Phoenix Lair

Phoenix Lair is part of Distractions and Diversions and was released on 6 January 2009 along with the quest In Pyre Need. Players must have completed the quest to enter the Phoenix Lair, which can be done once per day resetting at 00:00 UTC, similar to killing Bork in the Chaos Tunnels: The Hunt for Surok. This activity requires 51 Slayer.

In the Phoenix Lair, players must navigate through a series of caverns and optionally fight against massive, magma-filled Reborn monstrosities. There are three types of guardians, each covering one side of the combat triangle and have levels ranging up to 82. The cavern is filled with aggressive monsters that can kill players who are not properly prepared.

Be warned that the Reborn monsters will teleport to your location but only if they are close to one of their other Reborns being attacked. There will be random amounts of Greater and Lesser Reborn variants in each cavern.

In each of the first five caverns, players collect twigs from trees. These will later need to be cut into ribbons which are then used to build the phoenix's pyre in the last cavern calling the Phoenix to battle.

The Phoenix has Combat level of 84, her main attack is Magic-based, and she is weak to arrows. She also has an unblockable dust attack, which lowers Attack, Ranged, and Magic level by approximately 50 percent for a few seconds, nullifying stat-boosting potions.

When the Phoenix has been defeated, she crawls onto the pyre. The player then lights the pyre to set it alight, and the Phoenix is consumed by the flames to be reborn. Once she reappears, the player can talk to her to receive the reward and to optionally engage in some dialogue.

Summoning creatures inside the place can be used. BoBs are useful, since you can let them carry items that you would want. Combat familiars can also help you fight through the caverns, although it is advised to avoid combat completely for speed. When heading for the next cavern, any damage your familiar took will be completely healed.

Cavern effects
The caverns have some strange effects that seem to hinder some abilities:


 * Some players have reported not being able to teleport out of the caverns. If this happens, a player can right-click a cavern doorway and choose 'Escape cavern'.
 * High Level Alchemy cannot be used in the caverns.

Location
Phoenix Lair is near the Piscatoris Fishing Colony. Players can get to the area by walking or by one of these faster methods:
 * Take the rowboat near the Eagle's Peak lodestone, west of the Tree Gnome Stronghold.
 * Use Fairy ring - Kandarin: Piscatoris Hunter area - (requires partial completion of Fairytale II - Cure a Queen). The closest bank is northwest of the master fairy ring in Zanaris.
 * Teleport to the Piscatoris Hunter area using a Spirit kyatt's ability (requires Summoning level 57 and a Spirit kyatt pouch).
 * Use the Phoenix Lair Teleport scroll obtained from any level Clue Scroll. It takes you to the entrance of the lair, and is very cheap at coins. This is the fastest method to get to the lair.

Maps of the lair
The order of the dungeons are different for each visit. However, the order of the trees is the same. An example of the possible maps is shown below:

There are danger zones in each of the caverns, before some of the monsters. In these zones several of the monsters can attack simultaneously, and could become a serious threat to success in the cavern entry. These should be avoided (or at least other areas entered first to reduce the population of the cavern) to reduce the possible damage a player will receive.

Monsters
The Reborn can travel via pools of lava that are scattered in each cavern.
 * Greater reborn mage
 * Greater reborn warrior
 * Greater reborn ranger
 * Lesser reborn mage
 * Lesser reborn warrior
 * Lesser reborn ranger
 * Phoenix

Drops
Note that the Phoenix does not drop anything, but she will give 5 Phoenix quills when talked to after the battle. Apart from that, every reborn monster has its own drop table.

Preparations
The Reborn monsters will not respawn. Higher-levelled players may choose to kill them all on each level for the slight experience or fun of it. The reborn monsters though, drop high amounts of coins, seeds, and other items, possibly making it fun to get some extra profit.

Suggested Requirements
The recommended minimum stats/equipment for going there are:
 * 60 Magic or 60 Ranged or 60 Attack and 60 Strength and level 60 weapons. (Ranged or Magic recommended)
 * 50 Defence and level 50 armour for the style of weapon you're using.

The recommended inventory for players with the minimum stats:
 * About 10-15 pieces of medium healing food such as Lobster or Swordfish.
 * 5 empty inventory slots (for the branches).A player slaying the phoenix.png‎

It is possible to get through the caverns without killing any reborn monsters.

The phoenix is weak to arrows. Melee will be somewhat ineffective, so it is recommended to bring Magic or Ranged weaponry.

Speedrunning the caves
Following the D&D and Death Improvements update released on 26 May, the absolute fastest way to complete the Phoenix Lair is to pay 10 unnoted Phoenix quills at the entrance to go straight to the last chamber and start the fight with the Phoenix.

Players who wish to complete the Phoenix lair as fast as possible but without paying 10 Phoenix quills everyday should follow the following guidelines:
 * Turn off auto-retaliate so that the reborn monsters do not drag you toward them.
 * Avoid killing any reborn monster and go straight to the tree in every cavern.
 * Use Surge whenever possible.
 * Immediately after clicking a tree click the entrance to the next cave. You do not need to wait for the animation of collecting the twig to end.
 * As soon as you enter the final chamber, turn auto-retaliate on so that in case the Phoenix attacks you first, your character will immediately retaliate.
 * After killing the Phoenix, light the pyre, collect your reward and surge to the exit. Choose the 'Exit' option to allow yourself a chance at a pet.

Other tips

 * If you plan on killing reborn monsters inside the caves, make your combat preparations before you enter the first cavern: drink any potions, turn on prayer, turn on run, etc.
 * When you reach the phoenix's cavern, you can turn off prayer while you get ready for the final battle. The phoenix will not appear until you prepare the pyre. It is not recommended to drink stat-boosting potions here, though, as the phoenix's dust attack will lower your Attack, Ranged or Magic for a few seconds, which then resets to its normal level negating the boost.
 * Logging out, using an "Escape", or teleporting before the Phoenix's pyre has been lit will require you to start over, even if you have already finished the battle and the Phoenix is wounded.
 * If you forget to talk to the Phoenix before exiting the cave, the next time you enter the cave system you will be in her cave and be able to obtain your quills.
 * You can complete this activity once during each 24 hour window starting at 00:00 UTC. You may wish to try doing 2 kills in a row by finishing the lair a few minutes before the daily reset, and redoing it a few minutes later. Note that it's the EXIT time for the activity that determines if you can go in again, not the ENTRANCE time. For example, if you enter at 23:40 and finish at 23:55, you have plenty of time to recharge and replenish supplies for another entrance at 00:00. This will appear on your Adventurer's Log as "two Phoenices".
 * Players with a Defence of at least 70 and corresponding armour can expect to not use any food at all.
 * Despite the Phoenix being more resistant to Melee, players can expect to kill her just fine by using Godsword-level equipment.

Rewards
Reward for completing the Phoenix's "challenge" each time:
 * 7,500 Firemaking experience
 * 3,000 Fletching experience
 * 1,000 Crafting experience
 * 500 Slayer experience (NOTE: 5,000 Slayer experience is only awarded the first time the Phoenix is defeated.)
 * 5 Phoenix quills
 * A chance to receive a phoenix egg by choosing the 'Exit' option from the Phoenix's chamber. If a player teleports out or chooses the 'Escape' option they will NOT have a chance at a pet. A Cute phoenix eggling can be hatched by clapping to the egg. A Mean Phoenix Eggling can be hatched by kicking the egg. You can have one of each variation and the 'drop chance' of the second pet will be the exact same as the first pet. Level 72 Summoning is required to hatch the egg within the cavern; however, you may obtain the egg without the required Summoning level.
 * Any items you collected from the first five caverns.

Phoenix lair