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Best Place to Cannon Hellhounds OSRS
Hellhounds are a popular Slayer task in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) due to their valuable drops, like hard clue scrolls and the rare smouldering stone. For players looking to maximize efficiency, using a dwarf multicannon is a game-changer. This guide explores the best place to cannon hellhounds, optimal setups, and strategies to boost your Slayer XP and loot. Whether you’re a mid-level player or a seasoned veteran, this post will help you slay hellhounds like a pro.
Using a cannon for hellhounds speeds up kills significantly, making it ideal for players aiming to complete Slayer tasks quickly or farm clue scrolls. Hellhounds have low defensive stats, so your cannon can shred through them while you focus on positioning or AFK training. The right location and setup can net you 50-70k Slayer XP per hour and a shot at valuable drops.
Benefits of Cannoning Hellhounds
- Faster Kills: Cannons hit multiple hellhounds at once, reducing task time.
- Clue Scroll Farming: Hellhounds drop hard clue scrolls at a 1/64 rate (1/32 in Wilderness with an imbued ring of wealth).
- AFK Potential: With safe spots, you can minimize effort while the cannon does the work.
- XP Gains: Ideal for boosting Slayer and combat stats efficiently.
Top Location Stronghold Slayer Cave
The Stronghold Slayer Cave, located in the Tree Gnome Stronghold, is hands-down the best place to cannon hellhounds in OSRS. This Slayer-only dungeon is packed with hellhounds, offers safe spots, and allows cannon placement, making it perfect for maximizing efficiency.
Why Choose Stronghold Slayer Cave?
Here’s why this cave stands out:
- High Hellhound Density: Four rooms with 3-4 hellhounds each ensure constant cannon targets.
- Safe Spots: Corridors and obstacles let you avoid melee damage.
- Cannon Efficiency: The layout allows your cannon to hit multiple hellhounds, sometimes even double-hitting.
- Proximity to Nieve/Steve: The Slayer master is right outside, perfect for grabbing new tasks.
- Bank Access: Nearby banks in the Gnome Stronghold make restocking easy.
How to Get There
To reach the Stronghold Slayer Cave:
- Teleport to the Tree Gnome Stronghold using a Spirit Tree or Gnome Glider.
- Head to the cave entrance near Nieve/Steve, west of the Grand Tree.
- Enter the cave and run south to the hellhound rooms.
Tip: Bring an anti-poison potion if you’re passing through spider areas to avoid poison damage.
Optimal Cannon Placement and Safe Spots
Positioning your cannon correctly in the Stronghold Slayer Cave is crucial for maximizing kills. The northeastern room is the go-to spot for most players due to its layout and hellhound spawns.
Best Cannon Spot
Place your cannon in the middle of the northeastern hellhound room, specifically on the light-colored tile surrounded by darker ones. This spot ensures your cannon hits all spawns in the room, often landing double hits on hellhounds that occupy 2×2 spaces.
Steps for Setup:
- Enter the northeastern room.
- Place the cannon on the central light tile.
- Stand in the nearby corridor to avoid aggro.
- Turn off auto-retaliate to prevent engaging hellhounds directly.
Safe Spot Strategy
Once your cannon is set, stand in the corridor connecting the northeastern room to another hellhound area. This keeps you out of melee range while your cannon fires. If hellhounds stop taking hits, reposition slightly to ensure the cannon’s range covers them.
Pro Tip: Use the Expeditious Bracelet to speed up tasks. It has a 25% chance to count one kill as two toward your Slayer task, saving time.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Cannon Location | Northeastern room, central light tile |
| Safe Spot | Corridor outside the room |
| Recommended Gear | Slayer helm (i), Proselyte armor, Bandos chestplate |
| Inventory | 2000 cannonballs, prayer potions, super sets, sharks |
Gear and Inventory Setup
Your gear and inventory can make or break your hellhound task. Since hellhounds only use melee attacks, Protect from Melee and prayer-boosting gear are key for sustained trips.
Melee Setup
Melee is the most effective for cannoning due to high DPS and cannon accuracy scaling with melee stats. Here’s a recommended setup:
- Head: Slayer helmet (i) for task bonus; Armadyl helmet off-task.
- Neck: Amulet of torture or fury for strength boosts.
- Chest: Bandos chestplate or fighter torso for strength.
- Legs: Bandos tassets or dragon platelegs for balance.
- Weapon: Abyssal whip, Saradomin godsword, or scythe of Vitur (if affordable).
- Shield: Dragon defender for offense; rune defender as budget option.
- Gloves: Ferocious gloves or Barrows gloves.
- Boots: Primordial or dragon boots.
- Ring: Berserker ring (i) or Ultor ring for strength.
Prayer Setup
For longer trips, prioritize prayer bonuses:
- Chest: Proselyte hauberk.
- Legs: Proselyte cuisse.
- Boots: Holy sandals or boots.
- Weapon: Saradomin godsword for prayer restore on special attack.
Note: Prayer flicking Piety or Protect from Melee can save potions but requires focus.
Inventory Recommendations
- 2000 Cannonballs: Enough for a full task.
- Prayer Potions (4-6): Sustain Protect from Melee.
- Super Combat Potions (2): Boost melee stats.
- Sharks (10-15): Emergency food for mistakes.
- Holy Wrench: Increases prayer potion efficiency.
- Teleport: Gnome Stronghold or house teleport for quick banking.
Alternative Locations and Strategies
While the Stronghold Slayer Cave is the best, other locations can work depending on your goals. Here’s a breakdown of alternatives and when to use them.
Catacombs of Kourend
Pros:
- Multicombat area allows AFK training with Protect from Melee.
- Drops ancient shards and dark totem pieces for Skotizo.
- Easy aggression reset by running past the altar.
Cons:
- No cannon allowed, slowing kills.
- Less efficient for clue scroll farming.
When to Use: Choose this for AFK training or if you’re hunting Catacombs-specific drops.
Taverley Dungeon
Pros:
- 13 hellhound spawns for decent density.
- Safe spots behind rocks for ranged or magic.
- Cannon allowed for faster kills.
Cons:
- Longer travel time compared to Stronghold.
- Spiders can poison you without protection.
When to Use: Good for nostalgia or if Stronghold is crowded.
Wilderness Slayer Cave
Pros:
- Five stronger hellhounds with better smouldering stone drop rates (50% boost).
- Imbued ring of wealth doubles clue scroll drop rate (1/32).
- Access to Wilderness loot table for extra profit.
Cons:
- High PK risk; only bring gear you’re willing to lose.
- Multicombat area requires caution.
When to Use: Ideal for high-risk, high-reward clue scroll farming with a scout alt to check for PKers.
Cerberus for High-Level Players
If you have 91 Slayer, you can kill Cerberus instead of regular hellhounds. This boss offers over 2M GP/hour and counts toward your task, but it’s not cannonable and requires high-end gear (spectral spirit shield, scythe of Vitur recommended).
When to Use: Best for profit-focused players with the stats and gear to handle Cerberus.
By sticking to the Stronghold Slayer Cave and optimizing your cannon placement, gear, and inventory, you’ll blaze through hellhound tasks with ease. Whether you’re chasing XP, clue scrolls, or just want a quick task, this setup delivers. Happy slaying!
