Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered: Best Early-Game Skills to Get First

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, developed by Guerrilla Games, is an immersive open-world RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world. You play as Aloy, and investing in the skill tree is crucial to enhance Aloy’s combat prowess.

This guide outlines the best early-game skills to invest in, covering crucial combat enhancements and survival abilities.

1. Best Skills to Get Early in Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn’s skill tree consists of four categories: Prowler, Brave, Forager, and Traveler. To thrive in the early game, focus on acquiring essential skills like Silent Strike, Lure Call, Concentration, Double Shot, Gatherer, Dodge Prowess, and Knock Down. Prioritize Forager skills for optimal resource gathering and a stronger start.

Here are the best skills to get early game in Horizon Zero Dawn.

• Silent Strike – For a strong start, choose Silent Strike. This stealth skill lets you silently take down machines, saving health. Although its effectiveness decreases later, it’s essential for early progress.
• Lure Call – A complementary skill to Silent Strike, Lure Call enables you to draw enemies into stealthy ambushes. Hide in bushes or behind obstacles, then lure and quietly eliminate enemies. (only works on enemies that are in clear line of sight)
• Concentration – Concentration is the ultimate range support skill, allowing precise arrow shots when time is slowed. Ideal for dismantling machine parts or landing critical headshots, this skill is a valuable early investment.
• Double Shot – Double Shot is a game-changing skill that allows two rapid arrow shots and doubles initial strike damage. This ensures swift machine disables and enemy kills while stacking ailments like Shock, Burn, or Freeze.
• Gatherer – Optimize resource collection with Gatherer. This one-point investment provides a steady supply of materials, supporting your arrow, trap, and bomb production, particularly in tougher gameplay.
• Dodge Prowess – Master agile combat with Dodge Prowess. With extended dodge rolls, navigate monster attacks easily, min-maxing downtime and counterattacks.
• Knock Down – Knock Down enhances combat effectiveness, sending most medium-sized machines crashing with a single heavy strike, including Croc bots, Sawtooths, and Scavengers.

2. Best Early-Game Prowler Skills

The Prowler skill tree enhances Aloy’s stealth capabilities, essential for navigating Horizon Zero Dawn’s world. The first three skills – Silent Strike, Hunter Reflexes, and Silent Drop – form a powerful stealth foundation.

• Silent Strike: Perform silent takedowns on hidden enemies.
• Hunter Reflexes: Slow time while aiming during jumps or slides.
• Silent Drop: Reduce noise from falls and jumps.
• Strike From Above and Below: Take down enemies from all angles.
• Balanced Aim: Enable weapon use while rappelling.
• Low Profile: Reduce visibility while crouching in open areas.

3. Best Early-Game Brave Skills

The Brave skill tree amplifies Aloy’s direct combat capabilities, starting with three foundational skills. Investing in Brave skills will significantly enhance Aloy’s combat effectiveness, enabling her to take down enemies swiftly and efficiently.

• Concentration: Slow time while aiming at enemies for precise shots.
• Critical Hit: Deliver high-damage attacks to downed enemies.
• Precision: Boost light spear damage to knock off the opponent’s armor.
• Concentration+: Enhance Concentration’s effectiveness (available after purchasing Heavy Lifter).
• Heavy Lifter: Increase movement speed with heavy weapons and unlock Double/Triple Shot.
• Critical Hit+: Amplify Critical Hit damage.
• Precision+: Increase Precision’s armor-piercing potential.

4. Best Early-Game Forager Skills

The Forager skill tree enhances Aloy’s survivability and resource-gathering capabilities through passive skills. By investing in Forager skills, you’ll optimize Aloy’s resource management, machine overriding, and combat support capabilities.

• Lure Call: Lure enemies while in stealth mode.
• Healer: Accelerate medicine pouch healing.
• Gatherer: Gain additional resources from foraging.
• Combat Overdrive and Combat Overdrive+: Extend machine override duration indefinitely.
• Herbalist: Increase medicine pouch capacity.
• Scavenger: Gain extra resources from looting machines.
• Scavenger+: Boost resource acquisition chances.
• Ammo Crafter: Conserve resources by crafting additional ammo.
• Disarm Traps: Reuse unused traps and tripwires.

5. Best Early-Game Traveler Skills

Accessible with the Frozen Wilds DLC, the Traveler skill tree boosts mount capabilities and resource gathering.

• Mounted Pickup: Gather resources from downed enemies while mounted.
• Shard Salvager: Disassemble resources into in-game currency.
• Mount Repair: Repair damaged mounts (postpone until spare skill points).
• Machine Repair: Repair overridden non-mount machines.
• Dismount Strike: Launch jumping attacks from mounts.
• Expert Carver: Increase valuable item drops from looting.
• Hoarder: Expand resource inventory.

Now that you have a headstart on Horizon Zero Dawn’s skill trees, you’re ready to unlock Aloy’s full potential. Remember to choose skills that fit your playstyle, and don’t hesitate to experiment with different combinations. Happy hunting!

6. About Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered

Horizon Zero Dawn follows the fiery Aloy as she finds herself in this mysterious world filled with tribes, settlements, and more. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered brings back the same action in a reimagined idea with a much, much higher fidelity. Take on Aloy’s journey once again with better graphics for a better experience.