fighting grimhorn in first major boss battle.

[82Angelfan]

About to abandon game. This boss seems overly difficult. My two companions help zero amount. I shoot off weapon from grimhorn, pick it up, then just drop it when i try to aim or fire it. The blaze sack seems impossible to hit.

[StormhawkV]

This is the first fight in which you are unable to cheese a large machine by using terrain. It's much easier to dodge AoE attacks by sliding instead of dodging. It offers more iframes and covers more distance. The Grimhorn's horns are armored from the front so it's best to slide past the machine and shoot them from behind. Once all four guns are gone the machine is quite harmless. Also use acid arrows to trigger the DoT effect as the Grimhorn is weak to it.

[Bird_Dog]

For a first timer, that's not an easy fight.
I find acid rather underwhelming tbh. It is supposed to weaken armour, but I don't really feel it in my fights.
If you have a weapon with purge water effect, use that instead.
Once in the drenched state, the Grimhorn can't use its fire attacks. Plus, it becomes weak to other elements.
You can then for example freeze it. In the brittle state it will take much more damage from your attacks.

[StormhawkV]

As far as I know the only purge water weapon available before opening up the next part of the gameworld is a blastsling available from the hunter merchant in Barren Light. I think I used it too at some point. It was decent.

[Nikas Zekeval]

Originally posted by 82Angelfan:

About to abandon game. This boss seems overly difficult. My two companions help zero amount. I shoot off weapon from grimhorn, pick it up, then just drop it when i try to aim or fire it. The blaze sack seems impossible to hit.

I was able to get through this first time.

One, did you scan the machine and target vulnerable areas?

Two, what weapon techniques and valor surges do you have available and selected?

Three, what gear did you bring to the fight? How upgraded was it?

[Hebalon]

This is one of the fights where you learn to appreciate knockdown mechanics in the game. I had a very hard time with this fight on my second or third playtrough in harder difficulties. (iirc I had quite a high level on my first one, with better gear).
One tactic that worked for me is using Drillspikes (like the one you get from Delah and Boomer in Chainscrape) to trigger a knockdown. Then you have quite some time to deal more damage. Other weapons may work as well - try to aim for the legs.

[sinsorrow1]

What armor/weapons/ammo/tactics do you use? Is your gear upgraded? What level are you?

[82Angelfan]

I am level 19. I'm pretty much stealth. Weapons available thus far are are all upgraded.

Why can't I use the heavy weapon I shot off of the machine?

I use dodge tactics. However, the machine starts using flamethrower, and I stay away from it but when it stops, the thing is right next to me.

The devs should say at the beginning of game, "we included stealth in the game, but use it, we were just kidding."

It's Dues Ex all over again.

[Alcator]

Originally posted by 82Angelfan:

I am level 19.

Which difficulty have you chosen?

You can always reduce the difficulty -- turn it to Easy or even Story if a particular fight catches you off guard.

[Hebalon]

Stealth is a great option in Forbidden West, but not always that useful in boss fights - and absolutely not in the Arena later on (besides Smoke Bombs, of course).

However, you can always use Smoke Bombs to get into stealth again. I haven't tried it by myself, but using a Smoke Bomb just before you pick up the heavy weapon from the Grimhorn should work.

[SirKingJof]

I'm sure you've moved past this fight now, but i am interested as to why you can't use the cluster launcher.

You drop all heavy weapons when you dodge, but there's no reason you should drop it when trying to aim it like any other weapon.

In case you haven't done the fight yet, you can use smoke bombs to put some distance between yourself and machines if you need to, the stun lasts a pretty long time. I'd personally ignore trying to use the cluster launcher, too slow and cumbersome to use in this fight. Spikes to the legs to generate knockdowns is a solid tactic against any machine, i still use drill spike late game for this purpose. Spikes in general are amazing, the spike trap weapon skill is my top pick weapon skill, it's a huge damage boost over regular throws and if you miss hitting the machine directly they stay in the ground so you can lure them over it.

Also, stealth is massively powerful for large sections of the game, but there are set piece fights where it simply can't be used effectively. Sometimes you have to do what is basically an arena fight, can't use one tactic the whole game.

[sinsorrow1]

Freeze it then use the range damage or the part damage valor surge and just unload with your best sniper or hunter bow or shredder gauntlet. Another easy method is to tie it down with the ropecaster and grapple strike.

EDIT: You can respec your skill points any time for free.