The Best Armor for Dominating Horizon Forbidden West‘s New Game Plus

I‘ve played through Horizon Forbidden West‘s post-game content more times than I can count. That‘s given me the chance to intimately test all of Aloy‘s armor sets in the game‘s brutal New Game Plus mode. In my expert opinion as a seasoned player, the Oseram Artificer armor stands leagues above the rest for demolishing machines in this hardcore setting.

Read on as I break down the stats and perks that make Artificer the best-in-class armor pick for Forbidden West veterans. We‘ll also cover other top-tier alternatives, tips to grab this rare gear, and plenty of insider knowledge no casual gamer would know!

Why Oseram Artificer Reigns Supreme

Let‘s kick things off by showcasing why the Oseram Artificer leaves all other outfits in the dust:

As you can see, the Oseram Artificer‘s raw melee stat and damage-boosting skills are just unfair. Fully-upgraded, it reaches a monstrous 95 melee rating. To put things in perspective, that‘s over 20 points higher than the next best armor!

When combined with its unique perks that add 50% extra melee damage and a 25% power attack boost, you‘ll melt through Forbidden West‘s toughest foes with ease. I can personally confirm this also makes previously challenging New Game+ battles an absolute cakewalk.

For players like myself who embrace an aggressive, machine-thrashing playstyle, this armor set is a must-have!

Grab Artificer from Salvage Contracts

Scoring the Oseram Artificer and its game-changing perks takes a bit of work. The armor is unlocked from The Salvager faction after completing all 19 Salvage Contracts. I‘d recommend saving these lengthy side activities until after reaching the main story‘s endgame.

Here are some tips to completing Salvage Contracts smoothly:

• Invest in the Salvage skill tree – Unlocking abilities like Second Chance and Ultra Salvage will make contracts far easier
• Use weapons with high tear – The Forgefall or Spikesplitter make tearing components off quickly a breeze
• Overprepare with potions/traps – Bring plenty of health potions and make good use of traps during the timed objectives
• Co-op if you struggle – Having an extra ally makes Salvage Contracts more forgiving

Trust me, the payoff is more than worth the grind!

Strong Alternatives to Consider

While I believe the Oseram Artificer has no equal in New Game Plus, a couple other armor sets still perform admirably:

Nora Thunder Warrior – Obtained as an Arena reward, this suit boasts impressive all-around stats. It also packs nice perks like +20% ranged damage and +20 second concentration for slow-motion aiming. Great for a balanced build.

Utaru Winterweave – This armor excels for stealthy hunters, with excellent concentration and low profile perks. If you prefer silent takedowns over direct confrontation, it‘s a solid choice.

Here‘s a quick attributes comparison:

While not topping raw damage potential, these two still outclass most other armors in Forbidden West. I personally like keeping them in my loadouts for certain encounters that play to their unique strengths.

Parting Thoughts from an Expert

Hopefully this gives you the full scoop on gearing up properly to tackle Forbidden West‘s New Game+ on Ultra Hard difficulty. Trust in my hundreds of hours of experience – the Oseram Artificer and its unrivaled melee perks are the perfect choice to crush your enemies without mercy.

Of course, I‘m always interested to hear what armor loadouts have worked for other players too. Let me know which suits you‘ve found success with in the comments! I‘m confident though that once you get the Artificer in your hands, you won‘t want to switch to anything else again.

Now get out there and give those pesky Slaughterspines a beatdown they won‘t soon forget. Thanks for reading and happy hunting!