Fireclaw

The Fireclaw is a category of machine in Horizon Zero Dawn exclusive to The Frozen Wilds. A large Acquisition Class machine, Fireclaws have a dual purpose as both acquisition machines and hunter-killer units for deployment against humans. They are the first and only known machines developed for this purpose, a task that they are exceptionally well-equipped to perform. As such, they represent an escalation in their creator HEPHAESTUS' hostility to humans and its efforts to dissuade humans from hunting machines.

History
Fireclaws were created by the AI HEPHAESTUS at Cauldron EPSILON, in the Banuk region known as The Cut. Given that the Frostclaw is similar in appearance and design, they may have served as an inspiration or prototype for the Fireclaw's design. As previously outlined, Fireclaws are the first and only known anti-human hunter-killer machines. Apparently satisfied with their capabilities and suitability for this purpose, HEPHAESTUS began to mass-produce thousands of them. However, it was only able to produce and release a small number of them before EPSILON’s destruction.

Appearance
Like the Frostclaw, the Fireclaw is somewhat ursine in appearance, movement and locomotion. Its chassis strongly resembles that of a grizzly bear. Presumably, HEPHAESTUS modelled the Fireclaw after the long-extinct animal, which was native to the region during the time of the Old Ones. Its size is comparable to that of a Thunderjaw, making it one of the largest machines. The head ends in a pointed, toothy snout with a three-mandible jaw containing system of rollers. A pair of optical sensor arrays is located in the same position as a bear’s eyes would be. Mounted on each forelimb are a pair of gear like wheels, whose purpose is unknown. There is an armour-protected fire generation unit, known as a Fire Unit, on its chest, and power cells are located on its lower back. Fire Sacs, armoured storage tanks containing Blaze, are built into its chassis, similar to Fire Bellowbacks. However, while the Fire Bellowback’s tanks are prominently placed on its back and throat, the Fireclaw’s tanks are seamlessly built into its shoulders and are much more damage resistant. Furthermore, while the Fire Bellowback and Freeze Bellowback are identical in all respects except for their respective elements of Fire and Freeze, Fireclaws are much larger than Frostclaws, have a considerably higher capacity to resist and sustain damage, and their armour is much tougher.

Behaviour
Like most large machines, Fireclaws are solitary and almost never seen in groups. They are only known to be found in The Cut; the region’s geography prevents them from entering nearby territories, such as the Nora Sacred Lands to the south.

As previously stated, Fireclaws have a secondary purpose as acquisition machines, and are classified as such. They can be frequently seen mining soil for mineral resources at their respective sites, in the same manner as Tramplers. They also scavenge destroyed machines.

Abilities
Like the grizzly bear, the Fireclaw is able to adopt both a quadrupedal and bipedal stance. In either stance it employs fast, relentless and deadly fire-based range attacks and fire-augmented melee attacks. Its capacity to sustain damage is rivalled only by the four other largest and most powerful machines known. Its damage resistance is even greater than that of these machines, particularly against explosives. Even if one of its flammable liquid tanks is punctured and explodes, the blast damage is minimal. Furthermore, Daemonic Fireclaws share the immunity of all Daemonic Machines to Corruption and Override, and also share their very high resistance to Shock. Additionally, despite their huge size, they are quite agile and fast, able to run and spring with surprising speed.