OSRS Moneymaking Guide: Saradomin God Wars – Commander Zilyana Strategies

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), God Wars Dungeon (GWD) offers some of the most lucrative and challenging PvM experiences, and Commander Zilyana, the leader of the Saradomin forces, is no exception. As one of the four bosses residing in GWD, Zilyana stands out for her fast-paced, aggressive nature and the high-value drops she offers. For players looking to make significant OSRS gold through consistent and high-efficiency bossing, she is an excellent option.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to farm Zilyana effectively – including requirements, gear setups, kill strategies, team vs solo tips, and how to maximize your profits.

Why Farm Commander Zilyana?

Commander Zilyana is a high-level boss that drops some of the most sought-after items in the game, notably:

Armadyl crossbow (~40-50M GP)

Saradomin sword (~100K GP)

Saradomin's light (~100K GP)

Godsword shards (1, 2, 3) (each ~100K–200K GP)

Saradomin hilt (~25M GP)

Various rune and supply drops

These drops can lead to high GP/hour if you're well-prepared. The Armadyl crossbow in particular is a massive payout, and players lucky enough to receive it can make tens of millions in a single drop.

Requirements to Kill Zilyana

Minimum Requirements

You can technically enter the Saradomin GWD room with 70 Agility and defeat Zilyana, but to farm her efficiently, the following are highly recommended:

70+ Agility (required to access Saradomin's chamber)

70+ Strength or 70+ Hitpoints (for GWD entrance)

43+ Prayer (for Protect from Melee)

High combat stats (90+ in key skills):

90+ Ranged

85+ Defence

85+ Magic (if using Blood Barrage or tank healing)

85+ Hitpoints

Recommended Quests and Unlocks

Desert Treasure (for Ancient Magicks like Blood Barrage)

Recipe for Disaster (for Barrows gloves)

Lunar Diplomacy (if using Vengeance in a team setup)

Access to GWD teleport via Trollheim

Hard Kandarin Diary (for bonus damage if using the salve amulet against spiritual creatures)

Gear Setups

Zilyana is weak to Ranged and has a high Magic defence. She hits fast and often, with her minions joining in after she spawns. As such, most successful strategies involve Ranged-based DPS combined with high Prayer bonus and defensive stats.

Solo Ranged Setup (High Level)

Helmet: Armadyl helmet > Verac's helm > Archer helm

Body: Armadyl chestplate > Karil's top > Blessed d'hide

Legs: Armadyl chainskirt > Karil's skirt > Blessed d'hide

Weapon: Twisted Bow (BiS) > Armadyl crossbow > Rune crossbow with Dragon bolts

Shield: Elysian > Spectral > Dragonfire ward

Boots: Pegasian > Ranger boots

Cape: Ava’s assembler > Ava’s accumulator

Amulet: Necklace of anguish > Fury > Ranging amulet

Ring: Archers’ ring (i) > Ring of suffering (for recoil and defence)

Inventory:

Saradomin brews & Super restores (ratio of 3:2)

Prayer potions

Ranging potion

Dragon or Ruby (e) bolts for max damage

Enhanced Excalibur (if completed Seers’ Diary)

Teleport to house or Trollheim teleport

1–2 high-healing food like sharks or anglerfish

Holy wrench (for bonus prayer restoration)

Getting to Commander Zilyana

Teleport to Trollheim via spellbook or scroll.

Climb down to God Wars Dungeon.

Equip a Saradomin and Zamorak item to avoid aggression from followers.

Use ropes if it’s your first time entering.

Enter Saradomin’s encampment via the Agility shortcut (70 required).

Kill Spiritual Mages, Priests, or Knights for the 40 killcount.

Enter the boss room.

Kill Strategy: How to Defeat Zilyana

Mechanics

Zilyana attacks with fast Melee hits and can hit up to 31.

Minions:

Starlight (melee)

Growler (magic)

Bree (ranged)

She moves rapidly, so staying on the move is essential. Her melee damage can pile up quickly, so Protect from Melee is mandatory, and good positioning is key.

Safe Spotting (Not Possible)

Unlike some other GWD bosses, Zilyana cannot be safespotted. She will chase you, requiring constant movement and prayer maintenance. This makes the kill fast-paced.

Solo Strategy

Enter with full prayer and boosted Ranged stats.

Use Ruby bolts (e) early in the kill to trigger their HP % effect.

Switch to Diamond bolts (e) once her health drops below 50%.

Keep Protect from Melee up at all times.

Prioritize killing Zilyana first, then her minions:

Kill Growler (Mage) to reduce prayer drain.

Then Bree (Ranged).

Finally Starlight (Melee).

After the kill, loot quickly and prepare for respawn or teleport out if low on supplies.

Team Strategy

Fighting Zilyana in a team can significantly reduce kill difficulty and increase kill count per trip.

Roles:

One tank with high Defence and protection prayers.

DPSers focus on Zilyana while the tank maintains aggro.

One player can use Blood Barrage or healing prayers to extend team longevity.

Tips for Teaming:

Use Vengeance or coordinated specs (e.g. Dragon claws or AGS) to burst her down quickly.

Rotate tanking to maximize trip time.

Have one player bring bones to peaches tabs for emergency healing.

Maximizing Profit

Efficiency Tips

Use a ring of wealth (i) to teleport after each trip and bank quickly.

Track drops using plugins like RuneLite loot tracker.

Use a loot bag to store minion drops.

Learn to flick prayers to save on potions.

Kill Count per Hour

Solo players can expect 5–10 kills per hour, depending on gear and skill.

Teams can hit 15–25 kills per hour.

GP/Hour Estimates

With average drops, including minion loot: ~2M–4M GP/hour.

With high luck (Armadyl crossbow drop): easily 10M+ GP in a few minutes.

Alternatives & Considerations

If Zilyana is too challenging or crowded, consider:

Kree’arra (Armadyl boss): Easier to safespot but high Ranged requirement.

General Graardor (Bandos boss): High melee rewards, soloable with tank setup.

Zulrah or Vorkath: Comparable or higher GP/hour with consistent drops and less risk.

Final Thoughts

Commander Zilyana is a boss that rewards skill, consistency, and preparation. With her high-value drops and fast-paced combat, she remains a top-tier moneymaking method in OSRS gold for sale. Whether you’re going solo with a Twisted Bow or grouping with friends for long bossing sessions, Zilyana offers both a challenge and the promise of immense profit.

Make sure you’re ready with the right gear, practice your kill rotation, and be efficient with your supplies. With experience and a little RNG luck, you can make tens of millions of GP by mastering this iconic boss.