Heist

This article is about the minigame. For the music track, see The Heist.

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Template:Safe activity2 Heist is a members-only minigame which involves two opposing teams. Robbers try to secure loot undetected while guards attempt to uncover and arrest the robbers before time runs out. The game ends if all of the robbers have been converted to guards or if the robbers have collected sufficient loot. The minigame rewards Hunter and Thieving bonus experience as well as perks which may be used within the minigame itself. Heist was released on 17 February 2014.

The minigame may be accessed by climbing up a ladder just north-west of Falador, by the Taverley wall. It has several blue and red banners around it. Falador Teleport or the hot air balloon to Taverley are quick ways of getting close.

Waiting room

The waiting room is a platform supported by a number of prop engines and two ships with balloons. No items may be taken into the game, so players must deposit all carried items to enter a game - a bank chest is available for this purpose. The waiting area consists of three sections, one of which must be entered to join a game. Players may choose to begin the game on the side of the robbers, guards, or "neutral". Neutral players will be randomly assigned to one of the two teams before a game begins. After a sufficient number of players on both sides are ready, players are given the option to select one of two locations. The location with the higher number of votes is selected.

Heist's sky lobby

Sir Vyvin and Liara are present on behalf of the guards and robbers respectively. Speaking to either of them provides options to learn about the minigame, convert reward points, and play a tutorial game.

An example of a map select screen

You automatically join the Public instance at the end of each game. If you wish to re-join a Private one, you must climb back down the ladder and re-join it.

Gameplay

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Players split into two opposing teams: guards and robbers. The robbers' role is to steal loot from around the town and deposit it in one of receptacles. To avoid capture by guards, they can disguise themselves and change form into the town's inhabitants. The guards' role is to stop the robbers by trying to find the disguised robber and accuse them, thereby arresting them. After being arrested twice, the robber is sent to jail and after one minute the robber becomes a guard. The imprisoned robber can only escape if another robber opens the door or if they have either a key or a spade under the bed. The spade can be bought with reward points, while the key can be pick-pocketed from a guard (though the player is not guaranteed to receive a key when pick-pocketing and the key can only be received once).

A rowboat deposit box.

Robbers can mainly find loot dispersed throughout the village, thought mainly in the bank. Each chest may only be looted once, after which it closes. The loot can be deposited with the Liara in the robbers' ship (the starting location), or deposit boxes located around the perimeter of the the town.

Burthorpe (Night or Day)

You can jump off of the piers around the edge of the map, allowing you to swim. Robbers can use the row boats for dropping off loot, or to evade guards. Guards can also swim and can still catch robbers, but they can't use the wave perk whilst in the water. To get out of the water, climb up the rocks at the points where you see ladders.

The wanted noticeboard

A guard can accuse a character of being a robber, and if correct go in for the arrest by clicking the character again. After the robber is caught the second time, the robber will then be jailed for one minute, in which time if the robber doesn't manage to escape, they become a guard and join the guard's side. If a guard accuses an innocent civilian three times the guard will be sent to jail by Internal Affairs, in which after thirty seconds the guard is freed or another guard can open the cell door before that time. A good method to use is the noticeboard, unlocked through reward points, to see the characters robbers have taken the form of. The incorrect arrest counter is not reset by a correct arrest, only by being jailed.

Random Events

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There are random events which are encountered during the game. You may help a woman find her house keys or help a wounded man to a bandage. There may also be a Shady Stranger, who wants the player to tear down a wanted poster that is harming his thieving business, or a Child who has lost his toy ball. Helping one of these characters rewards the player with a piece of loot, if the player is a robber, or a temporary trail to a random robber, if the player is a guard. However, if the robber already has loot, they cannot receive more loot.

*Note: The player who talks to the NPC first gets the reward if completed.

Burthorpe (Day or Night)

Every so often a zombie will appear. Robbers can then disguise themselves as a zombie, becoming infected. Once infected, any citizen that the robber turns into will become a zombie too. This has the effect that affected citizens will look the same.

The guards have access to a vaccine that can be found in the resource chest in the jail. Guards can take 5 of these at once. When used, citizens around the guard will be stunned for a moment and return to their original forms (robbers will have a random form assigned to them). Citizens will mutter something when they have been hit with the vaccine, but robbers will not. If the original zombies are hit with the vaccine, they will disappear.

Strategies

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Guards

• In the Canifis map, there may be gargoyle statues. The gargoyles will turn to look towards any robber walking past, allowing the guards to identify when a robber has passed by.
• In the Burthorpe map, there are plenty of trees. Guards are able to hide in some of these trees the same way robbers can hide in carts.
• A well defended prison is a safe prison. When robbers are sent to prison there are a multitude of ways to escape, so be sure to station a vigilant guard at the prison to ensure that those robbers (who have found a key or have a spade) get sent right back to jail.
• Security Sensors can be invaluable when it comes to nabbing a notorious crook. Set one up in the bank and wait nearby in a tree or hiding for your alarm to be set off.
• Guards can get possession of viewing orbs. These orbs are most useful when set down by loot deposit points and manned from the jail. It allows the guards to keep an eye on all of the points around the map from one area, and exposes more robbers, especially when they change forms.
• There are a few NPCs that can run, so running does not imply that a particular person is a robber.
• NPCs can also sit on benches; do not confuse this action as player-exclusive.
• It is possible to be pickpocketed by a robber in the jail, running around in the jail cell can help prevent this.
• When the robbers have all the loot they need to win, but haven't deposited it yet, make sure to check the notice board and guard all deposit spots.

Robbers

• Turn run mode off in order to be less conspicuous, most NPCs do not run around the map.
  • Camels on the Al Kharid map are the only NPC that cannot run; even if your run mode is turned on they will still only walk, if you have taken their form.
• Walk in short lines, a guard can distinguish someone from others who walk straight across the map in one direction.
• Before performing any actions such as changing forms, opening doors, breaking windows, going up staircases, etc, watch for any white dots or guards on your minimap that may see you doing the action, thereby exposing you as a robber.
• Loot can be found in random houses in maps, so keep an eye out and don't be afraid to break a few windows.
• At the start of the game, in the case of not being able to find a form immediately, run as far as possible from the airship, bank, and jail to avoid possible capture.
• If you are being pursued by a guard, it is advantageous to run through areas with lots of obstacles. Alternative actions are to use the decoy perk or tricking the guard. To trick a guard, run in a generally noticeable path, allowing the guard to "safely" assume you are running that way, and at any moment, change direction by turning right or left throwing the guard off, allowing you a few precious seconds to escape.
• Before stealing loot, take time to locate the nearest deposit box so you won't waste valuable run energy and time trying to find it whilst a guard is pursuing you.
• Be wary of guards who use the "Friendly Wave" perk. All legitimate NPCs will respond to the guards' wave, with a wave of their own. Be sure to wave back or you might give yourself away.
• If you get sent to jail, if a guard is or has been sent to jail with you, take the opportunity to pickpocket them before they are let out so you may receive a key out of jail.
• Use staircases or ladders to your advantage. If a guard spots you, enter buildings and climb ladders and staircases up and down to possibly lose the guard.
  • On the Canifis map, go back and forth into Mort Myre, confusing the guard and also draining the guard's run energy.
  • On the Burthorpe maps, climb up the ladder of the church and jump down the ledge, assuming that the guard follows you, allowing a few seconds to throw them off.
• If a guard is watching over a building with loot, wait for a few NPCs to enter the building. Once a NPC walks onto the space where you use the staircase or ladder, immediately go up the ladder or staircase so the guard won't possibly see you as the NPC was covering the space of your ascent.
• In the case of guard finding and pursuing you, try to avoid being in the camel form, as you cannot run in that form; even if you have run mode turned on, you will still walk like normal.
• Use zombie outbreaks to your advantage. Try to infect as many citizens as possible in order to make it harder for the guards to pick you out of a group.
• If most of the robbers have been caught and turned into guards and it is difficult to steal loot, try to avoid capture for the rest of the game to maximize your reward points by hiding in carts, buildings, or mingling with other NPCs.

Rewards

One reward point is given to each player for each minute that the game lasts, regardless of whether they are on the winning or losing side. In addition, the players on the winning side also receive a win point, which can be converted to five reward points. Robbers who do not escape with loot or who are arrested and join the guard's side do not receive a win point. Guards who do not arrest a robber do not receive a win point either. A game must last at least 5 minutes for players to earn a reward.

The reward points can be used to buy certain "perks" such as the usage of the notice board and a deployable mine for guards or the use of a decoy and a spade for escape for robbers. Additionally, points may be redeemed for bonus experience in either Hunter or Thieving. The rewards interface is split between Hunter for guards and Thieving for robbers, but points earned by participating on either side may be redeemed for bonus experience in either one of the skills.

Each role may be levelled up by spending 250 points, resetting all bought perks. There is no advantage to levelling up, but it acts as a prestige system so that points may be accumulated to purchase perks again.

Guard rewards

• Level up guard (250 points)
• Bonus Hunter experience (10 points per purchase)
• Reward points (5 per win point) - Converts your win points into reward points for you to spend
• Wanted Board (25 points) - (Passive Perk) A board appears in the jail which tells the reader all the disguises of all the robbers.
• Friendly Wave (40 points) - (Active Perk) Wave at citizens and expect a friendly response
• Security Sensors (75 points) - (Active Perk) Mines which you can place which alert you to when a robber enters their proximity.
• Undercover cop (110 points) - (Active Perk) Appear as a citizen for 30 seconds.

Robber rewards

• Level up robber (250 points) 
• Bonus Thieving experience (10 points per purchase)
• Reward points (5 points per win) - Converts your win points into reward points for you to spend.
• Supercrook (25 points) - (Passive Perk) Taking/depositing loot fully restores run energy, and less energy is lost when you are spotted.
• Resist arrest (40 points) - (Active Perk) Throws a smoke bomb, which stuns all guards in close proximity to the player (about 3x3 squares). This also makes sure that the robber can't be caught or accused for a few seconds.
• Great escape (75 points) - (Active Perk) Once activated, the robbers can click on the bed to grab a shovel. Continuously click anywhere on the screen to dig your way out. A bar will appear above your head showing your progress.
• Decoy (110 points) - (Active Perk) Duplicates the robber. This duplicate will then act as a player would, running or walking away. Helpful when being pursued by a guard.

Locations

Town maps are modeled after cities in Gielinor. Two are chosen randomly before the match from the following list, and participating players vote between the two choices.

Maps are based on the following cities:

• Canifis (voted on in a January Power to the Players poll.)
• Darkmeyer (all participants must have completed The Branches of Darkmeyer)
• Al Kharid
• Burthorpe (day or night)

World 2 is currently the most populare server to play Heist.

Locations' Special Qualities

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Burthorpe (day or night)

• Guards can climb trees and hide in them.
• Robbers can hide in carts.
• Windows can be broken by both parties in order to access a house, and castles' ledges can be used to jump off from.
• The edges of the setting can be used to jump into the sea and swim within the given radius of the map.
• Infected creature spawns are Zombies. (only at night)

Canfis

• Gargoyle statues turn and look at a robber passing or nearby.
• When using the spade on a mound, one has a chance to encounter a Barrow Brother, and if this happens, a thief is able to take their form.
• When a robber, disguised as a Barrow Brother, is pointed out their run energy is drained by half of what they currently have.
• Infected creatures spawns are Werewolves.
• Loot is more abundant.

Al Kharid

• Robbers can hide in carts.
• Robbers can do the Troubador Dance in a specific location, where other NPCs are dancing, in order to make themselves less suspicious.
• Robbers can cut Kharidian cacti, giving woodcutting experience, and nothing else.

Darkmeyer

Shapeshiftable NPCs

NPCs that robbers can shapeshift into.

Al Kharid

Burthorpe (Day and Night)

Canifis

Darkmeyer

Trivia

• The Burthorpe Night map is currently glitched and causes many players' clients to crash. It is not advised to play this map until it is fixed.
• When Heist was first put into the game, guards had 5 accusations and the screen wouldn't blackout during the countdown.

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