Highlights

  • Hunting in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is vital for survival and can reward players with valuable resources and loot.
  • Finding and hitting a creature's weak spot results in a clean kill and more valuable drops.
  • Using high vantage points for hunting keeps players safe from dangerous creatures and provides a better view for lining up shots.

Hunting plays a very big part in the core gameplay loop of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Not only is it a means of survival, but hunting can also reward the player with some extremely valuable resources and loot, along with plenty of cooking ingredients that can grant the Na'vi unique buffs to aid in their adventure across the wide and expansive Western Frontier.

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It does need to be said that hunting is far from simple, especially because of how easy it can be to scare animals away, but the game does luckily provide the player with a plethora of tools that will help in hunting down the many creatures that roam the open world. Here are all the key tips and tricks that players should keep in mind when trying to hunt down a rare animal in the wild.

1 Always Find The Weak Spot

Hitting A Weak Spot Will Result In A Clean And Merciful Kill

Soundblast Colossus creature in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Just like the regular soldiers and mechs that can be found occupying the RDA bases, all creatures have a unique weak spot that can be targeted for a quick and clean kill, which will make the resources they drop even more valuable. The weak spot is very easy to identify while using the Na'vi Senses as it will be bright orange, similar to those found on the robots in the Horizon games.

For the majority of regular animals, their weak spot will either be located on their head or neck, which does make them quite an easy target, but things can get a little trickier for large and armored beasts like the Soundblast Colossus whose weak spot will often be hidden under its armored hide. Still, considering just how many benefits come from hitting this vulnerable area, it's well worth aiming for it when sneaking up on any animal.

2 Invest In The Hunter Skills Early On

Hunter Skills Are Great For Improving Movement And Collecting More Resources

Hunter skill tree in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

As mentioned previously, it's very easy for animals of all kinds to get startled in Frontiers of Pandora, and it can be very irritating when they run off just as the player is getting close enough to strike. The good news is that there are quite a few movement upgrades and buffs that can help out with this, primarily within the Hunter tree where the player can pick up Skills to make less noise when walking around, while also buffing their maximum speed in general.

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Players will also be able to acquire an Apex Skill for each of the five main Skill Trees, but the one that is essential for hunting is the one retrieved as part of the Hunter tree, which will make it so all non-predator wildlife completely ignore the Na'vi, so long as their weapon is holstered. All these skills can be valuable for hunting, and picking them up as early as possible can make gathering resources so much easier and more enjoyable.

3 Always Hunt From A High Vantage Point

Sniping From High Up Can Keep The Player Out Of Danger In Case Anything Goes Wrong

Na'avi shooting an animal from a tree branch

Na'vi are very skilled climbers, and they can easily traverse through the trees to get a good look at their prey, so making use of these vertical vantage points can be a real help when hunting down animals. Not only can it grant the player a bird's eye view of the animals, enabling them to line up the perfect shot, but it also keeps them a safe distance away from some of the larger creatures that can dish out some real damage if they manage to get close.

The Hammerhead is one of the most common examples since these four-legged beasts might look fairly docile at first, they can easily wipe out the player's health bar if they get spooked, so sticking to the trees is ideal for making a safe getaway if something goes wrong.

4 Beware Of Large Packs

There's Never Any Shame In Turning Away From A Large Pack Of Animals

Multiple scent trails in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Any animal in the game will rarely be alone in the wild, with the majority of them preferring to travel in packs, some of which can be pretty massive depending on the amount of members involved. When hunting down some of the more aggressive animals who possess large and dangerous attacks, there's no shame in turning back if they happen to be in a fairly large group, since it's not always worth taking the risk just for a few resources.

The size of a pack can be determined before even physically seeing the animals in some instances since it is possible to see their scent trails by using the Na'vi senses. If there are multiple trails all leading to the same area, it's an indication that the hunt will probably end up being a little tougher than usual.

5 Switch Bows Depending On The Animal

Each Bow Excels At Taking Down A Different Kind Of Wildlife

Weapon wheel in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Rather than just upgrading and sticking to one bow, players should get into the habit of switching bows when the situation calls for it, and for when a particular type of animal makes an appearance. The longbow excels at picking off smaller creatures from afar with a clean and precise shot, while the heavy bow is much better at taking out some of the larger creatures who possess much thicker hides.

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This might seem like a fairly small tip, but it can be extremely important considering that having the wrong bow in hand can simply startle or provoke an animal as opposed to killing it, leading to a messy and potentially very dangerous encounter. Therefore, to avoid an untimely game over screen, it can be a good idea to research the animal being hunted, and craft arrows for a specific bow in preparation for the encounter.

6 Make Good Use Of The Hunter's Guide

It's Vital To Research An Animal In The Hunter's Guide Before Seeking Them Out

Viperwolf database in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Since the pause menu already includes things like the map, skill tree, and available quests, it can be quite easy to ignore, or completely forget about the Hunter's Guide, despite it being incredibly useful for hunting. Not only can it let the player know exactly what types of loot a monster will drop once killed, but it will also specify where the animal can be found on the map too, making it very easy to quickly gather the exact ingredients needed for a crafting recipe.

It's also worth giving the Additional Info section a quick read, as these will always include some helpful characteristics about each animal that should be kept in mind to make hunting far more manageable. Just as the name implies, the Hunter's Guide provides everything that a player needs to ensure their hunting experience goes as smoothly as possible.

Frontiers Of Pandora
Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora

Platform(s)
PC , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
Released
December 7, 2023
Developer(s)
Massive Entertainment
Genre(s)
Action-Adventure