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While the gameplay ofHorizon Zero Dawnmay not be as complex or in-depth as its sequel,Horizon Forbidden West, it certainly can’t be accused of being overly simplistic. The game features numerous mechanics that players are expected to exploit to reduce powerful machines to mere piles of shards.
One such mechanic is the use of status effects inHorizon Zero Dawn. These effects come in various forms, each impacting both enemies and Aloy in different ways. Understanding what these status effects mean and how they function is essential to survivingHorizon Zero Dawn’s beautiful yet treacherous world. The guide below will address any questions you might have about status effects.
All Elemental Status Effects In Horizon Zero Dawn
There are four main elemental statuses to keep in mind when playingHorizon Zero Dawn:Fire,Freeze,Shock, andCorruption. Each of these plays a significant role in combat and can be the key toovercoming even the toughest machines. You won’t have much fun inHorizonif you don’t utilize these statuses. How these elements function is explained in greater detail below.
Fire Status Effect In Horizon Zero Dawn
The Fire status effect functions exactly as expected — it sets machines on fire and dealsdamage over time. The Fire stat determines how quickly the status effect builds up, but it does not influence the initial impact damage. The damage dealt over time is influenced by acombination of the weapon’s impact damage and its fire stat.
Fire is also the most effective elemental damage type to use against human enemies, as it rapidly depletes their health. This is especially true when using the Forgefire weapon, which excels at incineratinghuman opponents with devastating efficiency.
Best Weapons For Fire Status Effect
For easier application of the Fire status effect, it’s a smart idea to customize a bow with both Fire and Damage Mods, ensuring you may consistently inflict damage with fire in combat.
Freeze Status Effect In Horizon Zero Dawn
The Freeze status effect applies abrittle state to machines, significantlyslowing their movement and attack speed. But that’s not all — it also completelynegates their armor protectionand applies adamage multiplier. This means you can deal substantial damage in a short amount of time, without needing to carefully aim at weak points.
Freeze is particularly effective against larger machines. The reduced mobility and armor make it easier to go through their massive health bars, especially when using high-impact damage weapons. This makes Freeze the go-to status effect for quickly taking down tough, armored enemies.
Best Weapons For Freeze Status Effect
Shock Status Effect In Horizon Zero Dawn
The Shock status effect is perhaps theleast useful, as it doesn’t contribute much to damage output. However, it can certainly come in handy! When applied, the Shock status canimmobilize machines, allowing you to easily target and remove components or focus on other enemies — though, this can also beachieved with a Ropecaster.
The best way to apply the Shock effect isn’t through traditional means, but by causing aShock explosion. This can be done by shooting a Shock arrow at aShock canister. Doing so can incapacitate multiple enemies at once, making it a highly effective strategy for crowd control or weakening several foes in one move.
Best Weapons For Shock Status Effect
Corruption Status Effect In Horizon Zero Dawn
The Corruption status effect is often overlooked, but it can completely change the tide of battle. When applied, itcauses machines to become hostile toward all targets, meaning they will attack any other machine they encounter on sight. This is especially effective against larger machines, as they can quickly clear out swarms of smaller or even mid-sized enemies.
However,Corrupted Machines will still attack Aloyif she gets too close, so it’sbest to apply the Corruption effect from a distance. Once triggered it, sit back and watch as the machines do the dirty work for you. This way, you can thin out enemy numbers without having to directly engage.
Best Weapons For Corruption Status Effect
Fire and Freeze are the most commonly used elemental status effects out of the four, making them the top priorities for improvement in both weapons and outfits.
How To Apply Status Effects In Horizon Zero Dawn
All elemental status effects inHorizon Zero Dawnare applied in the same manner. To trigger an effect, you must damage the enemy using the corresponding elemental ammo type. Continue attacking until the elemental circle above the enemy is completely filled. Once the effect is applied, acountdown circle will appear, indicating how long the status effect will remain active.
It’s important to note that dealing additional elemental damage during the countdown period is useless, as it won’t extend the duration of the effect. To conserve your resources,avoid wasting ammoand focus on other strategies while a status effect is active.
The amount of elemental damage required to trigger a status effect on a machine depends on the following factors:
Keep in mind thatonly one type of elemental status effect can be active on a machine at a time. For instance, a machine cannot simultaneously have both Fire and Freeze effects applied. If you switch to a different element, it will override the existing status effect.
Other Status Effects In Horizon Zero Dawn
The four elemental statuses mentioned earlier —Fire,Freeze,Shock, andCorruption— are the primary elemental effects inHorizon Zero Dawn. However, there are additional status effects that can be applied using specific weapons. Below are their names and explanations of how they work.
Tied Down Status Effect
The Tied Down effect can beapplied by using the Ropecaster. Similar to elemental status effects, you must fire ropes at the machine until the status circle above it is fully filled. Once completed, a circular timer will appear, indicating how long the machine will remain restrained.
Theduration of the Tied Down effect depends on the machine’s size. However, inflicting any kind of damage on a tied-down machine will significantly reduce the timer, so plan your attacks wisely.
Knockdown Status Effect
The Knockdown status effect does exactly what its name suggests — it forces machines into a knockdown state, leaving themvulnerable to a critical strike for massive damage. While the machine is down, you can also deal any other type of damage with ease — oroverride them if you have the ability unlocked.
The most effective way to trigger a knockdown state is bytargeting a machine’s legswith a bow or performing aheavy strike with your lance. While these methods don’t guarantee a knockdown, they significantly increase the chances of successfully applying this status effect.
