Castle wars is a combat-based Minigame where two teams battle for twenty minutes. The game gives you the opportunity to enter a battle of good versus evil in a "capture the flag" type game.
Participants can choose to take the sides of Saradomin and Zamorak, or if they are unsure can choose Guthix who will sort them into a team to make sure the numbers are balanced out between the teams.
Castle wars is located to the far west of the map, near Ardougne which can be reached by a long walk from there or from a quicker alternative The Ring of Dueling.
There is one Bank chest in the main lobby area that will allow you to remove any items not permitted in the arena and ready for the battle ahead. In the center is Lanthus who is someone you can by castle wars items off in exchange for Castle Wars tickets you win as a reward in the game. You can also purchase a Castle Wars manual for 5gp. You select the team you want to support by entering one of the three portals, red for Zamorak, blue for Saradomin and green for Guthix.
Once you enter the portal you will be in the waiting room of your selected team whilst you wait for the next game to start. If you are wearing a god item that is opposite to the god's team you are in you will be turned into an animal. These items are clothes that bare symbols or names.
The game will start automatically every 20-25 minutes and once twenty minutes are up you will be teleported from the arena back into the main building. Winning team members will recieve two Castle wars tickets which can be saved up to buy rewards from the Castle Wars Ticket Exchange, loosing teams will receive nothing, both will receive one if there is a draw
The Castle[]
There are two castles each with a similar composition on the map and are the spawing points fordeaths and players starting a new game.
There are five levels to each castle.
The ground floor has two main entrances facing out to the main arena, a side off doorway, that has to be pick-locked to ope,n and a main gateway, that can be opened easily for the inside, but requires force from the outside. There are two staircases, to enter higher floors that lead to the spawn room and the flag, and to the battlements. Another main feature is in the main central room there is a line of long tables with items: barricades, picklocks, pickaxes, tinderboxes, buckets, and explosive potions. This main room also has a trap door that is the entrance which leads down to the lower levels.
The second floor contains a single passage way which slips passed the spawning room and to a staircase, which leads upwards. Inside the spawn room there is a single ladder to go to the upper level and also a table set in the corner with unimited bandages. There is a portal to leave the game if you wish at anytime, if this happens a player who is waiting in the waiting room will be asked if they want to join the game to replace the missing person. This room is only accessable to the team members of that castle so if you are in combat with another player you can escape it by entering your spawn room. if you fail to leave the room before time timer in the room as ended you will be kicked from the game.
The third floor is a bent walkway with an empty room and a stair case leading up to the highest floor.
The forth floor is normally heavily guarded as this is where you will find the teams flag, the floor's layout is simply a square area.
The undergound area can be accessed through ladders on the ground floor of either castle or on the central island of the arena. There are two passage ways from the ladder coming from the castles, one has the ability to be booby-trapped with explosives or mined so rocks will full down on groups of players to damage, or kill them. This is a quicker way people may use to get to the main castles and steal the flag as there are normally less players guarding these areas, however the narrow passageway can be a pain at getting through if they are blocked and guarded by mages.
Other features[]
The central island is the arena is ideal for mages and rangers as they can stand on the battlements of the tiny buildings and send attacks down on players running between them and can avoid almost all damage. They also can make a quick escape if overwelled by attackers by running down the stairs and into the caverns bellow. This island is commonly hit by players using the catapults which can get very annoying for players on the ground for they could be getting hit between 0-25 damage per strike, plus getting damaged by other players.
Stepping stones on either end of the arena allow for an alterative way to catch the other team by surprise however it is slow and if there are mages and rangers on the other end you can easily be frozen and killed before to reach any space to be able to attack back.
Catapults are located on the battlements of your Castle that face in the direction of the other team castle. ith each shot you will require ammunition which can be collected from the tables on the ground floor. You can operate the catapult by simply clicking on it and moving its direction of attack on the map which appears, click fire and the rock will fly to your desired location and if anyone appears to be walking there or nearby they will be hit. They can be destroyed by using atoolbox or an explosive potion on them.
Collapsing rocks are found in the short passage ways of the underground tunnels and are activated through players using an pickaxe on them to cause them to fall, or with an explosive potion. Groups of players can be all attacked, and killed, at once if you are to be in the paths of these. If you want to clear previously fallen rocks a pickaxe can be used to clear them away or a quicker way is to blow them up.
Useful in blocking the pathways of the other team's players, which will make it easier to stop those trying to reach you flag, or get away with it. Or protecting your own. These are located on the ground floor.
These are useful to destroy barricades, fallen rocks (or make them fall) and inflict self-harm (by dropping it). This is located on the ground floor,
Rock
Used as catapult ammunition. This is located on the ground floor.
Toolkit
Used to repair broken catapults and damaged doors. This is located on the ground floor.
Strateges and Tactics[]
See link for a list of these Strateges and Tactics(Castle wars)
Flag holding[]
This consists of players on the same team holding their own flag once it has been dropped by the other team to make is more difficult for the other team to find the flag or return it to it's pole in their castle. To have the flag dropped the team has to kill the other player which can be seen clearly holding the flag and a flashing arrow above his head.
Teams that choose to carry the flag around will have many tactics to protect it such as hiding in the underground passage ways or surrounding themselves with barricades against a wall near the stepping stones and having a following of protectors.
Scoring points[]
You can score points by stealing the other teams flag and getting it back to your own flag pole without dying. At the end of the game the team with the most points will win and recieve two, or one, tickets, whilst the loosers win nothing.
The Castle War's Ticket Exchange[]
You can find the Castle Wars Ticket Exchange right in the center of the main area where you have the bank and three portals. There is a tradeable NPC called Lanthus who will exchange the tickets you earn in the Castle wars game in exchange for wearable armours and capes.
you cannot cast any non combat spells in the arena, this includes spells like High Alchemy.
If you disconnect for the minigame you will spawn back in the minigame if you haven't been logged out for certain amount of time, although sometimes dispite this people can find themselves back in the waiting room.
If you want to enter a game already in play you can still enter by waiting in the waiting room of your desired team until a person leaves and you are asked if you want to join in a chat option.
Some players if they are on a loosing team will exit the game and try join the other team via the waiting room.
All items in the Castle Wars arena such as the pickaxes, explosive potions, and tinderboxes will disappear from your inventory when you return to the main building at the end of any game.
