Sir Ansbach is one of the main characters ofElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Like other followers of Miquella, he was charmed by the empyrean and traveled to the Lands of Shadow. Now grown frail and old, Sir Ansbach once commanded Mohg’s Pureblood Knights.
Sir Ansbach has powerful equipment like theObsidian LaminaandAnsbach’s Longbow. While the Obsidian Lamina can only be obtained after defeating the final boss of theElden RingDLC, Ansbach’s Longbow can be claimed while exploring the Shadow Keep legacy dungeon. However, it can be easy to miss, as you will have to talk to certain NPCs and partake in a couple of invasions.
How to Get Ansbach’s Longbow
Ansbach’s Longbow is a reward for either helping Needle Knight Leda defeat Sir Ansbach or helpingSir Ansbachtake down Leda in Shadow Keep. It is recommended to assist Sir Ansbach in this fight to get his longbow, because then he will help you in the battle againstNeedle Knight Ledaand her allies in Enir-Ilim and the final boss of the DLC.
To unlock the option to assist Ansbach in fighting Needle Knight Leda, you will have to progress both Leda’s and Ansbach’s questlines. Here are all the steps you need to follow to get Ansbach’s Longbow:
After defeating Rellana and leavingCastle Ensis, you will enter Scadu Altas and reach the Highroad Cross site of grace. Needle Knight Leda and Hornsent will be waiting for you next to the site of grace. From Highroad Cross, head north towards Shadow Keep to break Miquella’s charm inflicted on his followers.
Then, return to the Highroad Cross site of grace and talk to Needle Knight Leda. She will talk about growing distrustful of her fellow allies and ask for your opinion. SuggestHornsentand let her think about it. Rest at the nearby site of grace and talk to Leda again to hear her decision to take out Hornsent.
Now, go to Shadow Keep and defeat theGolden Hippopotamus bossif you haven’t already. This will unlock the Shadow Keep Main Plaza site of grace. From there, go deep into the castle by heading through the entrance on the west. This will lead to a place with burning boats guarded by Vulgar Militiamen. Look around here to find two summon signs: a golden one for helping Hornsent and a red one for helping Leda. Choose the red sign and defeat Hornsent.
After defeating Hornsent, talk to Needle Knight Leda again, and she will tell you about Sir Ansbach being her next target. You will find Sir Ansbach in a room north of the Storehouse, First Floor site of grace. If he is not here, you need to talk to him at his initial location next to Main Gate Cross site of grace in Gravesite Plain.
Explore the Specimen Storehouse to find the Secret Rite Scroll. Give this scroll to Sir Ansbach to learn about Miquella’s plans. After exhausting all his dialogues, rest at the site of grace and return to find two summon signs in Sir Ansbach’s room: a golden sign to assist Sir Ansbach or a red sign to assist Needle Knight Leda.
Choosing either option and succeeding in the battle will reward you with Ansbach’s Longbow. However, if you want to get the Obsidian Lamina scythe and theFurious Blade of Ansbachincantation later, it is recommended to help Sir Ansbach defeat Needle Knight Leda.
Is Ansbach’s Longbow a Good Weapon?
Bows, in general, are not exactly the best weapons inElden Ring, butShadow of the Erdtreetries to give them a little justice by adding strong bows like Ansbach’s Longbow andRepeating Crossbow. Out of all bows, Ansbach’s Longbow has one of the highest stat requirements, 43 Dexterity and 9 Strength. Because of its high stat requirements, Ansbach’s Longbow is viable only for Dexterity builds.
Ansbach’s Longbow’s stat requirement isn’t the only unique thing about the weapon. Its skill, Fan Shot, is what really makes it strong. It fires eight arrows at the target for a cost of 12 FP. When combined with status buildup arrows, you can easily trigger effects like Bleed and Frost.
If you have been wanting to try bows but the existing ones seem too weak, then Ansbach’s Longbow is definitely the right choice for you. It can be buffed using talismans likeArrow’s Sting Talisman,Arrow’s Soaring Sting Talisman, andShard of Alexander. The only downside of Ansbach’s Longbow is how quickly it empties your arrow stock. Be sure to carry different types of arrows so that you can switch them around.
