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Horizon Forbidden West

Lightning Hunter Bow (Very Rare)

By
Jarrod Garripoli

Information about the Lightning Hunter Bow in Horizon Forbidden West, including how to obtain it, how to upgrade it, and what the strengths and weaknesses of the Lightning Hunter Bow are.

Lightning Hunter Bow Description

A formidable bow used by Regalla’s rebels. It specializes in delivering Shock payloads at mid-range and inflicts extra damage when fired while sliding or in mid-air.

You will earn this weapon upon finishing Need to Know

Where to Get the Lightning Hunter Bow

Location
Reward for completing Need to Know

Upon completing the Death’s Door main story quest, you can start a side quest in Stone’s Echo, called The Burning Blooms. Finish that side quest to get a follow up one, called Need to Know. Note that you will need access to the western portion of the map, so you will need to have finished The Eye of the Earth in order to do the second side quest mentioned above. When Need to Know is over, you will receive this weapon as your reward.

Lightning Hunter Bow Stats

Shock Hunter Arrows Base Rank I Rank II Rank III Rank IV Rank V
Shock_Damage_Icon_Horizon_Forbidden_West.png 10 11 12 13 14 16
Shock_Buildup_Icon_Horizon_Forbidden_West.png 69 71 74 80 86 93
Advanced Shock Hunter Arrows Base Rank I Rank II Rank III Rank IV Rank V
Shock_Damage_Icon_Horizon_Forbidden_West.png 27 28 31 34 38 44
Shock_Buildup_Icon_Horizon_Forbidden_West.png 137 141 149 161 173 185
Advanced Purgewater Hunter Arrows Base Rank I Rank II Rank III Rank IV Rank V
hfw_purgewater_damage_icon.jpg 35 39 45
hfw_purgewater_damage_buildup_icon.jpg 165 177 190

Lightning Hunter Bow Perks

Perks Base Rank I Rank II Rank III Rank IV Rank V
Agility Damage 10% 10% 10% 10% 25% 25%
Overdraw Damage 15% 15% 15% 15% 15%
Stealth Damage 15% 15% 40%

How to Use the Lightning Hunter Bow

The Lightning Hunter Bow, as its name implies, is ideal for inflicting the Shock elemental status to enemies, which makes it a bit of a one-trick pony, until you can level it up to unlock the last ammo type. However, considering that Shocked can be one of the better states out there, due to the machine being incapacitated for a short time, you should be using this to your advantage as much as possible. Of course, some machines will be strong against Shock, but if you can upgrade the weapon to unlock the Purgewater Arrows, then that plays into things even more.

With those arrows, the Drenched state helps out a lot, as it removes the elements from a machine’s attacks, as well as making them more susceptible to Shock (and Frost). The Lightning Hunter Bow is also best used while on the move, such as jumping or when sliding, due to the Agility Damage Perk. You can definitely improve this by utilizing an armor that has Concentration buffs on it, since slowing down time will benefit you when drawing on the Perk mentioned above.

How to Upgrade the Lightning Hunter Bow

Rank Effect Upgrade Cost
I Increased Weapon Stats, Perk 2 Unlocked 127x Metal Shards, 4x Braided Wire, 4x Small Machine Core, 1x Medium Machine Core
II Increased Weapon Stats 212x Metal Shards, 6x Braided Wire, 3x Stalker Stealth Generator, 2x Elemental Clawstrider Sac Webbing
III Increased Weapon Stats, Perk 3 Unlocked, Advanced Purgewater Hunter Arrows Unlocked 300x Metal Shards, 10x Braided Wire, 1x Large Machine Core, 1x Elemental Clawstrider Circulator, 3x Behemoth Force Loader
IV Increased Weapon Stats, Perk 1 Upgraded 450x Metal Shards, 2x Large Machine Core, 1x Behemoth Circulator, 2x Apex Stalker Heart, 1x Stalker Primary Nerve
V Increased Weapon Stats, Perk 3 Upgraded, Unlocks Coil Slot 600x Metal Shards, 1x Luminous Brainstem, 1x Stormbird Primary Nerve, 8x Tremortusk Tusk, 1x Apex Slitherfang Heart

Lightning Hunter Bow Rank I Upgrades:

  • Metal Shards: Common drop from all machines.
  • Braided Wire: Common drop from all machines.
  • Medium Machine Core: Uncommon drop from all Midweight machines.
  • Small Machine Core: Uncommon drop from all Lightweight machines.

Lightning Hunter Bow Rank II Upgrades:

  • Stalker Steath Generator: Legendary component from Stalkers. Must be detached before killing the machine. It is located on the side, not too far from the head. Stalkers are mostly found in the jungle area of the map.
  • Elemental Clawstrider Sac Webbing: Rare component from Acid/Fire Clawstriders. Must leave the Blaze/Metalbite Sac intact while killing the machine.

Lightning Hunter Bow Rank III Upgrades:

  • Large Machine Core: Rare drop from all Heavyweight machines.
  • Elemental Clawstrider Circulator: Uncommon drop from Acid/Fire Clawstriders.
  • Behemoth Force Loader: Very Rare component from Behemoths. Must be detached before killing the machine. They are located on the sides of the head.

Lightning Hunter Bow Rank IV Upgrades:

  • Behemoth Circulator: Uncommon drop from Behemoths.
  • Apex Stalker Heart: Very Rare drop from Apex Stalkers.
  • Stalker Primary Nerve: Rare drop from Stalkers.

Lightning Hunter Bow Rank V Upgrades:

  • Luminous Brainstem: Very Rare drop from all Heavyweight machines, as well as [Scorchers] and [Apex Frostclaws].
  • Stormbird Primary Nerve: Rare drop from Stormbirds. Stormbirds are very rare until you travel to an island to the far west during the main quest [Faro’s Tomb]. Alternatively, you may be able to find a Stormbird earlier in the mountains southeast of Cliffwatch, in the blacked-out, supposedly “inaccessible” part of the mountain range.
  • Tremortusk Tusk: Legendary component from Tremortusks. Must be detached before killing the machine. You can find a Tremortusk at the Raintrance Hunting Grounds. These won’t start spawning until Tremortusks appear globally, which will occur after you complete the main quest The Broken Sky. You can find a Tremortusk Site northeast of The Bulwark.
  • Apex Slitherfang Heart: Guaranteed drop from Apex Slitherfangs. Slitherfangs will only spawn after the main quest The Kulrut is finished. You can subsequently find a Slitherfang Site along the northern end of The Stillsands.

Lightning Hunter Bow Ammo Types

Icon Name Effect
Horizon_FW_Shock_Arrow_Icon.png Shock Hunter Arrows Deals Shock_Damage_Icon_Horizon_Forbidden_West.png Shock Damage. Deals Shock_Buildup_Icon_Horizon_Forbidden_West.png Shock Buildup
Advanced_Shock_Arrow_Icon.png Advanced Shock Hunter Arrows Deals Shock_Damage_Icon_Horizon_Forbidden_West.png Shock Damage. Deals Shock_Buildup_Icon_Horizon_Forbidden_West.png Shock Buildup
Horizon_FW_Advanced_Purgewater_Icon.png Advanced Purgewater Hunter Arrows Deals hfw_purgewater_damage_icon.jpg Purgewater and hfw_purgewater_damage_buildup_icon.jpg Purgewater Buildup
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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Sony Interactive Entertainment
  • Platforms,
    PS4, PS5
  • Genre
    Action RPG
  • Guide Release
    16 February 2022
  • Last Updated
    31 March 2022
    Version History
  • Guide Author

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This guide for Horizon Forbidden West includes the following:

  • A Walkthrough for Main Quest
  • A Guide for all Errands, Side Quests and Cauldrons
  • An in depth analysis for Weapons and Armor.
  • Information on all new and returning Machines
  • How to find and complete all four Melee Pits
  • How to unlock and complete all stages of the Arena
  • How to find and override all five Tallnecks
  • Locations on all Collectibles
    • Ornaments
    • War Totems
    • Vista Points
    • Survey Drones
    • Signal Towers
    • Black Boxe

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