Sand Crabs are aggressive monsters that look like harmless sandy rocks while disguised, but attack when walked by in an identical fashion to the older Rock Crabs. They are found along the southern coast in Great Kourend's Hosidius House. No favour is required to access or kill them, they are available to all players who are willing to traverse the distance to get to them. There is a bank chest nearby as well, so players running the distance should bring weight-reducing gear. The dwarf multicannon cannot be used against Sand Crabs.
Sand Crabs effectively serve as a replacement to Rock Crabs and enable AFK training due to their clusters in some spots, with little attention needed to train on them. Sand Crabs have 10 more Hitpoints than Rock Crabs and are otherwise identical in stats and behaviour, with clusters of multiple Sand Crabs next to each other in some spots, numbering 4 or more surrounding several spots on Crabclaw Isle. Players wishing to train on Crabclaw Isle must bring 10,000 coins and may also find these spots to be occupied. Sand Crabs will become unaggressive if the player has not left the surrounding area in 10 minutes. To make the crabs aggressive again, exit the surrounding area - roughly the same distance as the diameter of the minimap - and enter again. As they are "dormant" (and cannot be seen on the minimap) until "awoken" by a passing player, Sand Crabs cannot be attacked until they are made aggressive once more.
Ammonite Crabs have likewise mostly replaced Sand Crabs. Ammonite Crabs have 100 Hitpoints and level 1 in all other stats, like the other crabs, but have slightly different mechanics; they are spaced far apart, but also have a far aggression range. The only downsides are that they tend to be somewhat crowded by higher-levelled players, and there are few spots to kill them.
Because of their near-nonexistent offensive and defensive stats, they could be used to train from level 3 to 126, but seeing very low levels is extremely uncommon, and higher levels tend to move on to train at the Nightmare Zone, Bandit Camp, or Ammonite Crabs.
There is an altar somewhat nearby the Sand Crabs, so it may be advisable to recharge Prayer at this altar whenever resetting their aggression. Players planning to do so would do well to bring equipment with good Prayer bonuses. Additionally, for non-ironmen players, 55 Prayer is very helpful with Preserve unlocked as it allows your potions to last longer.
The new larger sand crab counterpart, King Sand Crabs, were released with the new Catacombs batch of updates under Great Kourend. King Sand Crabs only share similarities in name, appearance, and in being dormant until walked near; they are powerful in offensive and defensive stats.
A new location called Crabclaw Caves was recently released alongside the quest The Depths of Despair. There are several spots in here with 2-3 Sand Crabs next to each other, as well as a smaller cave with some King Sand Crabs. The cave is on the south-southeastern coast of Kourend, south of the Woodcutting Guild. Alongside the caves, another location to kill Sand Crabs is immediately east of the quest starting point. It does not have any spots with 3 or more Sand Crabs next to each other.
Getting there[]
Sand Crabs are in a remote area and there is no fast way to access them. If you have not been to Great Kourend before, you will only be able to use method #1, unless you have access to Fairy Rings. It is advised to bring weight-reducing gear and dump any heavy items that bring your weight above 0.0kg (lower actually doesn't make a difference in your run drain rate), as there is a bank chest in the center of the beach. There are several ways to get to them. If you haven't been there before, use the world map as you go along to avoid getting lost:
- The "normal" method with no requirements: Go to Port Sarim, speak to Veos (he is found on the northernmost platform) and travel to Great Kourend, then run all the way south to the beach on the other side of the continent.
- Use Xeric's talisman to teleport nearby using the teleport marked "Xeric's Glade."
- Use the skills necklace to teleport the Woodcutting Guild then run.
- Use the Fairy Ring code D-J-R and run East, then South. (With 45 Agility you can use the Stepping Stones east of the Infirmary.)
- Use the Kharedst's memoirs book to teleport to Hosidius then follow the river south, crossing east over the bridge.
- Use the Minigame teleport to the Tithe farm and run. This may require having used it once, which in turn requires 100% Hosidius favour.
- With access to the Lovakengj Minecart Network (requires 65% favour with the Lovakengj House), 45 Agility, and either 50 coins or having unlocked 'free' transport with 100,000 coins: from Veos, run west and slightly north. Take the minecart to House Hosidius, then run southeast. Use the stepping stone to cross the river (45 Agility), then run south to the beach.
- Having unlocked Teleport to Kourend and with 69 Magic, use the teleport, run south-southeast, cross the bridges on the way - the eastern bridge across the river if you don't have 45 Agility, and down to the beach.
- Likely the fastest method, you can either: Move your house to Great Kourend with 25 Construction and 8,750 coins, teleport to your house, exit the portal, and run south; or, you could use Scrolls of redirection on House teleport tablets (still requires 25 Construction) to get to the same place without having to move your house there, and you will already be outside the portal.
Drops[]
Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Coins 4; 36 Common Not sold Oyster 1–2 Common 86–172 Seaweed 1–5 Common 45–225 Oyster pearl 1 Common 108 Tin ore 3 Common 285 Iron ore 1 Common 173 Empty oyster 1 Common Not sold Bronze pickaxe 1 Common 67 Bucket of sand 1 Uncommon (3/64) 47 Copper ore 3 Uncommon 285 Edible seaweed 2 Uncommon 34 Opal bolt tips 5 Uncommon 40 Fishing bait 10 Uncommon 40 Coal 2 Uncommon 324 Ashes 2 Uncommon 144 Iron pickaxe 1 Uncommon 24 Spinach roll 1 Uncommon Not sold Casket 1 Rare 731 Clue scroll (easy) 1 Rare Not sold
Gem drop table
In addition to the drops above, this monster has access to the gem drop table.
Show/hide gem drop table Item Quantity Rarity GE market price Uncut sapphire 1 Uncommon 455 Uncut emerald 1 Rare 679 Uncut ruby 1 Rare 1,249 Nature talisman 1 Rare 744 Uncut diamond 1 Very rare 2,627 Rune javelin 5 Very rare 875 Loop half of key 1 Very rare 10,307 Tooth half of key 1 Very rare 10,840 Rune spear 1 Very rare 11,933 Shield left half 1 Very rare 65,697 Dragon spear 1 Very rare 37,226