Welcome to our comprehensive guide comparing two powerful hatchets in Runescape: the Crystal Hatchet and the Imcando Hatchet. This article will discuss obtaining these hatchets, their benefits, and how they perform when used in different woodcutting scenarios. So grab your cup of tea, sit back, relax, and delve into the hatchets world!

• Obtaining the Crystal Hatchet
• Obtaining the Imcando Hatchet
• Comparing Hatchets
• - Magic Trees
• - Elder Trees
• - Crystal Trees
• Other Considerations
• Crystallize Method

↖ Obtaining the Crystal Hatchet

The Crystal Hatchet can be obtained after completing the Plague's End quest, which requires level 75 Woodcutting, among other stats. You will need a Dragon Hatchet and 4,000 Harmonic Dust to create a Crystal Hatchet. Harmonic Dust is traditionally obtained by training at Lletya Harps but can also be acquired from the Motherlode Maw or the Traveling Merchant store. It's important to note that creating a Crystal Hatchet at Lady Ithell's Workshop is reversible, but you will lose the Harmonic Dust used in the process. If you have the Crystal Hatchet on your tool belt and wish to remove it, you can speak to the Invention Guild dock.

↖ Obtaining the Imcando Hatchet

The Imcando Hatchet is a level 80 Woodcutting Hatchet that can be obtained after constructing the Tier 3 Grove Cabin at Prifddinas. Constructing the Tier 3 cabin requires completing a few short quests, including the "Unwelcome Guest" quest. Once you have the Tier 3 cabin, you can obtain four different Imcando fragments, one of which can be obtained for free by speaking to the Oak NPC. These fragments are acquired by getting special bird's nests, and the chances of obtaining any type of bird's nest, including the ones with Imcando fragments, can be increased by using certain items. The most significant increase comes from using a Tree-Shaking Scrimshaw. Once you have all four fragments, a Redberry Pie, one million Runescape coins, and a Dragon Hatchet, you can visit the Thurgo NPC at Mudskipper Point to obtain your own Imcando Hatchet.

↖ Comparing Hatchets

To compare the Crystal Hatchet and the Imcando Hatchet, we tested them in three different woodcutting scenarios: Magic Trees, Elder Trees, and Crystal Trees. We used a Lonely Honed 6 Invention perk on both hatchets to increase woodcutting success rates during our tests.

↖ - Magic Trees

When cutting Magic Trees (requiring level 80 Woodcutting), we found that the Crystal Hatchet provided an experience rate of around 88,000 XP per hour. The Imcando Hatchet significantly outperformed it with over 120,000 XP per hour. The Imcando Hatchet yielded an increase of nearly 37.5% in experience per hour compared to the Crystal Hatchet.

↖ - Elder Trees

For Elder Trees (requiring level 91 Woodcutting), the Crystal Hatchet provided approximately 86,700 XP per hour, while the Imcando Hatchet offered nearly 97,000 XP per hour. The difference here was around 12%, with the Imcando Hatchet giving a noticeable but smaller increase compared to the Magic Trees scenario.

↖ - Crystal Trees

When it came to Crystal Trees, the Crystal Hatchet performed remarkably well, providing around 138,000 XP per hour. However, the Imcando Hatchet proved to be even better, offering over 149,000 XP per hour. This difference of approximately 7.5% showed that the higher-tier trees saw diminishing returns for the Imcando Hatchet, but it still provided a noticeable increase in XP rates.

↖ Other Considerations

We also conducted tests with additional boosts, such as the Supreme Lumberjack aura and the Ninja Sentinel outfit with the Home 6 perk. Interestingly, the differences between the Crystal and Imcando Hatchets were less pronounced when cutting Elder Trees, and at times, the difference was almost negligible. However, when cutting Crystal Trees, the Imcando Hatchet once again proved superior, with an increase of 12% in XP rates compared to the Crystal Hatchet.

↖ Crystallize Method

If you are using the Crystallize method, where higher-tier trees are crystallized for increased XP rates, the Imcando Hatchet displayed a massive advantage. With the Imcando  Hatchet, you could achieve over 33% more XP per hour than with the Crystal Hatchet when cutting Crystallized Mahogany Trees. This highlights the exceptional performance of the Imcando Hatchet in this specific scenario.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the Imcando Hatchet demonstrates its superiority over the Crystal Hatchet, providing approximately 10% better performance across the board. It is essential to obtain the Imcando Hatchet as early as possible, as it can save you significant hours of woodcutting time. Keep in mind that the Crystal Hatchet is still a valuable tool, particularly for lower-tier trees. With this knowledge, you can make an informed decision on which hatchet to use based on your woodcutting goals and available resources.