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OSRS Slayer Bosses Guide: Tasks & Alternatives
Enhance your OSRS Slayer tasks by fighting bosses! This guide covers Slayer bosses unlocked via points, and regular monsters with boss alternatives like Sire & Cerberus.
OSRS Slayer Bosses Guide: Upgrading Your Tasks
Slayer in Old School RuneScape isn't just about killing regular monsters; it offers numerous opportunities to challenge powerful bosses for better loot, unique drops, and enhanced Slayer experience. This guide covers the two main ways Slayer interacts with bossing: dedicated boss tasks and killing boss variants of regular assignments.
Dedicated Boss Tasks ("Like a boss" Perk)
- Unlock: Requires purchasing the "Like a boss" ability from a Slayer Master's reward shop for 200 Slayer Points.
- Assignment: Once unlocked, high-level Slayer Masters (Konar, Nieve/Steve, Duradel/Kuradal, Krystilia for Wilderness bosses) have a chance to assign you a specific boss monster directly, instead of a regular creature task.
- Kill Count: You choose the number of boss kills required, ranging from 3 to 35 (base). This maximum increases up to 65 based on completed Combat Achievement tiers.
- Bonus XP: Completing a dedicated boss task grants a bonus 5,000 Slayer XP.
- Assignable Bosses (Examples): Abyssal Sire, Alchemical Hydra, Cerberus, Thermonuclear Smoke Devil, Kraken, Grotesque Guardians, Dagannoth Kings, Kalphite Queen, Giant Mole, Sarachnis, K'ril Tsutsaroth, Kree'arra, Commander Zilyana, General Graardor, Vet'ion, Callisto, Venenatis, Scorpia, Chaos Elemental, Chaos Fanatic, Crazy Archaeologist, King Black Dragon, Vorkath, Zulrah, Phantom Muspah, Duke Sucellus, The Whisperer, Vardorvis, The Leviathan, Araxxor. (Note: Corporeal Beast & The Nightmare are excluded).
Boss Alternatives for Regular Tasks
This is a very common way players engage with Slayer bosses. Instead of killing the standard assigned monster, you can often kill its boss variant, and these kills WILL count towards your task completion. This is usually done for better loot potential.
Common Boss Alternatives:
| Assigned Task | Boss Alternative(s) | Slayer Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssal Demons | Abyssal Sire | 85 | Drops Unsired (Bludgeon, Dagger, Pet). |
| Hydras | Alchemical Hydra | 95 | Drops Claw (Lance), Leather (Gloves), Ring pieces. Konar task only. |
| Hellhounds | Cerberus | 91 | Drops Boot Crystals (Prims, Pegs, Ets), Pet. |
| Dagannoths | Dagannoth Kings (All 3) | 1 | Drop Archer/Seers/Berserker/Warrior Rings, Dragon Axe. |
| Gargoyles | Grotesque Guardians | 75 | Drop Granite Maul upgrade, Pet. Requires Brittle Key. |
| Greater Demons | K'ril Tsutsaroth, Skotizo, Tormented Demon | 1 | K'ril drops Zamorak Spear/Hilt, Staff of the Dead. Skotizo drops Claws, Pet. TDs drop Claws. |
| Kalphites | Kalphite Queen | 1 | Drops Dragon Chainbody, Dragon 2h Sword, KQ Head, Pet. |
| Aviansie | Kree'arra | 1 | Drops Armadyl Armour/Hilt/Crossbow. |
| Black Demons | Demonic Gorillas, Skotizo | 1 | Gorillas drop Zenyte Shards. Skotizo drops Dark Claws, Pet. |
| Cave Kraken | Kraken | 87 | Drops Trident of the Seas, Kraken Tentacle, Pet. |
| Smoke Devils | Thermonuclear Smoke Devil | 93 | Drops Occult Necklace, Smoke Battlestaff, Pet. |
| TzHaar | TzTok-Jad (Fight Caves), TzKal-Zuk (Inferno - requires 1 KC) | 1 | Drops Fire Cape / Infernal Cape, Pet. |
| Blue Dragons | Vorkath | 1 | Drops Skeletal Visage, Necklace, Pet. |
| Spiders | Sarachnis, Venenatis, Araxxor | 1 | Sarachnis (Cudgel), Venenatis (Dragon Pickaxe), Araxxor (Noxious items) |
| Skeletons | Vet'ion | 1 | Drops Ring of the Gods, Dragon Pickaxe, Skull of Vet'ion. |
| Scorpions | Scorpia | 1 | Drops Odium/Malediction Shard 3, Pet. |
| Rats | Scurrius | 1 | Drops Bone Mace/Staff pieces, Pet. |
| Lesser Nagua | Amoxliatl | 48 | Drops pieces for Atlatl/Moonlight weapons. |
| Fire Giants | Branda the Fire Queen | 1 | Cam Torum boss. |
| Ice Giants | Eldric the Ice King | 1 | Cam Torum boss. |
| Bears | Callisto | 1 | Drops Tyrannical Ring, Dragon Pickaxe. |
Pros and Cons of Slayer Bossing
Pros:
- Better Loot: Bosses almost always have significantly better drop tables than their regular counterparts, including valuable unique items.
- Pet Chance: Most bosses have a unique pet drop associated with them.
- Challenge/Variety: Breaks up the monotony of grinding regular monsters.
- Collection Log Slots: Helps fill out the boss sections of the Collection Log.
- Bonus XP (Dedicated Tasks): +5,000 XP for completing a "Like a boss" task.
Cons:
- Slower XP/hr (Usually): Boss kills take longer than killing regular monsters, often resulting in lower overall Slayer XP per hour, even if the XP per kill is higher.
- Higher Requirements: Bosses demand better gear, stats, and supplies (food, potions).
- Increased Difficulty: Boss mechanics can be complex and require more attention.
- Higher Risk: Deaths at bosses are usually more costly or inconvenient than dying to regular Slayer monsters.
Conclusion
Integrating bossing into your Slayer training is a great way to increase potential profits, hunt for pets and unique items, and add variety to the grind. Whether you unlock dedicated boss tasks or opt to kill boss variants of regular assignments, understanding the trade-offs between speed, profit, and difficulty is key. Choose the bosses that align with your account goals and enjoy the challenge!
Struggling with a specific Slayer boss or need help getting the required Slayer level? Our OSRS PVM Services and OSRS Skilling Services can provide expert assistance.
