Horizon Forbidden West Guide – Best Armor And The Most Powerful Weapons

Horizon Forbidden West significantly ups the ante in terms of weapons and armor compared to the previous game. Weapons and armor are divided into multiple tiers – Normal, Rare, Very Rare and Legendary – while having different damage resistances, skills and ammo types. Furthermore, as you upgrade them, new slots for Coils and Weaves become unlocked with skills that can augment you’re current build.

However, if you want the very best that the game has to offer, you’ll want to pursue Legendary weapons and armor. They’re not too difficult to obtain (assuming you’re into the mid-to-late game) but upgrading them will take some time due to the sheer number of materials required. Let’s take a look at some of the best Legendary weapons first along with how to get them.

• The Blast Forge – A Legendary Boltblaster that can only be purchased from Dukkah in the Arena. You’ll need to unlock the Arena (which requires finishing the main mission “The Kulrut) and then earn 80 Arena Medals from completing various trials. Boltblasters are already very strong but The Blast Forge is something else entirely. Along with regular bolts, it fires Armor-Piercing and Explosive bolts for insane damage. It also has 25 percent draw speed, five percent critical chance and three open Coil slots. Upgrading it increases Overdraw Damage and Reload Speed by 10 percent along with providing a 2 percent chance of Instant Shocked Chance (which can proc easily given the number of bolts being fired at any given time). If you want to completely decimate large Machines like the Tiderippers and Slaughterspine, The Blast Forge will get it done.
• The Sun Scourge – Clearing out all of the Rebel Camp quests awards this Legendary Hunter Bow. There is a lot to like about this – on top of 10 percent Agility Damage, it also comes with a two percent chance to instantly cause Brittle while having three coils unlocked. Upgrades include 15 percent Overdraw Damage, 10 percent increased Reload Speed and 15 percent Aerial Enemy Damage along with two additional coils. If you can’t get the Death-Seeker’s Shadow, then The Sun Scourge is a more than worthy alternative.
• Ancestor’s Return – This Legendary Shredder Gauntlet uses Acid, Shock and Tear Shredders while dealing 10 percent Agility damage, having three open Coil slots and 25 percent draw speed. On upgrading, it will deal 10 percent more Concentration Damage and Component Tear while gaining 5 percent hit chance along with two additional Coil slots. If you’re not a fan of Shredder Gauntlets, this may change your mind. To get it, you’ll need to collect nine Ornaments from the Relic Ruins and give them to Stemmur in Hidden Ember.
• Carja’s Bane – A Legendary Warrior Bow, it’s earned by winning all four Gauntlet Runs. It shoots fire arrows and deals 10 percent increased Agility Damage and 10 percent damage to Corroding Enemies. You can get 10 percent increased Knockdown Power and 15 percent Melee Follow Up upon upgrading. Three coil slots are available by default with two more unlocking with upgrades.
• Death-Seeker’s Shadow – The best Hunter Bow in the game, this Legendary is purchased from Dukkah at The Maw of the Arena for 80 Arena Medals. It starts with five percent Critical Hit Chance, 10 percent Shocked Enemy Damage and three coil slots. Upgrading it grants 15 percent Knockdown Damage, 15 Critical Hit Damage and two more coil slots. Pair it with a coil that reduces draw time along with the Critical Boost Valor Surge to wreck foes.
• The Skykiller – Having a tough time with Stormbirds, Glinthawks and Sunwings? This Legendary Spike Thrower is the answer. Earned from the side quest “The Way Home,” it has 10 percent increased Reload Speed, 15 percent increased Aerial Enemy Damage and three coils. You receive 15 percent Overdraw Damage, 25 percent increased Draw Speed and 10 percent Burning Enemy Damage along with two more coils on upgrading. Considering the sheer Explosive Spike damage it can deal, The Skykiller is a monster.
• Tinker’s Pride – To earn this Legendary Tripcaster, you’ll need to earn all medals from all four of the Hunting Grounds. It certainly has its merits, possessing Stagger Beams, Shieldwires and Advanced Explosive Tripwires. As such, it offers 15 percent increased Damage Over Time, 10 percent Knockdown Power and three coils from the outset. Upgrades unlock 2 percent Instant Brittle Chance and 15 percent Knockdown Damage along with two additional coils. Even if Tripcasters aren’t your thing, Tinker’s Pride is still incredibly useful for both crowd control and defense.
• Wings of the Ten – Blastslings can be somewhat underrated but the Wings of the Ten, earned from locating all 12 Black Boxes and giving them to The Memorial Grove’s Untalla, is a keeper. It comes with five percent Critical Hit Chance, 15 percent increased Critical Hit Damage and three coil slots from the outset. Upgrading it provides 15 percent Overdraw Damage, 15 percent Close Range Damage and 2 percent Instant Plasma Chance along with two more coil slots. With Explosive and Adhesive ammo, it can deal tons of damage with a solid fire rate or slow monsters when necessary.
• Forgefall – Another Arena weapon, this Legendary Sharpshot Bow can be purchased from Dukkah for 80 Arena Medals. It offers 25 percent increased Draw Speed, 10 percent added Concentration Damage and three coil slots unlocked from the get-go. Upgrades unlocks 25 percent Overdraw Damage, 15 percent Aerial Damage and 10 percent Shocked Enemy Damage along with two additional coils. Best of all, it’s a Sharpshot Bow with two kinds of Plasma Arrows, making it absolutely devastating for Machines weak to the element.

Next up are the Legendary Armor sets. There are six in total and they’re each suited to different play-styles, augmenting each skill tree in their own ways. Even if a particular set doesn’t appeal to you, they’re worth picking up for their Weaves since these can be removed and equipped to other armor.

• Utaru Winterweave – Stealth players will like the Utaru Winterweave set. It’s acquired from the same Stitcher Merchant in Thornmarsh for 2,000 Shards, one Tremortusk Circulator and an Apex Dreadwing Heart. Its highest resistance is against Plasma damage followed by Shock, Melee, Impact, and Frost while its weak against Fire and Acid damage. Base skills include +2 Quiet Movement, +1 Quiet Spear,+1 Low Profile, and +1 Smoke Bomb Capacity. Upgrading it will unlock the +1 Silent Strike+ and +1 Silent Strike Heal skills; add an additional rank to the same along with Quiet Spear, Low Profile, and Smoke Bomb Capacity; and unlock the +2 Stealth Ranged+ and +2 Silent Strike Gain Weaves.
• Carja Stalker Elite – Available to purchase from Dukkah in the Maw of the Arena for 54 Arena Medals. This Trapper set offers strong resistance against Frost, followed by Impact, Plasma and Shock. Its lowest resistances are Fire and Acid. It provides +2 Trap Limit, +1 Quick Trapper, +1 Smoke Bomb Capacity, and +1 Nimble Crafter. Upgrading it will unlock +1 Low Profile and +1 Quiet Movement; an additional rank for Trap Limit, Smoke Bomb Capacity, Nimble Crafter, Low Profile and Quiet Movement; and Weaves for +2 Skilled Salvager and +2 Resilient Trapper.
• Tenakth Vanquisher – If you’re all about survival, then the Tenakth Vanquisher set warrants a look. This is the third and final set that can be purchased from Dukkah in the Maw of the Arena and costs 54 Arena Medals. Its highest resistance is against Acid, followed by Shock, Frost and Purgewater while its lowest resistance is against Fire and Plasma. Base skills include +2 Low Health Valor , +1 Low Health Melee , +1 Low Health Defense and +1 Evader. Fully upgrading it confers the skills +1 Low Health Ranged and +1 Valor Surge Master; adds a rank to Low Health Melee, Low Health Defense, Evader, Low Health Ranged and Valor Surge Master ; and unlocks the +2 Second Chance and +2 Power Attack+ Weaves.
• Oseram Artificer – This Warrior set takes a bit more work than some of the others to earn. You earn it from completing all 17 Salvage Contracts – the quest starts after speaking to Keruf in the Barren Light settlement. You’ll then talk to Larend and after completing his contracts, you need to go to complete additional missions in Greenswell, The Stillsands and The Raintrace. Once this is done, you’ll receive the Oseram Artificer. Its most resistant to Melee damage followed by Acid, Purgewater and Impact damage while being weakest to Frost and Plasma. Its base skills include +2 Power Attack+, +1 Resonator Buildup, +1 Resonator Damage and +1 Valor Surge Master. Upgrading it unlocks the skills +1 Resonator Blast+ and +1 Energized Duration. You’ll also add another rank to every skill except for Power Attack+ while unlocking the +2 Melee Damage and +2 Critical Strike+ Weaves for use.
• Tenakth Tactician – For those looking to leverage their control over their Machines. It can be purchased from the Stitcher Merchant in Thornmarsh but requires 2,000 Metal Shards, a Thunderjaw Circulator and an Apex Slitherfang Heart. Its highest resistance is against Fire damage, followed by Melee, Impact, Shock and Plasma while its lowest resistance is against Purgewater and Acid damage. As for skills, it comes with +2 Lasting Override, +1 Machine Elemental+, +1 Machine Health and +1 Quiet Movement along with three coil slots. Upgrading it confers two additional skills – +1 Mounted Archer and +1 Mounted Defense; additional ranks in the same along with Machine Elemental+,Machine Health and Quiet Movement; and the +2 Low Profile and +2 Machine Damage Weaves.
• Nora Thunder Warrior – The ideal Legendary set for Hunters, it’s available to purchase from Dukkah in the Maw of the Arena for 54 Arena Medals. Its highest resistance is against Impact damage followed by Fire, Purgewater and Acid while its lowest resistances are Plasma and Frost. The non-upgraded version provides the skills +2 Concentration+, +1 Deep Concentration, +1 Concentration Regen and +1 Stamina Regen. Fully upgrading it will unlock skills like +1 Stealth Ranged+ and +1 Heavy Weapon+; an additional rank for Deep Concentration, Concentration Regen, Stamina Regen, Stealth Ranged+ and Heavy Weapon+; and Weaves for +2 Weapon Stamina+ and +2 Valor Surge Master.

Horizon Forbidden West is currently available for PS4 and PS5. Check out our review here for more details.