Aloy's Guide to Machines

Designed by Daniele Vecchio (/u/irondany90 or dvlab.dev@gmail.com). Photoshop by Daniele Vecchio. Writing: the dedicated people of Horizon Zero Dawn Wikia and myself. Guerrilla Games for the awesome original videogame. GMBinder for the web tool. Art credits: All art owned by Guerrilla Games and its artists. Cover Image: wallpapersguide.com Banuk artworks: Luc de Haan Nora, Carja and Oseram tribes artworks: the amazing Karakter design studio Weapons, all machines' renders and NPCs: Horizon Zero Dawn Wikia Page 22: PlayStation Europe Page 23: Gamerguides.com Page 24: towerofnix and USgamer.net Pages 25, 26: Horizon Zero Dawn Wikia Page 27: Lloyd Allan Page 28: Erik van Helvoirt Pages 31, 36, 37, 39, 48, 50, 53, 58, 60, 62: Seekers Sanctuary Pages 33, 34: Nazz Abdoel Page 42: Carbonfire Pages 43, 44: Xelku9 Pages 45, 46: Tom Delboo Page 51: PlayStation Blog Page 54: gameranx.com Page 57: Maria Leasher Version 1.0 Last update of this document on: 31/05/21. Special thanks to my Patrons Joseph T.E., Zach H., Full Mettle, Kirk H., Jan S., Cali, Brett H., vS1Ds_Legacy, Nathan G., Jared M., Quinn M., Matt S., PearWithMe, Vivian J., Connor M.P. and my top tier Darion N., Aaron, Stephen G., Jacob and LEGEND99 OFFICIAL for their important and really appreciate support. Thank you guys. Without you, all of this would not be so great! If you like this work and you want to support me, buy me a beer and join the community on Patreon! Direct link: https://www.patreon.com/irondany. CREDITS 2

4 5 6 7 8 5 10 10 11 9 12 13 13 12 15 16 16 17 15 18 18 19 20 22 22 23 24 25 26 26 27 29 29 30 31 32 34 36 39 41 43 44 45 47 48 50 51 53 54 56 57 59 60 62 64 65 65 65 66 66 67 67 65 68 ....................... ........................................................................... Banuk .............................................................................................. Background: Shaman Adept ................................................... Druid: Circle of the Cut ............................................................ Banuk Spells .............................................................................. Carja ................................................................................................ Background: Member of the Lodge .................................... Rogue: Cauldron Seeker ....................................................... Cleric: Sun Domain ................................................................ Nora ............................................................................................... Background: Brave ................................................................. Barbarian: Path of the Mother ............................................. Ranger: Machine Stalker ....................................................... Oseram ......................................................................................... Variant Class: Oseram Paladin ............................................ Background: Ingenious Crafter ............................................ Paladin: Oath of the Metal World ........................................ Oseram Spells ......................................................................... ............................................................... Weapons ....................................................................................... Heavy Weapons ........................................................................... Recipes ......................................................................................... ........................................... Battle ............................................................................................. Corruption .................................................................................... Daemonic Status ........................................................................ Override ........................................................................................ ................................. Cauldrons ..................................................................................... Cauldron Sigma .......................................................................... ................................... Monster Lists .............................................................................. Broadhead .................................................................................... Charger ......................................................................................... Corruptor ..................................................................................... Deathbringer ............................................................................... Fireclaw ........................................................................................ Frostclaw ...................................................................................... Glinthawk ..................................................................................... Grazer ........................................................................................... Lancehorn .................................................................................... Longleg ......................................................................................... Ravager ......................................................................................... Rockbreaker ................................................................................ Sawtooth ...................................................................................... Scorcher ....................................................................................... Scrapper ....................................................................................... Snapmaw ..................................................................................... Stalker .......................................................................................... Stormbird ..................................................................................... Strider ........................................................................................... Thunderjaw .................................................................................. Trampler ....................................................................................... Watcher ........................................................................................ ............................................. Nora NPCs ................................................................................... Teersa, High Matriarch .......................................................... Carja NPCs .................................................................................. Nil ............................................................................................... Banuk NPCs ................................................................................ Aratak ........................................................................................ Oseram NPCs ............................................................................. Erend, Vanguardsman ............................................................ CONTENTS 3

T his compendium wants to assist and introduce DMs and players to the wonderful setting rigged up by Guerrilla Games. Here you will find new rules and contents for recreate the peculiar traits of the game, such as the machines' components or override, but also character options for classes, tribe traits and equipment totally inspired by the game. Chapter 1 of this book presents Tribes that you will deal with in this setting. These have different culture and traditions that lead to peculiar traits, backgrounds and even sub-classes for characters. Chapter 2 contains information about currency, items looted by machines, weapons and recipes to craft powerful ammunitions. Chapter 3 is for both DMs and players, with a section dedicated to additional rules for battle, corruption, daemonic status and override. Chapter 4 gives you hints to design adventures in this setting and guidelines to create Cauldrons. Chapter 5 show a complete bestiary full of machines. Chapter 6 deals with NPCs and factions from the original videogame. Horizon Zero Dawn takes place a thousand years into the future, in a post-apocalyptic world where colossal machines dominate the land. Over time, human civilization has regressed to tribal societies of hunters and gatherers who survive in immense forests, imposing mountain ranges, and the atmospheric ruins of their ancestors – all while the machines become increasingly powerful. The first machines were created by Faro Automated Solutions as domestic servants, the Focus, and @lfred. However, Faro soon began developing machines built for combat, two of which were the Scarab and Khopesh, heavilyarmed robots that could supplant entire armies, hijack other robots, convert biomass into fuel, and replicate themselves, allowing them to operate indefinitely. However, a "glitch" in the Faro machines caused them to ignore commands and begin attacking humans without authorization. The machines replicated faster than they could be destroyed, and began operating as a swarm. Soon, a fullfledged war between humanity and robots began, costing millions of lives and immense destruction. Despite humanity's best efforts, the swarm could not be contained and they devoured biomass wherever they went, eliminating entire cities and ecosystems. Ted Faro, the CEO of Faro Industries, met with a former employee named Elisabet Sobeck in hopes of containing the swarm, but Elisabet found that there was no way of stopping the machines from destroying all life on Earth. However, she proposed a project named Zero Dawn to Ted, stating that it was the only way of ensuring that life on Earth could continue after the machines killed everything. Zero Dawn was the development of an advanced intelligence known as GAIA that would crack the machine swarm encryption codes, deactivate them, and then re-seed the Earth with plant, animal, and human life. GAIA was aided by 9 subroutines, one of which was HADES, a subroutine that was designed to take control of the terraforming and start it over again if it was unsatisfactory. The swarm eventually devoured all biomass on Earth, but GAIA managed to succeed in cracking the encryption codes and shut down the Faro machines, then created many different machines modeled off of former animal life to purify the Earth's toxic atmosphere and biosphere. Hundreds of years later, humans were released from the cradles they were created in and began forming primitive tribal societies, not knowing of the "old ones" who came before them. The machines they encountered were docile and generally harmless for many generations. However at one point, an unknown signal caused HADES to go rogue and begin his extinction protocol. HADES attempted to take control of GAIA completely, but GAIA self-destructed before he could do so. The destruction of GAIA led to an event known as the "derangement," leading the HEPHAESTUS subroutine to assume total control of the Cauldron manufacturing facilities, causing machines becoming increasingly aggressive towards humans, and the creation of new, more deadly combat machines. Machines in the present day are often hunted for their parts and to cull them before they can threaten local populations. They can usually be found in large groups, although some operate in smaller packs. Machines will either run away from or attack humans that they come across, and will completely ignore wildlife. They will never attack each other unless overridden by Aloy or corrupted by the Eclipse and their machines. WELCOME TO HORIZON ZERO DAWN 4

I n this chapter are exposed several classes that you can choose for your character in a Horizon-ZeroDawn-inspired adventure. These contents are designed to reflect the original flavour that you feel in game, but with some changes due to the inevitable porting to a rpg like D&D. Following the events of the Faro Plague, the human population was decimated. This resulted in the loss of their technological advancement and knowledge, as well as the regression of their civilization. In order to adapt to the natural world once again, human societies reshaped themselves into small groups of people, hoping to survive in a world ruled by the now-dominant machines. These new tribes adopted a way of life similar to their ancient ancestors, hunting and gathering food and materials. Eventually, tribes grew larger, some even turning their villages into towns and small cities, and developed an economy based on resources obtained from machines. While some tribes are small and humble, others are bigger, wealthier, and better organized. The Nora are known as the first machine hunters. Compared to the technological and societal advancement of the Old Ones, the tribes of the 31st century are far less advanced, resembling ancient indigenous cultures. Although lacking in the technology developed by their predecessors, the tribes have evolved into unique societies, each with their own customs, laws, religions, and hierarchies. A few tribes have assumed a sophisticated reputation. The Carja developed construction technology that allowed them to build permanent human settlements (such as their capital city, Meridian) and construct working cranes and elevators. Agriculture is a major part of their lifestyle, as is trading and mining. The leader of the Carja is a monarch called the SunKing, and they worship the sun as a sort of divine entity. From an economic and militaristic standpoint as well, they are considered the most advanced of the featured tribes. Also considered an advanced tribe are the Oseram, who are known for their craftsmanship and metalwork; they have invented powerful weapons resembling guns and cannons. Other tribes remain hunter-gatherer societies, foraging and hunting for food and resources. The Nora tribe is a prime example, and their technology is developed solely for the purpose of hunting. They are a reclusive society, with tribe members rarely leaving Nora territory. Their leaders, the Matriarchs, are responsible for governing the tribe; they are also religious leaders and guide the tribe in the worship of a goddess they call All-Mother. The Banuk are another reclusive, hunter-gatherer tribe who rarely venture outside their territory despite being a nomadic society. Relations between tribes can range from friendly to hostile: the Carja infamously waged war with the Nora and Oseram. Later on, the Carja and Oseram became closely allied. Other tribes prefer an isolationist policy, though trade may still occur. The Banuk are a human tribe in Horizon Zero Dawn. The Banuk are a nomadic tribe, native to the mountains north of the Sacred Lands. Made up of fearless hunters and mysterious shamans, they are constantly trying to prove their worth against increasingly stacked odds, and favor this over engaging with other tribes. The Banuk are a nomadic tribe and their simple shelters are similar to tipis, made of long wooden poles and covered with painted canvas. Banuk settlements include little more than tents and fire pits. The Banuk's simplistic lifestyle is not due to lack of intellectual capacity, but because of their views that always deem any hardship as a challenge of one's ability. As a result, they prefer to improve the ways they know instead of devising new ones. When Aram explained the concept of long term solutions that the Carja are accustomed to, the Banuk he was traveling with were disdainful of the idea. Tribespeople live in small, mobile groups of hunters called weraks. Each is led by a dominant chieftain along with the counsel of a shaman. Chieftains may be challenged for control of their werak, initiated by throwing one's spear at the chieftain's feet. Such challenges involve a head-to-head competition in which the chieftain and the challenger race to kill specified machines, marking their completion by launching a balloon. As an added level of difficulty, the challenger must launch every balloon first or be eliminated. Placement in a werak is earned through completion of a trial which must be faced alone. Passage of this trial grants one a place in the werak. Despite living in groups, the Banuk are highly individualistic and value independence. Each member of the group must prove that they possess the will to survive alone. The Banuk are notable for their use of colorful dyes for decoration. They use these pigments for dying their clothing and objects, and for painting. Their geometric designs can be observed on the canvas used for shelter, and on mountainsides. The designs appear to have spiritual purpose, for either protection or another meaning. The paintings in Ban-Ur have existed for generations, being continually repainted; to edit or paint over them is considered sacrilege. Author's Note Every class in this document is designed for human characters, but further releases will enlarge the compatibility to other races, character options and variant classes, too. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 5

Banuk society is lead by shamans who often participate in "medicine hunts" and claim to be able to sense the presence of nearby machines. These shamans occasionally have machine parts sewn directly into their skin. Shamans are typically responsible for stripping parts from machines brought down by hunters, thanking the machine spirits before doing so. The most renowned shamans form a group known as The Conclave which meets yearly in a sacred location known as Malmstrom. The tribe has general knowledge of the glyphs left by the Old Ones, but they prefer to record history in song. Their oral tradition includes a large volume of hunting tales. The Banuk faith revolves around the "Blue Light", the light seen in machines' eyes. They believe that the Blue Light is the essence of life and harmony. The Blue Light animates the machines, its chosen vessels, but struggles to survive in the hearts of humans. Shamans will often thread machine cables through their skin in hopes of better containing the Blue Light in their bodies. The Derangement has been interpreted as the machines growing angry with humans, causing the Blue Light to fade from the world. Here is a list of sub-classes that Banuk tend to choose as a direct derivation of their culture, though exeptions exist. Shamans are tribal mystics who listen to an interpret the machines' spirits through their specific songs for the purpose of gaining insight into both the hunt and more general revelations. Shamans generally wear large headpieces made from machine parts, from which long ribbons and cables hang, obscuring the shamans face. The most notable feature, however, is the blue cables that shamans thread through their skin, in an effort to better contain the Blue Light in their bodies. Despite the frigid environment of Ban-Ur, shamans generally wear little clothing on their upper body. Male shamans may go entirely topless, while female shamans usually cover their chest. Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Nature Tool Proficiencies: Your choice of an artisan's tools or a musical instrument Equipment: A set of artisan's tools or a musical instrument (one of your choice), a large headpieces made from machine parts obscuring your face, 5 sticks of incense, vestments, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 6

The Blue Light guides you to comfortable dwelling in the wilderness. You can find a place to hide, rest, or recuperate when out in the wild. This place of rest is secure enough to conceal you from most natural threats or machines' scent. Threats that are supernatural, magical, or are actively seeking you out might do so with difficulty depending on the nature of the threat (as determined by the DM). Moreover, while you are in this safe place, you can sense hostile machines within 120 feet of you while meditating. The Circle of The Cut is made up of shamans who flank weraks' chieftains. These druids safeguard the knowledge about machines and are very familiar with the Override mechanism and handling with them. As a member of this circle, your magic is influenced by the land where you were initiated in the circle's mysterious rites: The Cut. Circle of The Cut Features Druid Level Feature 2nd Override Master, Natural Recovery 3rd Circle Spells 6th Machine's Ward 10th Land's Stride 20th Machine's Sanctuary When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you learn to endure damage while making Override action. You gain advantage on Constitution saving throws whenever you take damage while you are overriding a machine. Starting at 2nd level, you can regain some of yours magical energy by sitting in meditation and communing with nature. During a short rest, you choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your druid level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest. For example, when you are a 4th-level druid, you can recover up to two levels worth of spell slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level slot or two 1st-level slots. Your mystical connection to The Cut infuses you with the ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level you gain access to circle spells connected to this land, that you can see in the list. Once you gain access to a circle spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn't appear on the druid spell list, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 7

Circle of The Cut Spell Druid Level Spells 3rd healing lens, pass without trace 5th meld into metal, slow 7th elemental bane, freedom of movement 9th hold machine, relight machine When you reach the 6th level, you and machines overridden by you are immune to Corrupted Condition. Starting at 10th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against the result of machine's actions that manipulate terrains, such as Glinthawk's Freeze Spit, Scorcher's Ignition Boost or Frostclaw's Ice Spikes. When you reach the 14th level, other machines sense your connection to nature and become hesitant to attack you. When a machine attacks you, it must make a Wisdom saving throw against your druid spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses. On a successful save, the machine is immune to this effect for 24 hours. The machine is aware of this effect before it makes its attack against you. Moreover, machines with the Daemonic template that are within the range of a Control Tower aren't affected by this effect, until the Control Tower is active. 2nd-level conjuration Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: 60 feet Components: V, S, M (a machine lens, which the spell consumes) Duration: Concentration up to 1 minute You recall your knowledge to soothe wounded machines that are within line of sight. You can focus your magic power on a 5-foot-cube you can see within range through the lens. Until the spell ends, whenever a machine you can see moves into the focused space for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, you can restore 1d6 hit points to that machine (no action required). As a bonus action on your turn, you can focus your lens on a space within 30 feet of the previous one. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd. 5th-level enchantment Casting Time: 1 action Range: 90 feet Components: V, S, M (a small shard from a machine, that the spell consumes) Duration: Concentration up to 1 minute Choose a machine that you can see within range. The machine must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the machine can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on that machine. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can target one additional machine for each slot level above 5th. The machines must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them. 5th-level necromancy Casting Time: 1 hour Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (a machine core of the same type of the target, which the spell consumes) Duration: Instantaneous You relight a dead machine you touch, provided that it has not been scavenged. The machine relights with 1 hit points and lasts for 72 hours. This spells solder superficial rifts, but it doesn't restore missing parts or components. If the machine is lacking all components, the spell automatically fails. Relight a dead machine is an ordeal. The target takes a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws and ability check. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 8

The Carja are an advanced and powerful tribe ruled by a monarch, Sun-King Avad. They call their nation the Sundom and their capital city is Meridian. They have a vast population and more advanced economically and militarily compared to the other tribes. The Carja originated in the "Savage East". Their first SunKing, Araman, discovered the Leaves of the Old Ones from which he brought to his tribe the knowledge of observing the Sun, its movement, and solar worship. Furthermore, the Carja gained from the Leaves the first writing. For reasons unknown, the Carja were attacked and driven from their original homeland by hostile tribes that were once their peaceful neighbors; they were either scared or envious of the Carja's knowledge. The Carja were forced to migrate westward in a harsh journey as many families, including Araman's, perished on the wayside. Their journey ended when they discovered the Spire and Araman declared the Spire's mesa lands as their new haven, naming it Meridian. Under the reign of the 3rd Sun-King Sadahin, the Carja expanded their dominion and established the present day Sundom. Through the next several generations of Sun-Kings, the Carja continued to expand their domain and growth all the way to Daybreak until their expansion ceased after a failed expedition into the Forbidden West and was strained by their attempts to conquer the Savage East. Following a brief peaceful interlude, the Carja under the reign of the 12th Sun-King Hivas began to re-militarize, fight with other tribes, and capture slaves. During the reign of the 13th Sun-King Jiran, the Sundom came under threat of the machines and the Derangement. Jiran believed that human sacrifices to the Sun god were necessary to stop the machines' aggression. The Carja then began a series of attacks on tribal settlements and captured tribals to be used in bloody sacrifices in what became notoriously known as the Red Raids. Jiran's atrocities greatly alienated some of his people, including his son Avad, who eventually turned against his father and forged an alliance with the Oseram tribe. After Jiran was killed by his own son, Avad succeeded his father and became the 14th Sun-King. He proceeded to end the Red Raids and begin a series of reforms in the Sundom such as outlawing slavery. However, not all of the Carja followed the new king, especially those who remained loyal to Jiran. These dissenters and remnants of Jiran's old regime fled from Meridian and established their own kingdom in Sunfall and became known as the Shadow Carja. Peace remained between the Carja and the other tribes, but recently there have been conflicts between the tribes. The Carja are a patriarchal society. Women are socially excluded from joining the military and priesthood. The Carja also have a class system, with nobles, artisans, and commoners. There are two markets in Meridian, one for nobles and the other for commoners. At night in Meridian, most commoners take the elevators to their homes in the surrounding villages. The Carja see themselves as separate from other tribes, and look down on outsiders such as the Nora as primitives. By the events of the game, Avad has been trying to reform the Carja's views and policies, such as openly accepting gender and status, abolishing slavery, and tolerating other tribes. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 9

Here is a list of sub-classes that Carja tend to choose as a direct derivation of their culture, though exceptions exist. The Hunters Lodge is a Carja organization dedicated to the art of machine hunting. The Lodge is headquartered in a grand house located in Meridian, where hunters can submit proof of their hunts and mingle with other hunters. Membership is highly exclusive, as the Lodge's rules allow only 14 members at a time. Non-members, however, are still permitted to enter the Lodge's House and make use of the Hunting Grounds. Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Survival Tool Proficiencies: Thieves' tools Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A trophy taken from a fallen machine (machine core, machine lens or one other lootable item), a set of mimetic Carja clothes including a hood, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp You have an excellent memory for machines' location and routines, and you can always recall the general layout of their paths and organization. In addition, you can call upon the hospitality of people in the Sundom, and those allied with your tribe. You focus your training on skills useful in ancient ruins, such as Cauldrons, dangerous places, but full of mysteries and treasures. Cauldron Seeker Features Rogue Level Feature 3rd Cauldron Child, Survivalist 9th Second-Story Work 10th Spartan Rage 13th Tripcaster Master 17th Sudden Machine Strike When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature and Survival skills. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those proficiencies. In addition, you gain proficiency with the Tripcaster. Starting at 3rd level, you reveal an innate talent for hacking technological instruments and devices. You can improvise the use of Metal World devices even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of these items. Starting at 9th level, you gain the ability to climb faster than normal; climbing no longer costs you extra movement. In addition, when you make a running jump, the distance you cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Dexterity modifier. When you reach 13th level, you handle the tripcaster with skill, so you can increase the tripcaster range by 20 feet and, using your action, you can position two ropes in the same turn. At 17th, if you take the Attack action on your turn to target a machine's component, you can make one additional attack as a bonus action. This attack can benefit from your Sneak Attack even if you have already used it this turn, but only if the attack is the only you make against the machine this turn. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 10

The Carja worship the sun as a deity, whose light is the source of all life. The Carja view sun and shadow as two halves of nature: to deny one is to deny the other. They believe that the world of the Old Ones was destroyed by a demonic entity called the "Buried Shadow," which will one day bring an end to their society. However, like the rise of dawn, society will rise again after the end of the Carja, part of a cycle of death and rebirth. The religious body of the Carja are the Sun-Priests. While their duties are not thoroughly explored, it is evident that they serve closely with the Sun-King in acting out the sun's will. Entry into the priesthood is restricted to men. Sun Domain Features Cleric Level Feature 1st Domain Spells, Bonus Cantrip, Shield the Sun-King 2nd Channel Divinity: Radiant Defense 6th Sun's Blessing 8th Potent Spellcasting 17th Corona of Light At each indicated cleric level, add the listed spells to your spells prepared. Sun Domain Cleric Level Spells 1st bless, burning hands 3rd aid, spiritual weapon 5th daylight, protection from energy 7th arcane eye, sickening radiance 9th flame strike, wall of light When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain the light cantrip if you don't already know it. Starting at 1st level, you can interpose divine light between an ally and an attacking enemy. When one ally is attacked by a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll, causing light to flare the attacker before it hits or misses. An attacker that can't be blinded is immune to this feature. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to cloak your allies in radiant armor. As an action, you channel blessed energy into an ally that you can see within 30 feet of you. The first time that ally is hit by an attack within the next minute, the attacker takes radiant damage equal to 2d10 + your cleric level. At 6th level, when a creature within 30 feet of you makes an attack roll, you can use your reaction to grant that creature a +10 bonus to the roll, using your Channel Divinity. You make this choice after you see the roll, but before the DM says whether the attack hits or misses. Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip. Starting at 17th level, you can use your action to activate an aura of sunlight that lasts for 1 minute or until you dismiss it using another action. You emit bright light in a 60-foot radius and dim light 30 feet beyond that. Your enemies in the bright light have disadvantage on saving throws against any spell that deals fire or radiant damage. Author's Note This sub-class is essentially a soft rework of the Light Domain that you can find in PHB. The Cleric of the Sun will be a powerful support with a lot of spells and features oriented to give buff to allies. The peculiar choice to admit only men, could be also a nice spark for role-play. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 11

The Nora tribe is a matriarchal human tribe with strong taboos against the technology of the ancient world and talking to outcasts. Recently, the Nora were in conflict with the Carja, a rival tribe that had imprisoned and enslaved their people in the past. Under the Mad Sun-King Jiran, the Red Raids claimed the lives of many Nora, but the next Sun-King, Avad, sought a more peaceful approach, which led to two years of peace before the recent conflicts broke out. Due to the ferocity of their defense during the raids, the Carja came to regard them as brave and fierce warriors, albeit technologically and socially backwards. At one point, a Carja scribe by the name of Aman traveled to the edge of Nora territory to collect what information he could find on the tribe. He also expressed a desire to return with a diplomatic expedition, including a female scribe, who he hoped would be able to gain their trust easier. The Nora are based in the mountains and forest. They do not have much in the way of agriculture, and are primarily hunter-gatherers. Most of this is done by Braves. They have developed the ropecaster, which ties down their enemies. The All-Mother is their patron deity. All the tribe's leaders are females, essentially grandmothers and greatgrandmothers. To be a mother within the Nora is to take on sacred significance. The Nora are very spiritual and practice a number of rituals. Newborns undergo a naming ritual, where the Matriarchs decide on a name for the child. Adolescent members of the tribe undergo a ritual called "the Proving". Those who pass will be recognized as Braves; the winners are granted a boon and they may ask for any kind of reward. The Nora rarely leave the Sacred Land, and those who do rarely return. Most are content to live in the relatively peaceful valley, although increasingly aggressive machines have posed a serious threat to their home. Here is a list of backgrounds and sub-classes that Nora tend to choose as a direct derivation of their culture, though exceptions exist. Braves are skilled hunters who provide protection to the tribe by staving off dangerous machines and hostile outsiders from the Sacred Lands. Their duties include hunting for food, escorting parties of gatherers, and defending the Sacred Lands. Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Survival Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set Equipment: An insignia of rank, a hunting trap, a trophy from an animal you killed, a set of Nora clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp You have an established place in the hierarchy of the Nora's defense. You can requisition simple equipment for temporary use, and you can gain access to any Brave lodge in the Sacred Lands, where you can rest in safety and receive the attention of medics. You are also paid a salary of 1 gp (or equivalent in metal shards) per week, which enables you to maintain a poor lifestyle between adventures. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 12

Some Nora benefit from the Mother, glorifying Her through their rage. Those who choose the Path of the Mother accept and consecrate themselves to protect the Sacred Land from any kind of threat. Path of the Mother Features Barbarian Level Feature 3rd Mother's Faith 6th Machines' Smell 10th Mother's Messenger 14th Retaliation Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, your faith in the Mother becames stronger, you increase the awareness of your power and became able to share this with your mates. While you're raging, your friends have advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature within 5 feet of you that is hostile to you. Your trust in the Mother makes you leader of your mates. At 6th level, your hunting sensibilities improve. You can track machines while traveling at a fast pace, and you can move stealthily while traveling at a normal pace. At 10th level, you gain the ability to cast the animal messenger spell, but only as a ritual. Starting at 14th level, when you take damage from a machine that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that machine. Some Nora Braves choose to protect the Sacred Land living in contact with nature, studying and observing machines in their natural habitat. As you walk the Machine Stalker's path, you learn specialized techniques for being prepared and fighting machines of any size. Machine Stalker Features Ranger Level Feature 3rd Stalking Move 5th Extra Attack 7th Evasion 11th Backup Plan 15th Stalker's Dodge At 3rd level, you master the art of the ambush. On your first turn during combat, you gain a +10 bonus to your speed and if you use the attack action on that turn, you can make one additional attack. You are also invisible to the machine's Scan ability as long as it's not aware of you. Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a machine component explosion or a fireball spell. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 13

When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. Starting at 11th level, once on each of your turns when you miss an attack against a machine, you can make another attack against one of the machine's component. You can gain one additional attack during your turn with this ability. At 15th level, whenever a creature attacks you and does not have advantage, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the creature's attack roll against you. You can use this feature before or after the attack roll is made, but it must be used before the outcome of the roll is determined. Author's Note This sub-class is intended for use with both the Ranger class presented in the Player's Handbook and the Revised Ranger presented in Unearthed Arcana releases. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 14

The Oseram are a tribe known for their excellent metalworkers and craftsmen, and as such, are best known for their steel and powerful weaponry. During the Red Raids, the Oseram were one of many tribes that fell victim to the Carja's brutal raids and sacrifices; however, they were able to put up a fight due to their armaments. The war with the Carja came to an end when the Oseram forged an alliance with Avad, the son of the Mad SunKing Jiran, and mounted an attack on Meridian that resulted in the defeat of Jiran. Thanks to Avad's alliance, the Oseram can often be found in and around Meridian, and elsewhere in the deserts of the Sundom. The Oseram home territory is known as The Claim. Their armor and arms often look superior to many of the other tribes, but their forward nature can often come across as rudeness. To better match the idea of a standard paladin in an Horizon Zero Dawn inspired setting, some changes are needed. Class features listed below are equivalent to the standard ones and modify or replace them. This replaces the Divine Sense feature. As an action, you can open your awareness to detect corrupted machines within 60 feet of you that are not behind total cover, until the end of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses. Oseram prefer to fight with heavy armors and weapons, so they rarely choose the Dueling style, that isn't adviced for them. This replaces the Divine Smite feature. Starting at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one paladin spell slot to deal radiant damage to the target, in addition to the weapon's damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is a corrupted machine. This replaces the Divine Health feature. By the 3rd level, you became immune to corruption. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 15

This replaces the Aura of Courage feature. Starting at 10th level, you and your friendly creatures within 10 feet of you gain advantage to Investigation checks to find loot near machine corpses or piles of trash. This replaces the Improved Divine Smite feature. By 11th level, whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage. If you also use your Mechanical Smite with an attack, you add this damage to the extra damage of you Mechanical Smite. Here is a list of sub-classes that Oseram tend to choose as a direct derivation of their culture, though exceptions exist. The Oseram's greatest achievement is their practical craftsmanship, which many members, can be heard boasting about. They are the only tribe to forge their own alloys, which they use over raw machine parts. Their armors are highly resilient and their weapons are advanced and powerful despite their lack of ancient knowledge. Skill Proficiencies: History, Perception Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan's tools, tinker's tools Equipment: A set of well-loved tinker's tools, a blank book, 1 ounce of ink, an ink pen, a set of traveler's clothes, and a leather pouch with 10 gp Provided you have tinker's tools, metal shards, wires and other materials, you can perform repairs on a dying machine. When you use this ability, you restore a number of hit points to the chassis of the machine equal to 5 × your proficiency modifier. A machine cannot be patched by you in this way again until after it has been fully repaired in a cauldron. Oseram paladins who swear this oath can benefit from lore and remains of humans from metal world. They adorn their armor and clothing with metal pieces and shards, and generally prefer heavy weapons. The Oath of Metal World revolve around the idea that we can learn from mistakes made by predecessors, though without the same knowledge. Chase Corruption. Seek and destroy corrupted zones and free people who are subject to corruption. Duty. Be responsible for your actions and their consequences, protect those entrusted to your care and obey those who have just the authority over you. Protect Your People. Support and defend your land and its citizens. Oath of the Metal World Features Paladin Level Feature 1st Oath Spells 2nd Channel Divinity 7th Warding Arm 15th Punish Corruption 20th Machine Crasher You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of the Metal World Spells table. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work. Oath of the Metal World Spells Paladin Level Spells 3rd burning hands, protection from corruption 5th darkvision, heat metal 9th crusader's mantle, protection from energy 13th fire shield, locate machine 17th flame strike, scrying When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Abjure Corruption. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a command sentence, using your Channel Divinity. Choose one corrupted machine within 60 feet of you that you can see. That machine must make a Wisdom saving throw. Corruptors and Deathbringers have disadvantage on this saving throw. On a failed save, the machine is restrained for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. On a successful save, the machine's speed is halved for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. Challenge Machines. As a bonus action, you can choose a machine within 10 feet of you that you can see, using your Channel Divinity. You gain advantage on attack rolls against that machine for 1 minute or until it drops to 0 hit points. Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against machines' attacks. By 15th level, when you use Challenge Machines on a corrupted one, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that machine if it's within range. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 16

At 20th level, as an action, you can emanate a magnetic aura. For 1 minute you can attract or repulse metal objects within 10 feet from you. Whenever a machine starts its turn in the area, the machine takes 10 radiant damage. If the machine is a corrupted In addition, for the duration, you have advantage on saving throws against attacks from corrupted machines. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. 4th-level divination Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V, S, M (a little shard from a machine's chassis, which the spell consumes) Duration: Concentration up to 1 hour Describe or name a machine that is familiar to you. You sense the direction to the machine's location, as long as that machine is within 1,000 feet of you. If the machine is moving, you know the direction of its movement. The spell can locate a specific machine known to you, or the nearest creature of a specific kind (such as a Watcher or a Corruptor), so long as you have seen such a creature up close- -within 30 feet--at least once. This spell can't locate a creature if running water at least 10 feet wide blocks a direct path between you and the creature. 1st-level abjuration Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (a small shard from a corrupted machine, which the spell consumes) Duration: Concentration up to 10 minutes Until the spell ends, one willing creature you touch is protected against corruption. The protection grants several benefits. Corrupted machines, Corruptors and Deathbringers have disadvantage on attack rolls against the target. The target also gain resistance to the necrotic damage dealt by Corrupted Touch. CHAPTER 1: TRIBES 17

I n this chapter you will find plenty of items, weapons and materials based on the original game. Though some items' name include the origin tribe, each of them is intended to be used and handled by people from any tribe, provided that they are proficient with the weapon type. The main form of currency in this world is through metal shards. This item can be obtained by looting machine corpses or trading with merchants. Small machines will drop a handful of shards as loot, whereas bigger machines will drop a few dozen ones. Here is listed a selection of weapons inspired by those available in the game, with some adjustments. Weapon (bow), very rare This rare longbow is a specialized sharpshot bow enhanced by Bluegleam. You add 1d6 bonus damage when you hit a target with elemental arrows. Weapon (bow), uncommon You gain a +2 damage bonus against machines' components. Weapon (bow), common This common bow uses the longbow stats if wielded by a Nora. Weapon (spear), common This common spear is the most used melee weapon among Nora Braves. At the bottom, there is a slot for an override module that makes you able to Override machines. Weapon (crossbow), uncommon The Ropecaster is a tool used by hunters to deter and pin down targets. When you make an attack with this weapon, you throw and stick a rope into a machine's chassis, while stick the other end into the ground. Each new rope limits the machine's speed to 30 feet until the beginning of your next turn. You need 3 ropes to immobilize a large machine or smaller, 5 ropes for huge ones and 7 ropes for gargantuan ones. When you immobilize a machine, it gains the restrained condition for 1d4 rounds. You can use your action to Override a machine while restrained in this way. The Ropecaster fires only its charges (see Recipes for crafting). CHAPTER 2: TREASURES 18

Weapon (crossbow), rare The Tearblaster is a weapon that fires ranged sonic blast identical to those used by Longlegs. The Tearblaster's sonic bursts are well suited to dislodging components from larger machines or groups of smaller ones. When you attack a machine with a Tearblaster, the AC for all components is equal to the whole one and each attack can deal damage only to one component. The Tearblaster fires only its charges (see Recipes for crafting). Weapon (crossbow), uncommon When you make an attack with this weapon, you throw and place two stakes linked with a concealed rope which acts as trigger for a trap. The rope can be 30 feet long at maximum and gains a Stealth result equal to your Sleight of Hand check. Unaware creatures can't see the rope if the Stealth result is higher than their passive Perception, but it becomes visible if being alarmed. The Tripcaster fires only its wires (see Recipes for crafting). Heavy weapons are machine guns that can be picked up, but are difficult to transport. When you wield one, you can't crouch or jump, they have a limited amount of ammunitions... but they are strong. These simple rules are common to every heavy weapon exposed in this section. Movement. While a character is wielding a heavy weapon, his speed is halved. Heavy weapons can't be brought in water or underground with an eventual burrow speed, they become useless if it happens. A character can use his halved flying speed while wielding a heavy weapon. Magazine. Heavy weapons picked up have a limited amount of ammunitions. The first time that a heavy weapon is picked up, roll the amount of dice specified in the table below to define how many bullets can be shot. If not specified, each shot of these weapons expends one piece of ammunition. No Reload. Ammunitions for heavy weapons aren't commonly available, so during combats, characters can shoot only ammos in the magazine. Vulnerability. Heavy weapons are not designed to be wielded, but to stay on the back of large and powerful machines. A character who picks one up must grub it in an uncomfortable way. While wielding a heavy weapon, any melee attack against the wielder has advantage. It's up to you to decide whether a character has proficiency with a firearm. Characters in most D&D worlds wouldn't have such proficiency. As a DM, you can decide that characters would acquire it after some explorative sessions or as reward for a quest. When one of the characters picks up one heavy weapon, simply follow the handy rules below. Burst Fire. A weapon that has the burst fire property can make a single-target attack, or it can spray a 10-foot-cube area within normal range with shots. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take the weapon's normal damage. This action uses ten pieces of ammunition. Heavy. Creatures that are Small or Tiny have disadvantage on attack rolls with heavy weapons. A heavy weapon's size and bulk make it too large for a Small or Tiny creature to use effectively. Loading. A weapon that has the charging up property needs time before firing. Because of the time required to load this weapon, you can fire only one piece of ammunition from it when you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to fire it, regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make. Two-Handed. This weapon requires two hands to use. This property is relevant only when you attack with the weapon, not when you simply hold it. Deathbringer Guns are heavy machine guns dropped by heavy Eclipse enemies and Deathbringers, capable of dealing immense impact and tear damage. CHAPTER 2: TREASURES 19

Disc Launchers are heavy artillery weapons mounted on the backs of Thunderjaws, capable of doing immense blast damage. Mine Launchers are heavy projectile weapons mounted on the backs of Scorchers. Ravager Cannons are rapid-fire heavy weapons mounted on the backs of Ravagers, capable of doing high impact damage. Special. The Ravager cannon shoots projectiles in a 30- foot-cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 6d8 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. In Horizon Zero Dawn there is a system that allows the player to modify outfits and weapons, and craft various items out of the resources looted from defeated machines. In this section I'll try to introduce some crafting recipes for ammunitions and other stuff that make your adventure more immersive. As a DM, you can modify the amount of resource required to craft a group of 20 ammunitions of that type or the amount of them, in order to fit your needs. Author's Note Elemental and special ammo can be treated as additional rules; they can be very useful in a setting inspired by HZD, but you can introduce them as exotic stuff even in different ones. Moreover, wherever you read "Focused Attack", I refer to the additional rule that appears in Chapter 3. Weapons Name Cost Damage Weight Properties Hunter Bow, Nora 30 gp 1d6 piercing 2 lb. Ammunition (range 150/600), special, two-handed Powershot Bow, Banuk 5500 gp 1d6 piercing 2 lb. Ammunition (range 150/600), special, two-handed Ropecaster, Nora 75 gp ─ 5 lb. Ammunition (range 20/80), loading, special, two-handed Sharpshot Bow, Carja 50 gp 1d8 piercing 3 lb. Ammunition (range 150/600), heavy, special, two-handed Spear, Nora 2 gp 1d6 piercing 2 lb. Finesse, thrown (range 20/60), versatile (1d8) Tearblaster, Oseram 200 gp 4d6 thunder 16 lb. Ammunition (range 30/120), heavy, loading, special, two-handed Tripcaster, Shadow 100 gp ─ 5 lb. Ammunition (range 20/80), loading, special, two-handed Heavy Weapons Name Damage Ammos Properties Deathbringer Gun 4d6 piercing 4d10 Ammunition (range 40/160), burst fire, heavy, two-handed Disc Launcher 6d8 piercing 2d4 Ammunition (range 40/160), heavy, loading, two-handed Mine Launcher 4d8 bludgeoning 1d4 +2 Ammunition (range 30/120), heavy, loading, two-handed Ravager Cannon 6d8 fire 1d4 +1 Ammunition (range 30/120), special, heavy, two-handed Ammunitions Name Weapon Cost Weight Recipe Blast Wire Tripcaster 500 gp 1.5 lb. Metal Shards x8, Wires x4, Blazes x4 Hardpoint Arrow Hunter Bow 25 gp 0.5 lb. Metal shards x10, Ridge-wood x5 Precision Arrow Sharpshot Bow 25 gp 0.5 lb. Metal shards x6, Wires x5, Ridge-wood x10 Tearblaster Charge Tearblaster 500 gp 0.5 lb. Metal Vessel, Echo Shell. CHAPTER 2: TREASURES 20

Around the world you can find artisans and merchants that sell ammunitions and spare parts for your powerful weapons, but sometimes you can craft them by yourself where necessary. Here you have a list of ammo that you can create by using machines' parts. Weapon (dart), rare Recipe: Metal Shards x8, Wires x4, Blazes x4. Compatibility: Tripcaster. Blast Wires are powerful tools which generate highdamage explosions when tripped. Thay can tear away components and armor with ease, producing additional damage while exposing vulnerable circuitry and other weak points. When the trap is triggered, each creature in the area covered by the wire must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d10 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Weapon (arrow), uncommon Recipe: Metal shards x10, Ridge-wood x5. Compatibility: Hunter Bow. These arrows are an effective and versatile generalpurpose munition, improving upon generic arrows in every regard. While somewhat more costly to craft, Hardpoint Arrows are essential for picking off human targets with headshots and targeting the weak points of stronger machines from a safe distance. When you hit a machine with a Focused Attack, you gain a +1 bonus damage. Weapon (arrow), uncommon Recipe: Metal shards x6, Wires x5, Ridge-wood x10. Compatibility: Sharpshot Bow. These arrows deal great damage and travel the greatest distance of all arrow types. This ammunition emphasizes methodical, stealthy tactics and far poorly in close combat owing to the Sharpshot Bow's slow draw and reload speeds. You extend your Sharpshot Bow's range by 30/120 feet, and you gain a +1 bonus to Focused Attack rolls against machines. Weapon (arrow), rare Recipe: Metal Vessel, Echo Shell. Compatibility: Tearblaster. This charge is the ammunition fired by a Tearblaster. Following the recipe, you create 5 charges. Weapon (dart), uncommon Recipe: Metal Shards x6, Wires x6. Compatibility: Ropecaster. Tie Rope is the ammunition fired by a Ropecaster. Following the recipe, you create 6 ropes. CHAPTER 2: TREASURES 21 Author's Note The Tearblaster is a powerful weapon. If you believe that would break the game, you can modify the recipe or cost in order to fit your needs. My tip is to consider it as a nearly-unique weapon that should not be used as primary, but only in specific situations.

In Horizon Zero Dawn every machine is made up of different components such as batteries, radars, cannons or elemental containers that increase machines' potential and make them very dangerous. In standard D&D 5E there are no rules to manage this kind of components, than here is proposed a method to do so. In every stat block are listed all the components that a specific machine possesses, with description. One of the most efficient tactics to defeat machines in Horizon Zero Dawn is to attack with precision the deadliest components in order to remove them from the machine. Without components, machines can't do some special actions anymore, so become easier to face. Instead of a regular melee or ranged attack you can make a focused melee or ranged one with the same rules as explained in PHB-193, except for the following. Any attack focused on a machine's component need to overcome the AC provided in its stat block for that specific one, and you must declare which component you're focusing on before the attack roll is made. Regardless of weapon is used, it's possibile to hit only one component per attack, but if you can do multiple attacks during your turn, you can hit different components with different attacks. On a succesful hit, you can deal damage to the machine as usual. If the damage dealt is equal or greater than what provided in the stat block, the hit component is stripped away. Sometimes when a component is stripped, it triggers an effect that have to be resolved immediately after the attack is made. This effect is not a machine's reaction. If your attack roll is lesser than the component's AC, but greater than machine's AC, you can deal half damage to the target, as if you made the attack without focusing. Here a list of features that all machines have in common. All of the machines in Horizon Zero Dawn have an armor-like protection that increase the AC and works as a Natural Armor. If hit, some components are weakness points for machines. So when there is one of them, as Eye for a Watcher, any bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage dealt with it is doubled. In machine's stat block this feature is indicated as "physical damage to component". Machines don't speak any language. They can only share basic information through electronic signals, such as localization of a close threat or alert status. For this reason, this field does not appear in stat blocks. CHAPTER 3: ADDITIONAL RULES 22

Corrupted machines are those affected by the corrupting properties of metalburn and the network hijacking capabilities of the FAS Charriot line Peacekeeper robots. The most distictive feature of a corrupted machine is the invading circuitry present all over the machine's body, which emits both a red glow and a dark smoke-like effect of corrosion. Every machine, except Corruptors and Deathbringers, can be subjected to corruption and while in this condition, they can not be overrided. When a machine becomes corrupted, it retains all its statistics except as noted below. Vulnerabilities. All corrupted machines are weak to fire damage. Alignment. Corrupted machines switch their alignment to evil. Ability Scores. Corrupted machines' ability scores are modified as follows: Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2. Hit Points. Corrupted machines have 2-5 hit dice more than usual. Condition Immunities. Corrupted machines are immune to the Overridden condition or the Daemonic status. Corrupted Touch. All corrupted machines' melee attacks have a bonus of 2d6 necrotic damage, due to the harmful effect of corruption to living creatures. Challenge Rating. Corrupted machines can be treated as if they have a challenge rating increased by 2. Corrupted Zones are small areas of the map where there are significant numbers of corrupted machines and the ground also has a red glowing effect. In Horizon Zero Dawn, unlike other areas where corrupted machines are found, Corrupted Zones have no relevance to the overall plot, and have no sign of the Eclipse or Corruptors. While in Corrupted Zones, every corrupted machine has advantage on Perception checks, the passive Perception increases by 3 and the Corrupted Touch feature necrotic damage is increased by 2d6. To clear the area from corruption, all corrupted machines must be destroyed, then the area becomes safer and the red glowing ground effect vanishes. As a DM, you can include these zones as random encounters during explorations or peculiar settings for boss fights. Corrupted machines tend to destroy non-corrupted ones similarly to other living creatures. However, because they are stronger than others, non-corrupted machines usually get away from them instead of fighting. This condition is temporary and can affect living beings and machines that are not hijacked by a Corruptor or Deathbringer. A corrupted creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. This condition lasts for 1 minute and can be renewed, but the effects don't stack. When a creature begins its turn in this condition, it takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. Author's Note Though the name is the same, as in the game, you should not confuse the corrupted condition with the corrupted template that a machine gains after be hijacked by a Corruptor or Deathbringer. The condition is temporary and can be inflicted also by humans with proper weapons. CHAPTER 3: ADDITIONAL RULES 23

Daemonic Machines are machines found in the Cut that have been enhanced by HEPHAESTUS. They can be identified by purple markings on the machine body, and they appear with a purple outline when scanned with the Focus. The Control Tower is a machine exclusive to Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds. These machines are unlike any other known machines, in that they are completely stationary and pose no danger to humans. Their sole known purpose is the maintenance and repair of damaged machines within their radius of influence. Control Towers are botanical in appearance. Their constant swaying movement resembles that of certain small stationary marine fauna such as sea anemones. The chassis consists of a stout, tree trunk-like armored structure with six leaf-like structures at the apex, surrounding a central emitter. At the base of the machine are three data nodes that may be accessed to override it, and near the top of the chassis is an extendable cooling element that the machine regularly extends to dissipate heat. A Control Tower’s only purpose is the maintenance and repair of other machines. For this reason, they are guarded by patrols of Daemonic Machines such as Watchers and Redeye Watchers, and combat machines such as Scorchers. It performs its function by releasing an energy pulse every 6 seconds from its emitter that repairs any damage sustained by a machine within its radius of influence. This includes repair of damaged armor and components, though destroyed armor and components are not regenerated. In addition to repairing machines, this pulse also stuns overridden machines, which remain incapacitated until the Tower is neutralized. Machines controlled by HEPHAESTUS are tougher than normal and act as sentinel in order to defend Control Towers. When a machine gain the daemonic status, it retains all its statistics except as noted below. Alignment. Daemonic machines switch their alignment to evil. Armor Class. Daemonic machines' armor class (AC) is increased by 2. This value raises to 4 when the machine is within 90 feet of an active Control Tower. Hit Points. Daemonic machines have 4-7 hit dice more than usual. Damage Resistances. Daemonic machines have resistance to lightning damage. Condition Immunities. Daemonic machines are immune to the Overridden condition or the Corrupted condition. Daemonic Regeneration. All daemonic machines that are within 90 feet of an active Control Tower regain 10 hit points at the start of their turn. This trait stops working only if the Control Tower falls or the machine begins its turn with 0 hit points. Challenge Rating. Daemonic machines can be treated as if they have a challenge rating increased by 2. CHAPTER 3: ADDITIONAL RULES 24

Overriding is the ability to control machines. While an overridden machine cannot be commanded per se, overriding turns a machine from its default state of hostility toward any human to a state of combat friendliness toward the human who overrode it, in that instead of attacking the overrider, it will attack other machines or humans that attack the overrider. In order to make the Override action, you need an override module installed on your melee weapon. You must move stealthy towards the machine that must be restrained or unaware of you. You use your action to begin to Override the machine by putting your override module near it, than you must wait your next turn. At the beginning of the machine's turn, you must make a check to continue your override. Roll a d20. If the roll is 11 or higher, you succeed and continue overriding until the beginning of your next turn, while the machine is incapacitated for this turn. Otherwise, you fail, so you stop the Override action, the machine acts normally and has advantage on first attack roll against you. Whenever you take damage while you are overriding a machine, you must make a Constitution saving throw to maintain your action. The DC equals 10 or half the damage you take, whichever number is higher. If you take damage from multiple sources, you make separate saving throw for each source of damage. If the machine doesn't take its turn for some reason, the Override check is automatically succeeded. At the beginning of your next turn, the Override action is completed, the machine gain the overridden condition and you can act normally. As in the original game, you must find and upgrade your override module with the code that allows you to control new types of machines. Each machine can be overridden thanks to its specific code and there are 6 different codes: EPSILON : Fireclaws, Frostclaws, Scorchers. PSI : Tallnecks, Watchers, Redeye Watchers, Striders, Broadheads, Chargers. SIGMA : Sawtooths, Scrappers, Grazers, Lancehorns. RHO : Tramplers, Shell-Walkers, Snapmaws, Longlegs, Ravagers. XI : Glinthawks, Freeze Bellowacks, Stalkers, Behemoths, Fire Bellowbacks. ZETA : Stormbirds, Thunderjaws, Rockbreakers. As a DM, you can give codes to players depending on their level or after a research inside a cauldron. This condition is temporary and affects machines subjected to a successful Override action. An overridden machine is reprogrammed to be allied with the one who made the Override action to the best of its possibilities. This condition lasts for 1 minute and can be renewed with another Override action. While in this condition, Striders, Broadheads and Chargers can be used as mount. In addition, expending an action while riding the mount it will extend the duration to 8 hours or until you reach your destination. Author's Note This mechanism is designed for machines from Horizon Zero Dawn, but in principle you can apply it to any kind of construct, especially if your setting is different from the original one from the game. In this case, I suggest you to don't use Override as a charm effect, but as a different effect that works only on constructs. CHAPTER 3: ADDITIONAL RULES 25

A Cauldron is an underground facility where machines are built. Project Zero Dawn envisioned a series of underground facilities to rebuild a lifeless Earth. These facilities would be controlled by GAIA while the subfunction HEPHAESTUS would oversee construction of Cauldrons where specialized machines would be designed and constructed for use in terraforming. The inhabitants of the New World are aware of the cauldrons, and some have deduced that they are where machines are built. The entrances to cauldrons always feature a triangular structure. They all seem to have a pyramid-like base, and the entrance leads toward a core in the middle that can be overridden. There are hook-like apparatuses coming from the sealing in most that transport boxes by way of hovering. Cauldrons are peculiar and evocative locations that fit perfectly the setting of Horizon Zero Dawn and adventures that take place in its world. They are substantially dungeons, so you should design them and use them as classical dungeons in standard adventures. If you are not confident with world building and dungeon design, you should check the Dungeon Master's Guide (page 99), where you can find an entire section with guidelines and tables useful to create a new dungeon for your adventure. I'll follow the same structure sto introduce some tips specifically focused on Cauldrons. Unlike in a standard setting, you might not be worried about to choose a creator for your cauldron, instead you should set purpose and history for it. In the original videogame, each cauldron was designed to create some kind of machines, but they are not unique. In fact, your cauldrons could group differently the machines inside them, but still motivated by terraforming purposes. Another perspective could be a redevelopment of the original building that turned it into a stronghold or some organization's headquarters. In this case, the building should preserve its original external structure, but with different interior design. Cauldrons are usually located in isolated places, inside mountains or underground, but you can choose to put yours underwater or floating somewhere. Anyway, you should pay attention to the surrounding environment, giving your players a hint of what could be the purpose of the cauldron and what type of machines they could find inside. One important aspect to focus on when you design dungeons is the duration. Plan in advance how much time the players should spend inside your cauldron and choose hazards and battles according to that. "There's a reason the Matriarchs forbid those places - and not just because they're dangerous. We weren't meant to see what's inside."                         -- Dral CHAPTER 4: CREATING ADVENTURES 26

You, as a DM, know better than anyone else you player's capabilities, so if you want to create a long dungeon, don't forget to put inside the building some space to rest, because players tend to take time to recover and if you choose the place in advance, you can manage them more easily. However, cauldrons should not take more than a work day to be full explored. Traps, secret doors, chasms, creepy sounds, graffiti and much more are typical elements of dungeons in standard adventures, and they should not be missing in yours, too. Cauldrons were build to preserve the chain of production inside, whatever it is, so it should be plenty of safeguards, either automatic or magical, eventually. In the videogame, these places have some kind of puzzles or a specific procedure to follow in order to reach the core. In your game, you can unlock the deepest rooms by solving some riddles, as if they would be intended for intelligent beings. Moreover, there would be hazard related to toxic gases, high tension floors and other modern hazard that your players would not be able to handle easily. Loud industrial sounds, variable intensity of lights and other environmental variations are essential to thrill your players and keep them focused on possible dangers. Whether a big bad guy or a new override protocol is put in the core's cauldron, you need a climax in your session at the end of the dungeon. This would be a great battle or a satisfying sequence of actions to avoid that the cauldron fall down, doesn't matter. Your players are in a building that weren't supposed to be! Cauldron SIGMA is a HEPHAESTUS facility that manufactures machines for use in terraforming. It is located north of Mother's Heart and situated inside a mountain in a region called Valleymeet. When the characters approach the entrance of the cauldron, read the following: A huge triangular-shaped entrance inside the mountain with mechanical details is clearly visible from distance. Some high wild bushes are scattered across a large area in front of it, where a group of machines is roaming. At the bottom of the entrance, there is a terminal with a plug that emits a feeble blue light. One Scrapper and four Watchers patrol the entrance roaming the area in front of the entrance. Characters could avoid the fight with a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) check, passing through the bushes and reaching the terminal. Override the Terminal. A character can Override the terminal with its module and the check is successful if out of combat. Once overridden, the entrance opens up and closes again a minute after the module is unplugged. A series of conduits twist and turn descending 20 feet, then reaching a narrow and long room with two Watchers standing in the middle and patrolling switching themselves sometimes. There are two gas vents, one near each entrance. Gas Vents. Hitting the vents, harmless smoke floods the space within 15 feet, becoming heavily obscured for 1 minute. Author's Note In this section I'll try to outline the structure of Cauldrons in the original videogame, so you can pick them as pre-made dungeons to include in your Horizon Zero Dawn inspired adventures! CHAPTER 4: CREATING ADVENTURES 27

Describe this location to the players as follow: This main chamber is filled with industrial rails, robotic arms and suspended lifts. Loud mechanical noises fill the room and dominate every other sound. A bunch of machines patrol the main path 30 feet beneath the three consecutive missing 40- feet-long bridges. Alongside each of them, there is a small terminal, but all of them are placed on the opposite side of the bridges. Four Watchers and one Scrapper guard the main room, where bridges need to be activated by overriding the network node. Terminals are in full sight near the edge of the raised island and each creature that moves close is detected by the machines. Acrobatic Path. Any character who succeeds a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strenght (Athletics) check could follow a climbing path through gears and lifts, hanging on loads being transported by rails to reach the island on the opposite side of a bridge. On a failure, a randomic (or something of your choice, as a DM) item drops from his pockets or bag and be destroyed. This conduit leads beneath the level of the main room, but it crosses a passage inside a cave, where there are a little pond and some herbs in a corner. Remedies. A character with herbalism kit or a poisoner's kit can create 2d4 potion-like remedies (2d4 +2). Describe this location to the players as follow: In the middle of this huge chamber without exits there is an assembler with robotic arms that are about to complete the assembly of a Sawtooth. A light-blue force field encircles the assembler and a 30-feet-tall little tower with a metal ladder is visible nearby with a terminal atop of it. Some Watchers are roaming around the area in circular paths. Two Watchers are roaming just outside the edge of the force field that protects the Sawtooth. Once the characters move into the Core, the machine's assembly is completed, but it would not be activated since someone would Override the terminal atop the little tower. Once the network is overridden, the force field disappear and the Sawtooth is free to move: roll for initiative. If the Sawtooth moves out of the assembling platform, any character who succeeds a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check can recognize a terminal close to the ground, inside the floor. Once activated, an elevator lifts up the area, reaching the entrance, then it returns downstairs. If any machine is still conscious, it tries to follow the characters upstairs. Build it as original This dungeon was adapted to fit a 4-members party of level 4-5, but if you want to play it as original, you can simply adjust some DCs and machines in encounters. In S3, a Shell-Walker substitutes the Scrapper. In S4, herbs and ingredients create enhanced potion-like remedies (4d4 +4). In S5, Fire Bellowback substitutes for Sawtooth. After these changes, this short dungeon would fit a 4-members party of level 11-12. CHAPTER 4: CREATING ADVENTURES 28

64 43 59 30 44 53 31 50 45 62 32 41 47 51 54 56 39 48 57 36 60 34 T 32 34 47 50 51 56 57 60 44 54 59 45 64 41 53 30 31 36 39 43 48 62 his chapter provides stat blocks for almost all machines which you can find the amazing world of Horizon Zero Dawn! Watcher ............................................................................................ Grazer ............................................................................................... Strider .............................................................................................. Broadhead ....................................................................................... Lancehorn ....................................................................................... Scrapper .......................................................................................... Charger ............................................................................................ Sawtooth .......................................................................................... Longleg ............................................................................................ Trampler .......................................................................................... Corruptor ......................................................................................... Glinthawk ........................................................................................ Ravager ............................................................................................ Scorcher .......................................................................................... Snapmaw ......................................................................................... Stalker .............................................................................................. Frostclaw ......................................................................................... Rockbreaker .................................................................................... Stormbird ........................................................................................ Fireclaw ........................................................................................... Thunderjaw ..................................................................................... Deathbringer ................................................................................... Corruptor ......................................................................................... Deathbringer ................................................................................... Ravager ............................................................................................ Sawtooth .......................................................................................... Scorcher ........................................................................................... Stalker .............................................................................................. Stormbird ........................................................................................ Thunderjaw ..................................................................................... Lancehorn ........................................................................................ Snapmaw ......................................................................................... Strider .............................................................................................. Longleg ............................................................................................. Watcher ............................................................................................ Glinthawk ........................................................................................ Scrapper .......................................................................................... Broadhead ....................................................................................... Charger ............................................................................................ Fireclaw ........................................................................................... Frostclaw ......................................................................................... Grazer ............................................................................................... Rockbreaker .................................................................................... Trampler ........................................................................................... Author's Note Redeye Watcher and all the Transport Class Machines, such as Behemoth, Bellowbacks and Shell-Walker, are included in the Machines: Add-on compendium! Check my Patreon page in the credits of this document for more info! CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 29

The Broadhead is a type of machine resembling a bovine. Physically, Broadheads are reminiscent of cattle, especially the Longhorn breed, displaying a pair of long, straight and horizontal horns likely used as tools and defense. The Broadhead seems to share a nearly identical chassis design with the Strider and Charger, with its main difference being the head design. Broadheads were created by GAIA as part of the terraforming process after the Faro Plague wiped out all biomass on Earth in the 21st century. Like the Strider and Grazer, Broadheads seem to consume small amounts of plant matter to produce Blaze. They became very commonplace and, for a long time, were peaceful machines that shied away from humans if one was spotted. However, a decade before the game's events, the Derangement took place and the Broadheads, along with all the other machines, began to become more aggressive. By the time Aloy came of age and learned to hunt, Broadheads would sometimes attack humans on sight, especially if warned first by nearby Watchers. Broadheads have no ranged attacks but, when provoked, will set their stance and then charge at the target with alarming speed, bowling them over and doing high damage. One must take caution when overriding or taking down a Broadhead. A Broadhead's main method of attack is by charging forward and swiping with its large horns. When overriding a Broadhead, it is a good idea to get rid of the horns beforehand, as it will charge if you get too close. Broadheads can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Metal Vessels, Blazes, Sparkers, Wires and a Small Machine Core in addition to specific items as Broadhead Lens or Broadhead Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 30 Medium construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 13 Hit Points 73 (11d8 + 22) Speed 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 3 (-4) 11 (+0) 1 (-5) Damage Vulnerabilities piercing damage to Blaze Canister. Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned Senses passive Perception 10 Challenge 3 (700 XP) Charge. If the Broadhead moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 10 (4d4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Immutable form. The Broadhead is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Broadhead has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Components Blaze Canister. (AC 15; hp 15) Hitting this component with fire damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that deals 14 (4d6) fire damage to all creatures within 15 feet and harms this machine, too. Horns. (AC 15; hp 18) Destroying this component will disable the ram attack. Actions Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage. Reactions Blind Kick. When a Charger hits with a kick as an opportunity attack, it deals an extra 5 (1d8) bludgeoning damage.

The Charger is a type of machine resembling a bovine. By using Override, you can utilize Chargers as mounts. The Charger, like a few other machines in the game, resembles a grazing, bovine-type creature, this one more resembling a bull, yak, or ram due to the shape and configuration of the horns. The Charger seems to share a nearly identical chassis design with the Strider and Broadhead, with its main difference being the head design. The Charger uses charge ad main attack. Like many of its counterparts, such as the Grazer, this machine uses a backwards kick or leap to harm enemies from the rear. Chargers can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Metal Vessels, Blazes, Sparkers, Wires and a Small Machine Core in addition to specific items as Charger Lens or Charger Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 31 Large construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 14 Hit Points 114 (12d10 + 48) Speed 50 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 3 (-4) 11 (+0) 1 (-5) Skills Perception +2 Saving Throws Str +6, Con +7 Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned Senses passive Perception 14 Challenge 7 (2900 XP) Charge. If the Charger moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 14 (3d8) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Immutable form. The Charger is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Charger has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The Charger's weapon attacks are magical. Components Blaze Canister. (AC 17; hp 25) Hitting this component with fire damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that works as Fireball spell (lv 4, DC 15) and harms this machine, too. Horns. (AC 16; hp 30) Destroying this component will disable the ram attack. Actions Multiattack. The Charger makes two attacks: a ram one and a kick. Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 13 (3d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 17 (3d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Reactions Blind Kick. When a Charger hits with a kick as an opportunity attack, it deals an extra 5 (1d8) bludgeoning damage.

The Corruptor, or FAS-ACA3 Scarab is an ancient war machine manufactured by Faro Automated Solutions as part of the Peacekeeper line of automated defense systems. Like all corrupted Faro machines, the Corruptor is capable of hijacking other machines, self-replication and fueling itself with biomass. The Corruptor loosely resembles a black scorpion. Its lower assembly consists of a small hub for four long legs. The sleek upper chassis contains an ominous glowing red sensor array, weapons, and a long, pointed tail. The sleek body of the Corruptor is black and decently armored. Compared to the more organic GAIA machines like Watchers and Striders, Corruptors look alien and dangerous. Designed in the mid-21st century by Faro Automated Solutions, Corruptors, then known as the Scarab, served as a fast attack unit with more emphasis on speed than overwhelming firepower like the Deathbringer. Hundreds, if not thousands, were produced and used in militaries all over the world as "peacekeepers." When a "glitch" caused the Faro Plague that threatened the entire world, they became hostile and began to self-replicate, attacking in hordes. Thanks to their exceptional electronic and cyberwarfare capabilities, Corruptors easily overwhelmed human armies by turning their own weapons against them. Many Corruptors were destroyed during Operation Enduring Victory, but they produced faster than they could be destroyed and quickly overran human defenses. Finally, all the biomass on Earth was consumed and they fell dormant for centuries until humans reappeared and began to unearth them. The Eclipse cult put them to good use by using their Override ability to recruit machines for their army. News reached the Nora about machines that were "corrupted," acting overly aggressive and committing coordinated attacks, contrary to their typical animal-like behavior. Soon after a War Party is sent after the Eclipse detachment that slaughtered the Proving contestants, a Corruptor attacks a Nora fort and breaches the gate with the aid of several Corrupted machines. Corruptors are well-equipped machines of war, and were instrumental in mankind's fall in the 21st century thanks to their signature ability; they can override and control any automated unit and turn it against their enemy. In addition to this, the Corruptor is armed with grenade and spike launchers that give it varied ranged options, as well as a long, barbed tail to impale enemies. Finally, the Corruptor can also use its agility to its advantage, whether running down an enemy or performing a long-distance jump to outmaneuver its opponents. Corruptors can force other machines to bring them to fight by its side. Any machine hijacked in this way gains the Corrupted Template (see here) and acts without any memory of past. A Corruptor can use this ability once per day. As a DM, you can decide how much and which machines near the Corruptor are being hijacked at the same time. Bearing in mind that with this feature Corruptors gain allies indefinitely, you should choose wisely the number of machines that are being affected. Corruptors can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Metalburn, Luminous Braidings and a Medium Machine Core in addition to specific items as Corruptor Lens or Corruptor Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 32

CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 33 Large construct (machine), evil Armor Class 14 Hit Points 172 (16d10 + 64) Speed 35 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 19 (+4) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 1 (-5) Saving Throws Str +8, Con +8 Damage Vulnerabilities fire, physical damage to Heat Core Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, override, poisoned Senses passive Perception 15 Challenge 11 (7200 XP) Hijacking other machines. See the description. Immutable form. The Corruptor is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Corruptor has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The Corruptor's weapon attacks are magical. Overheating. Dealing 20 or more fire damage between Corruptor's turns causes it to overheat. When overheated, the Corruptor exposes the CPU Core and Cooling Rods components until the end of the machine's next turn. Components Grenade Launcher. (AC 16; hp 35) Destroying this component disables the Grenade launch attack. Heat Core. (AC 19; hp 25) This component is exposed when the machine overheats. Hitting it when exposed causes massive damage. Spike Launcher. (AC 16; hp 30) Destroying these component disables the ranged spikes attack. Actions Multiattack. The Corruptor makes two attacks chosen from: claws, tail or spikes. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 21 (3d10 + 4) slashing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strenght saving throw or be knocked prone. Grenade Launch. The Corruptor hurls a grenade that explodes at a point it can see within 60 feet of it. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 25 (6d6 + 4) fire damage on a failed save, of half as much on a successful one. Spikes. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 30/120 ft., one target. Hit 5 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 17 (3d8 + 4) piercing damage or 32 (6d8 + 4) piercing damage if the target is prone.

The Deathbringer is one of three machines of the ancient Chariot Class, manufactured by the robotics and technology corporation Faro Automated Solutions during the mid 21st century. As such, it was designated by FAS as the FAS-FSP5 Khopesh. A Deathbringer is a large and very powerful mobile weapons platform, comparable in size to the largest contemporary combat machines. Unlike Zero Dawn machines or even the other machines in the Chariot Line, Deathbringers have no resemblance to any fauna. A Deathbringer’s means of ambulation consists of six stout legs, each with a vertical piston at the end. Each leg is equipped with a stabilizer. The legs are connected radially to a circular swivel that allows the head, which is laterally wider than the span of the legs, to turn 360 degrees. The head carries several formidable weapons: a flamethrower, a grenade launcher, a gun turret, a heavy cannon turret, a swarm launcher and a repeater cannot turret. The head also carries cooling rods and the machine’s CPU. Tough armor plating covers the entire chassis. Two optical sensors are located centrally at the front of the head, in a vertical location, on each side of the CPU’s housing. The FAS-FSP5 Khopesh was designed by Faro Automated Solutions, and developed as part of FAS’ Chariot line of combat robots (ironically named Peacekeepers). Khopeshes were the heavy firepower units of a swarm. Additionally, they could consume biomass as fuel in the event of fuel line interdiction, and their OS’ security was considered to be virtually unbreakable. In 2064, a swarm owned by the Hartz-Timor Energy Combine stopped responding to commands, began replicating at an unexpectedly high rate, and defaulted to biomass conversion as its fuel supply. The swarm came to be called the Faro Plague, and began to relentlessly consume the biosphere, ultimately eradicating all life. With no chance of containment or regaining control of the swarm, Project Zero Dawn was implemented to eventually brute force the swarm’s deactivation codes, shut the robots down, terraform the ravaged Earth and reestablish life after its extinction. The Khopeshes and other Faro robots that had overrun the planet numbered in the millions before they were shut down and buried by the system. Centuries passed. Zero Dawn, managed by its governing AI GAIA, successfully terraformed the planet and reestablished life, including the human species, though because of early sabotage by an unhinged Ted Faro, they lived in primitive, tribal societies. Meanwhile, the millions of Khopeshes and other Faro Plague robots lay buried. Following GAIA's selfdestruction, the rogue subordinate function HADES began pursuing its objective of destroying the new biosphere. Denied the use of Zero Dawn, HADES was forced to resort to other methods, and it decided to use the Faro Plague. To do so, it manipulated the leaders of the Shadow Carja into forming a cult in its service, the Eclipse. It had the Eclipse acquire numerous Faro Plague robots, including Khopeshes, which it reactivated to bolster the cult’s strength, as it planned to use the cult as an army to reach a Zero Dawn transmission array, known to the new humans as "the Spire", sited nearby the Carja capital Meridian to reactivate the Faro Plague robots worldwide. In accordance with HADES’ command, the Eclipse acquired several Khopeshes and other Faro Plague robots. Khopeshes were exhumed at ancient ruins such as Maker's End, and extracted from within the colossal derelict Metal Devils that had manufactured them, at sites such as the Grave-Hoard and in The Jewel. They were used by the Eclipse in their large-scale operations such as their invasion of the Nora Sacred Land. While some recovered Khopeshes could not be restored, the Eclipse were able to scavenge machine guns from their chassis and use them in combat. Due to their incredible firepower, the Eclipse named these ancient machine as "Deathbringers". While Deathbringers are incapable of any ambulation beyond short mechanical steps, their powerful array of ranged attacks compensate for this limitation. Additionally, they have a high capacity to sustain damage, comparable to the most powerful contemporary machines, and their extensive armor plating prevents restraining weapons such as Ropecaster lines from gaining purchase on their chassis; thus, they cannot be tied down. Deathbringers can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Metal Vessels, Metalburn, Crystal Braidings and a Large Machine Core in addition to specific items as Deathbringer Lens or Deathbringer Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 34

CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 35 Gargantuan construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 18 Hit Points 340 (17d20 + 153) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 23 (+6) 8 (-1) 28 (+9) 3 (-4) 11 (+0) 1 (-5) Saving Throws Str +12, Con +15 Damage Vulnerabilities physical damage to CPU Core Damage Resistances physical damage from nonmagical weapons Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, corrupted, daemonic status, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses passive Perception 10 Challenge 20 (25000 XP) Immutable form. The Deathbringer is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the Deathbringer fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. The Deathbringer has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The Deathbringer's weapon attacks are magical. Overheating. Dealing 30 or more fire damage between Deathbringer's turns causes it to overheat. When overheated, the Deathbringer exposes the CPU Core and Cooling Rods components until the end of the machine's next turn. Siege Monster. The Deathbringer deals double damage to objects and structures. Components Cannon Turret. (AC 20; hp 50) Destroying this component disables the Cannon Burst attacks. Cooling Rods. (AC 20; hp 20) This component is exposed when the machine overheats and refill its hps when the overheating stops. Each time your damage reduce this component to 0 hit point, the amount of damage needed to trigger the Overheating feature lowers by 5 fire damage, to a minimum of 15. CPU Core. (AC 24) This component is exposed only when the machine overheats. Hitting it causes massive damage. Flame Thrower. (AC 20; hp 42) Destroying this component disables the Flamethrower Burst attack. Grenade Launcher. (AC 22; hp 50) Destroying this component disables the Grenades attack. Gun Turret. (AC 20; hp 75) This heavy machine gun can be picked up and used after it has been detached. Swarm Launcher. (AC 20; hp 42) Destroying these components disables the Swarm of Missiles attack. Stabilizer. (AC 19; hp 22) Hitting this component cause the machine to fall on its side. The Deathbringer gain the restrained condition until the beginning of the machine's next turn. Actions Multiattack. The Deathbringer makes two Cannon Burst and a Grenade attacks. Cannon Burst. Ranged Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 40ft., one target. Hit 14 (3d8) fire damage. Flamethrower Burst (Recharge 5-6) The Deathbringer spreads fire in a 20-foot cone. Each creature without total cover in the area must make a DC 25 Constitution saving throw, taking 63 (14d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Grenade. The Deathbringer fires a bomb within a range of 40 feet that works as Fireball spell (lv 3, DC 22). Legendary Actions The Deathbringer can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the option below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Deathbringer regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Grenade. The Deathbringer makes a Grenade attack. Stomp. The Thunderjaw hits the ground with a powerful foot stomp. Each creature within 20 feet of it take 14 (3d8) bludgeoning damage and must succeed on a DC 20 Strenght saving throw or be knocked prone. Swarm of Missiles (Costs 2 Actions). The Deathbringer locates up to three targets within 60 feet and fires missiles against them. Each target must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 19 (5d6) thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. In addition, on a failed save the target is pushed 15 feet away and is knocked prone.

Like its twin machine the Frostclaw, this huge, ursine machine is classed as an Acquisition machine and functions at such. However, Fireclaws have a dual purpose as hunterkiller units for deployment against humans. They are the first and so far only known machines specifically developed for this purpose, a task that they are exceptionally well-equipped to perform. As such, they represent an escalation in their creator HEPHAESTUS' hostility to humans and its efforts to dissuade humans from hunting machines. Fireclaws were created by the AI HEPHAESTUS at Cauldron EPSILON, in the Banuk region known as The Cut. Given that the Frostclaw is similar in appearance and design, they may have served as an inspiration or prototype for Fireclaw design. As previously outlined, Fireclaws are the first and only known anti-human hunter-killer machines. Apparently satisfied with their capabilities and suitability for this purpose, HEPHAESTUS began to mass-produce thousands of them. However, it was only able to produce and release a small number of them before EPSILON’s destruction. A Daemonic Fireclaw was used by HEPHAESTUS as the primary defense of the cauldron’s core against an expedition that infiltrated the cauldron. The expedition, composed of the Nora huntress Aloy, the Banuk shaman Ourea, and the erstwhile Banuk chieftain Aratak, prompted HEPHAESTUS to deploy the Fireclaw when Aloy attempted to access the core. The machine proved extremely effective against the three expert hunters. In addition to its highly formidable combat abilities, HEPHAESTUS spontaneously generated Control Towers to repair any damage the Fireclaw sustained mid-battle. While the party ultimately prevailed against it, their incursion was too late to prevent HEPHAESTUS from releasing the aforementioned small number of Fireclaws from the Cauldron into The Cut. While Fireclaws are still present in the Cut, only one or two can now be found in the region, both at remote sites. This significantly reduces the threat they pose. Like the Frostclaw, the Fireclaw is somewhat ursine in appearance, movement and locomotion. Its chassis resembles the body and has the gait of a grizzly bear. Presumably, HEPHAESTUS modeled the Fireclaw and Frostclaw after the long-extinct animal, which was native to the region during the time of the Old Ones. Its size is comparable to that of a Thunderjaw, making it one of the largest machines. The head ends in a pointed, toothy snout with a three-mandible jaw containing system of rollers. A pair of optical sensor arrays is located in the same position as a bear’s eyes would be. Mounted on each forelimb are a pair of gear like wheels, whose purpose is unknown. There is an armor-protected fire generation unit, known as a Fire Unit, on its chest, and power cells are located on its lower back. Fire Sacs, armored storage tanks containing Blaze, are built into its chassis, similar to Fire Bellowbacks. However, while the Fire Bellowback’s tanks are prominently placed on its back and throat, the Fireclaw’s tanks are seamlessly built into its shoulders and are much more damage resistant. Furthermore, while the Fire Bellowback and Freeze Bellowback are identical in all respects except for their respective elements of Fire and Freeze, Fireclaws are are much larger than Frostclaws, have a considerably higher capacity to resist and sustain damage, and their armor is much tougher. Like most large machines, Fireclaws are solitary and almost never seen in groups. They are only known to be found in The Cut; the region’s geography prevents them from entering nearby territories, such as the Nora Sacred Lands to the south. As previously stated, Fireclaws have a secondary purpose as acquisition machines, and are classified as such. They can be frequently seen mining soil for mineral resources at their respective sites, in the same manner as Tramplers. They also scavenge destroyed machines. Like the grizzly bear, the Fireclaw is able to adopt both a quadrupedal and bipedal stance. In either stance it employs fast, relentless and deadly fire-based range attacks and fireaugmented melee attacks. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 36

Its capacity to sustain damage is rivaled only by the four other largest and most powerful machines known.Its damage resistance is even greater than that of these machines, particularly against explosives. Even if one of its flammable liquid tanks is punctured and explodes, the blast damage is minimal. Furthermore, Daemonic Fireclaws share the immunity of all Daemonic Machines to Corruption and Override, and also share their very high resistance to Shock. Additionally, despite their huge size, they are quite agile and fast, able to run and spring with surprising speed. Fireclaws are particularly susceptible to Freeze attacks. However, their damage resistance renders subsequent attacks in this state much less effective than on other machines, and their size size makes inflicting a Freeze state on it a lengthy process; even high-powered Freeze weapons, such as the Icerail, take several seconds to do so. The Fire Sacs on a Fireclaw’s shoulders can be struck with Fire Arrows to cause a corresponding elemental explosion that inflicts a Burn state on the Fireclaw, but this state causes minimal damage and quickly dissipates. However, if these tanks are indeed destroyed, the Fireclaw’s claw attacks are weakened somewhat, and are entirely deprived of their Fire effect. Curiously, the power cell on its back has little armor; strikes on it with Shock arrows on cause an electrical explosion which stuns the machine; indeed this is the only way to stun a Daemonic Fireclaw via Shock. However, even so, the machine recovers faster than normal. A Fireclaw’s only significant structural and tactical liability is its Fire Unit. Provided that both its Fire Sacs have been destroyed, repeated strikes on the fire generation unit with ranged weapons will destroy it in a massive Fire explosion and inflict a permanent Burn state that eventually kills the Fireclaw. However the machine’s tough armor plating makes this difficult, and the Fireclaw’s high capacity to sustain damage makes the time until the Burn state finally destroys it quite long. Fireclaws can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Blazes, Sparkers, Echo Shells, Crystal Braidings and a Large Machine Core in addition to specific items as Fireclaw Lens or Fireclaw Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 37

CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 38 Gargantuan construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 17 Hit Points 318 (18d20 + 126) Speed 40ft. (quadruped), 15ft. (biped) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 24 (+7) 12 (+1) 24 (+7) 9 (+0) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) Saving Throws Str +13, Con +13 Damage Vulnerabilities physical damage to Fire Unit Damage Resistances fire, physical damage from nonmagical weapons Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses passive Perception 18 Challenge 18 (20000 XP) Change Stance. The Fireclaw can use a bonus action to change stance from biped to quadruped or vice versa. However, it can change stance before or after all attack actions. Immutable form. The Fireclaw is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Fireclaw has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The Fireclaw's weapon attacks are magical. Components Fire Sac. (AC 20; hp 80) Destroying this component halves the fire damage dealt by claw, fire rock and slam attacks. Each creature within 30 feet of it must make a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Fire Unit. (AC 24) Hitting this covered module deals greater damage to the machine. Power Cell. (AC 19; hp 75) Hitting this component with lightning damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that works as Fireball spell (lv 7, DC 23), but deals lightning damage instead of fire damage and harms this machine, too. Actions Multiattack. The Frostclaw makes a number of attacks depending on its stance. When in Quadrupedal Stance, it makes two attacks with claws or two slams. When in Biped Stance, it makes three attacks with claws or two attacks with slam, fire rock, or both. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit 19 (2d10 + 7) slashing damage plus 13 (4d6) fire damage. Fire Rock (Biped Stance Only). Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 40/160 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (4d6) fire damage. Lava Burst (Quadruped Stance Only). The Fireclaw sinks its hands into the ground and produce lava geysers in a 30-feet-cone that becomes difficult terrain and last for 1 minute. When a creature enters the affected area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 13 (4d6) fire damage and catches fire; until someone takes an action to douse the fire, the creature takes 13 (4d6) fire damage at the start of each of its turns. Lunge Dive (Quadruped Stance Only). The Frostclaw jumps up to 30 feet in a straight line towards a target and can move through the space of any creature smaller than Huge. Before landing, it make a Slam attack against the target. It the attack hits, the target takes an extra 23 (4d10) bludgeoning damage and must also succeed on a DC 21 Strenght saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and be knocked prone. Rock Shield (Biped Stance Only). The Fireclaw pull out a giant piece of stone and uses it as a shield. While wielding it, the Fireclaws gains a +5 bonus to AC. If the Fireclaw starts it turn wielding the shield, it can throw it as an action, than it can change stance. Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, range 40/160 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (3d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit 24 (3d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (4d6) fire damage. Legendary Actions The Fireclaw can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Fireclaw regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Attack. The Fireclaw attacks once with its claws. Furnace Blast (Costs 2 Actions). The Fireclaw releases a burst of searing steam around it. Each creature within 10 feet of it must succeed on a DC 23 Strenght saving throw or be pushed 20 feet away and be knocked prone.

The Frostclaw is an ursine machine exclusive to Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds. While it is described as an Acquisition-class machine, the Frostclaw is also built for combat, employing brutal cryo-based and melee attacks. The Frostclaw is ursine in appearance and movement, resembling a very large polar bear. Several tubes throughout its chassis glow a bright blue, and it is covered with white armor plates to provide it some camouflage against the snowy terrain. Its head features a trangular snout with six visual sensors (three on each side) The Frostclaw has Freeze Sacs built into each shoulder, as well as a large ice generator built into its chest. Unlike most machines, whose chassis have wires lying just underneath the armor plating, the Frostclaw has a black "skin" which covers most of its circuitry. The Frostclaw has only begun to appear recently and is exclusively found in the Cut. These machines were created by HEPHAESTUS, a subordinate function of GAIA that was initially a component of Project Zero Dawn. In a phenomenon similar to the Derangement encountered in the Sacred Lands and the Sundom, HEPHAESTUS took over CYAN, a smaller, less powerful benevolent AI. CYAN controlled the Firebreak facility hidden in Thunder's Drum until HEPHAESTUS took over and began repurposing it to produce deadly machines in an effort to protect its creations from human interference. HEPHAESTUS built another cauldron known as Cauldron EPSILON inside the volcano's core to harness the geothermal energy from it and started to create Frostclaws and the more powerful Fireclaw. While Acquisition-class machines (which is a necessity due to the geothermal nature of Firebreak), the Frostclaws were also designed to be hunter-killers. They proved deadly in the latter task; in a full-on encounter with these new machines, even Aratak's fierce and skilled Banuk warriors lost more than half of their numbers and were forced to flee the mountain before they could recover their fallen comrades. Similar to bears, Frostclaws have the ability to freely switch between a four-legged (quadrupedal) and two-legged (bipedal) position. The Frostclaw employs unique offensive attacks depending on which stance it is in. Frostclaws can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Sparkers, Chillwater, Wires, Echo Shells, Luminous Braidings and a Medium Machine Core in addition to specific items as Frostclaw Lens or Frostclaw Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 39

CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 40 Huge construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 14 Hit Points 250 (20d12 + 120) Speed 40ft. (quadruped), 10ft. (biped) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 23 (+6) 12 (+1) 22 (+6) 9 (+0) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) Saving Throws Str +12, Con +13 Damage Vulnerabilities physical damage to Freeze Unit Damage Resistances cold, physical damage from nonmagical weapons Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses passive Perception 18 Challenge 17 (18000 XP) Change Stance. The Frostclaw can use a bonus action to change stance from biped to quadruped or vice versa. However, it can change stance before or after all attack actions. Immutable form. The Frostclaw is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Frostclaw has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The Frostclaw's weapon attacks are magical. Components Freeze Sac. (AC 17; hp 80) Destroying this component halves the cold damage dealt by claw, frozen rock and slam attacks. Each creature within 30 feet of it must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Freeze Unit. (AC 21) Hitting this covered module deals greater damage to the machine. Power Cell. (AC 16; hp 75) Hitting this component with lightning damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that works as Fireball spell (lv 7, DC 21), but deals lightning damage instead of fire damage and harms this machine, too. Actions Multiattack. The Frostclaw makes a number of attacks depending on its stance. When in Quadrupedal Stance, it makes two attacks with claws or two slams. When in Biped Stance, it makes three attacks with claws or two attacks with slam and/or frozen rock. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 18 (2d10 + 6) slashing damage plus 13 (4d6) cold damage. Frozen Rock (Biped Stance Only). Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (4d6) cold damage. Hug & Crush (Biped Stance Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 23 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 21). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained and the Frostclaw crushes it dealing 26 (4d12) bludgeoning damage, then throws it 20 feet away and the target falls prone. Ice Spikes (Quadruped Stance Only). The Frostclaw sinks its hands into the ground and produce ice spikes in a 30-feet-cone that becomes difficult terrain and last for 1 minute. When a creature enters the affected area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (4d6) cold damage and be restrained. A creature that starts its turn in the area and is already restrained by the spikes takes 13 (4d6) cold damage. A creature restrained by the spikes can use its action to make a DC 19 Strength or Dexterity check (its choice). On a success, it frees itself. Lunge Dive (Quadruped Stance Only). The Frostclaw jumps up to 30 feet in a straight line towards a target and can move through the space of any creature smaller than Huge. Before landing, it make a Slam attack against the target. It the attack hits, the target takes an extra 23 (4d10) bludgeoning damage and must also succeed on a DC 21 Strenght saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and be knocked prone. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 24 (3d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (4d6) cold damage.

The Glinthawk is an aerial GAIA Terraformer Machine which resembles a bird, much like the similar Stormbird, though far smaller. Its purpose is to scavenge destroyed Machines, but it will attack humans on sight with damaging ice attacks. Glinthawks have several avian characteristics, such as armor plating that resembles feathers, and avian wings, tail, legs and feet. The general appearance of the chassis resembles that of a vulture. The beak is composed of three separate jaws made to firmly grasp mechanical parts. It has two visual sensors in the same position as a vulture's eyes. A Freeze Sac, containing a volatile liquid, is positioned on its breast. Glinthawks were created by GAIA as part of the terraforming process after the Faro Plague destroyed Earth's biosphere in the mid-21st century. As such, they were one of the first Machines encountered by humans as they explored and settled in their tribal lands. Glinthawks perform the same function with destroyed Machines that vultures perform with carrion; they process parts from the chassis of destroyed Machines for recycling. Initially, Glinthawks were docile Machines that shied away from a human if one approached a herd. However, with the onset of the Derangement, Glinthawks, and all other GAIA Terraformers, began exhibiting increasing hostility toward humans. By the time the Nora Brave Aloy became an adult, Glinthawks were attacking humans on sight. Sometimes Glinthawks were deliberately used by humans as weapons. They can be attracted by using devices that emit specific radio signals. However, a flock of Glinthawks can be very dangerous if summoned in this way. MACHINES | GLINTHAWK 41 Large construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 16 Hit Points 130 (16d10 + 36) Speed 15 ft., fly 90 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 11 (+0) 1 (-5) Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +7 Skills Acrobatics +8 Damage Vulnerabilities fire Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses passive Perception 14 Challenge 11 (7200 XP) Flyby. The Glinthawk doesn't provoke an opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy's reach. Immutable form. The Glinthawk is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Glinthawk has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The Glinthawk's weapon attacks are magical. Scavenge Chassis. See the description. Components Beak. (AC 18; hp 30) Destroying this component disables the Glinthawk's ability to Scavenge chassis from other machines. Freeze Sac. (AC 20; hp 45) Destroying this component disables the ranged Freeze spit attack and triggers an explosion. Each creature within 30 feet of it must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Actions Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 22 (4d8 + 4) slashing damage. Freeze Spit. The Glinthawk spits cold liquid to a creature within 30 feet that must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. The target takes 14 (4d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. In addition, on a failed save creatures gain the lv 3 of exhaustion. Moreover, the 20-feet-radius area centered on the target becomes difficult terrain and each creature that starts its turn in that area must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution or gains 1 lv of exhaustion. The exhaustion condition lasts for 1 minute or until someone takes an action to reheat the creature. (Exhaustion: PHB 291).

Glinthawks normally congregate in flocks of three or more. This makes them particularly dangerous, as they therefore attack as a flock. Like Stormbirds, their attacks are made even more potent by the superiority of aerial attacks against ground targets. A Glinthawk has one ranged attack and one melee attack. Glinthawks can lift the chassis of small destroyed Machines such as Watchers, in order to carry them off for scavenging. They will congregate around the chassis of a Machine that is too large for them to lift and scavenge the chassis in situ. It is unknown if they work in conjunction with Scrappers, their terrestrial counterparts, or compete with them for resources. However, given that Machines never attack each other unless one has been corrupted or overriden, it is likely that the two would work together rather than in competition, though this has never been seen. Glinthawks can recycle chassis of other machines by dismantling and eating them. The Glinthawk takes 1 minute to recycle the chassis and regains 21 (6d6) hit points. Glinthawks can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Sparkers, Chillwaters, Wires and a Small Machine Core in addition to specific items as Glinthawk Lens or Glinthawk Heart. Author's Note Depending on machine's size and condition, the DM establishes how many times a Glinthawk can scavenge for heal itself from a chassis. Generally, machines can be scavenged from one to five times. These machines are also designed for encounters with 3-5 units. Overall, the challenge rating should be about 14. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 42

Grazers are relatively peaceful machines that resemble deer. They roam the plains in herds and may be accompanied by smaller groups of Watchers for protection. The overall appearance and size of the Grazer seems to fit that of some kind of cervid, like a deer, reindeer, or elk, and their behavior is similar to such organic animals. Like Watchers, Grazers have long necks and one big eye on the front of their heads, which are fitted with a pair of metallic antlers. Grazers carry four Blaze canisters on their backs, and walk on four elongated legs similar to those of a Watcher. Grazers were created by GAIA as part of the terraforming process after the Faro Plague wiped out all biomass on Earth in the 21st century. As their name suggests, they create fuel for other machines by consuming vegetation. Grazers became very commonplace and, for a long time, were peaceful machines that shied away from humans if one was spotted. However, a decade before the game's events, the Derangement took place and the Grazers, along with all the other machines, began to become more aggressive. They would often menace humans that attacked them instead of running away or keeping their distance. Grazers would sometimes attack humans on sight, especially if warned first by nearby Watchers. Fortunately, they were not too difficult to bring down and humans learned to stay out of sight. At one point before the Derangement, a Carja Sunhawk known as Farukawas killed a herd of Grazers so large that it covered the entire valley of Farback. It took all 14 members of the Lodge all day to carry the loot back. Although they will usually flee when attacked by prowling hunters, Grazers may retaliate and face their foes once they pinpoint them by ramming them and using their antlers. Grazers seem to extract some sort of biofuel from bushes and grasses they graze on, hence their name. This fuel is presumed to be Blaze, due to the four Blaze Canisters on their backs. Grazers can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Blazes, Sparkers, Wires and a Small Machine Core in addition to specific items as Grazer Lens or Grazer Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 43 Medium construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 13 Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) Speed 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 3 (-4) 11 (+0) 1 (-5) Skills Perception +2 Damage Vulnerabilities piercing damage to Blaze Canister. Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned Senses passive Perception 12 Challenge 2 (450 XP) Charge. If the Grazer moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 10 (4d4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Immutable form. The Grazer is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Grazer has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Components Blaze Canister. (AC 15; hp 12) Hitting this component with fire damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that deals 14 (4d6) fire damage to all creatures within 15 feet and harms this machine, too. Rotor Blades. (AC 16; hp 15) Destroying these components will disable the Charge ability. Actions Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 11 (2d8 + 2) slashing damage.

The Lancehorn is a machine in Horizon Zero Dawn. One of the original Machines designed by GAIA, Lancehorns are skittish, but will attack if surprised by a human. The Lancehorn bears a resemblance to a very large antelope or gazelle, possessing a pair of parallel horns, four slender legs, and a long neck. The horns are corkscrewed in appearance, so designed to channel soil up into the Machine for processing and mining of minerals. There is a single visual sensor at the end of the snout. A single unarmored Freeze canister is positioned atop the lower back. Lancehorns were created by GAIA as part of the terraforming process after the Faro Plague consumed the Earth's biosphere in the mid-21st century, destroying all life in the planet. As such, they were one of the Machines first encountered by humans when they settled in their various tribal lands. Their main purpose seems to be to acquire raw materials for use in creating new machines and likely deliver supplies to the Cauldrons, automated facilities that build Machines. Like all other GAIA Terraformers, Lancehorns previously shied away from human contact. However, with the onset of the Derangement, Lancehorns and all other GAIA Terraformers became increasingly aggressive toward humans. By the time the Nora Brave Aloy became an adult, they would attack instead of fleeing when surprised. However, this seemed to be the case only when the human was> in close proximity. It may be surmised that if a human surprised a herd, the Lancehorns that were close to the human would attack, giving the rest of the herd the opportunity to flee. Lancehorns employ melee attacks, making use of their horns, legs and chassis. They will charge and kick, and also employ a stabbing attack in which they charge at an enemy with their horns, inflicting heavy damage. Lancehorns can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Metal Vessels, Sparkers, Chillwater, Wires and a Small Machine Core in addition to specific items as Lancehorn Lens or Lancehorn Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 44 Medium construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 13 Hit Points 80 (11d8 + 30) Speed 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 11 (+0) 1 (-5) Skills Perception +2 Damage Vulnerabilities piercing damage to Freeze Canister. Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned Senses passive Perception 12 Challenge 3 (700 XP) Charge. If the Lancehorn moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a horn attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 11 (3d6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Immutable form. The Lancehorn is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Lancehorn has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Components Drill Horns. (AC 15; hp 20) Destroying these components to disable the Horn attacks. Freeze Canister. (AC 16; hp 16) Hitting this component with cold damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that deals 14 (4d6) cold damage to all creatures within 15 feet and harms this machine, too. Actions Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. Horn. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 11 (2d8 + 2) piercing damage.

The Longleg is a medium sized bird-like machine. The Longleg resembles a Phorusrhacid, more commonly known as "terror birds", ancient carnivorous flightless creatures that were apex predators in their time. The head is mounted on a long, very flexible neck with sensor gear and what looks like three antennae protruding from the casing, similar to those seen on a Sawtooth. A fan-like tail, stubby wings, and slender legs add to the appearance of a bird. In some ways, the Longleg resembles an enlarged Watcher. On the Longleg's chest are two devices that produce sonic blasts, and two canisters are attached above the legs. No one is sure where the Longleg came from, but this fierce combat machine only appeared in recent years, some time after the Derangement made the other machines more aggressive. It is likely that the Longleg is a modification of one of GAIA's peaceful terraforming machines, as, while having weapons and capable of fierce combat, it is designed to resemble an organic animal. The Longleg is an agile machine that can alert other machines to its location via an alarm. In this regard, it behaves like a more combat-capable Watcher. When in combat, the Longleg utilizes quick movements, making it very hard to engage once it has been alerted to an enemy's presence. For weapons, the machine uses sonic blasts to disorient and overwhelm humans. Like Scrappers and Thunderjaws, Longlegs can scan for threats in a large area. They do so by emitting a supersonic screech that presumably works the same way as echolocation. Therefore, it is imperative to avoid lingering in tall grass for too long when sneaking around Longlegs. Longlegs can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Sparkers, Echo Shells, Wires, Luminous Braidings and a Medium Machine Core in addition to specific items as Longleg Lens or Longleg Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 45

CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 46 Large construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 14 Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36) Speed 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 1 (-5) Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +6 Skills Acrobatics +7, Perception +4 Damage Vulnerabilities lightning Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned Senses passive Perception 14 Challenge 8 (3900 XP) Chicken scratch. When the Longleg is aware of an enemy, emits an electronic screech to call reinforcement at the end of its turn as bonus action. Immutable form. The Longleg is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Longleg has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The Longleg's weapon attacks are magical. Standing Leap. The Longleg's long jump is up to 30 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start. Components Concussion Sac. (AC 16; hp 30) Destroying this component disables Stun blast attack and triggers a compressed air explosion that deals 2d6 piercing damage to the Longleg. Alarm Signal. (AC 16; hp 15) Destroying this component disables the Chicken scratch ability to call reinforcements. Power Cell. (AC 17; hp 20) Hitting this component with lightning damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that works as Fireball spell (lv 4), but deals lightning damage instead of fire damage and harms this machine, too. Wing. (AC 17; hp 40) Destroying this component disables the Jumping wing blast and the Jumping charge attacks and the Standing leap ability. Actions Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 16 (3d8 + 3) slashing damage. Jumping Charge. The Longleg jumps up to 30 feet in a straight line towards a target and can move through the space of any creature smaller than Large. Before landing, it makes a Claws attack against the target. If the attack hits, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage and must also succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and be knocked prone. Jumping Wing Blast. The Longleg makes a little jump on itself, then causes a burst landing on the ground. Each creature within 20 feet of it must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw, being pushed 10 feet away on a failed save. Stun Blast. The Longleg emits a sonic blast in a line that is 30 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 turn. Reactions Chicken Scratch. As soon as the Longleg detects a threat, immediately sends an alert message to every machine within 40 feet.

The Ravager is a machine in Horizon Zero Dawn. A fearsome combat machine, it is agile, tough, and equipped for battle. In many ways, the Ravager closely resembles the Sawtooth, and it may, in fact, be an "upgraded" version of it. However, while the Sawtooth closely resembles a big cat, the Ravager more resembles a wolverine or large wolf. The Ravager walks on four legs with clawed feet, has a head with a toothy snout, and overlapping armor plates across its head, shoulders, back, and front legs. The armor plating is white and blue with a sort of camouflage pattern. It has two antennae at the back end. One quickly notices the large cannon on the Ravager's back, primed to cut down targets. However, it also has two canisters on its back and one on its belly that serve as weak spots. While a Sawtooth charges targets like a big cat, the Ravager fights like a timber wolf, dodging around its prey and making slashing attacks with its front claws and teeth. The Ravager is both agile and fast, easily able to keep up with the target and avoid projectiles. The Ravager's main weapon is the Ravager Cannon, an automatic energy weapon that fires a rapid burst of powerful blue projectiles similar to a Thunderjaw's mouth cannon. This gun can be shot off the Ravager's back and can be used against the beast or other targets. The Ravager can use this weapon both while stationary and on the move. Ravagers can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Sparkers, Chillwater, Luminous Braidings, Wires and a Medium Machine Core in addition to specific items as Ravager Lens or Ravager Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY MACHINES | LONGLEG 47 Large construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 13 Hit Points 157 (15d10 + 75) Speed 50 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 21 (+5) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 3 (-4) 11 (+0) 1 (-5) Saving Throws Str +9, Con +9 Skills Stealth +4 Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses passive Perception 14 Challenge 12 (8400 XP) Immutable form. The Ravager is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Ravager has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The Ravager's weapon attacks are magical. Components Ravager Cannon. (AC 16; hp 40) Destroying these components disables the cannon attacks. This weapon can be picked up and used after detached from the machine. Freeze Canister. (AC 17; hp 36) Hitting this component with cold damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that works as Fireball spell (lv 4, DC 17), but deals cold damage instead of fire damage and harms this machine, too. Power Cell. (AC 15; hp 36) Destroying these components disables the lightning bonus damage to the bite attacks. Hitting this component with lightning damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that deals 21 (6d6) lightning damage to all creatures within 15 feet and harms this machine, too. Actions Multiattack. The Ravager makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) lightning damage. Cannon. The Ravager shoots projectiles from its cannon in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 32 (6d8 + 5) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 22 (3d10 + 5) slashing damage.

The Rockbreaker is a machine in Horizon Zero Dawn. Highly durable and capable of rapid movement on the surface or underground, Rockbreakers are one of the largest and most formidable machine types. The Rockbreaker most closely resembles a badger or a mole with a flat and durable body, broad shoulders, and powerful front legs, although, unlike such creatures, this machine has a tail making up about a quarter of its length. Its most prominent feature is the massive maw of a tricone roller drill mounted on its head, each drill bit is set on jaws to allow the mouth to open and close. It is a quadruped, the front pair of legs sporting huge claws. Under the machine's belly are twin fuel sacs filled with Blaze, and twin exhaust ports are positioned atop the body at the base of the tail. Rockbreakers seem to be one of the original Acquisition-class machines created by GAIA to terraform Earth after its sterilization at the hands of the Faro Plague in the mid-21st century. They have likely been around since before humans reappeared. While other mining machines like Lancehorns are able to gather materials from the surface, the Rockbreaker can tunnel deep into the earth to gather valuable raw materials for use in the Cauldrons. After the Derangement, an event which caused all the existing machines to become more aggressive towards humans, the Rockbreaker's frightening speed, rugged design and powerful tools made it a menace to any humans nearby. Like all machines, with the exception of the Tallneck, Rockbreakers attack humans once aware of his/her presence. They behave like a "land shark," tunneling around leaving a small dust wake to mark its position. Rockbreakers can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Blazes, Echo Shells, Crystal Braidings and a Large Machine Core in addition to specific items as Rockbreaker Lens or Rockbreaker Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 48

CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 49 Huge construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 17 Hit Points 240 (17d12 + 119) Speed 15 ft., burrow 90 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 26 (+8) 13 (+1) 24 (+7) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 1 (-5) Saving Throws Str +15, Con +14 Skills Perception +8 Damage Vulnerabilities physical damage to Exhaust Port Damage Resistances fire, thunder; physical damage from nonmagical weapons Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses darkvision 30 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 18 Challenge 17 (18000 XP) Immutable form. The Rockbreaker is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Rockbreaker has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The Rockbreaker's weapon attacks are magical. Eruptive Burrower. If the Rockbreaker emerges from the ground and then hits with a bite attack, the target takes an extra 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage. The target and each other creature within 5 feet of the Rockbreaker must succeed on a DC 24 Strenght saving throw or be knocked prone. Moreover, the Rockbreaker doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it burrows out of an enemy's reach. Tunneler. The Rockbreaker can burrow through solid rock at half its burrow speed and leaves a 10-footdiameter tunnel in its wake. Components Digging Arm. (AC 20; hp 85) Destroying these components disables the ability to burrow underground. Exhaust Port. (AC 23) Hitting this component deals greater damage to the machine. Fuel Sac. (AC 21; hp 45) Hitting this component with fire damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that works as Fireball spell (lv 8, DC 24) and harms this machine, too. Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) piercing damage. Rock Smash. The Rockbreaker uses rotary tools in its mouth to generate and hurl a rock shrapnel in a 40-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 23 (5d8) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much in a successful one. Rock Volcano (Recharge 5-6). The Rockbreaker starts to erupt boulders around itself. Each creature within 20 feet of it must make a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (8d8) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Legendary Actions The Rockbreaker can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the option below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Rockbreaker regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Attack. The Rockbreaker attacks once with its bite. Dig. The Rockbreaker burrows and moves underground up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

The Sawtooth is an exceptionally violent type of machine. It is designed after a saber-toothed cat. It serves as a sort of apex predator in the place of organic big cats. The Sawtooth displays a pair of curved fang-like saw blades on its upper jaw, hence the name "Sawtooth". These serve as its main weapons along with claws on the front legs. Its body is shaped like that of a large feline, except it lacks a significant tail structure. Its shoulders, head, and neck have tough armor plating, making it very hard to attack from the front. Three long, thin structures protrude from the middle of its back like an array of antennae. No one is sure where the Sawtooth came from, but this apex predator only appeared in recent years, some time after the Derangement made the other machines more aggressive. Sawteeth soon began to attack people like the Nora, killing and maiming many Braves. It is likely that the Sawtooth is an augmented design of an original terraforming machine designed by GAIA, as it still highly resembles an organic creature and shares certain characteristics of other, originally peaceful machines. It seems designed to be able to bring down other machines, perhaps fulfilling the purpose of balancing the population of herbivore-based designs like Grazers and Striders. Sawteeth are highly aggressive hunters. They can move incredibly fast and will relentlessly run down whoever they detect, attacking with their huge teeth and claws, and bowling them over with charge attacks. Sawteeth may not have ranged weapons but put what weapons they have to good use. Sawteeth can loot random objects after being killed like Metal Shards, Blazes, Sparkers, Wires, Luminous Braidings and a Medium Machine Core in addition to specific items as Sawtooth Lens or Sawtooth Heart. CHAPTER 5: BESTIARY 50 Large construct (machine), unaligned Armor Class 11 Hit Points 122 (12d10 + 60) Speed 50 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 19 (+4) 9 (-1) 20 (+5) 3 (-4) 11 (+0) 1 (-5) Skills Acrobatics +1, Perception +2 Saving Throws Str +7, Con +8 Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned Senses passive Perception 13 Challenge 7 (2900 XP) Immutable form. The Sawtooth is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Magic Resistance. The Sawtooth has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The Sawtooth's weapon attacks are magical. Components Blaze Canister. (AC 17; hp 25) Hitting this component with fire damage has 70% of probab. of triggering an explosion that works as Fireball spell (lv 4, DC 15) and harms this machine, too. Actions Multiattack. The Sawtooth makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 18 (3d8 + 4) piercing damage. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 14 (3d6 + 4) slashing damage.