Barrows for beginners

The Barrows are six crypts in Morytania. Each holds a brother; one crypt hides the tunnel to the chest. Kill all six, loot the chest, and every brother you killed adds to the reward.

The brothers

• Ahrim (mage) — Protect from Magic, hit him with ranged or melee
• Dharok (melee) — Protect from Melee. His hits grow as his HP drops, so finish him fast
• Guthan (melee) — Protect from Melee; he heals from his hits
• Karil (ranged) — Protect from Missiles
• Torag (melee) — Protect from Melee
• Verac (melee) — Protect from Melee; some of his hits go through prayer, keep your HP up

Finding the tunnel

One sarcophagus asks "You find a hidden tunnel, do you want to enter?" — that brother is in the tunnels. Kill the other five first, then enter. Doors in the tunnels ask a simple pattern puzzle.
The chest room is always in the centre.

Your first runs

Around 60–70 Magic, Priest in Peril done, a spade.

• Iban's staff with Iban Blast is the classic budget weapon — most brothers are weak to magic
• Wear mystic or any robes with a magic bonus; bring a ranged or melee weapon for Ahrim
• Bring prayer potions, some food and a Barrows teleport
• Go one brother at a time and don't rush the tunnels — the monsters in there drain prayer

Faster runs

Around 75–85 Magic.

• The Trident of the Seas is a big step up: faster, and it needs no runes beyond its charges
• Ahrim's robes and an occult necklace raise your damage on every brother
• Kill the tunnel monsters as you pass — a higher kill count improves the common loot rolls
• Aim for one inventory of prayer potions per few chests

Speed runs

90+ Magic, the best mage gear you own.

• A Sanguinesti staff heals you as you hit, so you can stay out for dozens of chests
• Ancestral robes and Augury kill most brothers in a few hits
• Plan a loop of the mounds that ends at the one with the tunnel, so you never walk back across the hill
• Rare rewards are still rare — the fastest route is the one you can repeat for hours