- "Is that a machine or a walking fortress? Have to be careful with my aim."
- ―Aloy, spotting a Shellsnapper
The Shellsnapper is a machine in Horizon Forbidden West. It is a large combat machine, notable for its natural camouflage.[1]
History
Shellsnappers, being a combat class machine, were designed and produced by the rogue AI known as HEPHAESTUS during the Derangement. They were one of many kinds of 'hunter-killers' whose sole purpose was to kill humans.
Some time after the Battle of the Alight, Talanah Khane Padish and Amadis Beit Raveesh encountered a Shellsnapper in an underground lake near Sunbreak Valley, where it was seemingly guarding the entrance to a Cauldron.
Much later, Talanah and Aloy encountered and killed a Shellsnapper while looking for Amadis.
Appearance
The Shellsnapper resembles an enormous snapping turtle. Its main body is mostly unarmored, with an armored, flat skull akin to a turtle on an extendable neck, four big legs with minimal armor, a pair of Chillwater sacs and multiple ground drills on its underbelly, and a short, stout tail. The bulk of this machine comes from its shell: a massive, circular, heavily armored piece that nearly covers the whole machine and is blue with energy, which will turn orange if enough damage is applied to it and can be covered in foliage depending on how long it sits. Along the shell are four connection bolts that keep the shell on, with two extra on a smaller, elevated area behind the shell, and four frost blasters, capable of spewing a frosty mist or shooting frost grenades. Under the shell are four plasma generators that make plasma attacks, a few Sparkers, many refining cores, and a kinetic dynamo in the center that serves as the reason the Shellsnapper's shell turns damage to energy and is only exposed as a weak spot when the main shell is completely off.
Behavior
This machine guards the shores and swamps of the Forbidden West. It can dig itself in and lie dormant for weeks, during which its impenetrable shell can become covered by the surrounding foliage.[2] Despite this, it is capable of readying itself for battle in moments, effectively ambushing intruders.[1]
Abilities
Despite its size, the Shellsnapper is quite fast, and capable of leaping. It seems to be able to stretch its neck a small amount in order to bite opponents, similar to real-life snapping turtles. It is also capable of firing a power blast at targets, mainly frost balls. Not only is its shell capable of withstanding powerful attacks, but as it takes damage, it will build up a large amount of energy, and after a few more attacks, will release as a large burst, capable of stunning multiple hunters.
Weaknesses
The Shellsnapper cannot get energy from arrow attacks, and destroying the shell bolts removes a big section of the shell, exposing the plasma generator. When the main shell is fully off, the kinetic dynamo is exposed, providing a exploitable weakspot. Shooting the Chillwater sacs disables the Shellsnapper's frost blast attacks. The frost cannons can be torn off and used as a weapon. However, the Shellsnapper's resistance to frost damage renders the cannons next to useless.
Attacks
| Name | Windup Time | Stance | Damage | Trigger Range | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snap Bite | Short | Grounded
Shell Camouflage |
Snap Bite: 176 Melee
Ice Cloud: 44 Ranged, |
8m - 10m | |
| Forward Slash | Medium | Grounded
Camouflaged |
Forward Slash: 176 Melee
Ice Cloud: 44 Ranged, |
6m - 22m | |
| Backward Slash | Medium | Grounded | Backward Slash: 176 Melee
Ice Cloud: 44 Ranged, |
10m - 22m | |
| Tail Crack | Short | Grounded
Camouflaged |
209 Melee
|
0m - 11m | |
| Springing Belly Flop | Medium | Grounded/Burrowed | 329 Melee
|
0m - 30m | |
| Freeze Blaster | Medium | Grounded/Burrowed | Freeze Blaster: 80 Ranged,  80, 114 buildup
Damage Areas: |
20m - 50m | |
| Tracking Cryo Blast | Short | Grounded | 55/s
|
0m - 13m | |
| Tracking Burst | Short | Grounded | 225 Ranged | 12m - 75m | |
| Deafening Roar | Medium | Grounded | Deafened | 9m - 50m | |
| Belly Flop/Power Belly Flop | Medium | Grounded | 400 Melee
|
6m - 15m | |
| Power Blaster | Long | Grounded | Power Blaster: 100/s Ranged
End Explosion: 540 Ranged |
25m - 60m |
Components
- Body
- Processing Capsule
- Energy Shield Shell
- Shell Bolt
- Frost Blaster
- Plasma Generator
- Sparker
- Refining Core
- Kinetic Dynamo
- Chillwater Sac
- Resource Container
- Acid Canister (Apex Variant)
Loot
Body Loot
- Metal Shards
- Purgewater
- Sturdy Hardplate
- Shellsnapper Circulator
- Machine Core (Large)
- Shellsnapper Primary Nerve
- Machine Muscle
- Braided Wire
- Crystal Braiding
- Luminous Brainstem
- Metal Bone
Processing Capsule Loot
- Braided Wire
- Blastpaste
- Sturdy Hardplate
- Luminous Brainstem
Shell Bolt Loot
Plasma Generator Loot
Sparker Loot
Refining Core Loot
- Braided Wire
- Blastpaste
- Sturdy Hardplate
- Machine Core (Large)
- Shellsnapper Primary Nerve
Chillwater Sac Loot
- Chillwater
Resource Container Loot
- Braided Wire
- Blastpaste
- Sturdy Hardplate
- Machine Core (Large)
- Shellsnapper Primary Nerve
Variant Loot
Trivia
- The Shellsnapper is the only large machine introduced in Horizon Forbidden West that is not part of the main quest.
- Shellsnappers were shown to have aquatic capabilities in the announcement trailer for Horizon Forbidden West and the Horizon Zero Dawn comic series, though they appear to completely lack any aquatic capabilities in the game.
Gallery
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Horizon Zero Dawn #4, page 1
- ↑ https://twitter.com/Guerrilla/status/1276228808236990465 Guerrilla on Twitter: "Meet the Machines!"
| Machines | |
|---|---|
| Horizon Zero Dawn | |
| Acquisition Class | Broadhead - Charger - Fireclaw - Frostclaw - Glinthawk - Grazer - Lancehorn - Rockbreaker - Scrapper - Snapmaw - Strider - Trampler |
| Chariot Class | Corruptor - Deathbringer - Metal Devil |
| Combat Class | Ravager - Sawtooth - Scorcher - Stalker - Stormbird - Thunderjaw |
| Communication Class | Tallneck |
| Recon Class | Longleg - Watcher (Redeye Watcher) |
| Transport Class | Behemoth - Bellowback - Shell-Walker |
| Unknown Class | Control Tower |
| Horizon Forbidden West | |
| Acquisition Class | Bristleback - Clamberjaw - Fanghorn - Plowhorn - Scrounger - Spikesnout - Sunwing - Tideripper - Widemaw |
| Combat Class | Clawstrider - Dreadwing - Grimhorn - Shellsnapper - Slaughterspine - Slitherfang - Specter - Specter Prime - Tremortusk |
| Recon Class | Burrower - Skydrifter |
| Transport Class | Leaplasher - Rollerback |
