Making money in Runescape can be a challenging and rewarding experience, and one of the most efficient methods of doing so is by completing the Commander Zilyana/Strategies quest. This quest requires players to defeat Commander Zilyana, a Saradominist general in the God Wars Dungeon, and is a great way to earn money while also gaining valuable experience in various skills. This guide will explain the requirements, strategies, and suggested skills and equipment needed to complete this quest successfully and earn a bunch of gold doing so.
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Requirements
In order to complete the Commander Zilyana/Strategies quest, players must have completed the Death Plateau and the Troll Stronghold quest to the point where they have defeated Dad.
Additionally, at least one rope is required to access the God Wars Dungeon for the first time, while two ropes are required to navigate Saradomin’s Encampment for the first time.
Level 70 Agility is also required to access Saradomin’s Encampment, and cannot be boosted. Lastly, level 37 prayer is needed to activate Protect from Magic.
Suggested Skills
In order to successfully complete the Commander Zilyana/Strategies quest, it is recommended that players have a combat level of 100+, level 70+ Agility (required), level 80+ Ranged, level 80+ Defence (90+ recommended), level 70+ Hitpoints, and level 44+ Prayer (74+ Rigour).
General Strategy
The most commonly accepted method of defeating Commander Zilyana is to bring a crossbow with diamond enchanted bolts (normal or dragon, although the latter is stronger) or a twisted bow. Zilyana has an extremely high Magic level compared to the other generals, making Magic impractical. Zilyana and her bodyguards drop bones, so bringing bones to peaches tablets can restore 32 health at the end of each encounter.
Using a hit-and-run tactic is recommended for this fight. At the start of each kill, wear a Serpentine helm and use a Toxic blowpipe to quickly tag Bree, Growler, and Starlight once each, to inflict venom on them. Switch to a different helmet once this is done, as the Serpentine helm has negative ranged bonuses. When Zilyana dies, kill Starlight, Bree and Growler in that order. Use the toxic blowpipe to clear the bodyguards and as a source of healing.
In a team setting, if Zilyana cannot attack her current target, she will change her aggression to a nearby attacker. This is commonly used by ranging teams to minimise the amount of stamina potions needed, allowing for other supplies to be taken. Team settings also allow for melee, although players will need to be wary of Zilyana shifting aggression when she cannot attack her target.
She is the leader of the Saradominist forces in the dungeon and has a max hit of 31. Her attacks are very accurate and fast, making it risky to tank her attacks. Instead, you should use the hit-and-run tactic – run around and attack her while drinking Stamina Potions to keep your run energy up.
When fighting Zilyana in a team setting, she will switch targets if she can’t attack her current one. Taking advantage of this, it is recommended to bring at least one ranger to the fight, as they can stay out of melee distance. Melee users should use Verac’s set for the best results, as it circumvents Zilyana’s very high Defence. Alternatively, melee users can use the Zamorak godsword’s special attack to allow for easy retreats, or the Bandos godsword’s special attack to reduce Zilyana’s Defence level.
Before entering the room, make sure Zilyana and Starlight (Melee bodyguard) are very far from the door, so they do not attack you immediately upon entering. It is also a good idea to bring an ecumenical key, as Saradomin’s followers are rather strong and time consuming to defeat. Additionally, you will need a Saradomin item and a Zamorak item to be fully protected from the NPCs in the encampment. Wearing blessed dragonhide armour is a convenient way to fulfill this requirement when using Ranged. Solo rangers can alternatively use Protect from Missiles, as their armour is more able to resist the magic minion’s attacks.
For maximum efficiency, it is recommended to attack spiritual warriors and mages, since they will often attack nearby Zamorakians. Other Saradominist minions (the knights, priests and spiritual rangers) should only be attacked if they are being attacked, as they aren’t as aggressive towards Zamorakians. Guthan’s equipment can be used to heal on the minions, but it has the disadvantage of more weight. Bones to Peaches can be used to extend trips; each kill rotation yields 32 Hitpoints worth of bones.
Equipment
Recommended equipment for Ranged includes a Masori mask (f)/Crystal helm, Necklace of anguish/Amulet of fury, Ava’s assembler/Max cape/Ranging cape (t), Masori body (f)/Crystal body, Masori chaps (f)/Crystal legs, Twisted bow/Bow of faerdhinen, Twisted buckler, Dragon arrow/Diamond dragon bolts (e), Zaryte vambraces, Pegasian boots, Ring of suffering (i)/Ring of endurance/Archers ring (i), Toxic blowpipe, and a teleport to house (tablet).
Inventory
In order to complete the Commander Zilyana/Strategies quest, players should bring a Toxic blowpipe (to kill minions), Serpentine helm (to venom minions at start of kill), one-click teleport (such as Ectophial or teleport tabs/scrolls), ecumenical key (optional), any necessary god items, 2-6 Stamina potions or 4-5 Super energy potions, 8-16 Saradomin brews or Sharks, 6-12 Super restores or Prayer potions, 1-2 Divine bastion potions, Trollheim Teleport, a stack of purple sweets to restore both run energy and some health, and a Zarosian item to bank at Ancient Prison (still need kill count).
Conclusion
The Commander Zilyana/Strategies quest is a great way for players to make money in Runescape while also gaining valuable experience in various skills. With the right requirements, strategies, skills, and equipment, players can successfully complete this boss and reap the rewards.