Summoning familiars

For the prices of familiars, see Calculator:Summoning/Pouches.

Summoning familiars are creatures that players may summon in order to help them with skilling, combat, and various other tasks. They are summoned by consuming a pouch of the familiar they wish to summon.

Combat experience is awarded for damage dealt to monsters, as it is for the player. The skills that benefit are those selected in Combat Settings under the Powers menu. For example, the iron titan can use magic and melee attacks. If Attack is chosen for melee experience, its melee attacks will grant Attack and Constitution experience; if Magic and Defence are chosen for magic, its magic attacks will grant Magic, Defence, and Constitution experience.

If the player dies with a familiar active, it will disappear and drop any carried items.

Italic font under "Boost" means that the boosts are invisible. The spirit wolf and dreadfowl are the only two familiars with invisible boosts available to free-to-play players.

This article or section requires a cleanup. Reason: Add missing familiar sizes It does not meet the RuneScape Wiki's quality standards; you can edit this page to improve it.

Level	Image	Familiar	Time (minutes)	Point cost	Familiar size	Combat level	LP	Combat style	Special move	Boost	Other ability
1		Spirit wolf	6	1		0	1100	Melee	Howl scroll		Scroll makes NPC foes flee
4		Dreadfowl	4	1		0	1400	Magic	Dreadfowl Strike	Farming (+1)	Scroll initiates attack on opponent
4		Meerkats	40	1		N/A	N/A	N/A	Fetch Casket		Scroll digs for Treasure Trails casket
10		Spirit spider	15	2		0	2000	Melee	Egg Spawn		Forages and drops red spider eggs Scroll spawns red spider eggs
13		Thorny snail	16	2		16	3500	Ranged	Slime Spray		Beast of burden (3) Scroll initiates attack on opponent
14		Spirit pack pig (tier 1)	17	13		13	4000	Melee	Bacon Blast		Pack pig pouches can make Bacon Blast scrolls, but only the war pig can use them
14		Spirit prayer pig (tier 1)	17	5		13	2400	Melee	Bacon Blast		Prayer pig pouches can make Bacon Blast scrolls, but only the war pig can use them
14		Spirit war pig (tier 1)	17	2		15	825	Melee	Bacon Blast		Scroll flings bacon as a magical attack
16		Granite crab	18	2		19	2600	Melee	Stony Shell	Fishing (+1)	Fishing boost only improves catch rates, not types of fish caught Forages and stores up to 30 cod, pike, oyster, or seaweed
17		Spirit mosquito	12	2		20	2700	Melee	Pester		Scroll initiates attack on opponent
18		Desert wyrm	19	1		22	2800	Melee	Electric Lash	Mining (+1)	Scroll briefly stuns opponent
19		Spirit scorpion	17	2		23	2900	Melee	Venom Shot		Scroll applies weapon poison for 30 seconds
22		Spirit Tz-Kih	18	3		26	3200	Magic	Fireball Assault		"Despair" drains opponent's prayer Scroll hits two nearby targets for up to 70 damage each
23		Albino rat	22	3		27	3300	Melee	Cheese Feast		Forages cheese and drops it Scroll fills rat's inventory with four cheese
25		Spirit kalphite	22	3		29	9500	Melee	Sandstorm		Beast of burden (6)
28		Compost mound	24	6		34	3800	Melee	Generate Compost	Farming (+1 + 2% of level)	Forages compost or supercompost Use a bucket on it to get compost (inflicts 20 damage to it each time)
29		Giant chinchompa	31	1		35	3900	Ranged	Explode		Chance of exploding spontaneously in combat, damaging nearby targets Scroll detonates it purposefully
31		Vampyre bat	33	4		36	4100	Melee	Vampire Touch		Light enhancer Scroll initiates attack on opponent with chance of healing player
32		Honey badger	25	4		38	4200	Melee	Insane Ferocity		Scroll initiates attack that hits opponent twice
33		Beaver	27	4	1x1	N/A	N/A	N/A	Multichop	Woodcutting (+2)	Use a log on it to fletch a bow Forages and stores up to 30 logs (yew or lower) or planks (normal or oak) from nearby trees Scroll chops logs, possibly from lower level trees than the player intends
34		Void ravager	27	4		41	4400	Melee	Call to Arms		Scroll teleports player to Pest Control landers
34		Void spinner	27	4		41	4400	Melee	Call to Arms		Heals 10 life points of player every 15 seconds Scroll teleports player to Pest Control landers
34		Void shifter	94	4		41	4400	Melee	Call to Arms		Teleports player to Void Knight outpost if player's life points drop below 10% Scroll teleports player to Pest Control landers
34		Void torcher	94	4		41	4400	Magic	Call to Arms		Scroll teleports player to Pest Control landers
36		Bronze minotaur	30	9		43	4600	Melee	Bronze Bull Rush
40		Bull ant	30	5		47	17,000	Melee	Unburden		Beast of burden (9)
41		Macaw	31	5		N/A	N/A	N/A	Herbcall		Improves herb drops "Remote view" Scroll forages and drops herbs
42		Evil Turnip	30	5		50	5200	Ranged	Evil Flames		Forages and drops evil turnip slices Scroll drains opponent's ranged level and heals the familiar
43		Spirit cockatrice	36	5		51	5300	Magic	Petrifying Gaze		Forages and drops Cockatrice eggs "Drain" inflicts damage on opponent and lowers a random Combat stat Scroll initiates attack against an opponent and lowers opponent's Defence level by 3
43		Spirit guthatrice	36	5		51	5300	Magic	Petrifying Gaze		Forages and drops Cockatrice eggs "Drain" inflicts damage on opponent and lowers a random Combat stat Scroll initiates attack against an opponent and lowers opponent's Attack level by 3
43		Spirit saratrice	36	5		51	5300	Magic	Petrifying Gaze		Forages and drops Cockatrice eggs "Drain" inflicts damage on opponent and lowers a random Combat stat Scroll initiates attack against an opponent and lowers opponent's Prayer level by 3
43		Spirit zamatrice	36	5		51	5300	Magic	Petrifying Gaze		Forages and drops Cockatrice eggs "Drain" inflicts damage on opponent and lowers a random Combat stat Scroll initiates attack against an opponent and lowers opponent's Strength level by 3
43		Spirit pengatrice	36	5		51	5300	Magic	Petrifying Gaze		Forages and drops Cockatrice eggs "Drain" inflicts damage on opponent and lowers a random Combat stat Scroll initiates attack against an opponent and lowers opponent's Magic level by 3
43		Spirit coraxatrice	36	5		51	5300	Magic	Petrifying Gaze		Forages and drops Cockatrice eggs "Drain" inflicts damage on opponent and lowers a random Combat stat Scroll initiates attack against an opponent and lowers opponent's Summoning level by 3
43		Spirit vulatrice	36	5		51	5300	Magic	Petrifying Gaze		Forages and drops Cockatrice eggs "Drain" inflicts damage on opponent and lowers a random Combat stat Scroll initiates attack against an opponent and lowers opponent's Ranged level by 3
44		Spirit pack pig (tier 2)	35	13		37	2400	Melee	Bacon Blast		Pack pig pouches can make Bacon Blast scrolls, but only the war pig can use them
44		Spirit prayer pig (tier 2)	35	5		37	2400	Melee	Bacon Blast		Prayer pig pouches can make Bacon Blast scrolls, but only the war pig can use them
44		Spirit war pig (tier 2)	35	2		51	2620	Melee	Bacon Blast		Scroll flings bacon as a magical attack
45		Hellhound	64	100		98	20,000	Melee	Soul Food		Absorbs 10% of any damage dealt to you by taking the hit itself.
46		Iron minotaur	37	9		55	5600	Melee	Iron Bull Rush
46		Pyrelord	32	5		55	5600	Melee	Immense Heat	Firemaking (+3)	Substitutes for a tinderbox, but with an extra 10 xp Firemaking per log Scroll crafts gold jewellery without a furnace
47		Magpie	34	5		N/A	N/A	N/A	Thieving Fingers	Thieving (+3)	Forages and stores up to 30 uncut gems, gold rings, unenchanted sapphire through diamond jewellery, or enchanted rings Scroll activates a +2 visible Thieving boost
49		Bloated leech	34	5		59	5900	Melee	Blood Drain
50		Waterfiend	64	6	1x1	107	6000	Magic	Straight Flush		Beast of Burden (20) Grants a 5% chance while training Mining, Fishing, Woodcutting, Divination or Archaeology to duplicate the gained resource and store it within itself.
52		Spirit terrorbird	36	6		62	23,000	Melee	Tireless Run		Beast of burden (12)
54		Abyssal parasite	30	6		64	24,000	Magic	Abyssal Drain		Slowed abyssal Prayer drain Beast of burden (7, only unnoted Rune essence and Pure essence)
55		Spirit jelly	43	6		65	6500	Melee	Dissolve
56		Steel minotaur	46	9		66	6600	Melee	Steel Bull Rush
56		Ibis	38	6		N/A	N/A	N/A	Fish rain	Fishing (+3)	Fishing boost only improves catch rates, not types of fish caught Substitutes for a harpoon while fishing tuna or swordfish Forages and stores up to 30 tuna and swordfish Scroll spawns shrimp, bass, cod, or mackerel
57		Spirit graahk	49	6		68	6700	Melee	Goad	Hunter (+5)	"Teleport" to Horned Graahk Area close to Nature altar Scroll initiates attack on opponent
57		Spirit kyatt	49	6		68	6700	Melee	Ambush	Hunter (+5)	"Teleport" to Piscatoris Hunter area Scroll initiates attack on opponent for triple damage
57		Spirit larupia	49	6		68	6700	Melee	Rending	Hunter (+5)	"Teleport" to the Feldip Hunter area Scroll initiates magic attack on opponent to lower Strength
58		Karamthulhu overlord	44	6		69	6800	Melee Ranged	Doomsphere Device		"Drown" hits opponent with a water spell
61		Smoke devil	48	7		72	7100	Magic Melee	Dust Cloud		"Flames" hits opponent with a fire spell
62		Abyssal lurker	41	7		73	28,000	Melee	Abyssal Stealth		Beast of burden (12, only unnoted Rune essence and Pure essence)
63		Spirit cobra	56	7		75	7300	Melee	Ophidian Incubation
64		Stranger plant	49	7		94	9000	Melee	Poisonous Blast	Farming (+1 + 4% of level)	Forages and drops Strange fruit
66		Mithril minotaur	55	9		78	7600	Melee	Mithril Bull Rush
66		Barker toad	8	7		78	7600	Melee	Toad Bark		"Cannon" fires a loaded cannonball at opponent
67		War tortoise	43	7		80	30,500	Melee	Testudo		Beast of burden (18)
68		Bunyip	44	7		81	7800	Melee	Swallow Whole		Use raw fish on the familiar to turn them into Water runes Restores 2% max life points of player every 15 seconds
69		Fruit bat	45	7		N/A	N/A	N/A	Fruitfall		Light enhancer Forages and stores up to 30 fruit on Karamja "Fly" forages and stores up to 30 fruit on Karamja Scroll spawns up to eight fruit anywhere (i.e., places other than Karamja, too)
70		Ravenous locust	24	4		82	8000	Melee	Famine		"Remote view"
71		Arctic bear	28	8		84	8100	Melee	Arctic Blast	Hunter (+7)	Counts as two pieces of the Polar camouflage gear Can teleport you to the Trollweiss Hunter Area.
72		Phoenix	30	8		85	8200	Magic	Rise from the ashes		"Ash blast" throws ashes at opponent Scroll initiates multi-way attack
73		Obsidian golem	55	8		87	8300	Melee	Volcanic Strength	Mining (+7)
73		Blood reaver	64	100			8300	Magic/Melee	Blood Siphon		Deals 25% of your healing done as damage to its target.
74		Granite lobster	47	8		88	8400	Melee	Crushing Claw	Fishing (+4)	Fishing boost only improves catch rates, not types of fish caught Substitutes for a harpoon for Swordfish and Sharks Forages and stores up to 30 swordfish and sharks
75		Praying mantis	69	8		89	8500	Melee	Mantis Strike
76		Adamant minotaur	66	9		90	8600	Melee	Adamant Bull Rush
76		Forge regent	45	9		90	8600	Magic Melee	Inferno
77		Talon beast	49	9		92	8700	Melee	Deadly Claw
78		Giant ent	49	8		93	8800	Melee	Acorn Missile		Forages and drops Oak logs "Nature link" converts Pure essence into Nature runes or Earth runes Improves yield when harvesting belladonna, cactus spines, bushes, or fruit trees
79		Fire titan	62	9		94	8900	Magic Melee	Titan's Constitution
79		Ice titan	64	9		94	8900	Melee	Titan's Constitution
79		Moss titan	58	9		94	8900	Melee	Titan's Constitution
80		Hydra	49	8		94	9000	Melee Ranged	Regrowth		"Regrowth" enables the player to regrow a tree that has been cut down, although the tree has to be grown by the player through the farming skill.
81		Nightmare muspah	58	10		96	9100	Melee	Siphon self		Beast of burden for divination memories and energy. Boost for finding enriched memories.
82		Lesser demon brawler	31	9		97	9000	Melee	Ring of fire		Will automatically engage in combat with new enemies of same type as the player is attacking
82		Lesser demon deacon	31	9		97	9000	Magic	Ring of fire		Will automatically engage in combat with new enemies of same type as the player is attacking
82		Lesser demon executioner	31	9		97	9000	Ranged	Ring of fire		Will automatically engage in combat with new enemies of same type as the player is attacking
83		Spirit dagannoth	57	9		99	9300	Melee	Spike Shot		"Ferocious" initiates attack with a chance of hitting opponent twice
83		Lava titan	61	9		99	9300	Magic Melee	Ebon Thunder	Mining (+10) Firemaking (+10)
84		Spirit pack pig (tier 3)	55	13		67	4080	Melee	Bacon Blast		Pack pig pouches can make Bacon Blast scrolls, but only the war pig can use them
84		Spirit prayer pig (tier 3)	55	5		67	4080	Melee	Bacon Blast		Prayer pig pouches can make Bacon Blast scrolls, but only the war pig can use them
84		Spirit war pig (tier 3)	55	2		91	4488	Melee	Bacon Blast		Scroll flings bacon as a magical attack
84		Reborn phoenix	30	12		100	9400	Magic	Rise from the ashes	Firemaking (+12)	Has a chance to burn two logs at once when using bonfires
85		Swamp titan	56	9		101	9500	Melee	Swamp Plague
86		Rune minotaur	151	9		102	9600	Melee	Rune Bull Rush
87		Ghast familiar	69	1		103	9700	Melee Ranged	Ghastly request		Makes Ghast monsters non-aggressive in Morytania Prevents ghasts from rotting food in the Mort Myre Swamp
87		Blood nihil	90	10		112	20,000	Melee	Annihilate	+5% Attack	Deals damage and stuns target
87		Shadow nihil	90	10		112	20,000	Ranged	Annihilate	+5% Ranged	Deals damage and stuns target
87		Smoke nihil	90	10		108	20,000	Magic	Annihilate	+5% Magic	Deals damage and stuns target
87		Ice nihil	90	10		105	20,000	Magic	Annihilate	+5% Magic	Deals damage and stuns target Chance to reduce opponent accuracy and defence by 5%
88		Unicorn stallion	54	9		105	9800	Melee	Healing Aura		"Cure" cures Poison and Disease
88		Light creature	60	10		105	9800	Melee	Enlightenment		Light source "Teleport" to Tears of Guthix or Tormented Demon area Chance to convert memories
89		Geyser titan	69	10		106	9900	Melee Ranged	Boil	Ranged (+1 + 3% of level)	Use a bowl on the familiar to get a bowl of hot water Use Amulets of glory or rings of wealth on the familiar to recharge them
92		Wolpertinger	62	10		109	10,200	Magic Melee (EOC)	Magic Focus	Hunter (+5) Defence (+5% of level) Magic (+7)	Double experience and yield when harvesting bushes Scroll activates the magic boost
93		Abyssal titan	32	10		110	43,500	Melee	Essence Shipment		Beast of burden (20, only unnoted Rune essence and Pure essence) Scroll sends all essence in both the player's and the familiar's inventory to the bank
95		Iron titan	60	10		112	10,500	Magic Melee	Iron Within		Scroll initiates attack on opponent, hitting three times
96		Pack yak	64	10		114	45,000	Melee	Winter Storage		Beast of burden (30)
96		Ripper demon	64	100	2x2	124	11,000	Melee	Death From Above		Deal more damage to the target according to how much missing health it has
99		Pack mammoth	64	20		118	46,500	Melee	Mammoth Feast		Beast of Burden (32)
99		Steel titan	64	10	2x2	118	10,900	Melee Ranged	Steel of Legends		Scroll initiates attack on opponent, hitting four times, with either ranged or melee, depending on the distance to the target

See also

• Clay familiar
• Dungeoneering/Summoning

Update history

The update history project is a work-in-progress – not all updates to this topic may be covered below. See here for how to help out!

• patch 30 November 2020 (Update):
  • Fixed pathing for familiars.

• patch 23 November 2020 (Update):
  • You can now enter the Mage Training Arena from the basement with a pet or familiar that you have already summoned.

• ninja 12 October 2020 (Update):
  • Familiars, Summoning pouches and Summoning scrolls can now be taken to Entrana, so you'll no longer dismiss your meerkats when solving Treasure Trails there.

• ninja 21 September 2020 (Update):
  • The Spiritual Healing spell can now extend familiar timers beyond the initial max time.
    • Fixed an issue where the interface did not update to show that a familiars lifepoints were healed.

• patch 1 September 2020 (Update):
  • Modifier values are now recalculated when familiars are summoned and dismissed.

• patch 27 April 2020 (Update):
  • The message from all item-producing familiars (including the new waterfiend) now states which item they produced.

• patch 14 October 2019 (Update):
  • Gregorovic's Memory cutscene at The Heart of Gielinor is no longer cut short if you have a familiar summoned.

• patch 28 January 2019 (Update):
  • Familiars cannot attack non-combat NPCs.

• patch 5 November 2018 (Update):
  • Attempting to use a target familiar scroll on the game world will no longer cause a disconnection.

• ninja 26 June 2017 (Update):
  • Summoning familiars will now be force-called to areas when teleporting, provided they have room to enter.

• patch 12 December 2016 (Update):
  • Held familiar scrolls are no longer lootable by Ironmen when an enemy is killed.

• ninja 17 October 2016 (Update):
  • A keybind slot is now available for familiar details.
  • Familiar details are now available from the Powers dropdown menu on the Ribbon.

• patch 12 September 2016 (Update):
  • Summoning familiars no longer state an outdated XP type next to their name in the Summoning skill guide.

• patch 22 August 2016 (Update):
  • Familiars will no longer attempt to retaliate to players who are not in combat with you in PvP situations.
  • Summoning familiars now follow the player's XP settings in PvP combat.
  • Summoning familiars can no longer be summoned at the Barrows sister's tomb in the Barrows.

• patch 15 August 2016 (Update):
  • Familiars no longer berate their owner when they fail to pickpocket a rogue.

• ninja 16 May 2016 (Update):
  • The message stating that familiars are too large to fit into the current area is now less prone to spam.

• patch 9 May 2016 (Update):
  • Hiding familiar options now also hides options for Toy royal battleships and Champion banner carriers.

• patch 21 March 2016 (Update):
  • Melee familiars will now stay next to their targets instead of constantly running back to the owner.

• patch 9 November 2015 (Update):
  • Applying damage-over-time effects to familiars will now correctly skull the attacker.

• patch 2 November 2015 (Update):
  • Players will no longer be skulled by a familiar retaliating against a player who just respawned after death.
  • A PvP fight with familiars will no longer produce erroneous "You are already fighting something else." messages.

• patch 12 October 2015 (Update):
  • Familiars' life points are restored from a small obelisk when the player already has maximum summoning points.
  • Familiar timers will no longer pause when hidden inside the Grand Exchange to prevent the use of permanent beasts of burden.

• patch 28 September 2015 (Update):
  • Familiars will no longer become attackable inside Yakamaru's arena.

• ninja 7 September 2015 (Update):
  • The following will now restore familiar's lifepoints:
    • All prayer altars that restore summoning points as well.
    • The Throne of Fame.
    • Player-owned House obelisks.

• patch 1 September 2015 (Update):
  • Familiar options will now work correctly if triggered by a keybind on the action bar.

• patch 3 August 2015 (Update):
  • Calling or dismissing a pet via the Familiar Options button on the action bar now updates the right-click menu correctly.
  • Other players' followers will no longer have any left-click options.

• patch 29 June 2015 (Update):
  • Members-only familiars can no longer be dismissed in a free-to-play world.
  • Followers no longer float on water after arriving at Taverley from Ashdale.

• patch 5 May 2015 (Update):
  • Fixed an issue which occasionally caused followers to despawn before they were meant to.

• patch 7 April 2015 (Update):
  • Familiars can no longer practice agility on the Hefin serenity posts. Clan avatars still can, because they need the exercise.

• patch 9 February 2015 (Update):
  • Some familiars now correctly act as a light source.

• patch 2 February 2015 (Update):
  • Familiar right-click options no longer display if they are set not to show.

• ninja 5 January 2015 (Update):
  • The animation for summoning a follower has been slightly tweaked.

• patch 29 September 2014 (Update):
  • Familiars will no longer recall when the player is stunned by a celestial dragon.

• patch 6 May 2014 (Update):
  • The summoned familiar icon now disappears correctly when a familiar despawns inside an instanced area.

• ninja 31 March 2014 (Update):
  • The familiar buff icon no longer counts down in places where a familiar's timer is stalled, such as the Grand Exchange.

• ninja 24 March 2014 (Update):
  • The familiar buff timer now updates after renewing a familiar, instead of waiting until the original one had expired.

• ninja 17 March 2014 (Update):
  • A familiar timer has been added to the list of active buffs when the player has a familiar summoned.

• patch 21 January 2014 (Update):
  • Players can no longer take followers into Tears of Guthix.
  • Updated familiar damage values to add a bit more randomness to the damage they deal.

• patch 10 September 2013 (Update):
  • Summoning familiars now obey the rules behind players using Incite and Provoke.

• patch 13 August 2013 (Update):
  • Players with a pet or familiar out are now prevented from going downstairs in Varrock museum.

• patch 5 February 2013 (Update):
  • The miss-hit hits plats have been stopped from displaying over familiars, when their special attacks miss hitting on a target NPC.

• patch 11 December 2012 (Update):
  • Horned graahks can no longer be killed using familiars.

• patch 28 November 2012 (Update):
  • Familiars intelligence has been improved to allow them to attack and “tag” monsters for you with their primary attack.

• patch 13 June 2012 (Update):
  • It is no longer possible to make a non-aggressive follower attack other players.

• patch 6 March 2012 (Update):
  • Familiars no longer deform when fighting Tarn Razorlor.

• patch 7 February 2012 (Update):
  • Summoning and dismissing familiars no longer causes the familiar to reappear.

• patch 31 January 2012 (Update):
  • Familiars will no longer stop being able to see their target from certain angles.

• patch 12 October 2011 (Update):
  • Beaver familiars no longer get stuck trying to chop trees if the tree gets cut down unexpectedly.

• patch 17 August 2011 (Update):
  • Familiars can now attack players who are using a ring of stone.

• patch 28 June 2011 (Update):
  • Teleporting in certain circumstances will no longer cause a familiar's timer to stop.

• patch 3 May 2011 (Update):
  • Familiars can no longer attack Slayer creatures if the player's Slayer level has been drained.

• patch 28 March 2011 (Update):
  • It is no longer possible to interact with a familiar during cutscenes.

• patch 1 February 2011 (Update):
  • Familiars will no longer change target when using Summoning scrolls.
  • Familiars will no longer perform long-range melee attacks.

• patch 17 January 2011 (Update):
  • Players affected by stuns will no longer be able to use any Summoning familiar special attacks (during the stun period).

• patch 12 October 2010 (Update):
  • Fixed a few issues with familiar timers not working properly.

• patch 5 July 2010 (Update):
  • Removed an unnecessary error message from the familiar/follower/pet code.
  • Players can no longer prevent their familiars from despawning by clicking the Renew button at the right moment.

• patch 1 February 2010 (Update):
  • Familiars are no longer allowed in building mode in your POH.

• patch 3 December 2009 (Update):
  • Rewrote the code that checks to see if familiars can attack Slayer creatures.

• patch 13 October 2009 (Update):
  • Fixed a bug whereby a selection of Summoning familiars wouldn't actually 'stun' their target due to faulty logic.

• patch 7 October 2009 (Update):
  • Improved the logic dealing with the value of items you can store in a familiar's inventory.

• patch 18 August 2009 (Update):
  • Fixed an issue with familiars whose timers are about to run out when using their special abilities.

• patch 28 July 2009 (Update):
  • You can no longer attack other players’ familiars if they're out of your combat range.

• patch 22 June 2009 (Update):
  • Prevented familiars from interrupting certain actions.

• patch 16 June 2009 (Update):
  • Updated some of the code dealing with dismissing followers.

• patch 9 June 2009 (Update):
  • Improved the combat code for familiars, due to a timing issue.
  • The code dealing with familiars that produce items has changed, so they do not interrupt the new rest feature.

• patch 1 April 2009 (Update):
  • Updated code to better handle your familiars when you log-in to various places like cutscenes.

• patch 17 March 2009 (Update):
  • The Party Room is now a familiar-free area.
  • You can no longer have a familiar near the Grand Exchange.
  • The god familiars (Zamorak hawk, etc) will now provide the same protection as god-related items while in God Wars.
  • An issue has been fixed with trying to summon a familiar if you don't have one.
  • You should now gain Crafting xp when the pyrelord familiar crafts gold bars into jewellery.

• patch 25 February 2009 (Update):
  • You will no longer see an incorrect chathead on your pet/familiar side interface when suffering from lag.
  • You will now receive a warning about your familiar disappearing before entering the Well of Voyage room.
  • You will now receive a warning about your familiar being dismissed when you enter one of the caves during the Path of Glouphrie quest.
  • All familiars will now disappear properly when their timers run out.

• patch 10 February 2009 (Update):
  • The warning messages and sounds for the antifire potion and summoning familiar despawn warnings are now much clearer.

• update 15 January 2008 (Update):
  • Added to game.

Trivia

• A familiar's attack command can be used on all NPCs including non-combat ones to see their life points and weakness. This method shows how almost all non-combat NPCs have 1 life point and a weakness to crush, although there are exceptions such as Dreadnips (4500 life points and weak to Earth) and the Wise Old Man (30,000 life points, no weakness).
• While it is not possible for most familiars to attack a target without the player being in combat, it is possible to use an ability that does not require a target, such as Anticipation, to enter combat stance and order the familiar to attack. However, combat special moves cannot be used this way. The scroll will be used, but the move will only be unleashed upon actually attacking a target.
• Previous, some summoning familiars have options that allow them to do a different special attack, separate from their special moves. After an update, these have either turned into part of its basic attack pattern (e.g. Smoke devil), a different version of the special move, activated by using a scroll in a different manner (e.g. Phoenix), or even replaced its special move (e.g. Barker toad).
• There is currently a bug where when a player comes from a PvP area such as the Wilderness, their Familiar's combat level may still display, even in non-PvP areas.
• The duration of the Pack Yak familiar was extended by 6 minutes on an update on the 26th of November 2018.