Instance
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An instance is a special area, typically a quest area, that generates a new copy of the location for each player or group that enters the area. Players cannot see other players in instanced areas unless it's a group instanced area—in which case, the group cannot see any other groups.
Instanced areas can occur in entirely new areas that cannot be accessed without the instance or in areas that are normally not instanced. Most non-quest boss instances will require the player to pay a specific sum of money or have an item in their inventory to access the instance.
Items dropped in an instance will generally last for up to three hours,[1] which includes those dropped by either a player or monster.
Generally, dying in an instance will result in all unkept items being stored in a gravestone, located just outside the instance.
Logging out whilst inside a private instance will kick the player out of the private instance, and upon the next log-in, the player will be outside of the private instance area.
Examples of instanced areas
- Many quest areas:
- Varrock stone table area at the end of the Demon Slayer quest
- The lower levels of the Elemental Workshop
- Dream World
- The boss section of Kruk's Dungeon and Crash Site Cavern with Kruk and Glough respectively
- The Underground Pass quest -- group instance
- Several Minigame locations:
Boss instances
Some bosses have an instance option (sometimes called "custom session" or "custom encounter"), which may have a setup or entrance cost (coins or an item). Instances also share the requirements of the boss. The cost varies per instance and is shown below. Some instances offer an Item Retrieval Service, should the player leave such instances by death.
| Boss | Access location | Cost | Item Recovery[a] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scurrius | Broken bars east of the Varrock Sewers entrance | Free | Grave by Historian Aldo | At the broken bars, select the "Climb-through (private)" option. |
| Zulrah | At his shrine east of Zul-Andra | Free | Free from Priestess Zul-Gwenwynig until 50kc, 100,000 after (free for UIMs) | |
| Skotizo | Centre of the Catacombs of Kourend | Dark totem
|
Grave outside the altar in the Catacombs of Kourend | Use a dark totem on the altar found in the centre of the Catacombs of Kourend. |
| Kraken | Kraken Cove | 25,000 | Grave outside the crevice | At the crevice due north, select the "Private Crevice" option. |
| King Black Dragon | King Black Dragon Lair | 50,000 | Grave beside the Lava Maze Dungeon's lever | Go down the ladder at the Lava Maze entrance and select the "Private Lever" option. |
| Corporeal Beast | At the private portal in Corporeal Beast Lair | 200,000 | Grave by the private portal | A captain rank or higher in a clan chat can pay the instance cost for the clan, and any clan member can enter once the instance is open. Items appear in a grave by the private portal upon death. |
| Obor | Gates at the western wall of the hill giant area in Edgeville Dungeon | Free | Grave by the entrance to Obor's lair | |
| Bryophyta | Gates just north of the moss giant area in the Varrock Sewers | Free | Grave by the entrance to Bryophyta's lair | |
| Royal Titans | Asgarnian Ice Dungeon | Free | Grave outside the entrance | |
| Grotesque Guardians | Roof entrance outside of gargoyles in Slayer Tower |  Brittle key, only once
|
50,000 from the nearby magical chest | Players need to obtain a brittle key from gargoyles only while on a Slayer task, which grants permanant access to the Slayer Tower's rooftop. |
| Vorkath | Ungael | Free | 100,000 from Torfinn | Although encountered during Dragon Slayer II, players need to complete said quest to battle a stronger variant of Vorkath. |
| Alchemical Hydra | Karuulm Slayer Dungeon | Free | 100,000 from Orrvor quo Maten | Climb over the small obstacle next to Orrvor quo Maten. |
| Hespori | Farming Guild |  Hespori seed, per successful kill only
|
25,000 from Arno | Instance is created upon attempting to harvest Hespori. |
| The Mimic | Upstairs in Watson's house in Hosidius |  Mimic casket
|
90,000 from the Strange casket | |
| General Graardor | Outside boss entry door | 75,000 to 150,000 depending on Combat Achievements task set completed | Requires appropriate kill count or ecumenical key, along with reaching hard tier of combat achievements | |
| Kree'arra | Outside boss entry door | 75,000 to 150,000 depending on Combat Achievements task set completed | Requires appropriate kill count or ecumenical key, along with reaching hard tier of combat achievements | |
| Commander Zilyana | Outside boss entry door | 75,000 to 150,000 depending on Combat Achievements task set completed | Requires appropriate kill count or ecumenical key, along with reaching hard tier of combat achievements | |
| K'ril Tsutsaroth | Outside boss entry door | 75,000 to 150,000 depending on Combat Achievements task set completed | Requires appropriate kill count or ecumenical key, along with reaching hard tier of combat achievements | |
| Nex | Outside boss entry door | 100,000 | Chest in the first room of the Ancient Prison/bank lobby, 100,000 | Requires appropriate kill count or ecumenical key, along with reaching hard tier of combat achievements |
| Chambers of Xeric | Mount Quidamortem | Free | N/A | A party must be formed via Friends Chat with an eligible rank, capped at 100 players |
| Theatre of Blood | Ver Sinhaza | Free | 100,000, from a chest in Ver Sinhaza | A party must be formed via message board in centre of Ver Sinhaza, capped at 5 players |
| The Nightmare | Sisterhood Sanctuary, interact with Nightmare | Free | 60,000, items held by Shura | Up to 100 players max |
| Phosani's Nightmare | Sisterhood Sanctuary, interact with Pool of Nightmares | Free | 60,000, items held by Sister Senga | One player max |
| Tombs of Amascut | Jaltevas Pyramid | Free | Chest in the lobby area, normal death fees apply if limited attempt invocations are active | A party must be formed via obelisk in pyramid, capped at 8 players |
| Fortis Colosseum | Civitas illa Fortis | Free | Grave in the entry area, normal death fees apply | N/A |
| The Hueycoatl | Meeting flag in the entry area on The Darkfrost | 50,000 (25,000 with Hard Combat Achievements tier unlocked) | Grave in the entry area, normal death fees apply | Up to 20 players max |
| Yama | Chasm of Fire | Free | Grave by Voice of Yama, normal death fees apply | Completion of A Kingdom Divided is required to access Yama, capped at 2 players |
| Doom of Mokhaiotl | Ruins of Mokhaiotl | Free | Grave outside instance entrance, normal death fees apply | Completion of The Final Dawn is required to access the Doom, one player only |
| Brutus | Lumbridge cow field | Free | Grave outside instance entrance, normal death fees apply | Completion of The Ides of Milk is required to access Brutus, one player only |
| Sarachnis | Thick Web in the Forthos Dungeon | 25,000 (12,500 with Hard Combat Achievements tier unlocked) | Grave outside instance entrance, normal death fees apply | Select the "Fight-privately" option. Players will appear just before the thick web leading into the lair. |
| Giant Mole | Spade in the north-west corner of the Falador Park | 25,000 (12,500 with Hard Combat Achievements tier unlocked) | Grave outside instance entrance, normal death fees apply |
Slayer instance-like sections
Some bosses may only be slain if on a Slayer task, namely the Kraken, Thermonuclear smoke devil, Cerberus, Abyssal Sire, Grotesque Guardians, and Alchemical Hydra. The Grotesque Guardians and the Alchemical Hydra have instances of their own, with no normal fight option being available. Cerberus and the Abyssal Sire have mechanics in place to prevent other players from attacking them, even if they are on a task. The Kraken and Thermonuclear smoke devil are exceptions in that other players can attack them if they are part of a Slayer task, although any player who doesn't have them as a Slayer task can't attack them.
Additionally, Dagannoth Kings have a Slayer lair, which is accessible on the Kings' ladder. Players who have been assigned a general Dagannoth task (or Konar's Waterbirth Island) may slay the Kings here as part of their Slayer task, working similarly to the Kraken and Thermonuclear smoke devil in that a player can't attack them if they're not assigned them, but may still enter and collect items.