This is an archive of patch notes originally posted on 23 Feb 2026.

February Patch Week

Posted by on 23 Feb 2026

Community Topics:

In Case You Missed It + Our Reactions to Last Week

Last week we launched our Early-Game Rebalance, which was followed by a Tuesday Thieving Rebalance to address feedback regarding how Thieving had been affected with a view towards AFK options. We used that same Thieving Rebalance to share our views on what AFK gameplay should offer in RuneScape - you can read more about that here. The associated coldfix launched last Thursday. You can read the patch notes below.
On Wednesday we launched our fifth and final beta update for the upcoming Combat Style Modernisation. You can read more about that here.
On Friday we shared a preview of our plans for the Aura Overhaul, with the intent of getting your feedback in and seeing what resonates (and what doesn't). Since then we've been actively reading your discussions and asking follow up questions where possible (see JMod links below). While it's still too early in the week to commit to any completely revised designs, the discussions have been valuable! For example, we have understood your feelings around moving aura effects into either the Pocket slot or the Relic System, so we will look into better alternatives for these and will not look to add any aura effects into the Pocket Slot or Relic system. Other feedback will need more time to be reviewed and considered, so we won't yet be able to respond on that.

We also want to better highlight where our JMods have provided some smaller insights into non-megathread discussions over the last week. Here are a few highlights

Mod Anvil on alternatives to Pocket Slot and Relics as hosts for Aura effects
Mod Breezy on the potential to use Summoning Familiars as hosts for Aura perks
Mod Breezy on why Quarrymaster isn't part of the proposed Skiller's Totem
Mod Ramen on Player proposed 120 Construction Rework Ideas
Mod Breezy on Silverhawk Spawns on an Agility Course
Mod Anvil on Optimization of game performance
Mod Hooli on the mistaken assumption of purposefully inflated nerfs, our feedback cycle and approach to communicating
Mod Yuey on how we react and our commitment to transparency
VOD of Mod's Yuey, Breezy and Desert Rebalance Deep Dive Stream on Twitch

The Week Ahead:

Combat Beta - "Final Run"

We're spending this week preparing the overall Combat Modernisation update to be ready for the week of the 2nd of March. We've still got some minor feedback to implement and bugs to squash - most of this will be done in time for launch, but a few bits may be actioned in the post-launch period. As mentioned before, Combat is something we're keen to maintain a close eye on, and it will continue to receive tweaks every now and again.

Grand Exchange Improvements

Part 5 of our Road to Restoration blog series, the "Grand Exchange Improvements" project is enabling players Players shall be able to trade quickly and fairly through a modernised, transparent and functioning Grand Exchange.

We're planning to share some early thoughts on this project on Thursday February 26th. This project is still in pre-production, so the associated update won't be launched for a while yet (which gives us a better opportunity for feedback!).

Patch Notes
Fixes and Improvements in this Week's Game Update

General

Thanks to Mod Nixon, the Still Night music track is reborn! Busy Night and Still Night music tracks are once again unlocked from the mining site south-east of Varrock.

Broken fences should now appear correctly on the Livid Farm.
Players will no longer find the 'green cape' when collecting the eggs for the Cook's Assistant quest.
Fixed an issue where players didn't receive the 'Blood Bank Withdrawal' achievement for opening the blood rune chest in the Chaos Druid tower.
Fixed an issue where Starbloom seeds could not be received from pickpocketing master farmers.
Fixed an issue where the Building status window and Construction skill guide were showing old XP bonus values from Fort Forinthry chapel.
During the One Of A Kind cutscenes the camera will no longer be able to clip under the ground.
Updated the interface that appears when trying to destroy an item.
If the loot interface is open and if the player tries to open the settings interface, the options menu pop-up should now disappear correctly.
The vis wax menu has been fixed to hold the text within the buttons and tooltip areas more appropriately, specifically the "Harmony Pillar" button and the "gather limit extender" menu.
Increased the size of the "Add Friend" and "Remove Friend" buttons in the "Friends" tab in the lobby to prevent truncated text.
Fixed an issue with text overlapping in the Temple Trekking Rewards interface.
The combat mode icon toggle has been removed from the edit mode window, due to defunct functionality.
Text in the Animal Info panel should now wrap nicely.
Death's Overflow Storage buttons have been changed to yellow.
Improved the readability of the text in the Mystery journal during "Murder on the Border".
If the player's interface is set to the classic layout, it will no longer be forcibly changed to the modern one if the player played on mobile.
Resized the loot window on the Classic interface layout so the custom loot button now fits the text within it.
The Dungeoneering "Start Room Modifications" interface has been updated so that the text no longer overlaps.
Graphically updated chicks across the game.
Initial reduction of sizes of some textures used in Free-to-play areas to help improve performance.

Hotfixes

The following changes have been already implemented.

Improved the AFK-ability of pickpocketing in line with the recent blog.

Improved the level bonus for all targets across 3 brackets. The level bonus gives you an extra "X-level boost" for your next X pickpockets

For low-level targets (level 1 - 30) your initial level bonus has been increased from 10 -> 15 for 10 picks.
For mid-level targets (level 31 - 50) your initial level bonus has been increased from 10 -> 20 for 10 picks.
For high-level targets (level 100+) your initial level bonus has been increased from 10 -> 25 for 25 picks.

A new effect has been added to the Crystal Mask spell that will reset the players pickpocketing target when used.

When pickpocketing the player's success % goes down with each attempt after X guaranteed attempts. If the player goes under 100% and then reuses this spell they correctly jump back up to above the 100% threshold as expected.

After the buffer your chance of being caught starts to reduce, this has been reduced from 1 level per time to 0.25

This will ultimately prolong the amount of AFK that players can have from the current 2-3 mins to around 4-6 mins, lining up with the Crystal Mask time of 5 minutes and what players have suggested is a good AFK time.

Added a message when you can first start to be spotted (your chance has gone below 100%) so that it is clear to players that they should try to find a new target (or renew Crystal Mask)

Also added a sound effect.

Adjusted Sticky Fingers Archaeology relic to be less harmful to the player

Currently it makes the player pickpocket 50% faster for 33% less XP. In the new system this means you fail much faster too.
We're going to make the relic reduce the above threshold to 0.17 per attempt instead which should balance the speed aspect to still allow a decent amount of afk.

Reduced Pickpocketing XP for targets introduced with 120 Thieving, reflecting the changes outlined in the blog (approximately a 30% XP reduction).
Resolved an issue with the Thieves Guild doors being unusable.
Rune arrowheads will no longer be converted to components by the spring cleaner.
Fixed an issue that caused the UI to not update after completing a clue step.

Community
The latest updates from our community

Runetube

IronAraxxor challenges Chevalric to a lockout bingo on a a brand new account!

Rectrec begins their journey as a TzHaar City locked chunkman!

Scapers' Screenshots

Need something ancient investigated? Call Indi-Aaron Jones!

Those flightless birds aren't looking so immobile now, Wrae has been on the case.

Pink Skirts Player Events

Each week the Pink Skirts put on a selection of fun activities that everyone can join. Here are the main events this week:

Skill n Chill

When: Monday 23rd February, 03:00 Gametime
Who: Firesteal918, Princess Rae & Spirits of Arianwyn Clan
Where: Fort Forinthry
World: 116

Gregorovic

When: Wednesday 25th February, 12:00 Gametime
Who: M e r c y & Helpscape
Where: The Heart of Gielinor - Sliske Lobby
World: 35
FC: Helpscape

Community Sunday - K'ril Tsutsaroth, Hard mode

When: Sunday 01st March, 17:45 Gametime
Who: Doctor Brian, Rubby Ecktuh, Bakkertie2 and Community Sunday Crew
Where: God Wars Dungeon
World: 10
FC: Doctor Brian

If these don't take your fancy, take a look at the full events schedule here. Theres sure to be something youll enjoy!

- The RuneScape Team

Mods Alex, Anvil, Astra, Azanna, Bak, Blkwitch, Boko, Brat, Breezy, Brig, Camel, Chaose, Dark, Daze, Desert, Dorn, Dragon, Drew, Drewid, Easty, Echo, Evad, Fallen, Forza, Fox, Frosch, Grace, Gunner, Helen, Ink, Keyser, Kristy, Lilith, Lucifer, Luma, Lykos, Lynx, Makkari, MIC, Morty, Nemo, Neong, Nixon, Noms, Pearce, Peppy, Perpetua, Pickle, Pigeon, Rain, Ramen, Rat, Reaper, Rowley, Ryan, Samy, Shiba, Shrew, Shrike, Socks, Soul, Sponge, Spyro, Stu, Sukotto, Titus, Tri, Vegard, Volta, Who, Wov, Yuey & Zura