdar
- Prifddinas (Currently unaccessible)
- Arandar
- Tyras Camp
- Port Tyras
- Large amounts of Karamja
- Feldip Hills
- More of Asgarnia
- Small parts of Misthalin
- Fremennik Province + Lunar Sea
A player playing an Enchanted lyre, to teleport to Rellekka.
- Ape Atoll
- The northernmost part of the Wilderness
- Troll Country
- God Wars Dungeon
- Other (not shown on the world map)
Minigames
Most of the minigames in RuneScape are members only. Minigames are cooperative competitions between players and other players or just a game players can play on their own or in teams. Minigames can be good methods to gain experience in combat or non-combat skills, or just fun competition between players. Minigames are one of the most enjoyable aspects of RuneScape, and most of them are restricted to members.
Here is an alphabetical list of the currently available members-only minigames, along with a short explanation:
- Agility Pyramid - An excellent way for players to quickly train Agility, as well as a decent source of money.
- Barbarian Assault - A fun team combat minigame which unlocks new armour.
- Barrows - An enjoyable, challenging single player combat minigame which has valuable rewards, including the desirable Barrows equipment, which is among the best armour in the game!
- Blast Furnace - An efficient way to smelt bars of metal, as well as a good source of experience in several different skills.
- Brimhaven Agility Arena - A great Agility trainer for players with moderately high Agility levels.
A player playing Stealing Creation.
- Burthorpe Games Room - A room where players can compete in various board games.
- Castle Wars - An extremely popular competitive game of combat Capture the Flag, in which two teams infiltrate each the enemy castle and fight to score. Tickets rewarded to the winners can be exchanged for decorative Castle Wars armour and capes. Complicated strategy and tactics have been developed as well!
- Champion Challenge - Engage the titans of eight different races of monsters in special rules battles! If you defeat them all, you can face the human champion!
- Duel Tournaments - Members can head under the Duel Arena to compete for millions of coins in tournaments.
- Fishing Trawler - An interesting fishing minigame in which players sail along the sea trying to keep a leaking ship afloat while they fix their net and catch some fish! Rewards are fish up to your fishing level, so the higher the better!
- Gnome Ball - A challenging Agility minigame where players try to pass and charge with a small ball towards a hoop to score a goal, while defending gnomes attempt to tackle them before they can throw it. Players earn both Agility and Ranging experience if they're successful!
- Gnome Restaurant - Players try their hand at delivering food to hungry customers in record speed! A variety of unique items and other rewards are available.
- Mage Arena - Learn the legendary God Spells and earn your God Cape and God Staff! These spells powerful additions to any magic user's arsenal.
- Mage Training Arena - One of the fastest ways to earn Magic experience; the Arena offers four different minigames each involving a different type of magic. If you are successful in these games, you can earn Pizzazz points to exchange for runes or the valued Infinity Robes!
- Pest Control - This immensely popular team combat minigame involves protecting the vulnerable Void Knight while you fight incoming monsters. Commendation Points which can be exchanged for experience in any combat skill as well as a selection of items are rewarded to successful teams.
- Pyramid Plunder - A source of extremely fast Thieving experience. Combat is interestingly integrated into the game.
- Ranging Minigame - A fast way to train Ranging which can even be profitable! Players can even exchange tickets earned as rewards for coveted rune arrows.
- Rat Pits - Players can train their cats to be a fierce hellcat or a clever Wily cat in these arenas of battle between cat and mouse, then show off their fully trained cats to their friends!
A player juggling balls, in Balthazar Beauregard's Big Top Bonanza.
- Rogue's Den - Players show their deft abilities as they navigate this tricky maze filled with traps and obstacles. Fail and be teleported out! Depending on success, players earn fair amounts of Agility and Thieving experience as well as Rogue Armour displaying their skill.
- Shades of Mort'ton - Build up a temple and defend it from attacking evil spirits! One of the best ways to train Crafting, a good source of Firemaking experience, or a good way for players to test their prowess in combat and see how long they can last against the shades while they train up their combat skills!
- Sorceress's Garden - Players attempt to sneak around watchful elementals guarding their gardens to get the a Sq'irk Tree to pick Sq'irk fruits. If caught, they are teleported out! Excellent Thieving experience.
- Soul Wars - A challenging minigame where you kill avatars with your team. Rewards combat experience and pets.
- Tai Bwo Wannai Cleanup - Help clean up the village of Tai Bwo Wannai. Beware, as players may encounter dangerous Bush Snakes and Broodoo victims! Players earn the village currency of trading sticks for a reward.
- Tears of Guthix - Collect the tears of the God of Balance in a sacred cave guarded by his faithful snake servant Juna. The tears give the best reward of all - experience in the players' worst skill.
- Temple Trekking - Escort citizens through the dangerous Mort Myre Swamp in Morytania to a temple on the River Salve. If successful, players earn tokens exchangeable for a random reward, including resources such as herbs or ores, or tomes exchangeable for experience in specific skills!
- Treasure Trail - Players follow cryptic clues on wild chases to valuable rewards. Rewards include runes, Holy Book pages, Trimmed Armour, God Armour, Third Age Armour, and much more!
- Trouble Brewing - Two teams compete as each try to brew the most bottles of rum! Experience in a variety of skills can be earned for performing the many complicated tasks needed in the process of rum production.
- TzHaar Fight Cave - Players fight alone against an army of Tzhaar monsters! If they can withstand the masses, and defeat the dreaded TzTok-Jad, the second most powerful monster in the game, they can earn the coveted Fire cape! Winners as well as less fortunate participants earn varied amounts of the Tzhaar currency of Tokkul.
- TzHaar Fight Pit - Players are thrown into pits where they fight an every-man-for-himself battle to the death! Deadly alliances and betrayals are all a part of the game. Tokkul is rewarded to the winner of each round
Most members would try out all the minigames at least once, if possible. Many of them are enjoyable, and some of them have excellent rewards.
Unlockable capabilities in skills
Free players are limited in their access to free-to-play skills. Since areas and training methods are also limited, it can be difficult for free players to obtain high levels in these skills. Free players cannot use members items for combat and use some of the capabilities reached at higher levels in the free skills. Many guilds are located in members only areas. Membership brings full access to not only several members skills, but also the free skills. It also gives special attacks to specific weaponry.
Here is a list of some capabilities in free skills available to only members:
A player using the Special attack "Sunder" from the Barrelchest anchor.
- Attack
- Ability to wield salamanders (also have Ranged and Magic requirements)
- Use of poisoned daggers and spears
- Dragon weapons at level 60
- Barrows weapons as well as Abyssal Whip at level 70
- Godsword at level 75 with the highest strength bonus from a weapon.
- Various other weapons such as quest items and different weapon types such as claws, spears, halberds, and hastae.
- Defence
- Granite armour at level 50 (also requires 50 Strength)
- Dragon Armour at level 60
- Barrows armour at level 70
- Third age armour at level 65
- Various other armours such as quest items
- Strength
- Dragon halberd at level 30
- Granite maul at level 50
- Granite armour at level 50 (also requires 50 Defence)
- Obsidian maul at level 60
- Hitpoints
- Ranged
- Ability to wield salamanders (also have Attack and Magic requirements)
- Use of poisoned arrows
- Use of thrown weapons including darts, throwing knives, throwing axes, javelins, Chinchompas, and Red chinchompas
- Use of metal (past bronze), special, gem-tipped, and enchanted bolts
- Ability to wield metal crossbows (apart from the Crossbow and the Phoenix crossbow)
- Dorgeshuun crossbows can be wielded at level 28
- Hunter's crossbows can be wielded at level 50
- Magic longbows and Magic shortbows can be wielded at level 50
- Blue, Red, and Black dragonhide armour can be worn at levels 50, 60, and 70 respectively
- Crystal bow can be wielded at level 70
- Karil's crossbow and Karil's armour can be equipped at level 70
- Magic
- Ability to wield salamanders (also have Attack and Ranged requirements)
- Mystic Robes and Splitbark Armour can be worn at level 40
- Ahrim's Robes can be worn at level 70
- Ability to use Lunar and Ancient Spellbooks
- Access to several new spells such as the God spells, Iban Blast, and Magic Dart.
- Prayer
- The prayers Protect from Summoning (level 35), Retribution (level 46), Redemption (49), Smite (52), Chivalry (60), and Piety (70) are only available to members
- Access to prayer equipment such as god books, vestments, and unholy symbols.
- Cooking
- Ability to cook monkfish at level 62
- Ability to cook sharks at level 80
- Ability to cook a massive variety of new foods, such as chocolate bombs, many new pies, and the brewing section of the skill.
- Woodcutting
- Access to teak trees at level 35
- Access to maple trees and hollow trees at level 45
- Access to mahogany trees at level 50
- Ability to use Dragon hatchet at level 61
- Access to magic trees at level 75
- Fishing
- Fly fishing at Shilo Village for faster training, as well as many new fishing areas
- The Fishing Guild can be entered at level 68
- Sharks can be fished at level 76
- Many new types of fish to catch, such as manta rays, sea turtles, leaping sturgeon, monkfish, and rainbow fish.
- Firemaking
- Better logs can be burned
- Ability to light lanterns and other glass objects
- Crafting

A player cutting trees.
- Ability to spin flax into bowstrings at level 10
- Ability to craft Yak hide armour
- Ability to craft Snakeskin armour
- Ability to craft Dragonhide armour
- Ability to craft Dragonstone and Onyx jewellery
- Smithing
- Ability to smith cannonballs at level 35
- Ability to smith metal items such as bolts, dart tips (requires completion of The Tourist Trap quest), arrowheads, lanterns, and throwing knives
- Ability to smith nails of different metals
- Ability to smith crossbow limbs
- Ability to smith claws
- Mining
- Access to Coal Trucks for faster coal mining
- Ability to mine pure essence at level 30 (also requires completion of Rune Mysteries quest)
- Ability to mine sandstone at level 35
- Ability to mine gem rocks in Shilo Village at level 40
- Ability to mine granite at level 45
- Access to dozens of new mining spots
- Runecrafting
- Ability to craft mist runes at level 6
- Ability to craft dust runes at level 10
- Ability to craft mud runes at level 13
- Ability to craft smoke runes at level 15
- Ability to craft steam runes at level 19
- Ability to craft lava runes at level 23
- Ability to craft cosmic runes at level 27
- Ability to craft chaos runes at level 35
- Ability to craft astral runes at level 40
- Ability to craft nature runes at level 44
- Ability to craft law runes at level 54
- Ability to craft death runes at level 65
- Ability to craft blood runes at level 77
- Access to the Abyss to craft runes faster
- Access to the Ourania Runecrafting Altar
- Ability to use rune pouches
Members-only quests
The vast majority of quests in RuneScape are restricted to members. These quests unlock important features, new areas, new transportation systems, and new skills. There are currently 19 free quests, and 132 members only quests. A complete list of members quests is found here.
Some quests granting useful abilities are listed below:
Low difficulty
- Druidic Ritual - access to the Herblore skill
- Dwarf Cannon - ability to use of a Dwarf multicannon
- Plague City - ability to use Ardougne Teleport (with 51 Magic)
- Wolf Whistle - access to the Summoning skill
Medium difficulty
- Eadgar's Ruse - ability to use Trollheim Teleport (with 61 Magic)
- Fairytale II - Cure a Queen - access to Fairy Rings during and after the quest
- The Fremennik Trials - access to Fremennik armour and many islands of the Lunar Sea
A player communicating using emotes, in Spirit of Summer.
- Tree Gnome Village and The Grand Tree - ability to use Gnome gliders and Spirit trees
- Heroes Quest - ability to use Dragon battleaxe and Dragon mace
- Horror from the Deep - ability to combine and use God books
- Lost City - ability to use Dragon dagger and Dragon longsword, access to Zanaris
- Smoking Kills - ability to gather Slayer reward points
- Tears of Guthix - access to the Tears of Guthix minigame
- Watchtower - ability to use Watchtower Teleport (with 58 Magic)
High difficulty
- Desert Treasure - access to the Ancient Magicks
- Legends Quest - ability to use Dragon square shield and Cape of Legends
- Lunar Diplomacy - access to the Lunar Magicks (further expanded after Dream Mentor)
- Monkey Madness - ability to use a Dragon scimitar
- Recipe for Disaster - See full list of rewards
- Regicide - ability to use a Dragon halberd
- Roving Elves - ability to use Crystal bow and Crystal shield
- Summer's End - ability to use Spirit shields
- Swan Song - ability to fish and cook Monkfish (with 62 Fishing and Cooking)
- While Guthix Sleeps - Part of Dragon platebody, 400,000 experience, ability to kill Tormented demons (randomly drop Dragon claws or Dragon platebody parts)
Extra servers
Members can access and log into servers reserved for the pay-to-play version of RuneScape. If members wish to, they may also log into free-to-play worlds, although on these servers they can't use many in-game features that are accessible only in pay-to-play worlds. There are 85 members-only worlds out of a total of 169 worlds.
Additional website features
Players who opt for pay-to-play are given access to a few sections of the RuneScape website that are unavailable to free players. Two are partially available:
- The forums - Free players may use the official forums if they have more then 12.5 million xp. This makes it more difficult to use a valuable method of communication, which can limit contact with other players in the Marketplace, Game, RS-Classic, and Community forum sections for trading, clan recruitment, clan discussion, game discussion, or other reasons, as well as removing the only easy way to contact Jagex: the Support section of the forums, which allows for suggestion of updates, rants, complaints and feedback.
- Polls - Free players also cannot vote in most polls. Polls are important because they are a main method of receiving feedback for Jagex. Poll results often affect future updates. (From April 2007, non-members can vote in at least some polls.)
Membership Strategy
In order to save money, some players will pay for a few months of membership and then cancel or end payments. Before becoming a member, they will prepare for the new features by obtaining items that will allow them to quickly train members only skills and do members only quests. After they have completed their desired goals, they will cancel their membership and begin preparation again. While most members do not choose to switch like this, it is a good idea to obtain items that new members will need in large amounts before beginning membership.
Soon-to-be member checklist:
- Regular, oak, and willow logs to quickly train Fletching
- Food such as cakes or lobsters to train Agility quickly
- Vials and secondary ingredients for Herblore
- Coal and other ores to take advantage of Blast Furnace for Smithing
- Enough coins to pay for all the equipment and skill items that you plan to buy once you are a member
- Items to utilize new capabilities in free skills that come with membership
- Items required to do basic member quests you plan to complete
Recommended Members Quests
If you plan to do members quests, it is a good idea to get any Free Player levels before you become a member, so you can spend more time doing members-only quests or skills without wasting membership credit for something you could do in free player worlds.
- Immediate Quests (these quests open the members world to you):
- Druidic Ritual - Unlocks the Herblore skill
- Elemental Workshop - Basic members quest that gives good experience and is required for further quests
- Fishing Contest - Allows use of passage under White Wolf Mountain
- Gertrude's Cat - Great basic introductory quest
- Priest in Peril - Unlocks the region of Morytania
- Plague City - Basic members quest that allows use of Ardougne Teleport spell and begins a long series of quests
- Wolf Whistle - Unlocks the Summoning skill
- Short term quest goals (these will unlock new features and build your list of completed quests) - some items should be gathered:
- Biohazard - Easy, continuation of Plague City series
- Death Plateau (quest) - Don't be afraid to take on trolls
- Dwarf Cannon - Allows use of Dwarf multicannon
- Fremennik Trials - Begins exploration of Fremennik Province, good skill rewards
- Family Crest - Great reward, not too difficult
- Holy Grail - Excellent reward
- Jungle Potion - Begins Karamja quests, gives Herblore experience
- Lost City - Allows Dragon longsword and Dragon dagger to be wielded and allows access to Zanaris
- Merlin's Crystal - An important cornerstone quest
- Recruitment Drive - Allows you to buy some good armour, and set your respawn point to Falador.
- Development quests (these will expand your members knowledge and prepare you for further questing) - build on quests completed previously:
- A Fairy Tale Part I - Better harvests with Farming
- Eagle's Peak - Have you been training Hunter?
- Ghosts Ahoy - Explore Morytania
- Tree Gnome Village - The Gnome series begins
- The Grand Tree - Continues Gnome series
- Hero's Quest - Allows Dragon battleaxe and Dragon mace to be wielded and allows access to Hero's Guild
- Nature Spirit - Travel in the Mort Myre Swamp
- In Search of the Myreque - Build on your work in Nature Spirit
- Shilo Village Quest - Welcome to Shilo
- Tourist Trap - Working towards Desert Treasure
- Troll Stronghold - Great reward-2 x 10000xp lamps
- The Feud - Easy desert quest that helps with Thieving
- Underground Pass - Slightly difficult but reward is Iban's Staff
- Waterfall Quest - A very rewarding quest about Elves
- Long-term quests (these are where you begin to become a strong player):
- One Small Favour - the reward is a helpful keyring (stores keys)
- Tai Bwo Wannai Trio - Exploring Karamja
- Monkey Madness - The quest for a Dragon scimitar
- Regicide - into the Elven lands
- Roving Elves - crystal equipment
- Shades of Mort'ton - new minigame
- In Aid of the Myreque - a new bank in deep Morytania
- Legends Quest
- Horror from the Deep
- Fight Arena
- Desert Treasure - One of the hardest quests in the game, gives access to the Ancient Magicks
- While Guthix Sleeps - Unlocks new monsters, and equipment. You can only start after completing most of the other quests (requirement of 270 quest points).
- Transportation quests
- Another Slice of H.A.M. - unlocks the Dorgesh-Kaan - Keldagrim Train System, transportation orbs also unlocked.
- Desert Treasure - Ancient Magicks teleports.
- Eagles' Peak - Eagle transport system.
- Lunar Diplomacy-Lunar magicks teleports.
Preparing for an Ending Membership
When going from Pay-to-play to Free-to-play, there are many things you want to consider before your membership ends. Along with being restricted by the smaller free world area and limited to the free skills, bank space is an important aspect to consider. Non-members are limited to 68 bank spaces whereas Members have 496 bank spaces. If you have fewer than 68 items in your bank when the membership ends, you have nothing to worry about. For players who have well over 68 items in their bank, they want to consider the following:
- Member items are not usable in the Free-to-play servers. You may keep member items in the bank, but they will be taking up space. It may be a good idea to sell member items before the membership ends, unless you plan on starting a new membership again soon.
- When the membership expires, all items that were in the bank will still remain there, even if you had over 68 items. The problem is you will now be restricted to the non-member bank space. New items cannot be added to a bank containing over the 68 item limit. Items can only be added if they already exist in the bank. Problems arise when you remove all of one item from your bank and you are over 68 items. To avoid issues with bank size restrictions, a good strategy may be to have more than one of each item you will be using in the free worlds. By doing this, you will be able to remove one of the items to use and be able to deposit it back into the bank when you are done. Thus, you will be able to keep all of the items in your bank and still function properly. Again, you will not be able to add anything new you receive in the free world to your bank, unless it exists there already. Use of the "remove-all-but-one" feature is much safer here than use of "remove all"
- If you are not planning to be a member again, it would be wise to sell all your tradable members items before you cancel your subscription. This will make you a huge sum of cash (if you had many expensive member's equipments) and prepare your bank for F2p. It is not recommended to drop all your equipments in the Falador Party Room as you may want to come back to the game later.