How To Quickly Beat A Rockbreaker In Horizon Zero Dawn

Rockbreakers in Horizon Zero Dawn are huge mole-type machines that can burrow into the ground and emerge at the player's location, inflicting great damage. Despite their size, Rockbreakers can move quite fast in the open, making them one of the most dangerous machines to go up against.

They can also target Aloy from a distance by shooting rocks at her. So, if you ever stumble upon the Rockbreaker site and need to take it down, here are some helpful tips that can make the process easier.

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How to Beat a Rockbreaker in Horizon Zero Dawn

Players will encounter their first Rockbreaker in Horizon Zero Dawn during the sidequest "Blood on Stone" and, after that, by fast-traveling to the only Rockbreaker site (at the west end of the map). During the quest, players encounter a single Rockbreaker, but visiting the site will spawn 2 Rockbreakers, and players will have to deal with them simultaneously.

It's recommended that players override the Tallneck: Rustwash to reveal the exact location of the Rockbreaker site.

The following guide will focus on the Rockbreaker duo on the site, but the same strategy can be applied to the single Rockbreaker encounter during the "Blood on Stone" side-quest.

Best Weapons to Use Against Rockbreakers

Best Weapons Against Stormbirds and Rockbreakers in Horizon Zero Dawn

Rockbreakers are agile machines, and they can burrow into the ground and jump around the battlefield before they finally stay on the ground to attack Aloy. To keep the Rockbreaker on the ground for longer and damage it quicker, the best weapons for the job are the Carja Sling and the Lodge Ropecaster.

The Lodge Ropecaster will help pin the Rockbreaker for a good amount of time, preventing it from burrowing into the ground. This will also let you focus on the other Rockbreaker without worrying about fighting both head-on.
The Carja Sling will let you inflict the freeze status effect on the Rockbreaker, as they're weak to it. While they're under the effect, Rockbreakers take extra damage, which will help you take it down faster.

Once the Rockbreaker is pinned to the ground and under the freeze status effect, the Shadow Sharpshot Bow will let you deal a great amount of damage to its weak points with Precision Arrows.

Using Focus to Identify Rockbreaker Weak Points

Rockbreaker Weak Points in Horizon Zero Dawn

First things first, you'll have to identify a Rockbreaker's weak spots by using Aloy's Focus. This will highlight all the weak spots in gold, giving players an idea of where the machine is vulnerable and can receive the maximum amount of damage.

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This will highlight the Rockbreaker's claws, fuel tank, and rear areas, but the only thing you'll be focusing on is its exhaust port on the sides. Here are the best weak spots to focus damage on the Rockbreaker:

Two claws on the front.
The fuel sac underneath.
The exhaust ports on its sides.

Using Ropecaster on Rockbreakers

Pin the Rockbreaker with Ropecaster in Horizon Zero Dawn

Once you enter the Rockbreaker site, the fight will start right away, with the machines quickly burrowing into the ground and honing in on Aloy. Here's what you have to do here:

Watch for deformation on the ground's surface to track Rockbreakers movement underground. Once the warning sign pops up, quickly dodge away before the machine emerges onto the surface.
After one of the Rockbreakers emerges from the ground and stays surfaced, quickly approach it and use the Lodge Ropecaster to pin it to the ground. Don't damage it now.
Wait for the second Rockbreaker to emerge and pin it using the Ropecaster, too.

This will keep the Rockbreakers from burrowing into the ground again, granting players ample time to damage them.

Inflicting the Freeze Status Effect on Rockbreakers

Freezing Rockbreakers with Carja Sling in Horizon Zero Dawn

Rockbreakers are particularly weak against the Freeze element. So, after pinning them to the ground, launch Freeze Bombs at them to inflict the Freeze status effect. After the freeze status effect takes hold, damage the exhaust ports on the sides with precision arrows to inflict high damage.

Due to Rockbreaker's annoying ability to burrow into the ground, It's recommended to notch 3 Precision Arrows with the Triple Shot skill and shoot them at once at the exhaust ports to take one down quickly.

After one Rockbreaker goes down, focus all your attention on the other one and repeat the process with it. If the Rockbreaker gets free of the Ropecaster wires, try to quickly pin it back again before it burrows underground.

This will allow you to beat the Rockbreakers without you needing to focus on any other weak spots.

Rewards for Beating a Rockbreaker in Horizon Zero Dawn

Rockbreaker Rewards in Horizon Zero Dawn

Players will receive epic weapon mods, Rockbreaker-specific parts, and other essential resources after taking down a Rockbreaker in Horizon Zero Dawn. The rewards salvaged from beating a Rockbreaker are randomized based on the player's RNG, but there are some general loot items that you can acquire by taking the machine down: