Ancient Curses

"Curses" redirects here. For the spells that affect an opponent's stats, see Curse spells, and for the achievement named Curses!, see Curses!.

"AC" redirects here. For the reward from Ardougne achievements, see Ardougne cloak.

"Zarosian prayers" redirects here. For the rest animation override, see Zarosian Prayer.

The Ancient Curses

The Ancient Curses are a set of prayers unlocked as a reward after completing the quest The Temple at Senntisten. They consist of prayers ranging between levels 50 - 99 Prayer. Prayers of this set include combat skill boosts, stat drainers, and damage recoilers.

After completion of The Light Within, seven additional prayers are unlocked. These Seren prayers are focused on players performing supportive and skilling roles, rather than direct combat.

After completion of Necromancy!, six additional Necromancy-related curses can be learned from Selene. These have a variety of Prayer level, Necromancy level, and material requirements to unlock.

Basic requirements

Quests:

The Temple at Senntisten Devious Minds Recruitment Drive What's Mine is Yours Ability to enter Morytania Desert Treasure The Dig Site Troll Stronghold Death Plateau Ability to enter Morytania The Curse of Arrav The Tale of the Muspah Missing My Mummy Icthlarin's Little Helper Gertrude's Cat Diamond in the Rough Stolen Hearts The Golem Diamond in the Rough… Defender of Varrock Shield of Arrav The Knight's Sword Family Crest What Lies Below Claim Kudos from Historian Minas in Varrock Museum for completing Shield of Arrav Temple of Ikov Ability to access Trollheim Partial completion of Troll Stronghold… Fully restore Senliten from the 'Missing My Mummy' quest Full completion of Missing My Mummy Partial completion of Garden of Tranquillity Creature of Fenkenstrain The Restless Ghost Ability to enter Morytania 125 Kudos

Skills

• 64 Ranged
• 10 Woodcutting
• 50 Runecrafting
• 50 Magic
• 35 Cooking
• 61 Agility
• 40 Crafting
• 51 Hunter
• 65 Smithing
• 50 Fletching
• 64 Mining
• 64 Strength
• 41 Summoning
• 50 Prayer
• 35 Construction
• 25 Farming
• 50 Firemaking
• 66 Thieving
• 37 Slayer
• 10 Herblore

Switching to the Ancient Curses

The main altar that activates the Ancient Curses is the Altar of Zaros in the Senntisten Temple beneath the Varrock Dig Site. After completing the elite Falador achievements, players can use an ancient hymnal on the altar in the White Knights' Castle to convert it to Zaros, allowing for activation of the Curses from that altar as well. Players who have completed Plague's End can use the elven grimoire found within the Cadarn district of Prifddinas. After upgrading to a tier 3 chapel, players may also swap prayers at their altar within Fort Forinthry. Additionally, War's Grimoire in War's Retreat can be used to swap prayer books after it has been unlocked, requiring 750 boss kills as well as War's Blessing 3.

Players who own the wicked pouch can choose "Switch prayer/curses" option on the pouch to switch their prayers or curses. The pouch is purchased from Solomon's General Store.

Players can switch to the standard prayer book again at any altar by default. One may choose to remove the option to switch to the standard prayer book at normal altars. This will prevent the option menu from appearing, but to use the standard prayer book again, the player will have to travel to the Altar of Zaros (or the Prifddinas, Falador, Fort Forinthry, or War's Retreat ones). When the player has removed the option to revert to the standard prayer book from normal altars, they may restore it at the Altar of Zaros.

The book switcher, which is created using the Invention skill, can also be used to change between prayer books, as well as spellbook. This can only be done in safe areas, such as a bank.

Ancient Curses

Prayer		Level	Drain (points per minute)	Drain (seconds per point)	Description	Effect	Members
	Protect Item	50	10	6.0	Keep 1 extra item if you die.		Members
	Sap Melee Attack	50	100	0.6	Drains enemy Melee Attack Rating, increasing over time.	-2 to -6 enemy levels (for accuracy)	Members
	Sap Ranged Attack	52	100	0.6	Drains enemy Ranged Attack Rating, increasing over time.	-2 to -6 enemy levels when determining hit chance	Members
	Sap Ranged Strength	53	100	0.6	Drains enemy Ranged Strength, increasing over time.	-3% to -9% enemy damage (PvM) -2% to -6% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Sap Magic Attack	54	100	0.6	Drains enemy Magic Attack Rating, increasing over time.	-2 to -6 enemy levels when determining hit chance	Members
	Sap Magic Strength	55	100	0.6	Drains enemy Magic Strength, increasing over time.	-3% to -9% enemy damage (PvM) -2% to -6% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Sap Adrenaline	56	100	0.6	Drains enemy adrenaline.	Drain enemy adrenaline (10% at a time, every couple hits).	Members
	Sap Defence	57	100	0.6	Drains enemy Defence Rating, increasing over time.	-2 to -6 enemy levels (for armour)	Members
	Sap Melee Strength	58	100	0.6	Drains enemy Melee Strength, increasing over time.	-3% to -9% enemy damage (PvM) -2% to -6% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Berserker	59	50	1.2	Boosted stats last 15% longer.	Boosted stats last 15% longer.	Members
	Sap Necromancy Attack	60	100	0.6	Drains enemy Necromancy Attack Rating, increasing over time.	-2 to -6 enemy levels when determining hit chance	Members
	Sap Necromancy Strength	61	100	0.6	Drains enemy Necromancy Strength, increasing over time.	-3% to -9% enemy damage (PvM) -2% to -6% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Deflect Summoning	62	150	0.4	Reduces damage dealt from Summoning scrolls, prevents the use of a familiar's special attack, and can deflect some of the damage back to the attacker.	Protect against damage from attacks and Summoning scrolls and can deflect some damage back.	Members
	Deflect Magic	65	150	0.4	Provides 50% damage reduction against magical attacks and can deflect some of the damage back to the attacker.	Protects against damage from attacks and can deflect some damage back onto the attacker.	Members
	Deflect Ranged	68	150	0.4	Provides 50% damage reduction against ranged attacks and can deflect some of the damage back to the attacker.	Protects against damage from attacks and can deflect some damage back onto the attacker. Reduces the duration of the bind from bolas by 25%.	Members
	Deflect Melee	71	150	0.4	Provides 50% damage reduction against melee attacks and can deflect some of the damage back to the attacker.	Protects against damage from attacks and can deflect some damage back onto the attacker.	Members
	Deflect Necromancy	73	150	0.4	Provides 50% damage reduction against necromancy attacks and can deflect some of the damage back to the attacker.	Protects against damage from attacks and can deflect some damage back onto the attacker.	Members
	Leech Melee Attack	74	200	0.3	Steals Melee Attack Rating from your opponent, increasing over time.	+2 to +5 levels (for accuracy) -4 to -8 enemy levels (for accuracy)	Members
	Leech Ranged Attack	76	200	0.3	Steals Ranged Attack Rating from your opponent, increasing over time.	+2 to +5 levels (for accuracy) -4 to -8 enemy levels (for accuracy)	Members
	Leech Ranged Strength	77	200	0.3	Steals Ranged Strength from your opponent, increasing over time.	+2% to +8% damage -6% to -12% enemy damage (PvM) -4% to -8% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Leech Magic Attack	78	200	0.3	Steals Magic Attack Rating from your opponent, increasing over time.	+2 to +5 levels (for accuracy) -4 to -8 enemy levels (for accuracy)	Members
	Leech Magic Strength	79	200	0.3	Steals Magic Strength from your opponent, increasing over time.	+2% to +8% damage -6% to -12% enemy damage (PvM) -4% to -8% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Light Form	80	300	0.2	Doubles the chance of Seren spell effects activating when using abilities.		Members
	Dark Form	80	300	0.2	Doubles the chance of ancient spell effects activating when using abilities.		Members
	Leech Defence	80	200	0.3	Steals Defence Rating from your opponent, increasing over time.	+2 to +5 levels (for armour) -4 to -8 enemy levels (for armour)	Members
	Leech Melee Strength	82	200	0.3	Steals Melee Strength from your opponent, increasing over time.	+2% to +8% damage -6% to -12% enemy damage (PvM) -4% to -8% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Leech Necromancy Attack	83	200	0.3	Steals Necromancy Attack Rating from your opponent, increasing over time.	+2 to +5 levels (for accuracy) -4 to -8 enemy levels (for accuracy)	Members
	Leech Run Energy	84	200	0.3	Drains enemy run energy, while increasing your own.	Steals an enemy's Run Energy and restores it to the player. (10% every couple hits)	Members
	Leech Necromancy Strength	85	200	0.3	Steals Necromancy Strength from your opponent, increasing over time.	+2% to +8% damage -6% to -12% enemy damage (PvM) -4% to -8% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Leech Adrenaline	86	200	0.3	Drains enemy adrenaline, while increasing your own.	Steals an enemy's Adrenaline and restores it to the player.	Members
	Chronicle Attraction	87	100	0.6	Automatically capture chronicles while training Divination.		Members
	Soul Link	88	300	0.2	While active you will share half of all healing and damage with another player using this prayer within 5 squares.	While active you will share half of all healing and damage with another player using this prayer within 5 squares.	Members
	Teamwork Protection	89	300	0.2	Gives a 5% damage reduction and 1% damage reflection from all combat styles for every player around you using this prayer (max 5).	Gives a 5% damage reduction and 1% damage reflection from all combat styles for every player around you using this prayer (max 5).	Members
	Wrath	89	200	0.3	Inflicts damage to nearby targets if you die.	Inflicts damage to nearby targets if you die.	Members
	Superheat Form	91	100	0.6	While active logs are burned for experience, Smelting is 0.6 seconds faster and Smithing a Low or Medium heat item acts as a Medium or High heat item.	While active logs are burned for experience, smelting is 0.6 seconds faster and smithing a low or medium heat item acts as a medium or high heat item.	Members
	Soul Split	92	300	0.2	Damage you inflict on your target will regenerate your own lifepoints.	Heals the player by 10% of the damage dealt and lowers the enemy's prayer by 1 point for every 66 (45 legacy) damage.	Members
	Fortitude	94	300	0.2	Boosts Defence by 15%, increases damage reduction by 3%, increases accuracy of defensive abilities by 10%, and lifepoints by 10 (or 1 in Classic mode) per Constitution level. Doubles base regeneration, and allows regeneration in combat.	+15% +10% more +3% damage reduction +10% accuracy to Debilitate and Bash Base regeneration doubled Passive regeneration works in combat	Members
	Torment	95	300	0.2	Increases Magic Attack, Magic Strength and Defence by a fixed amount. Drains the enemies Magic Attack, Magic Strength and Defence, increasing over time.	+10 levels (for accuracy) +10% damage +10 levels (for armour) Drains enemy -6 to -10 levels (for accuracy) -6 to -10 enemy levels (for armour) -9% to -15% enemy damage (PvM) -6% to -10% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Anguish	95	300	0.2	Increases Ranged Attack, Ranged Strength and Defence by a fixed amount. Drains the enemies Ranged Attack, Ranged Strength and Defence, increasing over time.	+10 levels (for accuracy) +10% damage +10 levels (for armour) Drains enemy -6 to -10 levels (for accuracy) -6 to -10 enemy levels (for armour) -9% to -15% enemy damage (PvM) -6% to -10% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Sorrow	95	300	0.2	Increases Necromancy Attack, Necromancy Strength and Defence by a fixed amount. Drains the enemies Necromancy Attack, Necromancy Strength and Defence, increasing over time.	+10 levels (for accuracy) +10% damage +10 levels (for armour) Drains enemy -6 to -10 levels (for accuracy) -6 to -10 enemy levels (for armour) -9% to -15% enemy damage (PvM) -6% to -10% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Turmoil	95	300	0.2	Increases Melee Attack, Melee Strength and Defence by a fixed amount. Drains the enemies Melee Attack, Melee Strength and Defence, increasing over time.	+10 levels (for accuracy) +10% damage +10 levels (for armour) Drains enemy -6 to -10 levels (for accuracy) -6 to -10 enemy levels (for armour) -9% to -15% enemy damage (PvM) -6% to -10% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Ruination	99	400	0.2	Greatly increases Necromancy Attack, Necromancy Strength and Defence by a fixed amount. Drains the enemy's Necromancy Attack, Necromancy Strength and Defence, increasing over time.	+12 levels (for accuracy) +12% damage +12 levels (for armour) Drains enemy -6 to -10 levels (for accuracy) -8 to -12 enemy levels (for armour) -9% to -15% enemy damage (PvM) -6% to -10% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Desolation	99	400	0.2	Greatly increases Ranged Attack, Ranged Strength and Defence by a fixed amount. Drains the enemy's Ranged Attack, Ranged Strength and Defence, increasing over time.	+12 levels (for accuracy) +12% damage +12 levels (for armour) Drains enemy -6 to -10 levels (for accuracy) -8 to -12 enemy levels (for armour) -9% to -15% enemy damage (PvM) -6% to -10% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Malevolence	99	400	0.2	Greatly increases Melee Attack, Melee Strength and Defence by a fixed amount. Drains the enemy's Melee Attack, Melee Strength and Defence, increasing over time.	+12 levels (for accuracy) +12% damage +12 levels (for armour) Drains enemy -6 to -10 levels (for accuracy) -8 to -12 enemy levels (for armour) -9% to -15% enemy damage (PvM) -6% to -10% enemy damage (PvP)	Members
	Affliction	99	400	0.2	Greatly increases Magic Attack, Magic Strength and Defence by a fixed amount. Drains the enemy's Magic Attack, Magic Strength and Defence, increasing over time.	+12 levels (for accuracy) +12% damage +12 levels (for armour) Drains enemy -6 to -10 levels (for accuracy) -8 to -12 enemy levels (for armour) -9% to -15% enemy damage (PvM) -6% to -10% enemy damage (PvP)	Members

Seren prayers

Prayer		Level	Effects	Drain rate (second per point)	Drain rate (points per minute)	Notes
	Light Form	80	Doubles the chance of Seren-aligned spell effects occurring when using abilities.	0.2	300
	Dark Form	80	Doubles the chance of Zaros-aligned spell effects occurring when using abilities.	0.2	300
	Chronicle Attraction	87	Automatically capture chronicles while training Divination.	0.6	100
	Soul Link	88	Equally shares all damage and healing with another player also using this effect.	0.2	300
	Teamwork Protection	89	Gives 5% damage reduction and 1% damage reflection for all nearby players who have the same prayer active. Stacks up to 5 times for a total of 25% reduction and 5% reflection.	0.2	300
	Superheat Form	91	Automatically burns logs, quickens smelting ores, and smithing a low or medium heat item acts as a medium or high heat item.	0.6	100
	Fortitude	94	Boosts Defence by 15%, adds 3% damage reduction, increases life points by 10 + 10 per Constitution level, increases accuracy of Defensive abilities by 10%, doubles base regeneration and allows regeneration in combat.	0.2	300

Quick curses

Main article: Quick prayers

Turning quick prayers on

Quick prayers (curses) interface

Quick curses are presets of curses that can be left-clicked or key-binded to activate, or deactivate, a group of prayers preselected by the player simultaneously. Players can select which prayers are activated by right-clicking the button and choosing the "Select quick curses" option.

At maximum, ten presets of quick prayers can be setup.

Gallery

• 
  The Altar of Zaros. One of few locations the player may switch their Prayer book to Ancient Curses.
• 
  A player using the Berserker curse.
• 
  A player using the Leech Defence curse.
• 
  A player performing the Turmoil, Anguish and Torment curse animation.
• 
  A player performing the Malevolence, Desolation and Affliction curse animation.
• 
  A player using the Soul Split curse.
• 
  A player using the Soul Split curse, under the effects of the Eldritch crossbow special attack.
• 
  An icon for an unreleased Seren Prayer, which would have been unlocked via The Light Within.
• 
  An icon for an unreleased Seren Prayer, which would have been unlocked via The Light Within.

Achievements

• Curses! ( 10) – Unlock the ancient curses by reading the ancient hymnal given to you by Azzanadra.

Graphical updates

• 
  Curses interface after 3 December 2009 (update)
• 
  Curses interface after 22 November 2011 (update)
• 
  Curses interface after 26 June 2012 (update)
• 
  Curses interface after 20 November 2012 (update)
• 
  Curses interface after 22 July 2013 (update)

Update history

This information has been compiled as part of the update history project. Some updates may not be included – see here for how to help out!

• update 4 October 2021 (Update):
  • The level 29 Defence requirement has been removed from Ancient Curses.

• patch 7 June 2021 (Update):
  • Quick Prayers/Curses: Fixed an issue that prevents the 'Selected' highlight from disappearing when de-selecting a Quick Prayer.

• patch 18 March 2020 (Update):
  • The achievement Curses! no longer appears as blank in the Activity Tracker if selected from the Achievement Path window.

• patch 16 September 2019 (Update):
  • An issue where some of the curse prayers would stall the player and fail to initiate a Telos encounter has been fixed.

• patch 1 September 2015 (Update):
  • Corrected various typos in The Light Within, the Seren spells and Seren prayers.
  • All Seren curses will now activate correctly when used as quick curses.
  • Healing via Soul Link will now stop channelling Surging Onslaught.
  • Soul Link and Teamwork Protection are now identified as curses when switching off in the Wilderness.

• patch 4 August 2014 (Update):
  • Animations when casting ancient spells will now play properly.

• patch 13 August 2013 (Update):
  • The Prayer abilities window will no longer switch between "Curses" and "Prayers" constantly.
  • NPCs that use overhead Prayer / Curse icons have now been reworked.

• patch 7 June 2011 (Update):
  • Turmoil and Berserker curses no longer take precedence over other emotes.

• patch 1 February 2010 (Update):
  • Quick Chat has been updated to include the curses unlocked from the Temple of Senntisten quest.

• patch 11 January 2010 (Update):
  • Ensured that Prayer is fully restored in safe Clan Wars after curses have been used against you.

• update 3 December 2009 (Update):
  • Added to game.

Trivia

• The Turmoil/Anguish/Torment animation will be played if the player tries to activate any of the Seren prayers without completing The Light Within.