OSRS Ancient Wyvern Guide: Strategy & Gear Setup

Ancient Wyverns are the highest tier of Fossil Island Wyverns in Old School RuneScape, requiring 82 Slayer to kill. They are hunted for their lucrative drops, such as the Ancient Wyvern visage, which can be combined with an elemental shield to create the powerful Ancient Wyvern shield. However, these wyverns are among the most dangerous mid-to-high-level Slayer creatures due to their deadly ice breath, high defence, and strong melee and ranged attacks. Aggression can be removed by setting up a Tolerance zone and staying within it. This guide outlines their variants, locations, requirements, optimal gear setups, and strategies to maximize your kills per hour efficiently and safely.

Variants

When you get assigned fossil Island wyverns there are four types you can kill: the longtailed wyvern, spitting wyvern, taloned wyvern and ancient wyvern. The ancient wyvern is like the big brother of the four being almost 25% stronger than the rest whenit comes to the lower level ones the spitting wyvern is the best one to kill.

Requirements

  82 Slayer
  Bone Voyage quest completed

Recommended Stats

•   85+ Ranged for crossbow or blowpipe setup.
•   90+ Strength and Attack for melee setups.
•   70+ Defence for tanking hits.
• High Prayer levels for Protect from Missiles or Melee as needed.

Ice Breath Protection

Ancient Wyverns are known for their powerful ice breath, which can deal over 50 damage if you're not protected.

These items negate or reduce ice breath:

  Elemental Shield (Quest: Elemental Workshop I)

  Mind Shield (Elemental Workshop II)

  Ancient Wyvern Shield  

  Dragonfire ward

Anti-dragon shields and antifire potions do ⌠NOT ⌠work on Wyvern breath  

Location

Ancient Wyverns are located deeper in the cave and are distinguishable by their icy-blue colouration and massive wings. They reside within the Fossil Island Wyvern Cave, specifically in the western-most section.

There is another cave but it is only for players who have tasks assigned by a slayer master, if they do not have that requirement, they will not be able to use this cave as a method to kill them.

Fastest Way to Get There

1. Digsite Pendant teleport to Fossil Island.
2. Use the Mushroom Meadow hole shortcut if 70 Agility for fastest access.
3. Alternatively, take the Fossil Island boat from Varrock Digsite, then run east.
   
   

How to access Fossil Island Wyvern Caves

1. Complete Bone Voyage to unlock Fossil Island.

2. Use the Digsite pendant or varrock boat to teleport to Fossil Island.

3. Run east or west depending on the cave you are using, climb down the Mushroom Meadow hole, and continue into your Wyvern Cave.

Gear

Magic Setup  

• Head slot: Ancestral hat
• Neck slot: Occult necklace
• Cape slot: Imbued Saradomin cape
• Body slot: Ancestral Robe Top
• Leg slot: Ancestral Robe Bottom
• Weapon slot: Trident of the Swamp
• Shield slot: Dragonfire ward / Dragonfire shield
• Ammo slot: Rada's Blessing
• Glove slot: Tormented bracelet / Barrows gloves
• Boot slot: Eternal boots / Infinity boots
• Ring slot: Magus ring / Seer's ring

Inventory

Prayer potions, Bonecrusher, Herb Sack, Rune Pouch, high-healing food, teleport tab, shield for protection

Ranged Setup

• Head slot: Masori mask  
• Neck slot: Necklace of anguish
• Cape slot: Quiver / Ava's assembler
• Body slot: Masori's Body / Karil's top
• Leg slot: Masori's Chaps / Karil's skirt
• Weapon slot: Dragon Hunter Crossbow / Rune c'bow
• Ammo slot: Diamond Dragon Bolt (e) / Broad-bolts
• Glove slot: Zaryte vambraces / Barrows gloves
• Shield slot: Dragonfire ward / Dragonfire shield
• Boot slot: Pegasian boots / Snakeskin boots
• Ring slot: Venator ring / Archer's ring

Inventory

Ranging potions, prayer pots, Bonecrusher, Herb Sack, Rune Pouch, shield, teleport out

Melee Setup

Head slot: Torva Full Helm / Slayer helm (i)
Neck slot: Amulet of Rancour / Amulet of Torture
Cape slot: Infernal cape / Fire cape
Body slot: Torva Platebody / Fighter torso
Leg slot: Torva Platelegs / Obsidian legs
Weapon slot: Dragon Hunter Lance / Abyssal whip
Shield slot: Dragonfire Ward / Dragonfire shield
Ammo slot: Rada's blessing
Glove slot: Guardian boots / Ferocious gloves
Boot slot: Primordial boots / Dragon boots
Ring slot: Ultor ring / Berserker ring (i)

Inventory

Prayer pots, High-healing food, Super Combat Potion, Bonecrusher, Herb Sack, Rune Pouch

Strategy for Killing Ancient Wyverns

1. Always keep your shield equipped to negate deadly ice breath.
2. Use Protect from Missiles or Melee depending on their attack focus when in melee range.
3. Position yourself carefully to avoid aggro from multiple wyverns.
4. Melee strategy: Stay within melee distance to avoid ranged attacks.
5. Ranged strategy: Maintain distance and kite as needed, especially with a blowpipe.
6. Always re-pot your combat or ranged boosts when below 3-4 levels.
7. Watch your health carefully, as Ancient Wyverns can combo over 40 if unprotected.

Ironman Tips

• Always bring a Bonecrusher if unlocked for passive prayer XP.
• Prioritize acquiring an Ancient Wyvern shield early as it unlocks safer bossing routes.
• Use the Dragonfire shield or Anti-dragon shield + antifire potion if you don't yet have the visage drop.
• Conserve Prayer potions by using high defence armour (Barrows or Justiciar if unlocked).
• Combine tasks with Fossil Island activities like Herbiboar or Birdhouses for maximum daily efficiency.

Drops

Unique Drops

  Brimstone key (1/62)

  Clue scroll (elite) (1/350)

  Wyvern visage (1/10,000)

  Weapons and armour

Air battlestaff (1/33), Battlestaff (1/33), Mystic air staff (1/44), Rune pickaxe (1/44), Rune battleaxe (1/66), Rune kiteshield (1/66), Rune full helm (1/66), Granite longsword (1/600), Granite boots (1/600)

  Runes and ammunition

Nature rune (1/33), Death rune (1/33), Blood rune (1/33), Adamant arrow (1/44), Rune arrow (1/44), Runite bolts (1/132)

  Herbs

Grimy torstol (1/33), Grimy ranarr weed (1/33), Grimy kwuarm (1/52.8), Grimy cadantine (1/66), Grimy dwarf weed (1/66), Grimy lantadyme (1/88)

  Seeds

Seaweed spore (1/66), Yew seed (1/66), Mahogany seed (1/99), Ranarr seed (1/132), Magic seed (1/198), Ranarr seed (1/550), Snapdragon seed (1/589.3), Torstol seed (1/750), Watermelon seed (1/785.7), Willow seed (1/825), Mahogany seed (1/916.7), Maple seed (1/916.7), Teak seed (1/916.7), Yew seed (1/916.7), Papaya tree seed (1/1,179), Magic seed (1/1,500), Palm tree seed (1/1,650), Spirit seed (1/2,063), Dragonfruit tree seed (1/2,750), Celastrus seed (1/4,125), Redwood tree seed (1/4,125)

  Materials

Adamantite bar (1/22), Volcanic ash (1/22), Adamantite ore (1/26.4), Mahogany logs (1/26.4), Onyx bolt tips (1/33), Runite ore (1/44), Diamond (1/44)

  Other

Shark (1/16.5), Super restore(4) (1/16.5), Coins (1/18.86), Super combat potion(2) (1/26.4), Runite crossbow (u) (1/44), Supercompost (1/44)

  Rare drop table

Nothing (1/363.8), Coins (1/402.3), Loop half of key (1/419.1), Tooth half of key (1/419.1), Uncut sapphire (1/1,690), Runite bar (1/1,690), Nature rune (1/2,816), Rune 2h sword (1/2,816), Rune battleaxe (1/2,816), Uncut emerald (1/3,379), Law rune (1/4,224), Death rune (1/4,224), Steel arrow (1/4,224), Rune arrow (1/4,224), Adamant javelin (1/4,224), Rune sq shield (1/4,224), Dragonstone (1/4,224), Silver ore (1/4,224), Uncut ruby (1/6,758), Rune kiteshield (1/8,448), Dragon med helm (1/8,448), Rune spear (1/8,918), Shield left half (1/17,837), Chaos talisman (1/18,022), Dragon spear (1/23,782), Uncut diamond (1/27,034), Rune javelin (1/54,067)

  Fossils

Numulite (1/1.62), Unidentified small fossil (1/29.17), Unidentified medium fossil (1/58.33), Unidentified large fossil (1/72.92), Unidentified rare fossil (1/291.7)

Conclusion

Ancient Wyverns are among the best mid-high Slayer tasks for profit, yielding up to 800k - 1.5m gp per hour with efficient kills. Their high defence and dangerous attacks require focus, protection from their breath, and strong combat levels to maximize efficiency. With the potential to acquire the lucrative Ancient Wyvern visage, they remain a staple for serious PvMers aiming for both gold and Slayer XP gains.