Horizon Forbidden West Guide – Staple Skills You Should Unlock First [Game Informer]
<b>Platform:</b>
PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
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<b>Publisher:</b>
PlayStation Studios
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<b>Developer:</b>
Guerrilla Games
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<b>Release:</b>
<time datetime="2022-02-18T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">February 18, 2022</time>
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<b>Rating:</b>
Teen
Horizon Forbidden West introduces six skill trees: Hunter, Warrior, Survivor, Trapper, Infiltrator, and Machine Master. Each contains numerous abilities that allow players to sculpt the Aloy of their liking. Whether she’s a melee-focused butt-kicker or a stealth-oriented machine hacker, there’s no wrong answer in terms of what you choose. It can, however, be paralyzing to know where to start.
Though it’s ideal to focus on maximizing one or two trees, each has staple abilities that every player should have, no matter their playstyle. The best part is these essential skills are inexpensive (costing a single skill point) and sit among the first batch of available traits, making them easily accessible.
So, before you travel entirely down the rabbit hole of a particular skill tree, invest the first few hours into cherry-picking these must-have abilities.
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<div class="field field--name-field-list-item-title field--type-string field--label-hidden gi5-field-list-item-title gi5-string field__item">Hunter</div>
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<div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-copy field--type-text-long field--label-hidden gi5-field-copy gi5-text-long field__item">Hunter focuses on improving Aloy’s primary form of offense: her bow. Her chief ability is Concentration, AKA the ability to slow time and zoom in for more precise shots. You’ll always use this, so you should improve it as quickly as possible.
Concentration Regen: reduces the ability’s cooldown so you can use it again faster.
Deep Concentration: prolongs the state of Concentration by making its meter deplete more slowly.
Valor Surge Master: build up Valor faster. You’ll need this resource to execute the game’s new Valor Surges, an assortment of powerful special moves embedded within each skill tree.
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<div class="field field--name-field-list-item-title field--type-string field--label-hidden gi5-field-list-item-title gi5-string field__item">Warrior</div>
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<div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-copy field--type-text-long field--label-hidden gi5-field-copy gi5-text-long field__item">Forbidden West improves and broadens Aloy’s prowess with her staff. Though less vital than her bow, there are plenty of times you’ll need to battle foes up close and personal, so you should at least have these skills under your belt:
Nora Warrior: an easy four-hit combo string that ends on a powerful heavy strike.
Block Breaker: a short combo that shatters an opponent’s block.
Melee Damage: boosts the damage of light and heavy attacks.
Critical Strike +: critical strikes deal more damage.