### Summary and Overview of Annihilation Annihilation is a Tier 87 melee dual-wield weapon introduced with the release of the *Heart of Gielinor* (God Wars Dungeon 2) on **June 2016**. This weapon specializes in dealing high burst damage, with its unique special attack, **"Fury of the Small,"** which deals damage while reducing the target's adrenaline gain. As a Nex-tier weapon, Annihilation is significant for its PvM utility against bosses where managing adrenaline or interrupting mechanics is useful. It's also a somewhat niche weapon, overshadowed by Elder Gods-tier and Necromancy weapons in recent years. This item is relatively rare in the game due to the difficulty associated with acquiring it from Vindicta in GWD2 at effective drop rates. Its materials used for eventual upgrades further influence demand, but its niche status keeps it accessible compared to Tier 90+ weapons. ### Historical Trends and Rarity Impacts Historically, Annihilation's price correlates heavily with larger RuneScape economy shifts, meta shifts in combat, and high-level PvM updates. The tracking of its price history (as provided in your data) shows its plurality of swings. For example: - **February-March 2023:** Prices briefly skyrocket to ~8.9M due to the Scrimshaw dupe inflating GP supply and causing massive speculative buying across weapons. - **December 2023 Drop:** Introduction of Black Partyhat caused liquidity to drain as players liquidated assets into high-value rares. - **Necromancy (August 2023):** Power creep introduced by Necromancy gear led to melee-based niche items seeing price reductions (falling to ~804k as of August 2024). Its rarity is moderate—while not ultra-rare, it's scarce enough to remain slightly immune to hyper-supply issues tied to dupes or re-releases. --- ### Price Predictions Over the Coming Months Using prior economic data, upcoming changes to the RuneScape economy and player behaviors suggest fluctuations but potential recovery as melee combat remains relevant. - **August - October 2024:** Prices may remain low (~600k-900k), as fresh releases (Sanctum of Rebirth and Mining/Smithing reworks) temporarily divert demand. - **November 2024:** Potential rebounds (~950k-1.2M) as players refocus on high-tier melee setups after the hype around new content subsides. The GIM dupe may slightly temper this if GP enters the market in large quantities. - **Q1 2025:** Seasonal demand (combat updates, TH promotions, and player returns post-Christmas) could lift it back to ~1.3M-1.8M, though it is unlikely to breach previous peaks barring a massive meta shift. If another major melee-centric update occurs, its price could surge beyond this, but so far, no such prospects are confirmed. --- ### Flipping Margins Annihilation is a prime low-volume flip item due to its stable yet slow-moving market activity. Based on current trends: - **Typical margins (Aug 2024):** 100-300k per transaction, with bulk purchases earning higher profits. - **Strategy:** Monitor logs for consistency between 600-700k buys and ~800k sales. Overnight offers can heavily capitalize on market lethargy, provided patience is exercised. Avoid flipping during GP injections or economic disruptors, as this can lock you into less favorable positions. --- ### Similar Items to Invest In If Annihilation appeals as an investment or flip, the following items may complement your trades: - **Scythe of Vitur (OSRS):** Similar melee weapon for external speculation due to shared impact from gold influx. - **Staff of Sliske/Armadyl Battlestaff:** Comparable niche bossing weapon with slight volatility around PvM updates. - **Dragon Rider Lance:** Often rises during general melee PvM weeks and shares overlapping demand spikes with Annihilation. - **Saradomin's Whisper:** A niche amulet whose demand also scales with melee PvM gear shifts. --- ### Seasonal Patterns Economic trends in RuneScape follow these established seasonal rhythms: - **Positive Effects on Prices:** PvM-heavy updates (e.g., combat reworks, new bosses), GP stabilizations post-dupe exploits, and winter holidays cause most combat-related items to increase in price. - **Negative Effects on Prices:** Treasure Hunter cash rewards, rare re-releases (e.g., Black Partyhat), and skill-based updates (e.g., Necromancy) tend to deflate niche combat gear. Timing your flips or investments around these cycles will maximize returns.