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Slayer

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

Slayer

Slayer
Type Skill
Videos 23 (first 2020-04-02, latest 2026-07-24)
Main source MASSIVE SLAYER UPDATE BLOG (OSRS)

Slayer is a skill Gnomonkey covers in two ways: 2020 to 2022 task-by-task guides with inventories and gear, and from 2024 opinion and update coverage in which he calls it the slowest skill in the game, clunky and archaic, while welcoming the 2025 point-cost reductions and block list changes.

Contents

Opinion on the skill

  • In July 2024 he found Slayer incredibly tedious and inefficient, while understanding that Ironman accounts need supplies from Slayer monsters1. He said it is not the best early money-making despite what people swear by, because effective grinding costs money and by the time it is done properly the player is only breaking even while getting the XP2. See Ironman Mode.
  • His advice then was to take the fastest tasks for high XP rather than boss tasks, unless sidetracking into pet hunting, and return to bosses later with max gear; his Discord has a spreadsheet of a block list for maximum XP per hour3.
  • In July 2025 he said Slayer is the slowest skill in the game, feels clunky and archaic, and that tasks added over time are not worth doing for Slayer XP, but that the blog's changes remove many pain points4.
  • In September 2025 he said anything cannonable or hittable with a Venator bow is good in his book for Slayer because it is really slow, and that anything added with bad Slayer XP makes it even slower56.

2025 Slayer update

The big Slayer update arrived in August 2025; because every master has a separate block list, players wanted new updated block lists7. See also Update: Slayer block lists per master and Slayer task blocking.

Unlock / change Before After
Mazchna / Vannaka points per task (not stated) 6 / 88
Bigger and Badder 150 points 50 points9
Task storage 1000 points 500 points1011
Ring Bling 300 points 150 points12
Slug Salter, Reptile Freezer (reptile freezer recalled as around 100) 10 points each1213
  • Gnomonkey said Mazchna and Vannaka tasks still will not be worth doing, but new players are not hit as hard by the early masters8. He said Bigger and Badder can now be unlocked on a new iron with a single 10-point streak and that superior creatures like the giant cave crawler will now be seen early9. Task storage was previously mostly a post-99 unlock (for example storing a Lizardman shaman task for Chambers of Xeric speed runs) and is now probably worth unlocking on the way to 9914; he called the change massive and worth getting early to save bosses for later or to do Turael with the new block list11. He called Ring Bling an incredibly good unlock that was too expensive at 300 and fairer at 15012.
  • Reduced unlock costs were refunded15. After the update block lists were wiped and refunds arrived in the mail; he logged in with about 700 points on his hardcore, and others could have up to about 100016. The reptile freezer automatically finishes lizards at zero HP, though auto-finish unlocks waste one tick per kill13.
  • He suggested re-toggling an unlocked task toggle might cost about a third of the unlock price, since Jagex worries that free toggling would create an unfun UI-toggling loop17.
  • The Slayer master interface has a new "view list" button that shows exact task odds and lets the player block tasks without first getting the task; it shows quantities based on extends but sorts only alphabetically18. He says to block efficiently rather than whatever is disliked, because otherwise the player finishes with leftover points; once all needed unlocks are bought, points are not needed19.
  • He judged the changes great, making Turael tremendously faster and the wanted task much easier to get, with much less friction20.

Task guides (2020 to 2022)

In 2020 Gnomonkey made individual task guides that follow a common pattern: a divine super combat, prayer potions, sharks, a holy wrench to save prayer, a Saradomin godsword, a herb and gem sack, a bone crusher for Prayer XP, a desert amulet and Karamja gloves to restock and retask, and a quest cape or other teleports.

Task Notes
Mutated zygomites Prayer potions, quest cape for the fairy ring, divine super set, holy wrench, Saradomin godsword (handy, not necessary), desert amulet; alternatives to the quest cape are slayer rings or a necklace of passage to the Wizards' Tower. He calls it probably the simplest and easiest task from Duradel, and groups it with Ankou and dark beasts as tasks worth doing because they are so fast212223
Ankou Xeric's talisman to the Catacombs, desert amulet and Karamja gloves, divine super combat, prayer potions to keep Piety up, sharks, wrench and godsword, herb and gem sack24
Dagannoth Cannon, which he calls one of the most useful tasks to have one for and probably the best cannonable task; quest cape, Karamja gloves, crafting cape and desert amulet; bone crusher, wrench, sacks, godsword; a divine super combat, six prayer potions and a couple of sharks25262728
Trolls (ice trolls) Standard melee gear, with Bandos downgradable to obsidian and fighter torso, primordial boots to dragon boots, ferocious gloves to Barrows gloves, torture to fury; bone crusher, wrench, sack, godsword, rune pouch with alchemy runes, soul bearer; divine super combat, five prayer potions, three sharks2930
Kurask Herb and gem sack, desert amulet and Karamja gloves, alchemy runes in a rune pouch, bone crusher, holy wrench31
Suqah Same downgrades as trolls; gem sack but no herb sack (only low-value herbs), godsword, bone crusher, wrench, cannon, divine super combat, six prayer potions, the rest food as they drop no loot3233
Gargoyles Standard melee gear with the same downgrades, gem sack, retasking items, holy wrench, ring of slaying; he finishes the task in one trip with two divine super combats, ten prayer potions and four sharks3435
Alchemical Hydra Only fought on a task from Konar, needing 95 Slayer; around 30k Slayer XP an hour3637
TzHaar Fight Cave A Fight Caves Slayer task can make the caves much easier, but failing or leaving early cancels it; 50k Slayer XP an hour3839

Hydra to 99 (2021)

Gnomonkey calculated that 95 to 99 Slayer purely on Hydra needs 3,230 kills, an average of 21 Hydra tasks40. With the highest-weight Konar task blocked and every other task skipped, that takes about 570 skip points on average, so around 1,000 points should near-guarantee skipping every non-Hydra task41. A slaughter bracelet switch every kill would need only 16 tasks and 450 skip points on average, which he considers good if the pet is wanted41. Task cancelling with Turael is also not terrible if only Hydra is wanted42. See Slayer point boosting.

Grotesque Guardians (2022)

Gnomonkey highly recommends the Gargoyle smasher unlock for Grotesque Guardians trips and does not recommend extending the gargoyle task, which is already long; a Crystal halberd helps tremendously, though other options are decent. He advises against the double treble unlock (smashing Dawn also counts as a task kill), since it only ends the task faster and costs 500 points4344.

Thralls on Slayer bosses (2021)

  • At the Dagannoth Kings thralls work perfectly and damage whichever king is attacked; with a Sanguinesti staff and Saradomin godsword no Blood Barrage healing is needed45.
  • He names the Kalphite Queen the standout Slayer boss for thralls, since they keep attacking under her and can continue through her phase transition, and she has defence rather than real prayers45. At Cerberus thralls give free damage45.
  • At the Grotesque Guardians thralls give free damage and can help hit the heal skip on Dawn more often, though Explorer's ring menu time might cancel the saving; he said it needs more testing46. At Sarachnis thralls lag behind then barely waste ticks and help clean up minions; an Explorer's ring gives enough alchemy casts for the trip4647.
  • At the Kraken no thralls do any damage, not even the mage thrall, which he says seems like a bug48. See Thralls.

New Slayer content (2025 to 2026)

  • Varlamore (2025-01): The Final Dawn adds a new Slayer dungeon with several variants and tiers of monsters with hefty HP, low to mid defence and some elemental weakness, which he compares to crabs; he hoped they would be cannonable with decent XP4950. See Varlamore: The Final Dawn.
  • Sailing (2025-09 and 2025-11): he was not worried about the gryphon task being forced, noting from the blog that the new creatures are not forced and are not a Slayer nerf51. He thought the blog good for Slayer, considered Aquanites likely a high-XP task, and hoped single-target additions like lava strykewyrms get buffed XP so they do not clog the unlock list52. In the prep blog he noted the Slayer level is for the new monsters, which drop dragon parts for the ship, that griffins are around 50 Slayer so mid-level players can access them, and that reaching them quickly could be a good money source5354. See Sailing and Update: Sailing slayer monsters.
  • Vampyres (2026-01): venators (alongside sentinels) are an alternative on vampyre tasks, need 74 Slayer, are mostly single combat and reward-focused, and give a higher rate of blood shards; he says they address crowded sentinels and give irons a decent passive source of blood shards55. See Vampyre.
  • Frost dragons (2026-05): Jagex is adding a task extension and a weighting increase for frost dragons, with dragon cheats dropping more frequently from frost dragons and lava strykewyrms; he called the extension much needed since tens of thousands must be killed, and the cheats far too rare56.
  • Summer Sweep-up (2026-06): new early-game drops are the amulets of air from killerwatts, water from sea snake hatchlings, earth from molanisks and fire from infernal mages, each at 1 in 64, giving +2 max hit to spells of the element and +10 magic accuracy57. He would not have put them on monsters nobody kills, preferring early monsters included in Turael tasks58. A necklace of fangs drops from Turoths at 1 in 128 with +1 ranged strength and +12 ranged accuracy; he thinks it is a bigger deal than the magic amulets, as irons will want it as their main ranged strength until an amulet of anguish5960. Abyssal creature drop rates from the harder monsters are increased and their defence reduced, because players were killing only the leeches61. See Update: Summer Sweep-up and Elemental amulets.
  • Mortimer (2026-07): Jagex says Mortimer is not designed to replace Duradel, Konar or other masters, that Duradel and Mortimer are currently extremely close in XP per hour and that Duradel should pull ahead as more block slots unlock62. Duradel offers tasks Mortimer cannot, notably many more boss tasks63. Gnomonkey says Konar is still best for only a Dragon hunter lance or grinding Hydra, because Turael skipping cannot be used with Mortimer63. He thinks Mortimer suits players below 99 Slayer with several goals at once (the heart, Slayer XP, clue scrolls) and is less beneficial at 99 for the heart alone64, and says on a fresh hardcore ironman he might train Sailing to reach Mortimer65.

Suggested changes (2026-05 wish-list)

  • Slayer helmet recolours cost around 9,000 points to unlock all and the level 99 helmet needs another 1,000, which he considers absurd; he suggests a one-time 1,000 point unlock or 100 to 200 points each666768.
  • Toggleable task extensions once unlocked, noting revenants are the only task toggleable for free, so the coding exists6869.
  • A "prefer task" option costing about 100 points with three slots giving the preferred task double weight, to reduce Turael skipping, make Slayer less of a slog and help get an Imbued heart7071.
  • A very rare (around 1 in 5,000) imbued heart drop from all Slayer bosses, like a pet72, and a toggle for the harder-master prompt shown when swapping masters through NPC Contact73.
  • Rebalancing some Slayer levels: the Kraken trident drop at 87 should be in the mid-70s, Cerberus is at an incredibly high level for its loot, and a number of unlocks could drop five to ten levels7475.

Revision history

Date Video Change
2026-07-24 New Slayer Master MORTIMER: Is He Better? (OSRS) Added Mortimer versus Duradel and Konar comparison and who each suits.
2026-06-04 The New Summer Sweep Update is CRAZY (OSRS) Added Summer Sweep-up Slayer drops (elemental amulets, necklace of fangs, abyssal changes).
2026-05-27 Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS) Added wish-list: helmet recolour costs, prefer task, toggleable extensions, imbued heart drop, level rebalancing.
2026-05-11 FINALLY FIXING SAILING! (OSRS) Added frost dragon extension and weighting, dragon cheat rate increase.
2026-01-25 WINTER SUMMIT IS HERE AND JAGEX COOKED! (OSRS) Added venators as a vampyre task alternative at 74 Slayer.
2025-11-04 SAILING PREP BLOG (OSRS) Added Sailing prep notes on new Slayer monsters and griffins.
2025-09-18 AMAZING NEW SLAYER SAILING BLOG (OSRS) Added opinions on Sailing Slayer additions and the gryphon task.
2025-08-28 NEW SLAYER BLOCK LIST GUIDE (OSRS) Added post-update details: refunds, wiped block lists, view list button, reptile freezer, blocking advice.
2025-07-18 MASSIVE SLAYER UPDATE BLOG (OSRS) Added the Slayer blog's cost reductions and point increases (task storage 1000 to 500, Bigger and Badder 150 to 50, Ring Bling 300 to 150).
2025-01-09 NEW INFERNO + REWARDS - Varlamore Final Dawn (OSRS) Added the new Varlamore Slayer dungeon.
2024-07-07 Ultimate Account Building Guide (OSRS) Added opinion that Slayer is tedious and inefficient early, and advice to take fast tasks.
2022-03-16 Grotesque Guardians Guide MAX EFFICIENT (OSRS) Added Grotesque Guardians unlock and equipment advice.
2021-12-03 Alchemical Hydra Guide 2021 (4-4.5M GP/HR) OSRS Added Hydra to 99 kill and point calculations.
2021-07-13 Thralls Guide (Arceuus Spellbook) OSRS Added thrall performance on Slayer bosses.
2020-05-04 Gargoyle Slayer/Money Making Guide (AFK 1m+ GP/HR) OSRS 2020 Added Gargoyle task inventory.
2020-05-01 Suqah Slayer Guide (60k SLAYER XP/HR) OSRS Added Suqah task inventory.
2020-04-29 Kurask Slayer Guide (Money Making 1M GP/HR) OSRS Added Kurask task inventory.
2020-04-27 Jad/Fight Caves Blowpipe Guide (Mid-High Level Slayer/Beginner) OSRS Added Fight Caves Slayer task notes (50k XP an hour).
2020-04-23 Troll Slayer Guide (50K Slayer XP/HR) OSRS Added troll task inventory and gear downgrades.
2020-04-20 Alchemical Hydra Guide (4.5M/hr) MONEY MAKING GUIDE OSRS Added Alchemical Hydra requirements and XP rate.
2020-04-17 Dagannoth Slayer Guide (80k SLAYER XP/HR!) Added Dagannoth task inventory.
2020-04-16 Ankou Slayer Guide OSRS (Fast Task Fast Points) Added Ankou task inventory.
2020-04-02 Mutated Zygomites Slayer Guide (Fastest Task for Points) Page created: mutated zygomite task inventory.
## See also

References

  1. Ultimate Account Building Guide (OSRS), 2024-07-07. ▶ 3:52 ↩

  2. Ultimate Account Building Guide (OSRS), 2024-07-07. ▶ 4:52 ↩

  3. Ultimate Account Building Guide (OSRS), 2024-07-07. ▶ 5:21 ↩

  4. MASSIVE SLAYER UPDATE BLOG (OSRS), 2025-07-18. ▶ 13:45 ↩

  5. AMAZING NEW SLAYER SAILING BLOG (OSRS), 2025-09-18. ▶ 6:40 ↩

  6. AMAZING NEW SLAYER SAILING BLOG (OSRS), 2025-09-18. ▶ 12:02 ↩

  7. NEW SLAYER BLOCK LIST GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-08-28. ▶ 0:00 ↩

  8. MASSIVE SLAYER UPDATE BLOG (OSRS), 2025-07-18. ▶ 4:29 ↩↩

  9. MASSIVE SLAYER UPDATE BLOG (OSRS), 2025-07-18. ▶ 5:03 ↩↩

  10. MASSIVE SLAYER UPDATE BLOG (OSRS), 2025-07-18. ▶ 5:36 ↩

  11. NEW SLAYER BLOCK LIST GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-08-28. ▶ 1:53 ↩↩

  12. MASSIVE SLAYER UPDATE BLOG (OSRS), 2025-07-18. ▶ 6:38 ↩↩↩

  13. NEW SLAYER BLOCK LIST GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-08-28. ▶ 0:27 ↩↩

  14. MASSIVE SLAYER UPDATE BLOG (OSRS), 2025-07-18. ▶ 6:06 ↩

  15. MASSIVE SLAYER UPDATE BLOG (OSRS), 2025-07-18. ▶ 7:12 ↩

  16. NEW SLAYER BLOCK LIST GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-08-28. ▶ 1:24 ↩

  17. MASSIVE SLAYER UPDATE BLOG (OSRS), 2025-07-18. ▶ 7:42 ↩

  18. NEW SLAYER BLOCK LIST GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-08-28. ▶ 15:11 ↩

  19. NEW SLAYER BLOCK LIST GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-08-28. ▶ 14:32 ↩

  20. NEW SLAYER BLOCK LIST GUIDE (OSRS), 2025-08-28. ▶ 16:09 ↩

  21. Mutated Zygomites Slayer Guide (Fastest Task for Points), 2020-04-02. ▶ 1:02 ↩

  22. Mutated Zygomites Slayer Guide (Fastest Task for Points), 2020-04-02. ▶ 2:05 ↩

  23. Ankou Slayer Guide OSRS (Fast Task Fast Points), 2020-04-16. ▶ 0:00 ↩

  24. Ankou Slayer Guide OSRS (Fast Task Fast Points), 2020-04-16. ▶ 0:33 ↩

  25. Dagannoth Slayer Guide (80k SLAYER XP/HR!), 2020-04-17. ▶ 0:29 ↩

  26. Dagannoth Slayer Guide (80k SLAYER XP/HR!), 2020-04-17. ▶ 1:03 ↩

  27. Dagannoth Slayer Guide (80k SLAYER XP/HR!), 2020-04-17. ▶ 1:30 ↩

  28. Dagannoth Slayer Guide (80k SLAYER XP/HR!), 2020-04-17. ▶ 1:56 ↩

  29. Troll Slayer Guide (50K Slayer XP/HR) OSRS, 2020-04-23. ▶ 0:32 ↩

  30. Troll Slayer Guide (50K Slayer XP/HR) OSRS, 2020-04-23. ▶ 1:04 ↩

  31. Kurask Slayer Guide (Money Making 1M GP/HR) OSRS, 2020-04-29. ▶ 0:33 ↩

  32. Suqah Slayer Guide (60k SLAYER XP/HR) OSRS, 2020-05-01. ▶ 0:27 ↩

  33. Suqah Slayer Guide (60k SLAYER XP/HR) OSRS, 2020-05-01. ▶ 0:57 ↩

  34. Gargoyle Slayer/Money Making Guide (AFK 1m+ GP/HR) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-04. ▶ 0:28 ↩

  35. Gargoyle Slayer/Money Making Guide (AFK 1m+ GP/HR) OSRS 2020, 2020-05-04. ▶ 0:54 ↩

  36. Alchemical Hydra Guide (4.5M/hr) MONEY MAKING GUIDE OSRS, 2020-04-20. ▶ 0:30 ↩

  37. Alchemical Hydra Guide (4.5M/hr) MONEY MAKING GUIDE OSRS, 2020-04-20. ▶ 12:56 ↩

  38. Jad/Fight Caves Blowpipe Guide (Mid-High Level Slayer/Beginner) OSRS, 2020-04-27. ▶ 0:58 ↩

  39. Jad/Fight Caves Blowpipe Guide (Mid-High Level Slayer/Beginner) OSRS, 2020-04-27. ▶ 1:26 ↩

  40. Alchemical Hydra Guide 2021 (4-4.5M GP/HR) OSRS, 2021-12-03. ▶ 13:37 ↩

  41. Alchemical Hydra Guide 2021 (4-4.5M GP/HR) OSRS, 2021-12-03. ▶ 13:58 ↩↩

  42. Alchemical Hydra Guide 2021 (4-4.5M GP/HR) OSRS, 2021-12-03. ▶ 14:28 ↩

  43. Grotesque Guardians Guide MAX EFFICIENT (OSRS), 2022-03-16. ▶ 1:02 ↩

  44. Grotesque Guardians Guide MAX EFFICIENT (OSRS), 2022-03-16. ▶ 1:35 ↩

  45. Thralls Guide (Arceuus Spellbook) OSRS, 2021-07-13. ▶ 7:28 ↩↩↩

  46. Thralls Guide (Arceuus Spellbook) OSRS, 2021-07-13. ▶ 7:59 ↩↩

  47. Thralls Guide (Arceuus Spellbook) OSRS, 2021-07-13. ▶ 8:29 ↩

  48. Thralls Guide (Arceuus Spellbook) OSRS, 2021-07-13. ▶ 8:35 ↩

  49. NEW INFERNO + REWARDS - Varlamore Final Dawn (OSRS), 2025-01-09. ▶ 20:10 ↩

  50. NEW INFERNO + REWARDS - Varlamore Final Dawn (OSRS), 2025-01-09. ▶ 20:41 ↩

  51. AMAZING NEW SLAYER SAILING BLOG (OSRS), 2025-09-18. ▶ 1:30 ↩

  52. AMAZING NEW SLAYER SAILING BLOG (OSRS), 2025-09-18. ▶ 17:16 ↩

  53. SAILING PREP BLOG (OSRS), 2025-11-04. ▶ 7:52 ↩

  54. SAILING PREP BLOG (OSRS), 2025-11-04. ▶ 8:25 ↩

  55. WINTER SUMMIT IS HERE AND JAGEX COOKED! (OSRS), 2026-01-25. ▶ 11:00 ↩

  56. FINALLY FIXING SAILING! (OSRS), 2026-05-11. ▶ 3:30 ↩

  57. The New Summer Sweep Update is CRAZY (OSRS), 2026-06-04. ▶ 42:40 ↩

  58. The New Summer Sweep Update is CRAZY (OSRS), 2026-06-04. ▶ 43:14 ↩

  59. The New Summer Sweep Update is CRAZY (OSRS), 2026-06-04. ▶ 43:41 ↩

  60. The New Summer Sweep Update is CRAZY (OSRS), 2026-06-04. ▶ 44:14 ↩

  61. The New Summer Sweep Update is CRAZY (OSRS), 2026-06-04. ▶ 44:48 ↩

  62. New Slayer Master MORTIMER: Is He Better? (OSRS), 2026-07-24. ▶ 8:27 ↩

  63. New Slayer Master MORTIMER: Is He Better? (OSRS), 2026-07-24. ▶ 9:27 ↩↩

  64. New Slayer Master MORTIMER: Is He Better? (OSRS), 2026-07-24. ▶ 11:51 ↩

  65. New Slayer Master MORTIMER: Is He Better? (OSRS), 2026-07-24. ▶ 13:54 ↩

  66. Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS), 2026-05-27. ▶ 4:59 ↩

  67. Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS), 2026-05-27. ▶ 5:25 ↩

  68. Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS), 2026-05-27. ▶ 5:58 ↩↩

  69. Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS), 2026-05-27. ▶ 6:28 ↩

  70. Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS), 2026-05-27. ▶ 7:01 ↩

  71. Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS), 2026-05-27. ▶ 7:31 ↩

  72. Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS), 2026-05-27. ▶ 8:02 ↩

  73. Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS), 2026-05-27. ▶ 9:03 ↩

  74. Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS), 2026-05-27. ▶ 37:28 ↩

  75. Summer Sweep up WISH-LIST (OSRS), 2026-05-27. ▶ 38:01 ↩

Skills

Sailing • Slayer • Hunter • Thieving • Agility • Cooking • Herblore • Farming • Mining • Woodcutting • Fishing • Fletching • Prayer • Quests • Runecrafting • Magic • Skilling pets • Ranged • Crystal tree • Crafting • Max cape • Smithing

Category: Skills