Instance
An instance is a special area, typically a quest area, that generates a new copy of the location for each player or group that enters the area. Players cannot see other players in instanced areas unless it's a group instanced area—in which case, the group cannot see any other groups.
Instanced areas can take place in entirely new areas that cannot be accessed without the instance or in areas that are normally not instanced. Most non-quest boss instances will require the player to pay a specific sum of money or have an item in their inventory in order to access the instance.
Items dropped in an instance will generally last for up to three hours[1], which includes those dropped by either a player or monster.
Generally, dying in an instance will result in all unkept items being stored in a gravestone, which will be located just outside of the instance.
Logging out inside of a private instance will kick the player out of the private instance and upon the next log in the player will be outside of the private instance area.
Examples of instanced areas
- Many quest areas:
- Varrock stone table area at the end of the Demon Slayer quest
- The lower levels of the Elemental Workshop
- Dream World
- The boss section of Kruk's Dungeon and Crash Site Cavern with Kruk and Glough respectively
- The Underground Pass quest
- Several Minigame locations:
Boss instances
Some bosses have an instance option (sometimes called "custom session" or "custom encounter"), which may have a setup or entrance cost (coins or an item). Instances also share the requirements of the boss. The cost varies per instance and are shown below. Some instances offer an Item Retrieval Service, should the player leave such instances by death.
| Boss | Access location | Cost | Item Recovery[2] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scurrius | Broken bars east of the Varrock Sewers entrance | Free | Grave by Historian Aldo | At the broken bars, select the "Climb-through (private)" option. |
| Zulrah | At his shrine east of Zul-Andra | Free | Free from Priestess Zul-Gwenwynig until 50kc, 100,000 after | |
| Skotizo | Centre of the Catacombs of Kourend |  Dark totem
|
Grave outside the altar in the Catacombs of Kourend | Use a dark totem on the altar found in the centre of the Catacombs of Kourend. |
| Kraken | Kraken Cove | 25,000 | Grave outside the crevice | At the crevice due north, select the "Private Crevice" option. |
| King Black Dragon | King Black Dragon Lair | 50,000 | Grave beside the Lava Maze Dungeon's lever | Go down the ladder at the Lava Maze entrance and select the "Private Lever" option. |
| Corporeal Beast | At the private portal in Corporeal Beast Lair | 200,000 | Grave by the private portal | A captain rank or higher in a clan chat can pay the instance cost for the clan, and any clan member can enter once the instance is open. Items appear in a grave by the private portal upon death. |
| Obor | Gates at the western wall of the hill giant area in Edgeville Dungeon |  Giant key
|
Grave by the entrance to Obor's lair | Players need to obtain a giant key from hill giants, which grants access to Obor's lair. |
| Bryophyta | Gates just north of the moss giant area in the Varrock Sewers |  Mossy key
|
Grave by the entrance to Bryophyta's lair | Players need to obtain a mossy key from moss giants, which grants access to Bryophyta's lair. |
| Grotesque Guardians | Roof entrance outside of gargoyles in Slayer Tower |  Brittle key, only once
|
50,000 from the nearby magical chest | Players need to obtain a brittle key from gargoyles only while on a Slayer task, which grants permanant access to the Slayer Tower's rooftop. |
| Vorkath | Ungael | Free | 100,000 from Torfinn | Although encountered during Dragon Slayer II, players need to complete said quest to battle a stronger variant of Vorkath. |
| Alchemical Hydra | Karuulm Slayer Dungeon | Free | 100,000 from Orrvor quo Maten | Climb over the small obstacle next to Orrvor quo Maten. |
| Hespori | Farming Guild | File:Hespori seed.pngHespori seed, per successful kill only | 25,000 from Arno | Instance is created upon attempting to harvest Hespori. |
| The Mimic | Upstairs in Watson's house in Hosidius |  Mimic casket
|
90,000 from the Strange casket | |
| General Graardor | Outside entry door | 75,000 to 150,000 depending on Combat Achievements task set completed | Requires appropriate kill count or ecumenical key, along with hard combat achievement task set completed | |
| Kree'arra | Outside entry door | 75,000 to 150,000 depending on Combat Achievements task set completed | Requires appropriate kill count or ecumenical key, along with hard combat achievement task set completed | |
| Commander Zilyana | Outside entry door | 75,000 to 150,000 depending on Combat Achievements task set completed | Requires appropriate kill count or ecumenical key, along with hard combat achievement task set completed | |
| K'ril Tsutsaroth | Outside entry door | 75,000 to 150,000 depending on Combat Achievements task set completed | Requires appropriate kill count or ecumenical key, along with hard combat achievement task set completed | |
| Chambers of Xeric | Mount Quidamortem | Free | N/A | A party must be formed via Friends Chat with an eligible rank |
| Theatre of Blood | Ver Sinhaza | Free | 100,000, by chest in Ver Sinhaza | A party must be formed via message board in centre of Ver Sinhaza |
| Tombs of Amascut | Jaltevas Pyramid | Free | Chest in the lobby area, normal death fees apply if limited attempt invocations are active | A party must be formed via obelisk in pyramid |
| Fortis Colosseum | Civitas illa Fortis | Free | Grave in the entry area, normal death fees apply | N/A |
- ^ Jagex. Mod Ash's Twitter account. 7 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Mod Ash: "I believe those are 180 mins. This is not universal across all instances, but it's been enabled for quite a few repeatable boss rooms."
- ^ Note: Item retrieval services cannot be used simultaneously, and dying a second time before retrieving your items will cause them to be destroyed.
Slayer instance-like sections
Some bosses may only be slain if on a Slayer task, namely the Kraken, Thermonuclear smoke devil, Cerberus, Abyssal Sire, Grotesque Guardians, and Alchemical Hydra. The Grotesque Guardians and the Alchemical Hydra have instances of their own, with no normal fight option being available. Cerberus and the Abyssal Sire have mechanics in place to prevent other players from attacking them, even if they are on a task. The Kraken and Thermonuclear smoke devil are exceptions in that other players can attack them if they are part of a Slayer task, although any player who doesn't have them as a Slayer task can't attack them.
Additionally, Dagannoth Kings have a Slayer lair, which is accessible on the Kings' ladder. Players who have been assigned a general Dagannoth task (or Konar's Waterbirth Island) may slay the Kings here as part of their Slayer task, working similarly to the Kraken and Thermonuclear smoke devil in that a player can't attack them if they're not assigned them, but may still enter and collect items.