How to Conquer Daemonic Machines: A Comprehensive Guide

Daemonic Machines, corrupted by the rogue AI HEPHAESTUS, pose a significant challenge in the world they inhabit. These formidable foes are tougher, more aggressive, and more resistant than their corrupted and standard counterparts. Defeating them requires a blend of strategic thinking, tactical awareness, and exploiting their weaknesses. In short, defeating a Daemonic machine involves understanding their specific vulnerabilities, using tear damage to remove their armor, focusing on elemental weaknesses, and exploiting overheats or other exposed weak points, all while maintaining mobility and taking advantage of the environment. Let’s delve deeper into how you can overcome these mechanical monstrosities.

Understanding Daemonic Machines

What Makes Them Different?

Daemonic machines are not your typical enemies. They’re augmented by HEPHAESTUS, giving them several distinct traits:

• Enhanced Armor: Daemonic machines are heavily armored, with only a few vulnerable spots.
• Increased Aggression: They are far more aggressive than their standard counterparts, attacking with ferocity and relentless pursuit.
• High Resistance: Daemonic machines are significantly resistant to most types of damage and elemental states, making them harder to take down.
• Unique Visuals: Unlike corrupted machines, which display red lines when scanned, Daemonic machines are distinguished by purple tendrils and lines. They also often have a menacing purple glow.
• Immunity: Daemonic machines are immune to both corruption arrows and override attempts.

Key Strategies for Victory

While each Daemonic machine type has its unique weaknesses, some overarching strategies apply to all encounters:

• Tear Damage: Before inflicting significant damage, it’s crucial to utilize tearblast arrows to remove key components like armor plating, weapons, and cooling units. Removing armor will expose their more vulnerable areas and allow for higher damage.
• Elemental Exploitation: Daemonic machines still possess weaknesses to certain elements. Fire attacks are effective against Frostclaws, while Freeze attacks are ideal against Fireclaws. Understand the elemental affinity of each machine you face.
• Mobility is Crucial: Daemonic machines are fast and powerful. Maintain constant movement using dodges and rolls to avoid their attacks. Don’t get cornered.
• Strategic Use of the Environment: Use rocks, terrain features, and other obstacles to break line of sight, giving you opportunities to attack, heal, or plan your next move.
• Stealth and Luring: Use the environment to your advantage, hiding and luring individual Daemonic machines to isolate them from the group. Fighting them one on one is always preferable to engaging multiple enemies at the same time.
• Focus on Weak Points: Some Daemonic machines have obvious weak points like the missile launchers on the head of some, or the freeze unit on the Frostclaw’s underside. Target these for critical damage.
• Overheat Exploitation: Some Daemonic machines, like the “Demon” (a specific type), will occasionally overheat, revealing a cooling cell. Seize these moments to inflict high damage.

Specific Daemonic Machine Tactics

Daemonic Frostclaw

The Daemonic Frostclaw is a formidable foe that focuses on freezing attacks.

• Weakness: Fire-type ammunition is exceptionally effective against Frostclaws.
• Freeze Unit: Target the freeze unit on its underside when it rises on its hind legs. Destroying this will cause a powerful elemental explosion, momentarily freezing the machine and allowing for more damage.
• Avoid Burn Aura: Be mindful that when a Burn state is inflicted, the Frostclaw can create an icy aura to dissipate it.

Daemonic Fireclaw

The Daemonic Fireclaw is the antithesis of the Frostclaw, relying on fire-based attacks.

• Weakness: Freeze ammunition is the key to defeating this hot-headed machine.
• Prioritize Cooling Units: Focus your attacks on the cooling units to minimize its fire-based attacks.
• Maintain Distance: The Fireclaw’s close-range fire attacks can be devastating, so keep a safe distance.

Daemonic Scorcher

The Daemonic Scorcher can be very dangerous due to its speed and agility.

• Utilize Tear Damage: Prioritize using tearblast arrows to remove key components and armor.
• Exploit Elemental Weaknesses: Focus your attacks on exploiting its elemental weakness, which will vary depending on the specific machine’s modifications.
• Mobility: Keep moving, dodging, and rolling to avoid its close range attacks, especially when its fire attacks become more prominent as it gets damaged.

Daemonic Thunderjaw

The Daemonic Thunderjaw is a behemoth of destruction.

• Disc Launchers: Remove its disc launchers on its back with tearblast arrows and then use these against the Thunderjaw itself.
• Ropecaster: Use the ropecaster to tie it down, providing an opportunity for focused damage.
• Stun Attacks: Use repeated frost, fire, or shock attacks to stun the machine, allowing for strategic targeting of its weak points.

The “Demon”

The “Demon” machine has some specific vulnerabilities that should be focused on.

• Missile Launchers: Use standard attacks on the missile launchers on either side of its head until they are destroyed.
• Fire Arrows: Once the missile launchers are destroyed, use fire arrows on the main body.
• Overheat: Look out for the overheat phase where a cooling cell in the center of its body is exposed. Focus all of your damage onto this weak spot.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I override Daemonic machines?

No, Daemonic machines cannot be overridden. They are immune to corruption arrows and overrides.

2. Are Daemonic machines vulnerable to corruption arrows?

No, Daemonic machines are immune to corruption arrows.

3. What are the visual differences between corrupted and Daemonic machines?

Corrupted machines display red lines when scanned, while Daemonic machines show purple lines and tendrils, and have a purple glow.

4. Do Daemonic machines respawn?

Generally, Daemonic machines do not respawn. Clearing an area of corrupted machines is usually a permanent change.

5. What happens when I clear a corrupted zone?

Clearing a corrupted zone results in a safer environment, awards experience points, and provides metalburn loot from the defeated machines.

6. Are Daemonic saves invulnerable?

No, Daemonic saves are not invulnerable; they are simply very resistant to damage. Abilities that ignore invulnerable saves will not affect them.

7. Is there a way to stop HEPHAESTUS from creating more Daemonic machines?

Aloy successfully contained HEPHAESTUS within the dual cores at the GEMINI Cauldron, and following its release, HEPHAESTUS probably returned to a cauldron to continue producing deranged machines. As such, there is currently no way to permanently stop HEPHAESTUS.

8. Can human enemies be used to help fight against Daemonic machines?

Yes, you can target human enemies allied with Daemonic machines with corruption arrows. This will cause in-fighting between the humans, providing a distraction and an advantage.

9. What is the best weapon to use against Daemonic machines in general?

There isn’t a single best weapon. Using Tearblast arrows and exploiting elemental weaknesses are critical. A combination of a powerful Hunter bow, Sharpshot bow and weapons with high tear damage, as well as weapons for specific elemental weaknesses are essential.

10. What should I do if a Daemonic machine overheats?

When a machine overheats, an exposed cooling cell is often revealed. Focus all damage on this weak point for maximum impact.

11. Can I use the ropecaster on all Daemonic Machines?

While effective on some, like the Thunderjaw, the ropecaster may not work on all Daemonic machines. However, slowing them down using the ropecaster can be a valuable strategy.

12. Can I use corrupted machines to aid me in fighting Daemonic machines?

No, you cannot use corrupted machines to aid you. Daemonic machines are immune to the effects of corruption arrows and overriding.

13. What ammunition is best against a Daemonic Frostclaw?

Fire ammunition works best against Daemonic Frostclaws. Use it to trigger elemental reactions and exploit the Frostclaw’s weaknesses.

14. What ammunition is best against a Daemonic Fireclaw?

Freeze ammunition is the most effective way to fight a Daemonic Fireclaw. This will minimize its fire-based attacks and inflict significant damage.

15. Is Redmaw (a variant of the Thunderjaw) more difficult than a regular Thunderjaw?

Redmaw has more health and hits harder, but the core strategy for defeating a Thunderjaw is the same. Start by shooting off the gun on its back and the sides of its face, and then use them to attack.

By understanding the unique traits of Daemonic machines and applying the strategies outlined, you will be able to face these powerful enemies with confidence and prevail in your quest. Good luck hunter!