The College of Winterhold questline is one of the coolest in Skyrim. You become a mage, even if you did not initially start as one. As you progress, you gain access to really powerful items and spells. New characters are introduced, and you get to feel like a part of the college.
However, only some people are welcoming; Ancano is there to try and take power for himself. Many people do the college quest as it is part of the main quest, and magic may not be their most-leveled skill.
If you are stuck or struggling and want to learn how to defeat Ancano in Skyrim much more easily, this article will show you some strategies and tips for beating him.
General Tips For Beating Ancano
Beating Ancano is pretty simple once you understand our strategy, yet before we talk about gear selection and how to defeat Ancano in combat, there are a few things that you need to know.
The game actually gives you a lot of ways to deal with him, even though he can be a bit tricky. People struggle with him the most because the Eye of the Magus needs to be closed for him to be damaged.
If the Eye of Magnus is open and the parts are moving around, he will be invulnerable. With that being said, the best way to defeat him depends entirely on what you specialize in.
Whether that is Destruction Magic, Archery, or even Two-Handed, the best thing is to just use what you are proficient in when Ancano is vulnerable.
How to Use the Staff of Magnus to Close the Eye and Defeat Ancano
Before fighting him, you will get something called the Staff of Magnus which will be necessary for the battle.
The way to close the Eye of Magnus and stop the eye’s ancient power from sustaining him is by using the Staff of Magnus on it until it is stable.
Afterward, you can continue to use the arcane weapon as a vampiric drain spell on his magicka and then his health. With the eye now closed, you shouldn’t have trouble pressing on to defeat Ancano in Skyrim.
Beating Ancano with a Magic Build
If you specialize in magic, preferably Destruction, you should use any kind of shock magic as it drains both health and magicka. Since Ancano in Skyrim is a mage, this is a great choice.
What you can do is equip the staff in one hand, and a damaging spell in the other. While he is occupied with the eye, use the staff on the eye and the spell on him, making the process more efficient.
Conjuration is the only other one that will be useful in this fight; summoning a few creatures to fight by your side to distract him and damage him can be useful, but Destruction will be your bread and butter.
Close Combat Tactics for Non Magic Users
For one- and two-handed builds, it is the same strategy: you want to have the Staff of Magnus with you at all times. For one-handed builds, you can effectively dual wield in Skyrim and have the staff in one hand, and a weapon in the other.
It will be a bit more difficult to use two-handed weapons, as you have to commit to using them and swap to the staff when necessary. However, it should not be too difficult as long as you have good armor, enough food, and potions.
How to Defeat Ancano with an Archery Build
For archers, it is really tricky to defeat Ancano in Skyrim. This is because you need to swap to the staff and swap back if you want to use your weapon. What can help is using paralysis or something similar when the arch mage is vulnerable in order to paralyze him.
Alternatively, you can switch to a melee weapon or use the Staff of Magnus itself to attack Ancano and his magicka. Archers have the luxury of attacking from a distance, but since you are indoors for this mission and need to stay near the eye at all times, this build will not be effective.
Other Tips
- For shouts, most of them will be useful in this fight against Ancano. If you are getting low on health often an underrated shout is Become Ethereal. It is an excellent shout if you get overwhelmed, you cannot attack, but it will give you time and space to plan your next move.
- Elemental Fury is almost a must-have for two-handed or dual-wielding builds. The damage you get is absurd even at the first level.
- Ice Breath and Fire Breath are good choices. Ice Form is an excellent choice, as Ancano will be completely stunned.
- In most cases, regardless of the build you are going for, the Staff of Magnus alone is enough to defeat Ancano.
Final Words on How to Defeat Ancano in Skyrim
In conclusion, learning how to defeat Ancano in Skyrim can be achieved by understanding the importance of closing the Eye of Magnus and utilizing the Staff of Magnus effectively.
Depending on your specialization, whether it’s Magic, Close Combat, or Archery, different strategies can be employed to take down Ancano. Additionally, using powerful shouts like Elemental Fury, Ice Form, and Become Ethereal can greatly aid you in battle.
Ultimately, with the right tactics and gear, any build can successfully defeat Ancano and progress through the College of Winterhold questline in Skyrim.
Thank you for reading this quick battle guide. For more content, check out our website for more related RPG and FPS content, such as our guide on how to call your horse in Skyrim.
For now, good luck with your games!
