Blast Sling

Blast Sling
Type	Ranged weapon Stealth weapon
Ammo Pouch	Blast Sling Ammo Pouch
Effects	Explosive damage
Source	Merchants
Base Stats
Handling	40 70 (Lodge variant)
Draw Time	1.3s 0.78s (Lodge variant)
Reload Speed	0.63s 0.38s (Lodge variant)
Max Range	50m
Ammunition
Shot Type	Blast Bomb Sticky Bomb Proximity Bomb
Ammo per Pack	2 3 (Ammo Crafter)
Capacity	4 12 (Max capacity)

The Blast Sling is a ranged weapon in Horizon Zero Dawn. It is a slow-firing slingshot that lobs explosive bombs with impact, proximity or time-delayed trigger mechanisms in a parabolic arc. It is best used to deal high impact and area damage, and can be used in both aggressive and stealthy playstyles.

Use

The Blast Sling is one of the most versatile weapons available and can be used both offensively or defensively for immediate area attacks with Blast Bombs, stealthy ambushes with Sticky Bombs and preemptive strikes with Proximity Bombs. The wide blast radius can clear entire groups of humans and knock multiple components and armor plates off of larger machines, and the arcing trajectory enables launching over or past cover and obstacles to hit enemies outside Aloy's direct line of sight. The explosion generates a loud noise at the point of detonation which carries over a long distance and draws the attention of all machines within earshot, scaring skittish machines into fleeing in the opposite direction and prompting aggressive machines to investigate the source of the sound. However, supplying it with ammo takes a significant amount of Blaze over time if used regularly.

The Sticky Bombs, which have the highest damage per shot, also can serve as a very powerful starting ambush; machines do not become combat-alerted until one detonates at the end of the timer. If you are hidden in tall grass, you can plaster a single enemy with up to four Sticky Bombs from a safe distance and remain undetected, and given the sizeable base damage stat of the bombs plus damage coils, you could dish out a substantial amount of damage to a large machine before it can start fighting back.

Like the Blast Wire or any other explosive ammo, damage inflicted from the Blast Sling ignores armor plating on machines (unless they have explosive resistance) and deals no additional damage if weakpoints are damaged by the blast. Additionally, they only gain a 25% damage boost against frozen enemies rather than 100-200% from other impact ammo.

Special Variant

"Please wait till you go outside to try this out. I can't tell you how many times I've had to duck behind here because a hunter got a bit too eager."

―Aidaba

The Lodge Blast Sling is available as reward from the quest Weapons of the Lodge, requiring player to earn at least a Half Sun mark on all 15 Hunting Grounds Trials throughout the base game; players cannot get a second unit in the same playthrough. It has identical stats and slot number to the Shadow Variant, albeit with higher base Handling of 70 which could improve its Damage per Second value.

Ammo

Blast Bombs

Blast Bombs explode on impact.

Ammo	Game Mode	Damage	Tear
Blast Bomb	Story	400	500
	Easy	125	125
	Normal	100
	Hard	90
	Very Hard	80
	Ultra Hard	70	62.5

Sticky Bombs

Sticky Bombs stick to targets and explode after five seconds.

Ammo Type	Game Mode	Damage	Tear
Sticky Bomb	Story	600	500
	Easy	188	125
	Normal	150
	Hard	135
	Very Hard	120
	Ultra Hard	105	62.5

Proximity Bombs

Proximity Bombs land on surfaces and behave as a landmine, detonating when neared.

Ammo Type	Game Mode	Damage	Tear
Proximity Bomb	Story	300	400
	Easy	94	100
	Normal	75
	Hard	68
	Very Hard	60
	Ultra Hard	53	50

Timed Grenades

Used only by NPCs, the Timed Grenade is a bomb that deals high explosive damage with a short fuse (approximately two and a half seconds) after it impacts a surface before it detonates. It appears similar to Sticky Bombs, but makes a distinct hissing noise as it travels, rapidly flashes orange, and leaves a small orange trail. Used almost exclusively by Shadow Carja, such as Shadow Archers and Cultist Dredgers, though some mercenaries also use it.

Ammo Types and Modification Slots by Variant

As with most weapons, the most basic versions of the Blast Sling cannot carry all types of the available ammunition.

	Blast Bomb	Sticky Bomb	Proximity Bomb	Mod Slots
Basic				1
Carja				2
Shadow				3
AdeptNG+				4
Lodge				3
Adept LodgeNG+				4

Acquisition Details

Variant	Sources	Regular Cost	Ultra Hard Cost	Sell Value
Basic	General Merchants	200	1,000	30
Carja	Tier 2/3/4 Merchants	400 10 Metal Vessel 1 Luminous Braiding	2,000 20 Metal Vessel 2 Luminous Braiding	50
Shadow	Tier 3 & 4 Merchants	1,400 1 Lancehorn Heart	7,000 2 Lancehorn Heart	100
AdeptNG+	Tier 3 & 4 Merchants	2,800 1 Lancehorn Heart 1 Charger Heart	14,000 2 Lancehorn Heart 2 Charger Heart	100
Lodge	Hunters Lodge	15 Half Sun marks	15 Half Sun marks	100
Adept LodgeNG+	Hunters Lodge	15 Half Sun marks	15 Half Sun marks	100

Trivia

• The model of the Lodge Blast Sling is that of a recolored Sling instead of being similar to the regular variants.
• Whether by design or a bug, bombs will not explode if they land in water, although Snapmaws will detect them while swimming.

Gallery

Lodge Blast Sling variant

Horizon Zero Dawn Weapons
Ranged Weapons	Blast Sling - Forgefire - Hunter Bow - Icerail - Rattler - Ropecaster - Sharpshot Bow - Sling - Stormslinger - Tearblaster - War Bow
Melee Weapons	Spear - Sylens' Lance
Stealth Weapons	Traps - Tripcaster
Heavy Weapons	Deathbringer Gun - Disc Launcher - Firespitter - Firestriker - Mine Launcher - Oseram Cannon - Ravager Cannon