Is the Crystal Hatchet Worth It? A Comprehensive Guide
Is the crystal hatchet worth it? The short answer is: Absolutely, for dedicated woodcutters. The crystal hatchet offers a compelling mix of benefits that make it a worthwhile investment for players who spend significant time training their Woodcutting skill in Runescape. However, the worth is heavily influenced by your playstyle and goals. It’s not simply a blanket recommendation for everyone, but for those who meet specific criteria, the crystal hatchet is a clear upgrade. This article will explore why and when it makes sense to obtain one.
Understanding the Crystal Hatchet’s Value
The primary draw of the crystal hatchet isn’t raw woodcutting speed, though it is an improvement. Instead, its key features are:
- Enhanced Woodcutting Speed: The crystal hatchet boasts a 4.5% faster woodcutting speed compared to the dragon hatchet. While seemingly small, this adds up to significant time savings over extended periods.
- Double Chance for Rare Rocks: Players using the crystal hatchet have twice the chance to gain Shattered Heart and golden Shattered Heart rocks. These rocks, valuable for their experience and rewards, make training Woodcutting more lucrative.
- Toolbelt Compatibility: Unlike other crystal tools, the crystal hatchet can be added to the tool belt and will not degrade. This eliminates the constant need to repair it, providing a massive convenience factor.
These benefits, especially the double chance at rare rocks and toolbelt compatibility, position the crystal hatchet as a superior alternative to the dragon hatchet for most woodcutting activities. The slight increase in speed, coupled with the increased rare rock chance, can result in faster experience rates and more lucrative profits from skilling.
The Cost and Time Investment
Acquiring the crystal hatchet requires some commitment:
- Dragon Hatchet: The base item needed.
- 120 Crystal Shards: These shards are obtainable from various sources within Prifddinas, mainly from the Crystal Chest and other activities.
- Crystal Tool Seed: This seed can be obtained through the quest “Song of the Elves”.
The biggest investment is time spent obtaining shards. While these are passively obtained from certain content, it may take focused effort to obtain them in quantity. The initial investment to create the hatchet is not substantial for long-term use because the hatchet does not degrade, making it a permanent upgrade for the toolbelt.
When is the Crystal Hatchet Most Worth It?
The crystal hatchet is most valuable when:
- You Plan on Training Woodcutting Long-Term: The consistent speed boost and the double chance for rare rocks pay off significantly over extended periods.
- You Value Convenience: Having a non-degrading, upgraded hatchet in your toolbelt significantly reduces hassle.
- You Aim for High Woodcutting Levels: The rare rocks provide valuable experience boosts, aiding in the grind to level 99 and beyond.
- You Engage in Activities That Profit from Woodcutting: The rare rocks can be sold for a decent sum, adding profit to your woodcutting sessions.
Specific Scenarios
- Early to Mid-Game: While the initial time investment in Prifddinas might be daunting, unlocking the crystal hatchet early will greatly improve your overall experience and profits in woodcutting.
- Late Game: For high-level players focusing on efficiency, the non-degrading nature and added rare rock chance is invaluable to increase profit or experience per hour.
- Ironman Accounts: The crystal hatchet is especially important for Ironman accounts due to the added difficulty in obtaining supplies and it is a crucial tool for efficient progression.
- Casual Players: Even if you’re not a hardcore skiller, having the crystal hatchet in your toolbelt offers a no-fuss experience, letting you focus on enjoying other aspects of the game.
When is the Crystal Hatchet Less Worth It?
The crystal hatchet may be less impactful for players who:
- Rarely Train Woodcutting: If you rarely engage with the woodcutting skill, the cost-to-benefit ratio might be less enticing compared to other improvements you could make in the game.
- Focus Primarily on AFK Training: While the toolbelt compatibility is helpful for afk training, the 4.5% woodcutting speed increase isn’t that substantial. You might prefer to prioritize other upgrades for afk situations.
- Have Limited Access to Prifddinas: If you haven’t completed the “Plague’s End” quest to access Prifddinas, the crystal hatchet is unattainable.
Conclusion
The crystal hatchet is a significant improvement over the dragon hatchet due to its non-degrading nature, increased chance at rare rocks, and slightly increased woodcutting speed. For players who actively train woodcutting, especially those striving for high levels and efficient skilling, the crystal hatchet is definitely worth the investment of time and resources. It provides convenience and long-term benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How much faster is the crystal hatchet compared to the dragon hatchet?
The crystal hatchet provides a 4.5% increase in woodcutting speed compared to the dragon hatchet.
2. Does the crystal hatchet degrade?
No, the crystal hatchet does not degrade when placed in the tool belt. It is a permanent upgrade.
3. How do I obtain a crystal hatchet?
You can create a crystal hatchet by combining a dragon hatchet, 120 crystal shards, and a crystal tool seed at a singing bowl in Prifddinas.
4. What are Shattered Heart and golden Shattered Heart rocks?
These are rare rocks that appear while woodcutting, offering a boost in experience and other rewards when mined. The crystal hatchet doubles the chance of their appearance.
5. Can I augment the crystal hatchet?
Yes, the crystal hatchet can be augmented to further enhance its benefits. This requires level 22 Invention and some additional resources such as an augmentor and harmonic dust.
6. Can I remove a crystal hatchet from my tool belt?
Yes, a crystal hatchet can be removed from the tool belt by speaking with Doc in the Invention Guild.
7. Can I revert a crystal hatchet to a dragon hatchet?
Yes, by speaking to Lady Ithell in Prifddinas, you can convert your crystal hatchet back to a dragon hatchet, but you will not get your harmonic dust back from an augmented hatchet.
8. Does the crystal pickaxe have the same toolbelt benefit as the crystal hatchet?
No, the crystal pickaxe cannot be placed in the toolbelt and it does degrade like other crystal items.
9. Is the crystal pickaxe better than the dragon pickaxe?
Yes, the crystal pickaxe is approximately a 3.03% increase in overall mining speed compared to the dragon pickaxe.
10. How do you recharge a crystal axe?
You can recharge a crystal axe by using crystal shards on it, with each shard adding 100 charges, up to a maximum of 20,000 charges.
11. How much does it cost to corrupt the Bow of Faerdhinen?
It costs 2,000 crystal shards to corrupt the Bow of Faerdhinen, which prevents it from degrading.
12. Where can I find crystal shards?
Crystal shards are primarily found within Prifddinas, especially from the Crystal Chest, but may be found in other places as well.
13. What are the requirements to wield the crystal hatchet?
You need level 70 Attack to wield it as a weapon, and level 70 Woodcutting to use it for woodcutting. However, level 75 Woodcutting is indirectly required to complete Plague’s End, which grants access to Prifddinas.
14. Can you uncharge a crystal pickaxe?
You cannot uncharge a crystal pickaxe directly. You have to remove any augmentations first and that will destroy any installed gizmos.
15. What does a dangerous death do to crystal tools?
A dangerous death in PvP will cause crystal tools to revert to their dragon equivalents, which will be dropped for the killer.