The ancient staff is a one-handed magic weapon that lets you autocast Ancient Magicks as well as standard spells. It needs 50 Magic and 50 Attack plus completion of Desert Treasure I to wield, and swings on a 4-tick (2.4s) speed. With +15 Magic attack it long served as a cheap PKing staff for Ancient combo casting, and its melee profile (+40 crush, +50 strength) even rivals a rune scimitar. Bought once from Eblis for 80,000 coins after the quest, it trades on the GE for around 60,000 coins.
Equipment bonuses
The ancient staff offers +15 Magic attack for spellcasting alongside a surprisingly strong melee profile of +40 crush attack and +50 strength, swinging at a 4-tick speed (2.4 seconds). It carries a rare -1 Prayer penalty and requires 50 Magic and 50 Attack with Desert Treasure I complete.
Attack bonuses
Defence bonuses
Other bonuses
Those numbers make it a budget Ancient-spellbook autocaster that doubles as a passable melee weapon, though dedicated mage staves and the granite hammer outclass it in their respective roles.
Grand Exchange price history
How to get the ancient staff
The simplest route is to buy it once from Eblis in the Bandit Camp for 80,000 coins, available only after you have completed Desert Treasure I. Because it can be purchased just once per character, you can also pick it up on the Grand Exchange for around 60,000 coins.
It also drops, rarely, from several boss monsters, and very rarely from the mummies in the Ancient Pyramid. Ironmen are advised not to alch or drop their staff, since it is needed for a master clue step requiring a negative Prayer bonus and is otherwise hard to replace.
Is the ancient staff worth it?
For the price, the ancient staff is a cheap way to autocast Ancient Magicks and standard spells once you have Desert Treasure I done, which is why it was a staple in low- to mid-level magic gear and wilderness PKing for combo casting.
Modern upgrades have moved past it: dedicated mage weapons give far more Magic damage, and in melee it is outclassed by the granite hammer, which shares the 50 Attack requirement but adds 50 Strength. Its most lasting use today is as the base item for the ancient sceptre upgrade and for the negative-Prayer master clue step.
Ancient staff FAQ
What level do you need for the ancient staff?
You need 50 Magic and 50 Attack to wield it, plus completion of the Desert Treasure I quest.
Does the ancient staff autocast Ancient Magicks?
Yes. The ancient staff can autocast spells from both the Ancient spellbook (Ancient Magicks) and the standard spellbook, which is its main appeal as a cheap Ancients autocaster.
How do you get the ancient staff?
After completing Desert Treasure I, buy it once from Eblis for 80,000 coins. It can also be bought on the Grand Exchange, dropped rarely by several bosses, or very rarely by Ancient Pyramid mummies.
Is the ancient staff good for melee?
It is decent for its level. With +40 crush attack and +50 strength on a 4-tick speed it performs similarly to a rune scimitar, but it is outclassed by the granite hammer, which also needs 50 Attack but adds a 50 Strength requirement.
What is the ancient staff used to upgrade into?
Bringing an ancient staff and an ancient icon to Eblis upgrades it into the ancient sceptre. This is irreversible, and the resulting sceptre is untradeable.
How much is the ancient staff worth?
It is an inexpensive item; check the live price and history chart above for the current Grand Exchange value, which typically sits in the tens of thousands of coins (its Eblis shop price is 80,000 coins).
