Ropecaster

Ropecaster
Type	Ranged weapon
Ammo Pouch	Ropecaster Ammo Pouch
Effects	Temporary Immobilization
Source	Merchants
Base Stats
Handling	50 70 (Lodge variant)
Reload Speed	0.8s 0.48s (Lodge variant)
Max Range	25m
Ammunition
Ammo per Pack	5 6 (Ammo Crafter)
Capacity	10 30 (Max capacity)

Tribal man introducing Aloy to the Ropecaster

The Ropecaster is a ranged weapon in Horizon Zero Dawn. It is a tool designed by the Nora tribe and used by hunters to deter and pin down targets.

Usage

The Ropecaster can be used to temporarily take enemies out of the fight so the player may focus on others, or immobilize a machine so that it is easier to target its weaknesses. It is most effective when used against larger machines, such as the Thunderjaw. Depending on the size of the target and the type of ammo used, it may take several shots before it is successfully pinned. The maximum immobilization duration of 90 seconds reduces for every instance the player or other NPCs attack the target.

What is most important of all, however, is that a fully immobilized machine can be Overridden even if it is fully combat alerted. Several machine types are much easier to override this way such as a Thunderjaw, and this is in fact the only known way to be able to hack a Stormbird since in their passive state they never stop patrolling through the air, out the player's reach. The binding will come off completely should the machine be successfully overridden.

Against humans, the Ropecaster is of very limited use. If a human is hit, they will take minor damage and be knocked down, though elite and heavy humans are immune to the knockdown effect.

Special Variant

"Look at the detailing. Strong too. You could even pull someone's pride down a notch with this."

―Aidaba

The Lodge Ropecaster is a weapon earned as one of the 3 rewards from the Weapons of the Lodge quest, requiring players to earn at least a Full Sun mark on all 15 Hunting Grounds Trials in the base game. It uses heavy rope and has 3 slots like the Shadow Ropecaster, however it has a higher base Handling attribute of 70, giving it less delay between shots and faster aiming.

Ammo

The pouch for the Ropecaster's wire can be upgraded to hold up to 30 ropes at a time. A missed shot wastes the ammo.

The numbered value of Tear damage are displayed following difficulty order from easiest to hardest. Tear damage are only altered in Story and Ultra Hard difficulties.

Ammo Type	Variant	Damage	Tear	Anchor Strength
Tie Rope Light	Basic	25/35	600-150-75	50
Tie Rope Medium	Carja	25/35	600-150-75	75
Tie Rope Heavy	Shadow / AdeptNG+ Lodge / Adept LodgeNG+	25/35	600-150-75	100

Notes

Machine Details

Machine Tiers	Machine Type	Anchor Strength Req	Damage Threshold
1	Broadhead Charger Grazer Lancehorn Redeye Watcher Scrapper Strider Watcher	75	30
2	Glinthawk Longleg Shell-Walker Stalker	150	45
3	Corruptor Fire Bellowback Freeze Bellowback Ravager Sawtooth Snapmaw Trampler	250	75
4	Behemoth Rockbreaker Thunderjaw Stormbird	400	120

It is likely that all new machines from Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds are in Tier 4, unless there is a new Tier 5.

Modification Slots by Variant

Variant	Mod Slots
Basic	1
Carja	2
Shadow / Lodge	3
AdeptNG+ Adept LodgeNG+	4

Acquisition Details

Variant	Sources	Regular Cost	Ultra Hard Cost	Sell Value
Basic	General Merchants	75	375	25
Carja	Tier 3 & 4 Merchants	200 6 Echo Shell	1,000 12 Echo Shell	50
Shadow	Tier 4 Merchants	500 1 Snapmaw Heart	2,500 2 Snapmaw Heart	100
AdeptNG+	Tier 4 Merchants	1,000 1 Snapmaw Heart 1 Shell-Walker Heart	5,000 2 Snapmaw Heart 2 Shell-Walker Heart	100
Lodge	Hunter's Lodge	15 Full Sun marks	15 Full Sun marks	100
Adept LodgeNG+	Hunter's Lodge	15 Full Sun marks	15 Full Sun marks	100

Trivia

• The Ropecaster is the only type of weapon in the game where each Tier has an exclusive ammo type.
• Because they deal no initial damage, and then deal massive damage after a five second timer, stacking multiple Sticky Bombs on a tied down target can result in large amounts of easy, though slightly delayed, damage.
• Snapmaws have the uncanny capability to instantly break the bindings of Ropecaster ammo whilst in water by executing "death rolls".
• While the other Ropecasters pull back their ropes if they miss, the Lodge Ropecaster ropes break instead.
  • This happens when the Handling stat is above a certain threshold, causing the end of the rope to be fired into the ground before the rope fully extends. All Ropecasters can achieve this using modifications, but the Lodge Ropecaster is the only one with a default handling stat high enough to have this happen with no modifications.

• Deathbringers are the only machine immune to the effects of the Ropecaster.
• Fireclaws and Frostclaws are able to rip off ropes attached to them if they aren't fully tied down.

References

Horizon Zero Dawn Weapons
Ranged Weapons	Blast Sling - Forgefire - Hunter Bow - Icerail - Rattler - Ropecaster - Sharpshot Bow - Sling - Stormslinger - Tearblaster - War Bow
Melee Weapons	Spear - Sylens' Lance
Stealth Weapons	Traps - Tripcaster
Heavy Weapons	Deathbringer Gun - Disc Launcher - Firespitter - Firestriker - Mine Launcher - Oseram Cannon - Ravager Cannon