The Barrows minigame has challenged RuneScape players for nearly two decades. This intense PvM activity sees you battle the six Barrows brothers, then solve a tricky puzzle to access the lucrative rewards.
While the combat tests your stats and gear, the puzzles test your mental prowess. Solving them requires logic, observation, and pattern recognition skills.
Master them, and you‘ll gain faster times and bigger loot hauls from one of RuneScape‘s most iconic mid-level challenges.
In this guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know about Barrows puzzles, with tips to help you crack the code every time.
The Origins of the Barrows
Before solving any puzzles, it helps to understand the history behind them. The Barrows launched way back in May 2005 as part of the game‘s first major update after the RuneScape 2 overhaul.
The lore tells of six warring brothers from the 4th age corrupted by greed and power. Despite their great combat skills, the brothers were eventually laid to rest in crypts beneath the misty Mort Myre.
Players who dared to venture into the dangerous Barrows could fight each resurrected brother, then solve a puzzle to unlock their treasure room.
The addition of puzzle chambers broke up the constant fighting and added satisfying variety to the minigame‘s challenges. Plus, they served as tests of wit to balance out the tests of strength.
Over the years, the Barrows puzzles have gained notoriety for frustrating many players upon launch. But understanding the key mechanics below will have you solving them smoothly every time.
The Four Puzzle Types
While the puzzles may appear random at first glance, only four main types get mixed up and rotated:
- Decreasing Number of Sides – Identify the sequence of shapes with fewer sides
- Rotating Arrow – Follow the arrow as it rotates around a circle
- Rising Gray Space – Track the upward movement of shaded areas
- Clockwise Gray Space – Trace the clockwise motion of a gray square
Now let‘s break down each puzzle in detail, with tips to master them.
Decreasing Number of Sides
This puzzle shows a sequence of shapes, each with one less side than the previous. Your goal is to identify the shape that comes next.
While the shapes appear in random positions, carefully count the number of sides on each. If the sequence goes triangle (3 sides), square (4 sides), pentagon (5 sides), the next shape should have one less side, making it a square.
Tip: Mentally trace or point to each shape as you count the sides so you don‘t lose track of the sequence order.
Rotating Arrow
Here, an arrow rotates around a circle in increments. Your goal is to determine which direction and how far it will rotate next based on the sequence shown.
Key things to note are:
- Initial arrow direction
- Degree of rotation (typically 90° increments)
- Consistent clockwise or counter-clockwise motion
For example, the arrow may start pointing up, then rotate 90° clockwise to point right, then rotate 90° clockwise again to point down. Following this pattern, the next position should show it rotated 90° clockwise once more to point left.
Tip: Imagine following the rotating motions with your finger to better track the sequence.
Rising Gray Space
This puzzle shows new shaded areas appearing in sequence within a set of shapes. Your goal is to determine where the shaded areas will appear in the next shape.
Typically, the shading starts at the bottom of the shapes and rises upward in an ordered pattern. Carefully follow this progression across the sequence before making your selection.
For example, if the shading rises from the bottom square to the bottom two squares to the bottom three squares, the next shape should have the bottom four squares shaded based on the upward trend.
Tip: Mentally divide each shape into quadrants to map how the shaded area rises through them.
Clockwise Gray Space
Similar to the rising gray space, this puzzle involves a shaded square moving in a consistent clockwise path within each shape.
Your goal is to trace the motion and predict where the shaded square will be located in the next incremental shape.
For instance, it may start in the top left corner, move clockwise to the bottom left corner, then the bottom right corner. Following this pattern, the next shape should have it in the top right corner.
Tip: Envision an invisible clock overlaying each shape to help visualize the clockwise motion.
Comparing Puzzles in OSRS and RS3
While the four puzzle types above exist in both Old School RuneScape and RuneScape 3, there are some slight differences in mechanics and rewards between the two versions that are helpful to understand.
OSRS vs RS3 Barrows Puzzles
| Puzzle Type | OSRS | RS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Decreasing Sides | Shapes do not move positions | Shapes randomize positions |
| Rotating Arrow | Arrows spin faster | Arrows rotate more slowly |
| Rising Gray Space | Smaller 3×3 grid shapes | Larger 5×5 grid shapes |
| Clockwise Gray Space | Set sequence | Randomized each time |
OSRS vs RS3 Barrows Rewards
| Reward | OSRS | RS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Max Runes | ~55,000 | ~165,000 |
| Avg Value of Loot | ~115k GP | ~750k GP |
| Iconic Gear | Dharok‘s, Verac‘s, etc. | Same as OSRS |
| Pet Chance | N/A | 1/1000 chests |
As seen above, while the puzzles follow the same basic patterns, small variations in speed and randomization make the RS3 edition tend to be a bit more challenging.
The rewards also differ, with RS3 offering substantially more runes and gp value per run, along with the chance to obtain the chilling Rory the Revenant pet.
Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
Despite understanding the puzzles in theory, it‘s common to make mistakes in the heat of the moment when under pressure and fatigued after defeating the brothers. Here are some tips to overcome the most common errors:
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Rushing – Take your time and double check before selecting. Don‘t let urgency cloud your thinking.
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Losing Your Place – Physically trace shapes and motions to keep better track of sequences.
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Overcomplicating – Stick to the clear pattern, rather than imagining complex exceptions.
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Miscounting Sides – Re-count if unsure; squares can throw you off.
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Forgetting Details – Carefully note starting positions/directions to identify patterns.
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Panic Selecting – If stuck, start the sequence over from the beginning before choosing.
With practice, you‘ll learn to keep a clear head through the puzzles, even when racing for record times.
The Significance of Barrows Rewards
While puzzles slow your progress, they protect worthwhile treasures. Successfully solving them grants access to the central chests within the burial mounds.
These chests contain a wide variety of rewards highly coveted by RuneScape players:
- Barrows Equipment – Iconic armor and weapons like Dharok‘s and Verac‘s with special effects
- Runes – Supply of variety of runes worth a large amount of GP
- Bolt Racks – Valuable ammunition for crossbows
- Rune Coins – Currency used in the Minigames Shop
The stronger your skills and gear, the faster you can clear the brothers and more runs you can complete per hour. This directly translates into more rolls on the reward tables and bigger payouts overall.
In fact, the profit per hour from the Barrows makes it one of the most popular money-making methods in the mid-level tier. But you won‘t profit without first mastering the puzzles that stand in your way!
My Epic Barrows Experiences
Having completed over 5,000 Barrows runs across RS3, OSRS, and leagues variants, I‘ve had plenty of adventures tackling the puzzles.
I still remember the first time completing the minigame as a noob, wildly guessing at puzzle solutions but getting through by luck. My first Barrows item was the iconic Dharok‘s greataxe, starting my love of collecting the full armor sets.
After dozens more runs, the puzzles that once confused me became second nature. My fastest completion clocks in at just over 4 minutes – not bad considering the world record is about 2 minutes!
Even after thousands of runs, however, the puzzles can still occasionally trip me up when I let my guard down. Just last week, a simple miscount made me fail a decreasing sides puzzle, forcing me to clear all the brothers again from scratch.
But the rewards are worth the risk and effort. Tracking down my last missing Barrows items remains one of my favorite RuneScape achievements to date. The puzzles keep me engaged no matter how many times I tackle the Barrows.
In Conclusion
The Barrows puzzles have challenged RuneScape players for generations. While often frustrating at first, understanding the core mechanics and patterns will have you solving them smoothly every time.
Learning and overcoming these puzzles is a key milestone for every aspiring RuneScaper. Not only will it open access to some sweet rewards, but it builds useful skills in observation, logic, and pattern recognition.
So grab yourSaradomin brews, charge up your trident, and get ready to slay the brothers and crush those puzzles! With this guide, you‘ll go from puzzle novice to puzzle master in no time.
The riches of the Barrows await – if you have the wits to unlock their secrets.
