Cult Grounds/Guide

This content is part of the Atlas of Discovery Expansion.

This is a Barrier dungeon introduced with the Atlas of Discovery Expansion, there is a general guide to this dungeon and a more in-depth look into Barrier combat in general in this guide. This page will go deeper into combat options, including when Throne of the Herald Expansion is owned and already completed.

This guide is not meant for optimal kills per hour but instead focuses on easily obtainable ways ranging from just passed God Dungeons to having beaten

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Throne of the Herald

to clear the dungeon effectively.

Requirements

Complete Trickery Temple
Find Lost Cursed Text
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  Level 82
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  Level 80

Continue using your Aeris God armour setup for this dungeon. These monsters do not have the mechanic where they base their max hit off of the player's max hit, a crossbow with bolts can be used. As soon as enough Barrier Exalted Shard and Siphoning Barrier Gem have been obtained to upgrade the first item, it is advised to go collect barrier dust. All of the individual armour pieces have the same passive effect, so the order in which they are upgraded doesn't matter. Start with the armour piece that costs the fewest Barrier Shards and Siphoning Gems (You can skip the helm for now if you've got the Shade Summoning set).

Item	Upgrade Cost
	4 Barrier Exalted Shard 2 Siphoning Barrier Gem
	10 Barrier Exalted Shard 5 Siphoning Barrier Gem
	6 Barrier Exalted Shard 3 Siphoning Barrier Gem
	5 Barrier Exalted Shard 5 Siphoning Barrier Gem

Once enough upgrade materials have been obtained, depending on the gear the player has, kill either

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Cult Imp

or

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Cult Member

. The benefit from killing Cult Members for barrier dust, is that only the Aeris set needs to be upgraded for maximum effect. However, the Cult Imp can potentially drop more barrier dust in a given hour. Especially if the player is using Big ol Ron. Terran God armour is also required in the next sections of the guide.

Collect enough barrier dust to obtain 2,000 Imbued Dragonite Bar. Upgrade your armour piece and move back to the Cult Grounds dungeon until enough materials have been obtained for the next upgrade. Repeat this cycle until the full Aeris armour has been obtained. Finally, also upgrade a pair of (U) Ancient D-hide Vambraces as they are slightly better than the previously used Barrier Draining Gloves (Not required if you have the Shade Summon set).

Recommended starting gear is similar to that of the previous dungeon.

Item (most effective → least effective)
Hood of Shade Summon	Aeris God Helmet
Aeris God Platebody
Aeris God Platelegs
Sand Treaders	Aeris God Boots
Gloves of Greater Shade Summon	Barrier Draining Gloves
Maximum Skillcape	Ranged Skillcape	Cape of Ranged Preservation
Amulet of Curse Totem Summon	Lesser Summoning Amulet
Ring of Phantom Summon	Summoner's Blessed Ring	Deadeye Ring
Feather Storm Crossbow	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Shockwave	Pure Crystal Crossbow
Shield of Ranged Power	Scaled Shield
Jadestone Bolts	Emerald Bolts
Barrier Draining Gloves	Old Summoning Amulet
Ranged Hinder Scroll
Spider Spectre	Tortoise Error creating thumbnail: File missing Dragon	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Occultist Error creating thumbnail: File missing Minotaur

Prayers:

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Battleborn

and

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Battleheart

Potion: Damage Reduction Potion IV (Required if you're at or below

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Level 111

and don't have the Shade Summon Set), Ranged Assistance Potion IV, Penetration Potion IV.

Point of Interest: Dark Waters

Agility obstacles aren't required, this is purely an indication how you can get the most out of your Agility if you have it. Follow it untill where you have it.

Slot	Obstacle	Bonuses
1	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Cargo Net	+3% Global GP (except Item Sales) +2% Fishing Mastery XP
2	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Monkey Bars	-4% Firemaking Interval
3	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Pipe Climb	+5% Melee Evasion +5% Melee Max Hit
4	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Cave Climb	-40 Maximum Hitpoints +5% Ammo Preservation +5% Rune Preservation +5% Melee Max Hit
5	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Cliff Balance	+20 Maximum Hitpoints +5% Ranged Accuracy Rating +2 Prayer Point Cost for Prayers +5% Magic Accuracy Rating +5% Melee Accuracy Rating
6	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lake Swim	+1% Damage Reduction +5% Damage To All Monsters +3% Chance To Preserve Prayer Points
7	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Boulder Trap	-20% Chance to Preserve Resources in Skills
8	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Spike Jump	+5% Damage to Monsters in Dungeons +5% Chance To Double Loot in Combat
9	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Ice Jump	+20 Maximum Hitpoints +5% Food Healing Value +5% Chance to Double Items Globally +10 Mining Node HP +10% Chance to Preserve Resources in Skills
10	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Dragon Fight	-16% Auto Eat Efficiency -0.3s Monster Respawn Timer
11	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Forest Maze	-20% Global Accuracy -20% Auto Eat Efficiency +15% Flat Slayer Area Effect Negation +8% Slayer Skill XP +10% Global Slayer Coins (except Item Sales)
12	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Boulder Balance	-20% Global Accuracy +5% of Maximum Hit added to Minimum Hit -0.1s Attack Interval
13	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Balance Trap	+10% Agility Interval +5% Chance to Double Items Globally -30% GP gained from Agility
14	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Freezing Climb	+30% Accuracy Rating +30% Global Evasion -150% GP from Combat -6% Chance To Double Loot in Combat +15% Damage to Monsters in Dungeons
15	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Waterfall Crossing	-100 Maximum Hitpoints Your Attacks now roll twice (Select highest chance) -10% Global Slayer Coins (except Item Sales)
Pillar	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Pillar of Combat	+10% Ranged Evasion -0.2s Monster Respawn Timer +5% Flat Slayer Area Effect Negation +10% Melee Evasion +10% Magic Evasion +5% of Maximum Hit added to Minimum Hit +10 Flat HP Regen
Elite Pillar	Error creating thumbnail: File missing Elite Pillar of Conflict	+10% Lifesteal +35% Flat Slayer Area Effect Negation +25% Chance To Preserve Prayer Points -3 Prayer Point Cost for Prayers +50% Hitpoint Regeneration +350% GP from Combat

The following gear is starter gear to farm cult imps for barrier. If you do not have Big ol Ron, simulate how many barrier dust you are receiving with your alternative, and potentially use ranged on cult members instead. It is recommended to upgrade the melee armour used, with a preference over upgrading Terran. This is because the extra Damage Reduction is required for the Underwater Ruins. The equipment below will result in roughly 2,400 barrier dust an hour. More or less can be obtained depending on the actual gear and other bonusses used. The amount of barrier dust an hour rises to around 5,200 with Terran fully upgraded to (B). Depending on your choice in the next section, you do not need to fully upgrade Terran.

Again, Terran is used in this recommended gear over Ragnar with the assumption that this will be (partially) upgraded into (B). Start by upgrading the Terran Boots, Platelegs and Chestplate.

Item (most effective → least effective)
Hood of Shade Summon	Terran God Helmet
Terran God Platebody
Terran God Platelegs
Terran God Boots
Gloves of Greater Shade Summon	Barrier Draining Gloves
Maximum Skillcape	Ancient Infernal Cape	Infernal Cape
Amulet of Curse Totem Summon	Lesser Summoning Amulet
Ring of Phantom Summon	Summoner's Blessed Ring	Ring of Barrier Touch
Big ol Ron
Barrier Draining Gloves	Old Summoning Amulet
Melee Hinder Scroll
Spider Spectre	Tortoise Error creating thumbnail: File missing Dragon

Prayers:

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Battleborn

and

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Battleheart

Potion: Penetration Potion IV, Critical Strike Potion IV, Melee Accuracy Potion IV.

Point of Interest: Dark Waters

It is advised that the player stays at Cult Grounds until the Summoner's Blessed Ring is obtained. This is also a good time to go back to

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Magic Mirror

with the gear recommended here since the Trickery Mirror is required for the next section. With fully upgraded Aeris (B) and the other barrier damage items, it shouldn't be a problem at all taking these down much faster than before. Lastly, if the player has finished

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Into the Mist

at least once, and thus has obtained the passive slot, it's a good idea to go for another item. The enemies from now on will have a lot more barrier to take down. The Barrier Burn Shield from the Trickery Temple can be used in the passive slot for a lot of extra barrier damage.