Welcome to my UIM combat snowflake progress thread. I made this set of rules because I'm bored of making general ironmen and wanted something where I can't easily google everything or just follow some perfectly efficient guide
When creating these rules I wanted something where I would have a unique experience, with some thought/planning required but without limiting my possibilities too much. There's a lot of content in the game that I've never participated in and I wouldn't want my rules to make that content unavailable
Rules
1: If an item can be obtained as a drop, that is the only way I'm allowed to obtain it. As an example, if I want to use a regular Log, I must obtain one from either Swamp Crabs or H.A.M Guards. (I personally don't count Ents because you still have to chop them down) - I will also be including some other things as "drops", such as the reward chest at the end of raids/barrows, or the slayer chests (Brimstone/Larrans) because both of these are single-use chests locked behind combat. If new chests get added that are also "single-use chests locked behind combat" those will be allowed, otherwise they won't
2: If an item can't be obtained as a drop, it's considered fair game. I can obtain it from anything and use it for anything I want. As an example, the Longbow. No monster in the game drops it, therefore I can go buy it from any store, or I can pick up the spawn within the ranging guild
3: Once an item has been obtained, I am only allowed to use that item, not anything it's processed into (Unless the item it's processed into cannot be received as a drop). As an example - if I get logs, I am allowed to fletch those logs into arrow shafts. But once they become arrow shafts, I am not allowed to use those arrow shafts, because arrow shafts drop from Skeletons within Tarn's Lair
4: Tempoross and Wintertodt are entirely off limits until I reach 99 within their respective skills. So 99 Firemaking for Wintertodt, or 99 Fishing for Tempoross. Even once unlocked, they will still follow rule 1. If I get logs from Wintertodt, I must drop them, I can't use them for anything. But if I get limestone, I'm free to use that limestone because no monster can drop limestone
Exceptions
1: I am allowed to train non-combat skills just like any account would. However, I am not allowed to use the items I receive from these activities unless they can't be obtained as a drop. If I wanted to thieve from 1-99, that's perfectly fine, but I must drop the GP
2: Potions are somewhat of an exception. If I obtain a "Prayer Potion (1)", I am allowed to do whatever I want with said potion. I can mix it into a "Prayer Potion (2)", or 3, or 4. I can also freely drink doses. This exists purely to remove some really tedious/boring gameplay within the late game. Otherwise if I found a "Prayer Potion (4)" I would only be able to drink 1 dose and then be forced to drop it
3: Regular planks are a temporary exception. The only monster that drops regular planks are the Undead Lumberjacks within the Temple Trekking minigame. I've been told you can teleport out with these planks and use them like you would with regular planks (though if I find out you can't, this rule might be revised) However in order to get to the Temple Trekking minigame, you need to do a quest which requires planks. As such, I am allowing myself to obtain planks in order to complete the Temple Trekking prerequisites and from that point onwards this exception will cease to exist. I am not allowed to abuse this exception in order to gather planks for other activities, they can only be used in order to unlock Temple Trekking
4: I don't know of any other item similar to Planks where you need to use the item before you can ever obtain it as a drop. However if I discover one, I might make some kind of exception. I do want all content to be possible in the end, even if it has some extremely long grinds or awkward workarounds to get there
Final Thoughts
I'm hoping these rules will create an account where I have to do a lot of thinking for myself, finding my own methods to training certain skills, while having a heavy focus on my favorite aspect of the game - the combat. I think rule 2 specifically will lead to some unique training methods or BIS equipment where I'm able to find things that don't drop anywhere and can therefore benefit from them. I will give a single example of this because I only just discovered it, but I am aware of more and I'm sure I'll find a lot more as time goes on - Arctic Pine Logs. These don't drop from anything, so this would allow me to level firemaking to 99 without having to rely solely on combat drops for my logs. Though I'm sure I'll still have to do a lot of log gathering from combat nonetheless
My biggest issue so far seems to be GP, because I can only use GP that is directly obtained from drops. No selling to shops, no GP from high alching, no agility pyramid etc etc. Hopefully I find some good monsters to kill for GP early on