OSRS Enchanting Ruby Bolts A Comprehensive Guide
In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), enchanting ruby bolts is a powerful way to enhance your ranged combat, especially against high-hitpoint enemies. Ruby bolts (e) come with the unique Blood Forfeit effect, making them a go-to choice for bossing and PvP. This guide dives into everything you need to know about crafting, enchanting, and using ruby bolts effectively, optimized for both new and veteran players looking to maximize their gameplay.
Before you can enchant ruby bolts, you need to craft them. This process involves Fletching and access to specific materials. Ruby bolts are adamant bolts tipped with ruby bolt tips, requiring a decent Fletching level to create.
Materials Needed for Ruby Bolts
To craft ruby bolts, gather the following items:
- Adamant bolts: Purchase from the Grand Exchange or craft with 73 Smithing.
- Ruby bolt tips: Made by using a chisel on a cut ruby (requires 63 Fletching).
- Feathers: Easily obtained from chickens or the Grand Exchange.
Fletching Requirements
Crafting ruby bolts requires 63 Fletching. Each bolt grants 6.3 Fletching experience, making it a decent training method if you’re also looking to level up this skill. Combine 10 adamant bolts with 10 ruby bolt tips to create 10 ruby bolts.
Tips for Efficient Crafting
To streamline the process:
- Buy rubies in bulk from the Grand Exchange to cut into bolt tips.
- Use a bank preset to quickly withdraw adamant bolts, rubies, and a chisel.
- Craft near a bank, like in Lumbridge or Varrock, to minimize travel time.
- 1 blood rune
- 1 cosmic rune
- 5 fire runes
Enchanting Ruby Bolts The Magic Touch
Once you have ruby bolts, the next step is enchanting them into ruby bolts (e) using the Enchant Crossbow Bolt (Ruby) spell. This adds the Blood Forfeit effect, which can deal significant damage based on your target’s hitpoints.
Magic Level and Runes Required
Enchanting ruby bolts requires level 49 Magic. The spell enchants 10 bolts per cast and uses:
Stock up on these runes, as enchanting large quantities can burn through them quickly.
How to Enchant Ruby Bolts
Follow these steps to enchant:
- Open your spellbook and locate the Enchant Crossbow Bolt (Ruby) spell.
- Ensure you have ruby bolts in your inventory.
- Cast the spell to enchant 10 bolts at a time.
- For faster enchanting, hold the spacebar and rapidly click the spell to cast every tick, boosting experience rates.
Experience and Cost Breakdown
Enchanting ruby bolts grants 59 Magic experience per cast (for 10 bolts). At level 49 Magic, you can achieve around 324,500 XP per hour if you optimize your clicks, though this method is costly. Here’s a quick cost overview:
| Item | Approximate Cost (GP) |
|---|---|
| Blood rune | 400 |
| Cosmic rune | 100 |
| Fire rune (5) | 20 |
| Ruby bolts (10) | 1,500 |
| Total per cast | ~2,020 |
Prices fluctuate, so check the Grand Exchange for real-time costs.
The Blood Forfeit Effect Explained
The defining feature of ruby bolts (e) is their Blood Forfeit effect, which makes them devastating against high-health targets. Understanding how it works is key to using them effectively.
How Blood Forfeit Works
When activated, Blood Forfeit deals damage equal to 20% of the target’s current hitpoints, capped at 100 damage. However, it costs 10% of your current hitpoints and won’t trigger if you’re below 10 HP. The effect has:
- 6% activation chance in PvM (6.6% with Hard Kandarin Diary).
- 11% activation chance in PvP (12.1% with Hard Kandarin Diary).
A distinctive shrieking sound plays when the effect triggers, alerting you to the proc.
Best Scenarios for Blood Forfeit
Ruby bolts (e) shine against enemies with high hitpoints, such as:
- Bosses: Vorkath, Nex, Kree’arra, and Commander Zilyana.
- Monsters: Black dragons or other high-HP Slayer targets.
- PvP: High-health opponents in the Wilderness or Duel Arena.
They’re less effective against low-HP targets, as the effect may deal less damage than a regular hit.
Enhancing Blood Forfeit with Crossbows
The Zaryte crossbow boosts Blood Forfeit’s damage by 10%, increasing the cap to 110 damage. Its special attack guarantees the effect (if the hit lands), making it a deadly combo. The Armadyl crossbow doubles the activation chance for one shot, offering another strategic option.
Strategic Uses of Ruby Bolts (e)
Ruby bolts (e) aren’t just about raw damage—they require thoughtful use to maximize their potential. Here’s how to integrate them into your combat strategy.
Bossing with Ruby Bolts
For bosses like Vorkath or Nex, ruby bolts (e) are often used in the early phases when their hitpoints are high. Switch to diamond bolts (e) or another type once the boss’s HP drops to avoid wasting the Blood Forfeit effect. A sample setup might include:
- Weapon: Zaryte or Armadyl crossbow.
- Ammo: Start with ruby bolts (e), switch to diamond bolts (e).
- Gear: Elite Void or Armadyl armor for ranged accuracy.
PvP Applications
In PvP, ruby bolts (e) excel against tanky opponents. Their 11% (or 12.1%) activation chance can chunk enemies, especially when paired with high-accuracy gear. Be cautious of your own HP, as the 10% self-damage can be risky in heated fights.
Slayer and Training
While ruby bolts (e) are expensive for Slayer, they’re viable for high-HP tasks like black dragons. For general training, cheaper bolts like broad or diamond bolts are more cost-effective, reserving ruby bolts for specific scenarios.
Tips for Maximizing Efficiency
To get the most out of ruby bolts (e), consider these practical tips to save time, money, and effort.
Cost-Saving Strategies
Enchanting and using ruby bolts can be pricey, so try these:
- Buy in bulk: Purchase runes and bolts during market dips.
- Craft your own: Cut rubies and smith adamant bolts to reduce costs.
- Use sparingly: Reserve ruby bolts (e) for high-HP targets to avoid wasting them.
Boosting Activation Chances
Complete the Hard Kandarin Diary to increase the Blood Forfeit activation rate (6.6% PvM, 12.1% PvP). This small boost can make a big difference over long fights.
Inventory Management
When bossing or in PvP, carry multiple bolt types to switch as needed. Use hotkeys to quickly swap ammo, ensuring you’re always using the optimal bolt for the situation.
Enchanting ruby bolts in OSRS is a rewarding process that opens up powerful combat options, especially for bossing and PvP. By mastering the crafting and enchanting steps, understanding the Blood Forfeit effect, and using them strategically, you can elevate your ranged game to new heights. Whether you’re taking down Vorkath or dominating in the Wilderness, ruby bolts (e) are a versatile tool in any ranger’s arsenal. Start crafting today, and see how these bolts can transform your gameplay!