4 BEST VALOR SURGES & How To Use Them | Horizon Forbidden West | Tips and Tricks Guides

[@matheusfaria1772]

I like Radial Blast too. It's particularly effective against enemies weak to Shock like the Tideripper. I also use it against Clawstriders, they seem to gang up on me everytime and I really hate these dudes in particular, so radial blasting them is super fun for me.

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Matheus Faria Yes! Radial Blast is a good one as well! I've played with it more since making this video and I definitely wish I had given it at least an honorable mention!

[@Woomycraft1572]

I finished the game with the radial blast, it was like my panic button to get rid of a bunch of small enemies, it’s also good to just do a lot of damage instantly towards a boss or tough enemy. Very good valor surge!

[@JJ-ze6vb]

Yup, it is a „get out of jail free“ move for sure. Super powerful and easy to use.

[@babyfood9537]

In early/mid game it is the best one

[@skins4thewin]

I can imagine it being SUPER useful in the DLC, with all the smaller enemies running around everywhere.

[@suryia6706]

When it comes to Horizon Forbidden West Tutorials you are the best youtuber out there without question. This one was great. Your information is well organized and well paced so that someone interested in getting better can easily follow and learn. In's not just entertainment. I really like your walk thru series but I'm very careful about which video I select to avoid spoilers. Keep up the great work. PS: Cant wait to see your weapons technique video

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thank you so much! I’m glad you found this helpful! And I’m glad you’re enjoying the walkthrough series. I have a bunch more of those coming this week! I do try to be careful with my thumbnails and titles on those so I don’t reveal any spoilers.

[@swampspawned711]

I have to agree. This video was done so well and it was so easy to understand.

[@lancesisler2114]

Thank you for eloquently stating this. You are right. The videos this man does are always thoroughly well put together. Thank you bud for the great content!

[@skins4thewin]

Powershots ends up being amazing towards the end game, when you have access to some of the super powerful advanced ammunition. You don't get access to a lot of that stuff til quite late, but when you do it will make Power Shots absolutely worth using due to the massive damage boost and free ammo considering the late game advanced ammo is pricey as hell to craft.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Yeah agreed. Powershots is pretty sweet late game. Kinda sucks the instant reload trick is gone after 1.09, but I figured they’d probably do that eventually lol

[@johnfede7057]

Came to say the same. After midgame, Powershots set it & forget it. However I'll admit I use Surges half as much as I should. Because I always forget about it.

[@skins4thewin]

@@johnfede7057 Lol I use it less than I should simply because I am always afraid that it won't be charged up when I really want it, which is a pretty dumb reason not to use it when it is charged lol.

[@johnfede7057]

@@skins4thewin I just forget cause it wasn't in Zero Dawn. So I flat forget to use them. 🤷‍♂️

[@skins4thewin]

@@johnfede7057 It's been a year or so since I played Zero Dawn so I became acclimated to the changes pretty quickly. The gap in between games let me make the transition a bit easier.

[@DumpsterFire96]

Toughened makes you almost invincible. I honestly couldn’t imagine dying with it. It’s my personal favorite

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! Yeah Toughened is very strong. I should probably put it through it’s paces a bit more than I have.

[@Dibi-Jo]

Agreed. Its so O.P. and I love it.

[@grantgarbour]

Toughened on very hard mode is actually a life saver given how often you can get one shot and how hard the enemies hit. It heals so fast

[@zombiephil]

I agree!! you are basically invincible when you use it!

[@nargacuga05]

Was definitely gonna bring up toughened, especially for early play, makes it a lot easier to actually attack and deal damage if you’re not perfect with a weapon or play style

[@meejmuas8686]

Frost + Powershot + Double Notch for sharpshooter bows. Highest output of damage Ive created. You can 2-3 shot the biggest machines. If they are resistant to frost, use purgewater first to allow frost to work. Double notch doesnt waste ammo and is considered 1 shot so it maximizes your valor usage and if you end up not using all of it, it eventually is conserved as the timer runs out.

[@jewrajkachehal]

Braced shot dosent work so i wonder why double notch does

[@skins4thewin]

It's actually counted as two separate shots, which is why it actually aggros enemies when you're in Stealth, cus of that 2nd shot.

[@elementzero3379]

I've returned to HFW, playing now for the third time, and found myself drawn to the channel again. I still recall the first half of my initial playthrough, feeling that the game difficulty had been noticeably increased. Very Hard felt so much more challenging than HZD Ultra Hard. That was welcome, for sure, but different. Then, I finally started incorporating these new tools, Weapon Techniques and Valor Surges, into my play. What a fun revelation they were! I just completed HZD before starting this latest journey through the Forbidden West, and again had to shake off HZD habits and knock the rust off of my skills. On Day 2, I'm still not 100% back in form, but watching your vids is bringing all the old skills back to mind.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Great! Glad you're diving back into HFW and enjoying the vids!

[@elementzero3379]

@@ArktixOfficial I just finished Gemini yesterday. I didn't play today, watching my Philadelphia Eagles return to the Super Bowl! I'll be back at it tomorrow.

[@csmac3144a]

This is one of the best game tips videos I've ever seen. 100% useful info with no filler or distractions. Awesome! Subscribed.

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Steve Macdonald Wow thanks! I’m glad you think so. And thanks for your subscription as well! I really appreciate it! 🙏

[@drivingonimpulse]

I have recently found your channel. I'm currently about 40 hours into Forbidden West and you just provide some absolutely excellent information. Thank you

[@ArktixOfficial]

Awesome! Welcome 😄 Glad you’re finding my videos helpful! I hope you’re enjoying the game!

[@TheGaragebandGuide]

Ranged Master + Braced Shot is incredible! Great video man!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! Yeah it’s my favorite combo for sure!

[@ihave10childreninmybasement]

try adding frost to the mixture

[@RoadRunnerMeep]

Stealth Stalker was my first valor, loved it. Braced Shot however opens up a whole new level of fun

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice!

[@lejenddairy]

I love clearing out camps with stealth stalker. The take down animations are so clean in forbidden west! Horizon Forbidden West feels like a sandbox game and I’m all for it! There’s so many creative ways to play it.

[@banosja]

These 3 vids - elemental damage, valor surge, and weapon techniques - are amazing. ...just wish I found them before completing my first playthrough ignoring 90% of this stuff, and using the other 10% incorrectly.

[@ArktixOfficial]

@banosja Thank you! I’m glad you found them useful. Sorry I didn’t have them done earlier 😅 Hopefully they’ll help you on another play through though!

[@shumann1605]

You are the only person I found on KZbin that actually detailed how to actually select a valor surge. Thank you

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey no problem! Glad you found that tip helpful!

[@warriorlink8612]

I'm at level 21 now with many hours in and haven't been using any Valor Surges or Weapon Techniques. I guess they seemed a bit "extra" and were too different from Zero Dawn, I just didn't give them a chance. I'm going to try out some of these now! Thank you for clear explanation at the beginning of how to activate and switch between them.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Awesome! Glad you found this helpful 😄 Yeah it’s very easy to overlook Valor Surges and Weapon Techniques. I hope you can work a few into your playstyle!

[@default_op7686]

just started playing zero dawn when it launched on PC thanks for these videos and all the newly videos u been uploading in past couple of days great work

[@the.llamaguy]

Melee Might has gotta be my favorite. You can just cheese any fight by doing a power attack to knock a machine down, then do an r2 attack or two, critical strike, shoot the resonator blasts and repeat. Ez thunderjaw removal

[@annmd1735]

So helpful... moving from HZD to HFW has been such an adjustment... and how to get the valors turned on is something I'm still not solid on, choosing them, when they are available, same with weapon techniques, but each time I watch your videos my gameplay improves, thank you for such clear overviewes and deep dives.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Glad you found this helpful! Yeah, valor surges are a bit clunky. I definitely wish they could be switched more easily and the you could cancel them to conserve valor.

[@jaydee6414]

Thank you. I've been going around in circles trying to work out how to use this bldy thing & you're the only person I came across who actually tells you. 👍

[@PluslePlayzYT]

First, congrats to 500! Second, this was a really good video on these. Valor surges have always been a little confusing, so this really helped. Personally, I maxed out stealth stalker first, and like to hit a stealth braced shot, then take advantage of the cloak to make them unaware again, and by then I’ll have another ready to go. You can take out machines such as ravages with those two shots like that.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks Plusle! I’m glad you found it helpful. That’s a good strategy with Stealth Stalker. As you can probably tell, I’m not quite as patient as you to wait for machines to become unaware again =P

[@PluslePlayzYT]

@@ArktixOfficial It does take a hot minute! You gotta wait the full cycle of the white circle ticking down until attacking again to get the boost, so it isn’t the fastes thing in the world. The damage is quite high and you’re not at much risk though!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Yeah that’s definitely a safer approach then what I would tend to do 😅

[@riggedforepic6293]

I've played this game twice now and I still leave your videos feeling humble 😊 my go to VS was the healing one for boss fights but I'm gonna try more of these now I'm playing the PC version

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks! Glad you're able to pick up some tips from my videos 😁 Hope you're enjoying the PC playthrough!

[@sonny5552]

With the new nerfs to Powershots & Stealth Stalker - Ranged Master has become my go-to Valor Surge. I'll give a nod to Chain Burst though - it's great for crowd control. Clamberjaws are super annoying to me but Chain Burst might be my favorite way to deal with them. Or just for fun - a Chain Burst Braced Shot into a herd of Grazers. It's kind of evil but I like it lol. Easy Metal Shards too.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ah good idea! I can’t say I’ve played with Chain Burst much, but that does sound like a great way to harvest resources/shards.

[@FreemanicParacusia]

How was Stealth Stalker nerfed? I just started playing the game for the first time this week and I’m curious since it was the first I unlocked.

[@ihave10childreninmybasement]

@@FreemanicParacusia the sound yoou make to machines increased

[@matthewarmstrong4999]

Thanks for all this help! Even a couple years later there are new players coming to the game and your videos are great.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! Glad you’re finding my videos helpful 😁

[@paulscheidel3258]

I originally used part breaker when I realized how good machine master tier was. Switch to power shot recently but I’m gonna try ranged master after watching this vid.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Cool! Yeah give it a try. Part Breaker and Power Shots are great choices as well though.

[@griff4178]

OMG! Thank you for breaking down the plethora of info on Valour Surges to the basics! Much appreciated!!!

[@ArktixOfficial]

You’re very welcome! I hope you found it helpful. Thanks!

[@proud2servu]

You make some great videos man, thank you! I just started playing Forbidden West because I was so hooked on Elden Ring, and your videos have definitely helped explain things that in the game that sound more confusing than they actually are. Great job man, and thanks!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks Jeff! Glad you’re finding my content helpful! And glad to hear you came over from Elden Ring. I haven’t played it myself, but I may someday. Hoping you’re liking Horizon though. I love it 😍

[@coling3957]

another great video.. i played basically one valor surge during first playthrough of match. because i liked how she equipped her spear with a cruise missile and lobbed it at enemies.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! And lol nice. I might be mistaken, but you might be talking about the Propelled Spike weapon technique? I’m not sure which Valor Surge lets you lob your spear.

[@coling3957]

@@ArktixOfficial yes I think so. You're correct.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ah ok gotcha. Keep in mind you can use a Weapon Technique like that in combination with a Valor Surge, like how I was using Braced Shot (WT) and Ranged Master (VS) together in this video. You might like combining a Valor Surge like Ranged Master or Stealth Stalker with the Propelled Spike Weapon Technique you like.

[@coling3957]

@@ArktixOfficial i just completed a first play through . and i did the basics really. kept things simple for the storyline. 2nd playthrough i'll be playing a bit smarter and taking more in. cheers

[@ArktixOfficial]

Cool!

[@arronspring2639]

Thanks for your video. I'm a few days into forbiddon west and valour moves were blagging my head a bit but thanks to your video you've really changed the game for me. My faverate is stealth stalker nice one Bro.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Awesome! Glad to hear you found this helpful 😄 Stealth Stalker is a great one! I hope you can find some of my other content useful as well. Thanks!

[@excalibur_gamevibez7239]

Im prolly the last person who going to start uploading my hfw gameplay...since I'm starting my yt channel...I AM SO GLAD I found ur channel....pls keep doing more of the for future games

[@iammojo75]

Great explanations. Having not studied the game in-depth as I have played through almost to the end, these are good to know for my inevitable replays of this amazing game.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! Yeah there’s lots of mechanics that are easily missed on a first playthrough. Hope these help for future playthroughs!

[@MrBojanglesUK]

Thanks for all the help. I never comment on here but your channel has been such a great help I had to. Keep up the good work and you’re going to grow and grow!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks a lot for your comment! I’m glad to hear you’ve found my content helpful 🙂

[@ASpaceOstrich]

Part Breaker was the only valor surge I used for the early game. I experimented a little with ranged master, and eventually switched to power shots, but for the first 20 hours at least I almost exclusively used Part Breaker. In the early game I prioritised weak spots and components even harder than I do now that I'm in mid-late game, especially with the lower damage you have access to early on. Part Breaker was the difference between three shotting the tail and five shotting it. I switched to power shots recently based on some reddit discussion but I've not quite been feeling it. I don't think I actually have the strong weapons they were using it for. I'm considering swapping to either melee master or either crit master or ranged master instead.

[@sherrydellamano9946]

Thank u thank u I am in burning shores already and never could figure out how to change my valor surge da! So simple but now how much fun will i have thank u

[@tanishbotadkar]

Man you've got some amazing content. I was just browing Reddit when I found a comment that mentioned to see your Shredder Gauntlet Masterclass video because of how good it was. And it truly was. I've spent the last two days just binging on your videos because of how great they are. You're creating genuinely great content. I'm only left with the Singularity quest so I really wish I found your channel earlier but I'm going to use all these new techniques in the side quests at least. Keep up the great work! You're fab!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks a lot! Glad you found my content and are enjoying it 😄 I hope you can make use of some of my tips while you do side content and maybe a New Game+ run! Thanks for your very kind comment! 👍🙏

[@M111OVD]

Superb video and easily one of the best tip videos out there for Forbidden West. I went stalker but will almost certainly be switching to Ranged Master after seeing this. Thanks

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! Glad you liked it 😄 Yeah give Ranged Master a try!

[@grimm6jack]

As a primarily bow user (Hunter and Snapshot Bows 95% of the time), Ranged Master is the one I use as "default"... In combat, all the perks it gives you is just too good, Others may better but only in certain circumstances. Critical boost can be used by people who mainly prefer melee, but I only find this useful against the weaker machines which get knocked out easily to get a critical hit on them. On the bigger machines I find this valor to not be anywhere near as beneficial as the Ranged Master. Stealth Stalker is the best to do against rebels. It gives you the ability to one shot an enemy without being noticed (if the enemy is isolated), perfect against those painful Champions and pretty much all rebels who use masks or helmets and are about level 30+ which can't be taken down by one single silence strike. For any enemies without protection gear in the head, a snapshot bow takes care of them so you don't need to waste your valor for them. At least this is how I use it. Part Breaker is perfect for farming parts. When I'm facing the machines that would take so much resources to kill... and also time and effort, I simply use this valor to shoot at their key upgrade part, grab it and be done with it. Pretty much the go to against machines who use so many ranged weapons like the Thunderjaw, Tremortusk, but... especially, the Shellsnaper. The very first thing I have to do against that annoying turtle is get rid of its ridiculously unpredictable and fast AF side canons. Other than these canons, anything else is easily dodgeable or countered. Those canons however I can barely tell when it shoots at me, most of the times that I avoided was when I was using concentration and saw the canon projectile coming at me in slow mo, the Tremortusk has similar canons but they don't look as fast or maybe the stance the Tremortusk makes to use them is much more predictable. All other valors are extremely situational. I used the Trap Specialist in very few ocasions where I didn't want to battle because I was very limited in terms of gear, but had some blast traps that I got from chests ready to use and applied them on a very enemies, in particular, against the Frostclaw in the Cauldron and the Specters in the final quest. I don't think I've used any other valor ever... Toughened looks promising at level 3 though.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Great summary! I agree Ranged Master is the best all-around for sure. And yes, those Shellsnappers are super annoying!

[@pablobarjau]

Thank you for the amazing content! Your videos really changed the way I saw the game and I’m enjoying it more because of it! I really hope you keep it up, because you’re doing amazing ☺️

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying my videos and finding them helpful!

[@MRSUCCESS_3]

I've been using the valor surge with the shield because of the best armor in Zero Dawn but I'll give ranged master a try. Thank you!

[@ArktixOfficial]

No problem! And yeah give Ranged Master or some of the others I recommended a try. Overshield is good, but it's not quite what the HZD Shieldweaver armor use to be =)

[@joshkeller5138]

This is just the video I was looking for. I wasn't using any of these bc it's confusing but now I'm excited to try them out! Great Video!

[@Alansmithee007]

Thank for this!!! I was all stealth, but now I'm love the parts blaster as that is all I do!

[@Casualgaming763]

I switch to infiltrator invisibility when entering rebel outposts. When fighting machines I like to use the one that does more parts damage. But I'll have to start testing the other ones

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Upside Down Sounds like you like Part Breaker? Nice! I really like that one too. Try out Ranged Master though too. It's similar to Part Breaker, but a little more versatile.

[@MK-vw6vm]

Part Breaker is super OP. You can completely strip a Thunderjaw from every weapon and part without even leaving the first concentration.

[@Zebwak]

Thorough yet succinct. And pleasing to listen to, relaxing music and tone.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks Zebwak! Glad you liked it 😄

[@skins4thewin]

Aloy's silent strikes have always been impressive to me. She's a literal super professional assassin! I have to wonder, where did she learn all of these techniques from? She's an incredibly efficient killer!

[@lasseiversen5230]

Like everyone else is saying, these tips and tricks are great and your presentation style is to the point and informative. Earned a subscriber :)

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks! Glad you find the videos helpful and concise 😄 Thanks for your sub!

[@reaper9390]

Love the content keep it up. I love seeing how others play/build there Aloy.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks @Reaper!

[@CharlesBurleigh]

Thank you for this video and the companion video for Weapon Techniques. I had no idea how to use these, or why to use them.

[@ArktixOfficial]

You're very welcome! Happy to hear you found these helpful!

[@SM0KE_0RIG1NAL]

Using the power invested to me by Gia, I now pronounce you and Range Master man and weapon. You may now fire massive damage from range.

[@ArktixOfficial]

@SMOKE Lol 🤣

[@gocle]

cheat mode: just dump a mag of bolt blaster electric bolts into whatever and when its down do a splitting explosive spike.

[@ProperPaladin]

Thanks for your insight I’ll try launching my ambushes with range master now instead of the stealth generator. Looking forward to your opinion on the best purple gear seems like they’ll be more useful in the long run since guerrilla Nerfed legendary‘s and they’re less expensive on resource/ammo.

[@ArktixOfficial]

No problem! I’m glad you found it useful. And yes, they changed thins up on us a bit! You’re definitely right that the legendary nerfs make certain purple weapons more valuable. I’ll have that video out soon!

You got yourself another subscriber, bro. These series are undoubtedly remarkable.

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Kynam Van Thank you! That’s very kind 😄 I appreciate your subscription! 🙏🏼

[@dontbeshady411]

Powershots and explosive spike thrower is devastating. I killed the Slaughterspine from the campaign mission Gemini in 2 spikes after I froze it on Very Hard.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Totally! Yeah that’s a great combo.

[@funcionapramim]

Congratz, I subscribed cuz your tutorials are the best I found. Keep going like that!

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Funciona pra mim Thank you! I appreciate your subscription! 🙏🏼

[@jesseyrouss6918]

Dude, your videos are very entertaining and informative. I'm a fan, keep em comin'!

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Jessey Rouss Awesome! Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying my content!

[@classicuniversity7218]

Great video man, I am level 50 and I honestly have never used them....I will now! Much appreciated!!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! And I’m glad you found it helpful!

[@michaellawton813]

Each video has been so informative and helpful. So glad to be a subscriber!!!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks Michael! I’m glad you’re enjoy my content and finding it helpful 😄 And thanks for your sub!

[@zsombo12]

I feel like radial blast is such a good way to deal with those pesly hoards of small but still not instant kill machines

[@ArktixOfficial]

Radial blast is definitely a good one for those situations.

[@4piglite]

Radial blast is my favorite. I don’t even bother with the other valor options much but this tutorial is very compelling!

[@ArktixOfficial]

That's a good one too! But yeah maybe check out a couple of the ones I mention. Powershots and Ranged Master are really strong!

[@paulsutanto9471]

Well, i still use rare(blue) equipment now, so i also use radial blast to nuke clear out small enemies and stun larger one but later with purple or gold weapons i think powershots or range master is better choice.

[@Handle...This.]

I like the way you break down information that I found extremely complicated...clear and concise 😎👍

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks Infinity! I put a lot of effort into making my videos clear to understand, so I appreciate you mentioning that! 😄

[@Markleadguitar]

I like these videos. They're well produced, informative, and straight to the point. As a person who's done too much audio work, do you happen to use a pop filter on your microphone or a compressor? I noticed in your s sounds, there's a slight whistle and it's sometimes sharp or shrill. A pop filter (or a stocking, like we used to use) may help, as well as a compressor to normalize all volume spikes when you're recording voiceovers. Keep up the good work. Guides like this for other popular games would be welcomed, I'm sure.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! Glad you find my content to be good quality 😄 And thanks for the feedback on the audio! I put a lot of effort into my audio since I feel it’s the most important aspect of the video. I wasn’t using a pop filter at the time I made this video, but I do now and I also have a new mic and have a better workflow I use in Adobe Audition to EQ, compress, and normalize my audio. I’d be curious to know what you think of the audio on one of my more recent vids!

[@Markleadguitar]

@@ArktixOfficial Well, I'm picking up God of War soon, I'm sure those vids are more recent. I'm still farming shards for all thr NG weapons 😅😅😅

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ah gotcha cool. Well if you think to do it I'd love to know what you think of the audio quality on a more recent video when you get to them. Hope my Forbidden West content is helpful in the meantime!

[@skins4thewin]

Part Breaker is indeed really nice for those who have really good aim & hit components most of the time anyway as it actually has better damage bonuses than Ranged Master, however it doesn't boost the power of weapon techniques at all. It's best used when just fighting normally w regular old ammo & it is indeed great when farming for parts.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Yeah I think the fact that it doesn’t boost Weapon Techniques is the main thing that holds me back from making Part Breaker my go-to. I think it’s balanced that way though.

[@skins4thewin]

I see ya took some of my advice to heart. Glad to see it :) Great info all around man, keep up the great work!

[@coro8933]

Im definitely a potion hoarder in these RPG games and since potions are craftsble, I hoard Valor instead. I don't think I've used a single valor charge yet (just finished 2 of 3 subroutines) telling myself "but what if i need it for the next fight?" Excited to try eome of these out tonight

[@silverdragon4842]

My favourites are Ranged Master and Part Breaker. I use them most of the time. I only occasionally use some of the others.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Those are my favorites too! 😄

[@ThundaFuzz]

I used to always keep on the Ranged Master until I realized what Part Breaker did and I keep that on like 95% of the time now. It's definitely slept on.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Yeah Part Breaker is really good! I swap between Ranged Master and Part Breaker depending on the situation.

[@eljeffe7472]

My experience with Valor Surges has been when I mistakenly press the wrong button. I'm at level 36 and haven't used them but will now. Thanks for the video!!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ah yeah they can be easy to trigger by accident lol. Hope you found these tips helpful!

[@LeeEverett1]

Toughened for me is number 1, it's the most OP Valor in the game. You basically can't die and is so useful against bigger apex machines

[@VM-fu1tr]

You’ve done a fantastic job explaining this (difficult to grasp) system. Big LIKE.

[@ArktixOfficial]

@VM27 Thank you! I'm glad you think I explained it well!

[@pastexpiration2160]

Kept thinking my iPad was going to sleep with how the video fades the light down lol

[@jaredlang5951]

Range master was my go-to valor during the 1st half of the game but the later half i needed that survialbility boost for the crazy fights/hunts i would get into. So i ended up using Toughened.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Interesting! I can’t say I’ve used Toughened much myself, but it sounds like you made a smart change there. I feel like a lot of people get stuck using one Valor Surge (or not using them at all) and aren’t willing to change. That’s cool you made a switch that worked better for you.

[@jaredlang5951]

@@ArktixOfficial yeah i made that change when i was in the las vegas area of the map and came across a behemoth convoy with two ravagers near a rebel camp. I was like range master wasn't going to cut it. Also Toughened last a very long time

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ah gotcha. Yeah those behemoth convoys with the Revengers are really tough!

[@jinxed2090]

I don’t get how you’re still at 3k subs…you’re a must watch for me when it comes to horizon

[@jinxed2090]

The music is great too

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Jinxed Thank you! Only started a few months ago, so hopefully the channel will continue to grow. I’m glad you like my content, and the music 😄 Thanks for joining us over on Discord too!

[@andreisamarin3517]

Things that the game does not tell you is that weapon technics and regular shots from a weapon have different critical chances. Numbers you see on the weapon itself (and critical chance improving modifications) are only relevant for the regular shots from this weapon, not for the weapon technic. The only hint to that is this critical hit valour surge which has different numbers for the regular shots AND the weapon technics. This is why I never you sustained burst from a bolt blaster, because you never see those yellow numbers. Late game is all about resource management so you want to maximise your damage from every shot.

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Andrei Samarin Interesting point! I guess I sort of had a intuitive sense for this just from playing and using Weapon Techniques, but yeah the game doesn’t explain that anywhere. I’m hoping it’s explained a little better in the official game guide that’s coming out in May. I ordered one so I’ll see. It’s funny you brought up sustained burst because I’ve noticed you don’t get crits with it as well. However, I have noticed you’ll get crits with other Weapon Techniques like Spread Burst, so I’m wondering if the lack of crits on Sustained Burst is intentional or a glitch 🤔

[@andreisamarin3517]

@@ArktixOfficial well, that is my assumption anyway. I have also never seen a critical hit on a braced shot or any other weapon technic.

[@Kaiziak]

I’m super surprised powershot wasn’t in your top 4. With a fully upgraded skykiller you can almost kill every boss in the game on ultra hard with one valor surge. Between ancestor’s return and skykiller powershot, ultra hard was a breeze. Never died to anything in the main story.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ah yeah. It's been a while since I made this video. If I redid it today Powershots would certainly be in the top 4!

[@talizorahnarrayya5916]

@@ArktixOfficial Hey just found your channel and I'm curious, if you redid the video what would your top 4 be rn?

[@naturreal1705]

I'm the 1k like! 🥳🥳🥳. Just got introduced to your channel. Thanks a lot for the breakdowns.

[@ArktixOfficial]

@NaturReal of LgE Awesome! Thanks for getting me to 1k likes on that one! 🥳🎉🎊 I’m glad you found my channel and are enjoying my videos!

[@lordcreepy]

i started with part breaker and loved it. The boost to damage if you hit weakspots isn't do be sleept on

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! YeH Part Breaker is a great VS!

[@ariesadajony]

Arktix, Thank you so much because i have maxed out the skill tree and i didn't know what Valor Surge to use....

[@ArktixOfficial]

Great! I hope this helped! Nice work maxing out the skill tree!

[@lightning5420]

Been a long time hzd fan and just came across your channel. Your tips are ace, tysm for the tips! 😊 Liked and subbed

[@timothydonnelly943]

Great info! Between the valor and weapon stamina it can be overwhelming.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! I’m glad you think so. Yeah it’s totally a bit overwhelming. Hoping my videos can help some people!

[@paulnolan4971]

I am LOVING THIS GAME ON PC ! Thanks man

[@blackthorne1497]

Until I saw this video, I was only semi aware of valor surge and how to use it. I had no idea that you go back to the skill tree to equip the selected surge. (And I have the book...believe me , the book is huge and has almost too much information...sadly it is in small print. Thanks for the information.

[@ChisponGroxo]

I really like Elemental Fury quite a bit, not only you apply an element twice as fast but it also last twice as long. Nice to have since a machine will stay frozen for longer and then you ditch a ton of damage but can also help shocking machines to remove parts easily. Recharges very fast too, I'm usually triggering it up to 4 times per fight.

[@ArktixOfficial]

That's definitely a good one too!

[@FotoPhreak12]

The description of the stealth stalker led me to believe that once I attacked then the entire valor bar runs out and it's done. Now that I have a better understanding I wish I could redo all the rebel camps and outposts I already completed because I love strategizing the stealth. Now I have to wait until after I actually beat the game and playthrough it again, but I bet it will be worth it

[@ArktixOfficial]

Yeah I enjoy that too! It’s a fun challenge seeing how long you can keeping the surge going with little valor boosts!

[@bigjohn9774]

Best tip video I've found for this game. I wish the audio was better but though.

[@ArktixOfficial]

@BIG JOHN Thanks! I’m curious what you find bad with the audio. Was the music too loud maybe?

[@federicoxcc4966]

I like the One that makes the machines rampage. I find the other situations managble a some times it's nice to see caos unfold in a machine group

[@fossilimprint2954]

Thank you for explaining, your Horizon content is great. Subscribed!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Glad you found this helpful! And I appreciate your sub! =D

[@footballasylum6239]

41k veiws bro you are smashing it, I told you how good you are, congrats on the subs too, I give your link to a KZbinr who was reviewing horizon forbidden west and every comment was positive 👍😎

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Football Asylum Thank you! And thanks for sharing my content! I’m glad whoever it was thought it was good!

[@footballasylum6239]

Arktix a girl called the "minkyone" reviewed you and you got so many positive comments on how soothing and very helpful at the game you are, I predicted this my mate I just knew you will make it big, your just so genuine and very good at editing as you have come so far since your first video well done brother 👍😎😁

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Football Asylum Interesting. I’ve never heard of her channel. But thanks or sharing my channel with her! And thank you for your very kind compliments as always 😊🤜🤛

[@cristianreyes5251]

Part breaker is really good with teamwork. What i do is override a fire or acid clawstrider of level 22, which gives me opportunities to use different valor surges. As well as building up elemental damage easier. Especially with large machines since it racks up valor faster, I noticed. I'll be killing all kinds of machines.

[@Henkibojj]

I go for melee boost instead. As with the first game, I find myself killing enemies 80% of the time with melee since it is so powerful and consistent. It doesn't matter how good I am at aiming when the tail of any large machine is wagging a whole screen width back and forth mid-combat. In the beginning of the game, all ranged weapons are so sub-par that up and personal is the way to go. And the less than five-meter range war bows in this game have become completely useless for component overload from afar which was my main tactic in ZD that I have completely abandoned elemental attacks at all. Even fire, that should be so simple, does no damage and after 75 hours and game completion, my stats say I've only burned enemies 26 times - many of them then the same enemy. I find that while they improved much of the UI for this game, they also lost a lot of the essence of the first game. Plus that there is no setting available for getting Aloy or her allies to just SHUT THE FUCK UP about what elemental strikes are to be used or not. I am mid-battle with the bat machine and have already burned it five times but the bubbly girl companion keeps giving me the endlessly insightful tip that "MAYBE YOU CAN BURN IT". Thanks Alva, why don't you shut the hell up and let me handle this.

[@Creshex8]

I played only on hard, and I found the melee to just scratch all but the weakest enemies. And I only used melee on the weakest enemies to knock them down and crit them. I have all the spear upgrades. What difficulty are you on?

[@Henkibojj]

@@Creshex8 Hard, and yes, spear attacks are most suited for smaller machines, but the consistency makes me use it more than any normal prehistoric fighter would after discovering the bow. I would rather hit someone five or twenty times and know he will die on the twentieth hit, rather than toss electric or fire arrows at somebody and one day make loads of damage, the other none at all. And as I said, component overload is almost completely gone in this game so it was either whacking them or drawing puny arrows one after the other. I choose whacking for anything up to Sabertooth, Longlegs, Snapmaw or even Fireclaw, because not even fire sensitive machines burn anything at all when I hammer them with almost fully upgraded bows. I'm sorry, I can't stand this game. I hope I will have changed my mind in a year or so. And I really loved the first game.

[@siriansight]

great vid Radial Blast is my no. 1

[@dsirius1500]

Great review dude, keep posting. I like Stealth the most.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thank you!

[@chidiamuta3014]

What about the radial blast? That was my favorite. Easy to dispatch enemies quickly! 👍👍👍

[@ArktixOfficial]

Radial Blast is a good one too! I find it’s less helpful on higher difficulty levels because the machines have more HP, but I agree it’s a good one!

[@TAKLProductions]

The one that creates the aoe exploding pulse around Aloy is pretty slept on. Especially when taking on human enemies, it's easy to get surrounded by them and then boom. Kills everything around you. It was a godsend in the final fight of last forge. Made quick work of the clawstriders so I could focus on Asera.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Oh yes Radial Blast is pretty good! Unfortunately, I find it's kind of under-powered on higher difficulties though.

[@TAKLProductions]

@@ArktixOfficial yeah you're right, doesn't even fully shock most large apex variants. Let alone that it does negligent damage. Nukes humans though.

[@Epsilon_Rue]

My personal favorite is radial blast, but I may reconsider after this video.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Interesting choice! That is a fun one I must say!

[@sushivision]

Throughout my testing I don't think Powershoot boosts the damage of weapon techniques and it only applies to normal shots. For example a braced shot while powershot is active doesn't do extra damage.

[@ArktixOfficial]

@Bảo Hồ I have found this to be true as well. I think the only Weapon Technique Powershots will with with is Double Notch.

[@reedi30]

I only ever used Ranged Master + Braced Shot, they work a treat. Now I've completed all story missions, the upgrading gear process is a chore and a bore. Not enough metal shards to craft ammunition, no arrows means melee fights for minor shard drops on rinse and repeat. No mental shards means can't buy machine muscle cause that too drops in small amounts and tear arrows need a lot of it. Sure the balance is off somewhere. :(

[@ArktixOfficial]

Yeah I love Ranged Master + Braced Shot 😄 That’s interesting you’re running out of resources so much. I’m curious what weapons and ammo you tend to use the most. Maybe they’re resource intensive like spikes?

[@reedi30]

@@ArktixOfficial Bows mostly and using stealth and ranched. Tear arrows cost ten machine muscle each 5 to make so Im constantly buying them using up shards, which leaves me short for crafting precision arrows with shards so it’s a loop of muscle n shard shortages. Yep and the spikes with the blast paste, cause traps use that too. Now I just want to upgrade all my legendary bows and armour now Im finished the main story as I gather some DLC is coming?. You’d think bigger machines would drop more shards but Bellowbacks for example only drop about 28 🙄.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ah ok thanks for explaining a bit more. Yes, I wish machines dropped more shards as well, and I wish the shard drops were more proportional to their size/challenge level. As for machine muscle, try farming it from ammo drums on Tremortusks and Thunderjaws. They drop a pretty good amount of machine muscle and other resources like metal bones, too.

[@Crashed131963]

I use Toughened and never looked back . Hard to beat being invincible and it lasts for a good while . You can run up and beat the legs off a Thunderjaw with your spear alone .

[@quirkyqwerty2840]

Struggling to do the camps on very hard without it turning into a giant brawl, didn't think to use the stealth valor surge. With that plus armor piercing rounds, I should be set for future fights!

[@Blinkptx]

I don't like things that make you too OP, so I enjoy the Stealth Stalker. 🤷‍♂️ Sometimes it's nice not getting attacked when you just want to get somewhere, and it's nice to not have to go around or creep through.

[@ralegade7710]

Radial blast is so nice when you have 4 people swarming you because it OHKOs them.

[@pierresmee4769]

hey..thanks!.. great video.. very succinct .. (and part breaker was my first and always favourite! 😉)

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thank you! Yeah Part Breaker is a good one!

[@fmorschel]

I also really like Overshield for tough fights where you are low on berries and potions.

[@vgames1543]

I do not know the name since I play in German, but I like the Valor Surge that creates a shock explosion. 1200 Damage on Level 3 and usually oneshots all human enemies in the radius, even if they have an energy shield. Need to try more in machine combat though.