All Damage & Debuff Types: And

Understand all damage and debuff types in Horizon Forbidden West, including Impact, Tear, Fire, Frost, Shock, Acid, Plasma, and more. Learn how they affect enemies and combat.

This guide details all the damage and debuff types available in Horizon Forbidden West, explaining their effects and how they are applied in combat.

Impact

The raw damage a weapon deals to a target. It may not be as subtle or sophisticated as other forms of attack, but sometimes pure damage output is your best bet, especially when an enemy’s weakpoint is exposed.

Tear

Rather than inflict raw damage, Tear inflicts structural damage to the target, potentially stripping off armor, components, accessories and weapons. While removing components may, at first glance, seem unglamorous compared to knocking down the target’s life bar, depriving enemies of vital components can prevent them from performing certain attacks and actions, remove various sensory apparati, hinder their mobility, and generally make it easier to fight them. Of course, depending on the component removed, it could also end up inflicting significant damage, as well, or exposing an otherwise inaccessible weakpoint.

Melee

Melee Damage

Explosive

Heavy area damage with knockback

Fire

When fire damage is dealt to an enemy, a fire meter will fill. The degree to which this meter fills depends upon the potency of the fire attack, the area/component struck, and the target’s vulnerability to fire damage. Once full, the target will catch fire, taking damage over time until the effect wears off. Certain components (like Blaze Canisters) are highly vulnerable to fire damage, and may ignite if struck, dealing immediate, significant damage. Some machines are especially prone to overheating, and while the damage-over-time debuff may not inflict significant damage, such a vulnerable machine may be forced to stop attacking and/or expose sensitive components (Core, Cooling Rods, Heat Vents, etc) to vent excess heat during said debuff.

Shock

Dealing shock damage to an enemy will cause a shock meter to fill. The degree to which this meter fills depends upon the potency of the shock attack, the area/component struck, and the target’s vulnerability to shock damage. Once full, the target may be stunned for a period of time, allowing Aloy to perform followup attacks, including Critical Hits. Attacking shocked opponents tends to make the shocked status wear off faster. Certain components (like Power Cells) are highly vulnerable to shock damage, and may discharge if struck, dealing immediate, significant damage and/or shock damage.

Purgewater

Disables elemental attacks

Adhesive

Slows movement

Acid

Weakens and damages armor

Build up

State buildup speed

Frost

Dealing frost damage to an enemy will cause a frost meter to fill. The degree to which this meter fills depends upon the potency of the frost attack, the area/component struck, and the target’s vulnerability to frost damage. Once full, the target may be slowed temporarily and inflicted with the Brittle status, causing it to take substantially more damage from all sources for a period of time. Certain components (like Freeze Canisters) are highly vulnerable to frost damage, and may discharge if struck, dealing immediate, significant damage and/or frost damage.

Plasma

Stores damage until explosion is triggered