How to Scout Raids in OSRS for Maximum Efficiency

Scouting raids in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), particularly the Chambers of Xeric (CoX), is a key skill for players aiming to optimize their raiding experience. Effective scouting helps you find favorable raid layouts, saving time and boosting rewards. This guide dives into the art of scouting, offering practical tips to streamline your raids while keeping the process engaging and rewarding. Whether you’re a solo raider or part of a team, mastering scouting can elevate your gameplay.

The Chambers of Xeric is OSRS’s first raid, located in Mount Quidamortem. It’s a dynamic, randomly generated dungeon where players face combat bosses, puzzles, and skilling challenges before confronting the final boss, the Great Olm. Scouting involves entering the raid to preview its layout—combat rooms, puzzle rooms, and their order—then deciding whether to proceed or reset for a better setup.

Why Scout Raids?

Scouting maximizes efficiency by helping you avoid time-consuming or difficult rooms, ensuring faster clears and better points per hour. Points translate to loot, including high-value items like the Twisted Bow. A good scout can mean the difference between a 20-minute raid and a 40-minute slog.

Key Goals of Scouting

• Minimize raid time: Fewer or easier rooms mean quicker completions.
• Maximize points: Prioritize layouts with high-point rooms like Tightrope or Olm.
• Avoid tough rooms: Skip layouts with rooms you’re less comfortable with, like Vespula or Ice Demon.

Preparing for Scouting

Before you start scouting, preparation is crucial. You’ll need the right tools, stats, and mindset to make the process smooth and effective.

Recommended Stats and Gear

While there are no strict requirements to enter CoX, scouting is easier with decent stats. Aim for:

• Combat: 90+ in Attack, Strength, Defence, Ranged, and Magic for flexibility.
• Herblore: 78+ for Overload potions (90+ if scouting non-overload raids).
• Prayer: 77+ for Rigour and Augury.

Gear-wise, a budget setup like Elite Void works well for learners, saving inventory space. For scouting, you don’t need top-tier gear—just enough to survive initial rooms if necessary.

Essential Tools

Third-party clients enhance scouting significantly. Here’s what to use:

Tool	Purpose
RuneLite	Displays raid layout with plugins like Raid Scouter.
Steam Client	Shows full layout, including room variants (e.g., “Vespula B”).
We Do Raids Discord	Guides optimal layouts and community tips.

RuneLite’s Raid Scouter plugin is particularly useful, showing room types and sometimes specific variants, though some rooms may appear as “Unknown” unless you reload or use the Steam client.

Scouting Process Step-by-Step

Scouting is straightforward once you know the steps. Follow this process to efficiently evaluate raid layouts.

Step 1: Enter the Raid

Start a raid via the Chambers of Xeric entrance. If solo, use a main or alt account; for teams, designate a scouter. Upon entry, your client (e.g., RuneLite) will display the layout, including combat and puzzle rooms.

Step 2: Evaluate the Layout

Check the number of rooms and their types. Ideal layouts have:

• Three combat rooms: Fewer rooms mean faster raids.
• Puzzle rooms: Tightrope and Crabs (Crope) or Tightrope and Thieving (Thrope) for high points.
• No Unknown rooms: Unknowns can hide time sinks like Ice Demon.

Avoid layouts with four or more combat rooms or low-point puzzles like Ice Demon unless you’re confident in handling them.

Step 3: Decide to Proceed or Reset

If the layout looks good (e.g., Tightrope, Crabs, three combat rooms), proceed. If not, leave the raid and restart. Resetting is free but can take time—expect 3-5 scouts (1-2 minutes) for a decent layout, or longer for speedrun-tier setups.

Step 4: Optimize with Plugins

Use RuneLite’s Raid Reloader plugin to refresh layouts faster. Stand on the easternmost tile when reloading to minimize “Unknown” rooms. For precise scouting, the Steam client reveals exact room variants, reducing guesswork.

Choosing Optimal Raid Layouts

Not all layouts are equal. Knowing which rooms to prioritize can make or break your raid’s efficiency.

Best Puzzle Rooms

Puzzle rooms vary in time and points. Focus on these:

• Tightrope: ~90 seconds, ~4,000 points. Fast and high-reward.
• Crabs: Moderate time, decent points. Manageable with practice.
• Thieving: Acceptable if paired with Tightrope, but slower (~400 points).

Avoid Ice Demon (~4 minutes, low points) unless you’re well-prepared or in a small team.

Combat Room Considerations

Combat rooms depend on your gear and team. Preferred bosses include:

• Vasa Nistirio: Stab weapons excel; rocks are auto-dodged at max range.
• Skeletal Mystics: Salve Amulet (ei) boosts damage.
• Guardians: Dragon Pickaxe speeds up kills.

Avoid Vespula (high damage, gear-dependent) or Tekton (needs defense-reducing specs) if undergeared or learning.

Speedrun Layouts

For world-record attempts, scout ultra-specific layouts like “VTV” (Vasa, Tekton, Vanguards) with Tightrope and Crabs. These are rare, often taking 30+ minutes to find, but yield sub-10-minute clears with perfect execution.

Tips for Efficient Scouting

Scouting can be tedious, but these strategies keep it manageable and effective.

Use an Alt Account

For solo raiders, scout with an alt to preserve your main’s inventory and bank access. Alts need only membership and basic stats (e.g., 70+ combat).

Communicate in Teams

In group raids, assign roles clearly. One scouter checks layouts while others prep gear or potions. Use Discord servers like We Do Raids for layout advice and coordination.

Balance Time vs. Perfection

Don’t over-scout for the “perfect” layout unless speedrunning. A decent layout (e.g., three combat rooms, Tightrope) is often good enough for casual or profit-focused raids.

Leverage Community Resources

Join the We Do Raids Discord or check OSRS Wiki for scouting tips and room guides. Community insights can reveal meta layouts or plugin updates that streamline scouting.

Pro Tip: If you’re struggling, consider buying pre-scouted layouts from trusted sellers on Discord (e.g., We Do Raids’ scout trading channel). Prices range from 1-3M GP for top-tier layouts, saving you time.

Scouting raids in OSRS is both an art and a science. By understanding layouts, using the right tools, and prioritizing efficiency, you can turn CoX into a rewarding grind. Practice makes perfect—start with forgiving layouts, refine your process, and soon you’ll be scouting like a pro. Happy raiding, and may the RNG gods favor your Twisted Bow drop!