Mastering the Hunting Grounds in Horizon Forbidden West is essential for players seeking to test their combat skills and claim top-tier rewards. Scattered across the expansive post-apocalyptic landscape, these arenas offer unique trials that require strategic utilization of specific weapons and mechanics. Achieving the Full Stripes gold medals unlocks exceptional gear that significantly enhances Aloy capabilities against the toughest machines.
Navigating the Daunt Arena Challenges
The first set of trials introduces fundamental combat mechanics that remain crucial throughout the entire adventure. Players must demonstrate proficiency in removing machine parts and leveraging environmental hazards to disable groups of targets quickly. Focusing on tear damage weapons ensures you meet the strict time constraints required for the highest tier medal.
Using the shock element effectively allows hunters to immobilize machines right beneath falling logs or loose boulder traps. Timing your inputs perfectly prevents enemies from alerting the rest of the herd before you execute environmental kills. This foundational testing ground rewards patience and precise positioning above raw firepower.
Overcoming the Plainsong and Plains Trials
As you progress further west, the trials demand advanced stealth techniques and creative elemental combinations against aggressive herds. The local challenges emphasize silent strikes and utilizing heavy weaponry detached directly from larger patrolling machines. Successfully executing these tasks requires a deep understanding of machine weak spots and patrol routes.
Hunters should utilize smoke bombs to instantly break the line of sight when accidental detection occurs during stealth runs. Utilizing high-velocity hunter bows equipped with hardpoint arrows helps detach mounted heavy cannons with minimal ammunition expenditure. Speed and battlefield awareness are the ultimate keys to earning maximum marks in this sector.
Conquering the Sheerside Mountains and Raintrace
The final arenas present the most complex scenarios, pitting players against colossal machines in treacherous, uneven environments. These trials often force you to override specific targets to fight alongside you or trick beasts into attacking one another. Managing multiple high-threat targets simultaneously requires flawless execution of your agility skills.
Equipping specialized coils that enhance elemental buildup speeds up the process of freezing or shocking massive opponents. Using the ropecaster helps secure aggressive machines while you focus on the secondary objectives required by the trial keeper. Earning gold here signifies absolute mastery over the complex hunting strategies found throughout the Forbidden West.
