Vorkath OSRS Guide

Vorkath is a massive blue dragon boss in OSRS. Players first face a weakened version of it during the Dragon Slayer II quest before being able to face a much stronger version that is representative of its true canonical power. The boss’ health and attack values change depending on the version that the player is facing, but the fights are otherwise identical to one another. So, let’s take an in-depth look at Vorkath, the undead dragon.

Key Info Up Front

• Members Only: Yes
• Combat Level (Quest/Post-Quest): 392/732
• Slayer Target: Yes
• Location: Ungael

Vorkath Overview

Vorkath is a blue dragon that the Dragonkin Zorgoth created. In Runescape, most Dragonkin fell to a curse that made them extremely aggressive and feral. Zorgoth managed to avoid the curse and dedicated himself to finding its cure. Vorkath was the result of one of Zorgoth’s experiments but was left in his den beneath the Dragonkin fortress of Ungael even after Zorgoth fled. He was left behind because his nature wasn’t aggressive enough for his creator’s tastes, but Zorgoth also left him to push any humans that found the location to get slowed down by fighting him.

Because of Vorkath’s unusual origins, he is classified as a dragon and a zombie in OSRS. His stats also vary depending on whether the player is facing him during the Dragon Slayer II quest or outside of it. When players face Vorkath during the quest, he has a combat level of 392 with the following stats:

• Hit Points: 460
• Attack: 560
• Strength: 268
• Defense: 164
• Magic: 148
• Ranged: 268
• Pierce Defense: 66
• Slash Defense: 126
• Crush Defense: 126
• Magic Defense: 204
• Ranged Defense: 80

Once players face Vorkath outside of the quest, he is instead combat level 732 and a significantly more challenging fight. Outside of the quest, players can go to his instance to fight him whenever they want, but he can also be given as the target of Slayer Tasks given to the player by Turael, Duradel, Spria, Nieve, Mazchna, and Konar quo Maten. Once players are facing Vorkath in this way, he has the following stats:

• Hit Points: 750
• Attack: 560
• Strength: 308
• Defense: 214
• Magic: 150
• Ranged: 308
• Stab Defense: 26
• Slash Defense: 108
• Crush Defense: 108
• Magic Defense: 240
• Ranged Defense: 26

Vorkath’s stat changes here are exciting because a few of them go lower despite his higher combat level. In particular, all of his defenses other than Magic Defense drop, likely to push players to fight him the way the developers intended and to counteract his higher general Defense skill. Regardless of which situation players are fighting Vorkath in, he has the same attacks and options for players to deal with.

Fighting Vorkath

Vorkath Attacks

Before you jump straight into combat with a fierce enemy like Vorkath, it is wise to understand what you’ll be facing throughout the battle. Vorkath’s attacks can be split into two categories of standard and special attacks. This is important because Vorkath will perform six standard attacks throughout the fight depending on his position in relation to the player before performing one of his two special attacks. Knowing this will help players preemptively react to Vorkath’s attacks so that they can avoid getting killed with his most powerful options.

So, let’s first take a look at Vorkath’s standard attacks. To start, Vorkath has a Mele, Magic, and Ranged attack. The Melee attack is a slash damage strike that he will only use when the player is close enough to be hit by it. The Magic attack can happen regardless of the player’s positioning and deals 30 damage if it hits. However, this damage can be avoided entirely using the Protect from Magic prayer. Vorkath’s Ranged attack is similar to the Magic attack but is a spiked ball that deals 32 damage. This damage can instead be nullified by using the Protect from Missiles prayer. If the player is in melee range of Vorkath, he will use the Magic attack more frequently but will use the Ranged attack more if the player is outside melee range.

Then there are Vorkath’s four variants of Dragonfire. The first is a standard version of Dragonfire that can be found being used by the majority of dragons throughout OSRS. The second is a Venom-infused Dragonfire that has a chance to afflict players with the venom status effect. There is also his Pink Dragonfire attack that disables all the prayers players have active when it hits them. Finally, there is his Vertical Dragonfire. This attack is lobbed in the air before landing where the player is standing when it is launched and must be avoided. It deals an incredible amount of damage that can easily one-shot most players. So, keep an eye out for a Dragonfire shot that goes up after leaving his mouth, and run out of the way before it lands.

Then there are Vorkath’s two special attacks. Throughout the fight, Vorkath will cycle back and forth between the two whenever it comes time to use one during the fight. This will allow you to predict what is coming next and avoid it accordingly. The first special attack is his Acid Pool Quickfire Barrage. This attack lobs acid that covers the arena before Vorkath shoots 25 Dragonfire attacks in a row. If any hit the player while standing in an acid pool, the attack will heal Vorkath and damage the player. The attack also cuts the damage Vorkath takes in half for its entire duration.

His second special attack is called Zombified Ice Dragonfire. The attack allows Vorkath to freeze the player with a special Dragonfire that doesn’t deal damage while also summoning a Zombified Spawn. While the Zombified Spawn is alive, Vorkath is invulnerable to incoming damage. The Spawn then advances toward the player, exploding for up to 60 damage upon making contact. To counter this attack, you need to kill the Zombified Spawn before it reaches you, preferably by using the Crumble Undead spell.

Vorkath Crossbow Method

Since Vorkath’s Magic Defense is so high, I recommend not taking a magic-based approach to the combat encounter. There are instead two favorite ways to tackle the fight, with the first being utilizing a crossbow. For this build, I recommend using the following equipment:

• Head Slot: Void Ranger Helm
• Necklace Slot: Salve Amulet
• Cape Slot: Ava’s Assembler
• Body Slot: Void Knight Top
• Leg Slot: Void Knight Robe
• Weapon Slot: Zaryte Crossbow
• Shield Slot: Dragonfire Ward
• Ammunition Slot: Ruby Dragon Bolts
• Hands Slot: Void Knight Gloves
• Feet Slot: Pegasian Boots
• Ring Slot: Archers Ring

If you can get a Dragon Hunter Crossbow, that is preferable to the Zaryte Crossbow, it is so challenging to get that it is likely not a viable option for most players. Along with this gear, you should take plenty of antifire potions, antivenom potions, healing potions, a potion to boost your Ranged skill, and runes to cast the Crumble Undead spell. Finally, you may also want to bring a teleport scroll along so that you can flee if you are about to die.

Once you have assembled your gear, you’ll be able to enter the combat encounter. Throughout the fight, you’ll want to keep your distance from Vorkath to avoid his melee attack. This will also make his Ranged attack occur more often than his Magic attack, so keep your Protect from Missiles prayer up to mitigate as much of his damage as possible. You will then want to keep up your damage output as much as possible while keeping an eye on your health and using antivenoms and antifire whenever you need them.

When Vorkath uses his Acid Pool Quickfire Barrage special attack, you’ll also want to move to avoid taking any damage continuously. During this time, you can also deactivate your defensive prayers to conserve prayer points, but make sure not to step on any acid pools to avoid healing Vorkath. However, you can also use a method to continue attacking Vorkath during this attack. To do so, stand eight tiles away from Vorkath and select to attack him. This will make your character step one tile forward and shoot it once, after which you must immediately return to the first tile before repeating the process.

To counter Vorkath’s Zombified Ice Dragonfire attack, you have two options. The first is to bring a Rune Pouch with the runes in it to cast Crumble Undead and the second is to bring a Slayer staff that can cast it for free. Either way, you should cast the spell on the Zombified Spawn immediately when it lands to get out of the special attack as quickly as possible and ensure that you don’t take any damage.

Vorkath Melee Method

If you don’t have a high enough Ranged skill or prefer not to use it, taking a melee-based approach to the boss fight is also viable. However, this method can be a bit riskier as you will be more vulnerable to taking a multitude of damage types making it more difficult to mitigate the damage you take. If you want to kill Vorkath with melee, I recommend taking this build:

• Head Slot: Torva Full Helm
• Necklace Slot: Salve Amulet
• Cape Slot: Infernal Cape
• Body Slot: Torva Platebody
• Leg Slot: Torva Platelegs
• Weapon Slot: Dragon hunter Lance
• Shield Slot: Avernic Defender
• Ammunition Slot: Rada’s Blessing
• Hands Slot: Ferocious Gloves
• Feet Slot: Primordial Boots
• Ring Slot: Berserker Ring

Since you’ll be taking so much more damage with this method, you’ll want to bring a range of healing potions, antifire potions, antivenom potions, and combat potions to boost your skills. You should also get runes to cast the Crumble Undead spell, a teleport scroll to run away if need be, and fill the rest of your inventory with cooked Sharks to help you heal.

Once you enter the fight, you’ll want to stay in the melee range of Vorkath for the entire fight. This will allow you to deal damage to him consistently and open you up to his melee attacks. Since being that close will make him use his Magic attack more often than his Ranged one, you should keep your Protect from Magic prayer up as much as possible.

You will also need to watch Vorkath’s various attacks throughout the fight. You’ll need to re-enable all of your prayers whenever you are hit with Pink Dragonfire. You’ll also need always to be ready to move two spaces away from your position to avoid his high-damage Dragonfire that can kill most players in a single hit.

When it comes to Vorkath’s Acid Pool Quickfire Barrage attack, you can either move around during the entire episode to avoid damage or use a unique method to maintain your damage while avoiding his attack. To keep damaging him, you’ll need to initiate an attack and then click to move two spaces back right as the weapon makes contact with him. Once your character gets there, you need to walk around to hit him again and repeat the process throughout the attack.

Whenever Vorkath uses his Zombified Ice Dragonfire attack, you’ll need to use the Crumble Undead spell immediately when the Zombified Spawn first hits the ground to avoid damaging it. You’ll have to repeat these steps for the entire fight, and as you grind Vorkath fights, they should quickly become second nature for you.

Vorkath Drops

Each time a player kills Vorkath, they are rewarded with multiple rolls on a few different loot tables. The first is a guaranteed table, followed by the main loot table rolled on twice, followed by a tertiary loot table rolled on once. These tables are rolled on every time the boss is killed, but players also have a 3.33% chance of rolling on OSRS’s general rare drop table in addition to the others. The tables and the chance for each item to be dropped are below.

100% Drop Table

Main Drop Table

Tertiary Drop Table

Rare Drop Table

Vorkath Achievements

FAQs

Conclusion

Vorkath is an entertaining boss to fight with some solid loot drops for players to cross their fingers for. There is also a good chance you’ll end up fighting him multiple times, whether for Slayer tasks or to try and get all of the game’s achievements. So, you may want to use the information above to help you kill him as fast as possible or to help you survive your first run through Dragon Slayer II.

Looking for more interesting readings? Check out:

• Rune Dragon OSRS Guide – Slaying The Metal Dragon
• Dragon Defender OSRS Guide [2022]: An Essential Defensive Dagger
• Green Dragon OSRS Guide

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Arron Kluz

Arron is a featured team writer and lifelong gamer. Ever since he started playing games on his old SNES, he has been hooked ever since. He has a particular love for games like Pillars of Eternity, Skyrim, a variety of beloved indie titles, and also a few online shooters to serve as a means of avoiding open-world fatigue. Outside of gaming, he enjoys watching arthouse movies, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and writing fiction.

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