Gamers that have been hooked on Horizon Zero Dawn lately will know that Aloy will need to equip some serious gear if she wants to stand a chance against the ruthless Cultists and their corrupt machines. Earlier this week, we shared a guide regarding Power Cell locations for the ultimate Shield-Weaver armor, which virtually makes Aloy invincible. But for gamers that prefer an offensive approach, you’ll want to get your hands on the Shadow Sling and Shadow Hunter Bow. The Shadow Sling is a grenade launcher with a slow rate of fire, but an unmatched level of damage that affects a very large area as well. Similarly, the Shadow Hunter Bow is also a slower weapon, but fires powerful Hunter, Fire, and Hard Point arrows.
Both the Shadow Sling and Shadow Hunter Bow will require 650 Metal Shards and one Crystal Braiding. Crystal Braiding is a rare item, but here’s where you can look for it.
Crystal Braiding may drop from stronger enemies that can be considered mini bosses in the game, including Stormbirds, Thunderjaws, Deathbringers, Bohemoths and Rockbreakers. Of course, players can choose to face whichever enemy, but for the best chance to reap Crystal Braiding, we recommend the Stormbird.
Stormbirds are twice the size of Glinthawks and twice as deadly. Find Stormbirds at the Stormbird Site, located at the northwestern region of the map. The Stormbirds’s claws pack a nasty punch and the enormous bot has a lot of HP as well.
The most effective way to take down a Stormbird is to use traps and tie them down. For the greatest amount of damage, aim for the vulnerable canisters on its back. Craft as many Tie Rope heavy arrows, Precision arrows, Tearblast arrows, Hardpoint arrows, and Fire arrows as possible. What’s more, be sure you have enough resources to craft more as you’ll likely deplete your ammunition very quickly against this tough enemy.
Check out the gameplay video below via YouTube channel QP Games to learn how to take down a Stormbird:
