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Dragonkin Laboratory (Melee Advanced)

Introduction

The second Elite Dungeon, the Dragonkin Laboratory, is a relatively straightforward encounter. The encounter is useful for anyone wanting to learn how to deal with large mobs as well as bosses and combines aspects of single target and AoE damage.

The three bosses of the Laboratory drop the Greater Flurry, Greater Fury and Greater Barge codices in the order that they appear.

Each solo run of ED2 is worth coins 12,186,919 in uniques.

General Notes

⬥ It's recommended to set your anti-spam delay for your surgemobile to 1 via the Lectern at Anachronia.

⬥ You can surgemobile or bdmobile a tick before each gate unlocks to save a tick on every entry.

LotD Luck of the Dwarves will not improve the number of energies dropped, nor the drop rate for any codex.

⬥ The Corbicula Rex corbicula perk (112 Farming) in ROoT is extremely helpful in this dungeon, as Meteor Strike meteorstrike is frequently used here.

⬥ All bleeds dismember slaughter bloodtendrils zekkil eofspec are cast with mwspear unless specified otherwise.

⬥ Any statement with the prefix "IDEA:" indicates a strategy that could theoretically be viable but has not been tested.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Please update the guide or post in #suggestions if you can confirm or reject their viability via testing.

⬥ For rotations without more expensive melee upgrades such as vestmentsofhavochood, zekkil and grim check the 1 hour 4 kill vod below.

Presets and Relics

Preset Suggestions

Astellarn, the First Celestial

The first encounter of the Laboratory, this fight heavily utilises punishing area-of-effect mechanics which are especially punishing to meleers. Make sure to drop the wyrmhole in either of these spots:

Example Rotation

⬥ Start: gbarge → bleed lengmh destroydeciassault → pre-phase with abyssalscourge cane to deal with the first 50k HP

⬥ Pulsar spawn: soverpowerigneous walk in release + cleave

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• This might seem like overkill for pulsar but you really want to kill this fast especially if it spawns in rain.

⬥ Build back to 100% on Astellarn → lengmh spec + ingen + smokecloud → get 100% → off and wait for star to spawn

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Use basics prioritising dismember to build abyssalscourge stacks.

zerk around 1 GCD before neutron star touches wyrmhole + adrenrenewalgbargedragonslayer + bleed lengmh destroyassault → 4-hit gflurry → basics to finish off

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• disrupt in zerk while using soulsplit is a good way to block damage and regain HP.

bdmobile to doorway and surgemobile to next celestials quickly with zerk still up.

Verak Lith

The second encounter of the Laboratory. Verak Lith's attack rotation is very predictable but deals consistent moderately high damage. Prayer flicking is thus heavily recommended.

He always melees the player when in melee distance and always uses mage otherwise. Remember to flick DeflectMage if you need to walk out of MD to deal with spires.

Example Rotation

⬥ Start of fight: zerk + adrenrenewalgbargeingen → 4T smokecloud + dragonslayer + lengmh cane → bleed lengmh destroyseverassault → 4-hit gflurrydeci

1st Spire - vulnbomb → 5taa + cleavedeci if needed

abyssalscourge cane on Verak to finish zerkchaosroarzekkil eofspecdismemberhavocgopbloodtendrilsdeci → walked slaughtergfuryoverpowerigneoushavocgop → 2-hit gflurryseverabyssalscourge dismember → 1-2 basics to get 100% → step away equip vestmentsofhavochood + antizerk

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• disrupt should be used before overpowerigneous to block egg bomb damage, after Verak does 1 auto following the bomb summon.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• abyssalscourge dismember is used to refresh abyssalscourge stacks while you off for gbarge

IDEA: zerk first and divert on 2nd spire before gbarge instead of antizerk as zerk duration often exceeds end of kill.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⬩ This would allow you to end the kill on more adren which should make the next part of the dungeon faster.

2nd Spire - TC onto spire + gbargedeci → another basic if needed.

⬥ Target Verak + bleed lengmh destroydragonslayer + assaultdeciabyssalscourge canelimitless + gflurry if needed

Black Stone Dragon

The final boss of the Dragonkin Laboratory. The BSD fight is quite straightforward with melee, with the only threats being P1 when you're under zerk, along with the Black Hands phase, where you have to properly step out to dodge the small hands that follow the hands' autos. BSD also uses auto attacks in all three combat styles, with melee autos hitting especially hard, so it is possible to die just from auto attack damage stacked on the same tick. Players might find it helpful to use disrupt in the first zerk rotation, and then using vitality once it pops while camping soulsplit

Example Rotation

Using the auto-targeted option for vulnbomb (default option) will make vulning hands much easier.

Phase 1

zerk + adrenrenewal → mid gcd surge → TC + gbarge + vulnbombingen → 4T smokecloud + dragonslayer + lengmh cane → bleed lengmh destroyassaultdeci + walk to dodge spikes → other 188s to phase if needed

Phase 2: Black Hands

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Hand 1

vulnbomb → 2H auto + cleavegflurryabyssalscourge cane last tick of zerkhavocgopoverpowerigneous → basics if needed to finish off

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Hand 2

surgemobile mid gcd → vulnbomb + chaosroarzekkil eofspecdismemberhavocgopbloodtendrils

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Hand 3

surgemobile mid gcd → decivulnbomb + zgs spec + 2H auto → 188s → havocgopassaultcane → finish off with basics

IDEA: zgs specdivertgbarge so you can bleed assault instead of channelling it.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Might be problematic depending on consistency of Black Hands' auto timing.

IDEA: backhandflank on hand 3 or hand 4 to replace one 188 when they turn around.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Unsure if black hands are consistent with when they can be flankicon

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Hand 4

surgemobile mid gcd → vulnbomb + havocgop + dommineoverpowerigneousdismember → basics until dead

IDEA: lengmh spec before dommine go off to get 6k more damage on mines and more damage on the zerk rotation afterwards.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Might have adren issues because no adrenrenewal

⬥ Equip vestmentsofhavochood if you notice you're going over 100% while finishing up the hand.

⬥ If fast enough on last hand you should get the 20% adrenaline refund on zerk from vestments for 60% adren left after zerk (shown in example kill below).

Post-hands BSD

antizerkgbargelengmh cane → bleed lengmh destroy (limitless if needed) → 188s → assaultdecigfurybackhandflank → 4-hit gflurryhavocgopabyssalscourge canedecioverpowerigneous → 4T ingen + smokecloud before BSD flies off

⬥ Walk to avoid fire as needed

Phase 3: Flight

Unequip vestmentsofhavoctop vestmentsofhavocbottom vestmentsofhavocboots, put on Desolation and equip your bow with Caroming 4 decimation caroming4

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Jump 1

Start building to 100% by shooting BSD.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Landing 1 + Jump 2

Continue building if needed and nat by the start of the jump/start of jump 3.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Landing 2 + Jump 3

Build to 90% or more ASAP and DBA spec

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Landing 3 + Jump 4

Build to 100% again.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Landing 4 + Jump 5

You can gbargemobile in here and re-apply 4T ingen + smokecloud if you haven't at the start of flight. This can also be done on the next jump, but you will need to build adrenaline back faster.

IDEA: incend sometime around here to have critbuff for last phase.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Probably won't save much time even if done properly.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Landing 5 + Jump 6

Build to 100%, take this time to put back melee armour and Malevolence

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Landing 6 + Jump 7

lengmh spec after BSD lands → corruptshotanti

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Landing 7

zerk + adrenrenewal after she lands and gbarge in on or right before "Show Me the Light!"

Last Phase

zerk + adrenrenewalgbargedeci while walking behind BSD → backhandflankdragonslayer + bleed lengmh destroyassaultdecioverpowerigneousabyssalscourge canegflurry → finish with dragonhalberd eofspec + basics if needed

Mobs

Most of the time, your aim is to stand in the middle of everything as most of melee's AoE can hit around your character, with the exception of cleave and dragonhalberd eofspec which requires some planning in terms of positioning.

⬥ Celestial dragons should be prevented from healing by using mainly stickybomb and occasionally destroy.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• stickybomb usage is not always included in the mob clears below, react accordingly to Celestial Dragon HP.

⬥ Use championring for the following mobs:

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Celestial Dragons

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Black Dragons

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Dragonstone Dragons

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• Hydrix Dragons

⬥ For mob clears, lengmh cane if halberd range does not benefit you. Otherwise you generally use noxscythe cane

⬥ Melee tends to take a lot of damage from mobs as many things attack with Magic which you have bad defence against. For parts labelled Dangerous, pray against the style you might take a lot of damage from and food in mouth if needed.

⬥ Your main mob clear consists of 5 zerk rotations performed purely for mobs. Not using zerk for mob clears will significantly affect your dungeon speed. They are used in these locations.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• 3 + 4 red dragons at start of dungeon.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• 3 celestials before Astellarn

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• 4 black dragons before Verak.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• 4 lava strykes.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎• 2 dragonstone + 1 hydrix dragon before BSD.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⬩ Read below for more information.

Pre-Astellarn

4 Laboratory Slimes (Dangerous)

surgemobile + bdmobile off the starting platform. Use basics and meteorstrike as soon as 4 slimes comes in to MD. noxscythe cane highest HP slimes and quake and proceed.

3 Red Dragons

surgemobile + bdmobile to the staircase to avoid aggroing Spiders. Use dommine + bloodtendrilsdismember . Walk up and zerknoxscythe auto + dragonhalberd eofspeccleave → basics to finish off 2 red dragons atop stairs.

4 Red Dragons

surgemobile to south dragon and do basic → noxscythe canequake as your main AoEs. gflurry should be used here for AoE and zerk CD. Try to AoE at least 2 dragons when these abilities. Do basics to finish off dragons on low HP and assault to finish off a dragon you did not manage to AoE.

4 Lava Golems

surgemobile to middle of lava golems and build while using Target Cycle and basics → cleavenoxscythe canedragonhalberd eofspec → targeted bd or cleave to finish off

⬥ It is important to determine which 4 golems you want to kill because you need to angle yourself to hit them with dragonhalberd eofspec and cleave

2 Laboratory Slimes 1 Celestial Dragon (Dangerous)

surgemobile + bdmobile towards Celestial Dragon build with basics until there are 2 slimes within scythe range (not clones). Use meteorstrikestickybomb + cleavegflurry. Use excal spec here.

3 Celestial Dragons (Dangerous)

TC + anti to get 100% if not → zerk + TC anti entrance celestial → gbarge → target far Celestial + deci → bleed assault + stickybomb → target middle celestial cleavenoxscythe cane + stickybomb → target entrance celestial and quake + stickybombgflurry to finish off celestials.

1 Celestial Dragon

surgemobile + bdmobile → Use basics and dragonhalberd eofspec (in zerk) → finish off with strong abilities.

1 Celestial Dragon

surgemobile diagonally and stall dismember walk in release + dommine → walked slaughter and build to 100%.

Post-Astellarn to pre-Verak Lith

2 Celestial Dragons

(With zerk still active) cleave + domminenoxscythe canequake + stickybomb → turn to other dragon → basic + stickybomboverpowerigneous the dragon mines didn't explode on and basics to finish off

2 Lava Strykewyrms

surgemobile down stairs and devo + bdmobile to wyrms. gbarge north wyrm → bleed assault on other → cleave north wyrm → lengmh canegflurry → targeted bd to finish off

4 Black Dragons

accel to next batch of dragons, flush yourself against the barrier. Build on nearest dragon and zerk. Use AoEs cane quake gflurry on the dragons in pairs. assault on a dragon not caught in AoE.

6 Black Dragons

Here you want to take down the dragons down in pairs.

surgemobile + bdmobile to first dragon and do something like cleavedragonhalberd eofspecgflurry → basics (more abils if not in zerk).

dismember → walked slaughter → basics on dragon 3 and bloodtendrils and dommine dragon 4. meteorstrike and build on past pair of dragons. You can probably overpowerigneous the dragon with higher HP and use basics until 100%.

4 Lava Strykewyrms

surgemobile + bdmobilezerk + surgemobile → TC+ gbarge wyrm furthest from gate → deci → target other wyrm sever → bleed assault. Finish off first wyrm and surgemobile to other pair . noxscythe canequake, with basics to finish off and bdmobile to black dragons.

4 Black Dragons

If not in zerk and 3 dragons near gate are clustered, meteorstrike in the middle and use something like dragonhalberd eofspeccleavenoxscythe cane then finish them off (skip meteorstrike if zerk is up to get in more AoEs in zerk). Use bleeds and dommine to finish off remaining dragon(s). For the isolated dragon near gate, go with gflurry or overpowerigneous with basics to get back to 100%. surgemobile + bdmobile and bank if needed. accel to engage Verak.

Post-Verak Lith to pre-Black Stone Dragons

3 Dragonstone dragons 1 Onyx dragon (Dangerous)

surgemobile + bdmobilesurgemobile to the 4 dragons. Use dismember + dommine → basics on nearest dragonstone dragon and build → Try to meteorstrike in the middle of at least 3 dragons → dragonhalberd eofspeccleavechaosroarnoxscythe canequakedragonhalberd eofspec → improvise. overpowerigneous to finish any dragon on about 25k HP.

2 Dragonstone dragons

bdmobile to stairs and zerk + surgemobile up. gbargemobile closer dragonstone → dragonslayer + lengmh destroy → target other dragon + abyssalscourge canequakecleave and finish off

1 Hydrix dragon

surgemobilesurgemobile + bdmobile and gbarge a hydrix dragon. Bleed assault and gflurry (or overpowerigneous if high adren).

⬥ Be aware of the other hydrix dragon that is not within melee distance and avoid getting spec’d.

2 Dragonstone dragons

surgemobile → diagonal surgemobilebdmobile up stairs → gbargemobile closer dragonstone → dommine + dismemberhavocgopmeteorstrike between both → cleavenoxscythe cane / quake → finish off at 100%, quickly bank if needed and enter BSD.

Example Runs

All examples are done off-task.

https://youtu.be/gn1O22EGsVI 11:58 run (BIS melee)

https://youtu.be/zb32C2q_i_o 4 kill hour (no grim, abyssalarmourspikesalloy, zekkil eofor) [Pre-Zamorak]