Shell-Walker

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

Shell Walker
Prioritizes protecting its cargo above all else, utilizing its energy shield and ranged shock attacks.
Size	Medium
Weight	Midweight
Class	Transport
Override	Cauldron RHO (HZD) Cauldron CHI (HFW)
Machine Sites	9 (5 convoys) (HZD) 1 (2 convoys) (HFW)
Combat
Challenge Level	18 28 (Daemonic) 29 (Apex)
HP	800 1200 (Apex) 1400 (Daemonic)
Weakness	None (HZD) Acid (HFW)
Strength	Shock Fire (HFW)
Explosive Components	Power Generator
Weak Points	Eyes Lightning Gun Shield Claw Crate Holders

"It crawls like a spider, and carries a container on its back. I wonder what's inside?"

―Aloy, upon sighting a Shell-Walker

The Shell-Walker, also formatted as Shellwalker, is a Transport Class machine in Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West and Horizon Call of the Mountain.

History

An envoy of two Shell-Walkers and three Watchers.

While it's unknown when Shell-Walkers were first released, they became commonplace in the Sacred Lands, the Valleymeet, the Sundom, the Cut, the Clan Lands, and the western Burning Shores.

The Derangement

At the advent of the Derangement, almost all machines started becoming increasingly aggressive towards humans, including the Shell-Walkers. By the time of Aloy reaching adulthood, Shell-Walkers, while still tending to flee upon seeing a human, will attack humans that get too close.

Horizon Zero Dawn

Aloy hunting some Shell-Walkers.

Aloy encountered Shell-Walkers while infiltrating Cauldron SIGMA.

When Aloy infiltrated Cauldron RHO and overrode its core, she gained access to the information needed to override Shell-Walkers.

The Spurflints Hunting Grounds use Shell-Walkers in their trials, with one trial known as the 'Sleight of Crate Trial' requiring hunters to loot four Shell-Walker Crates.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds

Daemonic Shell-Walkers were among the machines Aloy, Aratak and Ourea destroyed during their expedition through Cauldron EPSILON.

Sometime between Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West

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

Horizon Forbidden West

(8) Wanting to use materials from a Shell-Walker to build a set of armor, Larend hired Aloy with a contract to hunt a Shell-Walker, which Aloy successfully did.

Aloy encountered Shell-Walkers while infiltrating Cauldrons MU, IOTA and KAPPA.

Ikkotah invited Aloy on a machine hunt in the Stand of the Sentinels, with Shell-Walkers being one of the machines they hunted.

When Aloy infiltrated Cauldron CHI and overrode its core, she regained access to the information needed to override Shell-Walkers.

Aloy and Kotallo encountered some Shell-Walkers and Scrappers salvaging the dead Specters outside the Ninmah Research Lab, which they either destroyed or snuck past.

Appearance

A Shell-Walker’s chassis is a hermit crab-like in appearance. It has six stout crab-like legs connected radially to a body primarily composed of a platform upon which it carries a hexagonal cargo container. On the underside of the platform is a power generator. The container is presumably fastened to the platform electromagnetically, and further held in place via structures known as Crate Holders. The head is laterally wide, with a triangular optical sensor array located at each end. Additionally, a Shell-Walker has a pair of limbs that are akin to the chelipeds of a crab. An energy shield generator is on the end on the left limb, and a weapon that fires projectiles of electrical energy, dubbed a Lighting Gun, is at the end of the right limb. A projection carrying a pair of long antennae protrudes vertically from the left side of the head.

Behavior

Shell-Walkers may be found in groups of a few units at various sites in tribal lands. They mill about, communicating via electronic warbles. They also walk in machine convoys accompanied by Watchers or Longlegs, carrying their cargo to cauldrons. A Shell-Walker’s highest priority is the defense of its cargo. Indeed, the Spurflints Hunting Grounds Keeper advised the Nora huntress Aloy that “Shell-Walkers will defend their cargo with their lives”. If its Crate Holders are destroyed, a Shell-Walker will used its Lightning Gun (if intact) to hold its cargo container in place.

Shell-Walkers attack humans on sight. Upon identifying a human, a Shell-Walker will emit a loud, angry metallic warble, alerting other nearby Shell-Walkers or other machines, raise its energy shield and let fly at the human with shots from its lightning gun. If the human is at close range, it will resort to melee attacks. Shell-Walkers usually walk in a slow, precise manner. However when attacking, they ambulate with surprising speed. When engaging a perceived threat, a Shell-Walker ambulates in a manner that always keeps it facing the threat, allowing its energy shield to be most effective.

Horizon Zero Dawn Convoys

While Shell-Walkers are found in multiple regions, 4 Shell-Walker convoys are in the Carja Sundom, while 1 is in Valleymeet:

• Convoy 1: 3 Shell-Walkers, 2 Watchers Convoy: path is in the Gatelands on the road from Greatrun Hunting Grounds, past Cauldron RHO, and ends southeast of Tallneck: Copper Deeps.
• Convoy 2: 1 Shell-Walker, 2 Watchers convoy: path starts south of the Copper Deeps Tallneck and ends near the Longleg site north of the Spurflints Hunting Grounds.
• Convoy 3: 1 Shell-Walker, 3 Watchers convoy: path is solely in Sun Furrows, around the Sun Furrows Hunting Grounds.
• Convoy 4: 2 Shell-Walkers, 1 Longleg convoy: path starts at Unflinching Watch; goes past the Rockwreath, Cut-Cliffs, and Day's Height; ends near the Longleg site north of Spurflints Hunting Grounds.
• Convoy 5: 1 Shell-Walker, 2 Watchers convoy: path runs from south of Cauldron SIGMA, goes west and ends at an intersection north of the Valleymeet Hunting Grounds.

Abilities

A Shell-Walker’s shield generator produces a visible forward-facing energy shield that is impenetrable to projectiles, such as arrows. A Shell-Walker also employs a number of offensive ranged electric attacks, a defensive radial electric attack, and melee smashing attacks. utilizing its shield, lightning gun and shield generator as bludgeons.

Weaknesses

A Shell-walker may be deprived of its energy shield by destroying the generator. Strikes with explosive ammunition such as Blast Bombs or high-damage arrows such as Precision Arrows will destroy the generator. A single strike with a Tearblast Arrow or the Tearblaster will tear the generator off the limb that carries it. If a Tearblast Arrow explodes directly beneath the Shell-Walker’s power generator, it causes a Shock explosion that stuns the machine.

Attacks

Horizon Zero Dawn

Name	Damage Type	Primary Damage	Secondary Damage	Trigger Range	Description
Claw Combo	Melee	200	-	2m - 8m (1st) 3.5m - 12m (2nd)	Lunges at target with gun, then with shield, then with gun
Multi-Claw Strike	Melee	200	-	2m - 8m	Lunges at target and repeatedly strikes with gun
Shield Claw Strike	Melee	200	-	2m - 8m	Bashes target with shield, knocking them over
360 Shock	Shock	300	-	0m - 12m	Charges up, then releases a radial shock blast around it
Charging Shock Blast	Shock	80	-	10m - 30m	Charges gun, then fires a shock blast that leaves behind lingering shock
Homing Shock Blast	Shock	140	30 per second for 5 seconds	30m - 60m	Charges gun, then fires a shock blast that slowly homes towards target
Shock Volley	Shock	80	-	30m - 60m	Charges gun, then burst-fires three small shock blasts

Horizon Forbidden West

Name	Windup Time	Damage	Damage Area	Trigger Range	Description
Shield Claw Swipe	Medium	220 Melee	-	2m - 10m	Hops forward and swipes with its Shield Claw.
Multi Clap Snap	Medium	110 Melee/hit	-	2m - 10m	Jumps 3 times in quick succession while snapping with its Lightning Gun claw.
Claw Combo	Medium	190 Melee/hit	-	2m - 10m	Three-hit lunging combo with both claws. Stops combo if it lands a hit.
Advancing Electric Shot	Medium	105 40 buildup	15/s 15/s buildup	10m - 40m	Fires a single shock orb from Lightning Gun as it advances towards target. Orb generates a residual shock damage area on impact. Attack disabled when Drenched,
Electric Shot Homing	Medium	200 75 buildup	15/s 15/s buildup	30m - 90m	Charges Lightning Gun and fires a shock orb that tracks target as it travels. Explodes on impact and generates a residual shock damage area. Attack disabled when Drenched.
Electric Shot Volley	Medium	105/shot 40 buildup/shot	15/s 15/s buildup	30m - 90m	Uses Lightning Gun to fire 3 shock orbs in an arcing trajectory and explodes on impact, creating a residual shock damage area. Attack disabled when Drenched.
360 Electric Discharge	Medium	320 90 buildup	-	0m - 12m	Unleashes a 360o shock blast in a large area surrounding its body. Attack disabled when Drenched.

Components

Horizon Zero Dawn

Image:	Component:	Information:	Weakness:	Strength:
	Body	Hard outer casing to protect synthetic muscle and operational systems.	None	Shock
	Crate Holders	Destroying this component will detach the cargo container.	All	None
	Lightning Gun	Destroying this component disables the ranged Shock attacks.	Tear	None
	Power Generator	Destroying this component disables the ranged Shock attacks.	All	None
	Shield Claw	Destroying this component disables the energy shield.	Tear	None

Horizon Forbidden West

Name	Image	Description	Attributes
Body		Hard outer casing to protect synthetic muscle and operational systems.	None
Lightning Gun		Detach or destroy this powerful weapon to disable ranged Shock attacks.	Detachable Attack Removal Destroyed When Killed Key Upgrade Resource
Antenna		Signal transmitter used to call in machine reinforcements.	Detachable Reinforcement Call Removal Contains Valuable Resources Destroyed When Killed
Power Generator		Reinforced power source. Destroy to disable Shock attacks and the shield or leave intact to add loot to the carcass.	Explosive Persists When Killed Contains Resources If Intact
Shield Claw		Generates a large, defensive energy barrier. Break the shield temporarily by damaging it or detach the Claw to permanently disable.	Detachable Ability Removal Contains Valuable Resources Destroyed When Killed
Cargo Holders		Sturdy cargo clamps. Detach or destroy to collect resources from the cargo container.	Detachable Ability Removal Contains Valuable Resources Destroyed When Killed

Loot

Horizon Zero Dawn

Metal Shards

1

Metal Vessel

4

Sparker

1

Wire

1

Machine Core - Medium

50

Luminous Braiding

30

Shell-Walker Lens

17

Shell-Walker Heart

34

Horizon Forbidden West

• Shell-Walker
• Apex Shell-Walker

Body

• Sparker (100%)
• Metal Shards (100%)
• Crystal Braiding (100%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (69%)
• Machine Muscle (30%)
• Medium Machine Core (27%)
• Shell-Walker Circulator (27%)
• Braided Wire (20%)
• Shell-Walker Primary Nerve (18%)
• Metal Bone (10%)

Lightning Gun

• Shell-Walker Lightning Gun (100%)

Antenna

• Braided Wire (67%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (34%)
• Shell-Walker Primary Nerve (11%)

Power Generator

• Sparker (100%)
• Crystal Braiding (10%)

Shield Claw

• Braided Wire (67%)
• Crystal Braiding (51%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (34%)

Cargo Holders

• None

Body

• Crystal Braiding (100%)
• Sparker (100%)
• Metal Shards (100%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (69%)
• Apex Shell-Walker Heart (53%)
• Volatile Sludge (50%)
• Machine Muscle (31%)
• Medium Machine Core (27%)
• Shell-Walker Circulator (27%)
• Braided Wire (20%)
• Shell-Walker Primary Nerve (18%)
• Metal Bone (10%)

Lightning Gun

• Shell-Walker Lightning Gun (100%)

Antenna

• Braided Wire (67%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (34%)
• Shell-Walker Primary Nerve (10%)

Power Generator

• Sparker (100%)
• Crystal Braiding (10%)

Shield Claw

• Braided Wire (68%)
• Crystal Braiding (51%)
• Sturdy Hardplate (33%)

Cargo Holders

• None

Variants

Variant	Weak Vs.	Strong Vs.
Shell-Walker	Acid	Fire Shock
Apex Shell-Walker	Acid	Fire Shock

Trivia

• During development, Shell-Walkers were originally named Scuttlers. The original name can still be seen in the description for the Carja Ropecaster Tutorial.
• If you were to destroy the Shield claw, Lightning gun and the Power generator the Shellwalker would be unable to attack you and would instead attempt to attack you but cant.
• The Shell-Walker is the only HEPHAESTUS machine in both games to be based on invertebrate life form, appearing to resemble a crustacean. This feature is more pronounced in FARO Chariot Peacekeepers, which are built to have insectoid appendages or cephalopodic features.
• If a Shell-Walker's crate holders are destroyed, it will attempt to hold the crate with its claw, unless that too is destroyed. The way it grabs the crate implies that the claw can also manipulate gravity to some extent, or the crate and the claw have a specific magnetism. The gravity manipulation theory is reinforced by the fact that when a Shell-Walker uses its 360 attack, nearby objects are lifted upwards.
• If the crate is destroyed, nothing can be recovered from it. Meleeing the machine with the crate on top will almost certainly yield no additional rewards.
• Shell-Walkers are currently the only machine with a hyphenated name.

Gallery

Concept Art

Concept art by Miguel Angel Martinez

Early 3D concept by Miguel Angel Martinez

Horizon Zero Dawn Convoys

Convoy 1

Convoy 1 path

Convoy 2

Convoy 2 path

Convoy 3

Convoy 3 path

Convoy 4

Convoy 4 path

Convoy 5 path