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

"You're an ugly one, aren't you? No wonder you hide your face underground."
Aloy, upon sighting a Rockbreaker

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

History[]

The Rockbreaker is a large Acquisition Class machine designed by GAIA, its main purpose is the underground mining of mineral resources to bring to the surface, which it leaves in large piles. These resources are likely meant to be collected by Transport Class machines, but are often looted by hunters.

Pre-Derangement[]

Horizon Zero Dawn™ Complete Edition 20190617133817

The Claws Beneath.

Rockbreakers were first released before the start of the Derangement, as Umnak notes that he had fought the Claws Beneath, a legendary Rockbreaker among the Banuk, every six years up until around 20 years prior to the events of The Frozen Wilds (which would be around the time that the Derangement began).[1]

Since being released, Rockbreakers can be found in the Sundom, the Cut,[2] and in southern Desert Tenakth territory.

Notably, the Claws Beneath, the only known Rockbreaker seen that was definitively constructed pre-Derangement, has a unique blue/white chassis that other Rockbreakers don't have. If this is what all Rockbreakers looked like before the Derangement is unknown.

The Derangement[]

At the advent of the Derangement, almost all machines started becoming increasingly aggressive towards humans, including the Rockbreakers. By the time of Aloy reaching adulthood, Rockbreakers will immediately attack any humans they detect.

Horizon Zero Dawn[]

Rockbreaker-Body

A Rockbreaker as depicted in the notebook.

When Aloy infiltrated Cauldron ZETA and overrode its core, she gained access to the information needed to override Rockbreakers.[3]

At the quarry in the Cut-Cliffs, as she was investigating a series of gruesome deaths of some of the miners, Aloy discovered them to be the work of a Rockbreaker, which she engaged and killed when it attacked her.[4]

Assisting in the defection of the Carja prince Itamen and his mother Nasadi from the Shadow Carja, Aloy was told by Three-Toe Huadiv of a Rockbreaker that prowled a gorge which they had to pass during their escape from the Shadow Carja that he wasn't able to defeat. Aloy then engaged and killed it before Itamen and Nasadi arrived.[5]

With the spreading of corruption in the Sun Furrows, two Rockbreakers became corrupted. They were subsequently destroyed by Aloy.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds[]

Umnak requested Aloy to put down the Claws Beneath due to the danger it was posing, with two chieftains having been killed by it, as he was no longer able to fight it due to age. Aloy accepted and destroyed the legendary Rockbreaker.[2]

Sometime between Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West[]

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

Horizon Forbidden West[]

As the second half of Porguf's expedition tried to cross the Spinebreak, a Rockbreaker attacked them and caused the tunnel to collapse, killing all of them and trapping the first half of the expedition in the Clan Lands with no way home.[6] Aloy and Talanah also found themselves unable to cross the Spinebreak from the east side, forcing them to find another way.[7]

Later meeting what was left of Porguf's expedition, Aloy searched the Spinebreak from the west side, discovering the fate of the second half of the expedition and taking down the Rockbreaker that killed them.[6] Now with the Spinebreak safe, the Oseram were able to work to clear the tunnel, making it passable again.

When Aloy infiltrated Cauldron KAPPA and overrode its core, she regained access to the information needed to override Rockbreakers.[8]

Appearance[]

A Rockbreaker’s chassis closely resembles the body of a badger or a mole, though unlike these animals, it has a tail whose length is approximately one quarter of the length of its body. Its most prominent feature is a massive mouth, composed of an enormous roller-cone drill bit. Each cone is set in a hinged jaw. This configuration allows the bit, and therefore the mouth, to expand as needed. Twin optical sensor arrays are located in the same position on the head as a mole’s eyes. However, while a mole has very poor eyesight, a Rockbreaker’s optical sensors are fully functional. At the end of each of its four short, stout, powerful limbs is a large extremity called a digging arm that resembles an excavator’s shovel. Under the machine's belly are twin Blaze sacs, and twin exhaust ports are positioned atop the body at the base of the tail.

Behavior[]

The Rockbreaker is built for underground mining operations, tunneling through rock and soil with its mouth, ingesting large quantities of rock, which it processes and extracts mineral resources from. It surfaces frequently to expel large boulders, presumably boulders of processed rock, from its mouth. During activity, it may form a mound of rubble on the surface containing resources that humans find useful. At intervals it rests on the surface for a short time, presumably to release accumulated exhaust, before descending underground again. The mineral resources that it extracts are presumably collected for transport to Cauldrons to manufacture new machine units. Post-derangement, it was also used as a means of area denial against human interlopers; when the one that Aloy killed in the gorge between the Branded Shore and Shadow Carja territory first appeared, the Shadow Carja allowed it to remain there to discourage the use of this gorge to access their territory.

Like all large machines, Rockbreakers are never found in groups of more than two. They are among the rarest machines to encounter in the wilds, seeming to be found primarily in mountainous or rocky terrain: with one notable exception, they have been observed only in arid regions.

Rockbreakers can function for multiple decades, as shown with the Claws Beneath's age.

Abilities[]

A Rockbreaker’s most formidable ability is its subterranean capacity; it can emerge from the ground, attack, then immediately return underground to emerge and attack at another position entirely. This ability works in tandem with the speed at which it ambulates underground; a Rockbreaker “swims” through the ground below the surface with the ease of a shark swimming underwater. Thus it can repeatedly emerge, attack, return underground and change position at very high speed. The only indication of its location is the dust trail and rumbling sound that the ground produces when the machine is moving near the surface. Furthermore, the Rockbreaker’s subterranean ability makes putting it into an elemental state difficult, as it hinders the repeated strikes from elemental weapons needed to cause such a state. This is also the case with tying it down; by going underground, the Rockbreaker breaks any attached Ropecaster lines before full tie-down is achieved.

Rockbreakers are sensitive to sound. If a human walks or runs on ground under which a Rockbreaker is present, it will zero in on the sound and attack. If a projectile or energy weapon is fired, the Rockbreaker immediately zeroes in, not on the sound of the projectile or energy bolt striking, but on the sound of the weapon being fired. This includes the relatively quiet sound of a bow release.

Rockbreakers mainly employ melee attacks, most of which utilize their ability to emerge on the surface at high speed. However, they can also ambulate on the surface with surprising speed and are actually capable of overtaking an athletic human at full run. Additionally, they employ a ranged attack in which they hurl boulders from their mouths at an enemy.

Weaknesses[]

Rockbreakers are more susceptible to Freeze attacks than other machines, although putting them in a Freeze state can be difficult as previously explained. They are reliant on their four digging arms for tunneling underground; removal of all four arms prevents them from going underground, thereby disabling all of their subterranean attacks, and reduces their surface speed to a slow, hopping crawl. Ranged weapon strikes on their exhaust ports inflict significant damage. Destruction of each fuel sac triggers a large explosion that will apply the burning effect. Finally, they are unable to dig under watercourses (likely a hardwired safety protocol); thus a hunter can move beyond all of their attacks save their ranged attacks by crossing a river.

Attacks[]

Horizon Zero Dawn[]

Name Damage Type Primary Damage Secondary Damage Trigger Range Description
Leaping Crush Melee 250 - 0m - 15m (surface to submerged)
0m - 24m (submerged to surface)
0 - 30m (submerged to submerged)
Propels chassis out of ground and lands on enemy
Jaw Smash Melee 200 - 0m - 14m Lunging bite with jaws
Lunge Crush Melee 200 - 10m - 19 Springs forward and lands on enemy
Shark Bite Melee 200 - N/A Emerges vertically from ground to envelop enemy in jaws
Spinning Smash Melee 180 - 0m - 10m Rotating bludgeon attack with body
Rock Blast Explosion 50 per rock - 0m - 30m Hurls boulders horizontally from mouth at enemy
Rock Volcano Explosion 100 150 per rock N/A Hurls boulders vertically from mouth around body at the enemy

Horizon Forbidden West[]

Name Windup Time Stance Damage Damage Area Trigger Range Description
Dirt Jet Medium Grounded 50 Ranged - 0m - 30m Spews a torrent of rocks and debris in an arcing trajectory.
Dirt Volcano Long Burrowed 55 Ranged

Fire-Icon 55

Fire-Icon 55 buildup

Fire-Icon 10/s

Fire-Icon 10/s buildup

0m - 14m Erupts below target with upper half exposed and spits out burning rocks that rain down and create a Fire explosion on impact and residual Fire damage areas.

Fire damage disabled when Drenched.

Snap Bite Short Grounded

Half-Burrowed

220 Melee - 10m - 29m Fast lunging bite.
Lunge Bite Medium Grounded

Half-Burrowed

220 Melee - 0m - 10m Rears back and lunges toward target while biting as it moves along the surface.

Attack disabled when Slowed.

Spin Attack Short Grounded

Half-Burrowed

220 Melee

Crushed Crushed 50

- 0m - 30m Spins 180o while swiping with its tail.
Jump Attack Short Grounded

Half-Burrowed

275 Melee

Crushed Crushed 50

- 0m - 15m Dives at target when emerging from the ground.
Shark Bite Short Burrowed 275 Melee - 0m - 24m Angles body vertically and emerges below target while biting. Can do this up to three times in quick succession.

Components[]

Horizon Zero Dawn[]

Component: Image: Information: Weakness: Strength:
Body Rockbreaker-Body Hard outer casing to protect synthetic muscle and operational systems. Freeze-Icon Freeze Fire-Icon Fire
Digging Arm Rockbreaker-DiggingArm Destroying these components disables the ability to burrow underground. Tear-Icon Tear None
Exhaust Port Rockbreaker-ExhaustPort Hitting this component deals greater damage to the machine. All None
Fuel Sac Rockbreaker-FuelSac Destroying this component disables the ranged elemental attack, and triggers an elemental explosion damaging anything in the area. All None

Horizon Forbidden West[]

Name Image Description Attributes
Body Hard outer casing to protect synthetic muscle and operational systems. None
Mining Claw Large, razor-sharp tunneling devices. Detach or destroy all four Claws to disable its ability to burrow underground.
  • Detachable
  • Ability Removal
  • Destroyed When Killed
  • Key Upgrade Resource
Blaze Sac Blaze storage. Destroy to disable Adhesive attacks or leave intact to add loot to the carcass.
  • Explosive
  • Attack Removal
  • Persists When Killed
  • Contains Resources If Intact
Resource Canister Storage canister for valuable resources. Tear off to collect its contents.
  • Detachable
  • Contains Valuable Resources
  • Destroyed When Killed
Exhaust Port Waste expulsion. Especially vulnerable to damage.
  • Indestructible
  • Weak Spot

Loot[]

Horizon Zero Dawn[]


Horizon Forbidden West[]

Variants[]

Variant Weak Vs. Strong Vs.
Rockbreaker Freeze-Icon Frost

Shock-Icon Shock

Fire-Icon Fire
Apex Rockbreaker Fire-Icon Fire Freeze-Icon Frost

Shock-Icon Shock

Trivia[]

  • The Rockbreaker shares many similarities with the Diablos of the Monster Hunter franchise. Both have similar body shapes, methods of attack and movement, and a vulnerability to freezing/ice damage.
    • Coincidentally, it was announced during 2017 Paris Game Week that Horizon: Zero Dawn will have special collaboration with the CAPCOM series, suggesting that Aloy's appearance and Zero Dawn-themed equipment will be accessible via DLC on Monster Hunter World, exclusively on the PS4 release.
    • Th Rockbreaker is also similar to the Red Eye from the 2010 Xbox 360 Action, third-person shooter game, Lost Planet 2, in that they are both gigantic subterranean-like creatures and are also fought in desert-like area, additionally, the strategy of shooting at their weakpoints is very similar.
    • Another similarity the Rockbreaker has is with the 10th Colossus from the PlayStation 2 game, Shadow of The Colossus, another PlayStation-exclusive installment recently remade for PlayStation 4. As they both are subterranean serpentine-like creature with split lower jaw that attack in a similar manner. The weak point of both creatures is also on their lower back.
  • The Rockbreaker is the only large machine not involved in any part of the main quest in Horizon Zero Dawn.
  • Rockbreakers seem to be much rarer than other Zero Dawn machines; the only known Rockbreaker site in Horizon Zero Dawn being the one in the Rustwash region, which spawns two units at a time. Any Rockbreakers encountered beyond this site are one-time quest-specific occurrences. Similarly in Horizon Forbidden West, they're only found within two sites in the desert and nowhere else, with Breaking Even being the only quest that the Rockbreaker is involved in.
  • The Rockbreaker's eyes have a wrench-like shape on them.
  • During development, the Rockbreaker was referred to as the Mole.[9]
  • Only one Rockbreaker is required to be killed in Horizon Forbidden West to advance the game, every other large machines (besides the Specter Prime and Horus bosses) have at least two mandatory encounters where they must be defeated to progress through the area.

Gallery[]

References[]

Wiki Navigation[]

Machines
Horizon Zero Dawn
Acquisition Class Broadhead - Charger - FireclawFW - FrostclawFW - Glinthawk - Grazer - Lancehorn - Rockbreaker - Scrapper - Snapmaw - Strider - Trampler
Combat Class Corruptor - Deathbringer - Ravager - Sawtooth - ScorcherFW - Stalker - Stormbird - Thunderjaw
Communications Class Tallneck
Recon Class Longleg - Redeye Watcher - Watcher
Transport Class Behemoth - Bellowback - Shell-Walker
Unknown Class Control TowerFW
Variants Corrupted machine - Daemonic machineFW
Horizon Forbidden West
Acquisition Class BilegutBS - Bristleback - Charger - Clamberjaw - Fanghorn - Fireclaw - Frostclaw - Glinthawk - Grazer - Lancehorn - Plowhorn - Rockbreaker - Scrapper - Scrounger - Snapmaw - Spikesnout - StingspawnBS - Sunwing - Tideripper - WaterwingBS - Widemaw
Combat Class Clawstrider - Corruptor - Dreadwing - Grimhorn - HorusBS - Ravager - Scorcher - Shellsnapper - Slaughterspine - Slitherfang - Specter - Specter Prime - Stalker - Stormbird - Thunderjaw - Tremortusk
Recon Class Longleg - Redeye Watcher - Skydrifter - Tallneck
Transport Class Behemoth - Bellowback - Leaplasher - Rollerback - Shell-Walker
Unknown Class Defense DroneBS
Variants Apex machine - Corrupted machineBS
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