Optimizing Slayer: Duradel Block List Considerations
Duradel, accessible at 100 combat and 50 Slayer, is a preferred Slayer Master for many due to his assignment of tasks that often provide a good balance of experience and valuable drops. To maximize efficiency with Duradel, utilizing a block list is essential. Blocking tasks prevents the assignment of undesirable monsters, thereby increasing the likelihood of receiving more favorable tasks. Given the limited number of block slots, choosing wisely is paramount.
Core Principles for Task Blocking
When curating your Duradel block list, evaluate tasks based on several key factors:
- Experience Per Hour: Tasks that yield low Slayer experience for the time invested are prime candidates for blocking.
- Profitability and Cost: Consider tasks with poor drop tables or those that require expensive supplies, diminishing overall profit.
- Task Mechanics and Annoyance: Some tasks are inherently tedious, involve extensive travel, require specific inconvenient setups, or are simply unenjoyable.
- Personal Preference: Subjective dislike for certain monsters or task types should not be underestimated.
Frequently Recommended Blocks for Duradel
While the optimal block list is subjective, the following tasks are commonly blocked by players using Duradel due to their general inefficiency:
- Suqahs: Often blocked due to their inconvenient location on Lunar Isle and relatively poor experience and drops.
- Black Demons: These can be slow to kill without high-level gear and prayer. Many players block them, especially if not yet killing Demonic Gorillas (which are a separate, superior task).
- Iron Dragons & Steel Dragons: Notorious for their high defensive stats, leading to slow kill speeds and underwhelming loot. They are very common blocks.
- Kalphites: The general Kalphite task typically involves low-level Kalphites, which offer poor experience and drops. While the Kalphite Queen is a boss, the standard task is often undesirable.
- Hellhounds: While the Cerberus boss (requiring a Hellhound task) is profitable, regular Hellhounds offer mediocre experience and no significant unique drops, making them a block candidate if not focusing on the boss.
- Spiritual Creatures (Mages, Rangers, Warriors): These tasks can be slow, may require switching gear, and are often spread out. Their drops and experience rates are generally considered average at best.
- Fire Giants: For players at the level to use Duradel, Fire Giants offer very poor experience and drops, making them an easy block.
- Greater Demons: Similar to Black Demons, they can be slow without good gear. While K'ril Tsutsaroth (boss) is an option, the base Greater Demon task is often inefficient.
Other Considerations: Depending on specific goals, tasks like Trolls (non-ice variants) or Waterfiends might also be considered for blocking by some players.
Factors Influencing Your Block List Choices
Your personal Duradel block list should be dynamic and influenced by:
- Account Progression: Your current combat stats, available gear (e.g., cannon availability, high-tier weapons), and unlocked content (like Prifddinas or specific dungeons) significantly impact task viability.
- Slayer Goals: Whether your primary focus is rapid experience gain, maximizing profit, hunting specific boss uniques, or pet collection will dictate which tasks are undesirable.
- Extended & Unlocked Tasks: Having certain tasks extended (like Nechryaels or Dust Devils for bursting) or boss tasks unlocked can shift priorities.
- Playstyle Preferences: Some players prefer AFK tasks, while others enjoy more active or challenging assignments.
Skipping Tasks: An Alternative to Blocking
Remember that you can use Slayer points to skip tasks. This is a valuable strategy for tasks that are not quite bad enough to warrant a permanent block slot but are currently inconvenient or undesirable. Skipping allows for more flexibility than permanent blocks.
Ultimately, constructing the most effective Duradel block list is an iterative process. It should align with your account's current state and your personal Slayer objectives. Regularly review and adjust your block list as your account develops and your goals evolve.
