Horizon Forbidden West: Master Silent Strike Trial

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Alright, let's tackle the Silent Strike Trial at the Plainsong Hunting Ground in Horizon Forbidden West. This one's all about stealth and precision, and honestly, it's way more forgiving than some of the others. If you've already done the first trial here, you'll recognize the area – the Burrowers are in the same spots, which is a huge help!

Walkthrough

1
First things first, head to the Hunting Ground. You'll need to have finished the main quest 'The Dying Lands' before you can actually participate, but it's located northwest of Plainsong, or directly east of the Restless Weald Relic Ruin.
2
Once you're in the trial area, your goal is to take out three Burrowers using Silent Strike or Strike from Above. The key is to approach them while they're unaware.
3
To perform a Silent Strike, just sneak up behind an unsuspecting Burrower. You'll see an R1 prompt appear. Press it, and Aloy will take them down silently. If you see a skull icon next to the R1 prompt, that means the Silent Strike will be a one-hit kill.
4
For the Full Stripes, you've got a tight time limit of just 1 minute and 30 seconds. So, speed and stealth are crucial.
5
At the very start of the trial, slide down the rope on the left. Immediately duck into the tall grass. Wait for a Burrower to wander close, then sneak up behind it and perform the Silent Strike.
6
Remember to stay crouched while moving around, especially when you're near a machine. Normal walking makes too much noise and they'll spot you.
7
Don't sweat it if the machine's icon turns red briefly after a stealth kill; it doesn't count against you for this trial.

Tips

Always use the tall grass for cover.
Smoke Drums and Smoke Bombs are your best friends for staying hidden.
A red indicator means you've been spotted – time to reposition or try again.
Silent Strike is your main tool here. Use it to take down machines without raising an alarm.
Strike from Above is also an option if you can get directly over an unaware machine.

Here's what you're aiming for, depending on how quickly you complete the trial:

Quarter Stripes (10:00): 4 Hunting Medals, 40 Metal Shards, Small Machine Core
Half Stripes (02:30): 5 Hunting Medals, 50 Metal Shards, 10 Chillwater, Small Machine Core
Full Stripes (01:30): 6 Hunting Medals, 60 Metal Shards, 10 Chillwater, Fanghorn Antler, Medium Machine Core

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Trial 5: Silent Strike Trial