General Graardor

General Graardor (called Bandos Boss in Quick chat) is currently the sixth strongest monster in RuneScape and is only preceded by K'ril Tsutsaroth, Nomad, TzTok-Jad, the Spirit Beast and the Corporeal Beast in combat level, and is therefore the fifth highest attackable creature and requires the player to kill 40 minions of Bandos in the God Wars Dungeon before he can be fought. The easiest method is killing 40 Goblins. General Graardor is the most popular of the four God Wars bosses to kill. To enter Bandos's Stronghold, players must have at least 70 Strength and a normal or Stealing Creation Hammer.

Early History
Details regarding General Graardor's history are virtually impossible to find. The Ourg Race, of which Graardor is a part, was brought to Gielinor from Yu'biusk in the early Third Age along with Ogres, Goblins, and Orks. However, it is likely that Graardor was born some time during the God Wars.

Graardor, during the late Third Age, was one of Bandos's most favoured soldiers. Like many Ourgs, such as Yokrad and Blorgak, his talents earned him many leadership positions in Bandos's army. His strategic military tactics, as well as his simple physical strength, made him an ideal leader. Graardor's physical strength was such that he eventually learned to fight both with weaponry and with his bare hands.

Guthixian Campaign
Most of Graardor's accomplishments during the God Wars have been long-forgotten. As seen in the FunOrb strategy game Armies of Gielinor, Graardor is known to have actively participated in the Bandosians' efforts to repel Guthixian forces in what is now the Wilderness, in what would have been the late Third Age. Given the game's approach to Canon, certain elements of Graardor's role in the game may not be canonical.

Graardor appears in both the "God Wars" and "End of An Age" levels, and in both features as a prominent enemy of the player, who commands Bandos's forces. During the "God Wars" level, which is set in the North-West Wilderness, Graardor commands the Bandosian army in what gradually becomes an all-out five-way battle between the forces of Bandos, Saradomin, Armadyl, Zamorak, and Guthix. Other key Third Age leaders such as Pazuzu, Wingman Skree, and Brother Constantius were amongst those whom Graardor faced.

Graardor also makes an appearance in the game's final level, "End of An Age." The level represents one of the God Wars' final battles, during which many forces clashed with the Guthixian army. Graardor, Commander Zilyana, Dag'eth, and other Third Age leaders are amongst those present. Although Guthix is ultimately victorious during the battle, Graardor and a number of other leaders evidently managed to escape, and later re-emerged.

The Godsword
Graardor's last task in Bandos's forces came in the late Third Age, when a hasty alliance between Bandos, Saradomin, and Armadyl fought against Zamorak in what is now called the God Wars Dungeon of Troll Country. The battle was evidently fought in an effort to claim the Godsword, an extremely powerful weapon crafted by the Icyene.

Although initially the battle was fought only between Zamorak and the Alliance, distrust between the Gods' armies quickly led to the conflict erupting into four-way chaos. Graardor, content with this, oversaw the construction of a rudimentary base of operations in an offshoot of the cave. This fortress, now known as "Bandos's Stronghold," served to house both Graardor and troops rotating out of combat in the main chamber. Graardor himself was placed under the protection of Goblin Sergeants Strongstack, Steelwill, and Grimspike.

During the course of the fighting, a spell cast by an unknown army backfired upon the entire cavern, freezing the entire cave perfectly in place. Graardor was amongst those left imprisoned. Very shortly after this occurred, the god Guthix established the Edicts of Guthix, preventing the direct involvement of any deity in Gielinor. The departure of the world's Gods and the subsequent end of the God Wars meant that the cavern was forgotten, and Graardor would remain imprisoned with its populace for more than 2,000 years to come.

In the recent Fifth Age, investigations by both the Dwarven explorer Nestor Peregrine and the Asgarnian Temple Knights nearly resulted in the cave's (and Graardor's) rediscovery. In 169, tectonic movement in the neighboring Wilderness caused large portions of the cave to defrost, eventually leading to the release of most of the cavern's population. Unaware that the God Wars have ended, Graardor and the rest of the battle's leaders have resumed the battle for the godsword once again.

Bodyguards

 * Sergeant Strongstack (Melee).
 * Sergeant Steelwill (Magic).
 * Sergeant Grimspike (Ranged).

Quotes
When in battle, General Graardor says many quotes to do with defeating the characters that dare to venture deep enough to kill him, these quotes are:


 * "Death to our enemies!".
 * "Brargh!".
 * "Break their bones!".
 * "For the glory of the Big High War God!.
 * "Split their skulls!".
 * "We feast on the bones of our enemies tonight!".
 * "CHAAARGE!".
 * "Crush them underfoot!".
 * "All glory to Bandos!".
 * "GRAAAAAAAAAR!".

Team strategy
The General should never be underestimated. Not only does he have very high Defence, he can hit up to 645 with Melee, and uses a Ranged attack that hits everyone in the room, which hits up to 355. A team of at least 3 people as well as a tank (i.e. a player with high Defence and good armour to take Graardor's blows) is highly recommended. To make it easier for everyone the tank should have at least 80 defence and 80 Constitution (800+ Lifepoints). All players should use the Protect From Ranged Prayer, except for the player directly being attacked, who should use the Protect From Melee Prayer. The player being directly attacked should watch his or her health very carefully, as he/she can still be hit by Graardor's Ranged attack. All players should be careful of Graardor's bodyguards, as one uses Melee, one uses Ranged, and one uses Magic. There is an altar there, but it can only be used every 10 minutes, so it is advised to bring prayer potions or super restores just in case. One good strategy much used before the trade limit update was to trade the tank more food or Saradomin Brews if he/she was to run out. This can be used now after the update as well but you can only trade a certain amount of food/brews now. Some say he is the easiest of the bosses in the God Wars Dungeon, but don't take him too lightly.



Solo strategy
General Graardor can be soloed with Ranged or Melee at a very high level. Magic is not recommended.

If you wish to kill General Graardor and get a couple of kills, you should have 85+ Defence, 80+ Magic (for Defence against Steelwill and Graardor), 67+ Summoning (for War Tortoise with extra food inside) and 85+ in your offensive stats (either Ranged or Attack and Strength). Any lower will make it hard to even get one kill.

When soloing Graardor it is advised that you do not risk what you are not willing to lose, because even the most experienced Graardor soloers can find themselves taken to an unsafe amount of Lifepoints in a relatively short period of time.

Melee is the most popular option as it has the most weapons to choose from, Ranged is second only if you have Diamond Bolts(e), as General Graardor has a high ranged defence. Magic is a seldom used option has General Graardor somewhat has quite high magic defence despite being in full melee armour, however it is still possible with Ice Blitz or Ice Barrage, or if on modern spells Fire Surge and Entangle should suffice, With the release of Ancient Curses, Leech Magic and Leech Defence will make Magic a lot more efficient than before, however it is still the most expensive option compared to Ranged and Melee.

Graardor hits very high and often with his Melee attacks (up to 645), so Protect From Melee is a must. This is a simple punch from his fist. His second attack is a Magical Ranged attack similar to that of Waterfiends. When he uses this attack he slams both fists on the ground and a shockwave hits the player. This attack looks similar to Wind Wave, and hits up to 355. Another note is that although this attack is "Ranged", he can only use it in Melee Ranged, which means you can actually run from corner to corner of the room if your Lifepoints are low. However if you try to run  after he activates his Ranged attack it will follow you until it hits. This makes his Magical Ranged attack unique. The best way to avoid high amounts of damage from this attack would be to use high Magic Defence armour such as Karil's. However this will leave you more vulnerable to Graardor's Bodyguards as Karil's will have low Melee and Ranged defence. Another armour combination is to wear Karil's Top and Verac's Skirt as this gives a more balanced Ranged and Magic Defence, whilst benefiting the prayer stat also. A third option is to wear Zamorak D'hide with Bandos Tassets. This makes it extremely easy for kill counts as it will count both as an Zamorak and Bandos item, however will provide a lot less Magic Defence compared to Karil's Top and Skirt against the boss Magical Ranged attack. Some players may forget Magic Defence completely and just wear Bandos Chestplate and Tassets for Strength bonus.

NOTE: The Ranged attack used by the boss can only be used up close, however, It will attack all players in the room at the same time, even those from a distance because it has already started.

One of the best armour sets, if you have it, is a Bandos Chestplate or Tassets. This saves an inventory slot since you wont need other Bandos items, or perhaps a trip the pool of Bandos to obtain his favour for Defence from his minions. If you choose not to use those, a mix between Karil's armour and Verac Helm and Skirt would be a good choice for its balance of Magic and Ranged Defence. Another good helmet would be a Helm of Neitiznot and replace the leg slot for more Magic boosting gear. Climbing boots or Dragon Boots are preferred among most soloers. Barrows Gloves are a huge help, as is a Dragonfire Shield or Obsidian Shield. If you can equip them with your weapon of choice. It is a good idea to bring a Zamorak item for Kill Count. A cheap method would be to use a Unholy Symbol and replace with a better amulet such as Amulet of Glory or Amulet of Fury for the boss.

A full set of Verac's Armour is effective against General Graardor, as its set effect can hit high (usually over 300 life points) on him. However, there is the risk of losing Verac's Helmet should the player die without Protect Item being on, or should another item keep over the helmet. Also its lack of Magic Defence makes Graardor and the Steelwill attacks much more dangerous.

Most people who are not willing to risk too much but still want a good chance of hitting will bring an Abyssal Whip as it is a fast one-handed weapon and fits room for a sidearm. Occasionally there are those who wish to risk or use a borrowed Saradomin, Bandos or Armadyl Godsword as it has a very good chance of dealing critical hits to the boss. The only problem is that it is very slow.

A secondary weapon is important to keep. If you chose a whip, a Dragon Dagger would be a good idea to bring to deal damage, but a Enhanced Excalibur is a lot more useful as you can use the special attack to heal in middle of battle. Dragon Claws are another, but very risky choice of sidearm as it has a high price, however the special is very accurate and often does high damage. If you chose a Godsword, a Armadyl or Saradomin one is recommended. Bandos Godsword is also useful for its special attack.

With normal Magic, the Glory Trick, a.k.a. Trollheim Teleport Trick can be used. This is done by teleporting to the Trollheim, dropping two food slots, teleporting to Edgeville or Draynor to restock on food, and teleporting back to the Trollheim, and picking up the two food. Those who cannot use the Glory Trick can just use a Burthorpe games necklace with equipped Climbing Boots to get there.

A Teleport Tablet, or any form of One-Click-Teleport, is highly recommended! House Teleport tablets are the best teleport tablets to use, because on teleport, if you die in your house, you do not lose any items, because your house is a "Safe Zone." This can also be an effective teleport for players with Altars in their house, as a cheap and quick method of recharging missing prayer points. Besides House, Lumbridge, Falador, Camelot or even Ardoungne are good ones to buy since they all have a nearby bank. A Lletya teleport crystal works very well because it is near an altar and a bank. DO NOT waste inventory space on runes!

A Granite Mace, if you choose not to bring Bandos Armour, will allow you to get extra time to prepare for the boss, and see if anyone else is in the room already making a solo attempt. Another option is to use the Bandos Pool after completing As A First Resort. This comes in handy since Bandos followers will not attack you whilst you wield it. If you choose not to use it, you need to use prayer to run through the room as everyone will attack you. If you need to see in the room, but do not have a Granite Mace, you need to head far north in the Bandos Area, specifically where the four Hobgoblins are. This can give you at least some footing on who is in there.

Bringing a Ring of Life is highly recommended, because Graardor hits up to 355 with Magical Ranged and 645 with Melee, so there is a reasonable chance that your Lifepoints will be dangerously low and a Ring of Life becomes your only chance of survival. Also, it is rather common for him to "spam" his Ranged attack, which can be difficult to deal with, especially if you get unlucky. If you need to eat, run to the other side of the chamber, this should give you enough time to eat 2 or 3 Sharks or other high-healing food, before attacking him again.

A Beast of Burden, such as a Spirit Terrorbird, War Tortoise or Pack Yak is a great help in solo tasks. The higher the level of the familiar, the better your chances of a longer stay are. If you do not bring a familiar of any kind, expect a short stay. Before you make your trip, it is recommended that you double check your inventory and a Beast of Burden should consist of 3 Saradomin Brews, 1 Super Restore Potion, 1-2 Prayer Potions, 1 Super Attack and 1 Super Strength. All of these potions need to be in 4 doses for a better chance of success. If you have 96+ Herblore (or 90 with possible boosts), bring 2 Overload Potions instead of a super set, and bring Saradomin Brews with a few Super Restores instead of Sharks. Bring extra Super Restore Potions or Prayer Potions. Don't forget a Teleport Tablet, Hammer, and a sidearm. Bring a Granite Mace if you think you may need it. The rest of your inventory and Beast of Burden slots filled with Sharks or better. Make sure you are not in a lootshare world, that is one of the most important things to check!

Before you enter, drink 1 dose of Saradomin Brew, and 1 dose of Super Restore, then use your super set or if you brought the Overload, drink it and eat some food! When you finally are about to enter set your quick prayers to Piety/Turmoil, Protect Item, and Protect From Melee and keep all of those on, no matter what. Graardor can hit high with his melee attack, and you don't want to give him the chance to use it. Piety will give you a boost in each of the three melee skills. Hit him once to see how much health he has left. If he is at 100% health, use your Special Attack. If not, then finish the first kill and use the Special on the second kill. It is highly recommended that you keep your Lifepoints above 700, as most likely the Ranger and Mage will hit 200's or higher, and Graardor can hit 350's with his Ranged attack which is extremely accurate. Always watch your Lifepoints and Prayer level, teleport immediately if Graardor uses his Ranged attack at a high rate.

You want to attack the General first, obviously. After he is dealt with, attack Grimspike as he can add up damage fast. After that, kill Steelwill. Keep Protect From Melee on, and kill Strongstack last. This prevents you being caught without Melee protection on if you are too slow to kill the Sergeants when Graardor respawns. . If you do not get loot from Graardor, you still have a chance of getting loot from the other three Sergeants.



Recommended Equipment

 * Head: Verac's Helmet/Helmet of Neitiznot/Torag's Helmet.
 * Neck: Amulet of Fury/Amulet of Glory.
 * Torso: Bandos Chestplate/Karil's leathertop/Zamorak D'hide.
 * Legs: Bandos Tassets/Verac's Plateskirt/Karil's leatherskirt/Torag's platelegs.
 * Boots: Dragon Boots/Bandos Boots/Rune Boots/Climbing Boots.
 * Cape: Fire Cape/Soul Wars Cape/Skill Cape(trimmed)/Saradomin Cloak/Zamorak Cloak/Obsidian Cape/Cape of Legends/Ava's Accumulator(only if ranging).
 * Arrows: If using a bow, Rune Arrows or Dragon Arrows; If using a Crossbow, Ruby bolts (e) and Diamond bolts (e) (Ruby for first half of health, then Diamond for rest), Dragon Bolts (e) (very effective special attack) or Onyx bolts (e) can do the trick.
 * Side/spec weapon: Dragon Halberd/Dragon Claws/Enhanced Excalibur/DDS/Dragon Mace.
 * Bow: If ranging, Dark Bow, Rune Crossbow (highly recommended).
 * Weapon:Chaotic Longsword/Godsword (Bandos, Saradomin, or Armadyl recommended)/Zamorak Spear(stab option) /Abyssal Whip (if 90+ Attack, use a whip and shield instead of a godsword).
 * Shield: Divine Spirit Shield/Chaotic Kiteshield/Elysian Spirit Shield/Dragonfire Shield/Farseer kiteshield/Toktz-Ket-Xil/Granite Shield/Dragon sq shield/Crystal Shield.
 * Gloves: Barrows Gloves/Dragon gloves.
 * Ring: Ring of Life/Onyx ring (i)/Dragonstone ring (i)/Diamond ring (i)/Berserker ring/Warrior Ring/Explorer's Ring 3.

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Trivia



 * General Graardor makes brief cameo appearances throughout both RuneScape media and the game itself.
 * General Graardor makes an appearance on the main menu as a picture for the French servers release. He can be also seen on the Members' benefit page, and is included in Postbag from the Hedge Issue 39's top ten most powerful monsters.
 * Graardor is one of several in-game characters to feature on a set of downloadable RuneScape Duel Cards.
 * In the FunOrb game Armies of Gielinor, in the Bandos army side, it shows an "Ourg" with the image of General Graardor, which was the first time he was referred to as a member of the race. This was confirmed in the 39th edition of Postbag from the Hedge.
 * During the 2009 Easter Event and 2010 Easter event, while sorting the defected nuts, players could also find various other objects. One of these was a Graardor plush toy; in the 2010 event the Squirrel Big Ben mentions that they arrived as part of a shipping error.
 * A poster depicting General Graardor can be purchased from the Jagex Store. Shortly before the release of The Chosen Commander, a t-shirt depicting the face of Bandos was also made available; however, its appearance was nearly identical to that of Graardor. He also appears on 12-month RuneScape membership cards.
 * A computer wallpaper depicting Graardor can be found on the Official RuneScape Website.
 * Graardor features in various Armies of Gielinor adverts sometimes seen on the Funorb website. In it, he is shown punching towards the viewer before the game's logo appears.
 * In December 2009, the Jagex Store was temporarily taken down while parts of the site were re-worked. When visiting the website, the only accessible page featured a picture of General Graardor, along with the message "Coming This December."
 * On the official RuneFest website, Graardor can be seen on a panel offering event tickets.
 * Prior to the release of The Chosen Commander quest, Graardor referred to Bandos as the "Big High War God." He now refers to him by name, in keeping with the idea that "Big High War God" is a term used only by the Goblin race.
 * Prior to 6 May 2009, General Graardor dropped Big Bones instead of Ourg bones when killed.
 * Due to a Summoning update, tanking at Bandos has been found quite difficult. When a player's familiar attacks General Graardor, he will switch to the player and back again several times, making him a dangerous opponent. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a glitch, simply a side effect of the Summoning update of the '18 August 2009 - Menagerie, Familiar Controls and Butlers' update.
 * Mod Emilee has confirmed that no changes have been made to the Bandos Godwars Dungeon, and that they will be monitoring the dungeon. See Summoning side effect above.
 * General Graardor is wearing a type of leopard printed Tassets, while when on a player, it is a basic cream colour.
 * Although his Range attack can farcast he only uses it in Melee range, however if there are multiple players in the room his ranged attack hits everybody no matter where they are as long as Graardor hits at least ONE person.
 * When he says "Break their bones!" this may be a reference to the World of Warcraft boss who shouts "Break their bones!" when the fight is initiated.

General Graardor