Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a game filled with countless challenges, and for many players, the Fight Caves and the notorious final boss, TzTok-Jad, present one of the toughest. If you’re like me, attempting Jad caused me to quit the game for years. I was frustrated beyond belief after dying multiple times, which made me avoid the Fight Caves for a long time. When I returned to OSRS, I was determined to finally take down Jad. It took me over a dozen more tries, but I eventually succeeded. The key wasn’t necessarily in becoming a significantly better player but rather in learning some key tips and tricks that dramatically increased my chances of survival.

In this article, I’ll share those tips, including how to effectively deal with Jad’s mechanics, manage the healers, and keep your nerves in check. Whether you’re a first-time fighter or a seasoned veteran, these pointers will help you walk out of the Fight Caves with your very first Fire Cape.

The Common Reason People Fail at Jad

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve struggled with Jad or heard the horror stories about him. The most common reason people fail is not due to their inability to manage the prayer flicking for Jad’s attacks but because of the additional complexity that comes when the healers spawn. Many players are comfortable dealing with Jad’s attack patterns, but when the healers appear, it becomes overwhelming. Mismanaging the healers can lead to a quick death as Jad one-shots you due to a missed prayer switch. Let’s break down how to handle this critical phase of the fight.

Preparation: Set Up Your F Keys

Before even stepping into the Fight Caves, you should optimize your settings. One of the best things you can do to give yourself a fighting chance is to set up your F keys. Head to your settings, search for the "hotkey" options, and assign F keys for prayer and inventory. You’ll only need these two interfaces during the fight. This setup allows you to switch between eating, sipping potions, and prayer flicking smoothly without fumbling around with your mouse.

Next, make sure auto-retaliate is turned off. This prevents your character from accidentally attacking the wrong enemy and losing focus during crucial moments. Also, turn on the game sounds but mute the music. Jad’s attacks give an audio cue—if you hear an attack at the same time you see the animation, that’s a magic attack. If you only see the animation and no sound follows immediately, it’s a range attack. These auditory cues are a huge help when you’re juggling prayer switches.

During the fight, hover your mouse over the opposite prayer to what Jad is currently attacking with. This minimizes the time it takes to react to his next attack. Stick to a simple rule: do one action per Jad’s attack cycle—whether that’s drinking a potion, moving, or tagging a healer. Keeping things deliberate and measured will reduce mistakes.

Force Jad’s Spawn

One of the most crucial tips to make your life easier is to force Jad’s spawn location. As early as Wave 3 of the Fight Caves, you can determine where Jad will spawn at Wave 62. Pay attention to where the monsters spawn on Wave 3. Jad will appear in the exact same spot during his wave. To make your fight against Jad easier, you want him to spawn in one of the corners. If he spawns somewhere undesirable, don’t be afraid to leave and restart the caves. This is especially important if you’re not on a Slayer task, as it won’t cost you anything to re-enter. By forcing Jad into a corner, you can better control the positioning of both him and the healers during the final phase of the fight.

RuneLite Plugins and Interface Tips

Using RuneLite, the popular third-party client for OSRS, can give you a serious edge. First off, enable the NPC Indicators plugin. Go to the settings, and type in the names of the healers—this will help you keep track of them during the final fight. Being able to see them clearly can be the difference between success and failure.

Another tip is to stick with the client size you’re used to. Don’t make the mistake of switching to a bigger or smaller window size because someone told you it’s better. Play with what feels natural to you. I personally prefer resizable mode, and I use the stretch mode plugin to make my prayer icons larger. If you’re playing in resizable mode, consider doing the same. Enlarged prayer icons make it easier to click the correct prayer during the heat of the fight.

Handling the Healers

The healers are where things get tricky for most players. If you’ve successfully reached Jad but keep dying when the healers spawn, don’t worry—you’re not alone. There are a few methods to handle them.

One method is to bring chinchompas. When the healers spawn and start healing Jad, they don’t heal him very quickly. What you need to focus on is switching your prayers properly while getting the healers’ attention. Using chinchompas will aggro all the healers onto you at once, allowing you to get them off of Jad. Personally, I prefer tagging each healer one at a time. It’s easier for me to stay calm and avoid mistakes by keeping it slow and methodical.

Another method to deal with the healers is to drag them behind the rocks in the Fight Caves. Once you’ve tagged all the healers, you can run around the terrain, dragging them far away from Jad while staying attentive to his attacks. This gives you time to heal up, drink your potions, and regain control before re-engaging with Jad.

Practice Makes Perfect

If you’re serious about getting your first Fire Cape, one of the best things you can do is practice fighting Jad outside of the Fight Caves. You can do this in a few ways.

One option is to watch a no-commentary Jad fight and practice prayer switching along with the video. I’ll include a link at the end of this article, but any video will work as long as you can mimic the prayer switches in real-time.

Another option is to use the quest speedrunning worlds. By starting the Beneath Cursed Sands quest speedrun, you’ll receive a Fire Cape, which grants access to the Inferno area. In there, you can practice the Inferno’s version of Jad, which will sharpen your skills.

Lastly, if beta worlds are active, you can use them to gear up quickly and practice fighting Jad without needing to go through the full Fight Caves. Just remember to set up your F keys and auto-retaliate again when entering these worlds.

Keep Calm and Focus

The final tip I can offer is simple but crucial: stay calm. The biggest enemy during your Jad attempt isn’t necessarily the mechanics—it’s your nerves. You might have all the skills and knowledge, but if you let anxiety take over, mistakes will happen. Control your breathing, slow down, and focus on one action at a time. With enough practice and patience, you’ll get your Fire Cape.

Good luck, and remember, you’ve got this!