How to beat Specters in Horizon Forbidden West

Specters are among the most advanced machines you’ll face in Horizon Forbidden West. They’re agile, pull weapons out of thin air, and can track you almost anywhere you go. However, there are times when you have no choice but to fight them. This guide offers a few tips for beating Specters, so you’re not caught in a corner the next time one shows up.

Use acid damage

Specters are weak to acid damage, so pull out any weapon that deals it and start firing. Obviously, hitting weak points will deal increased damage, but any hits will build up acid on the machine. Once you’ve caused enough acid build-up for the machine to become engulfed, it’ll pause now and then as the acid eats through its shell. This makes it an easy target for all of your other weapons. Ensure that you go back to using acid ammo once the effect has worn off.

Aim for the weak points

Specters have weak points like all machines, though it might not seem like it during your fight. Hitting the points underneath a Specter’s armor will cause extra damage. You’ll gradually remove plating by hitting these and make the machine weaker. When a Specter pulls out lasers from its head or its flailing tail weapons from its back, aim to hit them. These are weak points that you can shear off, but they’ll hit you and cause a lot of damage if you’re not careful.

Wait for an opening

The key to beating Specters is waiting for an opening to attack them. They have a few frantic attack patterns that will shred Aloy and pretty much anything around them. So wait until there’s a space between these attacks before firing at the Specter. Otherwise, you’ll be caught mid-aim as the Specter bears down on you with everything in its arsenal.