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There’s nothing more terrifying than hearing a giant mechanized vulture zeroing in on your location from the skies while all you can do is dodge out of its way. Stormbirds inHorizon Zero Dawnare terrifying machines that have a high health pool and erratic flight patterns, which make them very hard to take down.
Sneaking past them is also near-impossible, as they can detect Aloy very easily. So, if push comes to shove, and you have to take a Stormbird down, here’s a quick guide on the complete strategy for it.
How to Beat a Stormbird in Horizon Zero Dawn Quickly
Players can encounter the Stormbirds byfast traveling to their sitesafter progressing intothe Sundom regionofHorizon Zero Dawn. Players will find them flying around in a circular pattern when idle until they detect Aloy. Stormbirds use a combination of lightning and melee attacks that can become hard to dodge. However, once you know exactly what to do, taking down Stormbirds can become easier to take down
There are multiple Stormbird sites in Horizon Zero Dawn. Youcan override the Tallnecksto remove the fog of war from the map and reveal them.
Best Weapons to Use Against Stormbirds
The Stormbird is a highly mobile machine and damaging it is no easy feat. The best weapons to use against it are theCarja Sling, Shadow Sharpshot Bow, and the Lodge Ropecaster.
Once players get Stormbird’s movements under control, they can damage its weak points by shooting precision arrows with the Shadow Sharpshot Bow.
Using Focus to Identify Stormbird’s Weak Points
The first thing you should do before engaging a Stormbird is use the Focus to identify its weak points. This will let you devise a plan before the machine starts hailing down spheres of lightning at you. You’ll spot several glowing weak points under the Stormbird’s wing, which are its jet propulsion vents. Another major weak spot you’ll notice is thechest area of the machine.This is the best area to target first.
Aim at the Center of Stormbird’s Chest
One of Stormbird’s primary attacks is charging up balls of lightning and launching them at Aloy. It charges this attack in the center of its chest, which is the first weak point you should focus on.
Use your Hunter Reflex or Concentration skillsto slow down time and hit Stormbird chest weak point. The chest has two parts: the breastplate and the base. you may either directly hit the circular area on the chest with precision arrows, or take the breastplate off first with Tear arrows. Either way, it’s the easiest weak point to target on a Stormbird, and enough damage should knock it out of the sky.
Ignite the Blaze Canisters on Its Sides
Once the Stormbird is knocked out, run to its back and use Fire arrows to shoot the two Blaze (green fluid) Containers on its hind. Shooting a fire arrow in their general direction won’t, work as you need to hear a “clink” sound of the glass getting hit with an arrow. If you’re able to’t make it in time and the Stormbird recovers from its daze and is about to fly away,use the Lodge Ropecaster to pin it to the ground.After launching 3–4 ropes at the machine, it should be bound to the ground, giving players ample time to target those canisters.
After successfully shooting the Blaze Canisters on its back, it’ll causetwo big fiery explosionsthat you need to stay away from. This will damage the Stormbird severely.
Keep Targeting Weak Points Until the Stormbird is Down
After destroying the Blaze Canisters and damaging Stormbird’s health pool to 50%, all you need to do is target its weak spots until the machine is destroyed. Make sure to launch 3-4 freeze bombs with the Carja Sling at the mechanical creature to inflict a freeze status effect to deal additional damage. Here are some of the best weak points to target in this phase:
After dealing enough damage, the Stormbird will be destroyed, allowing players to salvage the loot.
Rewards for Taking Down a Stormbird
Players will be able to loot epic weapon mods, Stormbird parts, and other important resources from the machine. The specific loot that players will get is randomized based on their RNG. However, general loot items you’ll salvage from the Stormbird inHorizon Zero Dawninclude:
