Dark beast/Strategies

This article is a strategy guide for Dark beast. Information on mechanics, setups, and tactics is on this page.

Dark beasts are Slayer monsters requiring 90 Slayer to kill. They can attack with both melee and magic depending on their target's distance to them. They use melee attacks if their target is within melee distance, otherwise they will always use magic attacks. Dark beasts are weak to bolts, making Ranged a recommended way to kill them with lower tier equipment, but with decent equipment Magic and Melee work just as fine.

Soul Split along with Turmoil, Torment or Anguish can completely negate the need of any kind of healing. If these cannot be used, Protect from Magic or Deflect Magic can help to negate some of the damage dark beasts deal, the latter also reflecting some of it back at them. Since dark beasts drop Big bones, wearing Demon horn necklace or its equivalents in conjunction with Bonecrusher will restore Prayer Points, allowing Prayers to be used indefinitely while killing them.

Tirannwn quiver 4 provides a +5% damage boost against dark Beasts, making it recommended to wear while killing them even if not using Ranged.

Recommended equipment

• Magic
• Ranged
• Melee

With higher tier gear, Magic is the recommended way to kill dark beasts because of its higher amount of AoE abilities compared to Ranged and Melee. Long reach of Magic attacks also reduces the need of moving, allowing more kills per hour.

Recommended equipment for Magic

Slot	Item (most effective → least effective)
	Full slayer helmet /  Mask of Gloom (Task only)	Tectonic mask	Refined Anima Core helm of Seren	Virtus mask /  Anima Core helm of Seren	Hood of subjugation
	Arcane blood necklace	Blood amulet of fury	Amulet of souls	Arcane stream necklace	N/A
	Completionist cape	TokHaar-Kal-Mej	Max cape	God cape	Cape of accomplishment
	Tectonic robe top	Superior Zuriel's robe top	Refined Anima Core body of Seren	Virtus robe top /  Anima Core body of Seren	Garb of subjugation
	Tectonic robe bottom	Superior Zuriel's robe bottom	Refined Anima Core legs of Seren	Virtus robe legs/ Anima Core legs of Seren	Gown of subjugation
	Wand of the praesul	Seismic wand	Wand of the Cywir elders	Seasinger kiba	Attuned crystal wand /  Virtus wand
	Staff of Sliske	Noxious staff	Obliteration	Staff of darkness /  Camel staff	Attuned crystal staff /  Chaotic staff
	Imperium core	Seismic singularity	Seasinger makigai	Attuned crystal orb /  Orb of the Cywir elders /  Virtus book	N/A
	Tirannwn quiver 4	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
	Cinderbane gloves	Celestial handwraps	Virtus gloves	Gloves of subjugation	Culinaromancer's gloves 10
	Hailfire boots	Virtus boots	Boots of subjugation	Silverhawk boots	N/A
	Ferocious ring (Kuradal's dungeon only)	Asylum surgeon's ring	Ring of death	Luck of the dwarves	Sixth-Age circuit
	Maniacal aura	Penance aura	Vampyrism aura (if not soulsplit)	N/A	N/A
	Bonecrusher only if using Demon horn necklace	Scrimshaw of the elements	Illuminated god book	God Book	N/A

Ranged is an easy way to kill dark beasts due to their weakness to Bolts and the fact Ranged armour provides good defence against their magic attacks. Long reach of Ranged attacks also helps to get more kills per hour.

Recommended equipment for Ranged

Slot	Item (most effective → least effective)
	Full slayer helmet /  Mask of Gloom (Task only)	Sirenic mask	Refined Anima Core helm of Zamorak	Pernix cowl /  Anima Core helm of Zamorak	Armadyl helmet
	Farsight blood necklace	Blood amulet of fury	Amulet of souls	Farsight sniper necklace	N/A
	Completionist cape	TokHaar-Kal-Xil	Max cape	Ava's alerter	Cape of accomplishment
	Sirenic hauberk	Superior Morrigan's leather body	Refined Anima Core body of Zamorak	Pernix body /  Anima Core body of Zamorak	Armadyl chestplate
	Sirenic chaps	Superior Morrigan's leather chaps	Refined Anima Core legs of Zamorak	Pernix chaps/ Anima Core legs of Zamorak	Armadyl chainskirt
	Ascension crossbow	Shadow glaive	Death Lotus dart	Attuned crystal chakram /  Chaotic crossbow	Armadyl crossbow
	Seren godbow	Noxious longbow	Decimation	Wyvern crossbow	Attuned crystal bow /  Royal crossbow /  Zaryte bow
	Off-hand Ascension crossbow	Off-hand Death Lotus dart	Off-hand attuned crystal chakram /  Off-hand shadow glaive /  Off-hand chaotic crossbow	off-hand Armadyl crossbow	N/A
	Tirannwn quiver 4	Ascension bolts /  Araxyte arrow	Wyvern spines /  Wild arrow	Royal bolts	N/A
	Cinderbane gloves	Ascension grips	Pernix gloves	Armadyl gloves	Culinaromancer's gloves 10
	Flarefrost boots	Pernix boots	Armadyl boots	Silverhawk boots	N/A
	Ferocious ring (Kuradal's dungeon only)	Asylum surgeon's ring	Ring of death	Luck of the dwarves	Sixth-Age circuit
	Reckless aura	Penance aura	Vampyrism aura (if not soulsplit)	N/A	N/A
	Bonecrusher only if using Demon horn necklace	Scrimshaw of cruelty	Illuminated god book	God Book	N/A

Melee is also a viable way to kill dark beasts, however due to the shorter range of Melee weaponry this may lead to lower amount of kills per hour unless using a weapon with longer reach like noxious scythe combined with AoE abilities. They are also relatively strong against Melee, so accuracy may be an issue with lower tier weaponry.

Recommended equipment for Melee

Slot	Item (most effective → least effective)
	Slayer helmet (task only)	Malevolent helm	Refined Anima Core helm of Zaros	Torva full helm/ Anima Core helm of Zaros	Bandos helmet
	Demon horn necklace (with Bonecrusher)	Brawler's blood necklace	Blood amulet of fury	Amulet of souls	Brawler's knockout necklace
	Completionist cape	TokHaar-Kal-Ket	Max cape	Cape of accomplishment	N/A
	Malevolent cuirass	Superior Statius's platebody /  Superior Vesta's Chainbody	Refined Anima Core Body of Zaros	Torva platebody/ Anima Core Body of Zaros	Bandos chestplate
	Malevolent greaves	Superior Statius's platelegs /  Superior Vesta's plateskirt	Refined Anima Core Legs of Zaros	Torva platelegs/ Anima Core Legs of Zaros	Bandos tassets
	Khopesh of Tumeken	Drygore mace /  Drygore longsword /  Drygore rapier	Blade of Nymora	Tetsu katana /  Lava whip	Khopesh of the Kharidian
	Zaros godsword	Noxious scythe	Dragon Rider lance	Annihilation	Attuned crystal halberd
	Khopesh of Elidinis	Off-hand drygore mace/ Off-hand drygore longsword/ Off-hand drygore rapier	Tetsu wakizashi	Off-hand khopesh of the Kharidian	Off-hand attuned crystal dagger /  Off-hand chaotic longsword /  Off-hand chaotic rapier /  Off-hand chaotic claw /  Blade of Avaryss
	Tirannwn quiver 4	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
	Cinderbane gloves	Razorback gauntlets	Torva gloves	Bandos gloves	Culinaromancer's gloves 10
	Emberkeen boots	Torva boots	Bandos boots	Silverhawk boots	N/A
	Ferocious ring (only in Kuradal's dungeon)	Asylum surgeon's ring	Ring of death	Luck of the dwarves	Sixth-Age circuit
	Berserker aura	Penance aura	Vampyrism aura (if not using Soulsplit)	N/A	N/A
	Bonecrusher	Illuminated god book	God Book	N/A	N/A

Locations

Dark beasts are found in three locations:

Temple of Light

A player ranging dark beasts in the Temple of Light.

Dark beasts in Mourner tunnels are numerous, and are found throughout the tunnels. The Oldak coil or dwarven multicannon can be set up here unlike Kuradal's Dungeon, making it highly preferred for players training Invention or just completing a slayer task.

Players can enter through the mourner headquarters, or enter the Death Altar (via Abyss, Underground Pass or Wicked hood) and leave the Temple of Light. If you wish to return this way, ensure that the beam is aimed at the triple barrier, or you will need to go through the other side and set the beam back.

With Within the Light completed, you can use a crystal seed to teleport outside the Temple of Light. With Plague's End completed, you do not need to bring mourner gear; simply grab the new key from the head mourner's desk and use it on the door.

Kuradal's Dungeon

The dark beasts in Kuradal's dungeon can only be killed while having them as a Slayer assignment. There are six of them in a small room, making it a very convenient place to kill them for those looking to finish their Slayer assignments quickly. Like with all Slayer monsters in the dungeon, the Ferocious ring will provide a 4% damage boost against dark beasts here.

Forinthry Dungeon

There are nine dark beasts in Forinthry dungeon which are relatively clumped compared to the other two locations. However, as it is in the Wilderness (level 27-31 Wilderness), players should not bring items that they are unwilling to lose. The area is almost always empty (as the other two locations are far safer), and a cannon may be used here, but given the risk, it is not recommended. Players should be wary of their surroundings and pick up every drop as leaving them may alert potential player killers of your location.

While the risk is incredibly high, players may obtain up to an additional 40% slayer experience by combining it with a demonic skull and a slayer contract.

A bank is relatively close to the dungeon; the merchants Sam and Edmond are the closest to the dungeon. It is recommended to carry the Wilderness sword 2 or higher as it provides free, unlimited teleports to Edgeville and the lower leveled dungeon exit.