Invention and Mining have both been under the microscope for this week’s update. As well as some quality of life changes for Mining, you can now also augment pickaxes. This update also delivers four new Invention perks with combat benefits for you to explore – check ‘em out!

Be sure to read on for the usual patch notes and other announcements.

Invention & Mining Update

Augmentable Pickaxes

You now have the ability to make augmented pickaxes and add tool gizmos to them! Research the blueprint at level 22 Invention and get ready to make Mining more marvellous!

Using an augmented pickaxe gives item XP as you carry out your standard Mining activities. It also will give Invention XP from disassembling/siphoning your augmented pickaxes just like with a fishing rod-o-matic or augmented hatchet for woodcutting.

Upon logging in you can speak to Doc in the Invention Guild north-east of Falador. He can remove your Dragon or Crystal pickaxe from your toolbelt should you wish to augment it, note this is a one-time use service.

You can augment crystal pickaxes or dragon pickaxes but cannot currently augment the inferno adze or Imcando pickaxes.

Faceted & Clockwork Components

You can also now discover two brand-new kinds of rare material for Invention - faceted components and clockwork components. Like any other rare component, you must discover them before they can be used to fill a gizmo and you’ll need level 55 Invention to do so.

Both these new components can also by earned through the Scavenging perk.

Four New Invention Perks

1. Flanking (Ranks 1 – 3)

Add an element of the strategist to your combat via the Flanking perk. By attacking your enemy from behind or the side the following basic abilities will no longer stun an enemy but will instead receive a +40% damage boost per rank: Backhand (attack), Binding Shot (ranged) and Impact (magic) also the following threshold abilities will no longer stun an enemy but will instead receive a +15% damage boost per rank: Forceful Backhand (attack), Tight Bindings (ranged) and Deep Impact (magic).

If you do not attack an enemy from the side or from behind, then the flanking perk will not have an effect and all the aforementioned abilities will simply have their normal effect.

2. Crystal Shield (Ranks 1 – 3)

Crystal shield is a defensive perk that works in two phases. The first phase will provide a 10% chance to activate whenever you take damage, once this is active 5% per rank (up to 15% at rank 3) of any damage you sustain is stored for ten seconds.

Once the ten seconds have elapsed you will be given a secondary pool of lifepoints equal to the damage you’ve sustained, this lasts for up to thirty seconds or until the shield is depleted.

This includes any self-inflicted damage through nitroglycerine, Zamorak brews or ancient combat abilities (e.g. shadow tendrils).

3. Enhanced Devoted (Ranks 1 – 3)

The current version of Devoted provides - 3% chance per rank on being hit that protection prayers will work at 100% (or 75% in PvP) for 3 seconds.

The enhanced variant takes it a little further, pushing this up to 4.5% chance per rank, this will take up both slots in a gizmo.

Note – this will not stack with its normal version.

4. Enhanced Efficient (Ranks 1 – 3)

The current version of Efficient reduces the drain rate for its item by 6% per rank.

With the enhanced perk, this will reduce the charge drain rate a little more pushing it from 6% per rank to 9%, allowing you to save a maximum of 27% charge drain if you happen to acquire a rank 3 variant of this perk! It also takes up both slots in a Gizmo and can be used on tools, weapon and armour.

Note – this will not stack with its normal version.

Quality of Life Changes

There has also been some rebalancing work carried out on certain tech devices. In short, production costs are cheaper and some of them have increased benefits too! Check out the changes:

Mechanised Chinchompa

You will now make 50 of these at a time, instead of 5.

Book Switcher

When making a Book Switcher enhancing components are no longer required.

Calorie Bomb

The Calorie Bomb no longer requires direct components when being made.

Healing on monsters with the Calorie Bomb has been reduced by 5%.

Auto-Sanctifier

Should you already have some Auto-Sanctifiers this update will add 40 charges on top of them when you next login.

Only one pious component is needed for production of this item, down from 8.

When created, the Auto-Sanctifier will now come with 50 charges.

Dungeoneering Party Simulator

The number of Evasive components required to create this device has been reduced to 1.

Electrified Trap

If you already have an electrified trap the update will add 10 charges on top of it when you next login.

The Stunning components used in creating the Electrified Trap have gone down from 2 to 1.

When created, the Electrified Trap will now come with 25 charges.

Dungeoneering Lock Melter

Only 2 Ethereal components will be required in the production of this item, down from 5.

Patch Notes

For further details of this week's update, check out the patch notes on the forum.

This week’s live streams

Each week we stream Q&As, in-game events and more. Watch the streams and find a full streaming schedule on the Twitch channel. Check the YouTube channel for videos you may have missed.

Tuesday, September 6th| 16:00 Game Time | September Month Ahead Q&A

As well as the amazing RuneFest and a Double XP Weekend, September is looking PACKED with new updates. Find out more about them in last Friday’s Behind the Scenes video. Got any questions about September's content? Post them on the forum, on Reddit, or by using the #RSQA hashtag on Twitter.

Sunday, September 11th| 19:00 Game Time | PvM with Mod Lee!

Mod Lee will be hosting the usual Community PvM goodness live on Twitch.

In Other News

Join the RuneFest Facebook event!

Want to get all the latest information about RuneFest, as well as joining the discussion and meeting other ‘Scapers? Join our Facebook event for all the details and make sure you’re also following us on Twitter too! Just 12 days to go now!

Facebook Live Q&A – Mod Raven – Thursday 8th September – 14:00 Game Time

Following on from Mod Osborne’s Q&A session last month, we have the despicable Mod Raven taking over the Facebook page this Thursday.

Post any questions you’d like him to answer on the forum thread (think lore, RuneFest, or anything sadistic), or just ask them during the stream! We’ll see you on the Facebook page this Thursday!

Have a wonderful week!

The RuneScape Team