Guide to soloing the King Black Dragon (4 Kill melee method)

[Doomedrusher]

The King Black Dragon is one of the most powerful dragons in the RuneScape world, at level 276 and having the ability to damage players significantly with four types of attacks. This NPC is frequently killed for its coveted heads and the draconic visage, worth up to 20 million coins! The dragon also has some common drops, listed below: (Credit to the Runescape Wiki)

* 3000 Coins
* Rune spear (Scarce)
* Rune 2h sword
* Dragon spear (Rare)
* Rune longsword
* Adamant axe
* 15 Blood runes (Common)
* 7 -45 Death runes
* 105 Air runes (Common)
* 105 Fire runes (Common)
* 15 Law runes
* Rune arrows
* 690 Iron arrows
* 5-12 Rune bolts (Occasional)
* Dragon medium helmet (Rare)
* Rune kiteshield
* Adamant platebody (Common)
* 4 Charms Gold, Crimson, Green, Or Blue (Mostly crimson)
* 100 Coal
* 100 Iron ore
* 100 Silver ore
* 100 Yew logs
* Amulet of Strength
* Dragonstone
* 100 Sharks (noted)
* 4 Sharks (unnoted)
* Uncut Gems
* Adamantite bar
* Runite bar
* Oyster
* Kbd Heads (Very rare)
* Half key
* Shield Left Half (Very rare)
* Draconic visage (Rare)

To kill the King Black Dragon efficiently, decent skill levels are recommended, as the cost per trip is cut down significantly with higher skill levels.

Skill name: Required / Suggested / Optimal

Hitpoints: 70 / 85 / ?? (More HP = less risk)
Attack: 70 / 80 / 90 (Higher attack = more frequent hits)
Strength: 60 / 85 / 90 (Higher strength = more damaging hits)
Defence: 70 / 85 / 90 (Higher defence = less damage taken per kill)
Ranged: 1 / 40 / 70 (40 to wear full Black Dragonhide, 70 to wear Karil's armour)
Prayer: 43 / 60 / 70 (Protect from melee / Chivalry / Piety)
Magic: 1 / 7 / 80 (none / Enchant Level-1 Jewelry / High magic defence)

Runecrafting: 1 / 27 / 59 (none / Cosmic runes / 2x Cosmic runes)
Construction: 1 / 50 / 78 (none / Portal Chamber + armour stand / mount KBD heads)
Agility: 1 / 45 / 70 (none / Catch leaping sturgeons / High run energy regeneration)
Herblore: 1 / 42 / 69 (none / Prayer mixes / All potions needed)
Crafting: 1 / 22 / ?? (none / Sapphire necklace / ??)
Fishing: 1 / 70 / 76 (none / Leaping sturgeons / Sharks)
Cooking: 1 / 80 / 99 (none / Sharks / Burn less sharks)
Summoning: 1 / 1 / 96 (none / NONE! / Pack yak)

With the minimum skill levels, most of your supplies must be bought, and some supplies are rarely sold at all, preventing effective killing. The optimum skill levels, of course, can be bumped up to 99, but it is unnecessary.)

Suggested equipment:



Or:

Helmet: Fighter hat > Warrior helm > Helm of Neitiznot > Berserker helm > God mitre > Proselyte helm > initiate helm > any
Cape: Trimmed cape of accomplishment > God Cloak > Untrimmed cape of accomplishment > Mage Arena cape > any
Amulet: Amulet of Fury > Amulet of Glory > Unholy Symbol > God Stole > any
Ammunition: None > any
Weapon: Abyssal whip > Dragon Dagger (p++) > Dragon Longsword > Dragon Dagger > any
Body: Karil's leathertop > Armadyl chestplate > Proselyte hauberk > Black Dragonhide body > any
Shield: Dragonfire shield > Anti-dragon shield > nothing else would suffice
Legs: Karil's leatherskirt > Armadyl legs > Proselyte cuisse > Black Dragonhide chaps > any
Gloves: Gloves > Gloves > Gloves > Gloves > Gloves > Gloves > Gloves > Klank's Gauntlets > Family Crest Gauntlets > Gloves > Gloves > Leather Vambraces > Leather Gloves (In other words, the best RFD gloves you can get)
Boots: Dragon Boots > Rune Boots > Adamant Boots > White Boots > any
Ring: Ring of Wealth > Ring of Life > Warrior Ring > Berserker Ring > Seer's Ring > any

Inventory:
House tab > Lumbridge tab > Elf Crystal > Ectophial > Games Necklace > Varrock tab > Any one-click teleport
Super attack (4)
Super strength (Not necessary)
Super defence (4)
Super antipoison (4)
Antifire potion (4)
10 prayer mixes > 5 prayer potions and 5 sharks
12 sharks

Teleport to your house or lumbridge and charge your prayer. Teleport to Bounty Hunter and withdraw all items.
Use obelisk to the southeast of Bounty Hunter and teleport until near the ice plateau. Keep protect from magic on at all times to prevent being teleblocked by Revenants.

Where to go upon leaving bounty hunter:


Where you want to arrive:


Upon arriving at that location, run east and a little bit south into the lesser demon cage. Go down the ladder and you will arrive at poison spiders. Drink a dose of superantipoison potion immediately, and then drink one dose of each of the following potions in that order:
-Antifire potion
-Super defence potion
-Super attack potion

Pull the lever and immediately turn on protect from melee. The Dragon may be anywhere inside the lair, and if auto-retaliate is enabled, your character will find the dragon. Turn on incredible reflexes + steel skin, chivalry, or piety, depending on how high your prayer level is. Unleash as many DDS specials as your special bar permits, and switch to your primary weapon, if any.

The Fight:


With Jagex's summoning update, you can now see your hitpoints, prayer points, and run energy without switching to the skills menu. Eat sharks when necessary and drink the prayer mix/potion when your prayer is halfway depleted. Never let it drop too low, or else:


Keep eating as necessary, and eventually the dragon will be killed.


Each kill should take 5 doses of prayer potion/mix, 3 sharks (one column in your inventory) or 4-5 if you are not using mixes. The setup is, fortunately, designed to allow exactly four kills, as all the healing items can be consumed in four parts. (20 prayer doses, 12 sharks, 4 doses of power-up potions). There are sometimes exceptions, such as when the dragon consistently freezes you and gets off some lucky hits, In that case, do NOT hesitate to teleport out!



After about 65 trips, this happened to me:


Although I did not obtain a draconic visage, this was an unexpected bonus. It's a pity I do not have 78 construction to mount the heads. Happy KBD hunting!

Note: This guide cannot be published on other sites without my permission.

[Edofighter]

Great guide! I really want to try out a boss, to take a break from the usual killing. Are the charm rates any good? What's your combat level? And do you know how long a trip takes (including walking time)?

Thanks for writing such a great guide.

[Doomedrusher]

You are welcome

One trip on average is about 15 minutes if you have a house portal, house altar, and games necklace plus some super energies, and 19 if you do not. The actual killing is about 12 minutes (So you only really need 2 doses of antipoison and antifire, but I take four to be safe) at my level, and maybe less if you have 95+ attack.

The charms are mainly crimson, although I got gold and blue as drops previously (all in groups of four). Charms come about once every 2 kills with Ring of Wealth.

My combat level is 108 (111 after summoning). My stats are as follows:

88 hitpoints
88 attack
86 strength
86 defence
75 ranged
78 magic
70 prayer

P.S. I forgot to mention this, but the KBD's max hit is 10 with those breath attacks of his with the protection in the article.

[Edofighter]

My stats are as follows: 80 attack 80 strength 80 defence 82 hitpoints 61 prayer 79 ranged 78 magic. Combat is 100 without summoning (104 with summon).

You're telling me that you just manage to get 4 kills, so I guess I'll have to modify the inventory. When you have to teleport out is it because of lack of food or prayer potions. I was thinking about replacing two sharks with saradomin brews and replacing one prayer mix with a super restore (4). I'd then leave out the super defence and take a super strength instead.

Do you think that would work? And why don't you take a super strength? The extra strength is really noticeable.

[Doomedrusher]

The defence help lower the frequency of the hits. I do not have saradomin brews, therefore it is not included. They also undo your stat boosting potions.

I dislike super strength potions, simply because the boost is too insignificant (2 - 3 more maximum damage, although it adds up, hitting five to six more 30s with a super attack potion is a lot more noticeable.)

I do not always exhaust all of my supplies, rather, I frequently have two to three sharks left over. Every freeze lasts about 10 seconds, during which the dragon can inflict up to 40 damage (4 hits).

Take this inventory:
12 doses of prayer potion (3 spaces)
4 doses of super restore potion (1 space)
8 doses of saradomin brew (2 spaces)
8 doses of super attack and str (4 spaces)
DDS (1 space)
Fill the rest up with that tab (1 space) and sharks.

Chivalry drains prayer at half the speed of piety, so less prayer potions are needed.

P.S. Try to get a black dragon slayer task. The black mask would help tremendously. I can manage to get about 6 kills with a black mask and a inventory that's divisible by 3.

[dandonio]

Is it possible to fight it effectively using ranged or magic? For example can you stay at a distance or will it automatically walk towards you?

[Edofighter]

With the GE, buying potions is no real difficulty. You can buy them instantly.

I do see the problem with the saradomin brews, I'll have to take a sip of super restore immediatly when boosting for the first time and then take some super attack and super strength. But no big deal really. If I just make sure my prayer is 40 or below at the end of every kill, I'll be able to boost all stats wasting no prayer points.

The boost of the super strength is worth it in my opinion, it's more something like +4-5 to the maximum hit.

After some thought I've come up with this inventory:

DDS and tele tab
Antipoison (4)
Antifire (4)
Super attack (4)
Super strength (4)
Super restore (4)
4 prayer potions (16)
Saradomin brew (4)
15 sharks

By looking at stats and comparing my inventory with the one you use, I think this should work. What do you think?

[Doomedrusher]

Is it possible to fight it effectively using ranged or magic? For example can you stay at a distance or will it automatically walk towards you?

I have not tried any ranged or magic killing methods due to my poor ranged (75) and magic (78). I suppose with protect from magic, antifire potions, antipoison potions, and prayer potions, you would be free from any damage, although I am not sure if the prayer block the attacks or not.

With the GE, buying potions is no real difficulty. You can buy them instantly.

I do see the problem with the saradomin brews, I'll have to take a sip of super restore immediatly when boosting for the first time and then take some super attack and super strength. But no big deal really. If I just make sure my prayer is 40 or below at the end of every kill, I'll be able to boost all stats wasting no prayer points.

The boost of the super strength is worth it in my opinion, it's more something like +4-5 to the maximum hit.

After some thought I've come up with this inventory:

DDS and tele tab
Antipoison (4)
Antifire (4)
Super attack (4)
Super strength (4)
Super restore (4)
4 prayer potions (16)
Saradomin brew (4)
15 sharks

By looking at stats and comparing my inventory with the one you use, I think this should work. What do you think?

You might have some prayer points left over, but since the prayer potions restore less at your level anyway, I think it would suffice for about 4 kills if the dragon isn't too lucky. I might try a setup with the super strength potion and take out one prayer mix.

Note: two prayer mixes (2) = 4 prayer doses + 24 hp

[Edofighter]

Ok my first trip was a complete failure. There were people on every single world. I'll try again tommorow morning, when it's about 5-6 am EST. Man I'm happy I don't live in the US

The inventory was ok. But I'll have to kill the KBD more than just one time to judge it well. Was the KBD always so crowded, or is it because of the summoning update?

[Doomedrusher]

Ok my first trip was a complete failure. There were people on every single world. I'll try again tommorow morning, when it's about 5-6 am EST. Man I'm happy I don't live in the US

So that is what the world hopping was about =P

I don't remember the KBD being this crowded, try some worlds that players go to for other purposes (BH worlds, PC worlds, FFDN, 66, etc.) The spawn rate on those worlds are usually high as well.

I wonder if other people look at TS forums...

[Edofighter]

I wonder if other people look at TS forums...

That's what I wondered too lol. Anyway, the killing itself was great, and even thoug the kbd's drops aren't that good (compared to any other boss), there's still the possibility of a visage, and the charm drops aren't bad at all.

[Doomedrusher]

I wonder if other people look at TS forums...

That's what I wondered too lol. Anyway, the killing itself was great, and even thoug the kbd's drops aren't that good (compared to any other boss), there's still the possibility of a visage, and the charm drops aren't bad at all.

Glad to hear that you like it

Right now, I'm trying to make a solo KQ guide, and I'd be sure to post it in the Events section (Contain the price drops ) if it ever gets completed. Right now, all methods suck...

With my stats and equipment, I kill the queen between 1 - 3 trips, too unpredictable.

Veracs: FAIL
Whip + defender: FAIL
Whip + Toktz-ket-xil: PHAIL
Whip + Black mask: FAIL
Dharoks: I don't even know why people suggested this, PHAIL
Dragon longsword: BIG FAIL
Ancients: PHAIL
Keris: *alchs keris in frustration* FAIL
2-run melee > range method: It works most of the time, but you get massacred in D-hide. Not for the weak-hearted.

[Magaoitin]

Outstanding Guide its about what I do when I solo him-her-it-they...

Congradulations on the head drop too!!!! now you have to get the construction level up...it is the ONLY reason I kept throwing money into my hovel....

[foxysbaby]

Sweet maga. My congrats to you. Short says good job as well.

[Doomedrusher]

Outstanding Guide its about what I do when I solo him-her-it-they...

Congradulations on the head drop too!!!! now you have to get the construction level up...it is the ONLY reason I kept throwing money into my hovel....

Good job maga!

Mind if I ask how construction can be trained to 78 effectively?

[Asdfgzxcvbo]

Outstanding Guide its about what I do when I solo him-her-it-they...

Congradulations on the head drop too!!!! now you have to get the construction level up...it is the ONLY reason I kept throwing money into my hovel....

Good job maga!

Mind if I ask how construction can be trained to 78 effectively?

I've never constructed before, and I'm not sure how Magaoitin does it, but I've read from somewhere that erecting mith/addy/rune metal stands is more beneficial then the standard orthodox way of building oak larders. That's because you get to train construction and also smithing at the same time, and although it's slower by a bit, overall it's better.

But I'm just a paper tiger after all. Perhaps Magaoitin leveled in another way? =O

[Qeltar]

Thanks for posting this, Doomedrusher. You got me interested in the KBD again.

I had tried soloing it many months ago and was able to do it.. but I had little interest in bothering with it for two main reasons. One, its drops are basically the same as the giant mole; and two, it is in the wild which I hate hate hate.

Your idea of using the BH teleport and the obelisks was quite nifty. Sometimes annoying because the latter are random, but at least I don't have to run through the wild. Smart idea.

That, combined with my needing to train prayer and the 4 crimsons they drop most of the time made them much more interesting.

I just did some testing.. and I found ranging to be much more effective (which I figured would be the case, since regular black dragons are much more easily ranged than meleed.) I can do around 10 kills per trip.

The biggest problem now is that they are just too crowded. You go there and have to world hop N times.. and whenever you leave and bank have to do it again. Maybe I'll try early in the am...

BTW, when I tested it, Piety and Chivalry had the same drain rate. Also... the DDS is a waste of time on this guy. Instead, bring with a crossbow and emerald (e) bolts... even if you are going to use the little flicky toy afterwards.

[Doomedrusher]

Thank you Qeltar, I might start to train my ranged to 90 and test that out (only 75 now, :P).

I would envision the inventory set up like thus:

X house tab
12 Prayer mix
4 super restore mix
2 Super Defence/Saradomin brew
3 range potion (4)
3 antifire mix (antifire = 6 mins, kill = 1-3 mins, so 6 doses are sufficient)
X diamond bolts
2... sharks?

And equipment: (I'm too poor to afford anything here that I don't own, can't test)
Armadyl helm (8m?)
Accumulator / Trimmed skillcape
Amulet of Fury
Emerald bolts (e)
Rune Crossbow
Armadyl chestplate / Karil's leathertop / Verac's brassard / Black dragonhide top
Anti-dragon shield (Antifire has negative ranged attack)
Armadyl legs / Karil's leatherskirt / No other viable option?
Barrows gloves
Ranger boots
Ring of wealth / Archer ring

[dandonio]

Euhm: question!


If you wear a dragonfire shield + antifirebreath pot...does the 'protect from magic prayer' has an influence then? Or is it just a waste of prayer points/pots? (PS perhaps antifire is better for that extra bit of defence?)

[02pullenc]

Euhm: question!


If you wear a dragonfire shield + antifirebreath pot...does the 'protect from magic prayer' has an influence then? Or is it just a waste of prayer points/pots? (PS perhaps antifire is better for that extra bit of defence?)

I believe it does, since while ranging and using protect from range prayer, you can still be hit. Id assume the KBD has a magic attack seperate from the firebreath. Could be wrong, who knows