Unlike the normal battle, Commander Zilyana has two forms in Hard Mode. Her first phase is fought as normal, she spawns with 60,000 LP and uses much more accurate attacks and has higher defence. In her second phase, Commander Zilyana regenerates 50,000 LP and may summon lightning around the room for every attack she does. This lightning hits very quickly and highly. The final blow must be done with a damaging ultimate ability, otherwise she will heal back 25,000 life points.
Attacks
- Melee attack: A single-target slash of her sword; max hit: 1,900
- Mage attack: A multi-target lightning that envelopes every player in the room; max hit: 1,900
Zilyana has a fast attack speed, making her attacks both quick and accurate. During her second phase, she may summon lightning for every attack. The lightning bounces from tile to tile and deals rapid and heavy damage. Zilyana also has an attack that can stun her target.
Strategy
The first phase is similar but harder than the standard fight.
During the second phase, Anticipation or Freedom should be used to prevent becoming stunned. Evading the lightning will help preserve food, and to finish off Zilyana, a damage inflicting Ultimate ability needs to be used (Deadshot, Omnipower, Tsunami, Unload, Incendiary Shot, Overpower, Massacre, Frenzy or Pulverize). Note that Incendiary Shot takes several seconds to hit, which may allow her to heal meanwhile so using this as the finishing blow is not recommended. If using Magic it is advised to use Tsunami to finish Zilyana as it allows the player to gain 10% adrenaline for each critical hit for 30 seconds as well as hitting all targets around Zilyana, being more useful than Omnipower. If using melee with a 2h weapon it is advised to use Pulverize as it will give the player 50% adrenaline for killing her, which is more useful than the other melee abilities simply finishing her off with no other positive effect.
Meleeing Zilyana is the most dangerous combat style, although it can deal the most damage of any style. Beast of burden familiars are more important than combat or healing familiars due to the constant need to eat food. Hard Mode will cause even the most experienced players with the best armour to be eating food almost every kill.
Once Zilyana's second form is dead, it is a good idea to use Anticipation, Freedom and Devotion (and if the player brings a shield, Resonance and Preparation) to stall adrenaline for the next kill, so Rapid Fire/Destroy/Asphyxiate/Assault and other thresholds can be used instantly.
Ranged & Magic
The player should attack Zilyana while running around the room, reducing the amount of times she hits the player and for rangers/magers it will allow Fragmentation Shot and Combust to hit for two times the damage as long as she moves around. Ranged users should use Deflect/Protect from Melee, while Magic and Melee users should use Deflect/Protect from Magic.
Recommended action bar setup for rangers:
- If using a 2h crossbow, Needle Strike should be swapped for Dazing Shot.
Rapid Fire is best used at the start of the kill as moving around terminates it due to being a channeled ability. It is not recommended to use this on the second phase as Zilyana is more likely to hit harder and summon lightning tiles. Snipe is also a channeled ability and discouraged from all use on Zilyana.
Deadshot should be saved for the finishing blow.
Recommended action bar setup for mages:
- If using a staff, Concentrated Blast should be swapped for Sonic Wave.
Metamorphosis is useful as it boosts the player's magic damage by 50% for 20 seconds even while moving.
Asphyxiate is best used at the start of the kill as moving around terminates it due to being a channeled ability. It is not recommended to use this on the second phase as Zilyana is more likely to hit harder and summon lightning tiles.
Tsunami should be saved for the finishing blow.
Melee
The player should attack Zilyana using the hit and run tactic to minimize damage taken. This is vital during the second phase as for every hit she does has a chance to summon lightning in the room. Debilitate is useful as it reduces Zilyana's damage inflicted by 50% for 10 seconds - meleers take more damage than any other style so this is recommended.
It is not advised to use Berserk as Zilyana can hit up to 2800 in a single hit while in Berserk mode, possibly leading to a short and deadly trip for the player.
Recommended action bar setup for 2h melee:
Pulverise should be saved for the finishing blow.
Recommended action bar setup for dual wielding melee:
Overpower should be saved for the finishing blow.
Recommended Equipment
It is recommended to use Magic or Ranged over Melee.
- Amulet: Arcane stream necklace > Saradomin's hiss > Amulet of fury > Amulet of glory
- Ring: Seers' ring (i) > Onyx ring (i) / Sixth-Age circuit / Seers' ring
- Cape: Completionist cape > Max cape > God cape > Skill cape
- Legs: Tectonic robe bottom > (Superior) sea singer's robe bottom > Virtus robe bottom > Ganodermic leggings
- Gloves: Static gloves > Virtus gloves / Spellcaster gloves > Ganodermic gloves
- Boots: Ragefire boots > Virtus boots > Ganodermic boots
- Main-hand: Seismic wand > Virtus wand / Chaotic staff > Armadyl battlestaff
- Spell: Blood Barrage / Your best spell
- Shield (optional): Arcane spirit shield / Farseer kiteshield > Ward of subjugation
- Scrimshaw: (Superior) scrimshaw of the elements
It is recommended to use Ranged or Magic over Melee.
- Ring: Archers' ring (i) > Onyx ring (i) / Sixth-Age circuit / Archers' ring
- Cape: Completionist cape > Max cape > God cape > Skill cape
- Body: Sirenic hauberk > Superior death lotus body > Death lotus body > Pernix body > Armadyl chestplate
- Legs: Sirenic chaps > Superior death lotus chaps > Death lotus chaps> Pernix chaps > Armadyl chainskirt
- Gloves: Tracking gloves > Pernix gloves / Swift gloves > Armadyl gloves
- Boots: Glaiven boots > Pernix boots > Armadyl boots
- Main-hand: Ascension crossbow > Pernix bow / Chaotic Cross Bow / Royal crossbow > Armadyl crossbow
- Off-hand: Offhand Ascension crossbow > Chaotic Cross Bow
- Shield (optional): Vengeful kiteshield > Elysian spirit shield / Eagle-eye shield > Armadyl buckler
- Scrimshaw: (Superior) scrimshaw of ranging
- Bolts: Ascension bolts > Royal bolts > Ruby bolts (e) > Broad-tipped bolts > Runite bolts > Adamant bolts
Melee is not recommended.
- Head: (Superior) Tetsu helm > Torva full helm > Bandos helm / Verac's helm
- Amulet: Saradomin's whisper > Amulet of fury > Amulet of glory
- Ring: Ring of vigour > Warrior ring (i) > Onyx ring (i) / Sixth-Age circuit / Warrior ring
- Cape: Completionist cape > Max cape > TokHaar-Kal > Fire cape > Skillcape
- Gloves: Pneumatic gloves > Torva gloves / Goliath gloves > Bandos gauntlets
- Boots: Steadfast boots > Torva boots > Bandos boots
- Main-hand: Drygore mace / rapier / longsword > Chaotic claw / rapier / longsword / maul
- Off-hand: Off-hand drygore mace / rapier / longsword > Off-hand chaotic claw / rapier / longsword > Enhanced excalibur
- Shield (optional): Divine spirit shield / Chaotic kiteshield > Bandos warshield
- Scrimshaw: (Superior) scrimshaw of vampyrism
Inventory
The following is only a recommendation.
- Food: Rocktail soup > Rocktail > Shark
- Prayer restore: Prayer potions and prayer renewal
- Combat potions: Overloads > Extreme potions > Super potions
- Adrenaline potion
- Runes for your best spell, if using Magic
- Familiar: Bring a beast of burden, and summon a healer once it is empty.
- Beast of burden: Pack yak > Spirit pack pig (tier 3) > War tortoise > Spirit terrorbird
- Healer: Unicorn stallion and scrolls > Bunyip > Fire/Ice/Moss titan and scrolls
- Emergency teleport, also used to leave the chamber