Banbaro is one of the oldest and easiest monsters to take on in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, but he can still hurt any hunter who follows him unprepared. He can attack with massive damage, inflict Iceblight, and move with surprising speed, so don't let your guard down, even when you think you've got him on the ropes.
Best items to fight Banbaro Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
By the time you face the Banbaro, you should have spent enough time in the white blanket area to know the Supply Drill. In addition to the healing items, be sure to pack enough hot drinks and restorative energy to withstand the effects of the harsh climate. Since Banbaro can inflict Iceblight, you'll also need a handful of lingonberries and, ideally, your Ice Shield Coat to negate its effect.
Crystalburst is a special consideration when fighting Banbaro. You can gather this ammo on the ground in Beetles within Hoarfrost range. Make sure to catch as many as possible before the fight begins, as this will be very useful in stopping Banbaro's more powerful attacks.
Best weapons and armor to fight Banbaro in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
Banbaro is weak on fire, as you would expect, but he takes even more damage from dragon weapons. When it comes to illnesses, Banbaro is weak enough to knock out, but you'll have to decide if pursuing this weakness is worth the risk. The best way to inflict stuns is to use a blunt weapon, such as a hammer, on Banbaro's head, but doing so risks taking his most powerful attacks. If you don't want to go this route, consider using a sharp weapon so you can slice off Banbaro's tail during combat.
As for the armor, there is nothing unique about this fight for Iceborne. Charge up against the ice and wear the strongest armor possible. You'll need to keep up your stamina to dodge Banbaro's attacks, so consider armor that strengthens it, or use gear that increases your stun damage if that's the strategy you use.
How to beat Banbaro in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
Banbaro is an intimidating foe no matter how you look at him. She's a massive beast who likes to hit her opponents head-on, and she can even throw huge snowballs when that's not enough. The key to this fight will be to dodge or disrupt Banbaro's most devastating attacks when you can.
The safest way to attack Banbaro is to damage his legs, which will make it harder for the monster to charge at you while maximizing your damage. Use the clutch claw to weaken the legs whenever you need to, then attack them with whatever you have. Beware of Banbaro's side tackles, which he can perform at any time, and this is the only major attack he can fire when you're by his side.
This beast won't stand still and let you attack it, of course. Banbaro will continually attempt to charge you during the fight and you will have to either dodge or interrupt the attack to survive. Dodging is relatively simple, be aware that Banbaro generally charges back and forth. You will therefore have to avoid several attacks in a row. Banbaro will usually roll a snowball when it charges, which will deal additional damage if it hits you. It becomes even more difficult when Barbaro picks up a tree, which greatly increases the range of the attack. A trickier but potentially more rewarding method is to use Crystalburst. If you hit Banbaro with one while it's charging, you can stop it, eliminating the need to dodge and potentially giving yourself a window to hit if you're quick enough.
Occasionally, Banbaro will lift his head in the air and then smash his antlers into the ground, with or without a snowball. If you get caught in this attack he will likely be extinguished, but if you can dodge him in time you will have a golden opportunity to attack his head within seconds of the attack. If you use the hammer you can take massive crippling damage and possibly break its antlers.
Much more difficult challenges lie ahead in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, but Banbaro is no child's play. Its combination of speed and power can be devastating, but it also provides a great opportunity to try out new weapons, as there are multiple strategies against it. Just make sure to keep your stamina to the max, and you'll be able to switch to more formidable prey in no time.
