Ban was one of the strongest supporting characters of the Seven Deadly Sins story. Embodying greed itself, he was perhaps Meliodas' closest (and simultaneously most tenuous) ally. His roguish disposition can sometimes render him endearing, though insufferable in other instances.
Like any compelling character, there are a number of strengths and weaknesses that convey Ban's usefulness not only as a warrior but also as a friend. Through meticulously detailing his best aspects and contrasting them to his worst, we have a firmer idea of how invaluable the Fox Sin's services actually are.
10 STRENGTH: His Immortality Allows Him To Recover Without Permanent Harm
One of Ban's most useful assets is his immortality. Specifically, he can recover from literally any attack without permanent harm and is the only member of the Sins to do so. This allows him to be an expendable agent in seemingly impossible missions and also makes him virtually unbeatable by the knights of Liones.
An excellent example of his healing affinity can be glimpsed through his battle against Estarossa. Although the demon had obliterated everything above his waist, he nonetheless managed to survive - even if he would not successfully retrieve Meliodas from him.
9 WEAKNESS: He Isn't Unbeatable With Healing Limitations
Though Ban's healing makes him an excellent asset to the Sins and resilient to almost any opponent in existence, it does not guarantee that he is unbeatable. If his body is destroyed, his soul can be swallowed - though his corporeal form may regenerate, it will only be as an empty husk.
This was a fate that nearly befell him during his battles against Galand and Melascula. If Escanor hadn't defended them from the Ten Commandments, the Sin and his knight companion would have fallen before their depravity.
8 STRENGTH: He's The Most Pragmatic Member Of The Sins
Ban is handily the most pragmatic member of the Sins save for Merlin. He is willing to put the safety of his teammates over his conscience, demonstrated after his defeat of Guila and his subsequent request to kill her. The Fox Sin's questionable morality serves as a necessary counterbalance to Meliodas' (formerly) whimsical disposition.
Though it would ultimately prove best that they didn't slay her (on account of the assistance she would offer them later), the Holy Knight would return a second time, imbued with the strength of demon blood. In this state, she became significantly more difficult to defeat and more unhinged in the process.
7 WEAKNESS: He Has Low Defense & Durability
A consequence of Ban's immortality is that he is often unconcerned with defending himself since none of the wounds that are dealt against him are consequential. This entails that he is much easier to hit than many of the other melee-centric Sins.
Further, he has extremely low durability (unlike Escanor or Meliodas), with no resistance to magic or the edicts of the Ten Commandments (such as Merlin's). He was even vulnerable to King's faerie abilities, forcing the spirit of Elaine to grovel for her lover's life before he was released. His galling number of weaknesses make him easier to defeat than his rejuvenation might suggest.
6 STRENGTH: His Ability To Steal Powers Gives Him More Versatility
Despite Ban's appalling defenses, his versatility is a massive asset in his favor. This most significantly manifests through his ability to steal the power of others with physical touch. The longer he is able to sustain contact, the more strength he can harvest from his target.
As a result, he can contend with foes who have a staggering advantage in power over himself. It was proven through his fight against Galand, which would have concluded much faster if not for Ban's quick thinking and ingenuity.
5 WEAKNESS: He Can Be Too Gullible At Times
Despite the harsh conditions that he grew up in, Ban is remarkably and inexplicably gullible. This was most prominently demonstrated through the offer a mysterious voice had coaxed him with, claiming that if he were to kill Meliodas, they would restore Elaine back to life.
He immediately took this bargain in spite of the fact that the Sins were currently on an active mission to overthrow Hendrickson and restore the kingdom. Hawk challenged the authenticity of these claims with dozens of valid questions (such as the identity of the dealmaker or what bound them to uphold their end of the bargain), queries that the Fox Sin deliberately ignored.
4 STRENGTH: His Brawn Was Enough To Contend With Bellion's Finest Servants & Meliodas
In spite of his human condition, Ban has an enormous amount of physical strength. He was able to contend with Bellion's finest servants directly, who were stated to have power comparable to the Ten Commandments.
His battle against Meliodas was so deadly that Merlin put both of them in a perfect cube so that the backlash would not harm onlookers. Further, he was able to casually destroy the prison that Jericho had kept him in once the captain had arrived to procure his freedom.
3 WEAKNESS: His Overconfidence Might Cost Him His Life
Ban's courage is an admirable asset, but when it devolves into overconfidence, it becomes his undoing. The first example of this was demonstrated through how badly he was destroyed in his efforts to protect Elaine from a demon.
He was bested by King with similar expedience upon their reunion after several years. An unfortunate side effect of his rejuvenation is that it instills bravado which may not always be earned. In certain situations, this can cause grave peril and may even cost the Fox Sin his own life.
2 STRENGTH: He's Willing To Forgive & Not Hold Grudges
Perhaps Ban's most unappreciated trait is his ability to forgive others. He did not harbor a grudge against King after he was nearly petrified for the rest of his life by him. Moreover, there was no animosity between him and the captain in spite of their own encounter - even after the Fox Sin had been publicly humiliated during the tournament they participated in against one another.
It was also proven through his treatment of Zhivago, his adoptive father. When hunters endangered his son while thugs were beating on Ban, he chose the former and left the latter to his fate. Upon their reunion, Ban forgave him, even insisting that he would have been angrier if he chose differently.
1 WEAKNESS: He's Willing To Drop Everything For Elaine
Ban's weakness for Elaine has been central to his character. He was willing to throw away anything for her, including his friendships, immortality, and even his own life.
As charming as this might seem, it was not nearly as endearing after she had been resurrected through Melascula and nearly killed both him and Jericho. If it weren't for the overwhelmingly powerful emotions they felt for one another, the Fox Sin would have lost his soul for the sake of his heart.