One thing you need to keep in mind is that when you start an Ironman, you CAN NOT remove your title as an Ironman. This means that you won't be able to trade even if you ask or donate.
Now that we have gotten that out of the way, here is the list of items you will receive upon picking Iron man.
- 10 DS Coins
- Ironman weapon, armor, and Hiker Backpack
- 100 Mantas
- 1000 Water, Fire, Eath, Mind, and Air runes
- 3 Mystery Boxes
- 20 Crystal Keys
- Beginner Guide Book
Wearing the set provided when starting off as an Iron man is the best you can do until you acquire better gear which will be explained below.
Even though you are an Ironman, you can still use the shops located at ::home so you are able to train magic and range and other skills. Keep note of every shop and how it may benefit you as some of them can be very helpful like the Wilderness Shop which can provide you Collector's Necklace, Boxing Gloves, Ring of Wealth (i)'s, donator tickets, and much more.
Additionally, since you are an Ironman. You will have access to something called instances. Instances are located North of home, once you pass through the arch take an immediate right and it looks like a giant purple portal. You can't miss it. Instances allow you as an ironman to kill bosses by yourself however it will cost you a few DS Coins. The cost ranges from 0-10 DS Coins.
Now that we have most of the getting started info out of the way, let us get into more of the differences for iron man beyond the fact of no trading.
So with Iron man, the exp rates are still sped up compared to standard RuneScape but are slower than the other options of gameplay that Dreamscape offers. However, to also counter the exp rate, your drop chance is 25% higher than just your standard mode.
So yes, it is a more difficult playstyle and is definitely more fit for players who like the grind and want to take their time getting to the top and collecting their own gear.
The biggest con for Iron man is the lack of ability to trade but that also will help you stay on track and less likely to lose progress in becoming stronger. You can not gamble and lose your items nor can you sell them.
However, on the flip side of not being able to trade, you have to get all of your items yourself, but that makes it just as rewarding when you look at your bank and see your progress.