Grotesque Guardians OSRS Setup and Strategy Guide

You ever stare up at the Slayer Tower and think, man, those gargoyles look mean? Well, let me tell you, the Grotesque Guardians up on the roof are no joke. Ive spent way too many hours up there, smashing stone wings and dodging lightning bolts. As someone whos racked up over 500 kills on these bad boys, I can say theyre a solid mid-game boss. Not too punishing if you know your stuff, but ignore the mechanics and youll be banking for your gear real quick. Today, were diving deep into setups, strategies, and all the little tricks that turned my trips from frustrating to profitable. Stick around, because by the end, youll be ready to ring that Cloister Bell like a pro.

Picture this: two massive gargoyles, Dusk and Dawn, perched on the Slayer Towers rooftop. Dusk is the melee brute, all crush attacks and ground pounds. Dawn? Shes the flyer, raining arrows from above. They team up in a three-phase fight thats equal parts puzzle and punch-up. You need 75 Slayer to even get a shot at them, and honestly, thats the bare minimum. I remember my first task back in 2021, fresh off a bunch of regular gargoyles. Thought Id breeze through. Nope. Died twice before I even figured out the phases.

These guys drop decent loot too. Average kill nets you around 71k GP, with chances at the Noon pet thats adorable in a creepy way. Plus, alchables and herbs to keep your bank happy. But heres the kicker: you gotta get a brittle key from normal gargoyles first. One in 150 chance, so stock up while grinding those tasks.

Why bother? Slayer XP is juicy, and they count as two kills for your task if you grab the Double Trouble unlock. Ive used them to push my Slayer from 85 to 92 without breaking a sweat. Or at least, without too much sweat.

Requirements and Recommended Stats to Tackle Them

Before you gear up, lets talk basics. You cant just waltz in with a bronze sword. Minimum? 75 Slayer, obviously. But trust me, skimping on stats makes it a slog.

Heres what I recommend based on my own grinds:

• Attack and Strength: 80+ For solid DPS on Dusk. I was at 78 when I started, and it took forever to burst him down.
• Defence: 75+ To survive the hits, especially in phase three.
• Ranged: 75+ Dawn doesnt mess around with those arrows.
• Prayer: 70+ Rigour or Piety will save your potions.
• Hitpoints: 70+ Obvious, right? You dont want to crumple after one combo.

Quests? Making Friends with My Arm helps for the imbued heart, but its not mandatory. And dont forget the rock hammer. Without it, these guys turn to dust at low HP, and youre left swinging air.

Ever wonder if lower stats work? Yeah, they do, but expect longer fights and more food guzzled. I pushed through at 75 everything once for a challenge run. Lasted three kills before I said screw it and leveled up.

Gear Setups – From Budget to Baller

Gear is where it gets fun. Or expensive, depending on your bank. Ive run everything from Veracs to full BiS, and let me tell you, the difference in kill times is night and day. Well break it down in tiers, with tables for easy scanning. Focus on melee for Dusk, ranged switches for Dawn, and prayer flicking to stretch those pots.

Budget Setup (Under 1M GP Total)

This is what I rocked early on. Cheap, effective, and forgiving if you mess up a mechanic. Aim for 3-4 kills per trip.

Switches: Blowpipe for Dawn, maybe a godsword spec for burst. I died once forgetting my rock hammer here. Lesson learned: always double-check inventory.

Mid-Tier Setup (5-10M GP)

Now were talking. This got me to 6-8 kills per trip. Upgraded from budget after a good Vorkath haul.

Personal tip: Grab the Salve amulet switch for undead bonus. Gargoyles are undead, remember? Shaved 20 seconds off my kills.

Best-in-Slot Setup (50M+ GP)

Max efficiency, 10+ kills per trip. This is what I save for long slayer grinds now. Venator bow for Dawn? Chef’s kiss.

Ranged switch: Eclipse Atlatl + Venator bow. I farmed this setup over months, but man, the 53-second kills? Worth every second.

Inventory wise, pack 4-6 prayer pots, sharks or anglerfish, and super restores if youre flicking hard. I always bring a looting bag now. Game-changer for alchs.

Step-by-Step Strategy – Phase by Phase

Alright, gear on, pots sipped. Time to fight. The arenas small, so positioning matters. Ive wiped more times to bad footing than bad hits.

Phase 1: Luring Dusk and Chipping Dawn

Start by ringing the Cloister Bell. Dusk charges, Dawn hovers. Protect from Melee, pray Piety, and lure Dusk to the northeast corner. Trap him against the wall tiles. Why? He cant path to you, so you free-attack Dawn with ranged.

• Click her fast; shes squishy.
• Watch for energy orbs. Click em before they hit her, or she heals.
• Out-DPS the heals with 90+ ranged? Easy 75% success rate.

I botched this my first ten kills. Kept getting smashed while fumbling the lure. Practice on regular gargoyles first. Question: How do you know the traps working? Dusk just stands there, fuming.

This phase ends when Dusk breaks free or Dawn drops low. Burst her with specs if you can.

Phase 2: Lightning Storm Survival

Oh boy, the fun part. Both guardians channel lightning. Floor tiles glow orange and purple. Run like hell to safe spots. No glow? Safe.

• Dodge marked tiles.
• Keep protect on melee.
• Chip away at whoever you can reach.

Short para: Its chaotic. But get it down, and youre golden.

Longer story: I once stood still during a storm, thinking purple was safe. 40 damage later, Im chugging sharks. Now I count tiles obsessively. Pro tip: Use tile markers from YouTube overlays. Makes it braindead easy.

Transition: They pause, then phase three kicks in.

Phase 3: Super Dusk Showdown

Dawn dies, Dusk absorbs her. Now hes melee AND ranged. Stats boost, health stays. Worst? The flame prison. He grabs you, traps you in fire. Click edges to escape, or eat massive damage that heals him.

• Protect from Ranged now.
• Lure him back to corner if possible.
• Flick Rigour for DPS.

Ever escape a prison wrong? Feels like eternity. I did at 200 KC, lost a trip. Now I practice escapes in safe mode. End him quick; specs help.

Common Mistakes and How I Learned the Hard Way

Everyone screws up. Me? Plenty. Heres a list to avoid my pain:

• Forgetting the hammer: Auto-smash at low HP. No hammer? No kill.
• Prayer mismanagement: Flick wrong, pots vanish. I ran dry mid-phase three once.
• Ignoring orbs: Dawn heals 10k HP. Click em!
• Bad lures: Dusk paths free, youre dead.
• Inactivity kick: Five minutes idle? Booted. Ring the bell.

Question: Still dying a lot? Answer: Gear up and watch a guide video. Visuals beat words.

From my experience, the prison escape trips people most. Practice positioning. Ive turned 50 KC disasters into 500 KC smooth sails.

Inventory Essentials and Trip Tips

Pack smart. Heres my go-to:

1. 1 Rock Hammer (duh).
2. 4-5 Prayer Potions (4s).
3. 8-10 Sharks/Anglerfish.
4. Super Restore (for flicks).
5. Looting Bag.
6. Rune Pouch (if maging tele).
7. Dusty Key (wait, no, brittle key already used).
8. Emergency tele: Morytania legs or glory.

Trips last 6-10 kills with good flicks. Bank at Canifis, restock. I hop worlds for less lag up top.

Small para: Food choice? Anglers for high HP, sharks for space.

Longer: Early days, Id overpack food, underpack pots. Wasted inventory. Now, I sip efficiently. Brews if youre fancy, but restores keep stats high.

Rewards That Make It Worth the Grind

Loot tables solid. Herbs, seeds, alchs. That 71k average? From rune items and dust drops. Pet chance? 1/5,000. I got Noon at 300 KC. Screamed in Discord.

Table of notables:

GP per hour? 1.5-2M with BiS. Not Vorkath rich, but steady for Slayer.

Why Grotesque Guardians Rock for Mid-Game Players

Look, bosses like this keep OSRS fresh. Theyre accessible yet challenging. Ive mained Slayer for years, and these guys bridge the gap to endgame. Plus, that lore tie-in with the Dorgeshuun goblins? Cool beans.

Wrapping up, grab your key, setup your gear, and head to the roof. Youll smash it. Got questions on switches? Drop em below. Whats your worst boss death story? Mine involves a lightning tile and tears.

There you have it. Go get that pet.