Old School OSRS Theatre of Blood

            As always the developers of Old School OSRS are hard at work to improve the experience of us players in the game. I have never doubted that this team feels that OSRS is a passion project and one they are deeply committed to. And while there are tons of examples of this commitment, the one I am referring to today is the recent changes that were made to the Theater of Blood location. These changes, which we will get into more detail about in a bit, are purely for improving the experience for as many players as possible without compromising the aspects of this area, or the game as a whole, that other players enjoy. A real “everyone wins” scenario if you ask us.

            So what are these changes? Well, two new key modes have been added to the Theater of Blood. One is a story mode. This mode is intended to allow players to enjoy the whole of the plot-line that runs through Theater of Blood without necessarily having to endure the risk of it. The other added mode is a hard mode, a mode with increased difficulty, but also increased exclusive rewards. Two whole new ways to play to make the Theater of blood exciting for everyone.  With this new hard-mode difficulty, players my find themselves buying max OSRS accounts to be able to handle the new content.

            But what are the changes being made to these modes specifically to make them harder or easier?

            Lets start by addressing the changes made to story mode. Stats of enemies have been deceased to more manageable levels. Players have also been provided with extra “lives” in a fashion. If a player dies they are brought back to the beginning of the fight without having to start over. A player is given an allotment of three “safe” deaths before they will have to start the theater of blood over from the beginning. The story mode does have a drawback when it comes to the available rewards. Some rewards are available but drop rates for the rewards have been reduced for story mode. Also, Theater of Blood exclusive rewards will not be available at all in story mode. Now, this might be a decision I agree with but its one I can kind of understand from a balanced perspective.

            On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, we have Theater of Blood: Hard Mode. All of the monster’s stats have increased and each room has either twist on the original challenges or entirely new challenges as you make your way through the new and improved Theater. Don’t worry though, these aren’t just new challenges for their own sake, though I doubt that would stop a few of us hardcore OSRS players. Even for a few of us who just want to punish ourselves for the sake of it, we still get the rewards anyway. Which is kindness really. Aside from specific new additional loot, the rate of rare unique loot receives a buff for playing hard mode. You also will get a further buff if you complete hard mode within a certain amount of time.

            But I know what you are all chomping at the bit for. What is this new unique loot? Well, there are a few new things. Firstly we have three new weapon ornament kits. These kits will specifically alter the Ghrazi Rapier, Sanguinesti Staff, and the Scythe of Vitur to give them specialized Saradomin themed appearances. As an added bonus the Scythe of Vitur has an alternative ornament kit to allow for a more vampiric appearance, which sounds very fun if you ask us. These weapon kits will be non-tradable and will break after a PVP death. Pretty standard stuff to expect from the game at this point, but still good to not be surprised by it.

            The other new and exclusive prize available in hard mode is Sanguine Dust. Sprinkling some of this dust over a Lil Zik pet will allow it to change into one of five miniature forms of the bosses in the Theater of Blood. Your Lil Zik can look like the Maiden of Sugadinti, Pestilent Bloat, Nylocas Vasilias, Sotetseg or Xarpus. The best news, though, is that new dust does not need to be obtained each time your want to change your pets appearance. Applying the dust once will simply make all the forms available when transforming your pet. That kind of makes it five rewards in one if you think about it.

            One last addition has been made among these two modes. An additional quest titled “A Night at the Theater has been added, a mysterious stranger near the Theater of Blood requests your help in humiliating one of the vampire noble ladies. While this quest can be completed in any of the modes for the theater it was designed specifically to be most compatible with story mode, so if you are looking to check that out it would probably be best to start there. The quest requires you having already finished the Priest in Peril quest and advises a combat level of at least 90, so you know it means business. If you complete the quest you will be rewarded with two 20K experience combat lamps and 2 quest points.

            Lastly we have some small additional changes to the Theater of Blood in how it operates. In reference to the plot, all the bosses will drop their corresponding book, so you can learn more about their lore after you have beaten them. In terms of mechanics, your special attack power will still regenerate within the Theater. Your special attack energy will be restored to full when entering The Theater. OSRS will also remember how much energy you had when you entered the raid. When you exit the raid, your energy will be restored to that point.

            I bet your all looking forward to the new fun the Theater of Blood has to offer as much as we are. Personally we think few things are cooler than winning a new vampire themed scythe and getting a tiny vampire to accessorize with it, but that might just be us.