Horizon Forbidden West: How to Beat Every Mechanical Beast

29 June 2025

So, you’ve thrown on your Focus, polished your spear, loaded up on arrows, and you're feeling good. That is… until a giant, angry robot dinosaur comes charging through the grass like it’s late for a dentist appointment. Don't worry—we’ve all been there.

Welcome to the wild, wild world of Horizon Forbidden West, where machines rule the land and Aloy (aka you) is the only redhead brave enough to take them on. Whether you're a seasoned machine hunter or just got your first override, this guide is your go-to survival manual on how to beat every mechanical beast—with some laughs and practical tips along the way.

Let’s dive component-first into the chaos, shall we?

🧠 The Basics: What Makes These Beasts Tick (Besides, You Know, Actual Ticking)

Before you even think about going toe-to-toe with a Thunderjaw, let’s talk strategy. Every machine has weak points, elemental weaknesses, and that one glitchy piece of gear that’ll absolutely ruin their day if you hit it just right.

Here's What You Gotta Keep in Mind:

- Scan First, Fight Later – Your Focus is basically machine-Sherlock. Use it.
- Elemental Matchups – Acid melts, plasma records overtime damage, and fire? Well, fire just makes everything more exciting.
- Tear Damage – Want loot without turning the beast into breadcrumbs? Use Tear to knock off gear.
- Stealth Ain’t For Cowards – Sometimes, stabbing a robot turkey in the butt quietly is smarter than going full Rambo.

🐗 Burrowers and Scroungers – The Starter Pack Foes

These guys are the equivalent of tutorial enemies, though they can get snappy if you underestimate them.

🍖 How to Cook These Critters:

- Weak Spot: The eye (classic).
- Tactics: One well-placed arrow to the eye usually does the trick. They travel in packs, though, so don’t get cocky.
- Pro Tip: Tripwires across their path = hilarious chaos.

🐠 Clawstriders – Basically Jurassic Park on Steroids

These robo-raptors are as fun as riding a bike made of chainsaws. They’re fast, mean, and harder to pin down than a floppy fish in a hurricane.

🦴 Best Way to Beat a Clawstrider:

- Target: Acid works wonders. You’ll want to melt that armor off.
- Weak Point: Their tail and power cells on the legs.
- Strategy: Lay down acid traps, hit and run, and keep dodging like you’re playing musical chairs with knives.
- Bonus Fun: You can override and ride them, which makes for a great party trick.

🐊 Snapmaws – If Crocodiles Had Laser Mouths

Snapmaws love water, hate arrows, and have the temperament of a caffeinated toddler.

🧊 Chill The Snapmaw:

- Weakness: Fire and plasma. They're basically walking fuel tanks.
- Tactics: Lure them onto land where they’re slower. Take out their chillwater canisters for a boom party.
- Watch Out: Their ice attacks are no joke. Keep moving or end up a robot popsicle.

🦖 Thunderjaws – Big. Mean. Heavily Armed.

Alright, this is where stuff gets real. Think of Thunderjaws as the boss version of a Transformer who’s had a bad day. They’ve got disc launchers, tail whips, lasers… you name it.

💥 Taming the Thunderjaw:

- Weak Spots: The disc launchers (which you can steal, thank you very much), chest power cell, and tail.
- Elemental Weakness: Shock and Tear arrows are your besties here.
- Tactics: Sneak up, blast off the disc launchers, and use them against the beast. It’s poetic justice.
- Pro Tip: Use spike throwers from a distance. Getting close is just pure madness.

🐘 Tremortusks – The Deadly Robo-Elephants

Who in the development team thought "What if mammoths... but angry and flame-throwing?" Yeah, thanks a lot.

🔥 How to Stop a Tremortusk Stampede:

- Weakness: Fire melts them down quicker than camping marshmallows.
- Main Target: The tusks and belly canisters.
- Tactics: Take out the heavy weapons first, then chip away at the armor.
- Extra Tip: Trap the path ahead of time! These beasts are not known for their nimbleness.

🐍 Slitherfang – Big Snake Energy

Oh great, a metal snake that spits acid and curls like a Slinky of Doom. Just what Aloy needed.

💁 How to Slay the Slitherfang:

- Weaknesses: Fire and plasma. Ssssssmokin’.
- Key Spots: The hood and the power cell under its chin (yeah, that means getting personal).
- Combat Style: Dodge like your life depends on it (spoiler: it does), hit and run, and aim for explosive reaction components.
- Warning: The acid spit is like a bad breakup—you’re gonna feel it for a while.

🐻 Fireclaws / Frostclaws – Robo-bears That Want Hugs (Just Kidding)

These burly monsters do not mess around. Imagine if a bear went to the gym, took steroids, then caught on fire or froze over. That’s what you’re dealing with.

❄️🔥 Chill or Roast Them:

- Weakness: Fire for Frostclaws, Frost for Fireclaws. Obvious but critical.
- Important Parts: Belly and shoulder canisters.
- Tactics: Slow them down with adhesive, hammer them with the opposite element, and keep your distance unless you enjoy being chokeslammed into next week.
- Fun Tip: Tripcaster wire + elevated ground = smart Aloy.

🐓 Sunwings – Robotic Pterodactyls of Doom

Flying machines are annoying. They don’t sit still, they scream at you for existing, and they tend to show up when you’re in a chill mood.

🪂 Ground the Sunwings:

- Elemental Weakness: Plasma and electric.
- Weak Parts: Wings and engines.
- Strategy: Use arrows that inflict shock to interrupt their flight. If they fall, go full meat grinder.
- Bonus: You can override ‘em later and ride them like you’re Aloy the Sky Queen.

💀 Apex Machines – Because Regular Ones Weren’t Nightmarish Enough

So you thought you were slick, huh? Beat a few basic machines and now you’re a confident hunter? Enter Apex variants: stronger, darker-colored versions of machines designed to utterly ruin your day.

🕸️ Surviving the Apex:

- What’s the Deal? More health, more damage, and sometimes enhanced attacks.
- Tips:
- Use the strongest ammo types.
- Learn their attack patterns like you’re studying for a final.
- Trap, trap, trap.
- Gear Check: Don't even think about going up against these guys without upgrading your armor and weapons. Trust me.

🛠️ Tools of the Trade – What You NEED to Bring to the Party

Listen, you wouldn’t show up to a robot apocalypse with just a potato and good intentions. Here’s the stuff every machine hunter must-have:

- Sharpshot Bows – For precise hits to weak spots.
- Tripcaster – When you absolutely, positively want something to go boom.
- Elemental Arrows – Match your ammo to the machine type.
- Valor Surges – Pick one that fits your combat style. I personally like Powershots for that extra “nope” energy.

🧪 Potions, Traps & Stealth – Your Other BFFs

Sometimes, brute force fails. That’s when traps, potions, and a whole lotta sneaking come into play.

- Health Potions: Stock up. Always.
- Resistance Potions: Fighting a fire-breathing bear? Chug something spicy-proof.
- Traps: Spike, shock, or acid traps can change the tide of battle.

🧭 Final Tips for Machine Mayhem

- Don’t Panic – Easier said than done, but seriously. Breathe.
- Fight Dirty – Use the environment. Lead them into other machines. Hide behind rocks. Be that hunter.
- Upgrade Everything – Weapons, armor, skills. You wanna be Aloy 2.0, not Redheaded Roadkill.
- Play With Style – There’s no wrong way to play (except running in screaming with no ammo—that’s wrong).

🏆 You’re The Apex Now

There you go, machine slayer! From Burrowers to pissed-off metal mammoths, you’ve now got the tools, strategies, and cheeky advice needed to walk into an encounter like a boss. Keep experimenting, keep upgrading, and maybe—just maybe—you’ll save the world again (no pressure).

And remember: when in doubt, blow it up.