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The Dragonwilds expansion in RuneScape isn’t just about brutal dragons and volatile terrain—it introduces one of the deepest progression systems to date: the Dragonwatch Faction. This powerful organization operates behind the scenes in the region, offering exclusive rewards, progression tiers, and unique mechanics that deeply impact how players interact with the Dragonwilds. From upgrading your influence to unlocking secret quests and elite gear, this article unpacks everything about the Dragonwatch Faction.
In this guide, we explore the faction from start to end: how to join, how reputation works, which perks to prioritize, and how to optimize your grind for endgame dominance. Whether you're a lone wolf or a group player, mastering Dragonwatch is essential for anyone aiming to conquer Dragonwilds.
Gaining Access to Dragonwatch: The First Step to Faction Power
You can't join the Dragonwatch Faction immediately—it requires progression through the core Dragonwilds content. Players must first complete the quest “Fire From the Sky,” which unlocks the central camp known as the Ember Bastion.
Prerequisites to Join
Before the Dragonwatch contact will accept you, make sure you have:
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Completed “Fire From the Sky”
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Reached Combat Level 85+
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Accessed at least two biomes in the Dragonwilds
After completing these, speak to Commander Vael in the Ember Bastion. She'll offer a trial mission that acts as your initiation.
Trial of Embers
The trial is a multi-phase instanced challenge:
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Defeat waves of enemies from all four Dragonwilds zones
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Survive a timed volcanic tremor without taking damage
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Solve a relic puzzle using Dragonwilds lore
Once completed, you're officially part of Dragonwatch—and your reputation journey begins.
Understanding the Reputation System
The heart of Dragonwatch lies in its reputation system. This isn’t just a passive number—it directly controls what the faction offers you in terms of perks, content, and visual flair.
How Reputation Works
Reputation is gained through:
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Slaying elite creatures in the Dragonwilds
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Completing daily faction missions
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Discovering and submitting ancient relics
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Assisting other players via faction bounties
Each reputation tier requires a certain XP threshold and unlocks new content immediately upon level-up.
Reputation Tiers
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Initiate: Entry level, basic shop access
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Vanguard: Daily quests, teleport discounts
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Sentinel: Access to elite hunts and resource nodes
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Warden: Cosmetic armor variants, new emotes
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Exalted: Access to faction-exclusive boss and story finale
Daily Faction Missions: Efficient Reputation Farming
After joining Dragonwatch, your main source of reputation is the daily mission board. These tasks change daily and scale with your current tier.
Types of Missions
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Hunting Contracts: Defeat specific monsters
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Artifact Recovery: Explore and collect ancient relics
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Escort Runs: Protect supply caravans through PvP zones
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Tactical Raids: Clear out enemy camps or disrupt rival factions
Optimizing Mission Completion
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Prioritize “High Threat” missions for double rep
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Always bring teleport scrolls—missions are often deep in the wilds
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Join a group for escort missions; they’re prone to ambush
Rewards stack, meaning doing five daily tasks for a week nets enough rep to go from Initiate to Vanguard quickly.
Faction Vendors: Exclusive Gear and Utilities
Dragonwatch reputation unlocks access to faction vendors scattered across the Ember Bastion. These NPCs offer exclusive items that enhance both survivability and combat efficiency in Dragonwilds.
Vendor Categories
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Armory Quartermaster: Reputation-based armor and weapons
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Tactician Syra: Utility items like smoke bombs and stealth kits
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Archivist Neran: Lore fragments, relic exchanges, and tomes
Top-Tier Gear
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Flamewarden’s Mail (Tier 80+): Reduces damage from elite dragons
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Embersteel Blade: Applies burn effect with a 10% proc chance
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Dragonwatch Emblem: Teleport to any faction camp instantly
Each item becomes available only at a specific tier, so progression matters greatly.
Unlocking Elite Hunts and Hidden Creatures
At the Sentinel rank and above, players can participate in elite hunts, faction-exclusive missions targeting rare and powerful beasts across the wilds.
Elite Hunt Targets
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Ashborne Ravager: Stealthy, poisons over time
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Howling Seraphid: Ice-based AoE, drops crystal shards
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Volkrid, the Blight Maw: Boss-tier beast, requires a team
Rewards from Elite Hunts
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Rare crafting components for faction gear
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Unique cosmetics and sigils
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Double reputation tokens
Tip: These creatures spawn in contested areas. Going in groups or coordinating times with your clan will reduce gank risks.
Faction Storyline and Side Quests
Dragonwatch has a deep faction-based narrative, featuring over 20 quests, hidden dialogues, and cutscenes tied to your reputation level.
Quest Arcs by Tier
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Initiate to Vanguard: Establishing footholds and supply lines
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Vanguard to Sentinel: Uncovering internal traitors
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Sentinel to Warden: Defending the bastion against dragon cultists
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Exalted: Final cinematic showdown in Obsidian Hollow
Each arc unlocks more about the region’s past, the Dragonkin legacy, and your role in shaping the future of Dragonwilds.
Building a Faction Camp: Customization and Utility
Once you reach the Warden tier, you gain access to the Faction Camp—a personal outpost you can build and customize within the Embercliff Plateau.
Camp Features
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Training Grounds: Daily XP in selected skills
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Summoning Circle: Summon help or mount
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Relic Forge: Craft reputation-based upgrades
Customization Options
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Visual themes (Obsidian, Ember, Froststeel)
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Recruitable NPCs that offer passive bonuses
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Access portals to each zone
The camp also acts as a respawn point and grants buffs depending on what structures you’ve built.
PvP Integration and Faction Bounties
Dragonwatch has a competitive angle, particularly in Obsidian Hollow where PvP is always active. Here, faction bounties provide high-risk, high-reward objectives.
How Bounties Work
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Accept a bounty for another player faction member
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Track their general location in PvP zones
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Defeat them for reward chests and rep tokens
Balancing Risk and Reward
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Use disguises or stealth to approach targets
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Coordinate with allies to bait enemies into traps
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Failing a bounty costs you temporary faction standing
PvP bounty kills offer more reputation than daily missions but require planning and experience.
Achievements and Endgame Goals
Beyond gear and story, Dragonwatch offers long-term goals via the Faction Achievement Journal, which tracks your milestones and unlocks elite content.
Notable Achievements
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Unseen Blade: Complete 10 PvP bounties without dying
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Wyrmbreaker: Solo kill 3 elite hunt targets
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Heart of Flame: Reach Exalted rank in under 30 days
Exclusive Endgame Rewards
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Animated faction capes and titles
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Prestige teleport animation
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Access to the Dragonwatch Sanctum, a hidden lore vault with passive bonuses
These achievements provide bragging rights and cosmetic superiority to dedicated players.
Conclusion
The Dragonwatch Faction in RuneScape’s Dragonwilds expansion is a rich, multi-layered system that rewards both casual players and hardcore grinders. From daily missions and elite hunts to PvP bounties and customizable camps, it offers the most comprehensive progression system RuneScape has introduced in years. Mastering it not only gives you access to powerful gear and unique storylines—it defines your entire experience in Dragonwilds.
Whether you’re a lore-seeker, a PvP hunter, or a PvE master, Dragonwatch molds your journey. It’s more than a faction—it’s the key to thriving in the harshest lands Gielinor has ever seen.
