Ok, so I'm at what I understand is the final encounter in the College of Winterhold quests where Ancano is talking and shooting a bolt of energy into the Eye of Magnus, and I have recovered the Staff of Magnus... but nothing I do can kill this dude. It got so frustrating that I went out on IGN to see the walkthru, and there's a video there where the player is able to slay Ancano, but no matter what I do, I can't even nick the dude, much less kill him.

Any suggestions? I'm playing the pc version...

Also, does anyone notice when you step near to the Eye of Magnus, there's a menu option to "Activate Eye of Magnus"..? When I press "E", nothing happens that I can tell...

You need to use the staff on the eye. That somehow makes Ancano vulnerable.

i had to reload a few times. in the end, i just kept firing the staff at the eye, and kept running around, and the college guy killed him for me.

UESP says:

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Ancano and http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Tolfdir will talk for a short time before Tolfdir launches a spell at him, but with no effect. Tolfdir is knocked down and remains incapacitated while Ancano attacks. He will still have his protective barrier, which can be removed by using the Staff of Magnus on the http://www.uesp.net/w/index.php?title=Skyrim:Eye_of_Magnus&action=edit&redlink=1. It is important to use the Staff for a sufficient amount of time on the http://www.uesp.net/w/index.php?title=Skyrim:Eye_of_Magnus&action=edit&redlink=1- until it returns to a solid, non-glowing sphere - because the protective barrier gives Ancano near immunity to magic and physical attacks when the http://www.uesp.net/w/index.php?title=Skyrim:Eye_of_Magnus&action=edit&redlink=1 is only partially weakened. When the glow surrounding Ancano dissipates he will be vulnerable to attacks. During the fight he may approach the Eye and regain his protective barrier, which must be removed again. When the Eye separates into several hovering and rotating pieces, it is gaining strength, so http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Magic_Anomaly may appear; be sure to use the staff on the Eye, so as to get it to lose more power and return to its original form for some time. The Magic Anomalies will yield soul gems when killed, allowing the Staff of Magnus to be recharged if it depletes during the battle.
It is possible to leave Ancano to fight the magic anomalies and get himself killed that way, as they will attack him as well.


Oh, and welcome.

this, also is it just me or did ancano die in one hit? i was using a perked bound sword and the dude just dropped after one charge attack

the staff absorbs magika from the eye and that deprives Arcano of it.

it takes a while and some recharging but it does work and you can kill him.

Wow... Talk about service..! Thanks everyone... I'll give your ideas a try here momentarily...

we aim to please. LOL

Yeah, we're a helpful bunch. Some of us, anyway. Let us know how you go.

Ok everyone, you guys are awesome... Ancano is a smouldering heap of applesauce on the Winterhold College floor... Thanks all..!!!

Good job!

Dirty Thalmor!

YAY!!! Yep, best place for him.... and all the rest of the Thalmor.

Too right! Yeah, this quest was a bit confusilating to me, as well. I think I wasn't recognizing the "depowered" state of the Eye, and/or was aiming the staff incorrectly. It seemed more effective when aimed at the space between the Eye and the base below it. Lol, I ran out of soul gems and had to run up to the Archmage's quarters and steal his. Keep a weather eye on Ancano the whole time so that when the moment comes you can rush to him and, if not directly dispatch him, at least beat him down.

Was I the only one that didn't have to fight Ancano?

In my game, all he did was try to fight one of those magic anomalies with his fists and he ended up losing when I used the staff on the eye.

I found it both sad, and amusing.

i relished fighting, stealing his soul and then eating him as the final insult. Yumm. LOL