RuneScape Dragonwilds: 10 New Features to Try First
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is getting ready for its biggest moment yet.
Jagex’s open-world survival crafting game is scheduled to leave Early Access and launch version 1.0 on September 15, 2026. The full release will also bring Dragonwilds to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, expanding the game beyond its original PC audience.
But if you have already played Dragonwilds during Early Access, or you are planning to start when version 1.0 arrives, there is a lot to discover.
Dragonwilds has changed considerably since its first release. New regions, higher skill caps, new weapons, combat improvements, Agility, additional quests, crafting options, traversal mechanics, quality-of-life features, and performance improvements have all helped shape the game into something much larger than its original Early Access version.
The interesting part is that Dragonwilds is not simply trying to turn RuneScape into another survival game.
Instead, it combines familiar RuneScape skills and progression with gathering, crafting, construction, exploration, combat, magic, dragons, and survival mechanics. That combination gives players plenty of freedom, but it can also make the beginning of a new adventure feel overwhelming.
So, what should you try first?
Here are ten Dragonwilds features that deserve your attention.
1. Start Training the Agility Skill
If there is one feature you should experience early, it is Agility.
Agility became one of the game’s most important additions with Update 0.12.1, and it changes the way players move around Ashenfall.
The skill is much more than simply another experience bar.
Across the world, players can discover six dedicated Agility courses. Each course follows a fixed route with orbs to collect, allowing you to compete against your previous times and climb leaderboards.
Completing courses earns Agility experience and rewards, while mastering them can earn Gold Medals. There are also special cape rewards for players who fully master regional courses.
That alone gives Agility a nice side activity for players who enjoy competition and completionism.
However, the real value of the skill is what happens outside the courses.
Players can gain Agility experience passively while running around the world on foot. As the skill improves, sprinting becomes less demanding on stamina.
Higher Agility levels can also increase your carrying capacity.
That makes the skill useful even if you have no interest in racing against other players.
Agility also introduces new movement mechanics, including an aerial dash and an additional jump at higher progression. These abilities can make exploration considerably faster and can even help during combat.
There are also special shortcuts connected to Kebbit Burrows. Discovering and using these tunnels can allow you to move between areas more efficiently.
For a game where you spend so much time traveling between resources, settlements, quests, and enemies, better movement is a huge advantage.
Why try it first?
Because Agility improves something you do constantly: moving.
It is one of those systems that becomes more valuable the longer you play.
2. Learn the New Combat System
Combat is another area that has received substantial attention.
Jagex has openly acknowledged player feedback about Dragonwilds’ combat and has worked on making it feel less clunky and more responsive.
The changes affect several parts of combat, including blocking, stamina, movement, weapon switching, parrying, jumping, and special attacks.
For new players, this means it is worth learning the updated combat mechanics instead of relying entirely on basic attacks.
Blocking is more useful, movement is more responsive, and players have better ways to switch between combat tools.
One particularly useful improvement is the ability to cycle through runes and arrows during combat without constantly opening the inventory.
That sounds like a small quality-of-life improvement, but anyone who has fought enemies while trying to manage ammunition knows how much time it can save.
The developers have also improved jumping and air control.
Jumping costs less stamina than before, while improved ledge forgiveness makes movement around uneven terrain more forgiving.
That is especially useful when fighting creatures in difficult terrain.
3. Experiment With Special Attacks
RuneScape veterans will immediately recognize one of Dragonwilds’ most interesting combat additions: the Special Attack bar.
Special Attacks are designed to make powerful weapon abilities feel more like deliberate decisions rather than ordinary attacks that can be used whenever they are available.
The Special Attack bar gradually recharges, meaning you have to choose when to spend it.
That creates an important tactical decision.
Do you use your Special Attack immediately to finish an enemy?
Do you save it for a stronger opponent?
Do you wait until a boss becomes vulnerable?
Those decisions should make combat more engaging, especially against tougher enemies.
Existing powerful attacks such as Titan’s Wrath and the Greatsword Special are designed to feel stronger under this system.
The idea is simple: you use these attacks less frequently, but each use should matter more.
If you have played RuneScape before, this is one of the features you will probably want to test immediately.
If you are completely new to RuneScape, take some time to understand how the system works before wasting your strongest ability on an ordinary enemy.
4. Try Wands If You Prefer Mobile Magic
Magic has also received an important addition with the introduction of Wands.
Wands provide a faster and more mobile alternative to traditional staffs.
The trade-off is straightforward.
Wands allow you to move more fluidly and attack at a faster pace, but they have comparatively lower damage output.
Staffs, meanwhile, are better suited to players who want stronger damage while maintaining a more deliberate combat style.
This gives magic users another meaningful choice.
If you prefer staying mobile, dodging attacks, repositioning yourself, and attacking while moving around enemies, a wand may suit you better.
If you prefer standing farther away and delivering heavier magical attacks, a staff may be the better option.
Wands still support the elemental magic systems players expect, including effects associated with Air, Fire, and Water magic.
That means this is not simply a new weapon category.
It gives magic users another way to approach combat.
5. Explore the Agility Movement Abilities
Agility deserves another mention because some of its movement abilities can completely change exploration.
The aerial dash is particularly useful.
Once unlocked, players can use it to cross small gaps and reposition themselves during combat.
The double-jump system adds another layer of vertical movement.
Combined with improved air control, these abilities can make Ashenfall feel much more open.
There is also a fall-breaking mechanic that allows players to reduce damage from certain non-fatal falls.
This is important because survival games often punish players harshly for moving through mountains, cliffs, ruins, and uneven terrain.
Dragonwilds still has dangerous falls, and fatal falls remain fatal, but the new movement mechanics make exploration more forgiving.
The developers have also indicated that Agility will influence how future exploration and puzzles are designed.
That means the skill is not simply an optional side system.
It can become part of how players interact with the world.
6. Discover Kebbit Burrows and Shortcuts
Once you begin exploring, keep an eye out for Kebbit Burrows.
These hidden shortcuts are connected to the Agility system.
Players can discover burrows around the world and dig them up to create tunnels through certain areas.
This can save considerable travel time.
It also changes how you think about the map.
Instead of simply memorizing roads and walking routes, you can gradually build your own mental network of shortcuts.
For players who frequently return to resource-rich areas, quest locations, or important settlements, these shortcuts can become extremely valuable.
There is also a risk involved.
At lower Agility levels, attempting some shortcuts can cause damage if you fail to squeeze through safely.
That makes the system feel more like an actual skill rather than a free teleportation network.
As your Agility improves, movement becomes safer and more efficient.
7. Explore Dowdun Reach
If you have not experienced Dowdun Reach, make it one of your priorities.
The region introduced a major new area centered around a dangerous fortress controlled by the corrupted Black Knight Titan.
Dowdun Reach is not simply another stretch of terrain.
It contains a large interconnected stronghold filled with enemies, secrets, side quests, and new challenges.
The update also introduced a new tier of equipment and materials, giving players additional progression opportunities.
The region is particularly valuable for players who have already explored much of the earlier world and want something that feels substantially different.
Its fortress environment creates a different type of exploration from open wilderness.
Instead of simply moving from one resource node to another, players are encouraged to navigate interconnected areas, search for secrets, fight dangerous enemies, and uncover the story surrounding the region.
It also helps demonstrate how Dragonwilds can combine traditional RuneScape locations and enemies with the exploration structure of a survival game.
8. Push Your Skills Toward Level 99
Another major progression change is the increase of skill level caps to 99.
That number should immediately sound familiar to RuneScape players.
The higher cap gives players significantly more room to continue progressing.
Instead of reaching a relatively low ceiling and immediately running out of reasons to train a particular skill, players can continue gaining experience while exploring, crafting, fighting, gathering, and completing other activities.
The level-99 system also fits naturally with the game’s RuneScape identity.
If you are a long-time RuneScape player, the progression will feel familiar.
If you are new to RuneScape, however, it is worth understanding that skill progression is one of the game’s central long-term systems.
Do not think of skills simply as background statistics.
They can unlock new crafting options, abilities, resources, movement improvements, equipment, and other advantages.
A balanced character who develops several skills can often be more useful than someone who focuses exclusively on combat.
9. Build and Upgrade Your Base
Base building remains one of Dragonwilds’ most enjoyable survival-game features.
Gathering resources is only half the experience.
You need somewhere to store them, craft equipment, prepare for dangerous journeys, and develop your settlement.
As your progression increases, your base can evolve from a basic shelter into a much more sophisticated home.
The game also gives players plenty of decorative options.
This becomes particularly interesting with the large number of collectible decorations and cosmetic rewards that have been introduced during development.
The new content includes items that can be displayed as trophies, along with various buildable decorations.
That means your base does not have to be purely functional.
It can also become a record of your adventures.
Gold Medals from Agility courses, rare fish, creature trophies, paintings, special decorations, and other rewards can all help make a settlement feel personal.
For players who enjoy the building side of survival games, this is a feature worth spending time with rather than treating the base as a temporary campsite.
10. Take on the Dragon Queen
Ultimately, Dragonwilds is about more than gathering wood, mining resources, or building houses.
There is a much larger threat waiting in Ashenfall.
The Dragon Queen, Kuldra the God Eater, represents the game’s ultimate challenge.
The adventure is built around exploring the forgotten continent, developing your skills, acquiring better equipment, and preparing yourself to face increasingly dangerous enemies.
That progression is what ties the survival and RuneScape systems together.
You gather resources because you need better equipment.
You train skills because they unlock new capabilities.
You explore because the world contains materials, quests, enemies, and secrets.
You build because survival requires preparation.
And eventually, all of that progression leads toward stronger enemies and the game’s major challenges.
For that reason, don’t rush straight toward the endgame.
Dragonwilds rewards preparation.
Why Dragonwilds Feels Different From Other Survival Games
At first glance, Dragonwilds might look like another survival crafting game.
You gather resources.
You build shelters.
You craft weapons.
You fight creatures.
You explore a large world.
But the RuneScape foundation changes the formula.
The game’s skill system gives progression a much stronger identity.
Instead of simply improving because you found a better piece of equipment, your character can become stronger because you actually trained specific skills.
Mining, Woodcutting, Fishing, Farming, Magic, Ranged, Runecrafting, Agility, and other skills contribute to the overall experience.
That creates a progression loop that feels very different from many traditional survival games.
You are not just surviving.
You are developing a character.
That distinction is one of Dragonwilds’ biggest strengths.
What Should New Players Do First?
If you are starting Dragonwilds for the first time with the 1.0 release, don’t worry about trying everything immediately.
A sensible early progression route is to establish a basic base, gather essential resources, craft your first useful equipment, begin training several skills, and explore the nearby region.
Once you have a comfortable supply of basic resources, start paying more attention to Agility.
Improving movement early can save you a surprising amount of time later.
At the same time, experiment with different combat styles.
Don’t automatically assume that the strongest-looking weapon is the best choice.
Try melee, ranged, and magic.
If you enjoy mobility, experiment with the new wand system and Agility movement abilities.
If you prefer heavier attacks, explore stronger weapons and Special Attacks.
The most important thing is to discover which combination matches your playstyle.
What Should Returning Early Access Players Try?
Returning players have a different advantage.
You already know the basics.
Instead of spending hours relearning gathering and crafting, jump straight into the systems that have changed.
Agility should be near the top of your list.
The new movement mechanics can make familiar areas feel surprisingly different.
Combat is another priority.
The updated blocking, stamina, movement, weapon switching, and Special Attack mechanics are worth testing because they can change how you approach fights you previously knew well.
Then explore content such as Dowdun Reach and the newer quests.
Finally, revisit your old base.
With additional decorations, crafting options, equipment, and progression, your original settlement may have plenty of room for improvement.
Playing Solo or With Friends
Dragonwilds supports both solo adventures and cooperative play.
You can explore Ashenfall alone, or team up with other players.
Co-op can be particularly useful when tackling dangerous areas because players can divide responsibilities.
One person might focus on gathering resources.
Another can concentrate on combat.
Someone else might specialize in crafting or construction.
That flexibility fits the game’s skill-based progression system particularly well.
Playing with friends can also make large-scale building projects more enjoyable.
A survival game becomes much more memorable when the base you create represents a shared adventure rather than simply being a collection of crafting stations.
The Best Feature to Try First
If you only have time to try one new feature, make it Agility.
It is not just another skill that sits on a menu.
It changes movement, stamina management, carrying capacity, exploration, shortcuts, falling, jumping, combat mobility, and potentially future puzzles.
It also has dedicated courses and rewards, giving players something to practice even when they are not following the main story.
After Agility, the combat overhaul is probably the next feature worth testing.
The combination of improved movement, Special Attacks, better weapon handling, and Wands gives combat more flexibility than earlier versions of Dragonwilds.
Final Thoughts
RuneScape: Dragonwilds has grown considerably during Early Access, and the 1.0 launch represents an important step for the game.
The biggest improvements are not limited to one new weapon or one new region.
Instead, Dragonwilds has gradually developed into a more complete combination of RuneScape progression and open-world survival.
Agility adds an entirely new dimension to movement.
Special Attacks make combat abilities more deliberate.
Wands provide a faster style of magic combat.
Kebbit Burrows make exploration more efficient.
Dowdun Reach adds a dangerous new region.
Level-99 skills provide much more room for progression.
Improved building and decoration systems give players more reasons to invest in their bases.
And the larger adventure ultimately leads toward the Dragon Queen and the most dangerous challenges in Ashenfall.
For new players, the sheer number of systems can initially feel overwhelming. The best approach is not to rush through everything.
Explore.
Train your skills.
Build a useful home.
Experiment with different weapons.
Learn how Agility changes movement.
Try different combat styles.
And gradually push farther into Ashenfall.
For returning Early Access players, version 1.0 offers a good reason to come back and see how much the game has changed.
With the full release scheduled for September 15, 2026, Dragonwilds is entering an important new chapter.