Dwarven Multicannon

The Dwarf multicannon is a members special Ranged weapon. Unlike other Ranged weapons, it is not equipped by a player; rather, it is assembled on the ground. To use a Dwarf multicannon, the Dwarf Cannon quest must be completed. The cannon consists of four pieces: the base, the stand, the furnace, and the barrels. After a player has loaded cannonballs into the cannon, the cannon rotates and fires automatically. Cannons are often considered to be a supplement to a primary weapon or fighting method. This is not hindered or affected by the combat style a player uses.

After completion of the Dwarf cannon quest, players may buy the full cannon as well as a mould to make cannonballs from the dwarf engineer Nulodion, south of Ice Mountain, for 750,000 coins. Alternatively, the individual parts may be purchased for 187,500 coins each. The "Talk" option on Nulodion must be used to obtain the full cannon, whereas the "Trade" option is used to buy the individual parts. However, it is generally cheaper to buy a cannon from the World 1 or 2. If a cannon decays or the mould is dropped, Nulodion will provide a free replacement as well.

A player may own multiple cannons, but only one may be assembled per player at any one time. The reason for this is because Jagex doesn't want RuneScape to be flooded with cannons.

MechanicsEdit
These are the mechanical aspects of the Cannon. This section includes the rotation, targets, and decay of the cannon's parts.

Revolutions
After the cannon has been set up, loaded, and fired, the barrel will rotate and fire at targets within its line-of-sight and range. The cannon barrel rotates in discrete intervals; there are 8 directions the barrel may face, and the barrel makes a 45 degree turn every 0.6 seconds (one game tick), completing a full revolution in 4.8 seconds. The cannon fires one cannonball while facing each direction, so it fires up to 8 cannonballs per revolution.

In a single combat zone, the cannon fires at the monster the player is being attacked by. If the player is not being attacked by any monster – not being hit by any monsters – the cannon fires at multiple monsters. This means that a player can range, mage, or halberd from a "safe spot" in a single combat zone and have the cannon shoot at multiple monsters, as long as the player is never attacked by a monster, in which case that monster will be the only target the cannon attacks. However, the player will need to regularly come out of cover to reload the cannon.

In multi-combat areas, the cannon fires at every potential target within line-of-sight and range, even if the player is under attack.

Targets
For each direction the cannon faces during its rotation, there is a specific set of squares relative to the cannon's location that a cannonball may be shot into at that time. This target region can be visualized by a triangle emanating from the cannon barrel. Squares may be cut off from the target region by an obstacle.

Target regions for different directions overlap slightly. This may result in shooting multiple cannonballs at one monster in one cannon revolution, even one that is standing still. Up to two cannonballs may be shot at a monster that takes up a single square per rotation. If it is not in the proper location however, only one, or even zero cannonballs may be shot per rotation.

Additionally, even more cannonballs may be shot at monsters that take up multiple squares. Monsters taking up multiple squares can be shot at using any of the squares that they are covering. For example, up to 4 cannonballs can be shot per rotation at a dragon because they are so big (3 squares by 3 squares) and if done correctly strykewyrms (also 3 squares by 3 squares) can be hit on all 8 rotations. Also, the chances of killing a monster is much faster if the cannon is placed near the spawn point; for example, if a player sets up a cannon near a Frost Dragon spawn, the dragon will be hit 3 times in a row.

Players cannot control what target is chosen, thus it may fire at anything around it. However, if a player is already engaged in single combat, the cannon will only fire at the current opponent.

Although a cannon will never target another player, if a cannon is set up in the wilderness, it may target a player's familiar in a multicombat zone if that familiar belongs to a player who could be attacked by the cannon's user. This will result in the owner of the cannon receiving a skull. Players should exercise extreme caution about using a cannon in multicombat areas of the wilderness.

DamageEdit
Interestingly, despite being much larger and using larger ammunition, it seems to only have half the max hit of a hand cannon.

DecayEdit
Cannons disappear after a certain period of time being continuously set up. 20 minutes after the cannon has been set up, a message appears that the cannon has almost decayed. 25 minutes after the cannon has been set up, or 5 minutes after the warning message, the cannon will decay. However, the decay timer can easily be restarted by picking up the cannon and re-assembling it again.

The decay effect is not based on the number of cannonballs shot, but based on the decay timer as stated above.

The cannon's decay is a one-time event, not a continuous degrading associated with declining performance. The cannon is equally effective at all times.

LossEdit
Cannons that do decay are not lost forever, but rather may be re-obtained for free from Nulodion. If bought at the GE, he will try to sell you a new one, there is a right-click option to replace multicannon, choose that option. The fastest way to get to Nulodion is to cast Lassar Teleport (an Ancient Magicks teleport). Alternatively, players may teleport to the monastery using a charged Combat Bracelet and run to Nulodion, or they can choose to run from Edgeville or Falador.

If you log out while your cannon is set up you can right-click Nulodion and select "Replace-cannon" to retrieve it free of charge.

Cannons will also disappear right away if they are set up and then you switch worlds. You can get them back from Nulodion in the same way as when it decays.

If a player dies while a cannon is set up, the cannon stays set up at the location. After it decays, it may be re-obtained for free from Nulodion. It is a common belief that cannons are lost upon death, but in this case the cannon may easily be re-obtained for free. You cannot re-obtain a cannon that was in your inventory if you are killed in the wilderness.

If a player dies while a cannon, cannon parts, or cannonballs are in the inventory, these items are lost, unless the player is able to re-obtain them from the gravestone. If you are under attack by a strong enemy that may kill you, immediately set up your cannon. If you do die, you won't lose your cannon.