Best Weapons Guide

This is a guide on the best weapons to get in Horizon Forbidden West during the early, middle, late, and post game. Read on to learn more about each weapon, why they are the best, how to get them, and their ammo types.

Best Weapons For Early Game

Best Blastsling - Frost Blastsling

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Frost Blastsling	Blastsling	Frost Bombs	Uncommon
How to Get
Obtained during Main Quest 1: Reach for the Stars

The Frost Blastsling is one of the first weapons you will receive as you play through the game since it is given by Varl during the first main quest. Its powerful Freeze attacks can be invaluable during the early game since it can make even the strongest enemies vulnerable to your attacks.

Though the ammo may be quite expensive to craft, you will only need a few of the Frost Bombs due its large area of effect.

Best Blastsling - Explosive Blastsling

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Explosive Blastsling	Blastsling	Explosive Bombs Purgewater Bombs	Uncommon
How to Get
Enlarge Hunters in Barren Light

You can purchase the Explosive Blastsling early on in the game, in Barren Light. Although it doesn't inflict any elemental damage aside from the Purgewater, its base damage is high enough to wreck anything and everything at the start. It will be extremely useful for you, especially on The Embassy main quest, as there will be hordes of enemies.

Best Hunter Bow - Fire Hunter Bow

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Fire Hunter Bow	Hunter Bow	Fire Hunter Arrows Acid Hunter Arrows	Uncommon
How to Get
Enlarge Hunters in Chainscrape and Hunting Grounds: The Daunt

Earlier on in your playthrough, weapons that inflict Fire damage may be somewhat sparce, so make sure to pick up the Fire Hunter Bow in Chainscrape once you unlock the merchants. It is relatively inexpensive to buy and can be used with both Fire and Acid Hunter Arrows.

Both of these damage types are incredibly useful since many of the early game machines are weak against Fire and Acid, such as the Scrounger and Burrower.

Best Sharpshot Bow - Sharpshot Bow

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Sharpshot Bow	Sharpshot Bow	Precision Arrows	Uncommon
How to Get
Enlarge Hunters in Chainscrape

When you first start your game, Aloy is incredibly frail and vulnerable to damage, especially if you are playing in higher difficulties. So earlier on in your playthrough, it is recommended to keep your distance from enemies and sneak up on them from afar.

The Sharpshot Bow is the best weapon at this stage in the game for long-range combat. Though its fire speed is slow, if you stay a significant distance away from enemies, you can take out each machine one at a time without alerting the rest of the herd.

Best Ropecaster - Ropecaster

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Ropecaster	Ropecaster	Binding Ropes	Uncommon
How to Get
Enlarge Hunters in Barren Light and Hunting Grounds: The Daunt

The Ropecaster can purchased early on in the game at Barren Light or at the Hunting Grounds in The Daunt. It is extremely useful for pinning down and controlling larger machines. Though you may not always need it equipped at all times, it is extremely useful to have on hand.

Best Spike Thrower - Impact Spike Thrower

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Impact Spike Thrower	Spike Thrower	Impact Spikes	Uncommon
How to Get
Complete all Barren Light Salvage Contracts

The Spike Thrower is a fairly viable weapon type and its initial version here gets the job done. Each Spike will deal approximately 60 damage, even without hitting a Weak Point, making it reliably harder hitting than lobbing arrows with the Hunter Bow.

If you're investing a few points into the Machine Master tree, two Weapon Techniques for the Spike Thrower, Spike Trap and Propelled Spike, are both obtained early on. Both of these will make the Spike Thrower much more effective, giving it explosive firepower.

It's limited by its short range and the cost of spending Metal Bones on its armor, but in a part of the game where you have few high-damaging weapons, this is a definite pick-up.

Best Weapons For Mid Game

Best Spike Thrower - Bellowblast Spike Thrower

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Bellowblast Spike Thrower	Spike Thrower	Explosive Spikes Impact Spikes	Rare
How to Get
Enlarge Hunters in Stone Crest and The Bulwark

Spike Throwers are already good in general, but the Bellowblast Spike Thrower is a bit greater than its base version. It allows you to use Explosive Spikes, other than Impact Spikes, that will ravage all enemies it comes across. It will also give you an extra option when you're currently out of Weapon Stamina if you want to inflict explosive blast on your enemies using the Propelled Strike skill.

Another good thing about Bellowblast Spike Thrower is that most enemy machines have explosive components that will make them bow down to this weapon, as being hit by its Explosive Javelins will surely send them out with a bang.

Best Boltblaster - Icestorm Boltblaster

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Icestorm Boltblaster	Boltblaster	Frost Bolts Plasma Bolts Shock Bolts	Very Rare
How to Get
Enlarge Abadund in Hidden Ember; Hunters in Thornmarsh and near the base during the late game

The Icestorm Boltblaster upgrades your arsenal with three types of Elemental ammo, not to mention it being the game's version of a machine gun. At a stage in the game where most players are lucky to have one or two elements available, this weapon alone can fill in a majority of your element gaps.

Despite being Very Rare, this powerful weapon can actually be obtained fairly early during the Sea of Sands Main Quest. In Hidden Ember, the character Abadund will trade it to you for 1437 Metal Shards, 1 Large Machine Core, and a Bellowback Circulator.

As you have to hunt Bellowbacks as part of this Quest anyway, you're likely to have a Bellowback Circulator on hand. Although it's a fairly steep price, you won't regret your decision as this weapon will become a mainstay for your Weapon Wheel even into the later stages of the game.

Best Hunter Bow - Berserker Hunter Bow

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Berserker Hunter Bow	Hunter Bow	Advanced Hunter Arrows Berserk Hunter Arrows Targeting Hunter Arrows	Rare
How to Get
Enlarge Inside a Superior Supply Cache in The Greenhouse

Berserker Hunter Bow is probably one of the best free mid game weapons you can get in the game. This bow can use Berserk Hunter Arrows that make enemies go into Berserk State, which will attack all moving things in the area. Although it will attack anything, including Aloy, you can direct their rage on other enemies by using another arrow type available for this weapon, Targeting Hunter Arrows.

Since there is a fairly large number of enemies on the succeeding quests after getting this weapon, it will help you finish them more efficiently and safely if you keep this bow on your weapon wheel.

Best Weapons For Late Game

Best Spike Thrower - Vindicator Spike Thrower

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Vindicator Spike Thrower	Spike Thrower	Drill Spikes Advanced Explosive Spikes Fire Spikes	Very Rare
How to Get
Complete the Reinforced Components Salvage Contract in The Raintrace

The Vindicator Spike Thrower is the best next rarity version of Spike Thrower after obtaining the Bellowblast Spike Thrower. Although it's a bit pricey, it is worth getting and investing in as its upgrade level will give it a significant boost on its stat, standing its ground against a group of stronger and larger machines.

Best Hunter Bow - Marshal Hunter Bow

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Marshal Hunter Bow	Hunter Bow	Advanced Hunter Arrows Targeting Hunter Arrows Berserk Hunter Arrows	Very Rare
How to Get
Enlarge Prize Master at the Arena

The best replacement for your Berserk Hunter Bow when reaching the end game is the Marshal Hunter Bow. They have the same arrow types, but the only difference is that Marshal Hunter Bow has higher stats than the Berserk Hunter Bow.

What's more good about the Marshal Hunter Bow is its Advanced Hunter Arrows. It can tear off armors and components in just a few shots because of its high Tear stats that can match up to Tear Precision Arrows in the game.

Best Boltblaster - The Blast Forge

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
The Blast Forge	Boltblaster	Advanced Bolts Piercing Bolts Explosive Bolts	Legendary
How to Get
Enlarge Prize Master at the Arena

Despite being a legendary weapon, you can get Blastforge without finishing most of the main and side contents in the game. Its explosive power stands above the rest, making it the best weapon you can get before you begin clearing the post-game contents, even using it only at its base level.

Best Sharpshot Bow - Forgefall

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Forgefall	Sharpshot Bow	Advanced Precision Arrows Plasma Precision Arrows Advanced Plasma Precision Arrows	Legendary
How to Get
Enlarge Prize Master at the Arena

Another legendary weapon you can get before the post-game is the Forgefall. The best thing this legendary Sharpshot Bow can offer is its Plasma Damage, which you can use on the succeeding bosses, including the final boss, Specter Prime (Tilda), as it is weak to that element. The base stat of this weapon is the best among the Sharpshot Bows, even if they are at max level, in the game.

Best Hunter Bow - Death-Seeker's Shadow

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Death-Seeker's Shadow	Hunter Bow	Advanced Hunter Arrows Advanced Shock Hunter Arrows Targeting Hunter Arrows	Legendary
How to Get
Enlarge Prize Master at the Arena

One of the best weapons you can get when moving into the late game is the Death-Seeker's Shadow. It is a Hunter Bow with the highest Tear and Critical Hit Chance stats compared to all Hunter Bows. It also has a high shock build-up that can paralyze most targets in just a few shots.

It might be hard to get this weapon and its upgrades, just like the other legendary weapons, but it will be worth using as one of your primary weapons throughout the last stages of the game.

Best Weapons For Post Game

Best Spike Thrower - The Skykiller

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
The Skykiller	Spike Thrower	Explosive Spikes Advanced Explosive Spikes Fire Spikes	Legendary
How to Get
Reward from Side Quest 28: The Way Home

Get the best of the best Spike Thrower in the game, which is the legendary weapon The Skykiller. Move out your Vindicator Spike Thrower if you're using one, and use The Skykiller instead, as it has better stats than it. Although its first two upgrade levels are a bit underwhelming, the next ones will bring pain to your enemies, so make sure to invest in upgrading this to maximize its damage.

Best Tripcaster - Tinker's Pride

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Tinker's Pride	Tripcaster	Staggerbeams Shieldwires Advanced Explosive Tripwires	Legendary
How to Get
Getting Full Stripes in all 12 Hunting Grounds Trials

The Tinker's Pride is the best Tripcaster weapon for players who efficiently use all their resources in battle. This weapon offers damaging trap beams, a projectile-protecting shield, and advanced explosive traps. It allows you to use other weapons after placing the ones you need from this weapon.

Best Hunter Bow - The Sun Scourge

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
The Sun Scourge	Hunter Bow	Advanced Fire Hunter Arrows Advanced Frost Hunter Arrows Advanced Acid Hunter Arrows	Legendary
How to Get
Complete All Rebel Camp missions in the game

You can have more elemental options if you have The Sun Scourge, which helps you save a slot or two on your weapon wheel. Its arrows' elemental build-up stat also cuts above the rest, making it a great asset to have for sure, as you finish all the side contents of the game.

Best Blastsling - Wings of the Ten

Weapon	Weapon Type	Ammo Types	Rarity
Wings of the Ten	Blastsling	Explosive Bombs Advanced Explosive Bombs Adhesive Bombs	Legendary
How to Get
Collect all 12 Black Boxes in the game

Do you have a tough time when fighting hordes of high-level enemy machines in one place? The Wings of the Ten is the best weapon in that situation. Both ammo types for this weapon work well with each other. It got Adhesive bombs that will slow them down with enough hits and Explosive ones that will take them out.

One more good thing about this weapon is the stats you can get by leveling it up. The first two levels greatly increase its Critical Hit Chance, allowing you to see higher numbers on the screen and take out enemies more quickly when using this weapon.

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