Tallneck: Rustwash

This is a guide for the Rustwash Tallneck in Horizon Zero Dawn (HZD). Read on to learn more about where to find them, how to climb them, and how to override them!

General Info

Location and Rewards

Rustwash
Recommended Level:	23
Rewards	+7500 XP +1 Reveal Map +1 Skill Point

Note that this area will only be made available after exiting the Carja Fort in A Seeker At The Gates.

How to Locate the Rustwash Tallneck

Using Your Focus

Head north from Meridian, towards the area of the quest The Field of the Fallen. From that area you can cross the river and head west, before moving south once you're on the large landmass or plateu. Be cautious as you traverse this area as it brings you past a Rockbreaker site.

Using your Focus, you'll spot another signal, represented by a pulsing purple dot, and you can follow it down towards a large open area with multiple ourcroppings and dozens of machines. Depending on the area you enter from, there are Ravagers and Tramplers in the surrounding area.

Enemies Encountered

Note that while these machines are in the immediate area, there are still groups that roam just outside of it such as Tramplers, Striders, and the like.

Overriding the Rustwash Tallneck

Hide Near the Northwestern Roadside

While there are a number of outcroppings to venture to, many of them are protected by machines. Staying at the northwestern edge allows you to be near 2 of these launch points, while staying close enough to the settlement nearby to escape to or the campfire to save at.

Use the Grass to Take Out Machines

Most of the terrain is sand and desert, so there aren't many places to hide, but this section hosts a few grass patches which can be very convenient when taking out the Watchers. Place yourself outside the path of the Tallneck and aim straight for the Watchers.

Beware of Ravagers and Fire Bellowbacks

Ravagers and Fire Belllowbacks can hit quite hard and are normally close together. You can distract them by throwing rocks away from your location when you need to head up to jump on the Tallneck, or you can simply attempt to use stealth shots to down these machines. Regardless, avoid engaging in melee and stick to stealth for this portion.

If you are caught in a bind with them, aim for the Ravager Canons. If you can knock them off, use them against the larger machines and hide to avoid the swarm of Watchers that might folllow. When there is a need to retreat, head towards the settlement to the north.

Stealth is Key

There are too many machines to take out at once if you're looking to finish this quickly, so your best bet is to remain stealthy and take out the machines that are closest to your chosen launch point. You can also use these points to aim for machines that are too close.

Find a Launch Point

As mentioned, there are many points to choose here at Rustwash but the northwestern side allows you to have 2 next to each other, giving you an opportunity to run to the next one in time for the Tallneck to pass by if you fail to jump on it the first time.

Climb Up The Tallneck

When the Tallneck comes near, make a run for it and hop on! Just remember that climbable spots are usually marked in yellow, or can be highlighted using your Focus!

Note that this Tallneck in particular is a little different from the rest, as you have to circle it's head in order to get to the top.

Override the Tallneck With Your Spear

Now that the worst is over, step forward and use your spear to override the Tallneck. This will reveal a chunk of the map, along with the machine sites that you can find!

Avoid Rapelling Down Towards the Circle

When rapelling down, try to aim for the outer side of the Tallneck, as there are sometimes glitches where you can get stuck in the rock if you happen to rapel at just the right points. Don't worry! If this happens to you, you can always fast travel to the nearest campfire!

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