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To The Burning Shores is the first main quest inHorizon Forbidden West’s DLC campaign. It introduces a new area, several new characters, and of course a new threat that Aloy must overcome. It’s only accessible once you’ve defeated Far Zenith at the end of the base game, so be sure you’ve wrapped things up in the Tenakth lands!
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This guide will take you through to the DLC’s first boss fight, step-by-step. We’ve also got helpful hints to verify that you have everything you need to face the challenges ahead.
How To Start The Burning Shores DLC Story
After completing the final Main Quest (Singularity) and watching the end credits, you’ll return to the Base. you’re able to complete any Side Quests and other Objectives at your leisure. If Burning Shores is installed, you’ll receive a call from Sylens shortly afterward. Meet him at Tilda’s Mansion to begin the DLC storyline.
At the end of your conversation with Sylens, he’ll ask if you’re ready to go. Saying yes will trigger a cutscene and take you to the Burning Shores. Note that youwill not be able to return to the Forbidden Westuntil you complete the first Main Quest in the storyline.
You’ll be dropped straight into a fight against some Widemaws and Burrowers alongside a new ally, a Quen named Seyka. There are a lot of machines, but if you scan the area you’ll seepurple glowing crystalsgrowing on the ruins. These can be detonated with any weapon, even basic arrows!
When all the machines are defeated,follow Seyka to her skiff. You can sit down on board, and she’ll navigate to Fleet’s End, the area’s Quen settlement. A lengthy cutscene will introduce some new characters, and you’ll be able to get more information in a conversation with Seyka.
At the end of the conversation, you canexplore Fleet’s Endand the surrounding area. Seyka’s skiff can be used to quickly navigate the water without having to swim, but the tower will fire on you if you sail too far north.
Before setting off, it’s a good idea tovisit the Stitcher and Hunterin the settlement, as they have powerful new gear that wasn’t available in the main game. You can alsospeak with Admiral Gerritto get more information.
How To Reach The Tower
You can meet with Seyka on the far side of the eastern bridge when you’re ready to progress the main quest, but it’s a good idea tospeak to Theoa,a marine in the center of town, to completeThe Splinter Withinside quest; the reward is a powerful stealth outfit that will be very useful as you explore!
Checkunder a bridge near the Stitcher’s shopfor a wall that can be destroyed with the Pullcaster - behind it is a piece ofBrimshine,a key component in upgrading new equipment from the Burning Shores!
When you speak with Seyka, she’ll tell you that all the paths ahead lead to the tower. The center path leads through a Scrapper pack, which can be useful if you’re hoping to collect some spare parts, and also brings you by a campfire. If you’d prefer to avoid an encounter,take the wide path to the leftjust after the meeting point instead
If you’re feeling particularly brave, theSlaughterspine site to the easthas some chests that you may loot, in additional to the valuable parts from the machines themselves.
The base of the tower is patrolled bynew machine types:a Bilegut and a swarm of Stingspawn. Set up your gear forprotection from Acid damage, and attack when you’re ready. Like most Acid enemies, the Bilegut can be corroded bydestroying its green belly sacs.Destroy the Stingspawn as soon as they hatch, because the Bilegut canheal by eating them.
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How To Reach The Top Of The Tower
When the Bilegut is dead, Seyka will lead you to the tower entrance. When she climbs up the tower wall,follow her through the foliage-covered hole in the wall at the top.To cross the pit,get a running startalong the left side andpress the jump button immediately as you landfrom each jump. If you fall, climb up at the ladder near the start and try again.
In the next room,equip the Pullcasterand look at the ceiling for a clamp that you’re able to pull down. Doing so creates a hole that you can climb through in order to reach the floor above. Once there,look for a wall with garbled hologramsand climb it to continue upward.
Keep following Seyka,jumping across more pitsto the left. When she stops,climb the wall next to herand jump backward to grab the ladder across from you. Repeat the process to reach the top adlower the ladder for Seyka.
Be sure to grab the Brimshine Fragment across from the ladder!
When the ladder is lowered,keep climbing the wallup and to the right. At the top,run and jump across the pitand grapple to the vent with the Pullcaster. Climb inside, turn left, and drop into the room beyond.
Back on the outside edge of the tower,jump across the pit to the leftand climb the wall beyond, thenjump to grab the ledgeacross the next drop to continue following Seyka.
On the far side of the next room, there’s ahole in the wallnext to some holograms. Glide across to the floor below, also indicated by a similar hologram, thenclimb along the wall to the right.
Stay along the wall until you find a place to climb, andturn left at the top; you’ll see an exit to the outside. You’ll find a dead Waterwing; search it, thenlook to the rightfor a Brimshine Sliver near the edge of the platform.
Use the rubble in front of the door you came by tojump onto the climb points along the outer wall.You’ll find the Zenith device emitting the tower’s beam;check the room to the rightfor a chest, then come back outside.
Climb the wall to the right of where you came up (Seyka will be standing near the correct spot) andoverride the Node at the top.Doing so triggers a boss fight as theDefense Droneattacks.
How To Defeat The Defense Drone
As soon as the fight begins,drop to the room belowto take cover from the drone’s laser; it deals consistent Fire damage, so equipping armor that can resist it is a good idea.
While Seyka draws the drone’s fire,run across to the left side of the roofand enter the room there. Shoot the Firegleam to blow the wall open andclimb the outside of the buildingto get higher up.
Use the Pullcaster to grapple to the highest point, and you’ll find yourself directly behind the drone.Get behind the cover to the leftto protect yourself from its attack as it turns around.
When the drone starts attacking Seyka again,stand directly behind itand shoot the glowing power core in the center of its back. It’s armored from the left and right, so you have to shoot it dead-on to have any effect.
Occasionally, Seyka will need to take cover, giving the drone a chance to fire at you. Find somewhere to hide until it fires its explosive projectile, then resume attacking while Seyka distracts it again.
When the power core is destroyed, the Defense Drone will fire a barrage of missiles, destroying your platform and dropping you back to the main area alongside Seyka. From below, you’ll be able to see asecond core on the drone’s front.Keep moving anddestroy the second core.
The third core is on top of the drone, and the boss will briefly take Seyka out of the fight to focus on you while you climb.Use the grapple points aboveto quickly get to the upper level; you can also use them to escape the drone’s firing arc in a hurry.
The armor on the top of the drone makes it hard, but not impossible, to hit the final core with arrows.Aim for the very top of the core, or use an arcing weapon like a Sling to bypass the armor.
When the third core is destroyed, the Defense Drone goes with it. Speak to Seyka to complete the quest; you can continue the main quest byreturning to Fleet’s End, or you can explore the nearby area. There are several shelters nearby, and unlocking at least one of them for Fast Travel is a good idea. The closest is to the north, a short glide from the boss fight’s location.
Destroying the Defense Drone lets youfreely explore the Burning Shores, including by Sunwing. You can also return to the Forbidden West via Fast Travel.
