Underequipped

Struggling with the Underequipped quest in Horizon Zero Dawn? Get expert tips on defeating the Longleg and Stalker, plus advice on finding Dirid and recovering the Songcores.

Alright, so you've just come out of Cauldron SIGMA and you're probably feeling pretty good about yourself, right? You've learned to hack some new machines, which is awesome. But before you head back to Mother's Crown, there's this little side quest, 'Underequipped,' that you picked up. Might as well sort it out now, yeah?

Head southeast from the Cauldron until you find that Campfire again. From there, just head south down the road. You'll soon stumble upon a caravan in a bit of a pickle. Go chat with Marzavid, the guy in charge. He'll explain that they're short on supplies to deal with machine attacks, and honestly, the state of the caravan tells you all you need to know about how bad things are.

Before Marzavid can finish his story, you'll be interrupted by a machine attack! Get ready for a few Watchers and, more importantly, a Longleg. This is your first encounter with this guy, so let's break it down. The Longleg has a few key components. Some parts are weak to Shock damage, others to Tear. The real prize, though, is its Power Cell – it's weak to both Shock and Tear, but Shock is generally the way to go. So, whip out your War Bow and load up some Shock Arrows. You'll also want to aim for the Concussion Sack on its chest; taking that out will stop its powerful frontal sonic attack. On the back of its head is the Alarm Signal Antenna – shoot that to stop it from calling in reinforcements. And finally, its wings, which allow for its charge attack. A solid strategy is to hit it with Shock Arrows until it's stunned (you'll see that blue shock meter fill up). Once it's down, quickly get to its side and target those Power Cells. The resulting explosions should take it out.

After you've dealt with the Longleg and its Watcher buddies, a pack of Scrappers will show up. These guys are also pretty vulnerable to Shock Arrows. If you manage to hit one's Power Cell with a Shock Arrow, it might even stun some of the others nearby. Once they're all down, go back and talk to Marzavid. He'll thank you and then ask you to track down a guy named Dirid, who apparently made off with the caravan's Songcores.

Loot those machines you just fought, then activate your Focus just east of the caravan to pick up Dirid's tracks. Follow them, and you'll find Dirid not too far away, hiding off the path. Talk to him, and Aloy will call him out. He'll admit it, but then, uh oh, karma's coming for him, and you're caught in the crossfire! You'll have to fight another new machine: a Stalker.

These bots are the stealth experts. They move like big cats, pouncing around, but their favorite move is firing their Dart Gun in bursts. The really annoying part? They can cloak. It's not a perfect invisibility, but combined with their speed and range, they're tough to pin down. Good news though: Shock Arrows are your friend again! While no specific component is weak to Shock, the machine itself is generally vulnerable to it, and you can stun it pretty easily, especially with Double Shot or Triple Shot. Once stunned, you can target its components with Tear damage.

Speaking of components, look out for the Dart Gun (above its shoulders), the Mine Launcher (on its hips), and its Stealth Generator (on the back of its front legs). The general tactic is to hit it with Shock Arrows, stun it, then either go for melee attacks or detach those components. When it's pressured, the Stalker likes to leap around and drop mines, and it might take some blind shots with its Dart Gun if it can't pinpoint you. If all else fails, it'll try a nasty taser-bite.

Once you've defeated the Stalker, check on Dirid. He'll try to make a good last impression. Loot him to get the Songcores back, and then return to Marzavid to wrap up this quest.