Elite Ropecaster (Very Rare)

Learn how to acquire the Elite Ropecaster in Horizon Forbidden West, including its location, cost, and the materials you'll need for upgrades.

Alright, let's talk about the Elite Ropecaster. This is a really solid Very Rare weapon that you'll want to get your hands on, especially for dealing with those bigger, tougher machines. It's great for locking enemies down and applying some nasty damage-over-time effects.

Where to Get It: You can snag this beauty from the Hunter in Thornmarsh. They've got a camp set up there, and for a price, they'll hand it over.

The Cost: To buy it, you'll need 1249 Metal Shards. But that's not all – you'll also need an Elemental Clawstrider Circulator, which is an uncommon drop from Clawstriders, and a Large Machine Core, which is a rarer drop from, you guessed it, larger machines.

Why it's Awesome: This Ropecaster is fantastic against larger machines, especially if they're weak to Shock or Plasma damage. Keep it equipped, and when a flying machine shows up, you can immediately fire a Binding Rope to keep it from flying off. Plus, using Shock or Plasma Ropes not only ties them down but also deals that sweet elemental damage over time.

Upgrading Your Elite Ropecaster:

You can upgrade this weapon through five ranks, and each rank not only boosts its stats but also unlocks a Coil Slot at Ranks II and V. Here's what you'll need for each rank:

Rank	Effect	Cost
I	Increased Weapon Stats, 1x Perk Improvement	Metal Shards x127, Braided Wire x4, Medium Machine Core x1, Small Machine Core x4
II	Increased Weapon Stats, 1x Perk Improvement, Unlocks Coil Slot	Metal Shards x212, Braided Wire x5, Elemental Clawstrider Sac Webbing x2, Shellsnapper Shell Bolt x3
III	Increased Weapon Stats, 1x Perk Improvement	Metal Shards x300, Braided Wire x10, Large Machine Core x1, Shellsnapper Circulator x1, Frostclaw Sac Webbing x2
IV	Increased Weapon Stats, 1x Perk Improvement	Metal Shards x450, Large Machine Core x2, Frostclaw Circulator x1, Thunderjaw Tail x2, Elemental Clawstrider Primary Nerve x1
V	Increased Weapon Stats, 1x Perk Improvement, Unlocks Coil Slot	Metal Shards x600, Luminous Brainstem x1, Thunderjaw Primary Nerve x1, Tideripper Tail Fin x2, Apex Tremortusk Heart x1

Upgrade Materials Breakdown:

• Metal Shards: These are pretty common, you'll get them from almost any machine you take down.
• Braided Wire: Also a common drop from machines.
• Medium Machine Core: You'll find these from medium-sized machines like the Scorcher.
• Small Machine Core: Uncommon from smaller machines, like the Grazer.
• Elemental Clawstrider Sac Webbing: A rare drop from Clawstriders.
• Shellsnapper Shell Bolt: A very rare drop from Shellsnappers.
• Large Machine Core: A rare drop from larger machines, like the Fireclaw.
• Shellsnapper Circulator: An uncommon drop from Shellsnappers.
• Frostclaw Sac Webbing: A rare drop from Frostclaws.
• Frostclaw Circulator: An uncommon drop from Frostclaws.
• Thunderjaw Tail: This is a legendary drop, so you'll need to take down some tough Thunderjaws.
• Elemental Clawstrider Primary Nerve: A rare drop from Clawstriders.
• Luminous Brainstem: You'll need to hunt down some of the absolute toughest machines for this, like Behemoths and Tiderippers.
• Thunderjaw Primary Nerve: A rare drop from Thunderjaws.
• Tideripper Tail Fin: A very rare drop from Tiderippers.
• Apex Tremortusk Heart: Another very rare drop, this time from Apex Tremortusks.

Stats at a Glance:

The Elite Ropecaster packs a punch, and its stats get a nice boost with each upgrade:

Advanced Binding Ropes	Base	Rank I	Rank II	Rank III	Rank IV	Rank V
Damage	149	162	183	208	232	266

Shock Ropes	Base	Rank I	Rank II	Rank IIi	Rank IV	Rank V
Damage	45	49	55	63	70	80
Shock Buildup	13	15	15	17	18	19

Plasma Ropes	Base	Rank I	Rank II	Rank IIi	Rank IV	Rank V
Damage	45	49	55	63	70	80
Plasma Buildup	13	15	15	17	18	19

Perks:

You also get some handy perks as you upgrade:

Perks	Base	Rank I	Rank II	Rank III	Rank IV	Rank V
Overdraw Damage	+15%	+15%	+15%	+15%	+15%	+15%
Damage Over Time	–	–	–	+15%	+15%	+40%

Ammo Types:

• Advanced Binding Ropes: The standard rope for tying down enemies.
• Shock Ropes: Deals Shock Buildup, great for stunning or disabling machines.
• Plasma Ropes: Deals Plasma Buildup, excellent for damage over time.