Runescape Fight Cave: No Shortcuts to Winning- Jad Takes Practice

Here we go again. If you've read my other Fight Cave guide to killing Jad, then you know I'm a real combat klutz. The last time around, it took a couple of months to get the hang of killing Jad, and that was with the (now defunct) Ancient Curses method.

After they nerfed the Ancient Curses way of killing TzTok-Jad, I put the whole thing on a back burner. Did some research now and then, tried Jad occasionally, but wasn't really serious about it.

When I finally did go after Jad, the results were pretty good... eventually. To share what I learned, the below videos show how it went.

This is a first for me. As a bonus here, above is a very long video showing all the Fight Cave waves in real-time. To simplify navigation, I've included a clickable Index of the Waves below. Click the link, you'll jump to that wave in the video. When done, just click your "Back" button.

The numbers after the wave indicate the level of the monsters you'll face on that wave.

Wave 33: 360, 22, 22

Wave 34: 360, 45

Wave 35: 360, 45, 22

Wave 36: 360, 45, 22, 22

Wave 37: 360, 45, 45

Wave 38: 360, 90

Wave 39: 360, 90, 22

Wave 40: 360, 90, 22, 22

Wave 41: 360, 90, 45

Wave 42: 360, 90, 45, 22

Wave 43: 360, 90, 45, 22, 22

Wave 44: 360, 90, 45, 45

Wave 45: 360, 90, 90

Wave 46: 360, 180

Wave 47: 360, 180, 22

Wave 48: 360, 180, 22, 22

Wave 49: 360, 180, 45

Wave 50: 360, 180, 45, 22

Wave 51: 360, 180, 45, 22, 22

Wave 52: 360, 180, 45, 45

Wave 53: 360, 180, 90

Wave 54: 360, 180, 90, 22

Wave 55: 360, 180, 90, 22, 22

Wave 56: 360, 180, 90, 45

Wave 57: 360, 180, 90, 45, 22

Wave 58: 360, 180, 90, 45, 22, 22

Wave 59: 360, 180, 90, 45, 45

Wave 60: 360, 180, 90, 90

Wave 61: 360, 180, 180

Inventory:

Wave 1: 22

Wave 2: 22,22

Wave 3: 45

Wave 4: 45,22

Wave 5: 45, 22, 22

Wave 6: 45, 45

Wave 7: 90

Wave 8: 90, 22

Wave 9: 90, 22, 22

Wave 10: 90, 45

Wave 11: 90, 45, 22

Wave 12: 90, 45, 22, 22

Wave 13: 90, 45, 45

Wave 14: 90, 90

Wave 15: 180

Wave 16: 180, 22

Wave 17: 180, 22, 22

Wave 18: 180, 45

Wave 19: 180, 45, 22

Wave 20: 180, 45, 22, 22

Wave 21: 180, 45, 45

Wave 22: 180, 90

Wave 23: 180, 90, 22

Wave 24: 180, 90, 22, 22

Wave 25: 180, 90, 45

Wave 26: 180, 90, 45, 22

Wave 27: 180, 90, 45, 22, 22

Wave 28: 180, 90, 45, 45

Wave 29: 180, 90, 90

Wave 30: 180, 180

Note: As usual, if you just want the 'how-to' part, feel free to skip to the important stuff further down the page!

Also, for definitions of the monsters mentioned (180's, 360's, healers, etc…) plus details on getting through waves 1-62 using a ranged method, click on the link here:

Runescape Fight Cave: How To Kill Jad The Easy Way and Win the Fire Cape

(Sorry I didn't include it here, but didn't want to duplicate, and it's a lot of information. This page assumes you're an experienced player. The above link goes into much more detail for beginners)

Still, I felt kind of responsible. I'd written a hub I was pretty proud of, found a way to beat Jad that even I could do… and Runescape 'fixed' it so that method is no longer enough to kill Jad with.

A LOT of the first guide is still useful. Especially if you're ranging. It will get you all the way to Jad easily, and even take him down halfway. But that's as far as it goes.

So, here we go again. About a week ago, I finally got serious about Jad. The timing felt right, and I just kept on going in, time after time after time. Jad kept killing me, but I learned something from him every time.

To begin with, using a ranged only style, I got through the first 62 waves in something like 2 hours. Then Jad would kill me in seconds. But still, using ranged only it was easy to get to Jad, and have lots of inventory still left over.

I found a pure melee setup that allowed 45 minutes and less to get to Jad. Unfortunately, my combat skills stink… so it was too easy to get killed on the way, or arrive with most of my supplies used up. One moment's distraction, look back, and it's over.

During the course of events, the Lunar Spell 'Vengeance' became a standby. Some of my attempts were melee based, and it was very useful with them. Vengeance makes sure that if you get hit, some of it bounces back where it came from.

Problem with meleeing Jad for a fast/easy kill, you pretty much throw everything PLUS the kitchen sink at him, and hope he dies before the healers come out. I came --this-- close, but never quite got it. Have to give big credit to those players who can.

So, back to finding other ways. Still, since I'm so bad at prayer switching, having Vengeance on helped. At least if I took a hit, so did Jad.

Since melee alone was kind of iffy, I brought a Rune Crossbow and some bolts. Used it to safespot and kill the 180's, as the situation dictated. Then on Youtube, there was mention of someone Blood Barraging Jad. (From an entirely different spellbook than Lunar or normal. And a very expensive spell to use.)

To cast Blood Barrage, you must be on the Ancient Magicks spellbook, have level 92 or higher Magic, and 4 Death, 4 Blood, and 1 Soul Rune for each use.

Off we go on a new tangent. Since Blood Barrages are high-level and expensive, they aren't worth using through the entire Fight Cave. But, the idea of killing Jad with them sounded good. Since Blood Barrage heals by 1/4 of the damage it does, and it can hit multiple targets, it had a certain appeal.

Still, no good. Wearing mage-armor to Jad leaves you seriously vulnerable to being piled by the healers. Ouch.

On the other hand, the spell is very useful to heal with when the 360's prevent you from using Soul Split. I started arriving at Jad with all my hit points and plenty of potions left.

Still, looking for a way to beat Jad with Blood Barrage. For a while, I tried maging Jad until the healers focused on me, then switching to a ranged attack. It was slow, and prone to not always getting all 4 of the healers away from Jad.

While I was experimenting and refining my technique, and getting owned by Jad (a lot!), something strange started happening. I noticed, my prayer switching was actually getting pretty good. Completely by accident, in the search for the easy solution, I had accidentally… practiced… so much that prayer switching doesn't seem hard any more!!! Even my combat techniques have improved, though I'm still a klutz.

Okay, how weird is that? NEVER. BEEN. GOOD. And suddenly, it's a snap. It's almost like there's a message there. "Work hard, keep at it, and you'll get better."

… Nah.

Well, maybe. So, disregarding all the fancy junk, I faced Jad with my trusty crossbow (and a few Diamond(e) bolts). Prayer switching like a well-oiled machine, my shots took Jad to the fateful 1/2, where the healers come out. Calmly and easily, targeted each healer one time, and got them all after me. Ran up the field. Ran down the field. Wow, look at that- they're all in a nice line, and only one of the healers can hit me now.

Hmm, this has never happened to me before. Heck, take a sip to recharge some prayer points, target Jad again, and just keep prayer switching. The one healer is still hitting me, but doing nearly no damage. Jad can't touch me this time, I'm in the groove.

After all this time, it's really happening- I'm killing Jad, using the plain old tried and true ranged method that nearly everybody recommends.

Flash of Blue Light as my Knockout Aura kicks in. Jad keels over, Fight Cave ends, and good grief, there's a Fire Cape in my inventory!!

What's the take-home? Practice. As much as I hate it, there's no shortcut. No easy way out. It just took practice. In my case, an awful lot of practice. But then, I really am a klutz with combat.

Here's a direct link to the other guide on practicing without actually fighting Jad:

How to Practice

Still, there were things that made it easier. Especially in the 62 Waves leading up to TzTok-Jad. All of that trial and error did manage to teach me a pretty easy way to get there, and at a good speed.

Eventually, the best method for me was a hybrid of all three combat styles. My time went from 2 hours, down to 1 hour. Not the fastest ever, but pretty easy and safe.

I know there are people out there who find Jad and the Fight Cave easy. They can get in and win with cheap, minimal, or no supplies/equipment. I'm not one of those people.

I'll have to admit, just trying over and over eventually taught me how to win. But it helped having high stats and decent gear. My setup isn't the only way. There's lots of methods for killing Jad. But for me, this made it as fast and safe as possible, to get TO Jad and try. The more time spent on Jad, the better I got. So if you want to see my equipment and inventory, below is what I used:

Equipped:

Aura: Knockout (Helps finish a fight. I use this only while fighting Jad)

Slayer Helm (if on task)

Soul Wars Cape (For the prayer boost)

Fury

Broad-tipped bolts (Diamond Bolts(e) for Jad)

Vine Whip (I like it because of the chance for poisoning)

Bandos top and bottom

Dragon Defender

Barrows Gloves

Dragon Boots

Onyx Ring (i) (Because I use a hybrid approach, this is the best ring in the game for multiple attack and defense styles)

Inventory:

Diamond Bolts(e) - These have a chance for all damage to hit through armor.

Rune Crossbow

Staff of Light (along with Ahrim's robes, gives me a pretty good chance of Blood Barraging even the 360's.

Enhanced Excalibur

Ahrim's top, bottom

5 Overloads(4)

5 Prayer Pots(4) (Cheaper than Super Restores, I use the Prayer Pots most of the time)

4 Saradomin Brews(4)

5 Super Restores(4)

Blood Barrage Runes: 1 soul, 4 death, 4 blood, x # of casts desired. I usually have enough for around 500 casts. Don't forget to change spellbook to Ancient Magicks.

Take a break at Wave 61. Log out, catch your breath, get your head on right.

Shut off extra programs to maximize cpu and internet speed. (I turn off zonealarm and Antivirus, but that's kind of dangerous to your computer)

Put headphones on to clearly focus on Jad's combat sounds.

At Wave 62, before killing the last 360:

Swap Bolts to Diamond(e)

Take fresh Overload

Sara Brew up to max

Turn on Aura: Knockout

Get in position,

Change weapon to Rune Crossbow

Turn on Auto-Retaliate

(This way auto attack will guide you to Jad without actually getting up in his face.)

Kill Last 360 now.

Facing Jad:

Pray Range at the beginning, listen for magic attack, pray switch as needed

When the healers show up, hit each once, the run back and forth until they're lined up on you. Keep prayer switching.

There's a lot of detail I've skipped. Mostly concerning getting through Waves 1 through 62. For the basics, read this guide:

Runescape Fight Cave: How To Kill Jad The Easy Way and Win the Fire Cape

Some importants things for me:

Turn off Auto-Retaliate until you get to Jad.

Do Waves 1 through 31 melee, no prayer, no overloads. If you need to heal, just Soul Split. It's much faster.

After that, pray mage protect. Try to take out the 360's first, so you can Soul Split the others. But it's more important to survive. If you can't heal with Soul Split, switch to Blood Barrage for a few hits. Once you're healed, go back to melee.

I like to safespot and range the 180's. Even with the 360 still maging you, it's a good way to get through.

These are just a few of the things that help me. No hard and fast rule, always evaluate every situation, and use the best technique for each time. Practice is really the best way to beat Jad. Even if you're a klutz like me, enough practice will eventually get you there!