Skip to content

Prayer flicking

This article is compiled from the videos of GnomonkeyRS. It records what Gnomonkey said, with sources, not verified game fact. See About.

For the related practice of switching prayers late, see "flinching" below.

Prayer flicking

Prayer flicking
Type Mechanic
Used in Inferno, Fight Caves, Tombs of Amascut
Types Lazy flicking, one-tick flicking
Videos 6 (first 2021-05-21, latest 2025-06-27)
Main source Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS

Prayer flicking is toggling a protection prayer on only when an attack is about to land, saving prayer points. Gnomonkey says flicking is required to clear the Inferno and that learning it is really important, with some flicking better than none1. A first Inferno cape needs flicking but not one-tick flicking23, and the more a player flicks the more brews they can take, though lazy flicking typically gets through fine4.

Contents

Lazy flicking

In lazy flicking the player turns the protection prayer on as soon as the monster's animation snaps back to normal, and turns it off afterwards5. In the Inferno the attack is calculated as soon as the animation starts, so the player switches the prayer on as soon as the monster hunkers down, and flicking even for two ticks still saves prayer6. As the animation starts the player has already been hit, with Jad the only exception, where the hit lands once the projectile is on screen7.

Monster cycles:

Monster Cue Cycle
Melee Attack animation Four ticks, so toggle every four ticks8
Ranger Hunkers down as the attack registers; turn prayer on then off Four ticks9
Mage A small flicker under it indicates it attacked Four ticks, so flick every fourth tick1011

Learning lazy flicking timing helps with off-ticking monsters and knowing when damage actually hits, which matters when praying against both a mage and a ranger12. A player can easily get a cape with just lazy flicking; Gnomonkey did not know how to one-tick flick when he got his first cape, and one-tick flicking only speeds things up133. Mages cannot be one-tick flicked if the player is going to mess it up, so lazy flick them if not consistent14.

One-tick flicking

One ticking is clicking twice per game tick, turning prayers on and off, and gaining the effect without draining any prayer15. Gnomonkey compares it to a Gears of War reload: click twice per tick, double click repeatedly, using the prayer helper and prayer plugin16. Turn the prayers on before double clicking, or the player is just rapidly turning them off17. He wears a compression glove because he hurt his hand from too much one-ticking18.

Alternating against combinations

  • Ranger and blob: pray ranged, click the ranger, and alternate as soon as he hunkers down, keeping both prayers lit and clicking the next as soon as one unlights19. When a blob can see the player and a ranger is away from a safe spot, one-tick or two-tick alternating between ranged and mage prayer avoids all damage20. Pray ranged until the ranger's animation starts, then alternate; it may hit once more if the player starts on an unfortunate tick, but not after that if one-tick alternating properly21.
  • Mage and blob: pray magic until the light flickers under the mage, then one-tick alternate ranged and mage prayer as the mage is killed22.
  • Ranger and mager two ticks apart: one-tick alternating does not work; the player needs to two-tick alternate to flick both along with blobs23. He does not recommend two-ticking on a first cape, because people often get the blob off-tick and still take every blob hit; one-tick is easier because the player just alternates when the prayer turns off24.
  • If the player needs to move or attack, they should not be flicking: get into a position where moving is unnecessary, then alternate25.

Flinching

Gnomonkey calls flinching a very bad habit and never recommends it. He says to learn to one-tick, which solves just about every wave26. A player who learns to flinch and never one-ticks cannot solve the ranger and blob solves that come up a lot27.

Timing cues

Asked about timing, he goes off sound if not looking at the screen and goes off the prayer unlighting if looking at the prayers, and does not like relying on sound cues in the game28.

Other content

  • Fight Caves: he one-tick flicks when mages approach and keeps prayer on during dangerous waves29.
  • Tombs of Amascut (500s): learning to lazy flick the offensive prayer is probably the biggest thing for 500s, because it lets the player bring much less restore30. With prayer regeneration Zebak should be a zero supply room. He ended it with about 80 to 90 prayer points and says the player can flick just the offensive prayer, camp the overhead and use about one restore dose31. At Warden about two restores are enough to full camp prayers; he still flicks because it leaves extra prayer, and ended the raid with four restores left32. There is wiggle room in the Sandfew supply so flicking need not be perfect, but it is not enough to never flick through the raid; roughly three Sandfews in total are fine33.

Revision history

Date Video Change
2025-06-27 BUDGET NO KERIS 500 ToA Guide (OSRS) Added flicking the offensive prayer to save restores in Tombs of Amascut 500s.
2024-08-08 HIGH RISK PVP FIRECAPE ON GHCIM (OSRS) Added definition of one ticking, compression glove and Fight Caves use.
2024-06-13 Inferno Teaching Stream - Mage Rebalance (OSRS) Added that Inferno hits register at animation start except for Jad.
2022-11-04 Inferno (BOFA) Guide OSRS Added melee, ranger and mage attack cycles and the cues for each.
2022-07-22 Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS Added lazy flicking explanation, flinching warning and one-tick technique.
2021-05-21 Inferno Guide OSRS (Waves + Triple Jads + Zuk) Page created: Inferno first-cape advice and one-tick alternating against ranger, mage and blobs.
## See also

References

  1. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 15:50 ↩

  2. Inferno Guide OSRS (Waves + Triple Jads + Zuk), 2021-05-21. ▶ 0:55 ↩

  3. Inferno Teaching Stream - Mage Rebalance (OSRS), 2024-06-13. ▶ 29:06 ↩↩

  4. Inferno (BOFA) Guide OSRS, 2022-11-04. ▶ 38:55 ↩

  5. Inferno Teaching Stream - Mage Rebalance (OSRS), 2024-06-13. ▶ 23:38 ↩

  6. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 15:21 ↩

  7. Inferno Teaching Stream - Mage Rebalance (OSRS), 2024-06-13. ▶ 24:09 ↩

  8. Inferno (BOFA) Guide OSRS, 2022-11-04. ▶ 10:30 ↩

  9. Inferno (BOFA) Guide OSRS, 2022-11-04. ▶ 16:59 ↩

  10. Inferno (BOFA) Guide OSRS, 2022-11-04. ▶ 37:37 ↩

  11. Inferno Teaching Stream - Mage Rebalance (OSRS), 2024-06-13. ▶ 33:47 ↩

  12. Inferno Teaching Stream - Mage Rebalance (OSRS), 2024-06-13. ▶ 24:36 ↩

  13. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 35:01 ↩

  14. Inferno Teaching Stream - Mage Rebalance (OSRS), 2024-06-13. ▶ 46:01 ↩

  15. HIGH RISK PVP FIRECAPE ON GHCIM (OSRS), 2024-08-08. ▶ 57:18 ↩

  16. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 28:00 ↩

  17. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 29:31 ↩

  18. HIGH RISK PVP FIRECAPE ON GHCIM (OSRS), 2024-08-08. ▶ 57:50 ↩

  19. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 20:47 ↩

  20. Inferno Guide OSRS (Waves + Triple Jads + Zuk), 2021-05-21. ▶ 25:30 ↩

  21. Inferno Guide OSRS (Waves + Triple Jads + Zuk), 2021-05-21. ▶ 25:48 ↩

  22. Inferno Guide OSRS (Waves + Triple Jads + Zuk), 2021-05-21. ▶ 26:14 ↩

  23. Inferno Guide OSRS (Waves + Triple Jads + Zuk), 2021-05-21. ▶ 30:02 ↩

  24. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 23:25 ↩

  25. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 23:52 ↩

  26. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 21:48 ↩

  27. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 25:55 ↩

  28. Inferno (Twisted Bow) Teaching Stream OSRS, 2022-07-22. ▶ 47:39 ↩

  29. HIGH RISK PVP FIRECAPE ON GHCIM (OSRS), 2024-08-08. ▶ 58:16 ↩

  30. BUDGET NO KERIS 500 ToA Guide (OSRS), 2025-06-27. ▶ 16:00 ↩

  31. BUDGET NO KERIS 500 ToA Guide (OSRS), 2025-06-27. ▶ 19:00 ↩

  32. BUDGET NO KERIS 500 ToA Guide (OSRS), 2025-06-27. ▶ 40:20 ↩

  33. BUDGET NO KERIS 500 ToA Guide (OSRS), 2025-06-27. ▶ 47:00 ↩

Mechanics

Colosseum invocations • Yama contracts • Invocations (Tombs of Amascut) • Jal-ImKot • Inferno pillars • Jal-Ak • Alt account • Thralls • Nex gear setup • Tempoross • Turael • Inferno waves • Jal-Nib • Doom of Mokhaiotl: rock block method • Monkey Room • Fortis Colosseum pillars • Phantom barrage • Awakened bosses • Melee gear progression • Demonic Brutus • Jal-MejRah • Prayer flicking • Butterfly Tech • Fortis Colosseum setup • Doom of Mokhaiotl: melee punish • Sulliuscep • Botting • Off-ticking • Corner trapping • Doom of Mokhaiotl: car attack • Combat Achievements • Doom of Mokhaiotl: shield phase • Pest Control • Blood Barrage • Nylocas • Great Olm 4-1 method • Nex reset • Triple Jad • RuneScape 3 combat • Tightrope skip

Category: Mechanics