Guide to F2P Dungeoneering for Skillers

This thread is aimed for skillers who participate in 2cb3sk floors. The goal is to teach you everything you need to know to be a helpful and efficient skiller.

I. Floors

Parties are formed and organized in the L0lf2p Friends chat. For a detailed thread on the L0lf2p Friends chat, click <this link>. Please note that it is a skiller’s responsibility to meet the Dungeoneering requirements for runs. This can be done in World 7, by asking friends, or as a last resort, by asking combatants in the L0lf2p Friends chat.

As described in the linked thread, there are 3 specific runs hosted. These runs should only be hosted by those who are confident with how the FC works.

II. Duties as a Skiller

The single most important rule for skillers is to follow instructions and requests given by the combatants. Common tasks that need to be performed include:

1. Making Law runes: This task is usually only performed in Large dungeons. After completing 1 Daemonheim task, you may choose to begin every floor with 25 rune essence (and 50 feathers + an antipoison). You can select this option by talking to the smuggler at the base. This makes it extremely easy to make Law runes for the combatants. Make 2 separate stacks of 25+ Law runes (30+ if you can), and drop them at the base.
   
2. Deliver Law runes: Occasionally, a combatant will request that Law runes are delivered to them. This will be indicated by the call “Del” or “Deliver”. Simply pick up the Law runes that have been dropped, and enter the portal. Drop them near the combatant. Should the combatant be running, get their attention by saying “Delivering” or “Del”, and drop the items as close to them as you can (or by the door they are going towards).
   
3. Opening certain doors: Sometimes, a combatant will request that a skiller opens a specific door or completes a specific puzzle. The instructions may include abbreviations. If you are unaware of what these abbreviations mean, simply ask the combatants to clarify their instructions. You can also familiarize yourself with common F2P Dungeonering lingo in the designated thread <here>.
   
4. Teleporting to a puzzle: This is usually indicated by “Gt sks”, “+1” (or “+2”/”+3”), or combinations of these terms and puzzle acronyms (e.g., "Levs", "Emotes"). To complete this task, simply enter the portal and do the puzzle. See the section on puzzles for more details.
   
5. Miners: This is called when the Stomp boss has been found. The Stomp boss spawns minable debris on the floor that blocks movement. To complete this task, enter the portal and mine the debris. You will get no experience for this. In addition to spawning debris, Stomp will also spawn power crystals, which can be safely picked up by skillers and used on the 2 lodestones in the boss room. Ideally, since the combatants can teleport to and from the lodestones with their gatestones, you should focus on mining debris unless a crystal is dropped right next to you.
   
6. End: The most important request is for skillers to end. This will be indicated by “End” or “E” (and sometimes “Gte”). To complete this task, enter the portal and click on the ladder in the boss room. It is important to save as many ticks as possible. For this reason, never run to a boss room if teleporting is faster. Additionally, always stand on the square in front of the portal so as to not waste ticks walking to it. Finally, if the ending ladder has not appeared yet (ie. boss is alive still, but you have been called to end), you should stand directly in front of the ladder and spam-click where the ladder will appear. Standing diagonally from the ladder may cause your character to get stuck, making you unable to end without moving. Note: As of May 28, 2019, there is an option to eliminate the need to hold the 1 key when ending - select "Don't ask me again" when ending for the first time. After selecting this, you will automatically end when left-clicking the ladder.
   

III. Avoiding Combat Experience
Note: An update as of March 13th, 2017 allows you to hide Attack options on NPCs (and players). This option is located under: Esc > Settings > Gameplay > Combat > Targeting > Default Attack Options > NPC Attack Options > select "Hidden" or "Right-Click" .

Note: An update as of March 27, 2023 allows you to block experience in certain skills (including combat skills). Speak to Nastroth in the Lumbridge castle courtyard to do so. This can always be toggled off later if you change your mind. Note that you will not be able to block Constitution experience from being gained, so killing NPCs may cause you to gain Constitution levels. As such, it is only advised to block combat skills to help open skill doors and complete certain puzzles. Additionally, Nastroth will be able to help you reset certain skills, with a 6 month cooldown before you can do it again.

It is important for skillers to know how to avoid combat experience. Firstly, toggle XP share off to avoid gaining unwanted experience. This can be done by clicking “XP” next to your name in a party so that the colour of the text is red. In addition to this, there are several precautions that can be taken to prevent combat experience from being gained:

1. The easiest way to prevent combat experience from being gained is to block combat skills via Nastroth (see note above). However, this does not prevent you from gaining Constitution experience accidentally, so the various precautions below may help further.
   
2. Bind a Tangle gum bow without arrows: Wielding a bow without arrows will prevent you from accidentally hitting monsters, and thus will protect you from gaining experience.
   
3. Turn auto-retaliate off: This will prevent you from hitting aggressive NPC’s back.
   
4. Do not open combat skill doors if you have not blocked combat experience: There are 3 combat skill doors you should always avoid if you haven't blocked combat experience. The first is a door giving Strength experience; this door has the “Force-bar” option. The second is a door giving Magic experience; this door has the “Dispel magical barrier” option. Finally, the Prayer door with the “Exorcise dark spirit” option should also be avoided.
   
5. Do not complete combat puzzles if you have not blocked combat experience: There are 2 specific rooms that will give additional Magic experience. The first is the Magic construct puzzle. This requires crafting a body part from stone, imbuing it, attaching it to the construct, and charging the construct with magic. Do not charge the completed construct if you have not blocked Magic experience. The first steps to craft and imbue the body part can safely be performed, however. Next is the puzzle which requires 4 coloured light sequences to be synchronized. In this puzzle, there are often lodestones that need to be activated first. Do not activate these lodestones if you have not blocked Magic experience.
   
6. Although you will probably never consider it, never imbue a staff or wand at a Runecrafting altar. This gives Magic experience.
   

IV. Binds

1. Tangle gum bow: As previously discussed, a bow without arrows will prevent accidentally attacking NPC’s.
   
2. Runes (except Law runes): These can be bound to prevent arrows from being bound. Additionally, these will prevent accidentally binding the Law runes that you make for combatants.
   
3. Armour: The most efficient armour for skillers to use is Protoleather armour (Tier 1 Ranged armour). This provides defensive bonuses that protect a skiller best from the monsters in F2P DG. Armour is entirely optional, but recommended for pathing skillers.
   
4. Tangle gum wand + Salve orb: While entirely optional, pathing skillers are able to help with the Monolith puzzle and Skeletal Horde boss, which both give no experience. Fast auto-attacking long-range weapons like the T1 wand/orb are optimal for these. Note: Skillers can also help with the Mercenary Leader puzzle, but can only attack the NPCs other than the Mercenary Leader without gaining combat experience.
   

V. Skilling

Despite being called a skiller, skilling within floors is generally discouraged because it has the potential of delaying your end time. If you insist on gaining experience, however, do so at your own discretion as you will most definitely earn a bad reputation if you delay the floor in any way. Make it a rule to always watch the map and have a strategy to get to the base quickly. Unlocking the Scroll of quick teleporation will allow you to teleport to the base quickly.

VI. Pathing

If you plan on opening any doors, make sure you are familiar with Dungeoneering abbreviations and acronyms. Please refer to the <Dungeoneering Lingo thread> before attempting to help the combatants. When opening doors, make sure you accurately call doors, puzzles, keys, and directions. For pathing skillers, food and armour are recommended to avoid death, as well as 49+ in all F2P non-combat skills other than Fletching. It is also suggested to stay within 2 rooms from the base in smalls, and to be home by the 2-3 minute mark in larges. Purchasing the Scroll of quick teleportation is crucial for pathing skillers.

Note: An update as of December 12, 2022 has removed the combat requirements from the Surge and Escape movement abilities (now requiring Level 5 Agility only). These abilities can help save time navigating rooms if used optimally, and are strongly recommended for pathing skillers. Furthermore, if you have it unlocked, the Dive ability (members' only) can be used in free-to-play with the same skill requirements as Surge/Escape but a different cooldown.

VII. Puzzles

Pathing skillers should be familiar with how to complete all puzzles. Leeching skillers should be familiar with how to complete the "Follow the leader" puzzle and the "Levers" puzzle. The former is indicated in the chat by "Emotes" or "Motes"; the latter is indicated by "Levers", "Levs", or "Switches". Please refer to <this page> (or alternatively copy-and-paste this link: https://runescape.wiki/w/Dungeoneering/Puzzles) for a detailed list of puzzles and how to complete them. As discussed previously, there are also certain puzzles skillers should be cautious with. Please refer to section III for this information.

VIII. Bosses

Some bosses can be completed more easily with the help of skillers. These include:

• Stomp (Furnished floors): As discussed previously, skillers can help by mining debris and charging the lodestones in the boss room.
  
• Night-gazer Khighorahk (Furnished floors): Skillers can help by lighting any of the pillars in the corners of the boss room. This will weaken the boss. Beware, however, because this boss can easily kill you.
  
• Bal’lak the Pummeller (Abandoned 2 floors): It is preferred that skillers do not enter this boss room. If you do, by chance, find yourself in the boss room being attacked by Bal’lak, make sure to lure him over the green portals on the ground. This will weaken him. Stay clear of these portals yourself, however, as they can quite easily kill you.
  
• Skeletal Horde (Abandoned 1 and 2 floors): Skillers can safely attack the skeletons without gaining experience. Additionally, they can help block the tunnels - however, this is not advised as poor timing/communication can cause you or the CBers to die, thus delaying the floor and/or reducing XP.
  

IX. Miscellaneous Tips

• While AFK’ing will result in a bad reputation, skillers will often find themselves multitasking out of boredom. If multitasking, always make sure that your chatbox is visible. Your window can be resized so that you can watch movies or read articles while still ending on time.
  
• If the setting is enabled, dragging items out of your inventory will automatically drop them, saving you a click or two when dropping items for combatants, as well as preventing you from accidentally binding items. The option is located under: Esc > Settings > Gameplay > Interfaces > Inventory > selecting "Drag to drop items"
  
• Enabling the Area Loot system is helpful when picking up keys as you can bind a hotkey to open the interface and loot a key if you're within 3 tiles of it. The option is located under: Esc > Settings > Gameplay > Item Drops > Loot System > selecting "Use area loot". You can also assign a hotkey to open up the area loot interface via: Esc > Settings > Controls > Area loot
  
• You should unlock the Scroll of quick teleportation at the Rewards trader for 50k tokens. This allows you to cast a quicker version of the teleport while not in combat, allowing you to venture farther from the base with less risk.
  

X. Credits

Credit to A Person Ftw, whose previous guide many years ago was the starting point for this one.