Mastering Your Inventory: A Deep Dive into Pouch Upgrades in Horizon Forbidden West
In Horizon Forbidden West, managing your resources and ensuring you have enough ammo, potions, and crafting materials is crucial for survival. The game provides a robust system of pouch upgrades to help you maximize your carrying capacity. But just how many upgrades are available, and how do you make the most of them? Let’s dive in!
Each pouch can be upgraded three times, allowing you to carry more of a specific item with each upgrade. This system is vital for Aloy’s efficiency, allowing her to explore the Forbidden West without constantly running back to settlements to offload items. Understanding how to prioritize and efficiently upgrade these pouches can dramatically improve your gameplay experience.
Pouch Upgrades: The Key to Aloy’s Preparedness
Horizon Forbidden West’s inventory management system is designed to be both engaging and rewarding. While the game doesn’t feature a hard inventory limit, the pouch system is fundamental to streamlining Aloy’s capabilities. By effectively upgrading your pouches, you minimize the need to visit Stashes constantly, keeping you immersed in the exploration and combat.
Types of Pouches in Horizon Forbidden West
There are five main types of pouches that can be upgraded:
- Resource Pouch: This pouch holds machine parts and valuables that you can sell for shards. Upgrading this pouch is essential for maximizing your profits.
- Food Pouch: Allows Aloy to carry more food items, which are critical for healing during combat.
- Potion Pouch: Holds health potions and resistance potions, providing crucial buffs during challenging encounters.
- Trap Pouch: Designed to carry more traps, giving you more tactical options in battles.
- Ammo Pouch: This category includes multiple sub-pouches, each dedicated to specific ammo types for your various bows and weapons.
Why Upgrade Your Pouches?
Upgrading your pouches offers several significant benefits:
- Increased Carrying Capacity: As mentioned earlier, you can hold more of essential items.
- Improved Efficiency: Spend less time managing inventory and more time exploring and fighting.
- Enhanced Combat Readiness: Ensures you always have enough ammo and potions for tough battles.
Fastest Way to Upgrade Pouches!
The most efficient method involves prioritizing the pouches you use most frequently. Early on, focus on the resource pouch and ammo pouches, as these directly impact your ability to gather resources and engage in combat effectively. To upgrade your pouches, you’ll typically need to gather specific resources, often involving hunting animals or defeating machines. Checking the upgrade requirements at a crafting bench is crucial for targeted resource collection.
Crafting Benches: The Hub for Pouch Upgrades
To upgrade your pouches, head to any crafting bench found in settlements and camps throughout the Forbidden West. Select the “Pouch Upgrades” option to see the available upgrades and their requirements. Gather the necessary resources and craft the upgrade to increase your pouch capacity. This system ensures that Aloy can carry more arrows, bombs, potions, and other essential items, improving her efficiency and preparedness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Pouch Upgrades
Below are 15 frequently asked questions to help you navigate the complexities of pouch upgrades and inventory management in Horizon Forbidden West.
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How many times can each pouch be upgraded?
Each pouch can be upgraded three times. This allows you to significantly increase the carrying capacity for each specific item type.
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What happens if my inventory is full?
Horizon Forbidden West doesn’t have a hard inventory limit. Any extra items are automatically sent to a Stash that can be found in every major town and city. This ensures that you never miss out on valuable resources.
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Where can I find crafting benches to upgrade my pouches?
Crafting benches are located in settlements and camps throughout the Forbidden West. Look for the icon on your map, or ask NPCs for directions to the nearest one.
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What resources are needed to upgrade pouches?
The required resources vary depending on the pouch and the upgrade level. Common resources include animal hides, machine parts, and plants. Always check the crafting bench for specific requirements.
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Is there a specific order in which I should upgrade my pouches?
Prioritize the pouches you use most frequently. For most players, this typically includes the resource pouch, ammo pouches, and potion pouch.
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Can I sell items directly from the Stash?
Yes, you can access your Stash from any merchant or crafting bench. From there, you can sell items, transfer them to your active inventory, or use them for crafting and upgrades.
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Does upgrading the food pouch increase the healing amount, or just the quantity I can carry?
Upgrading the food pouch only increases the quantity of food items you can carry, not the healing amount they provide.
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Are there any trophies related to upgrading pouches?
Yes, there is a trophy that requires you to upgrade at least one of each type of pouch to Level 1. It is recommended that you do it for all pouch types.
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How do I find rare animal hides needed for pouch upgrades?
Hunting specific animals in their natural habitats is the best way to find rare hides. Use your Focus to identify animals and track their movements. Consider using hunter bows with tear arrows to detach valuable parts without destroying the hide.
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What happens if I accidentally sell a rare resource needed for a pouch upgrade?
You can often buy back the resource from the same merchant you sold it to, provided they still have it in stock. If not, you’ll need to find another source.
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Is it possible to downgrade a pouch after upgrading it?
No, once you’ve upgraded a pouch, the change is permanent. There’s no way to revert to a previous upgrade level.
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Do pouch upgrades carry over into New Game+?
Yes, your pouch upgrades do carry over into New Game+. This is a significant advantage, as you’ll start with a higher carrying capacity from the beginning.
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Are there any unique pouches or carrying capacity upgrades that aren’t accessible through crafting benches?
No, all pouch upgrades are obtained through the crafting bench using gathered resources. There are no other unique methods for increasing your carrying capacity.
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How important is it to upgrade pouches for completing the game on higher difficulties?
Upgrading pouches is crucial for completing the game on higher difficulties. The increased carrying capacity allows you to maintain a steady supply of resources, ammo, and potions, significantly improving your chances of survival.
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Does the Burning Shores DLC add any new pouches or pouch upgrades?
The Burning Shores DLC does not add any new types of pouches. Instead, it enhances the existing pouches by adding higher level upgrades, further increasing carrying capacity.
Mastering Horizon Forbidden West: More Than Just Pouch Upgrades
While pouch upgrades are a crucial component, success in Horizon Forbidden West requires a multifaceted approach. Optimizing Aloy’s skills, understanding enemy weaknesses, and strategically utilizing your weapons and tools are equally essential. The pouch system is a foundational element that supports these strategies.
Exploring the Educational Aspects of Gaming
Beyond the excitement of exploring the Forbidden West and battling robotic creatures, games like Horizon Forbidden West offer valuable learning experiences. From problem-solving and resource management to understanding complex narratives and developing strategic thinking, video games can be powerful tools for education and skill development.
The Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org) is a community dedicated to exploring the intersection of gaming and education. They promote the use of games as learning tools and provide resources for educators and researchers interested in the educational potential of video games. The insights and experiences provided by the Games Learning Society highlight how games can foster critical thinking and creativity.
Final Thoughts
Mastering pouch upgrades in Horizon Forbidden West is essential for optimizing your gameplay experience. By understanding the different types of pouches, prioritizing your upgrades, and efficiently gathering resources, you can ensure that Aloy is always prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. So, get out there, explore the Forbidden West, and start upgrading your pouches today! This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding skills that you can learn from video games; learning is made easier with gaming.