RuneScape

March kicks off with two workshops – first Elemental Workshop IV, soon followed by the Artisan’s Workshop, home of a long-awaited Smithing update. Then there’s Bonus XP, wealthier rings, uglier trolls and singing pirates. Oh, and Rabid Jack’s minions have a dastardly new plan in A Clockwork Syringe, a master level pirate quest.

Elemental Workshop IV

The first planned updated for March is the next quest in the Elemental Workshop series, and it’s totally cosmic. Well, perhaps not ‘totally’ cosmic...because it’s chaotic too! You see, Elemental Workshop IV will not only bring with it access to the cosmic machine, but the chaos machine as well, and you’ll have to solve the puzzle of how to get both of them working again.

Follow in Vitruvius’s footsteps and get these machines online, and you’ll soon be wearing the brand new rewards that come with it – this time in the form of elemental gloves and boots. The quest series’ story also starts to come more to the fore this time, as you’ll not only learn more about what happened to Vitruvius and his apprentice, you’ll also meet the series’ first proper character...

Artisan’s Workshop

The Smithing skill will then be next in line to receive its long-awaited update. Some industrious dwarves are preparing to set up shop with an Artisan’s Workshop in south-east Falador nearby the Mining Guild. These artisans aren’t the friendliest of dwarves, but they’re willing to open up their workshop to humans, providing new training opportunities, so long as you provide your own ores...

Dwarves are ever in need of new cart track to make repairs and expand their network, so, although it’s aimed at level 1-30 Smithing, everyone is free to lend a hand here. Life as a dwarf must also be fraught with danger, as there is also a constant demand for dwarven burial armour, the creation of which is taught within the workshop’s walls, which should prove useful for anyone from levels 30-70 Smithing. Parts of these two training methods are available to free-players, though members will be able to get more out of them.

Members then gain exclusive access to two further training methods: cannon repair and ceremonial swords. Aksel in the cannon repair room would have you believe that "working with these silver beauties" is reward enough, but it’s also a decent training method for smiths of level 40 and up. The real challenge for level 70+ smiths, though, is making ceremonial swords... It’s not for everyone, as it’s a fine and precise art, but those who can master it should earn more XP working on adamant ceremonial swords than they could bashing out adamant platebodies.

There’s all sorts going on in the workshop, so while you’re busy with one of the four main training methods, keep an eye out for other opportunities to gain favour with your surly, beard-covered artisan hosts. Rewards consist of small boosts and bonuses for training in the Artisan’s Workshop, and the option to 'bling' your dwarf multicannon.

Bonus XP Weekend

If you missed the announcement newspost, the next thing coming for members in March will be our third Bonus XP Weekend. The event will run from 12pm GMT (1pm CET) on Friday 11th March until the end of Sunday 13th March, and will follow the same format as the last one (a starting multiplier of 2.7x, which decrements every 30 minutes; Summoning capped at a rate of 1.1x). For and FAQ about the event, check out the Three Cheers blog, and if you’d like to discuss it on the forums, head on over to The Next Bonus XP Weekend thread.

Ring of Wealth Update

RoW, huh, what is it good for? That’s a question open for debate, but, further on in March, we’re aiming to add a few more pluses to the positives column. That’s right, everyone’s favourite enchanted dragonstone ring, the ring of wealth, is going to start to live up to its name a little better.

For starters, there will be messages that tell you when the ring has actually done something, so there’ll be no more guesswork. There will be slight increases to the chances of receiving rare drops from popular bosses, clue scrolls and unique Slayer drops. Also, it won’t just increase your chances of gaining an item from the so-called ‘rare drop table’, but will also increase the value of a handful of standard drops on many NPCs.

The ring will also be getting some very specific benefits for things such as Pyramid Plunder, Bork, Barrows and kingly implings. Finally, it will be getting a couple of handy teleport options, and will have teleport charges added to it, which you’ll be able to recharge much like you already can with other enchanted dragonstone jewellery.

Trolls and Trollheim Graphical Improvements

March also has some graphical updates in the pipeline – this time it’s the turn of the trolls. Some of the new designs were used for the troll characters in the recent King of the Dwarves quest, but the rest of the game’s trolls (and their mountainous home) will soon be getting the same rocky new look.

A Clockwork Syringe

Barrelchests! You scabbed Captain Donnie’s picket line and stitched up Mi-Gor’s harebrained scheme, so those two are teaming up with a third of Rabid Jack’s hench-captains – a mechanic who’s going to ‘fix the problems’ (and the problem is you!). They’ve got a plan so dastardly that they’re gonna get away with it too, unless some meddling adventurer cares to step in.

Prepare for what may be the craziest pirate quest yet with home insurance claims, a hazing interrogation, ‘long drops’, vengeful seagulls, Barrel Busters and a boatload of zombio-mechanical madness. (Note: no kittens were harmed in the development of this quest.) It will be the first quest with a Dungeoneering requirement (of level 50); other requirements include Construction, Defence, Slayer, Smithing , Summoning and Thieving at levels currently ranging from 60-76.

If it’s been a while since you last got down with your inner pirate, don’t get your shanties in a bunch – a new all-singing, all-rhyming character is being added to the game to give you a colourful ‘rum’-soaked rundown of your various tales from the high seas. Keep an eye out for Bard Roberts (and his critical chum, Stanky Morgan) showing up on Mos Le’Harmless later this month.

In other news...

Some of March’s other updates will include a Fremmenik longship’s worth of tiny tweaks and gameplay improvements to the Dungeoneering skill, and graphical improvements to Lumbridge Swamp, yaks and cows.

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Mod Mark

RuneScape Lead Designer