Bellowback

Bellowback
Swollen with volatile liquid cargo, it can spray streams of its cargo to engulf enemies.
Size	Medium
Weight	Midweight
Class	Transport
Override	Cauldron XI (HZD) Cauldron IOTA (HFW)
Machine Sites	3 (1 convoy) (HFW)
Combat
Challenge Level	18 29 (Apex)
HP	1600 2400 (Apex)
Explosive Components	Cargo Sac Gullet
Weak Points	Eyes Antenna Sparker (x3)

The Bellowback is a Transport Class machines in Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, and Horizon Call of the Mountain.

History

A Freeze Bellowback.

The main function of Bellowbacks is to transport liquid cargo, including Blaze, Chillwater, and Metalbite.

A Bellowback being constructed in Cauldron SIGMA.

While it's unknown when Bellowbacks were first released, they became commonplace in the Sacred Lands, the Valleymeet, the southern Sundom, the Cut, the Clan Lands, and the Burning Shores. The only known Cauldron that produces Bellowbacks is Cauldron SIGMA.

The Derangement

At the advent of the Derangement, almost all machines started becoming increasingly aggressive towards humans, including the Bellowbacks. By the time of Aloy reaching adulthood, Bellowbacks are aggressive to any humans they see.

Horizon Zero Dawn/Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds

A Bellowback and some Watchers in Horizon Zero Dawn.

When Aloy infiltrated Cauldron SIGMA, she found a Bellowback in the middle of being constructed. Once she destroyed it and overrode SIGMA's core, she gained access to the information needed to override Bellowbacks.

With the spreading of corruption, some Bellowbacks in the Valleymeet and west of Maker's End became corrupted. They were subsequently destroyed by Aloy.

In order to get a Bellowback Snout to improve the Forgefire, Aloy and Varga took down a Bellowback to get one.

As Aloy was undergoing the challenge with Aratak for his chieftancy, she had to take down two Bellowbacks among a herd of machines.

The Nora Hunting Grounds and Snowchants Hunting Grounds use Bellowbacks in their trials. In addition, as part of Ikrie's Challenge, Aloy and Ikrie had to destroy several machines, including a Bellowback.

Daemonic Bellowbacks were among the machines Aloy, Aratak and Ourea destroyed during their expedition towards Cauldron EPSILON.

Corrupted Bellowbacks were among the machines used by the Eclipse army, using them to help invaded the Sacred Lands and during their final assault on Meridian.

Horizon Call of the Mountain

Ryas encountered some Bellowbacks while travelling through Mother's Tears.

Sometime between Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West

While the circumstances of how are unknown, Aloy somehow lost the ability to override Bellowbacks, as well as most other machines.

Horizon Forbidden West

A destroyed Bellowback in Horizon Forbidden West.

The Arena offers fights against Bellowbacks, one of which known at the 'Bellow Brawl' has challengers destroy two Bellowbacks and a Shellsnapper.

A new model of Bellowback, the Apex Bellowbacks, were released into the wilds alongside their regular counterpart sometime after Apex machines were first released from Repair-Bay TAU.

Wanting to use materials from a Bellowback to build a set of armor, Runda hired Aloy with a contract to hunt a Bellowback while keeping it's Cargo Sac intact, which Aloy successfully did.

The Hunting Grounds at the Sheerside Mountains use Bellowbacks in their trials, one of which teaching hunters how to destroy a Bellowback's Cargo Sac.

When Aloy infiltrated Cauldron IOTA and overrode its core, she regained access to the information needed to override Bellowbacks.

Two Bellowbacks were among a herd that Aloy and Zo were hunting as it had two Grimhorns, which they needed the control cores from. The entire herd was destroyed by the two hunters.

Bellowbacks were among the machines HEPHAESTUS sent after Aloy while trying to escape her in Cauldron GEMINI, but she was able to destroy them all.

Appearance

The Bellowback’s chassis bears a vague similarity to a theropod dinosaur, particularly Spinosaurus or Baryonyx. Two long, sturdy hind legs with three-toed feet, similar to those of a theropod, are attached to its torso. The torso is primarily composed of a large cargo sac carrying an elemental liquid (the exact substance contained within depends on the variant), and an array of four smaller tanks longitudinally located at its gullet. Just beneath the cargo sac is a long tail, at the base of which are two antennae. Three elemental canisters are located at the base of the tail between the legs. The sac and tanks are semi-armored and made of a tough, transparent material that can withstand multiple arrow strikes before rupturing. A crest-like array of armor plates is located on its upper back. This protects the sac from frontal attacks. The head is primarily composed of a long, armor-plated snout. The Bellowback has no mouth; instead, the snout ends in an opening akin to a spray nozzle. A pair of optical sensor arrays is located near the base of the head, on either side. Although classified as a medium-sized machine, the Bellowback is actually larger than the Behemoth, which is classified as a large-sized machine.

Behavior

Bellowbacks usually are found in pairs or groups of three, frequently with different elemental variants. Undisturbed, they mill about their sites, emitting low, gurgling growls, their heavy footfalls reverberating. They are heavy and strong enough knock over large trees in their way. Upon encountering a perceived threat such as a human, they emit a loud, angry shriek.

Abilities

The Bellowback has a barrage of elemental attacks powered by its cargo: these range from spraying directly on the enemy to spraying around itself to engulf its surroundings in a wide arc. It is also capable of melee attacks, such as charging forward or swipes of its tail.

Weaknesses

A Bellowback's main tactical weaknesses are their cargo sac and gullet tanks. Sufficient damage will trigger an elemental explosion, severely damaging the machine and affecting any machine, human, and beast within range. This damage will also disable their elemental attacks.

The elemental resistances and weaknesses of a Bellowback are contingent on its elemental affiliation: each Bellowback will be resistant to its own elemental affiliation (e.g. the Acid Bellowback is strong against Acid damage), while weak against the opposing element (e.g. a Fire Bellowback is weak against Freeze damage).

Attacks

Name	Windup Time	Damage Type	Damage	Trigger Range	Description
Elemental Projectiles	Medium	//	200 Elemental 63 Elemental buildup	20m - 50m	Lobs elemental projectiles at target. Projectiles explode on impact, creating an elemental explosion and leaving a residual elemental damage area. Attack disabled when Drenched.
Elemental Spray	Medium	//	100 Elemental 42 Elemental buildup	4m - 24m	Sprays a continuous stream of elemental liquid directly at target. Attack disabled when Drenched.
Elemental Circular Spray	Medium	//	286 Elemental 114 Elemental buildup	0m - 9m	Rotates 180o or 360o while spraying elemental fluid, leaving residual elemental damage areas. Attack disabled when Drenched.
Shoulder Barge	Medium	Melee Crushed	250 Melee 17 Crushed	5m - 22m	Lowers head and charges, barging into target before skidding a short distance.
Tail Swipe	Short	Melee	200	0m - 5m (behind) 8.5m - 20.5m (front)	Rotates 180o while swiping with its tail.
Leaping Smash	Short	Melee Crushed	250 Melee 17 Crushed	19.5m - 41m	Hops a short distance before leaping at target, smashing its head into the ground. Attack disabled when Slowed.

Components

Name	Image	Description	Attributes
Body		Hard outer casing to protect synthetic muscle and operational systems.	None
Gullet		Resource storage. Explodes when destroyed and disables ranged elemental attacks. Leave intact to add loot to the carcass.	Explosive Attack Removal Persists When Killed Contains Resources If Intact
Cargo Refining Sac		Large resource storage. Explodes when destroyed and disables ranged elemental attacks. Leave intact to add loot to the carcass.	Explosive Persists When Killed Contains Resources If Intact Key Upgrade Resource
Sparker		Shock storage. Tear off to collect this resource or shoot with a Shock Arrow to detonate.	Chain Reaction Detachable Contains Valuable Resources Destroyed When Killed
Antenna		Signal transmitter used to call in machine reinforcements.	Detachable Reinforcement Call Removal Contains Valuable Resources Destroyed When Killed

Loot

• Fire Bellowback
• Acid Bellowback
• Frost Bellowback
• Apex Bellowback

Body

• Metal Shards (100%)
• Blaze (100%)
• Medium Machine Core (37%)
• Bellowback Circulator (33%)
• Machine Muscle (30%)
• Bellowback Primary Nerve (22%)
• Braided Wire (21%)
• Metal Bone (10%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (10%)

Gullet

• Blaze (100%)

Cargo Refining Sac

• Blaze (100%)
• Volatile Sludge (100%)
• Bellowback Sac Webbing (100%)

Sparker

• Sparker (100%)

Antenna

• Braided Wire (67%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (34%)
• Bellowback Primary Nerve (11%)

Body

• Metalbite (100%)
• Metal Shards (100%)
• Medium Machine Core (37%)
• Bellowback Circulator (33%)
• Machine Muscle (31%)
• Bellowback Primary Nerve (23%)
• Braided Wire (20%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (11%)
• Metal Bone (10%)

Gullet

• Metalbite (100%)

Cargo Refining Sac

• Metalbite (100%)
• Volatile Sludge (100%)
• Bellowback Sac Webbing (100%)

Sparker

• Sparker (100%)

Antenna

• Braided Wire (67%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (34%)
• Bellowback Primary Nerve (10%)

Body

• Metal Shards (100%)
• Chillwater (100%)
• Medium Machine Core (36%)
• Bellowback Circulator (34%)
• Machine Muscle (30%)
• Bellowback Primary Nerve (23%)
• Braided Wire (21%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (11%)
• Metal Bone (10%)

Gullet

• Chillwater (100%)

Cargo Refining Sac

• Chillwater (100%)
• Volatile Sludge (100%)
• Bellowback Sac Webbing (100%)

Sparker

• Sparker (100%)

Antenna

• Braided Wire (67%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (34%)
• Bellowback Primary Nerve (10%)

Body

• Metal Shards (100%)
• Blaze (100%)
• Apex Bellowback Heart (67%)
• Volatile Sludge (51%)
• Medium Machine Core (37%)
• Bellowback Circulator (33%)
• Machine Muscle (31%)
• Bellowback Primary Nerve (23%)
• Braided Wire (21%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (10%)
• Metal Bone (10%)

Gullet

• Blaze (100%)

Cargo Refining Sac

• Blaze (100%)
• Volatile Sludge (100%)
• Bellowback Sac Webbing (100%)

Sparker

• Sparker (100%)

Antenna

• Braided Wire (67%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (34%)
• Bellowback Primary Nerve (11%)

Variants

Variant	Strength	Weakness
Fire Bellowback	Fire	Freeze/Frost
Freeze/Frost Bellowback	Freeze/Frost	Fire
Acid Bellowback	Acid	Purgewater
Apex Bellowback	Fire Purgewater	Frost