Cerberus is a level 318 hellhound boss that is located in her lair, deep beneath the Taverley Dungeon in the cave entrance in the north-east part of the hellhound area which is found beyond the poisonous spiders. There are three identical lairs guarded by the Key Master. Players can choose whichever lair to fight Cerberus. Cerberus occasionally drops Key master teleports (1/64), which can be used to teleport to the area immediately; otherwise, players typically will get to Cerberus through the regular method of running from Taverley or Falador.
Cerberus requires both a Slayer level of 91 to kill and a Slayer task of Cerberus herself or hellhounds. In the event of the latter, Cerberus can be killed while under the effects of the wild pie, provided that it boosts the player's Slayer level to 91 or higher. It is the only monster to drop primordial, eternal and pegasian crystals, which can be attached to the dragon, infinity and ranger boots respectively, providing best-in-slot boots for each combat style — Primordial boots, Eternal boots and Pegasian boots. In addition, she is also able to drop a Smouldering stone, which when combined with a dragon axe, dragon pickaxe, or a dragon harpoon can add a "heat element" to the tools, allowing them to become an infernal axe, infernal pickaxe or infernal harpoon, respectively.
If a player has recently fought the boss, a line of fire will spawn between the entrance and the boss; stepping over this will deal 5 damage each way. The line of fire may be bugged, as it will not despawn unless the challenger dies to Cerberus or goes back through the line of fire after it respawns. Cerberus will restore all of its health if there are no players in its lair (it only has an examine option when this happens).
A dwarf multicannon cannot be set up inside Cerberus' Lair; if attempted, you will receive the message: You cannot place the cannon here, it would melt.
Fight overview[]
When approaching her, Cerberus will become aggressive. She may attack with magic, ranged and melee attacks, each with a max hit of 23. The magic attack appears as a grey ball, the ranged attack appears as a ball of spikes, and the melee attack is her biting. Interestingly, she may use the melee attack at range.
Cerberus has three special attacks that she may use under certain circumstances:
- She attacks in quick succession with magic followed by ranged and melee. She will do this at the start of every fight and approximately every 30 seconds afterwards.
- She spits three balls of fire — indicated by her growling — on the ground, one at the player and two in random spots around the room. Standing on or near one will deal continuous damage. She will do this at random when below half health.
- She summons three souls — indicated by her howling — that come from the river behind her and attack the player with each combat style. Each attack will drain 30 prayer (15 with spectral spirit shield equipped) if blocked or 30 hitpoints if not blocked. She may do this approximately every 30 seconds.
Once defeated, Cerberus will respawn in five seconds.
Drops[]
Estimated drop rates are based off 1,000 kills.[1]
The mean average value of one kill is 98,415.2, excluding the loot from clue scrolls.
100%[]
Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Ashes 1 Always 72
Unique drop table[]
There is a 1 in 128 chance of hitting the unique drop table. Below lists the effective drop rates.
Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Primordial crystal 1 Rare (1/512) 34,943,796 Pegasian crystal 1 Rare (1/512) 123,799 Eternal crystal 1 Rare (1/512) 3,102,946 Smouldering stone 1 Rare (1/512) 1,497,061
Weapons/Armour[]
Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Rune platebody 1 Common (~6/128) 38,473 Black d'hide body 1 Uncommon (~4/128) 7,285 Rune axe 1 Uncommon (~4/128) 7,181 Rune chainbody 1 Uncommon (~4/128) 29,475 Rune 2h sword 1 Uncommon (~3/128) 37,758 Rune pickaxe 1 Uncommon (~3/128) 18,715 Battlestaff 6 (noted) Uncommon (~2.5/128) 48,966 Rune full helm 1 Uncommon (~2.5/128) 20,588 Lava battlestaff 1 Uncommon (~2/128) 9,454 Rune halberd 1 Uncommon (~1/128) 38,052
Runes/Ammunition[]
Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Fire rune 300 Common (~7/128) 1,500 Pure essence 300 (noted) Uncommon (~5/128) 600 Soul rune 100 Uncommon (~5/128) 14,600 Blood rune 60 Uncommon (~5/128) 22,020 Runite bolts (unf) 40 Uncommon (~4/128) 18,440 Cannonball 50 Uncommon (~4/128) 8,600 Death rune 100 Uncommon (~3/128) 20,300
Herbs, potions, and seeds[]
Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Super restore(4) 2 Uncommon (~3/128) 19,892 Grimy torstol 6 (noted) Uncommon (~3/128) 50,046 Torstol seed 3 Uncommon (~2/128) 175,155
Ores[]
Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Coal 120 (noted) Common (~6/128) 19,440 Runite ore 5 (noted) Uncommon (~3/128) 55,845
Others[]
Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Summer pie 3 Common (~6.5/128) 4,365 Coins 10,000–20,000 Uncommon (~5/128) Not sold Unholy symbol 1 Uncommon (~5/128) 230 Dragon bones 20 (noted) Uncommon (~5/128) 54,260 Wine of zamorak 15 (noted) Uncommon (~4.5/128) 26,625 Ashes 50 (noted) Uncommon (~4/128) 3,600 Fire orb 20 (noted) Uncommon (~3.5/128) 24,580 Uncut diamond 5 (noted) Uncommon (~3/128) 13,135 Rare drop table 1 Uncommon (~3/128) Not sold Key master teleport 3 Uncommon (2/128) Not sold
Tertiary drops[]
Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Clue scroll (elite) 1 Rare (1/100) Not sold Jar of souls 1 Very rare (1/2,000) 49,104 Hellpuppy 1 Very rare (1/3,000) Not sold
Rare drop table
In addition to the drops above, this monster approximately has a 3/128 chance to access the standard rare drop table.
Show/hide rare drop table Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Coins 3,000 Rare (1/248.24) Not sold Loop half of key 1 Rare (1/270.95; 1/270.25)[R 1] 10,307 Tooth half of key 1 Rare (1/285.09; 1/284.32)[R 1] 10,840 Uncut sapphire 1 Very rare (1/1,092.27; 1/819.2)[R 1] 455 Runite bar 1 Very rare (1/1,092.27) 12,368 Unknown talisman
(please specify)1 Very rare (1/1,574.44; 1/1,506.57)[R 1] Error Nature rune 67 Very rare (1/1,820.44) 14,539 Rune 2h sword 1 Very rare (1/1,820.44) 37,758 Rune battleaxe 1 Very rare (1/1,820.44) 24,487 Uncut emerald 1 Very rare (1/2,184.53; 1/1,638.4)[R 1] 679 Law rune 45 Very rare (1/2,730.67) 7,470 Death rune 45 Very rare (1/2,730.67) 9,135 Steel arrow 150 Very rare (1/2,730.67) 4,800 Rune arrow 42 Very rare (1/2,730.67) 2,940 Adamant javelin 20 Very rare (1/2,730.67) 1,220 Rune sq shield 1 Very rare (1/2,730.67) 22,459 Dragonstone 1 Very rare (1/2,730.67) 11,932 Silver ore 100 (noted) Very rare (1/2,730.67) 7,000 Uncut ruby 1 Very rare (1/4,369.07; 1/3,276.8)[R 1] 1,249 Rune kiteshield 1 Very rare (1/5,461.33) 32,015 Dragon med helm 1 Very rare (1/5,461.33) 58,488 Rune spear 1 Very rare (1/5,765.37)[R 2] 11,933 Shield left half 1 Very rare (1/11,530.73)[R 2] 65,697 Dragon spear 1 Very rare (1/15,374.31)[R 2] 37,226 Uncut diamond 1 Very rare (1/17,476.27; 1/13,107.2)[R 1] 2,627 Rune javelin 5 Very rare (1/34,952.53; 1/26,214.4)[R 1] 875
Concept art[]
Trivia[]
- In Greek and Roman mythology, Cerberus is a multi-headed hellhound with a serpent's tail, a mane of snakes, and a lion's claws, guarding the entrance of the Greek underworld to prevent the dead from escaping and the living from entering. This reflects the area around Cerberus as it guards the rivers that take souls to the Underworld and explains the very rare drop Jar of souls.
- Cerberus stands on a trapdoor as a reference to the book/film Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in some territories which explains the 4 stone/crystal drops.
- At one point, if a player had killed the last Cerberus of their task but also happened to die in the room, the player would be unable to recover their items as entering the boss chamber required the player to be on a hellhounds task. This was changed so that the player can enter the chamber, but is simply unable to attack the boss.
- Along with the said change, the summoned spirits it calls were also given weapons so that challengers could easily identify the combat style they would be using.
- Upon release, the summoned souls would continue attacking the player even if Cerberus died. This is no longer the case with the 16 March 2017 update.
- Cerberus is the only Slayer boss whose attacks are fully protected by protection prayers.
- When bones are used on Cerberus, a quote is given "Those aren't Cerby snacks." This is a reference to "Scooby snacks," in Scooby-Doo.
References[]
Cerberus | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NPCs |
Key Master • Cerberus • Summoned Soul | ||||
Unique drops |
Primordial crystal • Eternal crystal • Pegasian crystal • Smouldering stone • Key master teleport • Jar of souls • Hellpuppy | ||||
Equipment |
| ||||
Other |
Standard demons |
Imp (Champion) (Defender) • Lesser demon (Champion) • Greater demon • Black demon |
Quest demons |
Delrith • Agrith Naar • Kolodion • Porazdir • Doomion • Holthion • Othainian • Chronozon • Nezikchened • Jungle Demon |
Slayer demons |
Bloodveld • Insatiable Bloodveld • Mutated Bloodveld • Insatiable mutated Bloodveld • Nechryael (Death spawn) • Greater Nechryael • Nechryarch (Chaotic death spawn) • Abyssal demon • Greater abyssal demon • Abyssal Sire • Cerberus |
Fiends | |
Revenants |
Revenant imp • Revenant pyrefiend • Revenant hellhound • Revenant demon |
Personalities | |
God Wars Dungeon |
K'ril Tsutsaroth • Balfrug Kreeyath • Zakl'n Gritch • Tstanon Karlak |
Other |
Implings • Hell-Rat (Behemoth) • Hellcat • Hellhound • Demon of Light • Demon of Balance • Demon of Darkness • Skotizo • Tortured gorilla • Demonic gorilla • Ice demon |