When I was a kid and teenager playing Runescape (2 at the time, I bailed not long after Evolution of Combat came out) I had the typical fascination with the top page of the Hiscores, and while I had grand ambitions I had poor follow through. Compared to now, however, where the game is solved, skilling goals are simply an action of time committed, rather than being insurmountable goals. My long term goal is to max, but I have grown to appreciate the benefit and satisfaction of balance. Firstly because it is nice to have the levels line up. Secondly, because so much of the game unlocks in an interlocked way that corresponding high levels match up. And lastly, the weakest yet most satisfying one is the current arrangement meaning my total level being a lot higher than people would expect for my combat level. At 102 combat, a lot of player are caught off guard by my total level being nearly 2000, especially when I avoid PvM so much due to being terrible at it. After ticking off base-80 earlier in the year, with Hunter being the final level for that goal, I swiftly moved on to base-90. Due to my lack of enjoyment of combat, those skills are always saved for the end of the goal. Given this, I decided that I will work my way down each of the columns, going right to left. With Smithing already being taken care of, with it being the first 99 I got way back when I first started playing again, Mining and Fishing were my first up for level 90. Mining went well, as while not quick, Motherlode Mine is quite meditative for me. And the random ore from the cleaned Pay-Dirt is enough of a Skinner box to keep me plinking away.
This was quite a profitable venture, where after smelting the runite ore into bars, I was able to put together over 22M gp, all of which basically profit. Alongside converting the nuggets into clay packs for a nice little extra bit of profit. I kept a track of all of the ores I received from grinding from 80 to 90 Mining. A further benefit came from me focusing on getting the Falador Elite diary before going down into the mines. Boosting the profits from runite and adamantite, making it a more satisfying grind overall. With Mining crossed off the list, the next step was to get on with Fishing. There are many fast methods to get Fishing experience, and some of these are intently click-intensive. With all of these options available to me, I instead chose to focus on one of the least effective methods: Tempoross. I like skilling bosses, I think mostly because combat bosses are something I suck at. Further, I like skilling bosses that don’t require me to rely on other players, which says a lot about my attitudes while playing a multiplayer online game. So, with my newly acquired infernal harpoon, I set sail for the Ruins of Unkah, and made friends with the Spirit Anglers. Using the solo, no-cook method for experience over points, with a first round skip, I set up for the grind. One of the things that was motivating me towards Tempoross, and later activities, is that I would really quite like a pet at some point. Skilling pets are nice, but the mathematics works out that expecting one before 20-25m experience in each skill, is a pointless hope. It can happen of course, but expecting it is not worth it. However, with Tempoross, there is a chance of the pet before getting to 99. So, off I went, and slayed the demon of the ocean over and over again. Over the next three weeks I vanquished the foe over 300 times. Not once in that grind did I succumb to the temptation to dip into the reward pool. Statistically, it shouldn’t make a difference, but the delayed gratification would give me a better mental shot at getting the reward. Failing to get the reward over and over would be demoralising. But failing after sitting their for nearly hour fishing rewards only hurts once.
So with all of those points, I went and sat by the pool and fished out rewards for an hour. It was also worth waiting in my mind as I knew somewhere between 80 and 90 the best reward chances odds hit, but I couldn’t remember when and I didn’t care to work it out. Unfortunately for me, there was no Tiny Tempo to reward my efforts, just 9M gp of rewards. A bitter pill to swallow, when many of the people in the friends chat I frequent have him with less than 100 KC, and I was sitting at more than 500. But, I accepted my poor odds, and promised to return in the future to finally secure the stupid bastard as mine forever. Next up.... firemaking, woodcutting, and a farming distraction