The Excavator is one of the most exciting Relics introduced in RuneScape, fusing together the skills of Mining and Archaeology into one incredibly powerful utility. Acting simultaneously as a high-level pickaxe and mattock, this Relic saves time, boosts efficiency, and RuneScape gold provides unique bonuses that make skilling more enjoyable and rewarding. If you’re looking to maximize your gathering and restoration potential in Gielinor, the Excavator might just become your go-to tool.

This guide will break down everything you need to know about the Excavator—its features, benefits, and how to use it effectively to advance your Mining, Archaeology, and beyond.

What is the RuneScape Excavator?

The Excavator is a Relic designed for players who enjoy both Mining and Archaeology. Instead of carrying a pickaxe for ores and a mattock for excavations, the Excavator consolidates both into a single tool. At high levels, this saves precious inventory space, reduces swapping, and makes resource gathering seamless.

More than just convenience, the Excavator has special abilities that transform your gameplay:

Dual-purpose tool: Functions as a top-tier pickaxe and mattock.

Automatic processing: Ores smelt into bars and gems are cut instantly.

Direct banking: All resources go straight to your Bank.

Chronote bonuses: More Chronotes gained when excavating.

Restoration efficiency: Half the materials required when restoring artefacts.

Stationary time sprites: Easier Archaeology training with static time sprites.

Rockertunity boost: Extra damage during Rockertunities for faster Mining.

Archaeology materials from geodes: Adds unexpected rewards when cracking geodes.

How to Unlock the Excavator

While the Excavator is a Relic, it requires progression in the Archaeology skill to unlock. Typically, relics are tied to specific discoveries or dig sites, and the Excavator fits into that framework.

Level Requirement: Expect to need a high Archaeology level (90+) along with a strong Mining level to benefit from it fully.

Components: Players often need to combine relic fragments or rare finds from dig sites. Keep an eye on Archaeology caches, boss drops, or special events.

Unlocking via Monolith: Once unlocked, the Excavator is activated at the Monolith in the Archaeology Guild, costing a set number of Relic Power.

Because relics are balanced around late-game benefits, don’t expect to acquire this tool too early in your journey. But once unlocked, it’s a permanent boost to your efficiency.

Benefits of Using the Excavator

Let’s break down the specific benefits and why they matter.

1. Automatic Smelting and Gem Cutting

No more dragging ores to a furnace or gems to a chisel. Every ore mined becomes a bar instantly, and every gem mined is cut on the spot. This:

Saves massive amounts of time.

Reduces inventory clutter.

Boosts Smithing and Crafting indirectly by processing resources instantly.

2. Resources Sent to Bank

All mined bars, cut gems, and artefacts go straight to your Bank. This means:

Endless skilling without worrying about inventory space.

Perfect for AFK Mining or long Archaeology sessions.

Works great in areas like the Mining Guild or Anachronia dig sites.

3. Chronote Boosts

Archaeology’s secondary currency, Chronotes, is crucial for unlocking perks and purchasing useful rewards. By earning more Chronotes passively, the Excavator speeds up progression in this system.

4. Halved Restoration Costs

Artefact restoration can be material-intensive. With the Excavator, you only use half the materials, essentially doubling the value of your collected resources. This is huge for saving time and gold.

5. Stationary Time Sprites

Normally, time sprites move around dig sites, requiring you to chase them. With this Relic, they stay in place, allowing you to park yourself at one location and train efficiently without interruptions.

6. Rockertunity Damage Boost

When a Rockertunity appears while Mining, striking it with the Excavator deals extra damage, allowing you to deplete rocks more quickly and gain ores faster.

7. Archaeology Materials from Geodes

Occasionally, when cracking geodes, you’ll find Archaeology materials alongside the usual loot. This cross-skill synergy ensures nothing goes to waste.

Best Ways to Use the Excavator

The Excavator is a tool meant to be leveraged for both efficiency and profitability. Here’s how to get the most out of it.

Mining

Focus on high-value ores such as Runite, Adamantite, and Light/ Dark animica, since they’ll instantly smelt into high-tier bars.

Use in Mining and Smithing training loops, letting you AFK at rocks while passively building Smithing XP from auto-smelted bars.

Maximize geode farming, since they may yield Archaeology materials with the Excavator.

Archaeology

Stationary time sprites make excavation hotspots far less tedious.

Restoration becomes incredibly cheap, so you can restore more artefacts, earn more Chronotes, and complete collections faster.

Combine with Archaeology consumables (like soil boxes) for the ultimate efficiency setup.

Profit-Making

Auto-smelting means your ores are worth more instantly, saving furnace fees.

Cut gems sell better and stack neatly in the Bank.

Reduced material use for restorations makes Artefacts more profitable long-term.

Tips for Maximizing Efficiency

Pair with Relic Synergies: Combine the Excavator with relics that boost resource gathering or AFK time for an even smoother experience.

Train Both Skills Together: Switch between Mining and Archaeology seamlessly without swapping tools.

Use Banking Perks: Since resources go straight to the Bank, make sure you’ve organized tabs to keep bars, gems, and Archaeology items easy to access.

Capitalize on Rockertunities: Always pay attention to Rockertunities for the extra damage boost.

Plan Long AFK Sessions: Because the Excavator handles inventory management for you, it’s perfect for long AFK skilling stretches.

Final Thoughts

The Excavator is more than just a convenience Relic—it’s a game-changer for both Mining and Archaeology. By combining the functions of two tools, adding automation, boosting Chronotes, and halving restoration costs, it streamlines some of the most grind-heavy activities in RuneScape.

If you’re looking to save time, maximize profit, and buy RuneScape gold level two of the most rewarding gathering skills at once, the Excavator is worth the effort to unlock. Once you activate this Relic, you’ll never want to switch back to standard pickaxes or mattocks again.