Poisoned Fish Food OSRS A Comprehensive Guide

Poisoned Fish Food OSRS A Comprehensive Guide

In the vibrant world of Old School RuneScape (OSRS), quest items often hold the key to unlocking intriguing storylines and rewards. One such item is poisoned fish food, a seemingly innocuous object with a critical role in the Ernest the Chicken quest and a cameo in Crack the Clue III. This blog post dives deep into everything you need to know about poisoned fish food in OSRS, from its creation to its uses, tips for efficient questing, and its place in the game’s lore. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a newcomer, this guide will help you master this quest item and optimize your gameplay.

Poisoned fish food is a quest-specific item in OSRS, primarily used during the Ernest the Chicken quest, with a minor role in the Crack the Clue III hint. It’s created by combining fish food and poison, both found within Draynor Manor. This item is non-tradeable, non-equipable, and serves a singular purpose: to kill the piranhas in a fountain to retrieve a vital quest item, the pressure gauge.

Key Characteristics of Poisoned Fish Food

  • Weight: 0.03 kg
  • Examine Text: “This isn’t good for fish.”
  • Tradeable: No
  • Bankable: Yes
  • Destroy: “You’ll have to make more in Draynor Manor.”

These attributes highlight its role as a quest-exclusive item, designed to be used and discarded within the context of specific tasks.

How to Obtain Poisoned Fish Food

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Crafting poisoned fish food is straightforward but requires careful navigation of Draynor Manor. Here’s a step-by-step guide to obtaining and creating this item.

Step 1: Finding Fish Food

Fish food spawns on the second floor (first floor in UK terminology) of Draynor Manor, in a room containing level 36 ghosts. To locate it:

  1. Enter Draynor Manor through the front door.
  2. Climb the main staircase to the second floor.
  3. Search the room with ghosts to pick up the fish food. Be cautious if you’re a low-level player, as the ghosts can be aggressive.

Tip: If you’re worried about combat, bring basic armor or food to mitigate damage from the ghosts.

Step 2: Acquiring Poison

The poison is located in the Witch’s pantry on the ground floor of Draynor Manor. To find it:

  1. From the manor’s entrance, head to the kitchen area (southwest side).
  2. Search the shelves in the pantry to obtain the poison.

Note: The poison is a separate item from the fish food and must be combined to create poisoned fish food.

Step 3: Combining the Items

Once you have both items in your inventory:

  • Use the poison on the fish food (or vice versa).
  • This action creates the poisoned fish food, ready for use in the quest.

Pro Tip: Double-check your inventory before leaving the manor to ensure you’ve crafted the poisoned fish food, as you’ll need it for the next step.

Using Poisoned Fish Food in Ernest the Chicken Quest

The primary use of poisoned fish food is in the Ernest the Chicken quest, a beginner-friendly quest set in Draynor Manor. The quest revolves around helping Professor Oddenstein retrieve parts to fix a machine and turn Ernest back into a human from his current chicken form.

Purpose in the Quest

The poisoned fish food is used to kill the piranhas in a fountain located in the manor’s southwest grounds. This allows you to safely retrieve the pressure gauge, one of three items needed to complete the quest. Here’s how to use it:

  1. Exit Draynor Manor through the back door.
  2. Locate the fountain in the southwest corner of the manor grounds.
  3. Use the poisoned fish food on the fountain to kill the piranhas.
  4. Search the fountain to retrieve the pressure gauge.

Caution: If you attempt to search the fountain without killing the piranhas, you’ll take damage. Always use the poisoned fish food first.

Quest Context and Importance

The pressure gauge is essential to repair Professor Oddenstein’s machine, alongside a rubber tube and an oil can. The poisoned fish food’s role is pivotal, as it’s the only way to access the gauge without external tools or high-level skills. This makes it a critical step for free-to-play (F2P) players and ironmen tackling the quest.

Poisoned Fish Food in Crack the Clue III

Beyond Ernest the Chicken, poisoned fish food has a minor role in Crack the Clue III, a community-driven treasure hunt in OSRS. In this context, it serves as part of a clue step, requiring players to recreate the item as they did in the quest.

How It’s Used

In Crack the Clue III, players combine fish food and poison to create poisoned fish food, mirroring the process from Ernest the Chicken. The exact purpose varies depending on the clue’s progression, but it often ties into revisiting Draynor Manor or interacting with quest-related items.

Tips for Crack the Clue III

  • Revisit Draynor Manor: Ensure you know the spawn locations for fish food and poison to save time.
  • Check Clue Guides: Community resources like the OSRS Wiki or Reddit threads can clarify the specific step involving poisoned fish food.
  • Be Patient: Crack the Clue events are complex, so expect trial and error.

Tips and Tricks for Efficient Questing with Poisoned Fish Food

To streamline your experience with poisoned fish food and the associated quests, consider these strategies:

Preparation for Low-Level Players

If you’re a low-level player tackling Ernest the Chicken, Draynor Manor can be intimidating due to aggressive NPCs like ghosts and skeletons. Here’s how to prepare:

  • Bring Food: Low-level foods like shrimp or trout can help you survive hits from ghosts (level 36).
  • Use Safe Spots: When grabbing fish food, lure ghosts to a doorway to avoid prolonged combat.
  • Quest Helper Plugin: If you use Runelite, the Quest Helper Plugin highlights item locations and quest steps, making navigation easier.

Ironman Considerations

For ironmen, poisoned fish food is a must since you can’t buy it or rely on others. Fortunately, all components are obtainable within Draynor Manor, making it accessible for F2P and P2P ironmen alike. To optimize:

  • Combine gathering all quest items (fish food, poison, spade, etc.) in one trip to minimize time spent in the manor.
  • Bank the pressure gauge after retrieving it to avoid losing it if you die.

Fun Facts and Lore

Poisoned fish food adds a darkly humorous touch to OSRS’s quirky lore. The item’s examine text, “This isn’t good for fish,” underscores the game’s playful tone. Additionally, the Wise Old Man in Draynor Village will buy poisoned fish food for 1 coin, a nod to his eccentric collecting habits.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

While using poisoned fish food is simple, players can encounter pitfalls. Here’s a table summarizing common mistakes and solutions:

Mistake Consequence Solution
Searching fountain without using poisoned fish food Taking damage from piranhas Always use poisoned fish food on the fountain first
Failing to combine poison and fish food Inability to kill piranhas Use one item on the other in your inventory
Getting attacked by ghosts Potential death for low-level players Bring food or use safe spots

Additional Notes

Interestingly, even after killing the piranhas, you can continue to feed them fish food or poisoned fish food, and they’ll “eat” it despite being dead—a quirky bug or intentional feature in the game.

In conclusion, poisoned fish food is a small but essential part of OSRS’s Ernest the Chicken quest and Crack the Clue III. By understanding how to obtain, create, and use it effectively, you can breeze through these tasks and enjoy the game’s charming narrative. Whether you’re questing for the first time or revisiting Draynor Manor, this guide equips you with the knowledge to succeed. Happy adventuring!