Ultimate Bandos Tanking Guide OSRS Veteran Tips and Strategies

Listen, if you’re grinding God Wars Dungeon in OSRS and eyeing those sweet Bandos drops, you know tanking General Graardor is half the battle. I’ve been knee-deep in GWD for years now, racking up thousands of kills, and let me tell you, nothing beats the rush of pulling aggro on that big green brute while your duo partner unloads specs. But it’s not all glory. One wrong prayer flick, and you’re chugging brews like there’s no tomorrow. In this guide, I’m breaking it all down from my own sweaty sessions, so you can step into Bandos’ Stronghold feeling like a pro. We’ll cover gear, mechanics, strategies for duo or group, and even some war stories that’ll make you chuckle. Ready to tank like a boss? Let’s dive right in.

You might wonder, why tank when you could just range from the corner? Fair question. Tanking lets your team melt Graardor faster, turning 10-minute kills into sub-3s. Plus, those Bandos pieces? They’re gold for slayer tasks or flipping on the GE. I remember my first real profit run – walked out with a godsword shard and enough hilts to fund a week of clue grinding. It’s efficient, it’s team-building, and yeah, it makes you feel like the group’s unsung hero.

But here’s the kicker: Bandos hits HARD. We’re talking 40+ damage punches if you’re not careful. Tanking teaches you tick-perfect eating, prayer management, and that sweet aggro control. If you’re mid-80s combat stats, this is your gateway to endgame bossing. Skip it, and you’ll regret it when your friends are swimming in ancient d’hides.

Short answer? Because it’s fun, profitable, and builds skills that carry over to raids. Long story short, stick with me, and you’ll be pulling aggro like it’s second nature.

Getting to Bandos – Killcount Grind and Access Hacks

First things first: you can’t just waltz into Graardor’s room. Need 40 Bandos followers killed for access, unless you’ve got an ecumenical key. Goblins are your best bet – they’re squishy, drop hammers sometimes, and respawn quick. I used to AFK them with a dwarf multicannon back in the day, netting killcount in under an hour.

Pro tip: Bring a Zamorak item to avoid aggro from other factions. Trollheim teleport gets you close, then rope the dungeon entrance if it’s your first time. Level 70 Strength required for the boulder – no boosts, so train that up.

Once inside, hug the south wall to dodge patrols. It’s a maze, but mark your map. Oh, and stock up on prayer pots; those aviansies love splashing Smite.

That table saved me hours of wiki diving early on. Quests? Finish Troll Stronghold partially for shortcuts. Now, onto the stats you need.

Stats and Requirements – Don’t Skip Leg Day

Tanking Bandos isn’t for fresh 70s. Aim for 80+ Hitpoints – trust me, 90 is where it gets comfy. Defence at 80 minimum, 90+ for Justiciar vibes. Strength? 70 to enter, but 85+ lets you spec with a fang without looking silly.

Prayer is king: 70 for Piety, 74 for Rigour if you’re attacking too. Magic 75 helps with Vengeance or Blood Spells for sustain. Ranged 80 for those minion switches.

I started at 82 HP and got one-shot by a lucky ranged hit. DANG, that stung. Upped to 90, and suddenly trips last 2 hours easy. Question for you: What’s your current HP? If under 85, grind some NMZ first.

Long para time: These aren’t hard walls, but skimping means more brews guzzled, shorter trips, and frustration. I’ve mentored newbies who rushed in at 75s – they learned quick, but why not prep? Boost with bastions if needed, but natural levels shine.

Gear Up – The Ultimate Tank Setup

Gear is where tanking shines or flops. Focus on Ranged Defence first – Graardor’s shockwaves ignore your prayers if you’re not stacked right. Full Justiciar is endgame godsend: chest, faceguard, legs. Pair with Dinh’s Bulwark on Def stance for zero aggro from minions. That’s my go-to now.

For budget? Bandos tassets and chestplate with Karil’s coif. Blood Fury ammy for passive heals – lifesaver on long trips. Ring of Suffering (i) edges out suffering for that extra prayer drain.

Don’t sleep on boots: Guardian or Primordial for crush bonus against minions. Gloves? Ferocious or Barrows for stab if you’re swapping to fang.

Here’s a breakdown:

Switch to Guthan’s post-boss for minion heals. I’ve flipped from Bulwark to scimmy mid-fight more times than I can count – practice those swaps.

Short para: Helm? Don’t cheap out. A good one saves a brew every kill.

Inventory – What to Pack for Marathon Trips

Inventory’s your lifeline. 4-6 Saradomin Brews, matching Super Restores – sip brew, chase with restore. Anglerfish or sharks for top-ups, 10+ minimum. Super Combat pots for that attack/str boost.

Bones to Peaches tabs? Essential. Turns minion bones into food, extending trips to 4+ hours. Teleport tabs – House or Trollheim for quick hops. Divine rune pouch if splashing Vengeance.

For duo: Share boosts with your partner. I pack a hammer for goblins, maybe a ranging pot if minion duty calls.

• Must-Haves: Brews (4), Restores (4), Food (10 sharks), B2P tabs (10)
• Nice-to-Haves: Prayer pots (2), Antipoison (1 for snakes), Hammer
• Swaps: Guthan spear for heals, Fang for specs

One time, I forgot restores – burned through prayer like wildfire. Lesson learned: Always double-check.

Mechanics Breakdown – Know Thy Enemy

Graardor? Big melee punches (up to 60, 2/3 attacks) and ranged shockwaves (15-35, 1/3, hits everyone in melee range). Step under him to dodge punches – buys eat time.

Minions: Grimspike (ranged, 21 max), Steelwill (magic, 16 max), Strongstack (melee, 15 max). They aggro on your last damage tick – slower weapons = less targets.

Graardor’s Nasty Tricks

Protect from Melee when tanking him direct. Others? Missiles. Ranged ignores protection but stacks low if defended.

Walk under: Click his tile, eat on the tick. I’ve dodged 50+ hits this way.

Minion Mayhem

Kill order post-boss: Steelwill first (magic pray), then Grimspike (ranged), Strongstack last (tank solo). They focus finisher – let tank land last hit.

Aggro table for clarity:

Tanking Strategies – Duo vs Group

Solo tanking? Nah, duo or trio shines. In duo, tank pulls aggro fast, DPS unloads from safe spot.

Duo Mastery

Start: Tank attacks first, prays Melee. DPS piles after 1 tick. Step under on big hits. Use Blood Barrage on alt for heals if dolo-ing.

My duo partner and I hit 50kc/hour once – pure bliss. Question: Duo or group? Duo for intimacy, group for chaos.

No step-under method: Full tank gear, flick mage pray on Steelwill. Kills mage minion ASAP.

Group Flow

Three+ players: Tank centers, others spread. Rotate aggro if needed. Drop item under spawn for melee lock – click it to avoid hits.

I’ve tanked 10-man groups – hilarious when someone DCs mid-pull.

Long para: Groups let you slack on DPS, focus pure tank. But comms matter – “Aggro me!” saves lives. Early groups, I’d yell in CC, now it’s second nature.

Prayer and Aggro Switching – The Art of Control

Piety on tank for def boosts. Flick Protect Item always – hilts drop easy.

Switching: Last damage on 5th tick pulls minion aggro. Use Bulwark on Def to never get focused. DPS, attack under tank to stack.

Pro move: Miss ticks intentionally for less aggro.

I’ve botched switches, pulling Grimspike at full HP. Oof.

Healing Hacks – Survive Like a Pro

Tick eat: Eat right before hit lands. Brew at 60HP, restore prayer.

Guthan’s on minions: Heal 100+ per proc. Blood Fury passive? Clutch.

B2P bones: 32HP per tab. Lunar spellbook for pot doubling.

Short answer to “How long trips?”: 2-4 hours with good heals.

One wild trip: Procced Guthan’s 5x in a row on Strongstack. Felt invincible.

Rookie Mistakes – And How I Learned the Hard Way

Mistake 1: Forgetting Missiles pray. Got splashed for 30s straight.

2: Rushing in without aggro. DPS dies, trip over.

3: Low magic def. Steelwill chunks you.

Avoid: Practice on single kills. Watch your ticks.

Back when I was green, stepped under wrong – ate a 50 punch. “WHY ME?” I yelled. Laughed it off, learned.

My Wild Bandos Tales – From Noob to Vet

First tank: 82 HP, Bandos gear. Pulled aggro, forgot pray. Down in 10 seconds. Teammate: “Bro, what?” Mortified.

Now? 2k KC, duo’d flawless 60-kill trips. Best: Group wipe on Steelwill ’cause someone prayed wrong. Beers after.

Question: Your worst boss fail? Share in comments.

These stories? They make OSRS alive.

Profiting Big – Drops and Flips

Bandos chestplate? 20m flips. Hilts for godswords. Minions drop sharks – free food.

Average kill: 1m+ gp. Tank less loot, but team splits even.

Table of hot drops:

Wrapping It Up – Your Turn to Tank

There you have it – your blueprint to Bandos tanking glory. Gear up, pray right, and pull that aggro. I’ve poured years into this, from wipe fests to profit hauls. Now go smash some goblins, rack that KC, and drop your first tanked kill in the comments. What’s holding you back? Hit me up if questions. Happy grinding, warriors.