Ironman Mode (2024)

"Hardcore Ironman" redirects here. For the official merchandise, see Hardcore Ironman (tee).

This article has a strategy guide. All information on mechanics, setups, and tactics is on the subpage.

This article or section is incomplete and could do with improvement. Reason: What types of death trigger "Unknown Power" You can discuss this issue on the talk page or edit this page to improve it.

Ironman Mode and Hardcore Ironman Mode are account-types that encourage the player to be entirely self-sufficient. Both types of Ironman mode are locked out of most forms of interactions with other players such as trading, the Grand Exchange, most group minigames, PvP, Treasure Hunter and almost all other group activities. The modes were released on 13 October 2014. They are accessible only via the Play Mode button on the character creation screen.

Once character creation is complete, these modes may only be turned off using in-game items such as the jar of divine light and the book of diplomacy, to turn off Hardcore and regular Ironman modes respectively. Both items are sold by Mr Ex, and neither action can be undone. He also offers the option to never sell the book to the player, which effectively makes ironman mode permanent.

Hardcore players have the added challenge of only having one "life". As soon as they die, their account is switched to normal Ironman Mode. There is also an option to buy an extra life (divine coin) at total levels 1000 and 1600 for 100,000 and 10,000,000 coins respectively. This is so that people who have already progressed far into the game are able to avoid becoming a regular Ironman Mode player due to lag, bugs, etc. The number of lives the player has left can be checked in the Items Kept on Death menu by clicking on the 'Death Information' button on the lower right.

Hardcore Ironmen deaths do not affect the Old School RuneScape game in any way.

An update on 13 July 2020 changed the way Hardcore Ironman deaths work. Previously, a Hardcore Ironman mode player that died on their last life would have their account locked and would only be able to access the in-game lobby. After this update, their accounts switch to normal Ironman mode, regardless of whether they bought a jar of divine light.

Benefits[edit | edit source]

Ironmen 'benefits' are entirely cosmetic in nature, or otherwise don't impact gameplay directly. A few are quality-of-life focused.

Examining a tradeable item while in Ironman Mode will display the high alchemy price instead of its Grand Exchange value. The price checker will also function this way, however loot beams are still based on Grand Exchange value.

Ironmen are identifiable by a dark grey dumbbell chat badge () and Hardcore Ironmen are identified by a red skull chat badge (). These cannot be disabled and the Premier membership chat badge cannot be enabled, the Player moderator crown, however, will override the chat badge and disable ironman and hardcore ironman specific broadcasts for an account, regular broadcasts will appear without the skull in front of their name.

Ironmen have access to the titles:

• Ironman [Name]
• Ironwoman [Name]
• [Name] the Ironman
• [Name] the Ironwoman
• [Name] the Ironman Btw
• [Name] the Ironwoman Btw

Hardcore Ironmen can use the titles:

• Hardcore Ironman [Name]
• Hardcore Ironwoman [Name]
• [Name] the Hardcore Ironman
• [Name] the Hardcore Ironwoman
• [Name] the Hardcore Ironman Btw
• [Name] the Hardcore Ironwoman Btw

Ironmen and Hardcore Ironmen affected by the 2021 server login issues can use the titles:

• [Name] the Returned Ironman
• [Name] the Returned Ironwoman

These can be changed to any other unlocked title, however.

Two separate hiscores exist, one for each of the two types of ironman. When a hardcore ironman account loses its hardcore status, that account is not removed from the hardcore hiscores. Rather, their hiscores at the time of downgrading are kept, and their name is struck out with a tooltip message displaying how they died.

A global announcement is broadcast whenever a hardcore ironman dies with a total level of at least 1000.

Ironmen have access to the Ironman Armour override, and hardcore ironmen to the Ironman (Hardcore) armour override. A gold-trimmed variant can be unlocked five years after account creation by talking to Mr Ex.

Ironman mode restrictions[edit | edit source]

Both Ironman and Hardcore Ironman modes restrict mainly player-to-player interaction in the following ways:

• Trading is disabled, with a few exceptions:
  • Bonds (can only receive bonds as ironman, not trade them away)
  • Heroes' Quest items:
    • Miscellaneous key
    • Pete's candlestick
  • If you wish to give items to a non-iron player, you can drop the item for them to pick up, be careful if you do this as these items will be available to all players. A safer way to give items is to use the Treasure chest (Carnillean Rising) since it avoids the risks of drop trading.
  • The Grand Exchange can only be used to purchase bonds and some cosmetic override tokens, animation override tokens, title scrolls and other cosmetics. For a full list of items that Ironman Mode players can purchase on the Grand Exchange, see here.
• Items dropped by other players and the monsters they kill cannot be picked up, except special items such as:
  • Maul of omens and its pieces,
  • Planks at Yakamaru,
  • Bones from another player's death.
  • Eir's helmet and Eir's spear
• Daemonheim can only be entered with other ironmen, and XP sharing cannot be enabled.
• Co-op Slayer is disabled.
• The assist system is disabled.
• Group buffs, such as clan avatars and or any such buffs from Treasure Hunter, are disabled.
• Skilling in the Clan Citadel will only provide 25% of the experience normally earned.
• Divine locations placed by other players cannot be collected from. Item drops from others using the player's own divine location are also disabled.
• Elite training dummies and portable skilling stations placed by other players cannot be used (and, as Treasure Hunter exclusive items, cannot be earned) by ironmen.
• Features in other players' player-owned houses and personal slayer dungeons are disabled. Regular accounts can still enter and use an ironman players' house/dungeon but guests can not light incense burners while visiting.
• Vic the trader and Nic the trader are disabled.
• Double XP Live is disabled.
• During events such as winter weekends, the double experience and reputation in Artisans' Workshop is disabled.
• Limited time events (usually) do not award items such as experience lamps, bonus experience stars, cash bags, Dungeoneering token boxes etc.

Minigames[edit | edit source]

• Various minigames and D&Ds are completely disabled, including Blast Furnace, Demon Raids, Fishing Trawler, Fist of Guthix, Heist, Sinkholes, Trouble Brewing, and Wilderness Warbands.
  • Music for disabled minigames can be obtained by trying to enter the minigame.
• Several activities are otherwise limited, such as Clan Wars, Dominion Tower, and Vinesweeper.
  • Group rumble matches in the Tower are disabled. This also makes the title [Name] the Survivor unobtainable.
• Experience rewards and certain item rewards are restricted or disabled in many minigames and D&Ds, such as Barbarian Assault, Clan Wars, Conquest, Pest Control, Great Orb Project, Soul Wars, Stealing Creation, and the TzHaar Fight Pit.
  • Great Orb Project restrictions include only being able to purchase cosmetic items such as the Runecrafting outfit. Talismans, teleport tablets (except one Blood tablet for Morytania achievements), and essence cannot be purchased.
  • The zeal reward from Nomad's Requiem can be spent on experience.
  • The Artisan's outfit and Fletcher's outfit can be purchased within Stealing Creation, however all other rewards are disabled.
• Thaler can be obtained from minigames that are accessible to Ironmen, however it can only be spent on rewards that are otherwise available to Ironmen, with some exceptions.
  • All pieces of minigame hybrid armour can be bought.
  • Barbarian Assault recolours and Diviner's outfit cannot be bought, but they can be obtained elsewhere.
• Conquest has staking disabled.

Achievements[edit | edit source]

Several achievements are replaced with ironman-only versions, as they involve content that ironmen cannot access:

• Easy Ardougne achievements:
  • Gone Fishing: Instead of boarding the fishing trawler, ironmen need only attempt to board.
• Elite Ardougne achievements:
  • Catching Some Rays: Instead of catching a manta ray, ironmen have to successfully cook a rocktail on Witchaven docks (a significant increase in skills required).
• Easy Daemonheim achievements:
  • It's Dangerous to go Alone: Instead of doing a dungeon of 2 or more players, ironmen must complete a medium dungeon in complexity 6.
  • Kitchen Aid: Instead of feeding a teammate, ironmen must attempt to feed a familiar.
  • Sinking Fast: Instead of completing a sinkhole, ironmen must simply click on the entrance of one.
• Medium Daemonheim achievements:
  • Totem Pole Position: Instead of handing in 20 items in a sinkhole, ironmen must enter 6 resource dungeons of level 35 and below in 6 minutes.
• Elite Wilderness achievements:
  • Camping is in Tents: Instead of looting supplies from a Warband, an ironman needs to just attempt to loot supplies.

There are also a few achievements that only award RuneScore, but cannot be completed and have no alternatives:

• Cops and Robbers ( 20) – Unlock all perks in Heist.
  • Cannot be completed because ironmen cannot participate in Heist.
• Going Down With the Ship ( 15) – Let the ship take on 8 leaks before patching them up fully and successfully completing Fishing Trawler.
  • Cannot be completed because ironmen cannot participate in Fishing Trawler.
• Died by the Blade! ( 20) – Die by the blade!
  • Can only be completed by hardcore ironmen by losing a hardcore life.

Additionally, some free-to-play achievements are not available to free-to-play ironmen:

• Scales of the Sea: Cannot be completed as the elite outfit cannot be obtained.
• Scraps of the Gorajo: Cannot be completed as the elite outfit cannot be obtained.
• Shards of the Earth: Cannot be completed as the elite outfit cannot be obtained.
• Splinters of Power: Cannot be completed as the elite outfit cannot be obtained.
• Going For A Punt: Cannot be completed as the required items must be traded to free-to-play.
• Filthy Rich: Cannot be completed as the required items must be traded to free-to-play.

Combat and bosses[edit | edit source]

• Any NPCs killed will award experience depending on how much damage the player has done to it, not the full experience set on the monster.
• All PvP activities will neither award experience nor loot.
• "Group" and "Other" spells (e.g. cure-, tele-, heal-, and Vengeance Other) as well as Boost Potion Share don't work when used on an ironman.
• Group Seren spells and prayers are disabled including prisms, excluding Shield Dome, Prism of Dowsing and Intercept.
• Ironmen can only benefit from their own Ice Asylum ability.
• Ironman players cannot attack Demon Flash Mobs.

Microtransactions[edit | edit source]

• Treasure Hunter is completely disabled.
  • This includes non-cosmetic items (such as silverhawk boots) which are sometimes obtainable outside Treasure Hunter (like in the Thaler shop or Advent calendar).
  • Many Treasure Hunter promotions with free aspects are partially completable by ironmen, for example Attack of the Zombie Sprouts allowed ironmen to do the 200 daily fatigue (for experience and to unlock one set of wings) but they could not obtain the additional sprays needed to fully complete the promotion
• Wicked pouches, challenge gems and clan citadel boosters cannot be purchased (or used) from Solomon's General Store.
• Some Legendary pet features cannot be used: life saver, slayer finisher, repair and fertiliser.
• Recruit a Friend does not provide any bonuses to Ironmen (however, those recruited will still get their bonus).
• Dwarven instinct aura rewards are reduced.
• Mahjarrat aura's 50% monthly boost cannot be used.
• Some Desert pantheon aura effects cannot be used: Scabaras, Apmeken.
• Chat badge of Premier Membership cannot be toggled on.
• Premier artefact cannot be used to gain 10% increased XP.

Hardcore deaths[edit | edit source]

Death announcements[edit | edit source]

If a Hardcore account has at least a total level of 1,000, a description of their cause of death is globally broadcasted when they have no lives left. The message is different depending on whether or not the player bought a jar of divine light.

[NAME] just died in Hardcore Ironman mode with a skill total of [TOTAL LEVEL] [CAUSE OF DEATH].

[NAME] just died for the last time in Hardcore Ironman mode with a skill total of [TOTAL LEVEL] [CAUSE OF DEATH].

Default message includes deaths from Vengeance, Shadow Tendrils self-damage, The Sanctum Guardian attack(s)^{[source needed]}, and many other sources.

"Safe" Deaths in Hardcore Mode[edit | edit source]

Deaths will not remove a player's Hardcore status if they are counted as "safe death" in the regular game. In general, if the player would keep all of their items as a non-hardcore account, the death is safe for hardcore ironmen. After an update, the ring of death now works as it would on a regular ironman account, granting the ability to revive with full health but applying a damage over time effect.

Examples include:

• Any death in which a player is resurrected by a sign of life, sign of death, portent of life, portent of death, defence cape's perk or the Immortality ability
• Dying in a Player-owned house
• Dying inside a Dungeoneering floor
• Dying to the parasites on Tuska's back during the Tuska Comes world event
• Dying to the Giant Mimic
• Dying to the Arch-Glacor in normal mode^[1]
• Dying inside any boss instance in Practice mode
• Most combat-related minigames, e.g.:
  • Clan Wars white and purple portal
  • Any death within Castle Wars, Dominion Tower, Barbarian Assault.
  • Dying in the PvP minigame Deathmatch
  • Dying in the TzHaar Fight Cave, Fight Kiln, or Fight Cauldron
  • Dying during the Troll Invasion
  • Dying in Shattered Worlds
• Some quest-specific deaths:
  • Falling off the pathway in Demon Slayer
  • Dying to Agoroth or a Crassian warrior during A Shadow over Ashdale
  • Dying to Dawn during The Death of Chivalry
  • Dying to Drakan during Lord of Vampyrium
  • Dying to Sharathteerkor ZemouregalduringDimension of Disaster: Curse of Arrav
  • Getting hit with a dragonkin fireball in Missing, Presumed Death or Ritual of the Mahjarrat
  • Dying in the mansion in Broken Home
  • Dying to the fourth stage of Koschei the deathless during The Fremennik Trials
  • Dying against TokHaar-Hok during The Brink of Extinction
  • Dying to Safalaan during River of Blood, but NOT during the first fight at Paterdomus
  • Dying while retrieving the wards during City of Senntisten
  • Dying against Nomad during Nomad's Requiem.

High risk situations in Hardcore mode[edit | edit source]

Some areas or events prevent teleportation or the use of portents (sign of life, portent of life, etc.). The player must be aware of the risks involved in entering these areas or events.

• Some bosses prevent the player from teleporting out, forcing them to complete the kill or be killed by the boss. This currently includes Telos, the Warden and the Arch-Glacor in hard mode.
• The boss Lol, fought during The Mighty Fall, prevents the use of armour, auras, pocket items, and jewellery. Non-combat items are also forbidden. Teleportation runes however are allowed. The boss also has the potential to 1-hit the player with his special attack.
• When fighting Kamil during the Desert Treasure quest, stats are constantly drained by the freezing cold. As a result teleportation might not be available. In addition, Kamil's magic attacks can periodically stun the player, preventing both teleportation and consumption of food. It is recommended to have a one-click teleport such as an ectophial or teletabs.
• Glarial's Tomb has restrictions for armour, runes, and weapons. Low level players must be wary when entering the tomb.
• Acheron mammoths have a "dishonourable conduct" mechanic, which on rare occasions can stack three times resulting in instant death.
• During the "Aftermath" section at the end of The World Wakes. In this location there are many ways to receive high damage that must be physically dodged, however you may be frozen in place and be unable escape the damage. Teleports (including the ring of life) do not work during this part of the quest.
• During the Children of Mah quest, many instances of unsafe deaths are present such as traversing down the lava with no access to player inventory.

First to achievements[edit | edit source]

Global announcements are broadcast for various firsts, including the first hardcore death, the first to achieve a total level of 500 and 1000, the first to reach level 99 in a skill, and the first to complete various quests. Players can check some of these achievements at the Ironman plaque in Edgeville.

Beta[edit | edit source]

On 30 September 2014, Jagex launched a trial run of the Ironman mode prior to its release. Around 130 players were selected to participate, either by applying on the Forums or through certain competitions.

The invited players received invitations in their message center between September 26th and October 1st, including a username login in the format "irontrial###" ranging from 1 to 130; however, all players were allowed to change their in-game display name.

The accounts would not appear on the Hiscores, and would be ineligible for Ironman firsts. Participants were also able to select between normal Ironman mode and Hardcore ironman mode by contacting a Jagex moderator through the beta forums; although if your account died in Hardcore mode during the beta, it wouldn't be revived.

After the beta, the accounts were still playable and would remain under the same conditions as during the beta.

Update history[edit | edit source]

This information has been compiled as part of the update history project. Some updates may not be included – see here for how to help out!

Trivia[edit | edit source]

• There is currently a glitch where the armour dropped by revenants (such as corrupt dragon equipment and Ancient Warriors' equipment), when degraded, will refund the player with the Grand Exchange price instead of the High Level Alchemy price.
• The warning for when you are about to drop an item worth over 500,000 coins is still based on the Grand Exchange price.
• It is possible for Ironman and Hardcore Ironman accounts to receive a 10 year or 15 year veteran cape but only if the character creation process was never completed in the past.
• Since 13 October 2019, it is now possible for Ironman to receive a 5 year cape.
• It will be possible for Ironman and Hardcore Ironman accounts to get a 10 year and a 15 year cape on 13 October 2024 and 13 October 2029 respectively.
• On 25 September 2017, quick chat messages for "I am a (Hardcore) Ironman" and "I am a (Hardcore) Ironman btw" were added with that day's Patch Notes. Latter referring to the ironman community often noting their achievements as more worthy due to their Ironman mode status.
• Prior to the 13 July 2020 update, permanent Hardcore Ironman deaths broadcast the message: [NAME] just permanently died in Hardcore Ironman mode with a skill total of [TOTAL LEVEL] [CAUSE OF DEATH].
• Prior to an update on 20 September 2022, Ironman accounts were limited to boss instances only with other ironman accounts and were forced to use an instance where an instance was available for the boss. As they were forced to use an instance, they were able to enter instances for free when set to standard spawn speed.

References[edit | edit source]