Best Skills for Early Game, Midgame, and Endgame

Skills are traits learned as you progress through the story of Horizon Forbidden West. This is a guide on the best skills to get in the early game, mid-game, and late-game. Read on to learn which skills you should prioritize first, and more!

Best Equipment and Abilities
Best Weapons	Best Armor
Best Skills	Best Valor Surges

Best Skills to Get Early

Skills by Priority
1	Hunter Skills
2	Infiltrator Skills
3	Warrior Skills
4	Survivor Skillls

Hunter Skills

Hunter Skillset
Concentration +	Deep Concentration	Concentration Regen

For anyone familiar with the prequel game, Horizon Zero Dawn, Concentration allows you to slow down time and give you a longer window to adjust your aim for more accurate shots. This trio skillset from the Hunter Skill set is a must-have because of the tactical advantage it gives.

Infiltrator Skills

Infiltrator Skillset
Silent Strike +	Stealth Ranged +	Stealth Tear+

These skills should be the next set of skills you prioritize after the three Hunter skills mentioned above. Though you can always go into battle with arrows blazing, these skills will reward attacks from the shadows, even granting better chances of detaching valuable loot from enemies.

Warrior Skills

Warrior Skillset
Resonator Blast	Nora Warrior	Block Breaker

These set of skills will greatly improve your melee damage. Running out of ammo will happen more often than you think, so investing in good skills to amp up your melee damage.

Survivor Skills

Survivor Skillset
Potent Medicine	Low Health Defense	Low Health Regen

These skills act more as a Support Skills and we get that most players would want to choose damage-dealing skills. However, you never know when that + 50% Healing Speed and +50% Healing willl mean the difference between death and survival. The passive boosts that they grant also ensure higher chances of survival

Best Skills for Mid-Game

Skills by Priority
1	Hunter Skills
2	Infiltrator Skills
3	Survivor Skillls
4	Machine Master Skillls

Hunter Skills

Hunter Skillset
Powershots	Triple Notch	Ammo Expert

These next set of Hunter Skills is to push your damage output to its limit. Ammo Expert and Triple Notch will feel similar to the previous game's gameplay, but Powershots will give you that edge of having a more focused shot like the Banuk Striker Bow from the previous game.

Infiltrator Skills

Infiltrator Skillset
Braced Shot	Stealth Ranged +	Stealth Tear+

Increase your Infiltrator passive skills further to help you with stealth plays when needed. The Braced Shot skill will let you one-shot small to medium-sized enemies from a distance, or at least tear off a large chunk of their health before they can even fight back.

Survivor Skills

Survivor Skillset
Overshield	Low Health Ranged	Low Health Melee

Stronger enemies mean stronger attacks. You'll want to invest in more passive skills that can potentially save your life with an attack boost when your health is low.

Machine Master Skills

Machine Master Skillset
Machine Damage	Lasting Override	Part Breaker

Mid-game will also introduce you to stronger and deadlier enemies. Turn the tide of battle with Machine Override skills. Having control of the largest and most powerful enemy on the field is much better than having to fight all of them on your own.

Best Skills for Endgame

Skills by Priority
1	Hunter Skills
2	Infiltrator Skills
3	Warrior Skills
4	Trapper Skillls
5	Machine Master Skillls

Hunter Skills

Hunter Skillset
Valor Surge Master	Knockdown Shot	Heavy Weapon +

Building up your valor faster can get you out of a pinch. Knockdown Shot can help you stagger larger enemies and leave them vulnerable to succeeding attacks. If you manage to tear off a weapon component from an enemy, use your enemy's firepower against them.

Infiltrator Skills

Infiltrator Skillset
Silent Strike Heal	Low Profile	Quiet Movement

Sometimes the best way to approach conflict is not approach it at all, at least not directly. Maximize your Stealth and go for silent kills from afar and assassinations from up-close.

Warrior Skills

Warrior Skillset
Melee Might	Spinning Scythe	The Destroyer

You can and will run out of ammo, for most times it may just be at the worst of times. Better beef up your melee damage because that is the only way to stay alive when you're completely surrounded with machines.

Trapper Skills

Trapper Skillset
Quick Trapper	Trap Limit	Nimble Crafter

One-shot kill montages are possible with the Trapper Skillset, especially on the endgame, as you will have access to more resources, helping you get everything you need before taking on machines. Prioritize getting the Quick Trapper, Trap Limit, and Nimble Crafter to reduce time to set up traps on the field.

Machine Master Skills

Machine Master Skillset
Chain Burst	Machine Health	Mounted Archer

Prioritizing Chain Burst will allow you to boost your damage when performing chain attacks on enemies within a 15m radius. Machine Health make overriden machines last longer, and Mounted Archer will let you deal more damage while mounted, while also giving you an escape plan if you get overwhelmed.

Horizon Forbidden West Related Guides

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks Guides
Trophy List	Difficulty Modes	Best Settings
Language Settings	List of Controls	How to Fast Travel
Explorer Mode vs. Guided Mode	How to Override Machines	Photo Mode
Forbidden West Setting and Location	How to Set Up Jobs	Best Skills
Can You Skip Cutscenes?	How to Get Boar Hides	Flashpoint Choices
How to Save	How to Get Wild Meat	How to Get Greenshine
Best Weapons Guide	Beginner's Guide	How to Climb Up the Launch Tower
How to Get Flying Mounts	Best Outfits and Armor	List of All Mounts and How to Call Them
How to Change Face Paints	How to Use the Pullcaster	Valor Surge Tier List: What is the Best Valor Surge?
Easy Loot Setting: What Does Easy Loot Do?	Can You Lure Call?	Can You Respec Skill Points?
How to Change Weapon Techniques	List of Bugs and Glitches	Weapon Stamina and Weapon Technique Explanation
What Does Acid Damage Do?	What Does Purgewater Damage Do?	What Does Plasma Damage Do?
What Does Explosive Damage Do?	What Does Adhesive Damage Do?	What Does Fire Damage Do?
What Does Shock Damage Do?	What Does Frost Damage Do?	How to Level Up Fast
Fast Money Farming	How to Get the Diving Mask	How to Use the Shieldwing
How to Use The Tripcaster	How to Unlock the Chest in Hidden Embers	100% Completion Guide
Restoring GAIA: Which Subprogram Should you Get First?	What To Do in Scalding Spear	Best Builds Guide
List of All Machine Strike Player Locations	List of Machine Strike Pieces	All Shop and Merchant Locations
Missables and Unrepeatable Events	How to Clear Blocked Paths: Firegleam and Metal Flower Guide	How to Get Luminous Brainstem
All Datapoint Locations	-	-