Blaze, the volatile substance that fuels Aloy’s explosive arsenal in Horizon Zero Dawn, is a crucial resource for crafting ammunition, particularly for the Blast Sling and Ropecaster. Running out of Blaze mid-battle can be disastrous, so understanding how to efficiently acquire it is essential for survival. This guide delves deep into the best methods for gathering Blaze, ensuring you’re always well-stocked and ready to face the mechanical menaces of the Nora lands and beyond.
Understanding Blaze and Its Importance
Blaze isn’t just a pretty orange substance; it’s a vital component for Aloy’s combat effectiveness. It’s the key ingredient in crafting Blast Sling bombs, powerful explosives that can stagger enemies and deal significant damage, especially to armored machines. The Ropecaster, another valuable tool, relies on Blaze to create tethers, allowing you to immobilize machines, making them easier to target or temporarily disabling their attacks.
Without a steady supply of Blaze, your tactical options become severely limited. You’ll be forced to rely on weaker ammunition types or engage in riskier close-quarters combat. Stockpiling Blaze allows you to use your more powerful weapons freely, giving you a significant advantage in challenging encounters.
The necessity of Blaze increases as you progress through the game and encounter stronger, more heavily armored machines. These enemies require more potent weaponry to defeat efficiently, making a plentiful supply of Blaze even more critical. Early game preparation ensures you can tackle later game challenges with confidence.
Primary Sources of Blaze: Machine Acquisition
The primary method for obtaining Blaze is by looting it from the corpses of machines. Different machines carry varying amounts of Blaze, and some are more efficient to farm than others. Understanding which machines to target and how to defeat them quickly is key to optimizing your Blaze collection.
Grazers: The Early Game Blaze Farm
Grazers are your go-to source for Blaze in the early game. These relatively weak machines are commonly found in herds, making them easy to hunt in large numbers. Look for them in areas like the Nora Hunting Grounds and the Embrace.
The most effective way to hunt Grazers is to target their Blaze canisters. These bright orange canisters are located on their backs. One well-placed shot with a Sharpshot Bow and Tearblast Arrows, or even a well-aimed Sling bomb, will detonate the canister, causing a fiery explosion. While this destroys the Blaze on that specific canister, it often triggers a chain reaction, igniting nearby Grazers and causing them to explode as well. This can lead to a very quick and efficient harvest.
Remember to use your Focus to highlight the Blaze canisters before engaging the Grazers. This will help you aim more accurately and ensure you hit the right spot. After the explosion, loot the remaining machine bodies for additional resources, including metal shards and other valuable components.
Scrappers: Mid-Game Blaze Opportunity
As you venture further into the world, Scrappers become a more reliable source of Blaze. These scavenging machines are often found near settlements or ruins, searching for resources. They are slightly tougher than Grazers but still relatively easy to defeat.
Scrappers also have Blaze canisters on their backs, but they are generally more armored. Tearblast Arrows remain effective at removing the armor and exposing the Blaze canister. Alternatively, you can use precision arrows to target the canister directly, but this may require more accuracy and potentially more shots.
Scrappers also possess a radar dish on their back that can be targeted for disabling attacks. Destroying this dish will prevent them from calling for reinforcements, making them easier to manage, especially when dealing with multiple Scrappers at once. Don’t forget to loot them thoroughly for Blaze and other useful resources.
Tramplers: The Late-Game Blaze Powerhouse
For late-game Blaze farming, Tramplers are an excellent choice. These large, charging machines are more challenging to defeat than Grazers or Scrappers, but they carry a significantly larger amount of Blaze. You’ll typically find them in herds in areas like the Sundom.
Tramplers have Blaze sacs located under their bellies. These sacs are vulnerable to fire damage, so using Fire Arrows or Blast Sling bombs infused with fire is highly effective. However, be cautious: detonating the Blaze sac will cause a large explosion, potentially damaging you if you’re too close.
A safer strategy is to use Tearblast Arrows to remove the armored plating protecting the Blaze sac, then follow up with fire damage. Alternatively, you can use Freeze Arrows to weaken the Trampler and increase the damage it takes from subsequent attacks. Regardless of your strategy, Tramplers offer a substantial reward of Blaze for the effort required to defeat them.
Beyond Machines: Other Blaze Sources
While machines are the primary source of Blaze, there are other ways to acquire this valuable resource. These methods may not be as efficient as farming machines, but they can provide a supplementary source of Blaze, especially when you’re in a pinch.
Trading with Merchants
Merchants in Horizon Zero Dawn often sell Blaze in exchange for metal shards or other resources. The amount of Blaze they offer and the price can vary, so it’s always a good idea to check the inventories of different merchants to find the best deals.
This method is particularly useful if you have an abundance of metal shards or other resources that you don’t need. However, it’s generally more cost-effective to farm Blaze from machines, as metal shards are also used for crafting and purchasing other essential items.
Resource Boxes and Collectibles
Throughout the game world, you’ll find resource boxes and other collectibles that may contain Blaze. These boxes are often located in abandoned settlements, ruins, or near machine sites. While the amount of Blaze you find in these boxes is usually small, it can add up over time, especially if you explore thoroughly.
Keep an eye out for these opportunities as you traverse the landscape. Using your Focus can help you locate hidden boxes and collectibles. While this method is less reliable than farming machines or trading with merchants, it’s a passive way to acquire Blaze while exploring the world.
Tips and Strategies for Efficient Blaze Farming
To maximize your Blaze farming efficiency, consider these tips and strategies:
- Use the right tools: Equip yourself with the appropriate weapons and ammunition for the type of machine you’re hunting. Tearblast Arrows are essential for removing armor, while Fire Arrows and Blast Sling bombs are effective for dealing fire damage.
- Target weak points: Use your Focus to identify the weak points of each machine. Targeting these weak points will deal more damage and help you defeat the machines more quickly.
- Exploit elemental weaknesses: Many machines are vulnerable to specific elemental types, such as fire, ice, or shock. Exploiting these weaknesses can significantly increase your damage output.
- Use stealth: Approach machine sites stealthily to avoid alerting them. This will allow you to pick off individual machines without attracting the attention of the entire herd.
- Learn machine behavior: Observe the behavior of different machines to understand their attack patterns and weaknesses. This will help you anticipate their moves and avoid taking unnecessary damage.
- Farm near settlements: Choose farming locations that are near settlements with merchants. This will allow you to quickly sell any excess resources you acquire and restock on ammunition and supplies.
- Optimize your inventory: Manage your inventory effectively to ensure you have enough space for Blaze and other essential resources. Sell or dismantle items you don’t need to free up space.
Leveraging Skills and Modifications
Aloy’s skill tree offers several abilities that can enhance your Blaze farming efficiency. Skills like “Concentration” and “Fast Reload” can improve your accuracy and firing rate, while skills like “Scavenger” and “Gatherer” can increase the amount of resources you loot from machines.
Equipping your weapons and outfits with appropriate modifications can also significantly boost your effectiveness. Modifications that increase damage, handling, or tear damage can make it easier to defeat machines quickly. Modifications that provide resistance to elemental damage can also be helpful when dealing with machines that use fire or other elemental attacks.
Specific Machine Farming Strategies
For each major Blaze-carrying machine, here’s a breakdown of effective farming strategies:
Grazer Farming Strategy
- Location: Nora Hunting Grounds, Embrace
- Weapon: Sharpshot Bow, Tearblast Arrows
- Strategy: Use Tearblast Arrows to detonate the Blaze canisters on their backs, triggering chain reactions. Loot the remaining bodies.
Scrapper Farming Strategy
- Location: Near settlements, ruins
- Weapon: Sharpshot Bow, Tearblast Arrows, Precision Arrows
- Strategy: Remove armor with Tearblast Arrows, then target the Blaze canister with Precision Arrows. Destroy the radar dish to prevent reinforcements.
Trampler Farming Strategy
- Location: Sundom
- Weapon: Hunter Bow with Fire Arrows, Blast Sling with fire bombs, Freeze Arrows
- Strategy: Freeze the Trampler to increase damage vulnerability. Remove plating protecting the Blaze sac with Tearblast Arrows, then inflict fire damage. Alternatively, use Fire Arrows or Blast Sling bombs directly, but maintain a safe distance.
Advanced Tactics for Blaze Acquisition
Once you’ve mastered the basic farming techniques, you can explore more advanced tactics to further optimize your Blaze acquisition. These tactics involve exploiting game mechanics and using specific strategies to maximize your yield.
Exploiting Environmental Hazards
Horizon Zero Dawn’s environment is full of hazards that can be used to your advantage. Setting traps with the Tripcaster near machine paths can quickly eliminate weaker machines, allowing you to loot their Blaze without engaging in a prolonged fight. You can also lure machines into areas with explosive canisters or other environmental hazards to trigger chain reactions and deal significant damage.
Using Overrides
As you progress through the game, you’ll unlock the ability to override certain machines, turning them into temporary allies. Overriding a powerful machine like a Sawtooth or a Ravager can significantly aid you in hunting other machines. The overridden machine will attack other enemies, allowing you to focus on looting their Blaze and other resources.
Taking Advantage of Hunting Grounds Challenges
The Hunting Grounds offer a series of challenges that test your combat skills. Completing these challenges often rewards you with valuable resources, including Blaze. Some challenges are specifically designed to test your skills in using explosive weapons, making them an excellent opportunity to practice your Blaze farming techniques.
The Importance of Adaptability
Ultimately, the best way to acquire Blaze in Horizon Zero Dawn is to be adaptable and adjust your strategy based on the situation. The type of machine you’re hunting, the environment you’re in, and the resources you have available all play a role in determining the most efficient approach. By mastering a variety of techniques and strategies, you can ensure that you always have a plentiful supply of Blaze, allowing you to face any challenge the game throws your way. Remember that careful observation and experimentation are key to unlocking the full potential of Aloy’s arsenal and mastering the art of Blaze farming.
What is Blaze used for in Horizon Zero Dawn, and why is it important to farm it?
Blaze is a crucial resource in Horizon Zero Dawn, primarily used for crafting ammunition, particularly fire arrows and tripwires. These weapons are essential for dealing significant damage to machines vulnerable to fire, such as Grazers and Striders, and for triggering environmental explosions. Without a sufficient supply of Blaze, your effectiveness in combat will be severely limited, especially against specific machine types and during challenging encounters.
Therefore, farming Blaze is important to ensure you always have enough ammunition to utilize fire-based attacks. This is especially vital during the early to mid-game when you might lack more advanced weapons and ammo types. A healthy stockpile of Blaze allows you to confidently engage machines weak to fire, control enemy movements with fire tripwires, and strategically exploit environmental hazards for tactical advantages.
Which machines are the best sources of Blaze in Horizon Zero Dawn?
Grazers and Striders are widely considered the best sources of Blaze due to their abundance and relatively low threat level. Both machines carry Blaze canisters on their backs, which can be easily detonated with a well-aimed fire arrow, resulting in a substantial Blaze drop. Additionally, their predictable patrol routes make them easy to locate and farm repeatedly.
Other machines like Scrappers and Watchers also carry Blaze, but generally in smaller quantities. They might be suitable for opportunistic gathering, but less efficient for focused farming. Machines such as Bellowbacks and Fireclaws carry larger Blaze canisters, however, their increased difficulty and the resources required to defeat them make them less ideal for routine Blaze farming compared to Grazers and Striders.
What is the most efficient strategy for farming Blaze from Grazers?
The most efficient strategy involves targeting the Blaze canisters on their backs with fire arrows. A single direct hit to the canister will cause it to explode, usually killing the Grazer and guaranteeing a Blaze drop. Stealth is key, so try to approach them from behind or use Tall Grass for cover.
Prioritize locations with a high density of Grazers, such as the Nora Hunting Grounds or areas near settlements where they graze. Use your Focus to identify the Blaze canisters and plan your approach accordingly. After clearing the area, fast travel to a nearby location and then back to respawn the Grazers, allowing for continuous farming.
What are some good locations to farm Blaze in Horizon Zero Dawn?
One of the best early-game locations is the area surrounding Mother’s Embrace, specifically near the Nora Hunting Grounds. Numerous Grazers graze in this region, making it a prime spot for efficient Blaze farming. The relative safety of this area also makes it suitable for players who are still early in their playthrough.
Another excellent location is the open plains north of Meridian, where large herds of Striders can be found. These machines are relatively easy to dispatch with fire arrows, and their concentrated numbers make farming Blaze quick and effective. Be mindful of potentially stronger machines that might roam these areas, particularly later in the game.
Is there a way to increase the amount of Blaze dropped by machines?
While there’s no direct way to increase the base amount of Blaze dropped by machines, you can improve your looting efficiency, which effectively maximizes the amount of Blaze you collect over time. This primarily involves optimizing your combat strategy for quick kills.
Additionally, focusing on acquiring skills that enhance resource gathering, such as the “Scavenger” skill from the Forager skill tree, can indirectly improve your Blaze farming efficiency by ensuring you loot every machine you defeat quickly and thoroughly. While the skill itself doesn’t increase the Blaze drop per machine, it reduces time spent looting, which can increase your overall Blaze collection rate.
How can I handle the risk of encountering more dangerous machines while farming Blaze?
The key to handling more dangerous machines while farming Blaze is preparation and awareness. Before engaging in farming, ensure you have appropriate gear and sufficient healing supplies. Equip modifications to your armor that provide resistance to the types of damage these machines inflict, such as fire or shock resistance.
Always be aware of your surroundings and use your Focus to scout the area for potential threats before approaching a farming spot. If you encounter a more dangerous machine, prioritize evasion or, if you choose to fight, focus on exploiting its weaknesses with the appropriate weapons and ammo. Remember, the goal is to farm Blaze efficiently, so avoid unnecessary risks that could lead to resource depletion or death.
Can I use the “Override” ability to help with Blaze farming?
Yes, the Override ability can be a useful tool for Blaze farming, particularly when dealing with Grazers or Striders. Overriding a Grazer or Strider will turn it into an ally that will fight alongside you or even graze peacefully, allowing you to approach it more easily for targeted canister shots.
Overriding machines can also create diversions, drawing the attention of other machines and simplifying your farming process. You can strategically override a machine near a herd of Grazers, causing a commotion that scatters the herd and makes individual canister shots easier. This strategy is especially helpful in areas with a high density of machines.