Top 5 Best Weapons in Horizon Zero Dawn

The world of Horizon Zero Dawn is a dangerous place, filled with towering machines and relentless enemies. To survive, you’ll need the best weapons you can get your hands on. In this article, we’ll guide you through some of the best weapons in the game, from bows to spears to tripcasters and everything in between. Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or just starting your journey, we’ve got you covered. So, grab your weapon of choice and let’s get hunting!

One of the most important things to consider when choosing a weapon is your playstyle. If you prefer to stay at a distance and pick off enemies from afar, a bow or sharpshooter bow would be a good option. If you’re more of a close-quarters fighter, a spear or sword would be better suited for you. And if you’re looking for a versatile weapon that can handle both close and long-range combat, a tripcaster or blast sling would be a great choice. Additionally, each weapon type has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Bows are great for precision shots, while spears are more powerful but slower. Tripcasters can be used to set traps, while blast slings can deal massive damage up close.

Finally, it’s important to upgrade your weapons as you progress through the game. Upgrading your weapons will increase their damage, accuracy, and range. You can upgrade your weapons at workbenches found throughout the world. Upgrading your weapons is essential for taking on tougher enemies and completing the game’s more challenging quests. So, be sure to keep your weapons upgraded and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a master hunter in Horizon Zero Dawn.

The Hunter’s Bow: A Core Weapon of Versatility

The Hunter’s Bow is a fundamental weapon in Horizon Zero Dawn, renowned for its versatility and adaptability to a wide range of combat situations. Its versatility stems from its diverse array of arrow types, each tailored to specific enemy vulnerabilities and combat scenarios.

**Arrowhead Types:**

Normal: General-purpose arrowheads for reliable damage against most enemies.

Fire: Flaming arrowheads that deal additional fire damage over time.

Freeze: Crystalline arrowheads that freeze enemies, making them vulnerable to melee attacks.

Shock: Electric arrowheads that stun or paralyze enemies.

Corrosive: Corrosive arrowheads that deal damage over time and weaken enemy defenses.

**Advantages:**

Versatility: The Hunter’s Bow allows for quick switching between arrow types, enabling adaptation to changing combat conditions.

Range: An effective long-range weapon, providing a safe distance from dangerous machines.

Stealth: Silenced arrowheads allow for stealthy takedowns, crucial in avoiding detection by formidable foes.

**Modifications:**

Precision Arrows: Increase accuracy and range.

Handling: Improves reload speed and stability.

Power Coils: Enhance arrow damage and penetration.

The Sharpshot Bow: Eliminating Threats from Afar

When stealth and precision are paramount, the Sharpshot Bow reigns supreme. This formidable weapon excels at long-range combat, allowing you to eliminate threats without ever being detected. Its pinpoint accuracy and devastating impact make it an unparalleled tool for sharpshooters and hunters alike.

The Sharpshot Bow boasts a variety of features that make it an indispensable companion on your journey. Its unique slow-motion aiming mode grants you ample time to analyze your target’s movements, calculate your shot, and execute it with surgical precision. Additionally, the Sharpshot Bow can be fitted with mods that enhance its stats, giving you added flexibility in different combat situations.

Customizable Damage Output

The Sharpshot Bow’s customizable damage output sets it apart from other weapons in the game. You can choose from three different types of arrows, each with its own unique properties:

Arrow Type	Description
Hardpoint Arrows	High damage output, ideal for piercing armor and heavy machinery.
Precision Arrows	Moderate damage, with increased accuracy and critical hit chance.
Hunter Arrows	Least damage, but provides the greatest knockback effect, making it useful for stunning or disorienting enemies.

By tailoring your arrow selection to the specific target you face, you can maximize your damage potential and effectively neutralize any threat that crosses your path.

The Sling: A Unique Weapon for Close-Quarters Combat

The Sling is an exceptional weapon for close-quarters combat, offering unique advantages in the unforgiving world of Horizon Zero Dawn. Despite its humble appearance, the Sling boasts surprising versatility and effectiveness in a variety of situations.

Elemental Ammunition and High Knockdown Potential

One of the Sling’s primary strengths lies in its ability to utilize elemental ammunition types. This allows it to inflict additional damage and elemental effects on enemies, making it particularly effective against specific machine types. Moreover, the Sling’s attacks have a high knockdown potential, enabling Aloy to stun and topple machines for critical follow-up attacks.

Ropecaster Synergy

The Sling’s synergy with the Ropecaster is a game-changer in combat. By first immobilizing a machine with the Ropecaster, Aloy can set up devastating follow-up attacks with the Sling, maximizing damage potential. This combination is especially effective against large and agile machines that would otherwise be difficult to engage with other weapons.

Stealth and Mobility

The Sling’s compact size and silent nature make it ideal for stealthy encounters. Aloy can use it to dispatch enemies silently, evitando detection and gaining an advantage in combat. Furthermore, the Sling’s mobility allows for quick and agile movement, ensuring that Aloy can adapt to changing combat situations with ease.

Advantages of the Sling
Elemental Ammunition Types
High Knockdown Potential
Ropecaster Synergy
Stealth and Mobility

The Tripcaster: Trapping Enemies with Precision

The Tripcaster is a versatile weapon in Horizon Zero Dawn that allows you to set traps for unsuspecting machines. With its powerful tripwires and customizable ammo types, the Tripcaster is an essential tool for any hunter’s arsenal.

Precision Mode

The Tripcaster’s Precision Mode provides unparalleled accuracy when setting traps. By holding down the trigger, you can move the laser pointer and precisely place your traps in the path of your target.

Types of Tripwires

The Tripcaster offers a variety of tripwire types, each with its unique effects:

Type	Effect
Blast Wires	Detonate on contact, dealing explosive damage
Spark Wires	Electrocute enemies, stunning them temporarily
Acid Wires	Corrode armor, weakening enemies
Freeze Wires	Freeze enemies, immobilizing them
Fire Wires	Set enemies ablaze, dealing continuous fire damage

Customizable Ammo

The Tripcaster allows you to customize your ammo with different types of elemental effects. By combining different types of tripwires and ammo, you can create custom traps that are tailored to specific enemy weaknesses.

The Ropecaster: Immobilizing Machines for Strategic Advantage

The Ropecaster is an indispensable tool for any hunter in Horizon Zero Dawn. It allows you to bind machines with ropes, restraining them and creating opportunities for devastating attacks. With its versatility and tactical applications, it’s a must-have for anyone seeking an edge in the wild.

Precise Bindings

The Ropecaster’s bindings are designed to wrap securely around any machine, from towering behemoths to agile watchers. Its accuracy ensures that even the swiftest machines can be immobilized with ease.

Versatile Tactics

The Ropecaster empowers hunters with a range of tactical options. Immobilized machines can be used as shields against enemy attacks, or they can be lured into environmental hazards like tripwires or explosive barrels.

Crowd Control

In the chaos of battle, the Ropecaster’s crowd control capabilities shine. By binding multiple machines simultaneously, hunters can create a brief window of opportunity to focus their attacks on the biggest threats.

Weakness Amplification

Certain machines have inherent weaknesses that can be exploited by the Ropecaster. For example, tying down a Trampler or a Sawtooth exposes vulnerable points that can be targeted for critical damage.

Materials and Crafting

The Ropecaster requires Metal Shards, Wire, and a Watchers Heart to craft. Its base binding capacity is 15, but this can be upgraded by investing in the Weapon Handling and Hunter’s Knowledge skills.

Upgrade Benefits

The Blast Sling: Devastating Explosions at Close Range

The Blast Sling is a formidable close-range weapon that unleashes explosive projectiles capable of inflicting immense damage. Despite its limited range, this slingshot-like device excels in confined spaces and against heavily armored foes.

Power and Precision:

The Blast Sling compensates for its short reach with its destructive force. Its explosives deal significant damage to both humans and machines, making it a versatile tool in any encounter. However, its accuracy is slightly diminished at longer distances, requiring careful aim for optimal results.

Elemental Versatility:

The Blast Sling offers a range of elemental ammunition types, allowing it to adapt to various enemies and situations. Fire rounds ignite targets, causing ongoing damage over time. Frost rounds slow enemies, making them easier to hit. Electric rounds stun machines, temporarily disabling their abilities.

Skill Enhancements:

The Blast Sling benefits greatly from the “Explosive Expert” skill, which increases the damage and blast radius of its projectiles. The “Blast Slings Precision” skill improves its accuracy, making it more effective at longer ranges.

Modifiers and Upgrades:

Various modifiers and upgrades enhance the Blast Sling’s capabilities. The “Blast Concentration” coil increases its damage output, while the “Quick Reload” coil speeds up its reload time. The “Blast Wire” modification grants it the ability to set timed explosive traps, further expanding its versatility.

Crafting Materials:

Crafting a Blast Sling requires the following materials:

Upgrade	Benefits
Binding Coils	Increases binding capacity
Handling Coils	Reduces aiming time and recoil
Reload Coils	Decreases reload speed

Item	Quantity
Ridge-Wood	10
Metal Shards	5
Firegleam	3

Tips for Effective Use:

* Utilize elemental ammunition types to exploit enemy weaknesses.
* Aim carefully at close range for maximum damage.
* Upgrade and modify the Blast Sling to enhance its capabilities.
* Consider the “Explosive Expert” and “Blast Slings Precision” skills for increased effectiveness.

The Tearblaster: Disabling Enemy Technology

The Tearblaster is an essential weapon in Horizon Zero Dawn, designed to disable enemy technology and make them vulnerable to more traditional attacks. Its unique ammo can tear down the shields and defenses of machines, rendering them less threatening and easier to defeat.

Types of Tear Ammo

The Tearblaster fires different types of tear ammo, each with its own strengths and weaknesses:

Ammo Type	Effect
Tearblast Arrows	Standard tear ammo that damages and removes enemy shields.
Corruption Arrows	Fires a bolt that corrupts machines, making them attack their allies.
Freeze Arrows	Temporarily freezes machines, allowing for easy melee attacks or a quick escape.

How to Use the Tearblaster Effectively

To maximize the effectiveness of the Tearblaster, follow these tips:

Prioritize Shielded Enemies: Focus on removing shields from enemies with high defenses, such as Stalkers and Sawtooths.
Aim for Exposed Components: Target weak points on machines, such as fuel cells or power sources, to deal maximum damage.
Use Corruption Arrows Strategically: Corrupting enemies can cause chaos and turn them against their allies, making battles easier.
Freeze to Your Advantage: Freeze arrows can render machines immobile, allowing for quick kills or a safe retreat.
Don’t Waste Ammo: Only use tear ammo when necessary, as it can be scarce in the early game.
Upgrade Your Tearblaster: Enhancements can increase tear damage, ammo capacity, and freezing duration.

Special Considerations

Keep in mind that the Tearblaster has some limitations:

It is less effective against small, unarmored machines.
Tear ammo can be deflected by certain enemy shields.
Overusing corruption arrows can make battles chaotic and unpredictable.

The Forgefire: Igniting Infernal Destruction

The Forgefire is a unique weapon in Horizon Zero Dawn that stands out with its exceptional power and fiery wrath. It releases bolts of pure flame that ignite the battlefield with destructive force.

9. Striking Blaze: A Fiery Burst

Striking Blaze is a unique attribute of the Forgefire that sets it apart from other weapons. When the wielder overfills the weapon’s coils, they can unleash a devastating burst of fire that deals massive damage to nearby enemies. This ability makes the Forgefire a fearsome tool in close-quarters combat, engulfing everything in its path with an inferno.

Attribute	Effect
Striking Blaze	Overfilling coils unleashes a burst of fire, damaging nearby enemies
Fire Damage	High fire damage output, effective against machines weak to fire
Impact Damage	Moderate impact damage, suitable for stunning machines
Tear Damage	Low tear damage, less effective against armored machines
Handling	Medium handling, requires some practice to use effectively

To maximize the Forgefire’s potential, players can acquire and apply specific modifications. The “Blaze Master” modification enhances the weapon’s fire damage, while the “Improved Handling” modification makes it easier to control during combat. With the right modifications, the Forgefire becomes an unstoppable force, capable of incinerating even the most formidable enemies in Horizon Zero Dawn.

The Icethrower: Chilling Enemy Advancements

The Icethrower, a highly specialized weapon in Horizon Zero Dawn, unleashes a devastating torrent of freezing liquid nitrogen, inflicting frostbite and slowing down even the most formidable foes. With its ability to temporarily immobilize enemies, creating opportunities for strategic takedowns or tactical retreats, the Icethrower proves invaluable in various combat encounters.

Chilling Effects

The Icethrower’s primary attribute lies in its frostbite effect. Impacting enemies with its freezing spray causes them to suffer from reduced movement speed and attack frequency. This debilitation opens up windows for evasive maneuvers, precision attacks, or simply regrouping when facing overwhelming odds.

Target Efficiency

The Icethrower excels at incapacitating both organic and mechanical creatures. Its frostbite effect is particularly effective against agile enemies such as Watchers and Striders, slowing them down to make them more vulnerable to direct hits. Moreover, it can temporarily disable machines’ energy shields and weapons systems, providing openings for critical attacks.

Elemental Affinity

The Icethrower’s element of choice is Freeze, which deals increased damage to enemies with Fire weakness. This affinity makes it a prime choice against machines like Fire Bellowbacks and Scorchers, whose vulnerability to frostbite can be exploited for devastating results.

Frost Explosion

Upon depleting an enemy’s frostbite resistance meter, the Icethrower triggers a Frost Explosion. This powerful blast deals significant damage and freezes nearby enemies, creating a window for follow-up attacks or an escape route.

Ammunition Management

The Icethrower requires Liquid Nitrogen Canisters as ammunition, which can be crafted or looted from fallen enemies. It has a relatively low ammo capacity, making it crucial to conserve shots and prioritize targets effectively.

Modification Options

The Icethrower can be further enhanced with modifications that improve its performance:

Modification	Effect
Fire Frost Rounds	Increases damage against Fire-weak enemies
Frost Protection Weave	Reduces damage received from frozen enemies
Freeze Range Extension	Extends the range of frostbite effects
Liquid Nitrogen Augmentation	Increases ammo capacity

Best Weapons in Horizon Zero Dawn

In the vast and unforgiving world of Horizon Zero Dawn, choosing the right weapon can make all the difference between survival and failure. From bows and arrows to traps and tripwires, there’s a wide array of weapons available to Aloy, the game’s protagonist. While personal preferences and playstyles may vary, here are some of the most effective and versatile weapons in Horizon Zero Dawn:

**1. War Bow:** A staple weapon throughout the game, the War Bow offers a balanced combination of damage, range, and versatility. It can be customized with various elemental arrow types, allowing Aloy to adapt to different machine weaknesses.

**2. Hunter Bow:** More specialized than the War Bow, the Hunter Bow excels at precision shots from a distance. It’s ideal for stealthy takedowns and hitting weak points with pinpoint accuracy.

**3. Tripcaster:** A trap-laying weapon, the Tripcaster can be used to set up ambush points or restrict enemy movement. It can trigger explosive or elemental traps, dealing significant damage to machines.