Igon's Greatbow
Igon's Greatbow is a Shadow of the Erdtree greatbow tied to Igon's quest and the battle with Bayle the Dread. Its fixed Igon's Drake Hunt skill and synergy with Igon's Harpoons make it a specialized anti-dragon ranged weapon.
Key Takeaways
Igon's Greatbow is a Shadow of the Erdtree greatbow built around a weapon-specific firing skill rather than interchangeable Ashes of War. Its value depends on completing the Jagged Peak storyline, meeting its attribute requirements, and maintaining a supply of Great Arrows.
A quest-linked greatbow
This weapon is associated with Igon and is obtained through the Shadow of the Erdtree sequence involving Igon and Bayle the Dread. Its availability therefore depends on reaching and resolving that storyline rather than finding it in the base-game world.
Its defining feature is Igon's Drake Hunt
Igon's Drake Hunt fires a barrage from the greatbow and can be charged for a stronger attack. The skill gives the weapon a distinct burst-damage option that is not shared by ordinary greatbows.
The skill is fixed
Igon's Greatbow follows a unique reinforcement path and does not function like an infusible greatbow with a freely replaceable Ash of War. Its build choices therefore come from attributes, ammunition, and surrounding equipment rather than broad skill customization.
It is an ammunition-dependent ranged weapon
The bow uses Great Arrows, so its sustained usefulness depends on obtaining or crafting suitable ammunition. Special arrow choices can change how the weapon is used, but they do not make all arrow types interchangeable.
Its reach comes with greatbow handling limits
Igon's Greatbow is best suited to deliberate ranged attacks and charged skill use, not rapid close-range responses. Draw timing, projectile management, and the space needed to use a greatbow remain important limitations.
It is a specialized alternative to standard greatbows
Compared with customizable greatbows, Igon's Greatbow trades affinity and Ash-of-War flexibility for its unique barrage skill and quest-specific identity. That makes the comparison primarily about skill behavior and upgrade flexibility, not a universal damage ranking.
Overview
Igon's Greatbow is a unique greatbow from Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, distinguished by its exclusive drake-hunting skill and its connection to Igon's late-DLC storyline.
Igon's Greatbow belongs to the greatbow class, but it is not a conventional interchangeable bow that can be reshaped with an Ash of War. It is a unique Shadow of the Erdtree weapon with a fixed identity, a fixed weapon skill, and a progression path suited to a character willing to invest in a slower, deliberate ranged option. Its importance is therefore less about filling a generic greatbow slot and more about combining that class's heavy projectile role with a weapon-specific expression of Igon's hostility toward dragons.
The defining feature is Igon's Drake Hunt, the skill associated with the weapon. It turns the bow into a more specialised answer to large targets than a plain greatbow shot: the attack is presented as a concentrated drake-hunting barrage rather than merely another interchangeable projectile skill. That gives the weapon a clear combat identity, while still leaving ordinary arrows and the broader ammunition system relevant to its use. The skill does not make the bow a universally superior ranged weapon; its value depends on whether the player can create the space and timing that a heavy bow attack demands.
Its place in progression is unusually specific. Igon's Greatbow is encountered through the Shadow of the Erdtree content surrounding Igon and the route toward Bayle the Dread, so it belongs to the expansion's later, high-stakes exploration and boss progression rather than the opening equipment pool. This context matters when evaluating it: the bow is a thematic and mechanical reward connected to a particular DLC storyline, not a general-purpose early replacement for the bows and crossbows available across the base game.
Compared with ordinary greatbows, the weapon's main distinction is its fixed, character-linked skill and its narrative association with Igon, rather than broad customization through freely selected Ashes of War. Compared with lighter bows, it occupies the opposite end of the ranged spectrum: its identity is built around deliberate heavy shots and a more specialised attack pattern, not rapid repositioning or low-commitment fire. Players looking for an iconic DLC weapon with a focused anti-dragon character will find a strong reason to use it; players seeking maximum flexibility should assess its fixed skill and greatbow handling before committing to it.
Statistics
Elden Ring publishes no 0–100 stat bars, so this page lists the verified requirements, scaling and handling figures instead. Taken from the project's verified weapons database, not from generated text.
- CategoryGreatbows
- Damage TypePierce
- Primary ScalingStr D / Dex C
- Weight11.5
- SkillAsh of War (varies)
- Str Req18
- Dex Req30
- How to ObtainShadow of the Erdtree - Igon questline
- DLCShadow of the Erdtree
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar greatbows
| Weapon | Str Req | Dex Req | Weight | Primary Scaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Igon's Greatbow | 18 | 30 | 11.5 | Str D / Dex C |
| Lion Greatbow | 20 | 30 | 11 | Str D / Dex C |
| Golem Greatbow | 24 | 30 | 13 | Str D / Dex C |
| Erdtree Greatbow | 40 | 20 | 16 | Str D / Dex D |
Requirements, scaling grades and weight are the game’s own published figures. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
How to Obtain
- Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
- Access to the Jagged Peak area through Dragon's Pit.
- Igon's quest must have been advanced by speaking with him near Pillar Path Waypoint before the Bayle encounter.
- Defeat Bayle the Dread, then return to Igon's original encounter area and loot his corpse. The reward is tied to this playthrough's quest progression and can be missed if the corpse is not looted.
- 01Enter the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion and find Igon collapsed on the road near the Pillar Path Waypoint Site of Grace, at the approach to Jagged Peak. Speak with him and exhaust his dialogue so his quest advances; this initial meeting is required before relying on his summon sign at the end of the route.
- 02Continue through Dragon's Pit and reach Jagged Peak. At the Bayle the Dread boss encounter, use Igon's gold summon sign inside the arena if you want to complete his quest as intended, then defeat Bayle. Igon is an available quest summon, not the source of a random weapon drop.
- 03After Bayle is defeated, return to the area where Igon was first encountered near the Pillar Path Waypoint approach and loot Igon's corpse. Igon's Greatbow is obtained there as a guaranteed quest reward, together with Igon's associated equipment; it is not purchased from a vendor or obtained from an enemy drop.
Availability
Requires Shadow of the Erdtree; progress Igon's questline through its Bayle-related reward stage.
Not sold by a vendor and has no purchase price. Its availability is tied to the questline rather than a random enemy-drop table.
Requires Shadow of the Erdtree ownership and access are required.
Igon's Greatbow is DLC content.
Requires Shadow of the Erdtree access and the required Igon questline progression in the current cycle.
No separate NG+ price or alternate availability condition is established.
Mechanics and Handling
Igon's Greatbow handles as a dedicated greatbow rather than a conventional bow. Its attacks are deliberate: the weapon must be drawn before releasing a projectile, and its large arrows give each successful shot more battlefield impact than a rapid light-bow attack. The tradeoff is commitment. Firing from an exposed position or beginning a charge without enough distance can leave the wielder vulnerable to interruption.
Charged shots and projectile control
The regular attack fires a Great Arrow, while the charged attack increases the shot's power after the draw is completed. The bow is therefore most comfortable when used from prepared spacing, elevated ground, or a position where an enemy's approach can be watched. Great Arrows travel along a pronounced projectile path rather than behaving like a close-range hit, so the player must account for distance and the target's movement instead of treating the reticle as an instant-hit indicator.
A charged shot is especially useful for opening an engagement or punishing a large enemy during a committed animation. Against agile targets, releasing earlier can be preferable to holding for maximum charge and missing altogether. The weapon's greatbow attack pattern rewards timing and prediction; it is not designed for continuously correcting aim while moving.
Igon's Drake Hunt
Igon's Greatbow has the unique weapon skill Igon's Drake Hunt. The skill prepares the bow and fires a rapid barrage of greatbow shots in succession, and holding the skill input extends the firing sequence rather than limiting the action to a single projectile. This is the weapon's defining handling difference: it converts a normally slow, deliberate ranged attack into a short period of concentrated fire.
The barrage still requires a clear firing opportunity. It consumes arrows as it fires, commits the character to the skill's animation, and can be interrupted or made inefficient if the target leaves the firing line. Use it when a large enemy is exposed, staggered, or moving predictably; against a rapidly advancing opponent, the normal shot or a reposition is often safer. Because this skill is fixed to the weapon, Igon's Greatbow is not a platform for replacing it with another Ash of War.
Ammunition and combat commitment
The weapon uses Great Arrows rather than ordinary arrows. Each normal shot consumes ammunition, and Igon's Drake Hunt consumes multiple arrows during its barrage, making ammunition supply part of the weapon's practical limits. The bow has no firearm-style magazine or reload cycle: there is no magazine to empty, but every draw and every skill sequence must be paid for with available ammunition.
Greatbow attacks can stagger or pressure sizeable targets, but that does not make the weapon a substitute for a shield or a parry tool. Its defensive value comes from distance, line-of-sight management, and ending an enemy's approach before it reaches melee range. The player should avoid starting a long draw or sustained skill animation when an enemy is already within reliable striking distance.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Igon's Drake Hunt gives the weapon a distinctive burst option: it releases a barrage of great arrows instead of relying only on the greatbow's normal shot. The skill can be held to increase its potency, rewarding a clear firing window.
- As a greatbow, it can apply ranged pressure while keeping the user away from ordinary melee range. Its large projectile type is suited to substantial targets that are easier to hit than small, mobile enemies.
- Its identity is especially relevant in dragon-focused encounters, where a large target and predictable attack openings give the charged skill more opportunity to connect.
Weaknesses
- The greatbow's large ammunition is a meaningful resource constraint. Great Arrows are less convenient to carry and replenish than ordinary arrows, and the weapon's signature barrage makes ammunition use especially important.
- Greatbows commit the player to a slower, more deliberate firing style than ordinary bows. Small or highly mobile enemies can move out of the firing line during the draw or charge window.
- Igon's Greatbow is built around its fixed weapon skill rather than Ash of War customization. Players seeking affinity changes, a different skill, or a lighter general-purpose bow have less flexibility with this weapon.
- The weapon's value depends on finding safe firing windows. Its ranged role does not remove the need to manage stamina, positioning, projectile travel, and the recovery after a committed shot.
Best uses
- Use it against large PvE targets, particularly dragons and other bosses that provide enough distance and attack downtime to charge Igon's Drake Hunt.
- Use the normal greatbow shot for deliberate long-range pressure, then reserve the skill's barrage for a reliable opening rather than spending ammunition on uncertain shots.
- Choose it for a heavy ranged option in a build that can meet its requirements and support great-arrow supply; choose a regular bow or a customizable ranged weapon when mobility, cheaper ammunition, or flexible skills matter more.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Weapon | Class and ammunition | Skill and customization | Combat role | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Igon's Greatbow | Unique skill, Igon's Drake Hunt; fixed weapon skill and unique upgrade path | Specialized greatbow with a distinct dragon-hunting skill | Players who want a named DLC greatbow tied to Igon's questline and a dedicated skill rather than affinity customization | — |
| Greatbow | Standard weapon with broader Ash of War and affinity flexibility than unique greatbows | Customizable general-purpose greatbow for builds that want to tune scaling or skill choice | Builds that value experimentation, upgrade flexibility, or a selectable greatbow skill | — |
| Golem Greatbow | Unique greatbow with Through and Through as its fixed skill | Straightforward heavy projectile option without Igon's specialized named skill | Players seeking a durable, conventional greatbow approach and a fixed piercing shot | — |
| Lion Greatbow | Unique weapon with Radahn's Rain as its fixed skill | Skill-focused greatbow whose identity is closely tied to its named projectile attack | Players who specifically want a Radahn-themed weapon skill rather than Igon's dragon-hunting theme | — |
| Erdtree Greatbow | Unique greatbow with fixed skill and physical/holy damage profile | Holy-leaning alternative for characters whose build supports that damage role | Players comparing Igon's Greatbow with a themed, holy-damage greatbow rather than a purely physical option | — |
Used In
- IgonIgon is the character whose signature weapon is Igon's Greatbow. His questline provides the weapon after its concluding events.
- Bayle the DreadDefeating Bayle the Dread is the key event that completes Igon's questline and enables the weapon's recovery from Igon's body.
- Jagged PeakIgon, Bayle the Dread, and the weapon's recovery are all tied to the Jagged Peak area in Shadow of the Erdtree.
Lore and Design
Spoilers for Shadow of the Erdtree’s Jagged Peak storyline. Igon’s Greatbow is explicitly tied to Igon, the drake warrior, rather than being a generic greatbow with a character’s name attached. Its item text identifies the weapon with Igon and connects its construction and history to drakes, while the bow’s unique skill further marks it as his personal weapon.
The weapon’s main narrative significance comes from Igon’s relationship with Bayle the Dread. Igon’s story is defined by the injuries and humiliation he suffered in his confrontation with Bayle, followed by his determination to face that enemy again. The greatbow therefore functions as a tangible part of Igon’s vendetta and of the player’s involvement in the Jagged Peak storyline; this relationship is explicit story context, not an inference from the bow’s appearance.
No separate developer commentary or documented real-world design source is established here, so the weapon should not be assigned an outside cultural inspiration or a claimed historical model. Its documented identity is sufficiently distinctive without that speculation: it is Igon’s personal greatbow, associated with drakes, Bayle, and the Shadow of the Erdtree quest narrative.
Igon and Bayle’s vendetta
Igon’s Greatbow is one of the clearest equipment links to Igon’s character arc. The item text presents it as the drake warrior’s weapon, while the surrounding quest establishes Bayle the Dread as the enemy at the center of Igon’s hatred. In that context, the bow is not merely a reward from the Jagged Peak storyline; it preserves the connection between Igon’s identity, his failed encounter with Bayle, and his desire for revenge.
Trivia
- Igon's Greatbow is named for Igon, the dragon-hunting warrior encountered during Shadow of the Erdtree's Jagged Peak storyline.
- Its weapon skill, Igon's Drake Hunt, makes the namesake part of the attack itself: the skill text instructs the user to shout Igon's name when firing. The skill also gives the shot a dragon-focused effect, tying the bow mechanically to Igon's role rather than using his name only as decoration.