Treasure Trails/Guide

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 * For the main article, see Treasure Trails. For a full list of all clues, see the Full guide.

Difficulty levels
The 'level' of a clue scroll relates to its difficulty. There are four levels of clue scroll, Easy, Medium, Hard and Elite. An Easy clue is a low difficulty treasure trail, with a low reward yield. A Medium clue scroll is a medium difficulty treasure trail with a more substantial reward yield. A Hard clue scroll is a hazardous Treasure trail which can be very rewarding. An Elite clue scroll is the most dangerous clue scroll (both to receive and to complete.) Elite clue scrolls, however, require killing higher level monsters, which is rewarded by its greatest and most expensive rewards as compared to other levelled scrolls.

Clue scrolls did not previously identify their own difficulty level. In a hidden update on 6 October 2010, they now have their difficulty level described with the name. A level one clue scroll is now Clue scroll (easy). A level two is (medium), level three (hard) and level four (elite)

Clue scrolls are generated primarily by monster drops, but also can be generated through thieving, and as certain activity rewards. Each level of clue has a very different set of possible rewards and items, and hazards, so it is worth knowing what the player is in for.

Length

 * Easy scrolls can be between 1 and 5 clues long with few or no quest requirements.
 * Medium scrolls can be between 1 and 15 clues long with some quest requirements.
 * Hard scrolls can be between 1 and 8 clues long, with multiple enemies to defeat and can have high-levelled quest requirements.
 * Elite scrolls can be between 1 and 11 clues long, with multiple fights, and puzzles every step.

Medium, hard and elite
Alongside the above mentioned items, for these types of clues you will often need some additional tools:

Hard and elite
Hard and elite clues will often encounter various wizards that may prove difficult to fight. Therefore the following items are recommended:

Quests
Having a high amount of quest points is beneficial when doing treasure trails. Many higher-level trails will lead a player into areas which are locked by quests. If this is the case, the player must do the quest, up to where access to the area is granted, if they wish to complete their trail. If the player hasn't done the needed quest yet, but they have the requirements or are in a position to get them quickly, it is recommended that the player (trains and) does the quest, rather than getting rid of the clue scroll.


 * Starting Fairy Tale II - Cure a Queen is highly recommended, as you will be able to use the Fairy rings.

Anagrams
An anagram is a string of letters which have been purposefully scrambled. For example: od olpe is, unscrambled, poodle. Anagrams can appear in level 2 and level 3 clues. Follow the link above for a complete list of anagram solutions. If one is missing, please add it to the list. The solution of an anagram is always the name of an NPC. Once the solution is found, the player can get their next clue by talking to that NPC. When the player talks to the solution NPC in a level 3 trail, they will receive a challenge scroll or a puzzle box. Solve the puzzle box and talk to the NPC again, or tell the NPC the answer to the challenge scroll, to receive the next clue.

Celtic knot
Celtic knot puzzles are only found in level 4 trails. This puzzle consists of three knots; one red, one grey, and one blue. On each knot is a number of various runes. The goal of this puzzle is to match the runes on each knot with the underlying one below.

Challenge scrolls
Challenge scrolls are logical problems posed to the player by an NPC. Challenge scrolls appear in level 2 and level 3 clues. Challenge scrolls are 'step two' of a clue: first the player has to find the right NPC to speak to (when they get a cryptic or anagram clue), and then they have to solve the riddle, to advance along their trail. So, challenge scrolls don't count as a regular clue. To complete the scroll, view the question on the scroll, then speak to the NPC which gave it to provide the answer. When the correct answer is provided the challenge is complete, and the player will receive either the next clue, or the reward.

Chest keys
Chest keys are 'step two' of a clue. Sometimes, a clue will lead the player to a locked chest or drawer. A key will be needed to open it, which will be dropped by a specific, usually local, monster. A clue on the object you have been lead to will tell which monster to kill. Chest key clues are found almost exclusively on easy and medium level trails. The key will disappear when used to open the chest or drawer. Monsters that drop treasure trail keys drop them only when the player is in possession of that clue. Notably, these keys are enabled in the various monsters' drop tables as soon as the player acquires the related clue step. This allows players to actually obtain the key without needing to receive the second half of the clue from the locked object, effectively bypassing half of the clue step and saving some time.

Compass
Compass clues are only found in level 4 trails. The inventory is replaced with an arrow which points to the spot where you need to dig. There are no clues which say where abouts the arrow will lead, and so you will have to walk across Gielinor following the arrow. If you are standing on top of where you need to dig, the arrow is replaced with an X. Sometimes, if you are in an area which is considered not in the RuneScape plane, the arrow will spin uncontrollably.

Coordinates
A coordinate clue is a clue scroll that contains a set of coordinates. Much like the real-world longitude & latitude geographic coordinate system, coordinates in RuneScape indicate a precise point somewhere on the surface where the next clue scroll, or potentially the treasure casket, is buried. Coordinate clues will only appear in Treasure Trails of medium difficulty or above.

Note: For Hard or Elite Coordinate clues, expect combat.

Cryptics
Cryptic clues are common riddle clues. They are found in essentially all difficulties, especially in higher level clues. These clues demand a fairly wide variety of tasks, anything from leading the player to speak with an NPC, searching a designated crate, or directing the player to dig in some fairly obscure location. Higher difficulty clues which direct the player to speak with an NPC will almost always result in a puzzle box, effectively making them two part clues. For lower difficulty cryptics, the player may be required to obtain a key from a nearby monster to proceed. Note that designated monsters for "chest keys" are never especially formidable foes (examples; guard, chicken). Oddly, for clue steps involving keys, it is possible to get the key before reading the hint, which could save the player some time.

Emote clues
Emote clues involve equipping certain items in a particular location and performing an emote, like some strange secret handshake. They were first introduced to treasure trails in August 2008. These types of clues are found in all levels of clue scrolls, and most (but not all) items required for the emote clues can be obtained in shops, even so using the Grand Exchange is the heavily preferred method. Once the emote has been performed, an extremely odd NPC called Uri will appear and usually give the player a casket (and an earful of nonsense). If the player has been requested to do another emote before talking to Uri, and they forgot to do it, he will say, I don't believe we have any business... but will not leave. The player can then complete the second emote and finish the clue. Level 1 clues require doing 1 emote, level 2 clues require doing 2, and level 3 clues require doing 1 emote and fighting the double agent.

List of items needed for emote clues.

Many of the items designated by these clues are obscure. The Grand Exchange is the simplest way to obtain them, but often not the cheapest. As a result of demand by players doing treasure trails, most of these items have been driven up in price considerably above what they would be otherwise worth. In many cases, emote clue items may be bought from shops for considerably less money, or even be player made with little difficulty. Wearing any version of a required item different than the standard one will not work (for example; a rune platebody(t) will not work in place of a basic rune platebody, even an "amulet of glory(4)" will not work for an "amulet of glory").

For level 3 clues, doing the emote will not summon Uri but instead an aggressive doppleganger NPC known as the double agent. If the agent appears, the player must kill him and perform the emote again, with all the original items from the clue equipped. The player can change equipment to take out the double agent but must change back after killing him in order to make Uri appear. Normally, the double agent is level 108, but in the Wilderness he is considerably weaker, at level 65. After the Wilderness was re-instated on 1 February 2011, the latter is now very rare to find due to the rarity of Wilderness clues occurring.

Before an update that changed some of the emote items, many of these clues used to call for the player to equip a piece of variously coloured gnome robes. Players had to visit a store in the Grand Tree, Fine Fashions, which sells all of these items, as they were extremely difficult, if not impossible, to buy from the Grand Exchange. Although the store still sells the gnome clothing items, they are no longer needed in clues.

Maps
Map clues are an image of the location the player needs to search to advance along their trail. Maps are found across all levels of clue scroll. They are rough pictures of a very local area, normally about the size of the Lumbridge Castle. If the map leads to an X, the player needs to take a spade to the place indicated on the map with the X and dig there. If the map leads to a crate, it must simply be searched. Sometimes players may find a small pile of crates, or a multitude of them. Search all of them until the next clue or the reward is found. Maps can include landmarks such as buildings, fish to indicate fishing spots, roads, rivers, bridges, and other things. Map clues are not easy to do without help. Players will often find that they simply have no clue where the map is pointing to. A player can try to compare the maps to the world map, and they match up very well, but the area to compare is vast. It is easier to use the list below.

Puzzle boxes
When speaking to an NPC in a level 3 or 4 trail, the player may receive a puzzle box. Puzzle boxes are 'step two' of a clue: first the player has to find the right NPC to speak to (when they get a cryptic or anagram clue), and then they have to solve the puzzle, to advance along their trail. Puzzle boxes contain a scrambled image that players must work to unscramble by clicking on tiles to move them to an empty space. Once the puzzle box is completed, players will need to talk to the NPC who gave the puzzle to receive the next clue or the reward. Puzzle boxes are the RuneScape version of n-puzzles. There are 7 different images for puzzle boxes. Many people find puzzle boxes daunting, but taken from the right approach they can be simple and quite fun. In order to solve a puzzle box a player should start by solving the first row, then the second, then the third. After this, complete the first four squares of the next rows (this would look like a 2x2 box), then the next two squares, and finally rotating the last three pieces to complete the puzzle. If the player wants a different puzzle, they can destroy the box (not the clue) and ask the NPC for another. If the player logs out, without finishing the puzzle, they will lose all progress and will have to start over again. The game scrambles the puzzles by randomly moving pieces approximately 50 - 200 times.

For information on how to solve puzzle boxes, go to the puzzle box guide page.

Scans
Scan clues are only found in level 4 trails. This clue scroll scans an area of a specified amount of squares (or steps). The clue will say a place, for example 'Inside the walls of Varrock' and it will have some sort of range for the scan, such as a range of 16 squares. Once you have scanned over the target place to dig, an X will appear and this is where you will dig. The best method if you have no clue on how to find it, is to walk in a spiral. You would start at a corner and this will be known as corner 1. You would walk along the area of the scan, like along the walls of Varrock. As you walk, anything within range of 16 squares will be picked up as you keep clicking 'scan'. Basically, a circle of 16 square across with you in the middle. More information is coming soon

Simple clues
Simple clues are exactly what it says on the tin. They are almost invariably found in level 1 trails. These clues tell precisely what to do; either the player has to talk to someone or search a specified location.

Trivia

 * It is possible, although very rare, to get the same clue step up to 3 times in a row. For example, a player could be asked to speak to Zeke in Al Kharid 3 times in a row, then get the clue scroll reward, or another clue step. Although this is sure to leave a player thoroughly confused, it is normal and should not be cause for alarm or bug reporting for that matter. If you should get the same clue twice in a row you will not have to repeat a puzzle box or fight an NPC again.
 * It is possible to have more than one scroll as drops on the floor at the same time from two kills, although you are only able to pick up one of them. If you try to pick up both of them, you will receive the message: You already have a clue scroll. At the same time, it's not possible to get a new clue scroll with any level of casket in the players bank or inventory.
 * If you have a clue in your Manage Thy Kingdom rewards you will not be able to get one as a drop either.