How to Solo Bandos in OSRS – Ultimate Guide for General Graardor

How to Solo Bandos in OSRS – Ultimate Guide for General Graardor

Soloing Bandos, also known as General Graardor, in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a thrilling challenge that rewards players with valuable loot like the Bandos chestplate, tassets, and godsword shards. Located in the God Wars Dungeon, this boss requires preparation, strategy, and the right gear to conquer alone. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to solo Bandos efficiently, from requirements to tactics, ensuring you maximize kills and profits.

Before heading to Bandos’ Stronghold, ensure you meet the minimum requirements and have the recommended stats and gear to make your solo trip successful.

Skill and Quest Requirements

  • 70 Strength: Required to enter Bandos’ Stronghold (cannot be boosted).
  • 43 Prayer: Grants access to protection prayers like Protect from Melee and Protect from Missiles.
  • Recommended Combat Stats: 90+ Attack, Strength, Defence, and Hitpoints; 80+ Ranged; 75+ Magic for optimal performance.
  • Quests: Complete Death Plateau and start Troll Stronghold (defeat Dad) to access the God Wars Dungeon.

Items You’ll Need

Bring the following to avoid aggression from monsters and ensure smooth navigation:

  • Bandos and Zamorak items: E.g., Bandos bracers and Zamorak hasta to prevent attacks from respective factions.
  • Rope: Needed for first-time access to the God Wars Dungeon.
  • Hammer: Required to enter Bandos’ room unless using a Dragon Warhammer or Elder Maul.
  • Ecumenical Key (optional): Bypasses the 40 kill count requirement to enter the boss room.

Recommended Gear Setup for Solo Bandos

Your gear setup is critical for balancing damage output, defense, and sustainability. Below are two effective setups for soloing Bandos: melee and ranged.

Melee Setup (Budget to High-End)

Melee is the most straightforward approach since it avoids penalties from tank armor, making it ideal for solo players.

Slot Budget Option High-End Option
Head Helm of Neitiznot Neitiznot Faceguard
Body Bandos Chestplate Torva Platebody
Legs Bandos Tassets Torva Platelegs
Weapon Abyssal Whip Scythe of Vitur
Shield Dragon Defender Avernic Defender
Cape Fire Cape Infernal Cape
Boots Dragon Boots Primordial Boots
Gloves Barrows Gloves Ferocious Gloves
Ammo Holy Blessing Zamorak’s Book of Chaos

Ranged Setup (For Longer Trips)

Ranged setups allow you to stay further from Graardor, reducing melee damage, but require higher skill to manage minions.

Inventory Suggestions

Your inventory should focus on healing, prayer restoration, and emergency supplies:

  • 4-6 Saradomin Brews: For combo healing with Super Restores.
  • 6-8 Super Restores: To counter brew stat drain and restore prayer.
  • 2-3 Super Combat Potions: Boost melee stats.
  • 5-8 Anglerfish or Sharks: Emergency food for quick heals.
  • Bones to Peaches Tablets: Convert bones to peaches for extra healing.
  • Trollheim Teleport Tablets: For quick escapes or banking.

Navigating to Bandos’ Stronghold

Getting to General Graardor efficiently sets the stage for a successful solo run.

Reaching God Wars Dungeon

Use a Trollheim Teleport (requires Eadgar’s Ruse) to arrive near the dungeon entrance. If it’s your first time, bring a rope to climb down. Wear Bandos and Zamorak items to avoid aggression from monsters outside the boss room.

Obtaining Kill Count

You need 40 Bandos follower kills to enter the boss room unless you have an ecumenical key. The easiest method is killing level 12 goblins north of the dungeon, which takes about 3 minutes. Goblins occasionally drop hammers, so pick one up if needed.

Combat Strategies for Soloing Bandos

General Graardor has two attacks: a melee punch (up to 60 damage) and a ranged ground slam (15-35 damage to all players in the room). His three minions—Sergeant Grimspike (ranged), Sergeant Steelwill (magic), and Sergeant Strongstack (melee)—also attack constantly, making soloing a test of endurance.

Melee Walk-Under Method

This is the most reliable solo strategy for melee users:

  1. Enter and Pray: Activate Protect from Melee immediately to mitigate Graardor’s punches.
  2. Attack Pattern: Hit Graardor twice with your weapon, then walk under him to make him miss an attack. Repeat this cycle to reduce damage taken.
  3. Minion Management: After killing Graardor, switch to Protect from Magic to kill Steelwill first, then Protect from Ranged for Grimspike. Finish Strongstack last with melee.
  4. Healing: Use Bones to Peaches on minion bones or eat anglerfish between kills to conserve brews.

Ranged 6:0 Method

For ranged users, the 6:0 method maximizes kills per trip but requires precision:

  • Positioning: Attack Graardor from a distance, staying near the room’s altar or door to reset his aggression.
  • Prayer Flicking: Flick Protect from Missiles when Graardor raises his hand for the ranged attack. Switch to Protect from Magic or Ranged for minions as needed.
  • Stamina Management: Bring stamina potions to maintain run energy for kiting.

Tick Eating and Advanced Tips

Experienced players can extend trips with these techniques:

  • Tick Eating: Heal with food or brews just before a high-damage hit lands to survive lethal blows.
  • Food Juggling: Pick up and drop minion food drops (chili potatoes, sharks) to prevent despawning, especially in public worlds.
  • Special Attacks: Use a Bandos Godsword or Dragon Warhammer to lower Graardor’s defense, speeding up kills.

Loot and Profit Expectations

Soloing Bandos can yield 500k to 2M GP per hour, depending on your kills per hour and luck. Graardor’s drop table includes:

Notable Drops

Item Drop Rate Approx. Value (GE)
Bandos Chestplate 1/381 ~20M
Bandos Tassets 1/381 ~30M
Bandos Hilt 1/508 ~10M
Godsword Shard 1/762 ~150k

Common drops like rune items and herbs add consistent value, and you can alchemize rune swords for extra GP.

Maximizing Efficiency

To boost profits:

  • Use Private Instances: Pay 100k for a 3-hour instance to avoid crashers and secure loot.
  • Optimize Kills: Aim for 20-27 kills per hour with ranged setups or 10-15 with melee.
  • Track Supplies: Balance brews and restores to avoid overusing costly items.

Soloing Bandos in OSRS is a rewarding endeavor that tests your combat skills and preparation. With the right gear, a solid strategy like the walk-under or 6:0 method, and efficient inventory management, you’ll be racking up kills and chasing those high-value drops in no time. Head to the God Wars Dungeon, gear up, and take on General Graardor—good luck, adventurer!