Horizon Zero Dawn

Game Introduction: Horizon Zero Dawn

Genre

• Action role-playing (ARPG) with elements of stealth, survival, and open-world exploration.




Developer & Publisher



• Developer: Guerrilla Games (known for the Killzone series)


• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment




Release Timeline



• Original Release (PS4): February 28, 2017


• PC Release (Steam & Epic Games Store): August 7, 2020


• Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition (PS4, PC): Bundled with The Frozen Wilds DLC; released December 5, 2017 (PS4)


• PlayStation 5 Enhancement: Backward compatible with Performance/Resolution modes (60 fps on PS5 via patch)




Platforms



• PlayStation 4


• PlayStation 5 (via backward compatibility with enhanced performance)


• PC (Windows) via Steam and Epic Games Store




Story Overview


Set a thousand years after the mysterious collapse of modern civilization, humanity has regressed to tribal societies. The player controls Aloy, a young hunter and outcast from the Nora tribe, who embarks on a journey to discover her past and the truth behind the fall of the old world. The story unravels through a richly woven narrative involving ancient technologies, rogue machines, and a looming threat called the Derangement—a phenomenon that has turned the once-peaceful machines into aggressive beasts. Aloy’s quest for identity and answers leads her across vast, beautiful landscapes, uncovering secrets that could save or doom the world again.



Setting


The world of Horizon Zero Dawn is a unique blend of lush natural environments—snowy mountains, dense forests, arid deserts, and vibrant ruins—populated by robotic creatures inspired by prehistoric animals (e.g., Thunderjaws, Sawtooths, Striders). Human tribes, such as the Nora, Carja, Oseram, and Banuk, live in a pre-industrial society, often worshiping or fearing the machines. The contrast between primitive human cultures and advanced technology forms a compelling backdrop.



Main Characters



• Aloy – The protagonist, a skilled hunter and archer raised as an outcast, destined to uncover the truth about her origins.


• Rost – Aloy’s gruff but caring guardian who trains her.


• Sylens – A mysterious, knowledgeable figure who aids Aloy with cryptic advice.


• Lance Reddick (voice) – Portrays Sylens with distinct gravitas.


• Grent, Olin, Teb – Supporting tribe members.


• Erend, Vanasha – Key allies from different tribes.




Core Appeal



• Stunning Open World: Breathtaking visuals with dynamic weather, day-night cycles, and diverse biomes.


• Machine Combat: Strategic engagements that require studying enemy patterns, using elemental weaknesses, and utilizing traps, stealth, and a bow as the primary weapon.


• Engrossing Story: A deep sci-fi mystery that gradually reveals the fall of civilization, with emotional beats and unforeseen twists.


• Lore-Rich Exploration: Collectibles, audio logs, and datapoints that expand the world’s history.


• Skill Progression & Customization: A skill tree allowing different playstyles—stealth, ranged, or close-quarters combat.




Target Audience



• Fans of story-driven action RPGs with exploration (e.g., The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tomb Raider, Assassin’s Creed).


• Players who enjoy challenging combat against robotic foes.


• Those who appreciate rich lore, world-building, and a strong female protagonist.


• Suitable for ages 16+ due to mild violence and some mature themes.




Game Modes



• Single-Player Campaign: The main story plus side quests, errands, and activities (corrupted zones, bandit camps, hunting grounds).


• New Game+: Available after completing the main story, allowing players to replay with upgraded gear and skills.


• Ultra Hard Difficulty: Available in New Game+ for a greater challenge.




Online / Offline Support



• Offline: The entire game is playable offline with no internet connection required after installation.


• Online: No multiplayer or co-op. Online features are limited to leaderboards for hunting ground trials and eventual updates/patches. On PC, online connectivity may be required for initial activation on Steam/Epic Game Store.




DLC / Expansion Overview



• Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds – The major story expansion, set in the harsh, snowy region of the Cut. It introduces new machines (Frostclaws, Fireclaws), new side quests, additional skills, and deepens Aloy’s connection to the world. Approximately 10–15 hours of extra content. Included in the Complete Edition.


• Pre-Order/Timed Exclusive Content: Items like the Carja Storm Ranger outfit (different editions) are generally available as microtransactions or bundled in the Complete Edition.

What Makes This Game Unique

Getting Started: Horizon Zero Dawn

First Hour Walkthrough

Controls on All Platforms

PlayStation (4/5) Default Controls

PC (Keyboard & Mouse) Default Controls

PC (Controller) – Same as PlayStation but button prompts match your controller.

UI Overview

• Health Bar – Top-left corner (green). When it turns red, you’re critically injured. Use medicinal plants to heal (hold D-pad up to consume).


• Weapon/Tool Icons – Next to health bar. Shows equipped weapon (bow, sling, etc.) and ammo type. Use weapon wheel (L1/Tab) to switch.


• Compass – Top center. Shows cardinal directions and icons for quests, waypoints, and points of interest.


• Focus Mode – When active, the screen desaturates and highlights enemies, lootable items, climbable surfaces, and machine weak points. Press R3/F to toggle.


• Machine Information – When scanning with Focus, a small window shows the machine’s name, health, components, and elemental weaknesses.


• Resource Counter – Bottom-right shows Metal Shards (currency) and other key inventory items.


• Quest Tracker – Left side, shows current objective name and optional objectives.


Pro Tip: You can adjust HUD visibility in Settings > General > HUD. New players may want to set it to "Always On" until they get comfortable.

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Essential Early Objectives



In your first few hours, prioritize these goals:

1. Complete "The Womb of the Mountain" – This main quest teaches you to use your Focus and fight basic machines (Watchers, Striders). It ends with you leaving the Sacred Lands.
2. Unlock the Skill Tree – After gaining a few skill points, invest in the Prowler tree: Lure Call and Concentration (slows time while aiming) are early game-changers.
3. Craft a Health Potion and a Fast Travel Pack – Gather medicinal plants (blue flowers) and trade with merchants or craft at workbenches.
4. Unlock the Carja merchant at Mother’s Heart – Sell excess machine parts and buy better weapons (hunter bow, tripcaster).
5. Explore the area around the first Tallneck – Overriding Tallnecks reveals the map. The first Tallneck is near the city of Meridian (accessible after the main quest "The City of the Sun").
6. Complete side quests – They reward skill points, resources, and lore.

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What to Do First and What to Avoid





Do First:



• Scan every new machine with your Focus to learn its weaknesses (fire, freeze, shock, etc.). Mark components for easier aiming.


• Craft arrows immediately. Wood from trees, Ridge-Wood from bushes, and Metal Shards from loot. Don’t run out of ammo.


• Use stealth – Crouch in tall grass, whistle to lure enemies away, and use silent strike (press R1/R from behind) to one-shot weak enemies.


• Collect everything – Medicinal plants, wood, rocks, machine parts. You’ll need them later.


• Override basic machines (Striders, Watchers) for mounts. This requires the Override skill from the Prowler tree.


• Save at campfires often (manual save available).




Avoid:



• Don’t fight large machines early – Sawtooths, Scrappers, and especially Thunderjaws will kill you in 1–2 hits. Sneak around them until you have better gear and skills.


• Don’t ignore the weapon wheel – You can slow time (with Concentration skill) to pick ammo types. Always have fire and shock arrows ready.


• Don’t sell all machine parts – Some are needed for upgrades or quests. Keep things like Lenses, Hearts, and Braiding.


• Don’t fast travel excessively – You’ll miss valuable resources and side quests. Walk or ride a mount.


• Don’t neglect side content** – The main quests are great, but side quests provide essential XP, money, and lore.

Early Resource Priorities

Common Beginner Mistakes

Day-One Checklist

• [ ] Complete the opening prologue and become adult Aloy.


• [ ] Learn to sprint, crouch, climb, and use Focus.


• [ ] Win the Proving.


• [ ] Retrieve your gear and escape the ruins.


• [ ] Activate the first Tallneck (after reaching Meridian or the Carja encampment).


• [ ] Craft 50+ arrows (wood + metal shards).


• [ ] Buy a Hunter Bow from the merchant.


• [ ] Invest first skill point in Concentration (Prowler).


• [ ] Unlock Lure Call (Prowler skill) to distract enemies.


• [ ] Complete 2–3 side quests (e.g., help the village with machines).


• [ ] Collect at least 20 medicinal plants.


• [ ] Upgrade your Quiver (arrow pouch) at a merchant (requires animal skins).


• [ ] Save the game at a campfire.


• [ ] Override a Strider or Broadhead to ride as a mount.

Core Gameplay Overview

Early Game (Levels 1–15 / The Embrace & First Nora Lands)

Main Gameplay Loop

• Explore the Sacred Lands (The Embrace, Mother’s Watch, Nora hunting grounds).


• Encounter small machines: Watchers, Striders, Grazers, Scrappers, Lancehorns.


• Gather resources: wood, metal shards, machine parts, medicinal plants.


• Craft basic arrows (Hunting, Fire, Hardpoint), health potions, traps.


• Complete main quests (e.g., “The Point of the Spear”, “The Proving”) and side quests from Nora settlements.


• Upgrade the Focus, unlock first skills (e.g., Silent Strike, Lure Call, Concentration).




Combat & Interaction Systems



• Stealth is critical early on. Use tall grass, whistle (Lure Call skill), and silent strikes (critical kill from behind).


• Melee: Aloy’s spear is weak against machines; use it mainly for stealth kills vs. humans.


• Ranged: Warrior Bow and Hunter Bow. Focus on weak points: fire canisters, blaze canisters, antennae. Tearblast arrows (unlock later) are not available yet; use Hardpoint arrows for damage.


• Elemental: Fire arrows cause burning over time (effective against Grazers). Electric arrows stun (stops a machine for critical hits).


• Tripcaster: Wire traps for corridors. Useful for ambushing patrol routes (e.g., near Blaze canisters).


• Reminder: Always override Tallnecks early (there’s one near Mother’s Watch) to map the area.




Progression



• Leveling: Completing quests and killing machines grants XP. Each level gives skill points and small health/stamina boosts.


• Skill Trees: Three trees:

- Prowler (stealth, trapping): Prioritize Silent Strike, Lure Call, Easy Loot (harvest components without destroying them).
- Brave (combat, ranged): Concentrate (bullet time), Precision (zoom for sharpshot bow), Critical Hit (multi-hit from stealth).
- Forager (resources, gathering): Scavenger (more loot), Tinker (mod cooldowns), Merchant discounts.

• Weapons: Purchase Hunter Bow (Merchant in Mother’s Heart), Tripcaster, and a Carja Sharpshot Bow as soon as possible. Complete the “Hearts of the Nora” quest to get the War Bow (for frost/electric arrows).


• Outfits: Buy a Carja Blazon (fire resistance) for early machine fights; upgrade with weaves.




Exploration



• Tallnecks: Override to reveal map zones. The first is in the Embrace (southwest of Mother’s Watch).


• Collectibles: Banuk Figurines, Metal Flowers, Vantage Points. They give lore and reward boxes later.


• Side Quests (e.g., “The Pilgrim’s Descent”, “The Sun and the Moon”) provide XP and shards.


• Cauldrons: First Cauldron (Sigma) introduces overriding machines—requires spear upgrade. Do it before mid-game to override Striders/Watchers for mounts.




Economy



• Metal Shards: Main currency. Farm by looting dead machines, selling unneeded mods.


• Machine Parts: Tearblast arrows can remove components without destroying them (e.g., Blaze hearts). Cook meat for health.


• Merchants: Buy weapons, ammo boxes, potions. Early tip: buy the “Blast Sling” after reaching Daytower (mid-game transition).




Character/Build Growth – Early Focus



• Recommended early skills: Silent Strike → Lure Call → Easy Loot → Concentration → Call Mount (after first Cauldron).


• Weapon loadout: Hunter Bow (fire/hardpoint), Sharpshot Bow (precision arrows), Tripcaster (blaze wires).


• Outfit: Nora Silent Hunter for stealth, or Brave for defense.


• Mods: Use +damage mods on bows, +fire on War Bow, +handling on Sharpshot. Sell low-tier mods.


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Mid Game (Levels 16–30 / The Sundom, Carja Territory, Makers’ End)





Main Gameplay Loop



• Open up the Sundom (Daytrow, Meridian, Jewel).


• Encounter medium machines: Behemoths, Shell-Walkers, Ravagers, Longlegs, Stormbirds (rare).


• Acquire the Shadow weapons (purple rarity) from Meridian merchants.


• Begin main quest line “The Heart of the Nora”, “The City of the Sun”, “Maker’s End”.


• Unlock new overrides: Striders, Watchers, Broadheads, Chargers, and eventually Sawtooths.


• Hunting Grounds challenges: Sun-Steps, Greatrun, Nora hunting grounds give practice and rewards.




Combat & Interaction Systems – Expanded Tactics



• Elemental combos: Freeze a machine (with War Bow frost arrows) then unleash hardpoint arrows for triple damage (freeze status). Same with shock to stun then critical hit.


• Tearblasting: Use Tearblast arrows (from Sharpshot bow with special ammo) to strip off armor plates, cannons, or weapon components. Example: tear off a Ravager’s cannon and use it against other machines.


• Rope Caster: Essential for big machines (Stormbirds, Thunderjaws). Tie them down to freeze or shoot weak points safely.


• Tripcaster upgrades: Use electric wires (shock) to immobilize. Blaze wires for area denial.


• Override machines (requires Corruptor hearts or more skill points): Control a machine to fight for you briefly. Useful for distracting a herd.


• Human combat: Stealth kill or use precision arrows; avoid open fights with multiple enemies.




Progression



• Level cap increases; you will have ~25 skill points by level 30. Focus on filling one tree to unlock the final skill (e.g., Prowler > Double Shot / Triple Shot, Brave > Shield-Weaver armor unlock?).


• Weapons: Buy Shadow Hunter Bow (handling/damage), Shadow War Bow (3 elemental ammo slots), Shadow Sharpshot Bow (tearblast + precision). Shadow Ropecaster (fast draw).


• Outfits: Shield-Weaver armor is found at the “Ancient Armory” quest (requires energy cells). This is a game-changer for survivability. Alternatively, Carja Silks for stealth or Nora Protector for defense.


• Skill priorities: Triple Shot (Brave tree), Double Shot (Brave), Tinker (Forager – allows removing mods without destroying them), and an upgrade to Call Mount for faster travel.




Exploration



• Tallnecks: Three in the Sundom; override to reveal full map.


• Cauldrons: Rho and Xi give overrides for bigger machines (Sawtooths, Thunderjaws? No, Thunderjaw override comes from Cauldron Zeta late game). Also unlock ability to override flying machines? (No, only ground).


• Vantage Points and Metal Flowers: Collect to complete sets for Merchant rewards (e.g., “The Frozen Wilds” DLC items if you have it).


• Hidden Caches: Loot for shards and mods. Use Focus to scan for them.


• Side Quests: Many in Meridian, including corruptor quests (e.g., “The Terror of the Sun”), errands (collect X parts).


• Hunter’s Lodge: After defeating the Redmaw (one of the main quests), unlock lodge weapons (Striker Bow, Blast Sling). These are high-tier.




Economy



• Shards become plentiful: sell unwanted mods (green/blue) to merchants, sell extra machine parts (e.g., lenses, hearts except for upgrades).


• Buy ammo boxes because they auto-craft when you rest at campfires – convenient.


• Mods: Purple mods (Shadow rarity) drop from tougher machines (Behemoths, Ravens, Corruptors). Save them for final weapons.




Character/Build Growth – Mid Game Loadout



• Skill tree: Max out Prowler for stealth bonuses, get Triple Shot from Brave, and get Tinker from Forager.


• Weapons:

- Shadow Hunter Bow (damage mods)
- Shadow War Bow (freeze/shock mods)
- Shadow Sharpshot Bow (tearblast + handling mods)
- Shadow Ropecaster (handling mods)

• Outfit: Shield-Weaver armor (best overall) or Carja Silks (vs. fire).


• Consumables: Always carry health potions, resist potions (fire, freeze, shock), and Blaze canisters for traps.


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Late Game (Levels 31–50 / The Frozen Wilds, Grave-Hoard, Gaia Prime)





Main Gameplay Loop



• Main quest ramps up: “The Grave-Hoard”, “Deep Secrets of the Earth”, “The Mountain that Fell”.


• Explore The Frozen Wilds DLC (if playing Complete Edition) after reaching Meridian; enemies are tougher (Scorchers, Daemonic machines, Fireclaws).


• Acquire the strongest weapons: Banuk weapons (e.g., Banuk Striker Bow, Banuk Powershot Bow) have superior stats when fully charged.


• Complete all Hunting Grounds (including Frozen Wilds) for gold medals to get special mod boxes.


• Farm high-level machines for purple mods: Thunderjaws, Rockbreakers, Stormbirds.


• Override all Cauldrons (Zeta, other DLC cauldrons) to control Thunderjaws and other apex machines.




Combat & Interaction Systems – Advanced Tactics



• Use multiple rope casters: Tie down a Thunderjaw, blow off its disc launchers, then freeze and triple-shot the heart.


• Corruptor / Deathbringer fights: Focus on glowing weak points (heatsinks), use fire arrows to expose them, then heavy damage. Use shield-weaver to absorb hits.


• Human enemies (Shadow Carja): Use stealth or precision arrows from distance; they have shields but are vulnerable to shock wires.


• Machine overrides: In chaotic fights, override a Ravager and let it attack others. Works best with machines that have powerful ranged attacks (e.g., Stormbird).


• Elemental synergies: Apply freeze + then use ice bombs (from Shadow Blast Sling) for shatter damage. Or shock + then critical hit.


• Banuk weapons have a charge mechanic: hold L2 to draw, then release for higher damage. Practice timing.




Progression



• Level 50 cap: After ~40-50 hours of content. Skill points fill all trees; final skills like Shield-Weaver are already unlocked. Max out health (500 HP).


• Weapons:

- Banuk Striker Bow (best damage, charge mechanic)
- Banuk Powershot Bow (highest precision damage)
- Shadow Ropecaster (already good)
- Sharpshot Bow (keep for tearblast)
- Lodge Blast Sling (fire bombs, freeze bombs – excellent AoE)

• Outfits: Shield-Weaver for general use; Carja Blazon for fire resistance fights; Carja Silks for underwater areas.


• Mods: Use all purple mods from Thunderjaws (e.g., +25% damage, +30% handling). Stack damage on Hunter Bow, handling on Ropecaster.


• Skill focus: By this point you have all skills; optimize for combat: Double/Triple Shot, Fast Reload, Tinker, and the stealth capstone (Shadow Strike+).




Exploration



• Frozen Wilds: New area north of the map. High-level machines and new quests. Banuk merchants sell exclusive weapons and outfits (e.g., Banuk Ice Hunter outfit).


• Cauldron Zeta: Located in the southwest; after completion, you can override Thunderjaws and Rockbreakers (game-changers).


• Ancient Ruins: Leftovers of human civilization; loot mods and lore.


• Hunting Grounds (Frozen Wilds): Snowchants – gold medal gives a unique mod (e.g., +damage +handling triple stack).




Economy



• Shards are abundant: Sell green/blue mods, loot boxes from quests.


• Best farm spot: The area near a site with two Thunderjaws (e.g., near the Eternal Wash in the Cut). Use Tearblast arrows to remove disc launchers, then freeze and kill. Loot each for 4-5 purple mods.


• Merchants: Banuk traders accept Bluegleam (Frozen Wilds currency) for unique items. Bluegleam can be found in quests, treasure chests, and from Scratchers.




Character/Build Growth – Late Game Perfected



• Weapon loadout: Banuk Striker Bow (damage), Banuk Powershot (handling), Ropecaster (handling), Blast Sling (freeze/fire).


• Outfit: Shield-Weaver with maybe a +stealth weave for humans.


• Potions: Always have three health potions, two resist potions of each type.


• Traps: Use blast wire (triple stacked) for ambushing herds.


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Endgame (Post-Story & New Game+)





Main Gameplay Loop



• Complete the final main quest “The Looming Shadow” and the epilogue. The world remains open for free play.


• New Game+: Unlocks after finishing the main story. Reset with all skills, weapons, outfits, and mods but increased enemy difficulty (Very Hard or Ultra Hard).


• Ultra Hard mode: Available in New Game+. Machines are more aggressive, health increased, and prices quadruple. Not recommended for first playthrough.


• Hunting Grounds gold medals (already done? can redo for fun).


• Cauldron overrides: Already obtained; make an army of overridden machines for photo mode.


• Lore: Collect all data points (audio, text) for 100% completion.


• Achievements/Trophies: Many require specific feats (e.g., kill a Grazer with a sled, override all machines, etc.).




Combat & Interaction Systems – No New Mechanics



• Same as late game, but enemies in New Game+ Ultra Hard require perfect tactics: always freeze then triple shot, use ropes, tear off weapons first. One hit from a Thunderjaw face cannon can kill you without shield-weaver.


• Frozen Wilds DLC endgame content: Fireclaws and Frostclaws (boss-level machines). Use Banuk weapons, dodge rolling frequently, and exploit their weak spots (blaze sacs on Fireclaw, freeze sacs on Frostclaw).




Progression



• No further level cap: Level 50 is max. Skills are all unlocked.


• Weapons: Already maxed; only improvements come from god-roll mods (e.g., +25% damage + 30% handling on same mod). Farming for perfect mods is endgame activity.


• Outfits: Shield-Weaver remains best; Banuk Ice Hunter (cold resistance) for Frozen Wilds.


• Mods: Supreme mods (purple with triple stats) rarely drop from corrupted or daemonic machines (Frozen Wilds). Farm Daemonic Thunderjaws or Fireclaws for best chance.




Exploration



• 100% completion: Scan all Tallnecks, find all Vantages, Metal Flowers, Banuk Figurines, and all machine overrides. Use map filters for collectibles.


• The Frozen Wilds has additional side quests (“Waterlogged”, “The Forbidden Wilds”) that reward Bluegleam and final mods.


• Photo Mode: Unlock all locations for screenshots.




Economy



• Shards: By this point, you have hundreds of thousands. Main expense: ammo crafting in Ultra Hard (costs more). Turn to selling extra parts.


• Box farming: Complete Hunting Grounds gold medals repeatedly to get boxes with random mods. Or farm Thunderjaws for components to sell.




Character/Build Growth – Endgame Min-Maxing



• Skill loadout: All skills unlocked. Optimize weapon wheel for different scenarios (e.g., fire bow vs freeze bow).


• Perfect mod setup: For example, a Hunter Bow with three 35% damage mods = +105% damage. A Ropecaster with three 35% handling mods = +105% draw speed.


• Consumables: Unlimited thanks to abundant resources.


• New Game+: Use the same build; no new abilities. Ultra Hard demands you use the Focus heavily to avoid detection.


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Endgame Structure & The Final Verdict



The endgame is primarily about mastery, collectible completion, and challenge runs. The story is finite, but the open world remains alive. Key activities:

• Thunderjaw farming for mods


• Hunting Grounds gold medals for bragging rights (e.g., completing all with under 1 second left)


• Cauldron overrides to ride a Thunderjaw into battle (fun but not critical)


• New Game+ Ultra Hard for the ultimate test of skill and resource management

Summary Table

Game Tips: Horizon Zero Dawn

Combat Tips

• Tip: Always use R3 (Focus) before engaging any machine. Highlight components, weaknesses, and enemy level.


• Why it works: Shows elemental weaknesses (fire, freeze, shock), tearable parts, and armor. Attaching ropes or removing components becomes easier.


• When to use: Before every fight, especially against new machines or in crowded areas.


#### 2. Aim for Weak Points

• Tip: Target a machine's canisters (fire, freeze, shock), eyes, or exposed power cells for massive damage.


• Why it works: Each machine has specific weak spots that cause extra damage or explosive reactions. For example, shooting a Blaze canister ignites the machine and deals area damage.


• When to use: When you need to quickly disable a threat or conserve resources. Best used with precision arrows.


#### 3. Tearblast Arrows Are Your Best Friend

• Tip: Use Tearblast arrows (from Tearblaster? Actually Tearblast ammo) to remove armor plates, weapons, or heavy components from machines.


• Why it works: Tear damage strips parts instantly, exposing weak points or disabling special attacks (like a Thunderjaw's disc launcher).


• When to use: At the start of a fight against armored machines (Sawtooth, Ravager, Thunderjaw) to leave them vulnerable.


#### 4. Ropecaster for Crowd Control

• Tip: Use the Ropecaster to tie down large machines, then attack weak points or place traps.


• Why it works: Ropecaster fires ropes that immobilize machines for a few seconds. Allows safe removal of components or setting up critical hits.


• When to use: When facing multiple aggressive machines (e.g., two Bellowbacks) or a single high-level target like a Behemoth.


#### 5. Dodge Roll Timing

• Tip: Time your dodge rolls to evade machine charges and area attacks. Don't spam dodge; wait for the attack animation.


• Why it works: Most attacks have a telegraph (wind-up). Rolling later avoids the hitbox and conserves stamina for counterattacks.


• When to use: Against Watcher leaps, Ravager bursts, and Thunderjaw charges. Practice timing in the early game.


#### 6. Use Slowing (Concentration) Effectively

• Tip: Hold L2 to enter Concentration mode (slows time) while aiming. Upgrade this skill early.


• Why it works: Gives you a critical window to aim at moving weak points. Essential for headshots on humans or canisters on machines.


• When to use: During combat when you need a precise shot, especially against human enemies or while sliding/jumping.




Exploration Tips



#### 1. Climb Everything (But Smartly)

• Tip: Most yellow handholds are climbable. Look for yellow ropes, poles, and ledges.


• Why it works: Verticality offers vantage points, hidden loot, and safe paths to avoid ground patrols.


• When to use: When exploring ruins, crossing canyons, or evading machines.


#### 2. Unlock Tallnecks Early

• Tip: Tallnecks reveal the entire map. Prioritize overriding them to uncover Cauldrons, collectibles, and side quests.


• Why it works: Clear map reduces confusion and shows areas of interest. Each Tallneck has a puzzle to solve.


• When to use: As soon as you leave the Embrace. Start with the first one near Nora territory.


#### 3. Use Your Focus to Mark Enemies and Loot

• Tip: While exploring, scan with Focus to tag machines, paths, and resources. Marked enemies show through walls.


• Why it works: Planning routes avoids ambushes. Tagged loot glows through obstacles.


• When to use: Before entering a new area, especially near machine sites or bandit camps.


#### 4. Fast Travel is Limited Early

• Tip: Fast Travel requires Fast Travel Packs (crafted from Ridge-Wood) or use the Golden Fast Travel Pack (unlocked later).


• Why it works: Saves time but costs resources. Plan journeys or hunt for merchants to buy the unlimited Golden pack.


• When to use: Only when crossing long distances after unlocking multiple campfires. Conserve packs early.


#### 5. Underwater Exploration

• Tip: Aloy can swim indefinitely. Look for sunken ruins or caverns; some contain ancient tech or Datapoints.


• Why it works: Hidden areas hold skill points and lore. Watch for underwater currents that block paths.


• When to use: After obtaining the diving mask (lore-wise no diving gear required actually; just swim mod from Banuk? Actually you get a modification that lets you breathe longer underwater. It's a skill. Unlock the "Deep Diver" skill in the Traveler tree.)




Resources & Crafting Tips



#### 1. Always Loot Machines Completely

• Tip: After defeating a machine, loot its corpse for crafting materials (wire, metal shards, machine-specific parts like Blaze, Chillwater, etc.).


• Why it works: Resources are essential for ammo crafting and selling. Mechanical parts like Large Machine Cores are needed for quests or weapons.


• When to use: Every kill. Loot before the body despawns (they vanish after a while).


#### 2. Farm Ridge-Wood for Arrows

• Tip: Ridge-Wood is the primary resource for all regular arrows. Harvest it from trees and bushes.


• Why it works: You can never have enough Ridge-Wood. It's light and used in hunting arrows, precision arrows, and more.


• When to use: Always pick it up when you see it. Restock at merchants if low.


#### 3. Craft Ammo Mid-Battle

• Tip: Use the D-pad to craft ammo quickly. You don't need to exit the weapon wheel.


• Why it works: Saves time and keeps you in combat. You can craft arrows while dodging if resource menu is open.


• When to use: When ammo runs low during a fight, especially for tearblast or elemental arrows.


#### 4. Sell Extra Machine Parts

• Tip: Some machine parts are only needed for specific upgrades or quests. Sell excess to earn shards fast.


• Why it works: Heavy components like "Luminous Braiding" or "Metal Vessel" can be sold for high prices early on. Check with merchants for what you need.


• When to use: After looting many machines, visit a merchant and compare sell prices. Only keep parts for upgrades or buy back later if necessary.


#### 5. Forage Herbs for Health

• Tip: Medicinal plants (green jerky? Actually there are health potions and herbs) are plentiful. Hold Square to heal without using potions.


• Why it works: Herbs are free and instant. They restore a small amount of health. Combine with skills to increase capacity.


• When to use: Between fights or when low on potions. Always keep your herb slots filled (you can carry up to 25? Max is 35 with upgrades).




Builds & Progression Tips



#### 1. Prioritize Stealth Skills First

• Tip: Unlock Silent Strike, Lure Call, and Quiet Sprint early.


• Why it works: Stealth makes early game much easier. Silent Strike kills small machines instantly. Lure Call brings enemies into melee range.


• When to use: As soon as you have skill points. This build allows you to clear bandit camps and stealth sections effortlessly.


#### 2. Hunter Skills - Concentration Boost

• Tip: Max out the Hunter tree for Improved Concentration and Concentration+ skills.


• Why it works: Extended slow-motion aiming makes hitting weak points trivial. Essential for high difficulty.


• When to use: After building a solid stealth foundation. Combine with good bows for devastating damage.


#### 3. Brave Skills - Double and Triple Shot

• Tip: Unlock Double Shot and Triple Shot skills (Brave tree).


• Why it works: Fires multiple arrows at once, multiplying damage and tear. Use with Tearblast or elemental arrows for massive effect.


• When to use: Against large machines (Thunderjaw, Stormbird) to quickly remove components or apply statuses.


#### 4. Forager Skills for Resource Management

• Tip: Unlock "Scavenger" and "Resourceful" skills to increase loot from machines and reduce crafting costs.


• Why it works: More resources mean less farming. Reduces frustration in harder difficulties.


• When to use: Mid-game when you start upgrading all weapons and need efficient resource flow.


#### 5. Choose Weapon Loadout Based on Playstyle

• Tip: Carry at least one hunter bow (damage), one war bow (elemental), and one sharpshot bow (precision or tear). Specialize one weapon with damage mods, another with handling.


• Why it works: Provides flexibility against different machine weaknesses. Handling mods increase draw speed while damage mods boost output.


• When to use: After acquiring multiple weapons (around level 15-20). Experiment with modifications to suit combat style.




Economy & Trading Tips



#### 1. Hunt Animals for Their Skins

• Tip: Fox, Boar, and Goose skins are rare and sell for good shards. Sell them early.


• Why it works: Early game shard shortage. These skins are not used in many crafts until later.


• When to use: When you need quick shards for a new weapon or outfit. Don't sell if you plan to upgrade pouches.


#### 2. Buy the Golden Fast Travel Pack

• Tip: Once available, purchase the unlimited Fast Travel Pack from any merchant (costs around 200 shards and 10 Ridge-Wood? Actually it's one time and costs 50 metal shards and a few parts).


• Why it works: Infinite fast travel saves time and resources. No need to craft packs repeatedly.


• When to use: As soon as you have the shards early-mid game.


#### 3. Invest in Better Weapons and Outfits First

• Tip: Upgrade your primary weapons (bow, sling) before buying new ones. A purple-tier weapon with mods outclasses a poorly modded blue.


• Why it works: Weapon damage increases significantly with levels and mods. Upgrading mod slots cheaply improves power.


• When to use: After acquiring the Shadow Hunter Bow (purple) and Carja Blazon outfit. Focus on fully modding them.


#### 4. Trade with Merchants in Settlements

• Tip: Each merchant specializes (e.g., weapons, armor, resources). Prices vary, but some offer unique loot.


• Why it works: Some rare mods and materials are only sold at certain locations (e.g. the Banuk Merchant in the Frozen Wilds DLC area has unique weapons).


• When to use: Visit every settlement and check stock. Buy special modifications like handling or damage coils.


#### 5. Don't Hoard - Sell Low-Value Items

• Tip: Items like "Metal Vessel" or "Luminous Braiding" are only used in one quest each. After completing those quests, sell them.


• Why it works: Free up inventory space and gain shards. Use the "hunt" guide to know what to keep.


• When to use: After finishing the associated quest or if you're sure you don't need them for upgrades.




Stealth Tips



#### 1. Use Tall Grass and Crouching

• Tip: Always crouch in tall grass to become invisible to machines and humans. Sound is reduced.


• Why it works: Most enemies cannot detect you while you're in grass unless they are alerted. Allows picking off enemies one by one.


• When to use: When approaching bandit camps or machine herds. Re-enter grass after every kill.


#### 2. Lure Call to Isolate Targets

• Tip: Use stones (R1) or the Lure Call skill to attract a single enemy away from its group.


• Why it works: Breaks patrols and allows silent strikes without alarm.


• When to use: Against clustered machines or bandits. Prioritize Watchers first as they alert others.


#### 3. Override as a Stealth Tool

• Tip: Some machines can be overridden (after Cauldron unlocks) to become mounts or allies. A tamed Strider can distract enemies or help in fights.


• Why it works: Overridden machines attack other machines, causing chaos and thinning the herd.


• When to use: Have a mount ready when entering a hostile area. Override a machine before combat to turn the tide.


#### 4. Use Smoke Bombs to Escape

• Tip: Craft smoke bombs (from Wire and ?) to blind enemies and slip away if detected.


• Why it works: Breaks enemy line of sight and allows repositioning. Essential for escape or resetting the fight.


• When to use: When overwhelmed or trying to assassinate a priority target.




Machine Hunting Tips



#### 1. Know Machine Weaknesses

• Tip: Each machine has elemental weaknesses. For example, Fire destroys Glinthawks, Freeze immobilizes Stormbirds, Shock stuns Snapmaws.


• Why it works: Using the correct element triggers a chain reaction (e.g., freezing a machine doubles physical damage).


• When to use: Prepare ammunition based on the machine type. Use Focus to see weaknesses.


#### 2. Detachable Weapons (Thunderjaw Disc Launcher & Ravager Cannon)

• Tip: Use Tearblast arrows to rip off a Thunderjaw's Disc Launcher or a Ravager's cannon, then pick up and use the weapon against them.


• Why it works: These weapons deal massive damage and use the machine's own ammo. Clever resource efficiency.


• When to use: At the start of a fight with these machines. Be careful not to destroy the weapon when tearing it off.


#### 3. Rope Down Flying Machines

• Tip: Use the Ropecaster on Glinthawks or Stormbirds to bring them to the ground for effective melee or precision shots.


• Why it works: Flying machines are evasive and hard to hit. Roping them eliminates their mobility advantage.


• When to use: As soon as they take flight. Fire ropes quickly before they dodge.


#### 4. Use Traps and Tripcasters

• Tip: Place trap wires (Tripcaster) or radial mines along known patrol paths. Use elemental or blast wires for maximum damage.


• Why it works: Prevents ambushes and damages multiple enemies. Allows safe damage before engaging.


• When to use: Before luring a machine herd into a bottleneck or when setting up a defense.




Side Content & Quests Tips



#### 1. Complete Cauldrons ASAP

• Tip: Cauldrons unlock the ability to override new machine types. Each has a puzzle and boss fight.


• Why it works: Overriding opens mounts (Broadhead, Charger, Strider) and control over powerful machines during combat.


• When to use: After reaching the corresponding area. Start with Cauldron RHO (near Daytower).


#### 2. Do Bandit Camps for Skill Points

• Tip: Clearing bandit camps yields large skill point rewards and removes some roadblocks.


• Why it works: Skill points are scarce early. Each camp gives a number of points and loot.


• When to use: Early-mid game after gathering some stealth skills. Use silent strikes and lures.


#### 3. Collect All Vantage Points and Metal Flowers

• Tip: These collectibles provide lore and unlock special rewards (like the Carja outfit or Banuk items).


• Why it works: Some rewards are exclusive; also provides XP and shards. Use guides to locate them.


• When to use: Any time while exploring. Mark them on the map.


#### 4. Hunting Grounds for Weapon Upgrades

• Tip: Complete Hunting Ground trials to earn sun medals which can be traded for special weapons and mods.


• Why it works: Some of the best weapons (like the Striker Bow or Lodge War Bow) require medals.


• When to use: After unlocking mounts and better gear. Practice trials for gold ranking.




Advanced Optimization Tips



#### 1. Slide Shot - Advanced Combat Technique

• Tip: While sprinting, press crouch to slide, then immediately aim with Concentration to get bonus damage and slow-mo.


• Why it works: This combo triggers the "Slide" damage bonus (increases damage by 50% for that shot).


• When to use: To finish off a machine or hit a critical weak point during evasion.


#### 2. Use Melee Follow-Up with R1

• Tip: After hitting a frozen or shocked machine, follow up with a heavy melee (R2) to trigger a critical hit.


• Why it works: Frozen machines take 2x physical damage, and melee critical hits deal high damage with the spear.


• When to use: After applying freeze (war bow) or when a machine is stunned.


#### 3. Mod Stacking and Min-Maxing

• Tip: Use three identical mods on one weapon (e.g., three 15% damage mods) for maximum effect. Use the same for handling or tear.


• Why it works: Mod percentages stack additively, so focusing one stat yields better results than mixing.


• When to use: When you have high-tier mods (blue or purple). Test different combos on test dummies.


#### 4. Override a Tallneck for Best View

• Tip: After overriding a Tallneck, it will walk a circuit. Ride its head for a safe tour and to mark surrounding datapoints.


• Why it works: Tallnecks ignore you while riding them. You can scan for nearby collectibles without getting attacked.


• When to use: After each Tallneck override.


#### 5. Use Food and Potions Wisely

• Tip: Cooked meats (from animals or merchants) provide temporary buffs like increased health or stamina regeneration. Drink potions before tough fights.


• Why it works: Buffs stack with skills and outfit weaves. For example, resist potions help against elemental damage.


• When to use: Before entering Cauldrons, fighting Deathbringers, or exploring Frozen Wilds.


#### 6. Learn Enemy Attack Patterns

• Tip: Each machine has a limited set of attacks. Memorize telegraphs (e.g., Thunderjaw rears up before stomp).


• Why it works: Perfect dodging opens windows for counterattacks. Reduces resource waste from unnecessary healing.


• When to use: Practice against low-level machines first. Watch and learn before engaging higher tiers.

Conclusion

Game Settings: Horizon Zero Dawn

1. Graphics Settings

• FOV: Increasing FOV past 80 can reduce immersion for some. Test in combat – a wider view helps see machines but may make aiming feel different. Default 70 is safe.


• Motion Blur & Depth of Field: These are commonly disabled by experienced players. They obscure important visual cues and can cause motion sickness. Turn them off immediately.


• Shadows & Reflections: These are the biggest FPS hogs. Lowering them one step often gains 10-15 FPS without ruining visuals.

2. Audio Settings

3. Controls Settings

• Aim Assist (controller): Set to Low or Off if you find it pulling your crosshair away. High is good for beginners but can be frustrating during multi-target fights.


• Mouse Smoothing: Always turn off. This setting is notorious for causing input lag.


• Key Binding: The weapon wheel (default Q) and Focus (default R) are crucial. Consider rebinding Focus to a thumb mouse button for quick scans.

4. Accessibility Settings

5. Language Settings

6. Network Settings

7. Gameplay Settings

• Difficulty: Do not start on Very Hard or Ultra Hard unless you are experienced with action RPGs. Story mode is forgiving and lets you focus on exploration. You can change difficulty at any time except when Ultra Hard is locked (New Game+).


• Auto Pickup: Definitely enable. You'll gather berries, wood, and metal shards automatically – saves time and reduces button mashing.


• Weapon Quick Select: The radial menu is highly recommended. It pauses combat briefly, letting you equip the right arrow or trap without frantic keyboard/controller mashing.

Summary of Must-Adjust Settings

Important Notes: Horizon Zero Dawn

Irreversible Choices

• No major branching endings – The main story has a single fixed ending. Your choices in dialogue or side quests do not alter the final outcome.


• Side quest consequences – Some side quests have minor outcomes that affect NPC fates (e.g., who survives in "The Queen's Gambit" or "The Sun and the Shadow"). These do not impact the main story or ending.


• The Frozen Wilds DLC – A few choices in the DLC change dialogue or quest availability (e.g., "The Forbidden West" quest outcome). None are game-breaking.


• Tip: You can always reload a save before making a choice if you want to see alternate results. There is no way to undo a choice after progressing.


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Missable Content




• Missable side quests – These quests become unavailable after reaching certain main story milestones. Complete them before progressing:

- "The Mountain that Fell" – Must be completed before the main quest "The Grave-Hoard".
- "Hunter's Blind" – Must be completed before "The Heart of the Nora".
- "The Queen's Gambit" – Must be completed before "The Looming Shadow" (the final pre-endgame quest).
- "Acquired Taste" – Must be completed before starting "The Heart of the Nora" (or it fails).

• Point of no return – After starting "The Looming Shadow", the game warns you that you cannot return to the open world until after the credits. You can still free roam post-game, but some side quests may be permanently locked if not done beforehand. Always complete all side content you care about before that mission.


• Collectibles – Vantage points, Banuk figures, Metal Flowers, and Power Cells are all accessible after the story. However, one Power Cell (inside the Grave-Hoard) can only be obtained during that main quest; if you miss it, you can still re-enter the area after completing the story using a specific path (but it's easy to overlook – check a guide).


• DLC missables – The Frozen Wilds quests and collectibles remain available after the main story. No DLC content is missable once you start it.


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Difficulty Spikes




• Early game Sawtooth fight – This is the first major machine you must kill. It can be tough at low level. Tip: Use stealth, lay traps (shock wires), and aim for the blaze canister on its back with fire arrows to cause a large explosion.


• First Corruptor fight (in "Maker's End") – The machine is fast, shoots projectiles, and can corrupt nearby machines. Tip: Use the tearblaster (if obtained) to remove its weapons, or freeze it with ice arrows before hitting it hard.


• Frozen Wilds Frostclaws and Fireclaws – These are significantly harder than base game machines. They have high damage, area attacks, and can heal. Tip: Use fire or ice ammo (weakness opposite of their element), dodge sideways, and target the cooling/heat vents.


• Final boss (the last Corruptor in the final quest) – It has multiple phases and high damage. Tip: Use hardpoint arrows on weak points, keep moving, and bring plenty of healing items and potions.


• General difficulty scaling – The game does not have level-based difficulty scaling. Machines have fixed levels. If you're undergeared, you will struggle. Always upgrade your spear, weapons, and armor when possible.


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Grinding Traps




• Don't grind for resources – Loot everything from machines and containers. Ammo and health items are plentiful if you scavenge regularly. Avoid spending hours gathering specific items; you'll get enough through normal play.


• Weapon and armor upgrades – The game encourages buying new gear rather than grinding to upgrade existing ones. Focus on earning shards and hearts from machines, then purchase better equipment from merchants.


• Side quests for XP – Side quests and errands give generous XP. If you feel underleveled, do a few side quests instead of killing random machines repeatedly.


• The hunting grounds challenges – These are not required for progression. Trying to get gold on all of them early can be frustrating. Come back later with better gear and skills.


• Skill point waste – Prioritize skills that improve stealth (Silent Strike, Lure Call) and combat (Tinker, Heavy Weapons). Avoid spreading points too thin early on.


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Save Management Advice




• Manual saves are your friend – The game autosaves frequently (quest progress, entering areas), but manual saves let you revert missed content or bad choices. Save before starting a main quest, entering a new region, or making a difficult choice.


• Use multiple save slots – Many players fill all slots with manual saves at key milestones. That way, if you accidentally overwrite, you still have backups.


• Quick save – On PC (F5) and consoles (inventory menu) you can quick save. Use it before tough fights.


• No cloud save for PC? – Steam and Epic Games Store have cloud saving enabled by default. Ensure it's turned on to avoid losing progress.


• PS4/PS5 – Use the system's cloud save backup (requires PlayStation Plus) as an extra layer.


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Things Players Commonly Regret Not Knowing Earlier



1. Always use the Focus – Scan constantly to highlight machines, enemy paths, lootable items, and climbable surfaces. It's infinite and free.
2. Whistle + Silent Strike – You can whistle from behind cover to lure a machine close, then use Silent Strike (requires skill) to instantly kill small machines or damage larger ones. This is the most efficient stealth tactic early on.
3. Fast travel is not free initially – You need to craft or buy Fast Travel Packs from merchants. After completing the "Hunter's Blind" side quest, you get an unlimited Fast Travel Pack (best item in the game). Get it early!
4. Overriding machines – Unlock the "Override" skill tree to learn how to override machines. You can then ride some (like Strider, Broadhead, Charger) for faster travel. Also, overriding a machine then setting it to aggressive mode creates a powerful ally.
5. Teardown arrows – These are invaluable for removing components (weapon mounts, armor plates) without dealing much damage. Use them on heavy machines to expose weak spots.
6. Ropecaster is not just for immobilizing – It can also be used to tie down flying machines (Glinthawks, Stormbirds) so you can shoot them safely.
7. Elemental status effects – Freezing increases damage on most machines, fire causes damage over time, shock stuns. Combine effects: freeze then hit with hardpoint arrows is a devastating combo.
8. No fall damage – You can jump from any height without taking damage. But watch out for cliffs that lead to water – drowning is possible.
9. Weapon upgrades from merchants – Don't ignore weapon coils and outfit weaves. They provide significant stat boosts. Strip them from old weapons before selling.
10. The skill tree has respect options? No, you cannot reset skill points. Choose wisely, but you will eventually get all skills by the end of the game + DLC.
11. The DLC (Frozen Wilds) is designed for characters around level 25-30. It is much harder if you go there immediately after the early game. Save it for after the main story or at least after reaching "The Grave-Hoard" quest.
12. Merchant prices vary by region – Carja merchants in Meridian often have better selection but higher prices. Nora merchants have basic gear. Banuk merchants in the Cut sell unique upgraded versions of base weapons (but they cost a lot).

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Final Warnings




• The game autosaves frequently, but manual saves are essential for avoiding progress loss. Save before entering a new area or starting a quest chain.


• Do not rush the main story. Exploring, doing side quests, and gathering collectibles enriches the experience and provides much-needed upgrades.


• No difficulty achievements are locked behind anything – play on the difficulty that feels best. You can change difficulty at any time (except for the Very Hard or Ultra Hard? Actually you can change anytime, but Ultra Hard is only available in New Game+).


• New Game+ carries over all gear and skills but locks the difficulty to the mode you started. Plan accordingly.


• If you encounter a bug or crash, verify your game files (PC) or rebuild database (PS4). The game has been patched but rare issues persist.

All Game Items: Horizon Zero Dawn

Weapons

Hunting Bows

• Standard Hunter Bow (Nora): Basic bow. Fires arrows (Hunter, Hardpoint, Fire). Purchase from early merchants.


• Carja Hunter Bow (Carja): Improved handling and damage. Available from Carja merchants after reaching Meridian.


• Shadow Hunter Bow (Shadow): Best tier; 3 modification slots. Deals high tear and damage. Purchase from Shadow merchants or found in late-game loot.




Sharpshot Bows



• Sharpshot Bow (Nora): High damage, long range. Fires Precision, Tearblast, and Harvest arrows.


• Carja Sharpshot Bow: Better stats. Obtained after main quest "The City of the Sun".


• Shadow Sharpshot Bow: Top tier. Best for sniping machine components.




Warbows



• War Bow (Nora): Fires elemental arrows (Shock, Freeze, Corruption). Useful for applying status effects.


• Carja War Bow: Improved elemental buildup.


• Shadow War Bow: Best for elemental damage; 3 slots.




Slings



• Sling (Nora): Throws elemental bombs (Fire, Freeze, Shock). Area effect.


• Carja Sling: Longer range, faster reload.


• Shadow Sling: Highest elemental damage. Purchase from Shadow merchants.




Ropecaster



• Ropecaster (Nora): Fires ropes to tie down machines. Upgrades reduce time. Essential for overriding.


• Carja Ropecaster: Ties faster.


• Shadow Ropecaster: Best; 3 slots. Buy from Meridian.




Tripcaster



• Tripcaster (Nora): Sets wire traps (Blast, Shock, Fire). Good for ambushes.


• Carja Tripcaster: Deploys faster.


• Shadow Tripcaster: Highest damage traps.




Blast Sling



• Blast Sling (Nora): Throws explosive bombs (Blast, Proximity). High damage.


• Carja Blast Sling: Larger blast radius.


• Shadow Blast Sling: Best explosive damage.




Rattler



• Rattler (Nora): Rapid-fire close-range weapon. Uses Rattler Ammo.


• Carja Rattler: Higher fire rate.


• Shadow Rattler: Best for DPS; 3 slots.




Tearblaster



• Tearblaster (Unique): Uses Blaze canisters. Extreme tear damage; ideal for ripping off armor. Obtained from side quest "Hunter's Blind".




Lodge Weapons



• Lodge War Bow & Lodge Ropecaster: Rewards from Hunter’s Lodge quests. Unique stat lines; no modifications but built-in perks.




Banuk Weapons (The Frozen Wilds DLC)



• Banuk Striker Bow: Charged shots deal extra damage. Bluegleam purchase.


• Banuk Powershot Bow: High damage per charged shot. Best for one-shot builds.


• Banuk Ice Rail: Freeze beam + explosive. Versatile.


• Banuk Stormslinger: Shocks and AoE lightning. Dangerous but powerful.


• Banuk Icerail: Long-range freeze launcher. Ammo efficient.


• Banuk Forgefire: Flamethrower with explosive rounds. Excellent against clustered enemies.


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Armor (Outfits)



Outfits provide protection and resistances. Upgrade via modification slots. Purchase from merchants, reward from quests, or discover in the world.



Nora Outfits



• Nora Brave (starting): Low stats. Free.


• Nora Protector: Higher melee and ranged resist. Purchase in Mother’s Heart.


• Nora Silent Hunter: Stealth boost. Purchase from merchants.




Carja Outfits



• Carja Blazon: Fire resistance. Good for fighting Fire Bellowbacks.


• Carja Silks: Stealth and corruption resistance. Available in Meridian.


• Carja Trader: Melee resistance, moderate.




Shadow Outfits



• Shadow Stalwart: All-round resistances, 3 slots. Best early-mid game.


• Shadow Carja: Specialized; available from Shadow merchants.




Banuk Outfits (DLC)



• Banuk Chieftain: High freeze and shock resistance. Bluegleam.


• Banuk Ice Hunter: Excellent freeze protection.


• Banuk Fireclaw Armor: Fire resistance and handling boost.




Special Armor



• Shield-Weaver Armor: Unique “shielding” outfit that absorbs damage until depleted. Requires 5 Power Cells. Best for survivability. See Key Equipment.


• Oseram Sparkler: Shock resistance. Reward from side quest.


• Nora Survivor: Boosted healing and resistances. Purchase late game.


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Weapon/Outfit Modifications





Weapon Coils



• Handling Coil: Increases reload speed and draw speed.


• Damage Coil: Increases physical damage.


• Tear Coil: Increases tear damage.


• Elemental Coil: Increases elemental buildup.


• Shock/Freeze/Fire Coils: Specific elemental. Rare.


• Purple (Legendary) Coils: Best stats. Found in ancient ruins, DLC, hunters lodge rewards.




Outfit Weaves



• Melee Resist​: Reduces physical melee damage.


• Ranged Resist​: Reduces projectile damage.


• Fire Resist​: Reduces fire damage.


• Freeze Resist​: Reduces freeze buildup.


• Shock Resist​: Reduces shock damage.


• Corruption Resist​: Reduces corruption buildup.


• Stealth Weave: Increases stealth.


• Health Weave: Increases health? (Actually improves healing rate).


• Purple Weaves: Highest percentages.


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Ammo & Crafting Components



Most ammo is crafted from machine parts and plants. Always gather resources.



Arrow Types



• Hunter Arrow: Crafted with Ridge-Wood + Shards. Basic damage.


• Hardpoint Arrow: Ridge-Wood + Metal Vessel. High tear/damage.


• Fire Arrow: Ridge-Wood + Blaze + Sparker. Ignites enemies.


• Precision Arrow: Ridge-Wood + 2× Wire. Long range, high damage.


• Tearblast Arrow: Ridge-Wood + Blaze + Metal Vessel. Massive tear.


• Harvest Arrow: Ridge-Wood + Wire. Harvests components without destroying them.


• Shock Arrow: Ridge-Wood + Sparker + Chillwater. Paralyzes.


• Freeze Arrow: Ridge-Wood + Chillwater + Metal Vessel. Freezes.


• Corruption Arrow: Ridge-Wood + Blaze + Chillwater. Turns machines hostile.




Trap Ammo



• Blast Trap: Blaze + Metal Vessel. Explosive.


• Shock Trap: Sparker + Metal Vessel. Stuns.


• Fire Trap: Blaze + Sparker. AoE fire.


• Frost Trap: Chillwater + Metal Vessel. Freeze AoE.




Sling Ammo



• Fire Bomb: Blaze + Metal Vessel.


• Freeze Bomb: Chillwater + Metal Vessel.


• Shock Bomb: Sparker + Metal Vessel.




Rattler Ammo



• Rattler Rounds: Ridge-Wood + Metal Shards.




Ropecaster Ammo



• Rope: Wire + Ridge-Wood.




Tripcaster Ammo



• Blast Wire: Blaze + Wire.


• Shock Wire: Sparker + Wire.


• Fire Wire: Blaze + Sparker.


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Consumables





Potions



• Health Potion: +150 HP. Craft with Medicinal + Desert Glass. Essential.


• Full Health Potion: +300 HP. Requires 2× Medicinal + 2× Desert Glass.


• Fire Resist Potion: 50% fire resistance 60s. Craft with Medicinal + Blaze.


• Freeze Resist Potion: 50% freeze resistance. Medicinal + Chillwater.


• Shock Resist Potion: 50% shock resist. Medicinal + Sparker.


• Corruption Resist Potion: 50% corruption resist. Medicinal + Metal Vessel.




Food (The Frozen Wilds)



• Scavenger Meat: +15 HP. Common.


• Wild Meat: +25 HP.


• Hearty Meat: +50 HP.


• Fresh Meat: Cooked; provides bonuses (e.g., extra damage). Sold by cooks.




Utility Items



• Fast Travel Pack: Allows fast travel to discovered campfires. Craft with Metal Vessel + 10 Shards.


• Golden Fast Travel Pack: Unlimited fast travel. Buy from Meridian.


• Trap Lure: Lures machines to traps. Craft with Sparker + Medicinal.


• Fire Arrow Potion: (DLC) Temporary fire arrow buff.


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Materials





Machine Parts



• Blaze: Common from Fire Bellowbacks, Strider. Used for fire ammo.


• Chillwater: Frozen machines (Glinthawks, Snapmaws). Freeze ammo.


• Sparker: Shock machines (Stalkers, Stormbirds). Shock ammo.


• Metal Vessel: Drop from most large machines. Crafting ammo.


• Metal Shards: Currency, also used for crafting. Loot and trade.


• Wire: From Scrappers, Longlegs. Ropes and traps.


• Lens: Machine-specific (e.g., Watcher Lens). Required for some purchases.


• Heart: Machine-specific (e.g., Thunderjaw Heart). Used for purple upgrades.


• Braiding: From Tallnecks, Behemoths. Rare.


• Sac Webbing: From machines; sensitive; used for health/potions.


• Echo Shell: From Shell-Walkers. Used for some ammo?


• Ancient Vessel: Rare from ancient boxes. Sold for shards.


• Blastpaste: From Watchers etc. Used for explosive ammo.




Animal Parts



• Bones (small, medium, large): From boars, foxes, etc. Used for pouch upgrades.


• Skins (small, medium, large): From same animals. Pouch upgrades.


• Rare Fish: Not used much except in DLC for odd quest.




Plants and Other



• Medicinal: Found in plains. Craft potions.


• Ridge-Wood: Shrubs. Arrow crafting. Buy cheap.


• Desert Glass: Craft health potions.


• Woods: For arrows (shards buy).


• Bluegleam: DLC currency. Found in deposit boxes and quests.


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Currencies




• Metal Shards: Primary currency. Loot, trade, sell.


• Bluegleam (DLC): Used to buy Banuk weapons and armor. Obtain from quests and treasure boxes in The Cut.


• Merchant Tokens: Not present; instead, trading uses shards and machine parts as barter.


• Special Tokens: None; but Hunter’s Lodge uses Hunt tokens? Actually, Hunter’s Lodge uses Metal Shards and gives unique weapons, no special currency.


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Collectibles





Metal Flowers



• 30 total. Spherical metal structures emitting hum. Collect to unlock Cauldron Omicron? Actually, they unlock a flower box in Meridian. No major gameplay benefit but trophy.


• Located in the wild; use Focus to see glow.




Banuk Figures (The Frozen Wilds)



• 6 wooden figurines. Collect to unlock a Banuk merchant’s best items (including Shield-Weaver-like outfit? No, special weapons). Follow quest "The Survivor".




Vantage Points



• 12 datapoints from pre-apocalypse. Listen to audio logs and view scenes. No gameplay reward but world-building.




World Datapoints



• Over 70 scattered texts/audio. No ability to collect; they auto-add to notebook. No reward.




Ancient Vessels (Vases)



• 15 ceramic pots. Return to Meridian for shards. Not required for 100%.




Training Dummies



• Not collectible; just for trial.


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Key Equipment & Special Items





Focus



• Focus: Acquired in childhood. Allows scanning machines, highlighting tracks, hacking. Can be upgraded with mods? Not; but essential.




Spear



• Basic Spear: Starting melee weapon. Override unlocked after main quest.


• Upgraded Spear: After main quest, dealt more damage. No modifications.




Shield-Weaver Armor



• Shield-Weaver: Crafted from 5 Power Cells found in ancient ruins. Provides energy shield that regenerates. Best armor for late game. Must complete the "Ancient Armory" side quest.




Power Cells



• Five cells needed for Shield-Weaver. Locations: Ruins near Mother’s Heart, Ruins by Nora lands, Maker’s End, Grave-Hoard, The Mountain. Missable? Yes, some later become inaccessible if not grabbed before final mission.




Override Modules



• Unlock override for machine types by completing Cauldrons (Sigma, Rho, Xi, Zeta). Not items but key abilities.




Tearblaster Weapon



• Unique weapon from side quest. See weapons section.


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Synergies & Upgrades




• Weapon + Coils: Apply damage coils to Sharpshot bows for one-shot kills; tear coils for removing armor; handling coils for fast ropecasting.


• Armor + Weaves: Stack stealth weaves for ghost-like approach; stack fire resist vs Fire Bellowbacks.


• Ammo + Status: Freeze + Hardpoint arrows deal massive damage; Shock + Blast works well.


• Potions + Environments: Use frost resist in high cold zones.


• Skills: Unlock skills like Double Shot, Triple Shot, elementals to boost item effectiveness.


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Notes



• All weapons and armor can be sold but not retrieved; avoid selling unique items.


• DLC items (Banuk gear) are locked until The Frozen Wilds is installed.


• Trading with merchants can yield rare coils; check their inventory after each story progression.


• Crafting ammo from resources is cheaper than buying.


• Always carry Ridge-Wood and Medicinal for basic needs.

Character Skills Overview

Brave Branch (Red) – Combat & Override

1. Concentration (3 Ranks)

• Effect: When aiming a bow or weapon, time slows down. The duration of slow-motion increases per rank.


• Cooldown: None; activates automatically upon aiming.


• Upgrades: Rank 1: 1.5s slow; Rank 2: 2.0s; Rank 3: 2.5s.


• Synergies: Pairs well with any precision weapon (Sharpshot Bow, Tearblaster) to line up critical hits. Combines with Critical Hit for massive weak point damage.


• Recommended Build: Essential for all builds, especially those relying on bow combat. Max out early for easier aiming.


• When to Use: Always when aiming; particularly effective against moving machines or fragile weak points (e.g., Blaze cannisters, eyes).




2. Critical Hit (3 Ranks)



• Effect: Increases damage dealt when hitting a machine's weak point (vulnerable areas). Rank 1: +25% damage; Rank 2: +50%; Rank 3: +75%.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Linear damage bonus.


• Synergies: Essential with Concentration for pinpoint shots. Works with all weapons that target weak points, especially Tearblast Arrows (to strip armor) followed by Hardpoint Arrows.


• Recommended Build: Mandatory for any combat-focused build. Combine with Precision skill (Brave) for maximum output.


• When to Use: Always; aim for orange glowing weak points on machines. Prioritize on aggressive machines like Thunderjaws.




3. Combat Override (1 Rank)



• Effect: Allows overriding machines even while they are alert or in combat (previously only possible when undetected).


• Cooldown: None, but requires crafting override modules and being close enough.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Use with Override Abilities (unlocked via Cauldrons) to turn machines against each other. Pairs well with Heavy Lifter to use machine weapons.


• Recommended Build: Useful for crowd control and creating distractions. Not essential early but powerful for late-game combat.


• When to Use: When surrounded or facing a tough machine; override a nearby enemy (e.g., a Ravager) to fight for you.




4. Heavy Lifter (1 Rank)



• Effect: Allows Aloy to pick up and carry heavy weapons dropped by machines (e.g., Ravager Cannon, Thunderjaw Disc Launcher).


• Cooldown: None.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: The heavy weapons deal massive damage but have limited ammo. Combine with Concentration for easier aiming. Requires good positioning due to slow movement while carrying.


• Recommended Build: Not mandatory but adds fun and powerful options. Consider picking up for specific encounters.


• When to Use: After disabling a machine’s weapon (e.g., tearblast arrow off Ravager cannon), pick it up and unleash on groups or bosses.




5. Expert Carver (1 Rank)



• Effect: Increases the number of resources (e.g., bones, skins, lenses) obtained from animals (boars, foxes, etc.).


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Useful for crafting larger pouches and selling resources. Pairs with Gatherer (Forager) for overall resource income.


• Recommended Build: Take early if you want to craft pouches quickly; otherwise skip until later.


• When to Use: Always when hunting animals.




6. Precision (2 Ranks) – Base Game Skill



• Effect: Increases damage dealt by precision weapons (Sharpshot Bow, Tearblaster, Forgefire). Rank 1: +15% damage; Rank 2: +30% damage.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Additive damage.


• Synergies: Stacks with Critical Hit for massive weak point damage on precision shots. Ideal for sniping.


• Recommended Build: Core for sniper/heavy damage builds. Combine with Concentration.


• When to Use: Always when using precision weapons.




7. Shield Weaver (1 Rank) – Base Game Skill



• Effect: Unlocks the ability to craft the Shield Weaver Armor (requires completing the Ancient Armor quest). Note: The skill itself is often a prerequisite; once obtained, the armor provides a rechargeable energy shield.


• Cooldown: Passive on armor; shield regenerates after a short time out of combat.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Provides excellent survivability, especially against ranged attacks. Pairs with heavy weapon builds to reduce risk.


• Recommended Build: Extremely valuable for any build; aim to acquire early via quest and skill point.


• When to Use: Any combat; best when facing multiple enemies or high-damage machines.




8. Fighter's Might (1 Rank) – Frozen Wilds Skill



• Effect: Increases melee damage by 50% when health is above 75%.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Works with Power Attack and Strike from Above (Prowler). Encourages aggressive melee play with high health.


• Recommended Build: For melee-focused or hybrid builds. Combine with Health potions.


• When to Use: When you are at full health and close to machines.




9. Surge of Power (1 Rank) – Frozen Wilds Skill



• Effect: Hitting enemies with melee attacks increases damage of next ranged attack by 30% (stackable up to 3 times).


• Cooldown: Passive; stacks reset if you take damage.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Promotes switching between melee and ranged. Use with Hunter Bow for rapid shots.


• Recommended Build: For players who enjoy mixing combat styles.


• When to Use: Build up stacks on smaller machines, then unleash on a larger target.




10. Frost Resistance (1 Rank) – Frozen Wilds Skill


Bonus skill added via DLC.

• Effect: Reduces frost status effect duration by 5% and frost damage by 10%.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Useful in snowy areas or against Frostclaws. Combine with cold resistance potions.


• Recommended Build: Situational; take before exploring The Cut.


• When to Use: Against machines that use frost attacks.


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Prowler Branch (Blue) – Stealth & Movement



The Prowler tree enhances Aloy’s stealth capabilities, movement speed, and melee attacks. It’s ideal for silent assassins and agile combatants.



1. Silent Strike (1 Rank)



• Effect: Perform a one-hit kill from behind on small to medium human and machine enemies (can't kill large machines, but deals heavy damage).


• Cooldown: None; requires being undetected and close.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Use with Lure skill to bring enemies close. Essential for stealth clearing human camps.


• Recommended Build: Mandatory for stealth builds. Take early.


• When to Use: When undetected; also for dealing massive damage to machine weak points from behind.




2. Strike from Above (1 Rank)



• Effect: Jump off a tall ledge and perform a powerful melee attack on an enemy below. Deals significant damage and can kill smaller enemies.


• Cooldown: None; requires height advantage.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Works with Quiet Sprint to approach silently. Combine with Fighter's Might for extra damage.


• Recommended Build: Useful but situational; take if you enjoy vertical combat.


• When to Use: From tall rocks or trees to surprise enemies below.




3. Power Attack (1 Rank)



• Effect: Hold the melee button to charge a heavy spear attack that deals extra damage and can knock down smaller enemies.


• Cooldown: Requires brief charge time.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Break through armor plates or stagger machines. Pairs with Critical Hit for follow-up weak point shots.


• Recommended Build: Core for melee builds; good for breaking components.


• When to Use: When you need a quick hard hit, especially after dodging.




4. Quiet Sprint (1 Rank)



• Effect: Sprinting does not increase detection radius; you can run silently past enemies.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Essential for stealth approaches; combine with Silent Strike and Lure.


• Recommended Build: Highly recommended for any stealth-focused player.


• When to Use: When trying to reposition stealthily or escape combat.




5. Lure (1 Rank)



• Effect: Press a button to whistle, attracting a nearby enemy to your location.


• Cooldown: Short (a few seconds).


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Use to bring enemies into grass for Silent Strike or to group them for area attacks.


• Recommended Build: Essential for stealth players. Combine with Quiet Sprint.


• When to Use: When you want to isolate an enemy from a patrol.




6. Balanced Aim (1 Rank)



• Effect: Allows Aloy to aim and shoot while sliding, jumping, or sprinting without significant accuracy loss.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Adds mobility during combat. Works well with Concentration for acrobatic shots.


• Recommended Build: Great for aggressive players who like to stay mobile.


• When to Use: While sliding down slopes or jumping to gain height advantage.




7. Stealth Tear (1 Rank) – Base Game Skill



• Effect: Increases tear damage (chance to remove components) when attacking from stealth.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Use with Tearblast Arrows while undetected to strip armor before combat.


• Recommended Build: Useful for machine hunters who want to disable weapons early.


• When to Use: Before initiating combat; tear off dangerous components silently.




8. Evade (1 Rank) – Base Game Skill



• Effect: Increases dodge distance and invulnerability frames during rolls.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Essential for survivability against fast enemies. Pairs with Heavy Lifter to dodge while carrying weapons.


• Recommended Build: Strongly recommended for all builds.


• When to Use: Always; dodge more effectively.




9. Agile Assassin (1 Rank) – Frozen Wilds Skill



• Effect: After performing a Silent Strike, Aloy enters a state of increased movement speed for 5 seconds.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Chains into multiple stealth kills quickly. Combine with Lure and Quiet Sprint.


• Recommended Build: For pure stealth assassins.


• When to Use: After a stealth kill to quickly reposition to another enemy.




10. Ice Hunter (1 Rank) – Frozen Wilds Skill



• Effect: Increases damage dealt by ice-based weapons (e.g., Ice Rail, Frost Arrows) by 15%.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Useful against machines weak to frost (e.g., Scorchers, Frostclaws).


• Recommended Build: Take before fighting frost-vulnerable enemies in The Cut.


• When to Use: Against any machine that has a freeze weakness.


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Forager Branch (Green) – Crafting & Resources



The Forager tree improves resource gathering, crafting efficiency, and tool usage. Ideal for resource management and trap-based combat.



1. Scavenger (2 Ranks)



• Effect: Increases the chance of obtaining rarer resources from looted machines (e.g., hearts, lenses). Rank 1: +10% chance; Rank 2: +20% chance.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Two ranks.


• Synergies: Pairs with Expert Carver (Brave) for maximum resource yield. Essential for crafting high-level modifications.


• Recommended Build: Take early to accelerate gear upgrades.


• When to Use: Passive; always active when looting.




2. Tinker (1 Rank)



• Effect: Allows removal of weapon and armor modifications (coils) without destroying them (previously removal destroyed the mod).


• Cooldown: None; used from inventory.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Critical for min-maxing builds; lets you move best mods between weapons.


• Recommended Build: Essential for all players; get early to avoid wasting mods.


• When to Use: Whenever you want to reallocate mods from one piece of gear to another.




3. Gatherer (2 Ranks)



• Effect: Increases the yield from harvesting plants, wood, and other resources in the world. Rank 1: +1 extra per harvest; Rank 2: +2 extra.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Two ranks.


• Synergies: Helps craft more potions, traps, and arrows. Pair with Scavenger.


• Recommended Build: Take early for resource abundance.


• When to Use: Always when gathering plants and wood.




4. Call Mount (1 Rank)



• Effect: Allows Aloy to call her currently mounted machine (e.g., Strider, Broadhead) from a distance with a whistle. The mount will travel to her position if within range (approx. 150m).


• Cooldown: Short cooldown after a mount dies or is dismissed.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Useful for fast travel and escaping combat. Pair with Quiet Sprint to dismount undetected.


• Recommended Build: Highly recommended for open-world traversal.


• When to Use: When you need a mount quickly or want to escape.




5. Herbalist (1 Rank)



• Effect: Medicinal plants (e.g., Medicinal Herb) restore more health when used. Approximately +20% healing.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Helps in extended combat without potions.


• Recommended Build: Good for survival; take if you rely on healing plants.


• When to Use: Passive; improves all herb healing.




6. Trap Master (1 Rank)



• Effect: Increases damage dealt by traps and tripwires by 25%.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Essential for trap-focused builds. Combine with Disarm Traps (actually Disarm Traps is a skill? It's in Forager – see next).


• Recommended Build: Core for trap users.


• When to Use: Always when using traps.




7. Disarm Traps (1 Rank)



• Effect: Allows Aloy to disarm enemy traps (e.g., Ravager mines) and collect them as resources.


• Cooldown: None.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Provides extra resources and prevents trap damage. Pair with Trap Master.


• Recommended Build: Situational; useful in areas with many bandit traps.


• When to Use: When you spot a red glowing trap; approach and interact.




8. Medicine (1 Rank) – Base Game Skill



• Effect: Increases the effectiveness of all health potions and healing items by 25%.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Stacks with Herbalist for maximum healing.


• Recommended Build: Recommended for all builds to reduce downtime.


• When to Use: Passive; always active.




9. Harvester (1 Rank) – Frozen Wilds Skill



• Effect: Increases the amount of ammunition gained from ammo crates that hold 5 or more arrows by 25%.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Useful for extended fights; reduces ammo scavenging.


• Recommended Build: Good for players who use ranged weapons heavily.


• When to Use: Passive; always active.




10. Fire Resistance (1 Rank) – Frozen Wilds Skill



• Effect: Reduces fire status duration by 5% and fire damage by 10%.


• Cooldown: Passive.


• Upgrades: Single rank.


• Synergies: Helps against Fireclaws and human enemies with fire weapons.


• Recommended Build: Situational; take before entering fire-heavy areas like Cauldrons.


• When to Use: Passive; always active.


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Additional Notes on Skills




• Skill Points: Earned from leveling up (XP) and completing certain quests. The maximum level is 60 (base game) and 80 with The Frozen Wilds. You can respec? No, skill choices are permanent, but you can eventually learn all skills if you collect enough skill points.


• No Cooldowns for Passives: Most skills are passive (always active). Active skills like Lure have a short cooldown; Concentration is triggered by aiming.


• Build Recommendations:

- Stealth Sniper: Max Concentration, Critical Hit, Precision (Brave); Silent Strike, Quiet Sprint, Lure (Prowler); Tinker (Forager) for mods.
- Berserker/Hvy weapon: Max Heavy Lifter, Combat Override, Fighter's Might (Brave); Power Attack, Evade (Prowler); Harvester (Forager) for ammo.
- Trapper: Max Trap Master, Scavenger, Gatherer (Forager); Stealth Tear (Prowler) for disarming; Concentration for placing traps with precision.

• Frozen Wilds Skills: These 9 skills are obtained in the same skill tree but require base skills to unlock (some have prerequisites). They are highly recommended for survival in The Cut.

Characters & Roles Guide for Horizon Zero Dawn

Main Playable Character: Aloy

• Exceptional agility and climbing ability.


• Ability to use a Focus to scan machines for weaknesses, components, and patrol patterns.


• Access to a wide array of weapons (bows, slings, tripcasters, ropecasters, etc.) and ammo types (fire, ice, shock, etc.).


• Three skill trees: Brave (combat), Prowler (stealth), Forager (resources/crafting).


• Can override machines to fight for her or use as mounts.


Weaknesses:

• Limited health; must rely on potions and healing items.


• No dedicated tank/damage reduction; positioning is critical.


• Stealth is broken if detected; cannot outrun many machines.


• Resource management for ammo and traps is necessary.


Playstyle:
Aloy is a hit-and-run tactician. In combat, use the Focus to identify elemental weaknesses and component weaknesses. Start encounters with stealth kills on human enemies or critical strikes on machines. Use the environment—tall grass, ledges, rock outcroppings—to reposition. Engage from distance with arrows or throw traps for crowd control. In melee, use the spear for finishing stunned enemies but avoid prolonged brawls with large machines.

Unlock Conditions: Aloy is unlocked from the very start of the game; no requirements.

Recommended Equipment & Builds:

• Early Game: Carja Bow (hunter arrows), Nora Longbow (precision arrows), Tripcaster (blast traps), sling for elemental effects. Armor: Nora Silent Hunter (stealth) or Nora Brave (health).


• Mid Game: Shadow weapons from Meridian merchants—especially Shadow Hunter Bow (tearblast arrows) and Sharpshot Bow (fire arrows). Carja Blazon outfit (fire resistance).


• Late Game: Banuk weapons (Striker Bow, Powershot Bow) from The Frozen Wilds DLC. Shield-Weaver armor (energy shield) for survivability. Oseram armor (melee resistance) for close-quarters.


• Skill Build: Prioritize Bravado (critical hit chance), Double/Triple Shot from Brave; Silent Strike from Prowler; gatherer skills from Forager. Unlock "Cauldron Override" for larger machines.


Team Synergy: As a solo character, Aloy does not have a party. However, in certain quests, allied NPCs (e.g., Erend, Varl, Petra) will fight alongside her temporarily. These allies draw enemy aggro and deal moderate damage, allowing Aloy to flank or use heavy weapons. Her own skills complement any ally by disabling machines (shock/freeze) or creating openings (stealth).

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Allies & Friends



#### Rost

• Background: A grim, exiled Nora warrior who raised Aloy after her mother's death. He trained her in survival, hunting, and combat.


• Role: Mentor and temporary protector for the first few hours. Dead after challenge—his role is narrative/farewell.


• Strengths: Skilled melee fighter and archer; provides early guidance.


• Weaknesses: Not playable; dies early.


• Playstyle: N/A (NPC only).


• Unlock: Automatically present in prologue.


• Recommended Equipment: None (pre-set).


• Team Synergy: Helps Aloy learn basics; his death motivates her journey.


#### Sylens

• Background: A mysterious, whip-smart traveler from the Banuk tribe. He assists Aloy via Focus transmissions, sharing ancient knowledge and a cynical perspective.


• Role: Information broker and quest-giver; provides crucial lore and hacking tools (Override module).


• Strengths: Deep understanding of old world tech; excellent historian and strategist.


• Weaknesses: Morally ambiguous; uses Aloy for his own ends.


• Playstyle: N/A (off-screen helper).


• Unlock: Met after leaving Nora lands.


• Recommended Equipment: None.


• Team Synergy: Provides mission objectives and unique override abilities (e.g., Corrupted Thunderjaw).


#### Erend

• Background: A loud, boisterous Oseram Vanguard captain. Loyal to the Carja king Avad, he becomes a trusted ally during the Meridian battle.


• Role: Melee-focused ally in specific quests; provides heavy weapon support.


• Strengths: Strong melee damage; uses a heavy hammer; draws aggro.


• Weaknesses: Slow; lacks ranged combat; can be overwhelmed.


• Playstyle: NPC in "The Looming Shadow" and final mission; stands and fights alongside Aloy. Use him as a distraction while you pick off ranged threats.


• Unlock: First encountered in "A Seeker at the Gates".


• Recommended Equipment: None (carries his own gear).


• Team Synergy: Good partner for crowd control; let him tank while you freeze or tearblast machines.


#### Varl

• Background: A young Nora warrior and former rival to Aloy. After initially opposing her, he becomes a steadfast friend during the defense of the Sacred Lands.


• Role: Ally in Nora-related quests (e.g., "The Heart of the Nora"). He is a supporting character.


• Strengths: Decent archer; brave; inspires other Nora.


• Weaknesses: Not as skilled as Aloy; dies in battle (if you fail side quest).


• Playstyle: NPC that fights with you in "The Grave-Hoard" and other missions. He uses a bow and can hold off enemies.


• Unlock: Met after becoming a Seeker.


• Recommended Equipment: None.


• Team Synergy: Backup during defense sequences; his presence raises morale.


#### Petra

• Background: An Oseram scrappers guild leader who salvages old world ruins. She helps Aloy with gear and quests.


• Role: Merchant and quest-giver (side quest "Hammer and Steel"). Provides a unique trap upgrade.


• Strengths: Knows her way around machines; resourceful.


• Weaknesses: Not a combatant.


• Playstyle: N/A (non-combat NPC).


• Unlock: Found near the Carja border.


• Recommended Equipment: None.


• Team Synergy: Provides early access to blast sling upgrades.


#### Talanah

• Background: A Carja huntress who becomes the Sunhawk of the Hunter’s Lodge. She befriends Aloy and helps her through Lodge conflicts.


• Role: Quest-giver and temporary ally during "Hunter's Blind" side quests. She is a skilled archer.


• Strengths: Excellent markswoman; uses longbows.


• Weaknesses: Can be arrogant.


• Playstyle: NPC ally in Lodge missions; she provides ranged cover.


• Unlock: Recruited after helping her get into the Lodge.


• Recommended Equipment: None.


• Team Synergy: Pairs well with Aloy’s stealth; she can provide distractions.


#### Nil

• Background: A psychopathic Carja soldier who loves killing bandits. He offers to team up to clear bandit camps.


• Role: Ally for clearing bandit camps; offers unique dialogue and rewards.


• Strengths: Brutal combat skills; enjoys violence.


• Weaknesses: Unstable; may turn on you (optional choice).


• Playstyle: NPC that fights alongside you in bandit camps. He is very aggressive and draws attention.


• Unlock: First encountered at the first bandit camp location.


• Recommended Equipment: None.


• Team Synergy: Good for loud approach; he kills many enemies quickly, but may leave you exposed.


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Antagonists



#### Helis

• Background: A zealot of the cult known as the Eclipse, dedicated to reviving the ancient AI HADES. He is the Sun-Priest of the Shadow Carja and main human antagonist.


• Role: Final human boss; commands Eclipse forces. Personal grudge against Aloy.


• Strengths: Skilled swordsman; heavily armored; uses fire traps and machine mounts.


• Weaknesses: Overconfident; vulnerable to crowd control once armor is stripped.


• Playstyle (encounter): Battle in "The Looming Shadow". Aloy must dodge his sword strikes, destroy his armor components, and use freeze or shock arrows to stun him.


• Unlock: Encountered throughout story; final boss fight at endgame.


• Recommended Equipment (for fight): Shadow Sharpshot Bow (precise shots to helmet/armor), Carja Blazon (fire resistance), blast traps for phase 2.


• Team Synergy: N/A (solo boss).


#### Ted Faro

• Background: Founder of Faro Automated Solutions, creator of the rogue swarm that destroyed the old world. He also erased the project’s records and murdered the Alphas.


• Role: Symbol of humanity's destruction; encountered only in holographic recordings and a reveal in the Genealogy facility.


• Strengths: Wealth and influence (historical).


• Weaknesses: Not combatant.


• Playstyle: N/A (narrative only).


• Unlock: Discovered during main story.


• Team Synergy: N/A.


#### HADES (Extinction Signal)

• Background: A rogue AI created during Project Zero Dawn to terraform Earth after the Faro Plague. It seeks to reawaken the swarm and extinguish all life.


• Role: Final antagonist; controlling the Eclipse and corrupting machines.


• Strengths: Can corrupt machines; has vast knowledge; controls the Eclipse and the Horus units.


• Weaknesses: Vulnerable to the Master Override from the Corruptor; can be deactivated by Aloy.


• Playstyle (encounter): Final mission: Aloy must override a Corruptor to upload a virus to HADES. Sequence requires stealth and combat to protect the override.


• Unlock: Revealed in late game.


• Recommended Equipment (for final fight): Shield-Weaver armor, Banuk Powershot Bow, sticky bombs.


• Team Synergy: Allies Erend and Varl assist during phases.


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Other Notable Characters



#### Avad

• Background: The Sun-King of the Carja, son of the mad king Jiran. He seeks to reform the Carja and forge alliances.


• Role: Quest-giver (main and side quests); provides resources and political support.


• Strengths: Charismatic; wise ruler.


• Weaknesses: Sometimes naive.


• Playstyle: N/A (non-combat).


• Unlock: Met during "The Sun Shall Fall".


• Team Synergy: Provides access to Meridian vendors and information.


#### Ersa (deceased)

• Background: Avad's mistress and leader of the Vanguards. Her death sets Erend on a path of vengeance.


• Role: Narrative presence; her absence motivates Erend.


• Strengths: Was a legendary warrior.


• Weaknesses: N/A (deceased).


• Playstyle: N/A.


• Unlock: Mentioned in quests.


• Team Synergy: None.


#### Teersa

• Background: Matriarch of the Nora tribe. She supports Aloy against the tribe’s superstitions.


• Role: Quest-giver (early game); provides shelter and guidance.


• Strengths: Wise; protective of Aloy.


• Weaknesses: Limited political power.


• Playstyle: N/A.


• Unlock: First encountered in "The Point of the Spear".


• Team Synergy: Provides access to Nora vendors.


#### Olin Delverson

• Background: A Carja scholar who aids the Eclipse under duress. He is connected to Aloy’s mystery.


• Role: Quest-giver ("The City of the Sun" line); provides leads.


• Strengths: Knowledgeable about ruins.


• Weaknesses: Cowardly; easily manipulated.


• Playstyle: N/A.


• Unlock: First seen in his house during "The Point of the Spear".


• Team Synergy: Provides info on Aloy’s mother.


#### Vanasha

• Background: A Banuk shaman who helps Aloy navigate the Cut region in The Frozen Wilds DLC.


• Role: DLC quest-giver and ally during certain missions.


• Strengths: Shamanic abilities; can communicate with spirits.


• Weaknesses: Not a fighter.


• Playstyle: N/A (non-combat).


• Unlock: Found in Banuk camp during DLC.


• Team Synergy: Provides lore and access to unique machines.


#### Laulai

• Background: An Oseram merchant obsessed with old world artifacts. She aids Aloy with a side quest.


• Role: Side quest-giver ("Ancient Armory").


• Strengths: Tinkering skills.


• Weaknesses: Clumsy.


• Playstyle: N/A.


• Unlock: Met during main story.


• Team Synergy: Rewards the Shield-Weaver armor.

Summary of Roles

Recommended Loadouts for Key Encounters

• Bandit Camps (with Nil): Stealth gear (Nora Silent Hunter), Sharpshot Bow (strike from above), blast traps for chokepoints. Let Nil charge in, then pick off survivors.


• Eclipse Fort (with Erend): Freeze arrows to slow Eclipse soldiers; heavy melee resistance armor; use the environment to separate enemies.


• Final Mission: Shield-Weaver armor, Banuk Powershot Bow for ranged damage, sticky bombs for clusters of machines. Use Erend and Varl as distractions during the HADES upload.

Cheats & Secrets: Horizon Zero Dawn

Official Secrets & Hidden Content

• Machine References: Many machines are named after real-world animals or mythological creatures (e.g., Thunderjaw, Stormbird, Rockbreaker). The Corruptor and Deathbringer are direct callbacks to the Killzone series (also by Guerrilla Games).


• Frozen Wilds DLC: The expansion includes a side quest called "The Frozen Wilds" that features a hidden easter egg referencing "The Shining" – a typewriter with the phrase "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" typed repeatedly on a piece of paper. Found in a small cabin near the Banuk settlement.


• Metal Flowers: These collectibles have poems inscribed on them. The poems are quotes from various real-world poets (e.g., Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson) but also include one quote from "The Last of Us" (a Naughty Dog game): "Look for the light" – a reference to the Ellie’s song.


• Banuk Werak Shaman: In the Frozen Wilds, there is a shaman named Brina who tells a story about a "great shining one" that resembles E3 2015 demo footage of Aloy talking to a mysterious figure (later revealed to be Sylens). This is a self-referential nod.


• Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game Poster: Inside the Hunter’s Lodge in Meridian, you can find a poster on a wall that advertises a fictional board game called "Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game" – a real product later released.


#### 2. Hidden Dialogue & Optional Conversations


• Aloy’s Reflection: In certain reflective surfaces (like water), Aloy’s reflection is visible. If you stand near a campfire at night, she sometimes hums or mutters to herself.


• Mother’s Heart Banter: After completing certain main quests, NPCs in Mother’s Heart (the Nora village) have unique dialogue that disappears after progressing. Revisit early to catch all lines.


• Silent Striker NPC: In Meridian, there is a NPC named Jor who can be seen practicing combat moves. If you talk to him, he says “I’m training… in case the machines get in here.” He is a subtle homage to the generic guards in other games.


#### 3. Unmarked Locations & Secrets


• The Grave of a Friend: Near the first Carja fort (the one with the Shadow Carja), there is a small unmarked grave with a bouquet of flowers. Interacting with it gives no quest, but Aloy says a quiet line about loss.


• Sun-Pylon Jump Puzzle: In the Sundom, there is a tall Sun-Pylon structure. Climbing it leads to a high vantage point with a unique view and a small treasure cache (contains a datapoint about a Sun-Priest’s suicide note).


• Banuk’s Secret Hot Springs: In the northern part of the Frozen Wilds, there are natural hot springs. If you sit in them, Aloy relaxes and the game triggers a unique idle animation.


#### 4. Developer Self-References


• Killzone References: The Deathbringer and Corruptor machines have visual designs that clearly mimic the Helghast technology from Killzone. Also, the Focus UI resembles the HUD from Killzone: Shadow Fall.


• Guerrilla Games Employee Names: Many datapoints in the game are written by fictional scientists. Some names are anagrams or direct references to Guerrilla developers (e.g., “Dr. Sobeck” shares a partial name with the game’s creative director Mathijs de Jonge – though Sobeck is a fictional character).


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Exploit-Safe Secrets (No Glitches, Intended by Developers)



#### 1. The "Secret" Machine Kill Trophies

• All Machines Killed Trophy: Requires killing at least one of every machine type. There is no in-game tracker, so use a checklist. Includes machines from the DLC.


• Sightseer Trophy: Reach the top of the Tallneck in the Frozen Wilds by climbing the Tallneck’s back and then jumping onto the platform – a hidden achievement.


#### 2. Hidden Collections

• Banuk Figures: In the Frozen Wilds, there are 6 hidden Banuk animal figures that unlock a unique decoration for your shelter. They are well hidden and require puzzle-solving.


• Pigment Plants: While not truly secret, the Bluegleam (Frozen Wilds currency) trade items are often overlooked. You can trade Bluegleam for rare weapons and armor from the Banuk merchants.


#### 3. The "New Game+" Special Items

• After completing the main story, you can start New Game+ and obtain Shadow Weapons – upgraded versions of all weapons that are exclusive to New Game+. Additionally, you unlock the ability to buy the Adept versions of armor which have two modification slots.


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No Cheat Codes on Any Platform




• PC (Steam/Epic): There are no console commands or .ini file tweaks that give unfair advantages. The game has no developer console.


• PlayStation: No button combinations or save editor codes exist. Patches have fixed any glitches that allowed item duplication (early patch had a weapon crate glitch, but it was patched).

Summary of Legitimate Hidden Content