Learn how to obtain the Very Rare Lightning Hunter Bow in Horizon Forbidden West. Discover its stats, perks, and upgrade materials needed to enhance its Shock capabilities.
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
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 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | |
| 69 | 71 | 74 | 80 | 86 | 93 |
| Advanced Shock Hunter Arrows | Base | Rank I | Rank II | Rank III | Rank IV | Rank V |
| 27 | 28 | 31 | 34 | 38 | 44 | |
| 137 | 141 | 149 | 161 | 173 | 185 |
| Advanced Purgewater Hunter Arrows | Base | Rank I | Rank II | Rank III | Rank IV | Rank V |
| – | – | – | 35 | 39 | 45 | |
| – | – | – | 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. . 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. . You can find a Tremortusk at the Raintrance Hunting Grounds. These won’t start spawning until Tremortusks appear globally
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