Widemaw

Learn how to defeat the Widemaw in Horizon Forbidden West. Discover its weaknesses, attack patterns, and the best strategies to overcome this amphibious machine.

The Widemaw is an amphibious machine that uses its powerful jaws to vacuum up resources and launch dangerous attacks. It resembles a hippopotamus and often appears in groups, making encounters challenging.

Stats / Weaknesses:

• Level: 15
• Type: Acquisition
• Cauldron: MU Cauldron
• Weak Against: Purgewater
• Resistant To: Fire, Frost, Shock, Acid, Plasma

Phases:

1. Vacuum Attacks: The Widemaw has two main vacuum attacks. The first is a direct suction that can pull Aloy in, followed by a lunge. The second involves the Widemaw spinning while forming a rock in its mouth, which then explodes. While these attacks are difficult to escape, hitting the Vacuum Unit inside its mouth with Concentration can stop the suction. Shooting the forming rock can cause it to explode, potentially inflicting Purgewater.
2. Projectile Attacks: It can shoot single, larger rocks that are easy to dodge, or rapid-fire volleys of smaller rocks that require quick dodges in alternating directions.
3. Lunge and Charge: The Widemaw performs a lunging attack after rearing its head to the side and a fast, straight-line charge that is easy to avoid.
4. Elemental Weaknesses: Once Purgewater is inflicted, the Widemaw becomes more vulnerable to Frost and Shock attacks, and its own elemental attacks are sealed.

Strategy:

• Focus on inflicting Purgewater to create openings for Frost or Shock attacks.
• Target the Tusks on the lower jaw when the mouth is open to reduce damage from its attacks.
• The Purgewater Sac on its belly is hard to hit but destroying it prevents Purgewater attacks. Leaving it intact yields extra loot.
• Shoot off the Sparkers (normal) or Glowblast Containers (Apex) on its sides near the rear to cause explosions.
• The Vacuum Turbine on its rear powers suction attacks; destroying both can disable them, but they are difficult to target.
• If armor is present on its back, removing it will expose more vulnerable spots for increased damage.
• Use Concentration to slow time and target the Vacuum Unit during its suction attacks to interrupt them.

Loot:

• Body: Purgewater (100%), Metal Shards (100%), Apex Widemaw Heart (56% - Apex only), Piercing Spike (50% - Apex only), Volatile Sludge (50% - Apex only), Machine Muscle (30-31%), Widemaw Circulator (28-29%), Medium Machine Core (27%), Braided Wire (20-21%), Widemaw Primary Nerve (18-19%), Sturdy Hardplate (11%), Metal Bone (10-11%)
• Tusks: Widemaw Tusk (100%) - Detaching reduces attack damage.
• Vacuum Unit: Indestructible, no loot. Can be hit to stop suction.
• Purgewater Sac: Purgewater (100%) - Destroying stops Purgewater attacks.
• Sparker/Glowblast Container: Sparker (100% - Normal only), Glowblast (100% - Apex only) - Located on sides near rear.
• Vacuum Turbine: Braided Wire (67%), Machine Muscle (67%) - Located on the rear. Destroying disables suction attacks.