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Autocast Ancient Magic OSRS Ultimate Guide

Mastering autocast Ancient Magic in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) can transform your combat experience, especially in player-versus-player (PvP) and high-level PvE scenarios. The Ancient Magicks spellbook, unlocked after completing the Desert Treasure I quest, offers some of the most powerful combat spells in the game. When paired with the autocast feature, these spells become even more efficient, allowing you to focus on strategy rather than manual spell selection. This guide dives into everything you need to know about autocasting Ancient Magic, from setup to optimal gear, ensuring you dominate in Gielinor.
Ancient Magicks, also known as Ancients, are a combat-focused spellbook distinct from the standard, Lunar, and Arceuus spellbooks. Unlocked after the Desert Treasure I quest, this spellbook requires a minimum of 50 Magic and is renowned for its devastating spells and unique effects. Unlike standard spells, Ancient Magicks are rune-intensive, often requiring costly blood and death runes, making them a premium choice for serious mages.
What Makes Ancient Magicks Unique?
The Ancient Magicks spellbook contains 16 combat spells and 9 teleport spells, far fewer than other spellbooks, but each spell packs a punch. These spells are divided into four elemental categories, each with a distinct effect:
- Smoke Spells: Inflict poison damage, reducing opponents’ health over time.
- Shadow Spells: Lower the target’s Attack level, weakening their offensive capabilities.
- Blood Spells: Heal the caster for 25% of the damage dealt, ideal for sustaining in prolonged fights.
- Ice Spells: Freeze targets in place, preventing movement and giving you tactical control.
These effects make Ancient Magicks a favorite for PvP and bossing, where controlling the battlefield is crucial.
Unlocking the Ancient Magicks Spellbook
To access Ancient Magicks, you must complete the Desert Treasure I quest, which involves navigating the Kharidian Desert, defeating tough bosses, and solving puzzles. Key requirements include:
After completing the quest, pray at the altar in the Jaldraocht Pyramid to switch to the Ancient Magicks spellbook. Note that this drains your Prayer points to zero, and switching back to the standard spellbook requires another visit to the altar or a player-owned house with an Ancient Altar.
What Is Autocasting and Why Use It?
Autocasting allows players to automatically cast a selected spell when attacking, eliminating the need to manually select the spell and target each time. This feature, available on specific Magic weapons, streamlines combat, making it ideal for prolonged engagements or fast-paced PvP scenarios.
Benefits of Autocasting Ancient Magicks
Autocasting Ancient Magicks offers several advantages:
- Efficiency: Frees up your attention for movement, inventory management, or prayer switching.
- Consistency: Ensures you cast the same spell repeatedly without errors.
- Experience Gains: Offensive autocasting grants Magic XP, while defensive autocasting splits XP between Magic and Defence.
- Tactical Advantage: Allows quick responses in PvP, where timing is critical.
How to Enable Autocast
To autocast Ancient Magicks, equip a compatible Magic weapon and follow these steps:
- Open the combat interface.
- Click the autocast option on your equipped staff or wand.
- Select the desired Ancient Magicks spell from the spellbook.
- Choose offensive (no shield) or defensive (with shield) casting mode.
Ensure you have sufficient runes and the required Magic level for the chosen spell, or autocasting will fail.
Weapons That Can Autocast Ancient Magicks
Unlike standard spellbook spells, which many staves can autocast, Ancient Magicks require specific weapons. Below is a table of compatible weapons, their requirements, and notable features.
Weapon | Magic Level | Other Requirements | Key Features |
---|---|---|---|
Ancient Staff | 50 | 50 Attack | Buyable from Eblis for 80,000 coins post-Desert Treasure; affordable option. |
Ahrim’s Staff | 70 | 70 Attack, Full Ahrim’s + Amulet of the Damned | 25% chance for 30% extra damage; Barrows item. |
Master Wand | 60 | None | Purchased from Mage Training Arena; rare 3rd Age Wand variant exists. |
Kodai Wand | 80 | None | Unlimited water runes, 15% rune-saving chance, +15% Magic damage; Chambers of Xeric drop. |
Eldritch/Volatile Nightmare Staff | 72 | 50 Hitpoints | Special attack boosts; dropped by The Nightmare. |
Note: The Zuriel’s Staff, despite being tied to Ancient Magicks, cannot autocast them, balancing its powerful passive effects.
Choosing the Right Weapon
Your choice depends on your budget, combat goals, and stats:
- Budget Players: The Ancient Staff is cheap and effective for early Ancient Magicks use.
- Mid-Tier Players: Master Wand offers solid stats for Mage Training Arena enthusiasts.
- High-Level Players: Kodai Wand is the premium choice for its bonuses and rune efficiency.
- PvP Specialists: Ahrim’s Staff with the full set and Amulet of the Damned maximizes damage potential.
Optimizing Your Setup for Autocasting
To maximize the effectiveness of autocasting Ancient Magicks, your gear, spell choice, and strategy must align. Here’s how to optimize your setup.
Best Gear for Ancient Magicks
Focus on gear that boosts Magic damage and accuracy. The Virtus robes, introduced post-Desert Treasure II, are ideal, offering a 5% damage bonus per piece (15% for the full set) when casting Ancient Magicks combat spells. Other strong options include:
- Ahrim’s Robes: Budget-friendly with decent Magic bonuses.
- Ancestral Robes: High Magic accuracy for endgame PvE.
- Amulet of Torture (or Glory): Boosts overall combat stats.
- Occult Necklace: Increases Magic damage by 10%.
Ancient Sceptre Upgrades
The Ancient Sceptre, enhanced with quartzes from Desert Treasure II bosses, can amplify specific Ancient Magicks spells:
- Smoke Quartz: Reduces healing efficacy by 20% for 6 seconds on Smoke spell hits.
- Shadow Quartz: Lowers Strength and Defence alongside Attack on Shadow spell hits.
- Blood Quartz: Allows Blood spells to overheal by 10% of max Hitpoints.
- Ice Quartz: Boosts Ice spell accuracy by 10% against unfrozen, bind-susceptible targets.
These upgrades make the sceptre a powerful alternative to staves, though it cannot autocast.
Spell Selection Strategy
Choose spells based on your combat scenario:
- PvP: Ice Barrage (94 Magic) for freezing opponents, paired with Blood Barrage (92 Magic) for healing.
- Bossing: Shadow Barrage (88 Magic) to reduce boss Attack levels, enhancing tanking.
- Slayer: Smoke Barrage (86 Magic) for poison damage on high-HP targets.
Always carry enough runes, as Ancient Magicks are costly. A rune pouch or the Kodai Wand’s rune-saving feature can help.
Tips and Tricks for Autocasting Ancient Magicks
Here are some practical tips to elevate your autocasting game:
Combat Efficiency
Maximize your uptime by managing resources:
- Rune Management: Use a rune pouch to save inventory space and prioritize blood and death runes.
- Prayer Switching: Combine autocasting with Protect from Melee/Magic in PvP for survivability.
- Positioning: Use Ice spells to freeze enemies, giving you time to reposition or heal.
PvP and PvE Applications
In PvP, autocast Ice Barrage to control opponents, switching to Blood Barrage for sustain. In PvE, Shadow spells weaken tough bosses like the Abyssal Sire, while Smoke spells excel in Slayer tasks. Experiment with Virtus robes and the Ancient Sceptre for optimal damage.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Steer clear of these pitfalls:
- Insufficient Runes: Always check your rune count before engaging in combat.
- Wrong Spellbook: Ensure you’re on the Ancient Magicks spellbook, as standard spellbook won’t work.
- Ignoring Gear Bonuses: Equip Magic-boosting items to maximize spell accuracy and damage.
With the right setup and strategy, autocasting Ancient Magicks can make you a formidable mage in OSRS. Whether you’re freezing foes in the Wilderness or bursting Slayer tasks, this guide equips you to harness the full power of Ancient Magicks. Happy casting!