The Guardians of the Rift mini-game in OSRS is a great way to gain Runecrafting experience and earn unique rewards by assisting the Great Guardian.
The Runecraft skill is notoriously one of the most difficult skills to improve in Old School RuneScape (OSRS).
However, the Guardians of the Rift mini-game has made it easier for you to earn Runecrafting experience. As long as you fulfil the requirements, take the right items, and understand the gameplay involved, you can earn regular and unique rewards from the Guardian.
The Runecraft skill in OSRS
The Runecraft ability in OSRS is well-known by loyal players as one of the most tedious and difficult skills to improve while you are playing the game. When players train this ability, they can craft their own runes for magic spells, but the experience you earn from making these runes is quite little, which is why it takes so long to increase your skill level.
However, it is important to increase this talent regardless of the time and effort it takes, because there is content that is locked behind certain levels of the Runecrafting skill.
OSRS: Guardians of the Rift
The Guardians of the Rift mini-game was released as part of an OSRS update on 23 March 2022. It offers a more effective way for players to level up their Runecrafting talent . This mini-game takes place in the Temple of the Eye and you automatically enter the game when you have completed the Temple of Eye quest.
The storyline of the game requires that you help The Great Guardian close a rift that has opened in the Temple, called The Scar. You help the Guardian by supplying it with stones and protecting it from the monsters that enter through the rift from the Abyssal Space.
There are a few aspects of the Guardians of the Rift mini-game that you have to consider before you start playing. The main aspects include:
| Aspect of the game | Summary |
| The requirements | These are the minimum skill requirements and quests that you should have completed, as well as the armour and items that help you in the game. |
| The gameplay | This is what you can expect when you start playing and how the game works. |
| The rewards | These are the possible rewards you can receive once you have played the game a few times. |
The requirements for Guardians of the Rift
To play the Guardians of the Rift, you need to have completed the Temple of the Eye quest and have at least level 27 of the Runecrafting talent. There are also several items you should bring in your inventory and armour that will help you throughout the game, such as:
| What you need | Explanation |
| Armour | The graceful outfit can help you in your first play with extra stamina and energy, but the Varrock armour can give you extra Guardian fragments or more essence when you are mining. |
| Pickaxe | A pickaxe with a minimum of 40 attack and 41 mining is best for this game and a dragon pickaxe can help if you are moving through your crystal pickaxes too quickly. |
You also need pouches and a chisel to mine and store your essence.
The gameplay in Guardians of the Rift
As soon as the game starts you can mine the Guardians remains, which can then be turned into Guardian essence at the workbench. While you are at the workbench, you can collect uncharged cells from a nearby table.
There are weak, medium, and overcharged cells all of which can be imbued at the Altars. The Fire, Blood, and Death altars produce overcharged cells that create stronger rift Guardians at the workbench.
There are Elemental and Catalytic Guardians who can transport you to their corresponding altars, where you can craft Guardian stones. These stones can then be placed on the Great Guardian’s rock to charge it further.
The rewards you can get from Guardians of the Rift
After the game has ended, you will be rewarded with Catalytic and Elemental points, based on your performance in the game. You can then use your earned points to search the rift through the Guardian.
The Guardian can award you regular loot, such as runes and talismans, but it can also reward you with unique rewards such as the Abyssal Needle, Abyssal Lantern, special talismans, Abyssal Dye, and the Abyssal Protector. Furthermore, you can earn Abyssal Pearls that can be used as a currency.