Lancehorn

"The lesson will be taught in due time, Aloy. Until then, we wait." This article contains heavy spoilers. Read ahead with caution.

Lancehorn
Agile and confident when provoked into combat. Its large drilling horns can cause severe damage.
Size	Small
Weight	Lightweight
Origin	GAIA
Class	Acquisition
Override	Cauldron SIGMA (Horizon Zero Dawn) Cauldron IOTA (Horizon Forbidden West)
Machine Sites	8 (HZD) 1 (HFW)
Combat
Challenge Level	13
HP	275 (HZD) 390 (HFW)
Weakness	None (HZD) Fire (HFW)
Strength	None (HZD) Frost (HFW)
Weak Points	Eyes Drill Horns (x2) Freeze Canister (x2) Resource Canister

"Wouldn't want to take a hit from a Lancehorn's antlers."

―Aloy

The Lancehorn is a machine in Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.

History

Lancehorns were designed by Zero Dawn's governing artificial intelligence GAIA as an acquisition machine, using serrated, prong-like horns used to drill for resources.

Pre-Derangement

A herd of Lancehorns in Horizon Forbidden West.

At this stage, Lancehorns were docile and skittish, tending to run away from humans as they would often hunt machines for parts and resources. Lancehorns can be found in the northern Sacred Lands, the eastern Sundom, the northeastern Clan Lands, and the central/northeastern Burning Shores.

During the reign of Sun-King Hivas, Hivas awarded Ravan's brother a priceless sword made from the antler of a Lancehorn for his military service.

The Derangement

At the advent of the Derangement, almost all machines started becoming increasingly aggressive towards humans, including the Lancehorn. By the time of Aloy reaching adulthood, Lancehorns, while still sometimes fleeing upon seeing a human, will sometimes attack humans that get too close.

Horizon Zero Dawn

Aloy using a Strong Strike on a Lancehorn.

When Aloy infiltrated Cauldron SIGMA overrode its core, she gained access to the information needed to override Lancehorns.

While traveling through Red Ridge Pass, Aloy found Erend mid-battle with a herd of Lancehorns, and promptly joined the fight to help her friend.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds

While searching for Mailen, Aloy and Ikrie fought off several machines, some of which being Lancehorns.

As Aloy was undergoing the challenge with Aratak for his chieftancy, she had to take down a herd of machines, including Lancehorns, Longlegs, and Redeye Watchers.

Between Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West

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

Horizon Forbidden West

While they aren't directly encountered by Aloy, the presence of Apex Lancehorn Hearts reveals that Apex Lancehorns were released into the wilds sometime after Apex machines were first released from Repair-Bay TAU.

Wanting to use Lancehorn Salvage to build a set of armor, Handa hired Aloy with a contract to hunt a herd of Lancehorns and retrieve their salvage for her, which Aloy successfully did.

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

Appearance

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 and rotate longitudinally like drill bits, to channel soil up into the machine for processing and mining of minerals. There is a single optical sensor at the end of the snout. Twin Chillwater canisters are positioned atop the lower back; this likely helps cool the drill bits on the machine's head. Twin containers are positioned above these, likely to store processed materials. A Lancehorn's chassis is nearly identical to that of a Grazer.

Behavior

Lancehorns are always found in herds, particularly in snowy regions. With heads down they work, busily drilling and processing soil, gathering and recycling natural resources from soil, stopping only to quietly change to another spot. The presence of patrolling recon and combat machines around the herd allows them to work without having to stop and look out for perceived threats.

Lancehorns are more skittish than most machines, typically running away from threats. However, if the threat is very close, the closest Lancehorns will attack while the rest flee.

Abilities

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.

Attacks

Horizon Zero Dawn

Name	Damage Type	Primary Damage	Trigger Range	Description
Charge	Melee	150	0m - 50m	Lowers head and horns, then  charges at target
Front Leg Kick	Melee	120	1.5m - 3.5m	Kicks at target with front legs, knocking them over
Gore and Flip	Melee	200	1.5m - 6.5m	Bounds at target horn first, embedding them in the ground for a short time
Hind Leg Kick	Melee	120	1.5m - 3.5m	Kicks backwards, knocking target over
Leaping Front Kick	Melee	90	2m - 6m	Leaps at target, kicking with front legs
Leaping Horn Stab	Melee	200	7.5m - 12.5m	Bounces at target, stabbing with horns
Upward Stab	Melee	130	1m - 3.5m	Lowers and raises head, impaling with horns

Horizon Forbidden West

Name	Windup Time	Damage	Trigger Range	Description
Front Leg Kick	Short	120 Melee	1.5m - 5m	Rears up and kicks at target
Leaping Front Kick	Medium	120 Melee	2m - 8m	Bounds and kicks at target
Hind Leg Kick	Very Short	120 Melee	1.5m - 5m	Kicks backward at target
Skyward Stab	Short	130 Melee	1m - 4.5m	Stabs upward with horns
Charge	Medium	150 Melee	0m - 50m	Lowers head and charges at target with horns. Attack disabled when Slowed.
Leaping Horn Stab	Medium	200 Melee	0m - 20m	Leaps toward target with horns pointed downward. Attack disabled when Slowed. Desperation Attack
Gore and Flip	Medium	200 Melee	1.5m - 8m	Runs towards target with Drill Horns pointed forward before stabbing with a flipping motion

Components

Horizon Zero Dawn

Image	Component	Information	Weakness	Strength
Body		Hard outer casing to protect synthetic muscle and operational systems.	None	None
Drill Horns		Destroy these components to disable Drill Horn attacks.	Tear	None
Freeze Canister		Shooting this canister with Freeze arrows will trigger an explosion. Shoot off this component to collect the Chillwater inside.	Freeze Tear	None

Horizon Forbidden West

Name	Image	Description	Attributes
Body		Hard outer casing to protect synthetic muscle and operational systems.	None
Drill Horns		Serrated, prong-like horns used to drill for resources or provide protection. Detach or destroy to disable its Drill Horn attacks	Detachable Ability Removal Destroyed When Killed Key Upgrade Resource
Resource Canister		Storage container for valuable resources. Tear off to collect its contents.	Detachable Contains Valuable Resources Destroyed When Killed
Chillwater Canister		Chillwater storage. Tear off to collect this resource or shoot with a Frost Arrow to detonate.	Chain Reaction Detachable Contains Valuable Resources Destroyed When Killed

Loot

Horizon Zero Dawn

Chillwater

4

Metal Vessel

4

Metal Shards

1

Sparker

1

Wire

1

Machine Core - Small

20

Lancehorn Lens

20

Lancehorn Heart

40

Horizon Forbidden West

Body

• Metal Shards (100%)
• Chillwater (100%)
• Machine Muscle (30%)
• Lancehorn Circulator (22%)
• Small Machine Core (17%)
• Lancehorn Circulator (15%)
• Braided Wire (11%)
• Metal Bone (10%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (6)

Drill Horns

• Lancehorn Drill Horn (100%)

Resource Canister

• Braided Wire (90%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (55%)
• Blastpaste (26%)
• Lancehorn Primary Nerve (16%)
• Small Machine Core (15%)

Chillwater Canister

• Chillwater (100%)

Trivia

• On occasion, while attacking an enemy horn first, Lancehorns will get their horns stuck in the ground for a few seconds.
• Lancehorns are never found corrupted or daemonic.