Slaying Commander Zilyana: Ultimate OSRS Money-Making Guide

Alright, fellow RuneScapers, let’s talk about one of the best ways to stack that sweet, sweet gold in Old School RuneScape taking down Commander Zilyana in the God Wars Dungeon. This Saradomin-loving boss is a beast, but her loot table? Absolute fire. We’re talking Armadyl Crossbows, Saradomin Hilts, and a pile of other goodies that can make you millions. I’ve spent way too many hours dodging her lightning attacks and kiting her around that massive chamber, so trust me when I say I’ve got the scoop on how to make this boss your personal ATM. Whether you’re a PvM pro or just stepping into the God Wars grind, this guide’s got everything you need to start raking in the GP. Let’s get to it!

Meet Commander Zilyana

Commander Zilyana is the big bad of the Saradomin Encampment in the God Wars Dungeon. She’s a level 596 monster with 60,000 hitpoints, swinging her sword with lightning-fast melee attacks (every 1.2 seconds) that can smack you for up to 1,800 damage. Oh, and her magic attack? A multi-target lightning bolt that hits for up to 2,200. Ouch. She’s got three sidekicks Starlight (melee), Bree (ranged), and Growler (magic) who each deal up to 16 damage. They’re not the main threat, but they’ll chip away at your health if you ignore them.

Your mission is to take out Zilyana and her crew as fast as possible to scoop up the loot. With an average kill worth around 212K (or 24K without those juicy uniques), and rare drops that can hit 28M, she’s one of the most profitable bosses in the game if you play your cards right.

Why Go Solo?

Soloing Zilyana is where it’s at for a few reasons. First, you don’t have to share the loot every drop is yours. Second, her chamber is huge, which makes kiting (running around to avoid her attacks) super effective. And if you nail the strategy, you can pull off 20-28 kills per hour, which could mean 4-5M GP per hour if the RNG gods bless you with a big drop. It’s not easy, but once you get the hang of it, it’s like a high-stakes dance with a massive payday.

Getting Ready to Rumble

Before you waltz into Zilyana’s chamber, you’ve gotta gear up and make sure you’re ready for the fight. She’s not some low-level goblin you can one-shot this boss will punish you if you’re not prepared. Here’s what you need to get started.

What You’ll Need

• Quests: Finish Death Plateau and at least part of Troll Stronghold (beat Dad) to unlock the God Wars Dungeon.
• Skills:
  • Agility 70 (no boosts allowed) to get into the Saradomin Encampment.
  • Prayer 37+ for Protect from Magic; 43+ for Eagle Eye or Rigour to boost your damage.
  • Ranged 85+ to hit hard and consistently.
  • Defence 80+ to shrug off minion hits.
  • Prayer 70+ for Piety or Rigour to stretch your trips.
  • Agility 80+ to keep your run energy up while kiting.
• Items:
  • A rope for your first God Wars Dungeon trip.
  • Two more ropes for the Saradomin Encampment (first visit only).
  • A Saradomin item (like blessed dragonhide) and a Zamorak item (like an unholy book) to keep the dungeon NPCs from attacking you.
  • Optional: Ecumenical keys to skip the 40-kill count requirement. You can grab these in the Wilderness God Wars Dungeon, but watch out for PKers!

Gear and Inventory Setup

Ranged is the way to go for Zilyana. Her resistances are the same across all combat styles, but kiting with Ranged keeps you out of her melee range, which is a lifesaver. Here’s a table with gear setups for different budgets.

Slot	Best-in-Slot	Budget Option
Head	Masori mask (f)	Armadyl helmet
Cape	Ava’s assembler	Ava’s accumulator
Neck	Necklace of anguish	Amulet of glory
Body	Masori body (f)	Armadyl chestplate
Legs	Masori chaps (f)	Armadyl chainskirt
Weapon	Twisted bow or Tumeken’s shadow	Armadyl crossbow (ruby/diamond bolts (e))
Off-hand	Dragonfire ward (with crossbow)	Book of law
Gloves	Barrows gloves	Black d’hide vambraces
Boots	Pegasian boots	Ranger boots
Ring	Lightbearer (for spec recovery)	Ring of dueling (for teleports)
Special	Toxic blowpipe (rune darts)	Dragon crossbow (for minions)

Inventory:

• 4-6 Prayer potions (4): Keep Protect from Magic and Rigour going.
• 2-3 Super restore potions: Top up your stats and prayer.
• 2 Stamina potions: Stay speedy while kiting.
• 6-8 Saradomin brews: Heal big without tanking your stats.
• 10-12 Sharks or Monkfish: Quick healing for emergencies.
• Toxic blowpipe (rune darts): Tag minions and apply venom.
• Rune pouch: For High Alchemy or Bones to Peaches (if you’re feeling fancy).
• Ecumenical key or Trollheim teleport: Get to the dungeon fast.
• Saradomin/Zamorak items: Keep the NPCs off your back.

Hot Tip: Bring a Serpentine helm to switch to when tagging minions with the blowpipe. It applies venom, which makes short work of them. Swap back to your main helmet to keep your Ranged bonuses high.

The Game Plan: Kiting Zilyana Like a Boss

The secret sauce to soloing Zilyana is kiting. Her chamber is huge, so you can run circles around her while landing hits. Here’s how to pull it off:

1. Walk In Ready: When you enter, make sure Zilyana and Starlight (her melee minion) aren’t right by the door. Flick on Protect from Magic to block her nasty lightning attack.
2. Tag the Minions: Hit each minion Bree, Growler, and Starlight with your toxic blowpipe to apply venom. It’ll slowly tick away their health while you focus on Zilyana.
3. Kite Like Your Life Depends on It: Run along the walls of the chamber, firing at Zilyana with your main weapon (Twisted bow, Tumeken’s shadow, or Armadyl crossbow). If you’re using a crossbow, start with ruby bolts (e) until she’s below half health, then switch to diamond bolts (e) for max damage.
4. Next-Level Kiting: Got 80+ Agility? Try a tile pattern pick a starting tile, attack, move to the next tile, and repeat. It saves run energy and might let you skip stamina potions altogether.
5. Clean Up the Minions: Once Zilyana’s down, take out the minions in this order: Starlight, Bree, Growler. The blowpipe’s special attack can heal you if you’re low.
6. Stay on Top of Resources: Sip Saradomin brews to heal, Super restores for prayer, and stamina potions to keep moving. If you’ve got a Lightbearer ring, use it to spam the blowpipe’s special attack or an Eldritch nightmare staff if you’re going magic.

Quick Tip: RuneLite’s Tile Indicators plugin is a game-changer. It shows your exact tile, making kiting feel like a breeze.

The Loot: What’s in It for You?

Zilyana’s drops are why we’re here. Her loot table is stacked with high-value items that make every kill exciting. Here’s the rundown:

Item	Drop Rate	Value (GE)
Armadyl Crossbow	1/508	~28M
Saradomin Hilt	1/508	~15M
Godsword Shard 1/2/3	1/762 (each)	~150K-200K
Saradomin Sword	1/127	~600K
Saradomin Brew (3)	Common	~10K
Super Restore (4)	Common	~10K
Coins	Common	~5K-20K

• Average Kill Value: ~212K with uniques, ~24K without.
• Minion Drops: Add ~6.7K per kill on average.
• Total Average per Kill: ~179K-212K.

If you’re getting 20-28 kills per hour, that’s 3.5M-5.2M GP per hour with some luck on uniques. Even without the big-ticket items, the common drops keep your bank account happy.

Extra Tips to Crush It

• Keep Practicing: Your first few kills might be a bit messy mine were! Stick with it, and you’ll get the kiting rhythm down pat.
• Grab Ecumenical Keys: Skip the 40-kill count to save time. Hit up the Wilderness God Wars Dungeon to stock up, but keep an eye out for PKers.
• Save Run Energy: Higher Agility and smart kiting patterns mean fewer stamina potions, so you can pack more brews or restores.
• Check the GE: Before splashing cash on gear, peek at Grand Exchange prices to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
• Try a Duo: If soloing’s too intense, bring a buddy. Zilyana switches targets if she can’t reach you, which can make group fights less stamina-heavy.

FAQ

Can I take on Zilyana with cheap gear?
You bet! High-end gear like Masori or a Twisted bow is awesome, but an Armadyl crossbow with ruby and diamond bolts (e) and some blessed dragonhide will do the trick. Just focus on kiting and keeping your prayer up.

How many kills can I get in one trip?
With 85+ Ranged, 80+ Defence, and a decent setup, you’re looking at 15-25 kills per trip. If you’ve got top-tier gear like Tumeken’s shadow, you might push past 28 kills.

Should I bother with the minions?
Definitely. They drop ~6.7K worth of loot per kill, including occasional Godsword shards. The blowpipe makes quick work of them, so don’t skip out.

What prayers should I use?
Always keep Protect from Magic on to block Zilyana’s lightning. Pair it with Rigour (or Eagle Eye if you don’t have Rigour) to pump up your Ranged damage.

Can I use melee or magic instead?
Melee’s tricky since Zilyana hits hard and has high Defence, but Verac’s or a Bandos godsword can work if you’re skilled. Magic’s only worth it with Tumeken’s shadow and maxed gear otherwise, stick to Ranged for safety and consistency.

How do I avoid getting smoked by Zilyana?
Keep moving to dodge her melee hits, stay on Protect from Magic, and use brews and sharks to stay healthy. If kiting feels tough, practice in the Nightmare Zone to get the hang of it.

Conclusion

Taking on Commander Zilyana is one of the most fun and profitable ways to make bank in Old School RuneScape. Her loot table’s loaded with potential, and once you master the kiting game, you’ll be laughing all the way to the Grand Exchange. Whether you’re rocking budget gear or going all-in with best-in-slot, it’s all about preparation and practice. Get your setup dialed in, stock up on supplies, and start running circles around that Saradomin general. With some persistence, you’ll be rolling in GP and maybe even score that Armadyl Crossbow you’ve been dreaming of. So gear up, say a quick prayer (or don’t), and go make some serious cash happy slaying, adventurers!