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Every combatant has a maximum capacity of life points, and dies when their health is depleted to 0. They may freely change between or combine the three styles of combat by switching weapons and armour.Ĭombat is governed by a life points system. Players are not required to choose a character class nor are they bound to a specific category of combat. The advantages and disadvantages of the combat triangle apply to both NPCs and player opponents. These combat types make up a "Combat Triangle", which governs effectiveness of styles in a rock-paper-scissors fashion melee beats ranged, ranged beats magic, magic beats melee, and each style is neutral to itself. Melee attacks are close range, magic attacks focus on using runestones to cast spells, and ranged attacks use projectile weapons like arrows, darts or knives. Players may also summon a familiar to assist with combat, use special attacks called "abilities" to deal additional damage, and use potions and the Prayer skill to boost their combat prowess.Ĭombat is subdivided into three main categories: melee, magic and ranged. Most of the game's weapons are medieval or fantastical in nature, and feature different strengths and weaknesses. Players engage in combat by clicking on the enemy they want their character to attack and will automatically continue fighting until they kill their opponent, die, or retreat from the fight. For players, it is determined by applying a mathematical formula to their combat skills. A combat level is an indicator of how powerful a player or NPC is in combat. Combat is an important aspect of the game, allowing players to defeat monsters to obtain dropped items or to complete quests. RuneScape features a semi- real-time combat system. Other skills allow players to kill certain NPCs, build their own houses, move around the map with greater ease, steal from various NPCs, market stalls and chests located in-game, light fires, cook their own food, create their own potions, craft runestones and weapons, plant their own plants, hunt NPC animals, raid dungeons, and summon familiars to assist in combat and training skills. The items created can be used by the player or sold to shops and other players. Some skills, such as woodcutting and fishing, enable the player to collect raw materials that can be processed into usable items for other skills, such as fletching and cooking respectively. Upon reaching the highest available level in a skill, members may buy a special cape to symbolise their achievement. The total skill level of a player partly symbolises the player's status in the game and subscribers with a high total level can appear on the official high scores. As the skill level rises, the ability to retrieve better raw materials and produce better products increases, as does the experience awarded if the player utilises new abilities. For example, mining an ore trains the mining skill, and when the player accumulates enough experience points in the skill, their character will "level up". Players gain experience points in a skill when they utilise it. The 27 skills in RuneScape enable players to perform various activities within the game, allowing for interaction with NPCs, the environment and other players. The third iteration of the game, known as RuneScape 3, was released on 22 July 2013. As the game's popularity grew, the game engine was rewritten, and its beta was opened to paying players on 1 December 2003 under the name RuneScape 2, and officially released on 29 March 2004. The first public version of RuneScape was released on 4 January 2001 in beta form, and in December 2001, Jagex was formed to manage the game. Players interact with each other through trading, chatting, or by participating in mini-games and activities, some of which are competitive or combative in nature, while others require cooperative or collaborative play. Players can choose to fight non-player character (NPC) monsters, complete quests, or increase their experience in the available skills.
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RuneScape does not follow a linear storyline rather, players set their own goals and objectives. Players are represented in the game with customisable avatars. The game's fictional universe has also been explored through a tie-in video game on another of its maker's websites, FunOrb, Armies of Gielinor, and the novels Betrayal at Falador, Return to Canifis, and Legacy of Blood. Each region offers different types of monsters, resources, and quests to challenge players. Players can travel throughout Gielinor via a number of methods including on foot, magical spells, or charter ships. RuneScape takes place in the world of Gielinor, a medieval fantasy realm divided into different kingdoms, regions, and cities.
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