OSRS Desert Treasure 2 Rings Ultimate Guide
Desert Treasure II – The Fallen Empire is one of the most ambitious quests in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), released on July 26, 2023. This grandmaster quest not only delivers intense combat and a gripping storyline but also introduces some of the game’s most powerful rewards: the Ancient Rings. These best-in-slot rings—Bellator, Magus, Ultor, and Venator—have reshaped the meta for melee, magic, and ranged combat. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about these rings, from their stats and effects to how to obtain and craft them, ensuring you can maximize their potential in your adventures across Gielinor.
Desert Treasure II is the sequel to the iconic Desert Treasure I, known for unlocking the Ancient Magicks spellbook. This follow-up quest takes players on a journey through the Kharidian Desert and beyond, facing four formidable bosses: Vardorvis, Duke Sucellus, the Leviathan, and the Whisperer. Completing the quest grants access to these bosses as repeatable encounters, each dropping unique loot, including components for the Ancient Rings. These rings are upgrades to the Fremennik Rings, offering unmatched combat bonuses that make them essential for high-level PvM and PvP.
Why the Ancient Rings Matter
The Ancient Rings stand out due to their superior stats compared to existing rings like the Berserker or Seers Ring. They cater to specific combat styles, providing significant boosts to attack and strength, making them ideal for tackling endgame content like raids or awakened boss variants. Their tradeable nature also means they’re a lucrative reward for players willing to grind the bosses.
How to Obtain the Ancient Rings
Getting your hands on an Ancient Ring requires completing Desert Treasure II and defeating its post-quest bosses. Each ring is tied to a specific boss, and crafting them involves collecting rare, untradeable vestiges and other materials. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process.
Completing Desert Treasure II
The quest itself is a beast, requiring high combat stats and skills like 75 Firemaking, 70 Thieving, and 70 Runecraft, among others. You’ll need to be on the Ancient Magicks spellbook to start, and preparation is key—stock up on combat gear, stamina potions, and teleports like the Desert Amulet or Nardah scrolls. The quest culminates in battles against the four bosses, which serve as your introduction to their mechanics.
Defeating the Forgotten Four
After the quest, you can return to fight the Forgotten Four bosses for their drops. Each boss has a unique loot table, including the vestiges needed for the rings:
- Vardorvis: Drops the Bellator Vestige (for the Bellator Ring).
- Duke Sucellus: Drops the Ultor Vestige (for the Ultor Ring).
- The Leviathan: Drops the Venator Vestige (for the Venator Ring).
- The Whisperer: Drops the Magus Vestige (for the Magus Ring).
These vestiges are untradeable, meaning you’ll need to defeat the respective boss yourself. You also need at least one kill count per boss during the quest to equip the rings later.
Crafting the Rings
Once you have a vestige, the crafting process begins. You’ll need to combine it with a Fremennik Ring icon, 500 Blood Runes, three Chromium Ingots, and a Ring Mould. This requires 90 Magic and 80 Crafting (both boostable) and must be done at a furnace after speaking to Peer the Seer. The Fremennik Ring icons come from breaking down rings dropped by the Dagannoth Kings:
- Warrior Icon: From the Warrior Ring (Rex).
- Archer Icon: From the Archer’s Ring (Supreme).
- Seers Icon: From the Seers Ring (Prime).
- Berserker Icon: From the Berserker Ring (Rex).
The final rings are tradeable, allowing you to buy or sell them on the Grand Exchange, but you must complete Desert Treasure II to wear them.
Stats and Effects of the Ancient Rings
The Ancient Rings are designed to dominate specific combat styles, offering unparalleled bonuses. Below is a detailed look at each ring’s stats and their ideal use cases.
Bellator Ring
The Bellator Ring is the melee king, specializing in slash attacks.
| Stat | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Slash Attack | +12 |
| Melee Strength | +12 |
Use Case: Perfect for weapons like the Scythe of Vitur or Blade of Saeldor, especially against bosses weak to slash, such as those in Chambers of Xeric.
Ultor Ring
The Ultor Ring focuses on melee versatility, excelling in crush attacks.
| Stat | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Crush Attack | +12 |
| Melee Strength | +12 |
Use Case: Ideal for the Inquisitor’s Mace or Elder Maul, particularly in PvP or against crush-vulnerable enemies like Vardorvis.
Magus Ring
The Magus Ring is a game-changer for mages, boosting magical accuracy and damage.
| Stat | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Magic Attack | +15 |
| Magic Damage | +2% |
Use Case: Synergizes with Ancient Magicks or powered staves like the Tumeken’s Shadow, making it a must-have for the Whisperer or Theatre of Blood.
Venator Ring
The Venator Ring enhances ranged combat with massive bonuses.
| Stat | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Ranged Attack | +10 |
| Ranged Strength | +10 |
Use Case: Boosts the Bow of Faerdhinen or Toxic Blowpipe, shining in encounters like the Leviathan or Inferno runs.
Strategies for Farming the Rings
Farming the Ancient Rings can be a grind, but with the right approach, you can increase your efficiency and profits. Here are some tips to optimize your boss runs.
Optimizing Gear and Inventory
Each boss requires tailored gear to counter their mechanics. For example:
- Vardorvis: Use high ranged defense gear and a slash weapon to dodge his axes and head attacks.
- Duke Sucellus: Bring melee gear with high crush accuracy and antipoison for his poison attacks.
- The Leviathan: Ranged setups with precise movement are key to avoiding its projectiles.
- The Whisperer: Magic or ranged gear works best, with prayer potions to sustain Protect from Magic.
Always carry stamina potions, high-healing food (like Saradomin Brews), and teleports for quick banking.
Team vs. Solo Runs
While soloing is viable for skilled players, teaming up can speed up kills, especially for learners. Group Ironmen benefit from sharing rings among teammates, as the final rings are tradeable. Coordinate roles—tanks, DPS, or healers—to handle mechanics smoothly.
Managing Dry Streaks
The vestige drop rate is speculated to improve with higher kill counts, similar to a “pity” system (e.g., less likely to get a ring at 100 KC, more likely by 1000 KC). Stay patient and track your progress. If you’re going dry, consider switching bosses to maintain morale or focus on other loot like Virtus Robes to offset costs.
Impact of Ancient Rings on the OSRS Economy
The introduction of the Ancient Rings has had a significant ripple effect on the OSRS economy, influencing both PvM and skilling markets.
Grand Exchange Prices
Since the rings are tradeable, their prices fluctuate based on supply and demand. Early after release, rings like the Ultor and Bellator fetched hundreds of millions of GP due to their melee dominance. Over time, as more players farm the bosses, prices stabilize but remain high for best-in-slot gear. Chromium Ingots and Fremennik Rings also saw price spikes due to crafting demand.
Reviving Old Content
The need for Fremennik Ring icons has revitalized Dagannoth Kings, making them a profitable mid-game activity again. Skillers also benefit from increased demand for crafting materials like Blood Runes and Gold Bars, pushing up prices for these items.
Power Creep Concerns
Some players worry about power creep, as the Ancient Rings outclass older options like the Berserker Ring. However, Jagex balanced this by locking vestiges behind high-skill boss fights and quest completion, ensuring only dedicated players can access them. The tradeable nature also allows casual players to buy them without grinding, balancing accessibility.
Key Takeaways
- Quest First: Complete Desert Treasure II to unlock boss fights and the ability to wear the rings.
- Boss-Specific Loot: Each boss drops a unique vestige for one of the four rings.
- Crafting Skills: Train 90 Magic and 80 Crafting to create the rings, or buy them on the GE.
- Combat Boosts: Choose the ring that matches your preferred combat style for maximum efficiency.
- Economic Impact: Expect high profits from selling rings or materials, but be prepared for a grind.
The Ancient Rings from Desert Treasure II are a testament to OSRS’s evolving endgame, offering both challenge and reward. Whether you’re a PvM veteran chasing best-in-slot gear or a skiller capitalizing on the economic boom, these rings are worth pursuing. Gear up, tackle the Forgotten Four, and claim your place among Gielinor’s elite!