General Graardor is one of the four God Wars Dungeon bosses in Old School RuneScape, and he's notorious for being an absolute tank that hits like a truck. While he isn't the most mechanically complex boss in the game, the fight demands solid stats, proper preparation, and an understanding of how to minimize damage while maximizing your DPS.

This guide is written with absolute beginners in mind, walking you through the requirements, gear, strategy, and some tips to extend your trips once you've mastered your first kills.

Requirements Before You Start

Before you even step into Graardor's lair, you'll need to tick off a few non-negotiable requirements:

· Quest: Complete Troll Stronghold to access the God Wars Dungeon.

· Stats:

  · At least 70 Strength (to push Bandos's door open).

  · Mid 80s combat stats recommended for melee DPS.

  · 70 Prayer for Piety (hugely useful).

· Kill Count: You must kill 40 Bandos-related monsters before entering Graardor's chamber each trip. Luckily, goblins near the entrance count toward this.

Gear Setup

Graardor is all about raw power. He uses both melee and ranged attacks, while his minions bring all three combat styles into the fight. Here's what to focus on:

· Priority Stats:

  1. Ranged defense (most important)

  2. Magic defense (secondary but still helpful)

  3. Melee accuracy and strength bonus (to bring Graardor down efficiently)

Suggested Gear

· Helmet: Slayer Helm (on-task) or Neitiznot Faceguard.

· Amulet: Blood Fury (for sustain), Amulet of Torture, or regular Amulet of Fury.

· Body & Legs: Justiciar armor is best if you can afford it; Bandos or strong defensive melee gear otherwise.

· Boots: Guardian Boots (for defense), Dragon Boots, or Primordials if you're confident.

· Shield: Dragonfire Ward or high-defense option.

· Spec Weapon:

  · BGS (Bandos Godsword) or Dragon Warhammer to lower defense.

  · SGS (Saradomin Godsword) for healing during extended trips.

· Ring: Ring of Suffering (defensive) or Berserker Ring (offensive).

Note: If your gear isn't perfect, don't stress. The fight is doable with suboptimal setups—just expect shorter trips until you're more comfortable.

Inventory Setup

Bring a mix of healing, restoration, and utility items:

· Saradomin Brews

· Super Restores

· Super Combat Potions

· Sharks or higher-tier food

· Teleport runes or tabs (Trollheim teleport is easiest if you're new; GWD teleports with a hilt are best later)

· Rope (if it's your first time entering the dungeon)

· Hammer (regular or Dragon Warhammer for specs)

Getting There

1. Teleport to Trollheim using the standard spellbook (or God Wars Dungeon teleports if unlocked).

2. Head north into the snowy region, praying against ranged attacks from the trolls on the ridge.

3. Push the boulder and descend into the dungeon.

4. Kill 40 Bandos-related creatures (goblins are easiest) for kill count.

5. Use your hammer on the big Bandos door to enter Graardor's lair.

The Fight

General Strategy

· Prayer: Always use Protect from Melee.

· Spec Dump: Use your BGS/DWH specs immediately to lower his defense (unless you're planning multiple kills).

· Step-Under Technique: After every 1–2 of your hits, click underneath Graardor to avoid some of his damage. This “step-under” method is the only real mechanic to learn, but it drastically reduces incoming hits.

Attacks

· Melee (most common, prayer blocks it).

· Ranged (unblockable, hits very hard).

· Minions: Each uses a different style. Kill them after Graardor in this order:

  1. Magic minion → Protect from Magic

  2. Ranged minion → Protect from Missiles

  3. Melee minion → Protect from Melee

Extending Your Trips

Once you're comfortable getting kills, you can push for longer trips using these tricks:

· Blood Spells: Bring a mage switch and use Blood Barrage/Burst on minions to sustain HP.

· SGS Special: Swap your spec weapon for Saradomin Godsword for healing.

· Guthans Switch: Bring a Guthans set to heal off the minions between kills.

· Group Bossing: The God Wars Dungeon is not designed for solo play. 

Final Thoughts

General Graardor may look intimidating, but with the right setup and a few practice runs, beginners can reliably secure kills. Focus on high defensive gear, practice the step-under technique, and don't worry if your first few trips are short—efficiency comes with experience.

Stick with it, and soon enough, you'll be seeing those iconic Bandos armor drops for yourself.

RSorder Team