Risk of Rain Returns Bandit: Best Items, Abilities & Unlock

Learn all about Bandit, how to unlock him, what abilities he has, and what combination of items suits him best.

Bandit is one of the 15 playable characters in Risk of Rain Returns. He has to be unlocked to play, and doing so is not as hard as you may think. His playstyle relies on using his famous shotgun to do explosive damage, as well as several skills that lean towards an Assassin-like playstyle. These powers allow Bandit to slip under the radar for a few moments before unleashing his destructive Ultimate ability.

Key Takeaways
  • Bandit focuses on explosive damage and his assassin-like playstyle. 
  • Players must complete the Third Stage in order to unlock the Bandit. 
  • Keep in mind, that you have to clear any version of the third stage to complete the requirements. 
  • A few of the items I would recommend for Bandit are:
    1. Mysterious Vial 
    2. Leeching Seed 
    3. Brilliant Behemoth
    4. Heaven Cracker
    5. Energy Cell
risk of rain returns bandit
Bandit at the spawn point. [Image by me]

How To Unlock Bandit? 

risk of rain returns bandit
Bandit before being unlocked. [Screenshot by me]

Bandit is not playable from the start of your campaign. Some conditions must be met to unlock him. As you can see in the image above, his character slot will state, “Beat the third stage,” before you unlock him.

Clearing the Third Stage as Commando. [Image by me]

For those who were wondering about the Risk of Rain Returns Bandit unlock, simply complete the Third Level on any difficulty except Drizzle. Keep in mind that you can use any character you like to achieve this challenge. When you initially complete the Third Stage, you will notice an achievement alerting you that Bandit has been unlocked.

Bandit Abilities 

risk of rain returns bandit
Bandit’s ability. [Screenshot by me]

Firstly, here are Bandit’s Stats in the game:

The following are the abilities that Bandit can access:

Blast

Here are the details regarding Blast:

  • This is the primary attack for Bandit.
  • It can be accessed by using the left mouse button or the Z button on the keyboard.
  • Bandit fires a destructive bullet at the enemy, dealing 150% base damage.
  • It has a cooldown of 0 seconds, meaning it can be used without any delays. 
  • It can be upgraded by completing the Providence Trial “Castle Of Memories” or by defeating 3000 enemies as Bandit. 

Dynamite Toss

Bandit’s dynamite toss. [Image by me]

Here are the details regarding Dynamite Toss:

  • This is the secondary ability for Bandit.
  • It can be accessed by using the right mouse button or the X key on the keyboard.
  • Bandit tosses an explosive dynamite towards the enemy, dealing 230% of the base damage. 
  • It has a cooldown of 3 seconds and cannot be used in quick succession. 

Smoke Bomb

Here are the details regarding Smoke Bomb:

  • This is the utility-type ability for Bandit. 
  • Upon activating this ability, Bandit throws down a smoke grenade and goes invisible. 
  • When you use another ability within 3 seconds of activation of Smoke Bomb, enemies in your vicinity are stunned and dealt 200% damage.
  • If you do not use any abilities for 3 seconds, the invisibility is timed out on its own, and the nearby enemies are stunned in addition to being dealt 200% damage.
  • It can be upgraded by completing the Providence Trial “Highway Robbery” or by collecting 300 items as Bandit. 

Lights Out 

risk of rain returns bandit
Bandit’s Ultimate Ability. [Screenshot by me]

Here are the details regarding the Lights Out:

  • This is Bandit’s Special ability. 
  • Bandit takes aim and shoots extremely powerful bullets at the enemy, dealing 600% damage.
  • If the ultimate ability, Lights Out, kills the enemy, Bandit’s cooldowns are reset to zero.
  • Keep in mind that if this ability is timed well, you will never have to worry about cooldown times while playing as Bandit. 
  • It can be upgraded by completing the Providence Trial “Endless Stand Off” or by completing 25 Stages as Bandit. 

Best Items For Bandit 

risk of rain returns bandit
Energy Cell item. [Image by me]

Now, let’s go over the Bandit items that will help him the most. These are items that fit well with Bandit’s playstyle and help you to dispatch enemies quickly. In no particular order, here are the items that I recommend:

  • Mysterious Vial 
  • Leeching Seed 
  • Brilliant Behemoth
  • Heaven Cracker
  • Energy Cell

My Thoughts On Bandit 

Lastly, After playing with Bandit for a few runs, I can honestly say that it is quite enjoyable to play as him. For fans of the franchise coming from Risk of Rain 2, his playstyle is similar and is sure to keep you engaged. 

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Irfan Ansari is a Senior Editor and Guides Writer on eXputer. He has seven years of Video Game Journalism experience and has been gaming for more than 22 years. Over his editorial career, he has gained experience at multiple sites, including TheGamer and VeryAli Gaming. Irfan has also earned a degree in Writing and Editing from the University of Michigan. Learn some more about Irfan's gaming journey on his Steam, PSN, and Xbox profiles.

Experience: 7+ Years || Worked for TheGamer and VeryAli Gaming

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