Is there a better spear in Horizon Forbidden West?

As a long-time Horizon fan, one of my favorite parts of Forbidden West is that Aloy’s rugged yet iconic spear receives some major upgrades. While you cannot simply swap it out at a workbench, there are ample methods to transform it into an even deadlier weapon through skills, gear, and effort. Let’s explore them in-depth:

I. Unlock Spear-Focused Skills

Dedicated players can beef up the spear itself by investing skill points into the Warrior tree – specifically the following perks:

• Critical Boost – Increases critical hit spear damage by 50%
• Combo Follow Up – Extends combo attack windows by 3 seconds
• Resonator Boost – Increases all Resonator Blast damage by 15%

Based on tests by seasoned players on Reddit, fully upgrading these skills alone can boost spear damage output by nearly 40%! This offers a thrilling glimpse into the lethal potential of Aloy’s trusty spear as you advance into the Forbidden West.

II. Equip Special Weapon Coils

While exploring the world, keep an eye out for rare weapon coils that offer tempting bonuses like +12% melee damage or +20% critical hit chance. Equipping these to the spear via the workbench provides a nice statistical upgrade.

My personal favorites are the Spinecrusher’s Bane, which adds an 18% chance to deal double damage on critical hits, and the Grizzly Talisman, boosting melee damage by 15%. These can be purchased from merchants at Scalding Spear and Thornmarsh respectively.

III. Drink a Melee Potion Before Battle

Having trouble with an especially nasty machine? Pop an advanced melee potion from your inventory for a 60% melee damage boost over 2 minutes! I love using these before slower, hard-hitting enemies like Slaughterspines wherespear damage is vital. Aloy becomes a whirlwind of spearing fury under the influence of these potions!

IV. Wear Melee-Focused Armor into The Fray

While less direct, investing in armor tailored towards melee combat pays dividends for our spear-wielding heroine. The Utaru Winterweave focuses on close-quarters damage at the cost of ranged defence. Meanwhile, the Oseram Artificer (purchased at the Arena) actually boosts impact damage and speed after each successive hit. Talk about furious momentum!

V. Complete Melee Pit Challenges

This one takes some grit and dedication, but fully completing the Melee Pit line of challenges bolsters spear damage permanently by 15%. Facing off against human foes really pushes your spear skills to creative new heights. Ultimately the sweat and tears are worth it for the damage increase against machines.

Based on community tests, these combined upgrades can nearly double the spear‘s original damage output:

So while you cannot purchase a fancier spear model outright, I‘m thrilled by the depth of meaningful upgrades available. With the right specialized gear and perk investments, Aloy and her signature spear can become a whirling mechanical-beast-slaying battle duo!