[Kimojuno]

Today we introduce a new means for players to help each other: the Assist System. This update allows a lower-level player to 'borrow' the skill levels of a more experienced player, creating objects that they could not before.

To take advantage of the Assist System, right-click on a player you would like help from and select 'Req. assist'. That player can then click a pink message that appears in their chat box, deciding whether or not to offer you assistance.

If the assistance is accepted, you are free to use the skills of the other player, making items and taking advantage of their higher levels. The assisting player receives all of the XP, while you keep all of the items you create. This makes the Assist System a quick and safe way to get help making items!

A hand-in-hand icon will appear at the bottom-right of your screen when you are being assisted:

A good example is making an amulet of Strength. You may have the level 49 Magic to enchant a ruby amulet, but not the 50 Crafting to actually make it. With the Assist System you can safely 'borrow' the skill levels of an expert crafter to cut an uncut ruby. Still using the Assist System, you can then make the ruby amulet at a furnace with a gold bar, an amulet mould and ball of string. With the use of an Enchant Level 3, you can turn your ruby amulet into an amulet of Strength.

The Assist System can be used with the following skills:

* Construction
* Cooking
* Crafting
* Farming
* Fishing
* Fletching
* Herblore
* Hunter
* Magic
* Mining
* Runecrafting
* Smithing
* Woodcutting

Notes:

* You can adjust your filters to allow or disallow any assist requests.
* You can earn a maximum of 30,000 experience in any 24-hour period by assisting people.
* You cannot assist someone with a quest, an Achievement Diary (they will not be able to mark a task complete if they were assisted in this way) or a minigame.

Summary

* A way to use the high levels of someone who is willing to help!
* Simply right-click on a player and choose 'Req. assist' to start.

Read the Knowledge Base article here to read more about this system.


In other news...

Some of the children in Meyerditch and Burgh de Rott were missed out from the NPC update. They have been revisited by the Makeover Mage who has given them a more consistent look.

The time-out in the Duel Arena has been reduced to 30 minutes from the previous 60 minutes. We feel this is more than enough time to defeat your opponent with whatever method you agreed upon!

We've also updated the stat icons in the skills tab. They now have a more detailed look, while maintaining their classic characteristics.

The Smithing skill has also received the Make X feature, you will also be free to walk away from the anvil at any point if you make a mistake or change your mind.

Following feedback and questions on the Forums, we wanted to clear up some worries that you may have.

The Assist System is designed to be a safe and convenient alternative to obtaining aid via the trading system. Before, if you had a willing high-level friend, you could do everything that the new Assist System offers. The difference now is that you no longer run the risk of an unbalanced trade!

If you can find someone willing to give up their time to help you fish, then they would surely have been willing to give you the fish previously and the Assist System is no replacement for putting in the work and levelling-up yourself.

For clarification on these points and many others, head to the Knowledge Base article here - after all, we're here to assist you!

This actually sounds rather sweet. ^^

[Zziggywolf5]

Beaten to the punch again...

Any who, it does sound good. It'll certainly cut down on item scamming. I just pray I won't be swarmed be low levels asking for me to do things for them and forcing me to ignore them and those who actually should be helped. :/

[Phieta]

<3 <3 <3 the assist system.

..in theory. Haven't actually tested it, of course But, I like.

[Aaron]

I think this will make the RS player base even more lazy. They have no reason to level up in anything now that someone can do it for them with no chance of losing an item.

[Goto]

Admittedly I haven't played in a few years, but I'm not sure how much more lazy it's likely to make it. Those with a tendency towards expecting other people to do their work for them already had that fairly well developed, and in something like an MMO it makes sense to specialize rather than trying to raise each skill high enough to support yourself.

Interesting idea they had to incorporate an experience cap per day, should keep the focus on helping lower-levels, rather than having it become a new way to power-level.

[Zziggywolf5]

Thing is though that most of the lazy people who will only be using the Assist System instead of training are probably the same who would be chat spamming for someone to do it for them anyway. Well, in theory.

[Aaron]

But, there is an ever-growing populace that does that anyways .

[Rohtaren]

well, this will be a nice way for me to finaly, quickly boost my mining exp and smithing exp. but i do have to admit that it'll be hard for me to find someone who wants my levels. argh... why does the exp raise exponentialy!