Table of Contents

• Reaching the Platform
• Waiting Room
• Playing the Game
  • Robbers
  • Guards

• Key Locations
• Random Events
• Special Map Features
• Rewards

Reaching the Platform:

Heist takes place on randomly generated maps whose themes are based on several RuneScape cities and voted for by the players before each game. To actually join a game, you'll need to access the waiting room which is found on a platform flying high above Falador.

To reach it, you'll need to climb the ladder found just off the path to Taverley. When you attempt to climb, you'll be given three options: You can either join the public waiting room, set up your own private game (requires a minimum of 4 players), or join an existing private game.

Waiting Room:

Welcome to the Heist waiting room. Here you'll find Liara, the leader of the Robbers and Sir Vyvin, the leader of the Guards. You can talk to either to find out some basic information about this minigame, play through a short tutorial or access the rewards menu.

First things first, no items can be taken into Heist, so you'll want to store them in the bank chest found here. Next, you must pick a side. If you want to try your luck at being a Robber, then head on over to the red ship on the north side of the waiting area. If you fancy being a Guard, then make your way to the blue ship on the south side. If you'd prefer to pick at random, then you can pass through the neutral barrier in the center of the waiting room to be assigned to either team.

Playing the Game:

Once a sufficient number of players are on each side, you'll be given the option to vote on the location of the next game. When ready, the game will begin.

The aim of Heist is fairly straightforward. If you're a Robber, you now how 20 minutes to find and loot all of the Treasure chests around the map and deposit it without being caught by a Guard. The majority of these chests are found in the bank, but you may also find some in other buildings, on both the first and second floors.

If you're a Guard, your goal is simply to guard the chests and arrest the Robbers to convert them to your team before they steal all of the loot.

Robbers:

There are a number of ways in which Robbers can fool the Guards to successfully loot the map and avoid being arrested.

Take Form:

You can click on any NPC wandering around the map to take their form and disguise yourself. By then acting like a citizen, you can blend in and make your way to the Treasure chests without being easily spotted. However, there are a couple of situations that prevent you from doing so:

• If you are currently in evasion mode.
• You have changed form in the last 6 seconds.
• You are already in same form as the citizen.
• If you are carrying loot.

Be careful when changing disguise as it briefly shrouds you in a poof of smoke that could be seen by guards

Hiding Spots:

On some maps will find benches and haystacks scattered across the map. You can use these to blend in and hide out of plain sight of a Guard. However, Guards can investigate these and stun you, making it easy for them to arrest you.

Pickpocketing:

If you feel lucky and want to risk it, you can attempt to pickpocket a Guard and steal a Jail key. This key can then be used to either free an imprisoned member of your team or yourself if you are arrested.

Robber Perks:

There are a number of Perks which can be purchased from the rewards shop to give yourself an advantage when playing as a Robber. These are:

• Supercrook - Stealing or depositing loot fully restores run energy and reduces the amount of energy lost when accused.
• Resist Arrest - Once activated, you'll throw a smokebomb which stuns any Guard in close proximity, giving you a few seconds to escape the area.
• Great Escape - If arrested, you can activate this and click on the bed in the jail to grab a shovel and then repeatedly click anywhere in the jail to dig your way out.
• Decoy - Creates a decoy of yourself which can be used to distract or try and lure a Guard away from you.

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Guards:

Guards also have access to a selection of abilities to help them spot and catch the Robbers before they can reach the loot.

Accuse:

You can accuse any NPC on the island of being a Robber. If you've correctly identified one, then you'll trigger the evasion timer and reduce their run energy, which allows you to give chase and try to catch them. However, if you incorrectly accuse three citizens in a row, you will be jailed for 30 seconds or you can be freed by another Guard sooner.

Arrest:

If you do manage to catch the Robber, then you'll handcuff and arrest them. If it's their first arrest then they'll be frozen for 30 seconds, after which they'll be free to go with 20 seconds of immunity. If it's their second arrest, you'll throw them in jail.

Hiding:

Guards have the ability climb and hide in trees on some maps, allowing you to observe the area for any suspicious behaviour. If you spot a potential Robber, you can then just climb down and accuse them.

Viewing Orbs:

In the jail's equipment chest you'll find five viewing orbs. These can be deployed anywhere on the map and then remotely viewed from the jail, allowing you to monitor these five locations simultaneously.

Guard Perks:

Guards have their own set of perks which can be used to make their job easier. These are:

• Wanted Board - Once activated, you can use the noticeboard in the jail to view any current disguises being used by the Robbers.
• Friendly Wave - Once activated, you'll wave at the nearby citizens and they'll wave back. If you spot one that doesn't wave, they're likely a Robber.
• Security Sensor - Deploys a sensor that alerts you of the presence of up to 2 Robbers before vanishing.
• Undercover Cop - Turns you into a citizen for 30 seconds when activated.

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Key Locations:

Deposit Point:

The starting point of the Robbers aboard their ship is also the main deposit point for any loot they've managed to steal.

Bank:

Each map has a bank building which is where the majority of the Treasure chests are stored. If you're a Robber, you'll need to make it into this building and manage to loot it without being caught, which is no easy feat.

If you're a Guard, you'll need to be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour and arrest the Robbers before they can clear out all of the loot.

Jail:

If a Robber is arrested twice, they will find themselves locked in jail. They then have a minute to escape (if they possess a jail key or Great Escape perk), otherwise they will be converted to a Guard.

The jail has a couple of useful features for Guards to use. The viewing station can be used to view the area around any placed viewing orbs, the equipment chest contains the viewing orbs mentioned previously, vaccines for curing zombie infections (only five can be taken at once), and finally the noticeboard which can be viewed by those have activated the Wanted Board perk.

Random Events:

Each map has five random events that both Guards and Robbers can take part in. The first team to complete them receives a reward - Robbers are given an extra loot bag and Guards are shown a trail to a random Robber lasting 10 seconds. Both are also awarded a random perk.

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Special Map Features:

Several maps have special gameplay features which can be used to your advantage.

Al Kharid:

• You can find alternative desposit points around the outside of the map in the form of magic carpets. These can be useful to Robbers if their main deposit point is well guarded.
• Robbers can find and use Valerio to dance with a group of citizens and blend in.
• Camels can be used as a disguise by Robbers, but you cannot run.

Burthorpe (Day and Night):

• You can jump off the piers around the edge of the map and swim in the surrounding water. Robbers can use this to try and evade Guards. However, Guards can also swim and still catch robbers in the water if they are close enough. There are ladders hanging from the cliffs that allow you to climb back onto the map.
• There are row boats in the water that can be used as alternative deposit points
• You can break the windows of houses to enter them. This can be useful for Robbers if trying useful to evade a Guard or useful to Guards searching for Robbers.
• The Castle ledges can be jumped from, which again could be useful for Robbers trying to evade a Guard.

Burthorpe (Night):

• Zombies will occasionally spawn on this map which can then be used by Robbers to disguise themselves. After turning into a Zombie, you become infected and can then infect any other citizen to create a large number of identical looking zombies. Guards can take a Vaccine for the infection from the resource chest found in the jail and use this to stun and turn any nearby zombies back into civilians.

Canifis:

• Scattered around the map are several Gargoyle statues. If a Robber is nearby, the Gargoyle's head will turn to look in their direction. A Guard can use this to try and identify a Robber from any civilians in the direction the Gargoyle is looking. As a Robber you should keep an eye out for these statues and try to avoid them.
• There are carts around the edge of the map that can be used by Robbers as alternative deposit points.
• If you click on a spade embedded in a mound, there is a chance that one of the Barrows Brothers will appear. Robbers can then take the form of the brother if they wish.
• Werewolves and Vampires will occasionally spawn on this map, and as with the Zombies in Burthorpe, they can be used by Robbers to spread an infection to the citizens.
• You can quickly cross to the other side of the map by running into the surrounding myre. This drains some of your run energy.

Darkmeyer:

• Guards take the form of Vyrewatch on this map and fly when outside.

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