ESSENTIAL Tips for ULTRA HARD New Game+! | Horizon Forbidden West

[@mattsully2238]

I just finished 💯 percented everything and got all trophies. Despite being all done with horizon (after 5 months) I'll still watch and thumbs up your content cause it's so on point. Thanks for the info and tips. As a dad/nurse/runner/husband my time comes at a premium. As such doing a little well placed research with your videos helps me get the most out of my gaming time. Cheers

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks a lot Matt! Congrats on completing the game! So glad to hear my videos can help you enjoy it more 😄 I definitely understand time being at a premium, so I’m happy to hear the time I dedicate to making these videos can help other people out! Thanks for your comment!

[@dznutzonfyre4432]

🤦‍♀️

[@TheMoonIsCheesyBacon]

Haha, Ultra Hard New Game+? I took up the even bigger challenge of Ultra Hard New Game! Hahahaha (I've lost track of my deaths before I could go past Barren Light please help)

[@spaceidiot200]

just got through that myself, not easy. Half the game the machines can pretty easily 1 shot you

[@paristeta5483]

Knockdown Treshholds and Rope Treshholds are the same, and a good weakness to exploit. Knockdown Values treshhold: light 83 113 173 Medium 165 225 285 heavy 345 405 645

[@yashsoni7614]

Lol💀

[@Resseibr]

Did the same thing the week that Ultra Hard dropped. It's REALLY tough the first 10 to 15 levels. Then it gets a bit easier. But it's a lot of fun!

[@Coolguy98765]

@TheMoonIsCheese I did the same, lol. It's actually pretty manageable once you get some fully upgraded blue gear. The first 10 hours or so are the hardest. Also, spike throwers are your friend. Grab the free one from the quest in Chainscrape as soon as you get there, and do the Signal Spike quest for a blue one ASAP as well.

[@paristeta5483]

Some Addendum: 1. Don´t sweat it, if preparation is not perfect. Especially the amount needed is way on the safe side, hadn´t even a third of it. 2. Get all pouches maxed, they only thing you may sweat it. 3. Health and Elemental Tresholds, as mentioned, are increased for enemies, this also counts for the armor of the enemies, it takes more damage to tear them off. 4. On the Plus Side: The Treshholds for Knockdown or Roping Machienes down, stays the same across all difficulties. 5. Having good potion selection like in the video (maybe exchange 1 for an overdraw potion) is also important to sort the Hunter Kits, so you can quickly access everything. I suggest grouping, i.e. all the potions together, all traps you want to use together, and mounts/rocks smokebomb inbetween. Cleanse and Stamina next to each other is also very handy. 6. Potion Profency is a nice skill to have at Rank 4, it allows to use potions instantly while moving. 7. Besides the audio cue, the red eye flashes are an important cue and so is sometimes the rumble (controller shake). 8. Outfit --> Resistance Matter, every Outfit has a weakness (like a -5 to an element), meaning that most elemental attacks of this kind kills you instantly when it is coming from the harder machines. Make sure you can cover all resistance when needed for your favourite playstyle. 9. Just have fun with the challenge, and Ultra Hard is doable, don´t worry to much and if you have questions/trouble, there is always Arktix Discord server! 10. Think, Arktix missed to post the link for the guide: docs.google.com/document/d/1kqnT60Mwbo5RQDuR7HConIp2bVEKw07KmakupoiZ8oY/edit 11. Stealth is way harder, the detection range is greatly increase. 12. Tresholds for Knockdown and Rope: Knockdown Treshholds Rope Treshholds light 83 113 173 75 150 225 Medium 165 225 285 255 300 375 heavy 345 405 645 600

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks a lot for sharing these extra tips Paris! I did miss that link at first 😅 It’s there now though 👍

[@AlkisGD]

Having only played Horizon games on UH I have no reference for comparison, but as a primarily stealth player, I'll say rushing low profile and quiet movement to +4 makes you very ninja-like in the battlefield. You can run around, break line of sight, slide into some bushes and the enemies will quickly go into the '?' state, re-enabling silent strikes or stealth shots. Stealth is always my primary playstyle, when available, and I'm very happy with its evolution in this series!

[@paristeta5483]

@@AlkisGD Then you might like the info in my spreadsheet: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SNbDW3ZljPbakEqEolUjJBB1cke3PV7d/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=111918939703848430091&rtpof=true&sd=true In very short Terms: enemy Awarness is a sphere (hearing) and a cone in front (seeing). THe cone is seperated in two ranges, the suspicious range, and the range when they are immediatly alerted. The ma range depends on machine class (Light Medium Heavy). Low Profile reduces the range of that cone, Silent Movenment the sphere. UH doubles the ranges. Machine has awareness states (Unaware, Suspicous, Alerted) those determine if most stealth buffs are active or not (SilentStrike, Stealth damage) and also if you can hid in the Red Grass (unware/Sussicous) or not. Awareness State can be seen on eye sensor or the arrow above when markted, for every marked induvidium. Unware (white arrow/ blue sensor) allows for 1 free hit without alerting the machine, when not on UH. Triplenotch are 3 hits... Machienes don´t see through object (wall/rocks) but might vary somewhat depedning on the object (machine carcasses are fishy). After Losing liine of sight (Orange arrow) they search for a about 20 seconds or attack the last position (when not bugged), and then switch to awareness state back, 1 step at a time. Croching reduces visibility only by 10% but makes movement silent. Human work the same way in general, but outside weather dependant and they form search group (up to three members) which are suspicous for longer time, and attacking one of those alerts the other two too.

[@beansecheverria9078]

I didn’t get the game until a few months after release, so I had the option to start an Ultra Hard New Game and (whoops) did so. Your machine hunting guides have been an incredible help and I definitely would not have gotten as far as I have without your super detailed guides. Thank you so much for all the effort you put into your videos 🙏🏼 Can’t wait to finish this playthrough and start a New Game+, though I think I’ll stick to Very Hard this time so I’m actually able to get the Arena Weapons 😅

[@ArktixOfficial]

Wow nice job challenging yourself! UH from scratch is definitely the ultimate challenge, especially as your very first playthrough! You’ve definitely more then earned yourself a lower difficulty playthrough for NG+ 👍😄 Glad to hear my content has been helpful to you! And thanks so much for your support 🥳 I really appreciate it! 🙏

[@Jiezhang-mg7gq]

I stick to very hard

[@drx2131]

I doing the same bro, at start is hard but if you don't rush the main game missions and mix main with side quest is very... playable ?

[@pspatino]

Finished my UH run a couple of weeks ago. From all your tips, what really saved me a lot of time and frustration was giving shredders a chance. Thanks for that

[@ArktixOfficial]

Congrats! And that’s great to hear! 😄 I love those shredders 😁

[@pspatino]

@@ArktixOfficial dude if anything, your vids gave me variety on playing the game. Shredders and blot blasters. I would have arrowed everything to death given the chance

[@MichaelEilers]

One great tip is to use the Utaru Winterweave for its amazing health boost on Silent Strike. Go find a lesser creature, silent strike it, then run to the real fight with a huge (2x) health boost that acts like an overshield. It reminds me of Shield Weaver from HZD (except it doesn’t come back).

[@carbon1621]

This! I use the upgraded rare utaru whisperer for the same reason!!

[@7strings1voice88]

After beating the game on normal I took a shot at this on new game+ UH and man did I regret it. So that being said I've been upgrading my gear for days now and just practicing as I go with the upgrading of legendary gear. Even though this is taking a lot longer than I expected it's allowed me to test out the effectiveness of each piece as it gets stronger. I use most of the techniques and modes you're discussing. Great ultra hard guide. Thanks for taking all the time to make this for us. Appreciate it.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks! Glad you thought this was a good guide 😄 And thanks for sharing your UH experience. It’s definitely challenge, and that’s a big jump going for normal to UH! Props to you for sticking with it 👍 You’re going to become a much better player by doing what you’re doing!

[@7strings1voice88]

@@ArktixOfficial you're welcome man, I love the game and keep learning better ways to approach playing as I progress and upgrade more. Like for example the Utaru Winterweave, just maxed that out and really like all that has to offer. And I'm getting the highest damage output from the Forgefall now. Your guides have helped me a lot with how I hunt machines and I keep improving thanks to them.

[@foxgirlthememegirl1344]

This is my first fine playing Horizon Forbidden West and I decided to start on Ultra Hard because I did well on it in Zero Dawn. I almost had a mental breakdown 1/4 way through and I'm 1/2 way now and still haven't used valor surges and most weapon techniques because my adhd brain couldn't wrap my head around them 😅 I've been replaying your videos a lot the past couple days, so thanks so much for all the tips. I love this game series so much and your videos are super helpful!

[@tomisper]

I just finished my first playthrough on Ultra Hard, and it was literally the first one; it wasn't a NG+. It was extremely challenging to complete; I was getting one-shot killed all the time, so I had to use a lot of stealth. But it was rewarding. I love Horizon.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Awesome! That's the ultimate challenge!

[@SpaunShaDie]

I feel ya bro. Some attacks can definitely one-shot you, but after acquiring better gear and upgrading, I've noticed that it's not so bad anymore. And switching between gear for a better elemental resistence for specific machines also helps a lot!

[@chaliets22]

hi, new follower here!!, I recently bought HFW and playing my first playthrough on Ultra Hard, I most say, your videos have helped me a lot !!, because like many others, my play style was still like HZD.. Great content !! cheers !! keep it going !!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey welcome Allan! Congrats on getting the game and I’m glad to hear my content is helping you 😄 I hope you continue to enjoy Forbidden West. Thanks for your comment!

[@sembohle265]

Well done Arktix! Thorough research as always c: Having played a lot on Ultra Hard gave me a lot of experience with it and I support all the advice you've given. You've done an amazing job with finding all these tips. I am sure people will find it useful :)

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks Phosphoras 😄 Glad you you can support these tips!

[@SpaunShaDie]

hey bro, I'm actually one one of those nut-jobs who's started their first playthrough on Ultra Hard difficulty. It's going ok-ish, but your videos have been a great help since I discovered them! The main problem I have atm is upgrading my purple weapons, too much grinding, and I still die quite regularly. The difficulty is super hard, yeah, but I'm pushing through it

[@ArktixOfficial]

That's the ultimate challenge! Glad you've been finding my videos helpful. There aren't maybe specific tips for ultra hard from scratch other than try to stack as many damage bonuses as you can and make sure you're good at dodging to avoid damage. Make use of everything: valor surges, weapon techniques, outfits, weapon upgrades, coils, weaves, etc. In the beginning, you have to play cautious until you can get some decent gear.

[@SpaunShaDie]

@@ArktixOfficial yeah, some cauldron encounters were very difficult, but I got them all. Now I don't have too many problems anymore, your tips definitely help. I was underrating weapon techniques, and that tip about drilling spikes was also a game changer:)

[@LuisGomez-lv2wi]

Looking forward to that advance combat tips video! Also I would like to see you talk about what's the most efficient way to fill up the valor surge gauge. One of the main reasons I find myself never using them is because the activation is inconsistent between fights (Large Heavy machines) So a video covering what are the best things to do while in a fight in order to fill this gauge quickly and in a consistent way would be much appreciated it! Thanks for all the content you do Arktix :)

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks! Glad you’re enjoying my content 😄 Advanced combat mechanics is on my list! Good question about valor buildup. Maybe I can work that into the advanced combat tips video, but my biggest tip there is to remove components as much as possible. That’s the consistent way to build up valor during a fight. Don’t be afraid to trigger the VS at level 1 buildup either. You still get the full benefits if you have it upgraded all the way. The duration is just shorter.

[@sharonwillems2910]

I really appreciate the level of detail and hard work you put in your videos. You always explain things clearly which makes games like Horizon even more fun. Thank you so much!! I usually never comment, but I just wanted to share this with you. I hope your channel continues to grow, you deserve it. :)

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks so much! I’m glad to hear my content helps you enjoy the game more 😄 That’s always my goal when making videos! I appreciate your support, and thanks for commenting! 👍🙏

[@shiningstar737]

Something I find even more useful when dodging is to open the weapon wheal to get the ultra slow effect to easier do perfect dodges as you can do it while having it open

[@MOSES-ThePhotoModeGuru]

That's a cool tip, not thought of that 👍I've kind of been the other way around though. I find it useful to turn the slowdown off because when it's on, things like crafting arrows takes longer. Also if I ever spent too long in the weapon wheel then it's a bit of a shock when you suddenly come out of it and you've got a schorcher barrelling towards you

[@ArktixOfficial]

Oh nice tip! I hadn’t thought of that either, although I suppose I do that sometimes…

[@Stunbunny]

Thanks for yet another immensely helpful Horizon Forbidden West video! Your tips on the Shredder Gauntlet literally changed my game for the better!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks! Glad you found this helpful 😄 And I’m happy to hear you have shredders a try. They’re my favorite!

[@MOSES-ThePhotoModeGuru]

Really liked the way you brought the valour surges up being translucent. Thought that was a really nice touch! Same goes for when you were talking about coils and weaves and you had the pop up with the distorted edges to it. All very inspiring! Great job as always 👏👏👏

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks Moses 😄 Yeah I’ve been trying to find ways to show those boring screens a little better lol

[@MOSES-ThePhotoModeGuru]

@@ArktixOfficial have you considered adding glitter... and sparkles 😆 lol

[@jedimindtrick75]

Thank you, Arktix. Great video as usual. I did an Ultra Hard run not too long ago. I expected enemies to have more health. That was natural. Challenging, but with the right weapons, not amazingly tough. But I will tell you guys there are a few things on Ultra Hard that can kick your a$$. The fighting pit bosses where you learn melee combos can be very tough. The Enduring herself is real rough. The Arena, ones where you have your own weapons are not so bad. The main battles at the end of each level can be real rough. The last one with the Apex Thunderjaw and Scorcher... I still haven't beat on UH. There are many videos on KZbin of guys doing it but I just cant lol. It's very chaotic. All in all, the tougher enemies just take longer to beat. And can kill you pretty fast. But I completed it 100% except that last Arena battle. And if I can do it, anyone can. I am also a huge fan of the Rain of Sparks with mixed legendary coils for freeze, acid, plasma... You can get it up to about 20% give or take a few percent to trigger an elemental state. And each time the elemental state triggers, the machines will pause their attacks for a few seconds. VERY useful. Even against huge machines.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! And thanks for charging these extra tips. I agree the Arena and Melee Pits are probably the most difficult/frustrating/grindy content in the game, made only even more challenging in UH! That instant build on a warrior bow is cool. I think it’s become fairly popular with players. I don’t use Warrior bows much myself, but I agree it’s definitely a very useful build!

[@MrTmm97]

I highly recommend using the method described in Artix’s other video discussing exploits to use the arena inventory duplication exploit to duplicate all the necessary upgrade materials to finalize you current arsenal and to be prepared to quickly upgrade all the new weapons from NG+ as soon as you get them. Because duplication is exponential… if you have 1 of each upgrade material (apex heart, primary nerve, circulator, ect) doing the duplication exploit 6-7 times would increase an item you had 1 of to 128-256 of them (respectively). Meaning as long as you had 1 of all the potential upgrade materials, if you duplicated your inventory 6-7 times not only will you have more than enough parts to fully upgrade all current and NG+ weapons (and current armor), but you’ll also have so many extra coils, parts, valuables to sell that you’ll have more than enough shards to pay for all the upgrades as well. The whole process took me like 2.5 hours start to finish…which might seem long at first glance…. It doesn’t even come close to the amount of time it takes to acquire all the material to upgrade a few legendary weapons… let alone all of them. Now that I’ve done this I’m very confident in starting NG+ on Ultra Hard! Thanks Artix!

[@ArktixOfficial]

You're very welcome! Glad you found that exploit useful 😄

[@davedelorean2383]

Yes I did this before starting. Only to then find out that I ws missing Apex Scorcher Hearts and Apex Shellsnapper Hearts... F* me.

[@TAKLProductions]

Kinda defeats the purpose... what's the point in playing UH mode if you just cheat to get there?

[@cliffordthompson8248]

This video came just in time I just started my ultra hard playthrough. Thanks for the tips 👍

[@ArktixOfficial]

Awesome! I hope these tips help 😄

[@cliffordthompson8248]

@@ArktixOfficial oh yea they did 👍

[@Fheel]

I don’t usually comment, but I wanted you to know that I think your channel is very underrated. I love the Horizon series and your videos makes me love it even more. Mission accomplished Good job Arktix

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks a lot! Glad to hear my content helps you enjoy the game more 😄 That’s always my goal 🙂 I appreciate you commenting! 🙏

[@tymen.spiering]

Just started new game+ on hard mode, my last play through I was on 94% but i wanted to play the entire game again cause of the story and how good the game is. Your videos always are fun/interesting to watch. Hope you grow and keep uploading horizon. Cheers

[@ArktixOfficial]

Awesome! Glad you're enjoying the game and finding my content helpful 😄 I definitely plan to make more Horizon content, especially when Burning Shores comes out!

[@wren7195]

You are an absurdly wonderful gentleman and game resource. I get the same guilty thrill watching your videos as I did in my teens back in the glory days of having a genuine thorough player's guide. Thank you SO VERY MUCH for going above and beyond with all of your vids, but this was the one I was looking for. And I learned a ton! Had no idea about smoke grenade trick. Thank you and the community for all of your very hard wonderful work!! Definitely gotta improve my dodging. Really glad you put in the Spikesnout trick for getting volatile sludge: I highly recommend taking a nighttime sequence at the Shellsnapper site in front of the Base, under the Drone, you get five (usually apex) Spikesnouts. Try to shoot them in the head, when their sacs explode it's been my experience that you don't get as much sludge, drops from 5 to 3 or less. Another good spot is north of Vegas just above where the Slitherfang lurks. Popping to the Shelter in the hills above them will reload them, just a quick glide back down. Thank you guys again, this is a wonderful community. Arktix, you're above and beyond my friend. THANK you, so very much.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hi Wren! Thanks as always for your kind comment 😊 Glad to hear you found this video helpful. You were one of the people who pushed me to make it and I thank yo for that! I hope you have fun in Ultra Hard 😄

[@ardasevmis7583]

I just finished my first playthrough on ultra hard at level 37. I didn’t have a single legendary gear but all my gear were maxed purple gear. A seeker hunter arrow with all instant brittle coils and a delta sharpshot bow with all critical hit chance coils suited all my needs. I was decimating apex tremortusks, apex slaughterspines, apex tjaws, apex slitherfangs. The advanced precision arrows with critical hits were doing close to 2k damage. Even the final boss was made a joke with this. Instant brittle hard counters even machines strong against frost. 10/10 would recommend. Also I would like to thank you for all your videos! You cant even imagine how much you’ve helped me along the way with your videos. Your strats on very hard also work on ultra hard

[@ArktixOfficial]

Awesome! Nice work on your UH playthrough 👍 Glad you found my content helpful! And glad you like that crit build on the sharpshot bow. I really like it too!

[@WEARES0BACK]

I didn’t realise it was added later lol, only bought the game a couple weeks ago and went straight to it (did the same with zero dawn) and christ is it a challenge! Definitely worth it, makes the game last so much longer and you get that great sense achievement when you take down these massive creatures:)

[@ianharris6294]

Thanks , your channel is superb, without doubt yours is the most informative of any out there for HFW Your my go to channel for help , you seem to be able to explain simply & I need that. All I need now is for someone to help me through the Pit challenges as it's so hard to hit the buttons exactly as they require to prog, Thanks again

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks Ian! Happy to hear you find my content helpful 😄 Yes. Those melee pits (Especially Thornmarsh) are really tricky! I have it on my list to do a video/series on them, but for now you could check out my friend MrPantsFancy’s guide. It’s linked here in my resource database: docs.google.com/document/d/1kqnT60Mwbo5RQDuR7HConIp2bVEKw07KmakupoiZ8oY/edit Hope it helps!

[@robinronin]

I remember doing two story runs for HZD to get all other achievements, all best weapons, and all needed resources to make ammo for those weapons, and then doing Ultra Hard. It was... quite the switch, but it was fun because I already had what I needed. I can’t wait to do the same for HFW now that it’s out for PC!! Just watching some tips and tricks videos to prepare myself extra well 👀

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! Hope you're enjoying a new playthrough!

[@arturmagomedov02]

Yes finally, I am patiently waiting for every single video like a little child, because they are so good

[@TheGlintJaw]

Same lol

[@ArktixOfficial]

Lol thanks Artur! Glad you like my videos 😄

[@ArktixOfficial]

😄

[@lekhefh1907]

This channel might be the best quality channels I've seen all video games included. Precision, numbers, explanation, good video assembling. Good English even for non native easy to understand. Variant techniques, videos cut in chapters! Spreadsheets, you have it all! thanks for all of us here! I particularly enjoyed the machines fighting guides. Small question though: you never mention food. Is it because it's not relevant enough ? Even in NG+? Which types are your favourite? Thanks

[@ArktixOfficial]

Wow thank you! This is very kind 😊 I’m glad you’re enjoying my content and finding it helpful! Good question on food. It’s definitely useful, but I have to admit I probably don’t use food as much as I should. I find I don’t need it, but it can be really helpful. Food can boost skills that aren’t already maxed out from passive skills, outfit perks, or weaves. So for example, if your typically outfit and weaves don’t max out the stamina regen skill, you could use a food item to max that out temporarily. I’m actually planning to do a video on food at some point, but if you want to learn some more now there are a few spreadsheets other people have made linked in my resource database: docs.google.com/document/d/1kqnT60Mwbo5RQDuR7HConIp2bVEKw07KmakupoiZ8oY/edit Hope you find that helpful. And thanks again for your kind comment! 🙏

[@monsterfrommanila]

Can't thank you more than enough for advising collecting volatile sludge before starting NG+ UH. At first, thought that 500 is overkill but after finishing the main quest and focusing on side mission, I'm well stocked and ready to tackle to collect all the NG+ unlockables. 🙏🏼

[@ArktixOfficial]

Great! Glad you found that tip helpful 😁

[@JediDadrdo]

thks so much for the ng+ parts list. got them all complete, now ready to start streaming ng+ on ultra hard. your very appreciated!👍👍👍👍👍

[@ArktixOfficial]

You’re very welcome! Congrats on getting them all!

[@JediDadrdo]

@@ArktixOfficial thks to you! Streaming ultra hard. Have Iriv sharpshpt and just got tears of land god. Both fully upgraded. Next is defend Kulrut to start next stream. Put you on featured channels list.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! And hey thanks a lot for featuring me! I appreciate that 😄🤜🤛🙏

[@Redmentoos]

Thank you buy the game last week and wanted a challenge. Well its what I wanted... after needing 3 hours for my first Cauldon i decided i need to watch a viedeo now. Helped a lot thanks!

[@furiousstyles08]

Great guide. Once again, your recommendations help keep the game new for those of us still savoring it. I said it before, but Guerilla Games needs to cut you a check. You are one of the best ambassadors for them.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Haha thanks Furious! Glad you liked this guide 😄 Maybe someday I can work with Guerrilla. That would be cool. Always appreciate your comments and support 👍🙏

[@JosephCheetah]

I've discovered that animal parts (skins, bones, etc.) sell for a surprisingly high amount. If you have a lot of those left over in your inventory after upgrading your pouches, cash them in!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Yes! It’s a great way to farm shards for sure. Low risk, good aiming practice, and pretty good shard farming rate 👍

[@triccks6184]

A combo that I like alot for smaller machines is to use the Rain of sparks for instafreeze so 5 instafeeze coils, and then the Carja bane for my damage. I use 5 25 percent Melle follow up because I think It does a little bit nore damages than a crit build for rain of sparks and it does not apply fire every 3 seconds

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! Yeah the instant frost coil build with the RoS is a cool one. I don’t use Warrior Bows much myself, but that’s a great combo!

[@DeanCulver17]

This is going to make the first ultra hard play through so much more fun. Thank you!

[@janisrenaud7646]

You are so awesome I'm just starting my new game plus ultra hard will be using you videos alot

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks! Glad you’re finding my videos helpful 😄

[@3mileisland516]

A dedicated shard farming video would be awesome! I don't know how you find the time!!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks for letting me know! It’s on my list 👍

[@pvillanueva15]

Another great video! Love the details you put into each one. An advanced combat mechanics video would be nice!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! Glad you’re liking them 😄 And thanks for letting me know you’d like a combat mechanics vid!

[@hederahelix4600]

Thank you for all the good videos. Would love an advance combat video and also one on farming shards and resources. I am always short on machine muscle and volatile sludge is getting less too. Will be interested to see how much harder it is to fight dreadwings after today's update.

[@Janpieer911]

Same For the shard I go to the south West of Lowland clan, where there is the Tideripper. Once the machine is out, I go back and forth on the beach, killing all lobsters, Crab and Pelican. Give me around 20k shard in 45 minutes, but I am sure there is definitely a more efficient way

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thank you! Glad you’re enjoying my content 😄 And thanks for letting me know you’d like to see those videos. For machine muscle, I highly recommend ammo drums on Ttusks. Best source I’ve found for machine muscle and metal bones. Plus you’ll get some other resources, too!

[@christian112]

After completing on UH (normal game) I can finally add my 2 cents as well: 1. Review all the great guides from Arktix :-). 2. Use multiple multiple outfits, each has strenths and weaknesses. You can and should dress to the occasion. E.g. The slitherfang requires something against shock, purgewater and acid, while the slaughterspine needs ridiculious amount of plasma resistance. 3. Use the low health playstyle. Once fully enabled (you have the skills in the skill tree and at least the two weaves Low Health Defense, Low Health Ranged or Low Health Regen (Nora Lookout even gives you Low Health Regen +2, that is very awesome!). You can get hit much more often than with berries. I always ran out of berries before, but the low health regen does that for you for free. so you only need to ensure you dont loose too much health at the same time. 4. When fighting with the Slaughterspine, avoid fighting from range. I tried to hide and attach from range for a long time (as I felt too weak for a closer playstyle) and it still always killed me. But it was much easier to defeat by running closely and using Brittle (Use Elements Valor Surge!) and then pounding it with Spike Throwers. Adding the Rope Caster sometimes can help you target better. 5. Never stand still. Better run around in chaos than shooting from the same spot over and over again. Of course even better if you run around without chaos :) 6. Especially with the freaking Waterwings (or Flocks of animals), use Berserk Blast Valor Surge. Make sure you run to them to bring them closer together (by chasing you) before triggering it. That will make them fight each other and release some pressure. Then also use the Rope Caster. When possible you can also override machines using aggressive mode before starting a fight (and sometimes even avoid a fight with that and just watch them). 7. Check which gear you can buy and which gear you can get from quests. These can help if you get them as early as possible. I finished the Arena in Story Mode and was able to get legendary gear, but in UH, i never got past the Slitherfang locked loadout challenge. So the alternatives from merchants or quests can be your saviour if you cant get the Arena medals like me. 8. I never understood shredder gauntlets. They either suck or I am too stupid to use them, even Ancesters return did almost no damage or elemental buildup compared to Emperors Reign or Last Argument. And even Arktix guide left me clueless why my damage with them sucks... 9. If you need to farm Fireclaws Sac Webbings, and you get an Apex, make sure you have saved the game and then let it kill you. The next spawn should be a normal Fireclaw and much easier to kill (Ok still horribly difficult but easier :D). Also here i recommend Elemental Fury with Brittle. And remember to use the correct outfit for fire resistance and have your cleansing potions ready if you use the low health playstyle. Ah there is so much about his game, we could go on and on :-) Thank you Arktix for guiding me through all this 😊👍 Now I still have these achievements left, but I guess ill do them on story mode this time... - Killed Machines While Gliding - Completed New Game+ - Obtained All New Game+ Rewards

[@emmanuelc316]

U aren't lying about adjusting ur play style. I was content with just rushing with hunter bows for damage and using other weapons pretty sparingly. On ultra hard I use rope caster, shedders and sharpshots religiously, plus planning out how to approach each fight. Using everything to give myself an advantage cuz man it gets pretty challenging pretty fast

[@ArktixOfficial]

Totally! Glad to hear you were able to make the adjustment! I’m sure you’re now a better player because of your efforts 😄👍

[@emmanuelc316]

@@ArktixOfficial thank u! Ur channel was the biggest help esp ur shedder vid I was really hesitant in using them till I saw that video, I really hope to see videos on the other weapons too! Maybe even just one video breaking down most of them!

[@alwayswrite2011]

I cheesed it. I played through NG+ to get all of the new legendary weapons BEFORE trying ultra hard. I also made sure I had ABSURD amounts of ammo crafting resources. What I've ALSO do is crafted and stashed A LOT of ammo. One of the perks on the skill tree allows for using fewer resources at crafting tables, so I went nuts, concentrating on those ammo types I use most. My thinking was that I'd be able to save on some of the more difficult-to-find resources by crafting the ammo in advance. There are plenty of towns and shelters where I can access my stash, so I can refill swiftly and move on, while also having the remaining resources I've saved up by making the ammo cheaply.

[@EliHooke]

Love this idea! I've already been stocking up the materials for an ultra hard run, it didn't even occur to me that I can stash the ammo, too!

[@alwayswrite2011]

@@EliHooke Everything you carry can be stored. Travel packs, smoke bombs, potions... Go nuts! Make a day of it! YOU GET A CRAFTED ITEM! YOU GET A CRAFTED ITEM! YOU GET A CRAFTED ITEM! [/Oprah] 😉

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! Good idea crafting a bunch of ammo to keep in your stash. That’d definitely be nice to just grab ammo as needed on UH!

[@Станислав-д9ч]

Great video as always! Your channel is a hidden gem that I accidentally found. Keep up your great work and wish you all the best)

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks I a lot! Glad you’re enjoying my content 😄 I appreciate your support! 🙏

[@richyglitched]

An invaluable guide to such an Awesome game.. Just finishing up my first playthrough before starting + . Farming components for upgrades and wrapping up a few side quests (done the arena but got all the Pits and Hunting grounds to go) Thank you for your in-depth guides to maximise my abilities.

[@ArktixOfficial]

You're very welcome! Glad to hear you found this helpful 😄 Hope you're having fun in NG+ soon!

[@gavindsouza2841]

I would LOVE a shard farming video! I keep running out trying to upgrade my legendary weapons and doing arena challenge. Also I know you hear this a lot but you have the best guides on KZbin. Not just for horizon, I love your god of war guides too. Hands down best video game guide channel on KZbin. (Maybe tied with strat gaming, but he mainly just does bannerlord guides) You deserve all the success you have plus more! I can tell how much work you put into these videos and I and many other viewers really appreciate it 👍🏼 I tried sending you a super thanks but it didn’t work :( I’ll try again next time I comment on a video

[@MonsteR_NuggetS]

Great Vid as always Artix:) I have a tip to add: Don't be afraid to disengage from a fight and reset the playing field. Many times I've been on the brink of defeat, and instead of trying to bullrush my way to victory, I'll crest a hill, reposition, set a trap or 6, and reengage the enemy from a new, more advantageous angle. Proper use of the environment for cover/concealment and elevation can really turn the tides in ones favor. Keep up the great work, and good hunting.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! And thanks for sharing your tip! I agree disengaging and repositioning/regrouping is important to keep in mind. Better to do that than die and start all over!

[@briangray5067]

Thanks for another great video. And thanks for mentioning headphones, as I don't think most people appreciate how spatial awareness makes a big difference in understanding exactly where something is happening near you in this game. I have a very good surround system that I've invested a lot in, but it still doesn't compare to good set of headphones in this game.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks Brian! Glad you liked the tip about headphones. I totally agree. Unfortunately, most games don’t do good/any audio design of surround sound systems, they’re all designed for stereo, so headphones are the key 👍

[@lucnguyen8905]

Started my first playthrough a few weeks ago on UH cause I considered the combat in Zero Dawn much easier than the FromSoftware games I've been grinding recently. I am only now realizing Guerilla meant UH to be played on NG+ LOL. Literally was getting one shot by every Burrower for like the first 10 hours of playing (oof). Thank goodness for this channel tho! Has made this game so much fun to build up the right gear! (still currently takes 20min to take down an Apex Thunderjaw tho)

[@alexanderericson8628]

Love your content almost started to cry playing ultra hard new game

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks! That's definitely the ultimate challenge. I hope you're finding my content helpful!

[@Magical2g2]

Insanely well made video! When I clicked on your video I thought that this will be a the first and last I watch of yours but I fell in love with how well you explain everything I just had to sub! Wondering if you'll make an updated guide for ultra hard now that we have all of these new op weapons? I hope so!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks! Glad you're enjoying my content 😄 I appreciate your sub as well! Not sure I'll do an updated version of this particular video since the tips here haven't changed much, but I WILL have a video on the new weapons soon and then I'll have other videos on builds, outfits, etc. that will be helpful too!

[@Magical2g2]

@@ArktixOfficial I cannot wait!! Looking forward to it thanks in advance lol

[@tylerji]

Animal hunting - finish your pouch upgrades and then sell the pouch resources, beach farming lobsters/crabs/pelicans/gulls is easy, they respawn quickly walking up and down one beach and you can kill with normal hunter arrows to limit resource loss

[@ArktixOfficial]

Absolutely! That's definitely the best legit way to farm shards 👍

[@sunboshan]

Not sure if we are playing the same game, but your play style is just so professional! I played like a 5 years old lol

[@ArktixOfficial]

Haha thanks! I hope these tips help you improve!

[@Rozdw]

My first play through of this a game and I started on Ultra Hard. Got to Gaia, died atleast 200 times lol. Having a blast. Been using the Radial Blast Valor skill (I like having a panic option). After watching this I’ll give the Ranged Master Valor skill a shot.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! Glad you're having fun even on Ultra Hard as your first play through! That's definitely the ultimate challenge!

[@Rozdw]

Question: what’s your strat on completing the arena on Ultra Hard? I keep getting walloped on the first battle lol. Those arena weapons looking nice, I really want some of them.

[@Phillip-Gvv]

Ultra Pro Max Epic Tip to make NG+ easy. If you arent worried about time then do NG+ TWICE. First do it on the story difficulty, max all your weapons, get New Game plus exclusive weapons that youre going to use get good armor and maybe more resources like shards. After doing it delete backup save of the "base game" (without NG+) so next NG+ game you will start will be NG++. I think you can't start NG++ if you dont delete backup save but i might be wrong. You will have all New Game+ weapons maxed at the beggining of second game. So you will be able to just speedrun only main quests without doing secondary ones. Also thanks to that you can repeat NG+ as many times as you want for example doing NG+++ :D.

[@maiohope894]

Hi Arktix, love your videoes. Could you explain more about the blastsling knockdown issue? I really enjoy using blastslings, but if knockdown is bugged, it almost makes the weapon class worthless. What is the best way to use blastslings in your opinion?

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks! And yes good question. So according to the official guide from future press, explosive ammo is supposed to be able to trigger knockdowns on any part of the body. Based on the knockdown tables provided in the guide (also in my spreadsheet), this would be a really useful mechanic, but it didn’t currently work correctly. Myself and some others have tested it and it takes way more sling bombs to trigger knockdowns than it’s supposed to. Like it should take something like 4 or 5 to knockdown a Ttusk but it takes like 15-20. Something’s definitely off. I don’t like using explosive ammo in general because I don’t want to destroy components, but because we have spike throwers I think they’re the clear choice for explosives if you want them. If they fix the explosive knockdown on Blastslings I’ll probably work one into my loadout. Hope that explains it!

[@loficorgi]

For an economic RNG option -- I use Carja's Bane with 5x instant Freeze coils, then followed by Rain of Sparks with 5x Critical Hit Chance Coils.. i use the Elite Ropecaster + Smoke Bomb in case I need to do crowd control

[@loficorgi]

@@grimm6jack Both weapons I’ve mentioned are warrior bows, last time i tried i cant attch close range coils

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! Sounds like a good build. I’m not much of a warrior bow user myself, but the instant frost coil build does sound enticing. And yeah, unfortunately you’re correct that you can’t put close range coils on a Warrior Bow 😕

[@grimm6jack]

@@loficorgi Forget what I said... had a brain fart there.

[@grimm6jack]

@@ArktixOfficial Tried it, its best used in NG+ when you have acess to 2 legendary 3% Frost coils and add 3 other 2%. Or... you can just complete the game 5 times (the arena) and get 5 of the 3% legendary instant frost coils to have a 15% chance, which on a warrior bow, given its rate of fire and absurdly low resources needed for ammo, is quite OP. Use both the Rain of Sparks and Carja's Bane. One with the instant frost coils and the other with coils to do damage (meele follow-up seems to be the best or... just normal impact damage coils if you don't or can't be bothered to get close enough to get one meele hit). The one optimized for damage, is best used when using the spreadshot technique. Its not only a pretty OP build (still not the absolute best, but its close), but one that saves you from using resources, literally only requiring shards and wood, which are basically infinite in this game.

[@loficorgi]

@@grimm6jack (+1) the only "resource" is the finger muscle needed to mash R2 after running out of stamina for R1 lol

[@demiak26]

I am doing a fresh Ultra Hard New Game. It was really hard until you start getting you blue weapon kit. Than it starts getting more manageable. You do have to worry about coils and weaves from the get go and need to invest into defensive skills in the skill tree so fights don't become too frustrating. I just made it past the Greenhouse. Now that I have most of the tools, I'm doing side stuff and upgrading the purples I'm going to stick with until I tackle the Arena. I'm not doing arena until I fully upgrade my purple because I know it'll be tough getting the medals for the legendaries. All in all, I'm having a blast with the challenge.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Awesome! Yeah that’s definitely the ultimate challenge. I’ve got a save file I’m doing it in as well. Sounds like you’re past the toughest parts! Enjoy!

[@JIGWIGPIG]

I started mine awhile back and am lvl four. Back at it again and a fresh look on why I stepped away. A fresh ultra hard is no joke.

[@ToTheTower]

Once again ... an excellent and very clear video. Thanks Arktix

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thank you! Glad you liked it 😄

[@Razzy_82]

Thanks Arktix. Very informative video as always. I have to say i'm a little disappointed with the weapons on NG+, some of there perks and ammo types don't make much sense if you ask me but there ya go. Thanks again for the great vid pal

[@paristeta5483]

Weapon Design isn´t the devs strength...probably have a random generatores for the stats ;-)

[@Razzy_82]

@@paristeta5483 i know right, very disappointed

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! Glad you found it informative 😄 And yeah I agree many of the NG+ weapons are not great, mostly because if the perks. I really don’t like the instant perks lol. Maybe we’ll get some new solid options with DLC!

[@Razzy_82]

@@ArktixOfficial yep, some of the instant perks can cancel out an elemental state we built up previously to deal more dmg etc, annoying 🙄

[@ArktixOfficial]

Yeah exactly. That’s what I don’t like about them. Instants are an interesting idea, but I think they should have been done only as coils, not perks.

[@SlinkyConsumption]

Thank you for the tips! you are my number 1 favorite horizon forbidden west youtuber thanks!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thank you! 😄 That’s very kinda of you 😊 Glad you’re enjoying my content!

[@sonny5552]

Quality content as always my friend! Hope you & your wife are doing well, always wishing you the best!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey Sonny! Glad to hear from you and thanks 😄 We are doing well. Hope you are too!

[@footballasylum6239]

Hello my good friend first congrats on my prediction of your subs lol seriously you earned them and cracking video, this is one of my fav games plus GOW and this video will help a lot of people, and c,Mon subs Arktix deserves at least a thousand likes with all the hard work he puts into hes videos to help you guys out there's give n take on each side so people PRESS THE LIKE for the HFW legend 👍💪😁💯🇬🇧

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey Football Asylum! Thanks! Always happy to see you in the comments 😄 Thanks as always for your kind words and support 😁🤜🤛👍

[@jdogx211]

Reason I made sure to do some HARD farming on story before going into Ultra Hard. Just wish I had known about the Strike cheat before starting it. You can win almost ANY MACHINE STRIKE game with a single Slaughterspine piece, and that is how you 100% your Skill Tree.

[@corey_massey]

Between 1 normal/hard/very hard playthrough of the game and 1 ultra hard NG+ playthrough you will have more than enough Skill points to max out every skill tree without ever having to play machine strike.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ah yeah. Strike was the last thing I did on my 100% save too lol. I used the Fireclaw piece, but I’ll have to look into the Slaughterspine one sometime.

[@jdogx211]

@@ArktixOfficial I actually have 4 different sets I typically use: A, 1 Slaughterspine. B, a Bellowback for its range and EXTRA LARGE Spray ability, and a Fireclaw for the muscle. C, 3 Clawstriders, becouse they are excellent all around, and a Leaplasher for support. And D, 3 Skydifters and 2 Longlegs for numbers and maneuverability. Also, with my first two sets, you need to remeber: you move your machine(s) twice a turn. But of you only have ONE, you move it TWICE PER TURN. That's the point with the SS qnd the BB/FC; once the BB is dead, I can move the FC 6, SIX, spaces a turn and ATTACK!

[@gaaaige]

0:32: "I don't think most people are going to do that" Me, a sucker for punishment who Did That and came here for early game fresh-from-the-install-screen tips: (sweating profusely)

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ah another fanatic like myself 😁 That’s the ultimate challenge! I should really do a video on UH from scratch tips. I’ve gotten a lot of comments like this. Thing is, it would basically just be a combat guide. To do UH from scratch, you basically just need a solid understanding of the game’s mechanics, which I cover in all my other content. But maybe I should package it up in some sort of “UH from scratch tips” video.

[@MSeroga]

Just finished the game, first time playing it went Ultra Hard from start to finish... Damn... As a souls fan this wasn't easy lol. Nice challenge tho. :)

[@ArktixOfficial]

Congrats! That’s the ultimate challenge.

[@SmokeyBananas]

Just gotta say, I don't normally comment but I have to say I love your Horizon Forbidden West videos! I just finished the main story and every single one of your videos that I've watched has helped me in some way. Looking forward to hitting up the new game+ . Thanks for the content, game aside they're extremely relaxing and fun to watch, keep up the good work!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks a lot! Glad to hear you've found my content helpful and enjoyable 🙂 I appreciate your comment! 🙏

[@grimm6jack]

Came to discover another way to finish off machines faster and being very resource efficient. Iriv's Downfall Elite Precision Arrows maxed out (largest impact damage in the game) Powershot valor surge (200% damage increase, or basically 3x) Nora Thunder Armor (for the Stamina perks) with a Low Health Ranged Weave (80% damage increase with health below 50%, so 1.8x) Overdraw Potion (25% increased damage when overdrawing) Double Notch Technique (I don't know the multiplier for this one, but I think on Sharpshot bows, its in fact 2x the damage, need to confirm, but regardless, its the best technique for this situation) Put either High Ground, Close Range or Long Range 25% damage coils on your Iriv's Downfall (if you fight a Dreadwing or Stormbird, Aerial Enemy 25% coils is the option) With all of these set, go into battle, set your Sun Scourge Frost Arrows ready and put your enemy machine in the brittle state for a 2x damage multiplier. After that, activate your valor surge and try to aim for weakspots, although even if you don't, you can still finish off the machine without much trouble. I've used this tactic on every big machine and I can pretty much rip them apart, aside from a very few exceptions. And the best part of this built? You literally don't waste resources when using ammo during your Powershot valor, and the valor doesn't decrease with time, but only after you use 5 shots (if you have the valor bar maxed out). And yes, I can confirm, using Double Notch on a Sharpshow bow only counts as one shot, so if you have the stamina (thus why I use the Nora Thunder Armor) you can use 5 doublt notch shots for free. So basically, defeat all these machines while wasting only 2 to 6 Advanced Frost Arrows worth of resources. Considering that at a bench 10 of these cost 3 Chillwater and 2 Volatile Sludge, its pretty damn nothing (you can farm 4 Apex Spikesnouts in a site near the desert which give 3-5 Volatile Sludge each). The only machines this might not work all the time is against the Apex Shellsnaper (or even the normal one) and the Apex Fireclaw. On all other machines, even the Slaughterspine, they can go down on the 3rd or 4th shot, if you miss weak spots, the 5th shot will end them 100%. Some of these shots I've managed to hit 10k damage when hitting some weak spots (multiplier varies depending on the machine). The Shellsnaper and Apex Fireclaw are the only tricky ones because: -The Shellsnaper can go underground and stay there for long periods of time, enough time to make the brittle state go away and thus nerf your damage by half. And there's also the problem of one of the shots hitting his shell and doing no damage because of that. If you are able to get all the shots though, you can still finish him off, Apex or not, with probably 1 or 2 shots to spare if you hit weak points, but that's the very tricky part, and it stands as one of the hardest if not the hardest machine to deal with. -The Apex Fireclaw is the only machine in the game that I can't finish off even with all 5 Double Notch powershots. 3 reasons. The first being having the highest HP in the game alongside the Slaughterspine, which would be fine because I can finish off even the Apex Slaughterspine with ease, but then there's the other 2 reasons. The Fireclaw has barely any weakspots to speak off, the most obvious ones are the sacs, but there's a catch, if you hit even a single power-shot on one of its sacs, you remove the Fireclaw from the Brittle state and put him in the Fire state, so basically, nerfs your damage. The third reason is, even if you don't aim for weakspots, after the Fireclaw gets down to a certain amount of health, it can use its fire to remove the brittle state on its own. These later 2 reasons are why I consider the Fireclaw alongside the Shellsnaper (it is either one or the other really) as the hardest machine to deal with. Both in my view are incredibly inbalanced compared to other machines. And btw for those wondering the HP of each of these machines (on Ultra Hard): 1. Specter Prime (23.800) 2. Slaughterspine/Fireclaw (21.000 - 31.500 Apex) 3. Thunderjaw (18.200 - 27.300 Apex) 4. Slitherfang (15.400 - 23.100 Apex) 5. Stormbird/Tremortusk (14.000 - 21.000 Apex) 6. Tideripper (12.600 - 18.900 Apex) 7. Shellsnaper (11.200 - 16.800 Apex) 8. Dreadwing (9.800 - 14.700 Apex) 9. Behemoth (7.560 - 11.340 Apex) 10. Rockbreaker (7.280 - 15.120 Apex) - I dunno why the Rockbreaker is the only big machine that receives an over 2x buff instead of the 1.5x for all other machines). So yes, if you try to take down these guys with just hunter arrows, prepare to be in for a loooong battle. The HP of the Fireclaw I still call it bullshit given all the other advantages it has. Should've been in the ballpark of the Shellsnaper's current HP and the Shellsnaper itself should've been a bit lower than what it is, given its basically a Rockbreaker but exponentially better in every single way. Now imagine my struggle who went into a New Game (not NG+) and started on Ultra Hard... Yeah, even burrowers at times were a pain to deal with with arrows doing 15-30 damage lol.

[@paristeta5483]

Double Notch is nornaly 2x 70% damage arrows. With Powershot only 1 Arrow benefits from it. So on arrow is 210% Damage, the other 70% Damage, total 280% and they can´t crit. What i don´t know, if the 70% can crit or if it is badly inflenced by power shots and if the 1 Ammo is consumed for it. When you are not dependant for a certain component to survive the combat, i would suggest explosive spike with powershots and if you use high volley for freezing the enemy, you can use up all Powershots for spikes. Shellsnappers i wouldn´t even bother with freeze just remove the bolts to lessen canon damage and have a bigger area of attack, then act according to your need, (adhesive to prevent burrowing for example, or drench them if frost damage kills you). Your observation about the fireclaws are correct, so if you need the sac webbing, rope em, freezem, blast em rinse and repeat.

[@grimm6jack]

@@paristeta5483 I know power shot doesn't allow critical hits (otherwise I would use all 5 slots with 15% critical hit chance coils) but it does benefit from the double notch. Anyway my point was to waste as little resources as possible, so your method with the Shellsnapper while obviously quite good, it will require more resource and a more careful approach as well. All other machines in the game aside from these two I can just use this tactic or even other simpler ones. The balance with these two is just not there... At least the Fireclaw is rated at level 42/60, but the Shellsnaper at 26/42 is a big joke considering how much harder it is than other machines rated higher. Still dunno why the Scorcher is 30/48... higher than pretty much every machine but the Tremortusk/Fireclaw/Slaughterspine and tied to the Thunderjaw when it clearly isn't nearly as hard. Frostclaw is more of a pain than the Scorcher is. Heck the Frostclaw has more HP than some of the Heavy-machines. I take those Machine levels with a grain of salt, but GG should've put more thought into them considering... they are there for a reason.

[@paristeta5483]

@@grimm6jack No ammo used! Ok this was very hard, but still had 3 power shots and i forgot to activate low health ranged, so enough damage for Apex Tremotusk at Ultra Hard without any ammo used: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nobHZIyPndeletk Tried to find proof for Double Notch and Powershot, but i get strange results, and both cases (yours and mine) seems to be wrong.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! Sounds like you’ve figured out a great combo/build there. I agree Shellsnappers and Fireclaws are very challenging, and a little imbalanced compared to other machines. I think there should be a couple more weak spots or components to exploit on the Fireclaws and there should be a way to disable the Shellsnapper’s burrowing, like you can with Rockbreakers.

[@pablocuixeres830]

There is quite a cheap way to "farm" large potions: you can buy large potions at some places in the territory of the Sky Clan (at Sheerside Climb for example, or at the place near a scorcher zone, don't know the name in english) and it costs 1 vulture feather. It's a little bit boring to farm vultures, but what I did is while farming machine pieces in the desert in my normal game to get prepared for ultra hard ng+, i hunted every vulture i saw. And if you get the wishbone instead of the feather, you can still sell it for a very good price. By farming the Tremortusk site, the big snake site, the Rockbreaker sites and a few Behemoth in the desert i got a good stock of feather too. And in general, I recommend hunting a lot of animals, it's costs 1 arrow, and selling skins or bones gives a lot of shards. For example every time i go to the big Loch Ness monster site (again, don't know the name in english ^^), after i killed it I just walk around the beach for a minute and hunt every bird and crab I see. Every blue stuff (skin, feather...) = 50 shards, every purple (Bones) = 125 shards! Btw thank you for these very helpful videos, great work and very well explained!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice shard farming methods! I hadn’t seen the vulture feather one. I’ll have to give that a try!

[@alexschofield5093]

Luminous brain stem farm please. I mistakenly sold a load thinking they drop easily on apex machines and wasn’t able to buy them back (bought too much else before I noticed). Love your videos, spreadsheet and passion for the game. Thank you for creating this source for true fans.

[@alexschofield5093]

(105 luminous brain stem for ultra hard new game plus means killing like 350 apex heavyweight machines) To upgrade all new game plus legendary weapons

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks Alex! I do love the game and enjoy contributing to the community 😄 Glad your liking my content 🙂 And sorry to hear you lost all those luminous brainstems. You do need a lot of them! My best advice for those is to kill Apex Ttusks with shock shredders. They have the max 29% drop rate (Tjaws and Stormbirds do too) and you can kill the Ttusks pretty fast with shock shredders.

[@alexschofield5093]

Thanks Arktix. Have 45 to go and I think the apex tremortusks have 100% drop rates of luminous brain stem so it hasn’t been too bad going. I did wonder if you considered doing a video for different types of farms. Sometimes I want a tear build for storm bird canons / metal fangs, sometimes a low tear high damage for fireclaw sac webbing and sometimes a high damage/one shot kill farm for brain stem/ shards. I know the t tusk route in the middle but I find recoiling weapons and using weapon wheel a bit slow. Would be good if next game could have pre load builds like ac odyssey - outfit names help but would be good to pre load weapons with particular coils for quick upload to your weapon wheel. So like outfit 1 is speed farm outfit 2 is tear farm ( outfit 3 is stealth (stealth coils with Ut Winterweave for instance)

[@marcbunschoten4424]

Finished the game on UH, even did the Arena. That last one was the most difficult part.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! Yeah the Arena is very challenging!

[@rbl4ever187]

There is a Farming exploit in NG+ at the Zenith Base once you have access to flight. You can farm the Zenith Machines, yes plural. Land near a Land mass where there is a Shield barrier then call your bird to fly pass the barrier. There on the northern west part of the Island you can farm for Machines. Fly away and come back. Rinse and repeat.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Oh nice exploit! I never thought to head over there early to farm the machines. They’re great for volatile sludge!

[@peterhartmann7183]

Hi Arktix, great video again, tons of very useful information and thanx a lot for your shared docs, much appreciated. You got a "like", as always... ;) The following statements reflect only my personal opinion and are in no way intended as criticism of you or any other player. But, whoever wants to, can use them as a food for thought. But by watching your videos and also from other players, I could see that the game seems to go in the "wrong" direction. Have a look at combat videos for Zero Dawn (e. g. from "Aloy versus"), these are "real" combat videos (e. g against a thunderjaw or 5 sawtooth), these are real fights. In Forbidden West all videos are related to "which weapon with which coil and with armor brings us to a one shot kill". If you face a maschine and you first have to think about which weapon you must select and which armor, have a look at the envirmonment, maybe you need other coils (extra damage on shots from a higher ground), then this has no longer anything to do with a real combat fight. If you need google docs and mathmatics to play a game, then - from my opinion - something is going terribly wrong. I do like these "old" fights getting down a thunderjaw over several minutes just by using "standard" wappons, maybe with some coils but not "super optimized". Sure, the chance to die is much higher, but that's OK and I retry until it is done... That OK, that's totally fine for me. That's why I'm normally playing on "normal" or "hard" level, because these levels allows me to have a great fight over minutes and after that I can say "I put up a real fight for these resources". Please do not understand me wrong, your videos are great and I love to see them, you are providing tons of helpful information, but regarding the combat, I'm going into a completely different way, "old school".... ;) Everyone should play the game in the way he likes it to have the most portion of fun.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks Peter! Glad you’re enjoying my content 😄 I agree HFW combat is quite different from HZD. I think it’s natural that, given all the new options for weapons, coils, and ammo types, many of us have become focused on how to optimize our load outs and playstyles. Some people enjoy that, but I totally understand why others, like yourself, do not. I certainly don’t expect everyone to think my spreadsheets are fun 😂 I’m glad to hear you’ve found way to play the game in a way you enjoy. I hope you’re continuing to have fun with it 👍

[@kerb__]

i never rlly looked at horizon gameplay and i didnt play zero dawn, i got my ps5 with forbidden west and jumped straight into ultra hard, im dying alot and some fights i have to rlly grind but im enjoying the game alot so far

[@ArktixOfficial]

Awesome! UH from scratch is the ultimate challenge. Good for you for sticking with it, and glad you’re having fun. I hope some of my content has been helpful!

[@TheLegendaryLlama]

i did ultra hard for my very first playthrough... i did not realise how big of a task that would be.

[@room.beer.controller3032]

Quick question guys: Does an UNCOILED SpinThorn Drillspike STILL knockdown an Apex FireClaw or SlaughterSpine with just two drill spikes? I ask because I want to use two draw speed coils instead of 2 knockdown coils. I can always just use overdraw potions. What do you think?

[@paristeta5483]

Every Drill Spike should even w/o Overdraw: 2x120 and 2x 225 (15x15=225) should be 690 and you need 645. Excluding Bugs, Stance changes or not getting full duration because one accidentally hit the armor plate and it tore off. Draw Speed Coils, if the refire rate is your concern, and not really the draw itself (draw speed coils don´t effect overdraw), try out also reload Coils, that is sometimes faster.

[@paristeta5483]

Doing some tries, i wasmn´t able to do it, but like i said in the post below the reason could be many just saying so you aren´t suprised if it isn´t working.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Good question. Yeah that should work. I like your idea with overdraw potions!

[@room.beer.controller3032]

@@paristeta5483 Thanks for testing it out my friend. Much appreciated. I actually just use a Vindicator DrillSpike with an OverDraw potion coiled with 3 concentration coils. As long as it does not come off with an armor plate (very annoying that), I only need one overdrawn potion, concentration coiled Vindicator drill spike to knockdown an Apex FireClaw. Thanks again.

[@paristeta5483]

@@room.beer.controller3032 Wait how annoying that is when you use your max damage, power shot Spike Thrower (Drill or Explosive) and you hit an armor/component part, which is instantly destroyed, and the second portion of the damage is gone :/

[@deemon710]

YES to dedicated shard farming video please!

[@ArktixOfficial]

Alrighty! It’s on the list!

[@bobmcbyte2208]

I wish you could swap the valor surge with up/down in the weapon wheel like techniques with left/right. -- And I'm disappointed the devs didn't see that themselves.

[@metaspherz]

I could hardly advance while playing the game on Easy, so I admire those with the skills necessary to play on the Ultra+ difficulty. Props!

[@User777Cd]

Really, you couldn’t progress on easy?

[@Sheeshyomama]

3:13 that snipe was cold bro

[@ArktixOfficial]

Haha thanks! I was wondering if anyone would notice that 😄

[@stevenbaumann5911]

I have thought about trying Ultra hard on a whole new game. Best tip to make money that I could think of is to farm animal hides and bones. Once you use what you need for upgrades, that I would start farming some just to sell. Even animal pelts are worth more than some of the machine parts you can Harvest.

[@ArktixOfficial]

It’s definitely a challenge! I’ve got a save file I started it on. I play my main one more though, so I’ve only gotten about halfway through on it. And yes! Farming animal parts is a great way to get shards. Thanks for sharing that!

[@notaadamsunifar4899]

I always have at least 25k shards, an upgraded set of my favourite weapons, a pack of at 400 volatile sludge, 15 in pouch and remaining in stash and as for killing machines I just use the carja bane or blast forge and when really required I use the iriv downfall elite precision arrows

[@hoylematt1]

Arktix! I wanted to say thank you for all the effort you put into your videos. I am on the verge of 100% in my first playthrough, and your videos have been a really amazing resource to increase my enjoyment while playing through the game. While I do not see myself playing NG+, I will likely move on to God of war in preparation for Ragnarok coming in november. Thanks again for your hard work! P.S. did you see the patch this morning, they put back in the merchant at the digsite?

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey thanks! I’m happy to hear my videos have helped you enjoy the game more 😄 That’s always my goal! I did see the fixed the Digsite merchant! I verified he’s there. Unfortunately, he has the same inventory as before. I was hoping it would be updated with a 25% component tear coil, but I guess not 🤷🏻‍♂️ Anyway, have fun in GoW! I need to find time to do another playthrough myself before November. I’m looking forward to making content for Ragnarok!

[@AlkisGD]

I've only played these games on Ultra Hard. The first one felt almost like a soulslike in the beginning with the extra immersive bonus of things costing an arm and a leg, y'know, as you'd expect in a post-apocalyptic economy. Of course, by the end of the DLC, triple powershotting frozen thunderjaws transformed the game into a completely different genre 😅 So far, I've mostly enjoyed my time with HFW, but starting on UH only makes the grindiness of the game more apparent. I have the plat and I'm going through the DLC, but after I'm done with the DLC trophies I'll probably uninstall and go play AC6, BG3, or whatever. I'll get the NG+ trophies in a year or two, when the nostalgia hits me. Not sure if I'll ever bother spending dozens of hours to create a top-tier loadout. Sure, being super strong and efficient on UH is cool and all, but my Vanguard HB, Delta SB, Utaru Winterweave, and Stealth Stalker/Critical Boost ultis are good enough for anything the game has to throw at me. Maybe my perspective is skewed due to perma-UH, but I feel Guerilla overtuned the grindiness. All that said, I like how the series has been evolving overall, and I look forward to playing the next one.

[@danajhariri8157]

Question if you did NG+ ultrahard without carrying over your old game starting from scratch what would be your first legendary you pick, keeping in mind u have ZERO volatile sludge and probably wont amass much for a while ??

[@paristeta5483]

That´s interesssting question, so Arktix, what would you choose? To the Sludge problem, skill Part Breaker at least Rank 2, better 3. That should fix that problem.

[@danajhariri8157]

@@paristeta5483 Yea i was thinking the warrior bow would be a good start for it has such a low cost for its damage output and you can get a early crit +15 in arrow head plus a early agility with the shell quest. Then maybe transition to final chapter and then third option the Irving downfall. but im just theory crafting i have no REAL clue haha

[@paristeta5483]

@@danajhariri8157 I think that is a sound plan. I think, in the end, personal playstyle matters most, and then you know, were you are lacking and a stronger weapon could help you with. The limit range of the warrior bow could be a problem though for harder fighters where you want more space. The Final Chapters Power Shredders could be usefull vs human enemies, if it strips armor fo the enemies as good as in very hard, haven´t come around to test it on ultra hard, otherwise i wouldn´t choose it first or second, especially on smaller enemies, grinding is inconsistent and it´s easy to kill on self with the final explosion on Very and Ultra Hard. Iriv´s, powerfull, if you have a good frost option, but boring, so is brawlbreaker for the blasting. No fan of blastslings so nope. Land God unspectular, but could be a good choice, especially if you want more range then warrior bow. High Volley can do some serious damage too (Impact arrows get a 50% damage bonus so you shot 4 arrows, and if all hits, you get 6 arrows worth of damage). Defiance could also work, impact spikes are somewhat cheap, have 90 base knockdown, 120 with over draw, 2 should be enough for most light to medium machines. Damage is ok an if you need big damage, you have the explosive spikes. If you have skilled Powershot to rank 3, no ammo usage makes the adv. explosion sustainable early game for big hits. If one likes to play a lot with lightning, All-Mother Blessing could be an option to, build up can be insane. So in the end, playstyle is probably more deciding factor then everything else. But i like the way how you thought, what coils can i get early, wonder if some blue coils are available even sooner?

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ooo good question! I assume you mean a brand new game in UH? Let’s see…well the Arena is very difficult on UH without high level gear, so I don’t think I’d want to grind to get the Death Seeker, Blast Forge, or Forgefall. I don’t care much for Tripcasters and they aren’t very versatile, so the Tinker’s Pride is out. That leaves the Carja’s Bane Warrior Bow and Ancestor’s Return Shredder Gauntlet. Personally, I’d rush the Relic Ruins and get the Ancestor’s Return first because I like shredders and the AR is very versatile. It would require you to advance the main story pretty far and get the Landfall though, so not ideal. The Carja’s Bane would be easier to get, but it’s less versatile. If you actually mean NG+ and the NG+ legendaries are options, then I’d probably grab the Rain of Sparks Warrior Bow first since the ammo is cheap, like you and Paris are saying. Next would be Final Chapter since I could use it for good damage and knockdown. Then Iriv’s Downfall because I’d need more damage output later in the game. So sounds Ike we’ve got the same idea!

[@ArktixOfficial]

It is a cool question! See my response.

[@kawikaso]

Your videos are great! Would love a shard farming video..

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thank you! And thanks for letting me know. It’s on my list! 👍

[@Baddad36]

Just started playing. Excellent game as was the original. The learning curve is much tougher I think as is the combat. Played a couple of ultra hard on game+ on the original, I'm assuming ultra hard in Forbidden West is much harder! Excellent channel by the way. A definite sub from me. PS are the rewards better when playing harder levels?

[@ArktixOfficial]

Thanks! I appreciate your sub 😄 Hope you're finding my content helpful. Yes, the learning curve is definitely tougher in Forbidden West. And nope the rewards are the same regardless of difficulty. Although, if you want the ultra hard trophy then you'll have to complete the main story on ultra hard.

[@room.beer.controller3032]

Hey ArKTix, I just had an idea for Guerilla to fix the crappy plasma elemental. What if, at the tail end of the final plasma blast, a knockdown of at least 8 seconds is triggered? This would definitely open up possibilities with Plasma and make using it far more tactical. As it is, I play exclusively on UltraHard and have clocked in over 850 hours. I have only ever used plasma twice during all that time because plasma is so utterly useless. If you and your friends on discord are in touch with anyone at Guerilla, perhaps you can pitch it to them? Peace out.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Hey that’s a great idea! Yeah I feel like plasma is a great concept but executed poorly. So many things they could do to make it better! None of us are actually in contact with Guerrilla, but I was planing to do a video on ideas to improve the game at some point, so I’ll add this to my list of things to talk about in the plasma section!

[@paristeta5483]

@@ArktixOfficial That´s easy, i know most of the solutions to all the games problem :)

[@ArktixOfficial]

Lol nice. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to write the script. I sure people on Discord will have plenty of ideas!

[@sanabriaadrian]

The first tip was the most useful lol. I tried once a UH but from scratch and trying to pass the tutorial with only the hunter bow is unnerving so I quit, I'll go get my saved playtrhrough and start from that.

[@ASpaceOstrich]

I've exclusively played on very hard and I've definitely got a bad habit of using the hunter bow as my main damage source. I blame the early game for this, as in the early game the other options are so impotent that they just can't compete. In the time it'd take to deal a measly 300 damage with one of the other options you can put out 400 damage with ease using a hunter bow. This trains bad habits for late game, when hunter bows can still put out way higher damage than their damage numbers would suggest, but other weapon types have finally caught up and even surpassed it. But as I spent the whole early and md-game using hunter bows, I never learned to use them properly. I'm finally starting to break this habit now, but its still a difficult thing to break out of. I might just unequip my impact hunter bow for a while to try and break out of overrelying on it.

[@dontbeshady411]

You get a sunwing as soon as you get to the base on NG+? That's so awesome! Do you get to keep your other overrides or do you need to do the cauldrons again?

[@aigami7928]

You can keep others if you override them

[@jedimindtrick75]

You have to do the cauldrons again to get the other overrides.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Yup! For the other overrides, you have to do the cauldrons again to unlock them.

[@random_name4594]

I just finished my first play through as a Ultrahard 😂 pain took me a month, and I didn’t find your channel till after I beat it. So I didn’t level up, coil, or fight things with any good tactics. Btw Crushed on UH is a death sentence

[@ArktixOfficial]

Congrats! That’s a very tough challenge for sure. Yes, crushed is a killer on UH lol. Sorry I didn’t have the video out earlier. I hope maybe you can use these tips on a NG+ playthrough!

[@esmaeliffa7974]

@@ArktixOfficial what is crush? Is that a mission?

[@pablor3138]

Plying ultra hard first run. It’s so much fun, the other difficulty settings are too easy. It’s frustrating at times but most bosses you can manage. You have to change your style of play for sure. Resources and stealth actually matter now.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Nice! That's the ultimate challenge for sure!

[@c.draegon]

I just finished the game+ on ultra hard and besides the final fight against Tilda I always used a hunter bow. It definitely is possible but it takes ages. Also I never used a valor surge. It just made everything harder than necessary. I guess I’m just so stuck on how I play games that I almost never use different weapons. Also I save resources way too much. But in the end I still had a lot of fun so I don’t think I’m gonna change much.

[@gameer0037]

0:35 Who does that? Easy question! Me :D *Cries*

[@ArktixOfficial]

Lol yeah it’s definitely tough! I’ve got another save I’m doing that on too XD

[@BlueDroneBlues]

I love the slide attack, but most of the time which is extremely aggravating is I find myself crawling because Aloy loves to slow down at the last 2nd making your run into a walk which gives you crawl. I sure have some techniques to work out.

[@ArktixOfficial]

Ah yeah that's a very common issue for people. No worries, you're not alone there! Unfortunately, you just have to get in the habit of tapping crouch again at the end of the roll to stand up, or press your left thumb stick to trigger sprinting again.

[@fernandomadeira238]

I did it, I just start my new game on Ultra Hard mode (this is my first playthrough). I already played 4 times the first game on Ultra Hard so I'm felling confortable with this shot.

[@christianenhos8725]

If you dont wait till NG+ with playing Ultra Hard, you gonna regret it so ultra hard xD

[@coke4574]

If you can’t find the ropecaster, go to the campfire just on the left of the Base icon.

[@sandcrakes]

Extra tip: Perfect dodge is very effective as you will not take any damage at all and you may find yourself stuck below a giant machine while you are trying to do this. Don't panic. Go around or do another perfect dodge to get out. Perfect dodge can be easily done once you know when the machine will damage you at the very last second

[@ArktixOfficial]

Yup good point. Though I would add that “perfect dodge” is not a mechanic in Horizon in the same way as some other games, like FF16. The behavior you’re describing simply happens because you’ve timed your dodge well (arguably “perfectly”) and the invincibility frames of the dodge animation are protecting you. The same thing can occur with invincibility frames from a slide.