The most formidable of all the legendary animals in Assassin's Creed Valhalla is an ice-covered bear named Steinnbjorn. Players often struggle to beat him as he is the most powerful in the game. This is one task that many often go back to complete after they beat the game due to its difficulty.
If you find yourself failing to take down this mythological bear, then there are a few tips and tricks that can help you out. It might still take you a few tries to beat Steinnbjorn in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, but it is well worth the taste of victory.
Updated August 30, 2021, by Stephen LaGioia: Ubisoft's Viking epic continues to keep players on their toes with a wealth of added content since release, incorporating more action, dynamic quests, and even tougher foes such as Cavalry horsemen. This adds to the already robust and tough lineup of foes Eivor will encounter during his journey and conquests, including the ominous beasts known as legendary animals.
Speaking of which—it seemed like an appropriate time to revisit this piece and add some useful details, especially given the awesome new armor and weapons added to the mix, which can aid in slaying beasts such as Steinnbjorn.
Where Do You Find Him?
This legendary animal can not be found at a specific location via waypoints or symbols. Rather, you will have to identify and reach the general area in order to reveal Steinnbjorn on your map. You can find him in Jotunheim - one of the mythological realms that can only be accessed with Valka's help.
The game requires the completion of the Asgard story arc to reach Jotunheim, after which you can return to Valka at the Seer's Hut in Ravensthorpe. From there, complete the quest Going Deeper.
Once you've gained access to this location, you will need to locate the Serpent's Tree synchronization point and head north, to the east of Utgard. It is also the central point between Serpent's Tree, Grotto, and Well of Mimir.
Make Sure Your Power Level Is High Enough
Steinnbjorn has a Power Level of 400, so make sure you are at this level or close to it before taking him on. Generally speaking, a range of around 380-420 is ideal to fight him. Practiced players laced with great armor and weapons may be able to get away with a slightly lower power level, but it isn't something everyone should try.
You should also check that all of your weapons and armor are upgraded, achieving as powerful a build as possible to give you the best chance at success.
Equip A Bow
You should make sure you have your best bow equipped; preferably a Light Bow or Hunter's Bow. Be sure you have your quiver of arrows full, or at least close to it. You'll want to have ample shots at hand, and missing your marks on the frisky beast at least a few times is likely.
Steinnbjorn isn't too quick on his feet, but his attacks can seem erratic and unpredictable at times—often blindsiding and hitting you in the blink of an eye.
The more distance you have between you and this beast the better as it gives you more time to react. Using the bow will allow you to keep a fairly safe distance and more sufficiently respond to his array of attacks while targetting his weak points.
Aim For Weak Spots
The icy arena in which you square off against Steinnbjorn is encircled by rocks, but it is completely open in the center. The first step is to pull out your bow and aim for the glowing weak spots on Steinnbjorn's body.
These are found on its hips and butt, and they are fairly large targets so it shouldn't be too difficult for you to hit them. While he raises up and turns quite a bit, he mostly stays in place at this phase. Striking these areas will reduce his stun bar and make him vulnerable to your heavy attacks once it's depleted.
Shoot At The Ice Crystals
Once you lower his stun bar to zero he will form ice crystals on different points of his body. At this stage, Steinbjorn will start launching more powerful ice-based attacks. These are mostly area-of-effect hits, so keep your distance, especially while the beast is rising up and looking ready to charge.
You can use the ice spikes to your advantage as hitting them will inflict major damage to Steinnbjorn.
Some like to use melee weapons to hit them, but it is easier if you use a bow. Be warned though, as once these appear, a single slam of his paw on the ground will cause a path of ice to shoot out toward you. These can be deadly if they aren't evaded, as it stifles Eivor and makes them susceptible to the ice blasts that follow.
When the ice crystals on his back have all be shattered, you can go in and attack normally, by any means you see fit. He'll be a bit more clumsy and vulnerable at this stage, but be careful—as the ice crystals will grow back if he's not finished off quickly.
Be Patient, Evasive—And Wait For Your Opening
Patience is key when it comes to fighting Steinnbjorn, which is the most important tip that players should follow. He is big and moves slowly, but don't be tempted to rush him as he deals some serious damage.
You need to wait for your opening and focus on keeping your distance whenever possible, and staying near his back end when close. There is no time limit so you can take as long as you need to bring down this mythological beast.
Again, melee weapons can work when you've found your opening, but it's a good idea to stick with lighter weapons such as daggers and try to generally strike from the side or behind.
Understand His Attacks
Every legendary animal has their own special set of attacks, and Steinnbjorn is no different. He has both heavy and light attacks, but the fact that he resides in Jotunheim means his heavy attacks tend to have more supernatural properties.
The light attacks he might use are as follows:
- Paw slam
- Paw swipe
- Forward lunge move—can be exploited to perform a perfect dodge and slow down time
The heavy attacks include:
- Single paw ground slam that shoots a line of ice
- Two paw ground slam that creates a circle of raised ice
Once you see Steinnbjorn raise his paw or stand on his back legs it is time for you to prepare to move. Be ready to dodge at a moment's notice as these can occur quickly and deal a ton of damage to you. You can recover from a hit or two with your rations, but if he manages to land multiple heavy hits on you in a row, then the fight is basically over.
Recommended Abilities
- Ranged Fire Strike is a great way to whittle away at Steinnbjorn's health. Not only does this last quite a while, but it serves as a passive way to tear down this beast.
- Ranged Poison Strike is also a valid option, as the damage-over-time ability can be useful in chipping away the massive health bar of this beast with little threat to you.
- Man's Best Friend can also be useful in taking some of the burden off Eivor. Don't expect the much smaller wolf to make a major impact, but still, having a trusty animal companion at your side can subtly make a difference.
- Mark of Death can be effective in landing more shots at more critical points with the bow, as it increases the maximum number of targets.
- Dive of the Valkyries is arguably the best melee ability for this skirmish. Ideally, time it so it initiates right after a heavy attack from Steinnbjorn, so that you have time to swoop in and land the heavy blow. A successful hit can take away decent chunks of the monster's health.
What Rewards Do You Recieve?
Unfortunately, winning this battle doesn't grant you a whole lot except for some XP, rations, and two skill points. The reason for this is that you are technically in a dream-induced state when you enter Jotunheim, so there would be no way to physically bring anything back.
While it is a bummer, slaying this tough, elusive legendary beast does allow for ample bragging rights amongst your AC Valhalla-playing friends. It is also part of the reason why players often don't take on this challenge until after they beat the game.