Horizon: Zero Dawn may seem like your typical action-adventure game on the surface, but inside of that experience is an RPG at heart. With that comes a leveling up system that also allows you to upgrade your skills as you make it further into the game. With 36 of them in total to unlock in Horizon: Zero Dawn, we thought we’d give a rundown of them all for you to look over without having to go into the menus for some planning.
Skills for Aloy are split into three different categories in Horizon: Zero Dawn, Prowler, Brave, and Forager, which each have 12 skills available. Each also has four tiers, of which you must unlock the first to be able to unlock the one under it and so on, though a few branch off. The first tier for each will cost one skill each to unlock, with the second costing two, and the third three. However, while there is a fourth tier, it only costs three to unlock those skills, rather than the four you would expect.
The Prowler category is mostly as it sounds, with it being focused more on stealth and sneaking around enemies, including taking them out silently.
Prowler
Silent Strike (1) – Press R1 to perform a silent takedown on small machines and humans, or deal high damage to medium enemies.
Hunter Reflexes (1) – Time slows while aiming during a jump or a slide.
Silent Drop (1) – Landing from a fall or jump is completely silent, and will not alert otherwise unaware enemies.
Strike From Above (2, requires Silent Strike) – Press R1 to silently drop and take down small machines and humans, or deal high damage to medium enemies.
Balanced Aim (2, requires Hunter Reflexes) – Use ranged weapons while balancing on ropes.
Low Profile (2, requires Silent Drop) – Further reduces your visibility to enemies when crouching.
Strike From Below (3, requires Strike From Above) – Press R1 when hanging below human enemies to perform a silent takedown.
Strong Strike (3, requires Strike From Above) – 15% damage increase to Strike attacks: Silent Strike, Strike From Above, Strike From Below, Leader Strike.
Dodge Prowess (3, requires Low Profile) – Hold Circle for a long dodge roll, or tap Circle for a short dodge roll.
Leader Strike (3, requires Strike From Below) – Press R1 to perform a silent takedown on heavy and elite human enemies.
Strong Strike+ (3, requires Strong Strike) – 30% damage increase to Strike attacks: Silent Strike, Strike From Above, Strike From Below, Leader Strike.
Quiet Sprint (3, requires Dodge Prowess) – Sprinting is quiet, greatly reducing the chances of alerting nearby enemies.
The second batch of skills known as Brave are more focused on weapon-based attacks, with this introducing perhaps the most important skills of all.
Brave
Concentration (1) – While aiming, toggle with R3 to slow down time.
Critical Hit (1) – Press R1 for a high damage attack on downed enemies.
Precision (1) – Light spear attacks have an increased chance to knock off armor and components.
Heavy Lifter (2, requires Concentration) – Move faster while wielding a heavy weapon.
Critical Hit+ (2, requires Critical Hit) – Critical hits deal more damage.
Precision+ (2, requires Precision) – Light spear attacks have a greatly increased chance to knock off armor and components.
Concentration+ (3, requires Heavy Lifter) – Increases the maximum duration of Concentration.
Double Shot (3, requires Heavy Lifter) – Use R1 while aiming to notch an additional arrow on all bow weapons.
Knock Down (3, requires Precision+) – Heavy spear attacks will knock down machines faster.
Fast Reload (3, requires Concentration+) – Faster reload while using Concentration.
Triple Shot (3, requires Double Shot) – Use R1 while aiming to notch up to 3 arrows at once on all bow weapons.
Fighting Back (3, requires Knock Down) – Heavy spear attacks deal increased damage when Aloy’s health is low.
The final batch of 12 skills that are known as Forager are more of a miscellaneous group of skills, though they do include some that involve finding supplies, but also overriding of machines.
Forager
Lure Call (1) – Use ! from the tools menu to lure a single enemy to your position. The target will be the closest, most centered in Aloy’s view.
Healer (1) – Speeds up healing from the medicine pouch.
Gatherer (1) – Additional natural resources when foraging.
Combat Override (2, requires Lure Call) – Increases the time a machine will remain overridden by 50%.
Herbalist (2, requires Healer) – Doubles the capacity of the medicine pouch.
Scavenger (2, requires Gatherer) – Chance for extra resources when looting downed machines.
Combat Override+ (3, requires Combat Override) – Increases the time a machine will be remain overridden indefinitely.
Disarm Traps (3, requires Scavenger) – Traps and tripwires can now be disarmed and reused.
Ammo Crafter (3, requires Scavenger) – Craft additional ammo from the same amount of resources.
Call Mount+ (3, requires Combat Override+) – Calls a new overridden mount if no mount is available.
Tinker (3, requires Disarm Traps) – Weapon Coils and Outfit Weaves can now be removed and reused.
Scavenger (3, requires ammo Crafter) – Increased chance for extra resources when looting downed machines.
To unlock every skill in Horizon: Zero Dawn, you will need 81 total skill points, so make sure to do as many side quests and any other methods of earning XP so that you can level up more and get more skill points. This is a full list of all the skills available to Aloy in Horizon: Zero Dawn to unlock, so make sure to spend your skill points wisely.
