Introduction
The circus has come to RuneScape clad in the most enormous big top you're ever likely to see this side of, well, anywhere. The costumes are marvellous, the staff are talented beyond comprehension, and the ring master is easily the largest of his kind in this world or any other.
Unfortunately, the circus is a little short of performers, and the audience is restless... Are you willing to risk life, limb and ridicule to quell the crowds?
A most excellent spectacle
Requirements
There are no specific requirements to take part in Balthazar Beauregard's Big Top Bonanza, but having higher Agility, Magic and Ranged levels will certainly help you get the most fabulous rewards.
Getting Started
The circus is a remarkably mobile show, aided by the fact that only the ticket vendor needs to move around, while visitors and performers are teleported to it. Each week, the ticket vendor moves to a new location, where a new audience floods in to judge the show for themselves.
If you happen to see the ticket vendor, click on it to be given a golden ticket and teleported into the main ring, where the astoundingly huge, loud and impressive Ring Master awaits. This is Balthazar Beauregard, and a more brilliantly bombastic individual you are unlikely to find.
Balthazar can explain his troubles to you, as well as the various rewards you can earn for helping his show. In addition to this, you will probably notice that he rather enjoys stomping around his ring, bellowing unintelligibly into the air to make whatever announcements ring masters enjoy making.
Each type of act you can take part in grants improved experience over comparable training options, and no equipment is required as the circus will supply everything you need. In addition to this, it's worth bearing in mind that wearing a costume and using your emotes regularly while performing may increase the audience appreciation (and your rewards, of course).
There are three different acts you can perform in:
- Magic
The magic show requires you to perform a few simple tricks to impress the incredibly gullible audience. - Ranged
Hurling sharp objects at a spinning target with an assistant attached to it has long been a circus staple - just try to make sure they can walk home. - Agility
The tightrope is suspended high above Balthazar's head, and is simply begging for someone to stand upon on it, cartwheel across it, and plummet to...or simply to juggle chinchompas.
Magic Show
The magic show starts in the north-east corner of the tent, where the Magic Assistant waits to tell you about the equipment. There are four types of spell you can cast: teleport, levitation, alchemy and elemental. You can get spell tablets from the chest next to the Magic Assistant. Each spell can be cast on certain objects or assistants around the circus.
- You can cast alchemy and teleportation spells in the north-east corner.
- You can cast elemental spells in the north-west corner.
- You can cast levitation spells in the south-east corner.
See the mystical arts of the legerdemain!
Ranged Display
The ranged display starts in the south-west corner of the tent, and can be started by talking to the Ranged Assistant. Various missile weapons can be taken from the chest there and used to puncture the targets you're offered. There are two targets - one a set of popinjay targets, the other a hapless human assistant strapped to a wheel spun by a penguin - and you must fire five times at each, using the same weapon for all five shots.
When you have your weapon of choice, you can choose the distance you want to fire from by clicking on the stars or popinjay symbols on the ground. As always, mix the range you fire from and throw in some emotes to maximise your score.
Gasp in awe at the accuracy!
Tightrope
No performance requires greater poise or delicacy than the tightrope, and for this reason the circus will supply you with a Safety Guideline Approved CostumeTM to minimise the risk of horrific injury (of course, should this fail, the tightrope is secretly enchanted to prevent you from actually falling). To begin your astounding tightrope performance, use the changing room at the base of the southern pole then have a chat with the Assistant waiting for you.
You can take a selection of juggling items from the chest you find at the top of the pole, and then begin your dazzling display by walking out onto the rope. While you are walking upon the thinnest of ropes, your Summoning tab will display all of the tricks you can attempt, arranged in difficulty from simplest to hardest.
You must perform ten stunts during your show. Using emotes between stunts, not repeating the same tricks twice and listening to audience requests will garner you the most fabulous rewards.
Watch acrobats defy gravity and sense!
Rewards
At the end of each performance, Balthazar Beauregard will tell you how well you have done and give you a reward. The reward depends on the score you get, so it's definitely worth trying out new things, as well as getting your skill levels high enough that you don't have to repeat tricks. As an added note, some locations have a specific audience with specific things that entertain them, so it's a good idea to experiment and find out what sorts of things will amuse the audience you're performing for.
The items you could receive are as follows:
Development Team
Developer: Nancy J
Graphics: Wayne M, Giuseppe G, Matthew N, Matthew S, James W, Daniel J
QA: Chris L, Chris E
Audio: Grace D
