### **Wyvern Crossbow Overview** The Wyvern crossbow, introduced on **September 4, 2017**, is a high-level ranged weapon requiring level **85 Ranged** to use. It was originally released alongside the **Sophanem Slayer Dungeon** as a powerful yet niche upgrade for PvM enthusiasts, particularly for ice wyvern-themed mechanics and abilities. The crossbow offers a **25% chance to trigger the Deadshot passive**, which increases ability damage by 10% for 6 seconds. This makes it particularly relevant in boss fights where burst DPS is prioritized. Rarity-wise, the Wyvern crossbow is dropped by the **Wamasu** in the Sophanem Slayer Dungeon, a Slayer creature requiring at least **88 Slayer** to kill. Due to the dungeon’s release being tied to elite Slayer, alongside moderate drop rates and early demand spikes (as much for fashion-scape as function), the crossbow achieved notable rarity. --- ### **Price Trends and Historical Analysis** The Wyvern crossbow’s historical pricing reflects RuneScape’s shifting economic climate. Here's a summarized timeline: 1. **Initial Launch (2017-2021)**: - Hovered steadily between **50M–70M** due to high utility in PvM combined with fairly low introduction rates. 2. **Dupes and Gold Influx (2021)**: - Price stability wavered with mass duping events in **2021** (e.g., Rollback and Recovery dupes). The item was never heavily botted due to difficulty in farming the Sophanem Dungeon, so its price remained reasonable compared to rares or tradables. However, overall market inflation likely buoyed it slightly to ~**60M+**. 3. **Scrimshaw Dupe & Hacking Spikes (2023)**: - By **January 2023**, its price spiked toward **70M+**, coinciding with mass financial disruptions (Scrimshaw duplication and player hacks). During this time, wealthier PvMers hoarded items like the Wyvern to hold value instead of retaining liquid GP, as gold itself became susceptible to inflation. 4. **2024 Post-Necromancy and Combat Updates**: - Necromancy (August 2023) and the 2024 combat overhaul created waves. Weapon demand shifted toward **Necromancy gear**, reducing demand for older crossbows like the Wyvern. It dropped to a **20-40M range** in mid-2024, with spikes related to **Sanctum of Rebirth's release (July)**, where Range DPS benefitted. 5. **Current Status (November 2024)**: - The Wyvern crossbow sits at **~19.6M GP as of Nov 5, 2024**, following the **GIM Bank Dupe** inflating item supplies again. --- ### **Price Predictions** Given historical factors and current trends, the Wyvern crossbow may remain unstable in the near term due to RuneScape's broader economic volatility. Key drivers of its price changes over the next few months include: 1. **Combat Style Rebalancing (specifically Ranged)**: - If any buffs to **Ranged or elite Slayer content** are introduced (e.g., holiday events incentivizing dungeon runs), expect potential upward movement. 2. **Cryptic Holiday Content (Christmas 2024/January 2025):** - These historically drive speculative buying due to incoming bosses or lucrative skilling opportunities. #### **Prediction Range:** - **January 2025:** Likely to stabilize between **15M–25M** unless major events (~15% drop risk due to low PvM reliance). - **April 2025:** Potential rebound to **20M–35M** if any Ranged Skilling or PvM update arrives. --- ### **Flipping Margins** The Wyvern crossbow offers **healthy short-term flipping margins**, particularly during high volatility. Based on price drops and rebounds: - **Raw Margin Estimate**: - ~**2-4M profit per unit** within a typical **2-3 day window** in fluctuating weeks (30-40% profitability compared to buy cost). - **Seasonal Peaks for Flips**: - Watch patches and treasure hunter events (e.g., **December-January updates**) where influxes of gold and demand shifts are most obvious. It’s common to see brief, high-demand spikes after such updates. --- ### **Complementary Items to Invest In** To diversify investments or flips, focus on items with similar PvM roots but differing utility profiles: 1. **Blightbound Crossbow**: - Often spikes during Ranged-heavy meta gameplay updates. It correlates well with elite Slayer gear demand. 2. **Elite Seren Godbow (T92)**: - Aimed at high-end PvM. Moves unpredictably, but demand spikes near prestige PvM releases. 3. **Gear Synergy: EOF Amulet (Essence of Finality)**: - Enhances weapon usability; prices for EOF charges tend to rise or fall based on high-tier gear demand accompanying weapons like Wyvern. --- ### **Seasonal Buying and Selling Patterns** RuneScape inherently follows seasonal trends based on event-based scaling. A succinct guide: 1. **Positive Trends (Price Boosts)**: - **Post-Events (July-August)**: Combat updates often reintroduce gear demand spikes. - **December-January**: Release/month-end bonuses (Snow, rares, or related PvM). 2. **Negative Trends (Price Slumps)**: - **March-April**: Historically tied to combat room re-working/pricing influxes making PvM sets redundant. - Post-duplication-based fixes (occurs cyclically, as observed every ~12 months since 2021). --- ### **Key Insights** - The Wyvern crossbow, while not top-tier meta, remains viable as modular PvM gear with a history of reliable price oscillations. - Its affordable pricing suits both medium-term collectors and short-term flippers who capitalize on update-related spikes. - Investing indirectly (via supporting gear like EOF) or diversifying with ranged meta-dependent weapons will hedge against volatility. - Be cautious about updates that devalue elite Slayer content outright—those directly damage the crossbow’s demand.